The Top Order Cricket Podcast

It's our first episode back in 2022 and there's been plenty of action over the holiday season. We start the show by discussing the Black Caps v Bangladesh series, which started with a win for the Tigers but finished with a fitting Test farewell for Ross Taylor and milestones for Trent Boult, Devon Conway and Tom Latham. There's praise for Litton Das as well as discussion about NZ players under pressure over the rest of the home summer and some eye-catching performances in the Super Smash and the BBL. After confirming that Devon Conway is indeed the best batter the world has ever seen, we move to Australia to chat about the greatest bowler of all time, Scott Boland, hundreds for Jonny Bairstow and Usman Khawaja, the evergreen Jimmy Anderson, whether England is actually as terrible as everyone is suggesting and plenty more that's happened in The Ashes since we last recorded. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back next week to discuss the cricketing week that was, including the South Africa v India Test decider, but if you can't wait that long then dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our final episode of 2021, we look back at our personal highlights and lowlights from a year that included the Black Caps' World Test Championship victory and a first men's T20 World Cup title for Australia. We also share our Cricketmas wishlist for 2022, but the most important part of the show and this write up is to say thank you to all of our listeners. We absolutely love getting together to record these episodes and the fact people are listening gives us a great excuse to keep doing it week after week. Thanks so much for your support - even after two years, it's still a thrill when we see downloads happening from all over the world. See you in 2022 and please do contact us on any of our channels if you have any comments or requests. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back in 2022 to discuss all the cricket over the holiday season, but if you can't wait that long then dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, George Dobell, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode starts with us trying to makes sense of this Ashes series, which now looks all but over with three Tests still to go. We talk Joe Root's after-match comments, Ollie Robinson bowling spin, England's woes, Australia's joy for Michael Neser, Steve Smith's kitbag and whether there's any chance this series remains interesting as we head to the MCG. As we move back to New Zealand, we discuss the Covid disruptions for the Bangladesh squad, how the Black Caps will line up without Kane Williamson for this series and the rescheduled tour to Pakistan. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back before the end of the year to look back at our favourite moments of 2021, but if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, George Dobell, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the show we're joined by one of the newest members of the Black Caps - someone who has had quite a 12 months. There’s been injuries, international debuts, plus a lot of learning and special memories during a year Rachin Ravindra told us he'll never forget. Rachin spoke about what it's like when your name starts popping up on Cricinfo and social media at a young age, the injury he thought had derailed his year and the moment Gary Stead told him he'd been selected for his first international tour. We talked about sharing the field with some of his heroes, batting in all conditions, helping Ajaz Patel make history, growing up while the Black Caps have consistently been one of the best sides in the world and how he'd like to see his role develop at the top level. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back later this week to review the second Ashes Test, plus other news from the cricketing week that was. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, both Mike and David Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. There's also our Hall of Fame series, in which we count down the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes takes centre stage this week as we discuss Australia's win in the first Test at the Gabba. Should England have bowled first? Did they pick the right team? Are we really that surprised their batters struggled? Will Travis Head's 150 prove to be a career-defining innings? Plus we had Patrick Cummins' captaincy debut, Nathan Lyon's 400th wicket, a rough time for Jack Leach, fines galore and injury concerns for both sides. During the second half of the show we all try to claim partial credit for our pre-match predictions, then get excited about the upcoming India v South Africa Test series before shout outs to Marty Kain, Colin Munro and Mitchell Hay. Keep an eye out for our next episode - an interview with Black Cap Rachin Ravindra. His positive attitude really made an impression on us and we're sure you'll enjoy the chat. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, both Mike and David Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Georgia Wareham, Jarrod Kimber, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. There's also our Hall of Fame series, in which we count down the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 65 to 61 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you like spoilers). It's another fun group, including some of the most recognisable players that the game has ever seen and heard. There are wickets galore, so many happy memories and some of the best nicknames you could ask for as we reminisce while we examine Baldy's rankings. Is legacy more important than stats? Do average and strike rate matter more than total wickets? Have the Black Caps ever played in Cape Town? Who is the greatest commentator of all time? And who is Joe Mennie? Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if you think we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our next This Week in Cricket show will look back at the first Ashes Test, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fantastic characters from around the world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We've also made a few of our episodes available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 65-61 in the following order. 65 - WG Grace 64 - Richie Benaud 63 - Vernon Philander 62 - Michael Holding 61 - Anil Kumble Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's an excitement overload this week as we're together to record in the same room for the first time since August! We start the show by celebrating Ajaz Patel's incredible achievement - becoming the third player in history to take 10 wickets in an innings - before we break down a heavy loss for the Black Caps and look ahead to the rest of the summer for NZ and India. Will Ross Taylor hold his spot? Was Virat Kohli out? Was Ajinkya Rahane really injured? Is there a way to level the playing field for all teams on away tours? And much more! After a much-anticipated swish, Binksy picks himself off the floor and we discuss England selections for The Ashes, plus grounds, tradition and our bold predictions for the series. For more general Ashes content, check out our previous episode - a preview of the series with Melinda Farrell. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. Next up, we'll have another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A little series called The Ashes is on the horizon, there's drama everywhere and Melinda Farrell joins the show to chat through the storylines before the action gets underway. How will Tim Paine's resignation impact Australia? Can Ollie Robinson be a difference-maker for England? Patrick Cummins - Test captain Will Stuart Broad get the better of David Warner once again? Who is the real Marnus Labuschagne? What impact will the return of Ben Stokes have on the rest of the England lineup? And who will lift the urn? As we mentioned on the show, Melinda Farrell is an all-round cricket personality who produces brilliant content across a number of different platforms. You can find her written work here, view her YouTube channel here (including The Good, the Bad and the Ridiculous with Bharat Sundaresan) or find her on Twitter. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website, and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. Next up, we'll have our This Week in Cricket show to discuss the India v Black Caps series, followed by another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Tim Southee, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, we're joined by Black Caps' leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. As well as re-living the final few moments of the first Test between NZ and India, we talk about matchups, head knocks, glue hands and big wickets as Ish looks back at a T20 World Cup campaign that took the Black Caps all the way to the final. Naturally, with Baldy and Lippy on the call, the conversation turns to the art of spin bowling and Ish talks about what he learned from playing Test cricket at such an early stage in his career - and why he's keen to get back in the whites for the Black Caps. We round out the show by discussing Ish's most recent role for the Rajasthan Royals and the magic of the IPL. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Next up, we've got Melinda Farrell joining us to help preview The Ashes, followed by another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Graham Thorpe and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's show is dominated by our reaction to the Black Caps' gritty draw against India in the first Test at Kanpur. The Kiwis among us are celebrating a job well done, but do the neutrals think the #1 ranked Test side should be happy with a draw? As the conversation continues, we break down the key performances and talking points from a fascinating match, including: The final few nervy moments Was this a missed opportunity for NZ? Umpiring and the DRS clock Ravichandran Ashwin's follow-through Contrasting spin attacks Brilliant debuts from Shreyas Iyer and Rachin Ravindra Selection headaches for both sides And plenty more before quickly touching on the Covid situation in South Africa, some highlights from the New Zealand domestic scene and a new role for Baldy as the group's head of talent identification. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. We managed to speak with a few extra guests this week, so have delayed the release of our next Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) - it'll be available in about a week's time. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Jeetan Patel, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. Coming soon, you'll see interviews with Ish Sodhi reflecting on the T20 World Cup, and Melinda Farrell to help us preview The Ashes. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a rollercoaster few months it has been for the Australian men's team! Justin Langer reportedly lost the dressing room, their World Cup build up was awful, David Warner couldn't get a game at the IPL and then they go and win the T20 World Cup but only a week or so later Tim Paine resigns from the Test captaincy because of a sexting scandal. Never a dull moment. We give our thoughts on the way Cricket Australia has handled the situation and look ahead to what might happen on the field with a new captain and potentially a new wicketkeeper for The Ashes. The Black Caps start their World Test Championship title defence in India tomorrow afternoon (check out our full preview on an earlier episode), but first we look back at the three T20s that did pose some interesting questions: Has Martin Guptill done enough over the past 6-12 months to get himself another IPL contract? Should Kyle Jamieson become a Test specialist at international level? And should Black Caps' fans be insulted that the likes of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant elected to play three meaningless T20s but are resting in the Test series? There are also shout outs to Sophie Devine and her Perth Scorchers in the WBBL, AB de Villiers on his incredible career and some confusing dialogue in Bangladesh involving Mushfiqur Rahim. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. There'll be another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) dropping in a few days. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Jeetan Patel, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Test cricket is back (almost)! After a heavy diet of T20 cricket over the past couple of months, the Black Caps are in India to begin their defence of the World Test Championship mace. In unfamiliar conditions, there's a spin-heavy look to the New Zealand squad, but who will make the starting XI? How much will the Black Caps miss Devon Conway? India has rested half their side, including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli (back for the second Test) - how will they line up on Day 1? Will we be talking about anything other than the pitches over the next few weeks? What would be a good result for New Zealand in this two-Test series? And what do the neutrals (Baldy and Binksy) think will happen? If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. There'll be another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) dropping in a week's time. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Dion Nash, Finn Allen, Graham Thorpe, Shane Bond, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is T20 the most important format in the game today? Recorded just prior to the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup, this two-part episode charts the evolution of T20 cricket from novelty or experimental format to the present day, when big-money franchise tournaments have become a major part of the cricketing calendar. Was Martin Crowe's Cricket Max ahead of its time? Has there ever been a better T20 innings than Ricky Ponting's 98* in the first T20 international? What impact has T20 had on spinners, batters, pace bowlers and wicketkeepers? How has it impacted Test and ODI cricket? And what does the future hold? To hear more content from us, keep an eye on your feed on Monday (afternoon NZ time) for our preview of the New Zealand v India Test series. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Gary Stead, Finn Allen, Graham Thorpe, Shane Bond, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is T20 the most important format in the game today? Recorded just prior to the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup, this two-part episode charts the evolution of T20 cricket from novelty or experimental format to the present day, when big-money franchise tournaments have become a major part of the cricketing calendar. Was Martin Crowe's Cricket Max ahead of its time? Has there ever been a better T20 innings than Ricky Ponting's 98* in the first T20 international? What impact has T20 had on spinners, batters, pace bowlers and wicketkeepers? How has it impacted Test and ODI cricket? And what does the future hold? Remember to listen to Part 2 of this discussion, which is also out now, and keep an eye on your feed on Monday (afternoon NZ time) for our preview of the New Zealand v India Test series. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Matt Henry, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Daniel Brettig, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The T20 World Cup ended with Australia being crowned the champions of the world as New Zealand were heartbroken again in another white-ball tournament. We re-live the emotions of the final and some incredible batting from Kane Williamson, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Did the toss decide the game? Could the Black Caps have done anything differently? Did anyone see Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazelwood having such a starring role for Australia at this World Cup? We also look back at the tournament as a whole to discuss the format, schedule, key players and our favourite moments. It was a tough episode for the Kiwis - but Baldy kept the gloating to a minimum and saved his shoeys for after the recording. We'll be back again later this week (Saturday morning NZ time) with two episodes on the evolution of T20 cricket, before we preview the upcoming New Zealand vs India Test series (Monday afternoon NZ time). Before then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Jacob Oram, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keen listeners of the show might be looking for our discussion about the evolution of T20 cricket, but two brilliant semi-finals had us buzzing with excitement so we decided to jump on the mics again for this extra episode to look back at these great games and then look forward to the big dance. Emotions were running high, but Binksy remained gracious in defeat in the face of Lippy's celebrations as we discussed the Black Caps' impressive victory against England, which had a few eerie similarities to that memorable World Cup final in 2019. We talk about the outstanding knocks from Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, the impact of Devon Conway's injury and whether match-up cricket has gone too far. Later in the show, Baldy attempts to claim underdog status for all Australians, despite Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis powering them across the line against Pakistan. Raj wants to know why David Warner walked off the field despite being not out and we discover that the secret to winning at cricket is to not play cricket. Of course, we finish with predictions, but these have now become so meaningless that they've morphed into a strange game of reverse psychology - good luck trying to decipher that nonsense. In a few days' time, we'll be back again to re-live the glory and heartbreak of the final, but while you are waiting please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Tim Southee, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Daniel Brettig, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The T20 World Cup is the focus again this week with the semi-finalists now confirmed after New Zealand's win against Afghanistan booked them a date against England to compete for a place in the big dance. On the other side of the draw, the only unbeaten side left in the tournament, Pakistan, will face a resurgent David Warner and an Australian team who could well be hitting form at exactly the right time. Did the best four teams make the semi-finals? Can Australia and New Zealand upset the top seeds? Will the Black Caps make any changes? And will it be Babar Azam, Eoin Morgan, Aaron Finch or Kane Williamson holding the trophy aloft in just a few days' time? We'll be back again next week to re-live the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup and hopefully, with three runners in the race, at least one of us will be celebrating a famous victory. In the meantime, on Friday you'll see two more episodes drop into your podcast feed - our take on the evolution of T20 cricket as a format and what that means for the global game. A big topic and once we started talking we kept talking for a while, so the episode will release in two parts, both dropping on Friday afternoon New Zealand time. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Matt Henry, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Daniel Brettig, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baldy has birds on the mind during this edition of the Test Cricket Hall of Fame, as we count down from 70 to 66. There's pigeons, peacocks, ducks and geese, but best of all, there's a Kiwi. We discuss why Australia hasn't produced more great Test allrounders, as well as the evolution of the flipper and some brilliant batters from South Africa, Pakistan and England - including one who might be a lot higher on this list by the time they retire. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 70-66 in the following order. 70 - Alan Davidson 69 - Clarrie Grimmett 68 - Hashim Amla 67 - Inzamam ul-Haq 66 - Joe Root For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our next This Week in Cricket show will preview the semi-finals and final of the ICC T20 World Cup, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jeetan Patel, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin and many more fantastic characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's another case of World Cup fever this week and there's plenty to talk about, despite Pakistan and England having a jump on the field so far. We start the show by reflecting on an outstanding performance by the Black Caps against India, in a game so crucial that many described it as a World Cup quarter-final. Was Daryl Mitchell's promotion a happy accident? Ish Sodhi was man of the match, but did he bowl the most important spell of the game? Will Virat Kohli's final T20 World Cup as captain end in disappointment? And could Afghanistan still spoil New Zealand's party? As we continue our jaunt around the World Cup, we move to the two most impressive teams of the tournament so far: England and Pakistan. Should we already pencil these two teams into the final? Is anyone hitting the ball better than Jos Buttler at the moment? How about Asif Ali? Who will finish second in Group 1 behind England? Should Australia drop Steve Smith? And is it just a coincidence that teams batting second are winning the majority of the games? Plus Ben Stokes is heading to Australia for the Ashes (will Jofra Archer join him?), the IPL is expanding, Lippy's got a name to watch for the India v New Zealand Test series and Sophie Devine eats Super Overs for breakfast. We'll be back again next week to preview the business end of the T20 World Cup, but also look out for another episode of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame on Friday - there's even a New Zealander in this one! Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Daniel Beswick, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Wasim Khan and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's some outrageous claims on this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame as we explore the careers of five fantastic batters ranked from 75 to 71. Is it better to occupy the crease or score your runs quickly? Does a great player have to be a great leader? Is it a good idea to meet your heroes? And did Binksy really say that Baldy has ranked the best English batter of all time at #73? Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 75-71 in the following order: 75 - Michael Clarke 74 - Geoffrey Boycott 73 - Kevin Pietersen 72 - Michael Hussey 71 - Virender Sehwag For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, our upcoming This Week in Cricket show will feature a heavy dose of the ICC T20 World Cup, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin and many more fantastic characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The T20 World Cup has reached the Super 12 stage and there's been some cracking games already. We start with a shout out to Namibia and Scotland for their superb efforts during the group stage, before reminding ourselves that we've pretty much got every prediction wrong so far in the tournament. That hasn't mattered a lick, though, because the cricket has been fascinating and there's a huge week ahead. England smashed the West Indies, Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets, Australia sneaked over the line against South Africa and Lippy's nervous about a massive week for the Black Caps that could define their success or otherwise at this World Cup. We hit on a few key questions for the remainder of the tournament: How will the pitches change the way the games are played? Will this be the World Cup of the likes of Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, rather than the out and out power hitters? Is being in the 'Group of Death' actually a good thing? And will any of our predictions come true? Plus there's a quick preview of the bidding process for the IPL teams (since recording, we've learned the teams will be based in Lucknow and Ahmedabad and sold for a LOT of money), the Old Trafford Test has become the Edgbaston Test and there's a quick round up of impressive Kiwis at the WBBL and during the first round of the Plunket Shield. Of course we'll be back again next week with more T20 World Cup coverage, but also look out for another episode of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame in the coming days - this one got very spicy! Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes are still six weeks away, but the boys, particularly Baldy and Binksy, couldn't resist taking a brief detour away from the T20 World Cup to discuss the lay of the land leading into a series that always provides plenty of talking points. Will the English players have to quarantine? What grounds will the games be played at? Which spots are up for grabs in the Australian line up? Are we enjoying the banter? And will Ben Stokes play a part? Keep an eye out for our T20 World Cup coverage in the coming days, and please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katey Martin has represented the White Ferns nearly 200 times across an almost 18-year international career, including a rare Test match in 2003. We’ve heard her dulcet tones as part of the Spark Sport commentary team and through the stump mics, and she joined us last week from MIQ after the UK tour. In this candid chat, Katey took us into the White Ferns camp to discuss events both on and off the field over the past few months - first looking back to evaluate the England series and then looking ahead to the upcoming ODI World Cup in New Zealand in March/April 2022. We talked goals and expectations, the growth of the women's game, riding in a cricket-ball-shaped bus, dial-up internet, what it's like to be sledged by Alyssa Healy and plenty more in this conversation with one of the game's great characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our recent guest episodes, which include the likes of Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee, Frankie Mackay and many more. There's also plenty of T20 World Cup content for you, with our preview of the event and a conversation with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eighteen months ago it was hard to imagine we'd have the final of the IPL and the opening games of a T20 World Cup within the same week, but in this new-normal world that's exactly what happened. We talk the excellent turnaround from CSK, led by Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni, who powered to victory via the bats of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali, and an excellent campaign from the full squad. There's also plenty of love for KKR and their Kiwi contingent for the way they stormed into the final. Speaking of Faf du Plessis, we discuss his omission from the South African T20 World Cup squad, as well as Imran Tahir and Chris Morris, and debate whether the West Indies should have made an exception for Sunil Narine. As the T20 World Cup conversation continues, our Universe Boss correspondent provides a Chris Gayle update, before we discuss the opening day of the tournament, which saw hosts Oman defeat Papua New Guinea and Scotland upset Bangladesh. For more T20 World Cup coverage, check out our preview of the tournament, which focuses largely on the Super 12 stage, plus our episodes with Niall O'Brien and Daniel Beswick, which include content about the group stage. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. In the coming days you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's World Cup time, which also means it's preview time! The show starts with an epic Baldwin explainer, before we each select a team to discuss in more detail (no prizes for guessing who we choose). With our biases out of the way, Raj poses four big questions to the group: Which player/s are you most excited to watch? Who is your dark horse team to lift the trophy? Which team will underwhelm? And who will make the semis, final and win it all? We focused largely on the Super 12 stage of the tournament and beyond, but for a rundown of the early stages, you can dip back into recent episodes with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket and Niall O'Brien, commentator and former Ireland wicketkeeper/bat. Have we got it spot on? Or have we got it all wrong? Don't be shy to let us know on all our social media channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and please take the time to give us a like, subscribe and/or a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee, Niall O'Brien and many more. Next week you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Niall O'Brien's international career spanned well past a decade, and included more than 100 ODIs, 30 T20Is and Ireland's first Test match in 2018. He's now a player agent and commentator working all around the world, and joined us from the UAE to discuss the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup and take a stroll down memory lane. We talk Ireland's chances and T20 opportunities on the biggest stage for sides in the first round of the group stage, before Niall takes us into his backyard and schoolground to re-live growing up in a cricket-mad family that's had a huge impact on the game in Ireland. We bounce around from Sydney grade cricket alongside the likes of Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee, to ICC World Cups and famous victories against Pakistan in 2007 and England in 2011 - including Niall's match-winning knock in the West Indies. Niall recounts phone calls from Mum telling him to be nicer on commentary to his baby brother Kevin, Trent Johnston's epic speech in 2007, keeping to Murali, being sledged by Warne, throwdowns in the carpark, whether it's ever okay to keep in short sleeves and the pride he has to have represented Ireland over such a long career. As you'd expect, it's a fun chat with plenty of laughs along the way. You can view the Breaking Boundaries documentary we referenced in the podcast via this link - it's an absolute cracker! Keep an eye on your feed over the coming days for our in-depth preview of the Men's T20 World Cup - we focused mainly on the Super 12 stage, but in the meantime scroll further back in our feed and have a listen to our recent conversation with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, who gave us the lowdown on the first stage of the tournament. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. Next week you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the same old Top Order, but a new episode structure, with more regular programming heading your way. And it all starts with an old favourite, This Week in Cricket, where we go around the cricketing world to discuss what's caught our eye. The Ashes are on (hopefully), and England have named a nearly full-strength squad, but does Joe Root have enough support to get a positive result? It's business time at the IPL and CSK are already through to the final after another quality knock from Ruturaj Gaikwad and some MS Dhoni magic. But there's no place for the star-studded Mumbai Indians, who were pipped to the post by Lockie Ferguson and his Kolkata Knight Riders. The door to the Women's World Cup title creaked open a little when India broke Australia's ODI streak and then kicked on with strong performances throughout the rest of the tour. Keep your eyes on your feed in about a week's time for more on the Women's World Cup and the White Ferns tour of the UK, as Katey Martin joined the show to take us inside the camp. And the resignation of both Wasim Khan and Ian Watmore has us trying to join the dots, while there's also talk of New Zealand attempting to reschedule their cancelled tour to Pakistan. As mentioned earlier, we're changing things up at The Top Order, which hopefully means more content for you, the listener, but also more focused content so you can pick and choose what you are after. In addition to our This Week in Cricket shows, we'll have one more episode each week where we'll dive into a bigger topic - the first of those is an in-depth preview of the Men's T20 World Cup - and in many weeks we'll also have a third episode for you to enjoy, which will include our Hall of Fame series and special guests. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hall of Fame is back, and in this episode we discuss two spinners with very different styles, a pair of seamers that made life very uncomfortable for batters and one of the best sweepers the game has ever seen. Raj highlights a clash with The Don, Lippy makes the case for consistent spinners to get more respect, Binksy re-lives Headingley 1981 and Baldy hands out the first award at 'The Toppies'. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 80-76 in the following order: 80 - Bill O'Reilly 79 - Rangana Herath 78 - Makhaya Ntini 77 - Bob Willis 76 - Andy Flower For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows and interviews as the IPL comes to a conclusion and we head towards the ICC T20 World Cup. And if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan and many more. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We said in one of our recent podcasts that it was a buzz to discover we’ve got listeners in places as diverse as Spain, Singapore, Nepal and El Salvador, and although the Test playing nations - sometimes a select few - tend to dominate the media, we wanted to shine a light on some of the other cricket going on around the world. To that end, we were joined by Daniel Beswick, one of the founding members of the Emerging Cricket platform, to discuss the the outlook for Associate Cricket sides in the current environment and the T20 World Cup qualifiers. Topics include: Is Associate Cricket on the rise? What are the biggest challenges? The value and importance of major tournaments, such as the upcoming T20 World Cup Opportunities for Associate players in franchise competitions such as the IPL and BBL Cricket at the Olympics What now for Afghanistan Cricket? Are the USA a potential sleeping giant? Players to watch and predictions for the T20 World Cup qualifiers And much more. If you haven't already, we recommend you check out the incredible coverage provided by Daniel and the rest of the team at Emerging Cricket, at their website, on Twitter or via the Emerging Cricket podcast. You'll also find links on their website to support the work they are doing, or find more information about contributing your own work. Of course, we also recommend you dip back into our back catalogue, you'll find our recent work on our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, plus interviews from all around the world, including the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Tim Southee, Bharat Sundaresan, Finn Allen, Shane Deitz, Mike Hussey and many more. For more information about all of our episodes, head to our website. From next week, we'll be changing up the format of our shows slightly - shorter, but more regular, episodes, which will hopefully allow us to provide more focused content - so keep your eyes on our podcast feed for more information Finally, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We're also slowly adding our interviews to our YouTube channel. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, or just to say hello, we'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's another instalment of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, and in this episode wicketkeeping and captaincy take centre stage. You'll hear Binksy more animated than ever before, while we discuss his cricketing hero in an attempt to split two great wicketkeepers (it's not even close, he tells us!). Raj is impressed by a whippy Australian, Baldy starts second-guessing himself and suggesting version 2.0 of the list is on the way, while Lippy uses two of the great West Indian leaders to make as many references to New Zealand cricket as possible. There's big bats, the art of wicketkeeping and Baldwin family memories as this labour of love continues. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 85-81 in the following order: 85 - Mark Boucher 84 - Ian Healy 83 - Ray Lindwall 82 - Frank Worrell 81 - Clive Lloyd Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows and interviews as the IPL comes to a conclusion and we head towards the ICC T20 World Cup. And if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Tim Southee, Bharat Sundaresan, Finn Allen and many more. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were planning to take a pause of our This Week in Cricket episodes to dive into our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, until the Black Caps tour of Pakistan was abandoned just hours before the first ODI was scheduled to begin. Then, the morning after we'd talked through our initial reactions to that news, more stories broke - the upcoming England Men's and Women's tours to Pakistan have also been cancelled, and reports of a scare related to the England v White Ferns ODI series - so Baldy and Binksy got together again to react to a situation that appears to still be evolving, as politics and sport collide once more. In the remainder of the show, you'll find a quick whip around other news, including: White Ferns v England ODIs so far; Virat Kohli stepping down from the captaincy of India's T20 side and RCB at the end of the ICC T20 World Cup and the IPL; Amazing catches and an evergreen Darren Stevens in the Vitality Blast; and Covid disruption to the New Zealand home summer schedule. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far, with 85-81 coming later this week). You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the show we start by trying to make sense of the cancellation/forfeiture/postponement (??) of the 5th England v India Test. What was the result of the series? Does that matter? Was this all about the IPL? Is this current fixture list actually sustainable for the players? We also look back at what was an entertaining series to discuss the impressive contributions from Rohit Sharma and the confusing puzzle that is the English batting lineup. In the second part of the show we race through a number of topics to review the week that was: Australia look set to cancel their Test with Afghanistan Tom Latham and Ajaz Patel shine in Bangladesh White Ferns lose a nail-biter in the final T20 against England The IPL is back again The ins and outs of the T20 World Cup squads If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far). You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New Zealand teams are back in action, there's drama in Pakistan and Shardul Thakur has become the world's greatest allrounder - it's been a busy week! We start the show by discussing the news that Pakistan coaches Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have resigned from their roles only hours after the T20 World Cup squad was announced, before celebrating wins for both the White Ferns and the Black Caps over the past few days. There's Sophie Devine's milestone performance, Ajaz Patel shining in overseas conditions once again and we debate whether we can learn anything from the matches in Bangladesh. England v India takes centre stage after the swish as we try to make sense of a series that has seen public opinion fluctuate from 'Sack Virat Kohli' to 'India are the greatest team of all time' and 'England have found the answers to their problems' to 'England are terrible at Test cricket'. We also shine a light on outstanding performances from Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur and Chris Woakes, discuss whether Jimmy Anderson and Ollie Robinson need a rest and make our predictions for the 5th and final Test. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far). You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Top Order Podcast Hall of Fame returns! We get the time machine out this week to discuss four of the best from the post-war era, plus an Aussie speedster from the 2000s who fans from other countries loved to hate. Binksy shares stories from English cricket folklore, Baldy brings the stats and talks up a hometown hero, there's a spinner for Lippy to rave about and Raj gets so excited his shirt comes off! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 90-86 in the following order: 90 - Denis Compton 89 - Neil Harvey 88 - Mitchell Johnson 87 - Alec Bedser 86 - Jim Laker Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows (England v India, England v White Ferns & Bangladesh v Black Caps and more!). And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent guest episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's another jam-packed lockdown episode with plenty going on as we cast our eyes around the world to discuss the week that was and look ahead with excitement. Are we in a special era of fast bowling? Will Shaheen Shah Afridi become one of Pakistan's greats? Are highlights packages getting worse? What impact has The Hundred had on the women's game? How much fun are the commentators having at the CPL? Will the return of Suzie Bates be enough for the White Ferns to upset England? And how excited is Raj about the upcoming Black Caps v Bangladesh series? In the second half of the show, we turn our attention to the England v India series in an attempt to figure out why we got our predictions so wrong for the 3rd Test. Did Virat Kohli make the wrong decision to bat first? Has Jarvo got someone on the inside? Is the Indian batting line up just as fragile as the English one? Can Joe Root do it again? Will Ravichandran Ashwin finally get a game? And will any of us get our predictions right? If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). There's another episode on the way at the end of this week. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's back to lockdown here in New Zealand, but Raj returns as we gather on Zoom to review the cricketing week that was and the second Test between England and India. We start the show with another thrilling Test match, as Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales get the West Indies home against Pakistan. There's New Zealand news, with Shane Bond joining the Black Caps coaching staff for the T20 World Cup, and Molly Penfold getting a White Ferns call up. Adam Milne gets a shout out during some Hundred predictions that haven't aged well, and Baldy finally joins the conversation to weigh in on the Justin Langer saga and Australia's T20 World Cup squad. A downcast Binksy begins the England v India conversation as we look back at what became an impressive win for Virat Kohli's side. We talk bouncers, captaincy, Bumrah and Shami smashing it to all parts, Joe Root, the war of words, Jarvo, Mohammed Siraj, whether England dropping Dom Sibley and Zac Crawley will make any difference at all, and whether Lippy will get to see Ravi Ashwin bowl during the series. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're a man down on this episode, with Raj unavailable, but we soldier on to review the cricketing week that was. We start with a solo performance by Stu, as the Black Caps squads and New Zealand Cricket's plans for the rest of the year were announced on Tuesday morning - the day after our initial recording. He runs through the team lists and a few initial thoughts, particularly about the T20 World Cup side and the spin-heavy look, which includes the likes of Mark Chapman and Todd Astle (full team lists and info available here). Plus, of course, there's a shout out to Riccarton Cricket Club and their potential debutant Cole McConchie, and thoughts on the White Ferns tour to England. The podcast restarts proper with Baldy hitting the replay button as we discuss Australia's woes and whether there are any positives they can take from the T20 series loss against Bangladesh - or whether it even matters at all with so much cricket still to be played before the World Cup. We talk about scheduling challenges for The Hundred, and introduce a new segment - Media Watch - which this week highlights George Dobell's live blog of the first England v India Test. After the swish, we break down the Trent Bridge Test, in which a potentially fascinating Day 5 was washed away by the rain. Who came away with the points victory? Why didn't India play Ravi Ashwin and will we see him at all in this series? Will anyone other than Joe Root score runs for England? Will The Ashes be cancelled? Is Virat Kohli still good? And who will win the second Test at Lord's? If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The doors to the Hall of Fame are open once more and players 95 to 91 enter The Club. It's a group of five that could send you down a YouTube rabbit hole for days - there's two of India's greatest leaders, a scary and skilful West Indian speedster, an English wicketkeeper who reminded Raj of his younger days and brought a smile to Binksy's face, plus another classy batter who always went to another level against Australia. And, remarkably, there's still no sign of Martin Crowe. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 95-91 in the following order: 95 - Kapil Dev 94 - Alan Knott 93 - Andy Roberts 92 - MS Dhoni 91 - VVS Laxman Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? As always, the four of us don't agree about everything, and we'd love to hear what you think. Don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows (next up, a review of the first England v India Test and everything else going on this week) and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The doors to the Hall of Fame are finally open, and in this episode Baldy walks three Englishmen, a West Indian and an Aussie past Nathan Lyon, Mark Waugh and Shakib al Hasan - our benchmark players who remain stuck in the foyer. We put six minutes on the clock as Baldy makes the case for each inductee, then talk longevity vs peak performance, wicketkeeping, legacies and whether it matters or not if people like you. Lippy finds a way to bring up a famous Black Caps win despite there not being a New Zealander in sight and Binksy apologises profusely to Baldy's family as we put these rankings under the microscope. As expected, there's plenty of debate and often we don't agree, so don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! We'd love to hear what you think. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 100-96 in the following order: 100 - David Warner 99 - Graham Gooch 98 - Ian Bishop 97 - David Gower 96 - Alec Stewart For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players (95-91 will be next) with our This Week in Cricket shows and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the show we talk about the start of The Hundred, try to figure out what's real and what's not from the West Indies v Australia matches and look ahead to an intriguing Test series between England and India. We start by discussing The Hundred as Lippy attempts to understand why the competition appears to be so divisive, realise that cricket is still cricket and cricket is fun to watch, but what's going on with those graphics?! Then we take another opportunity to quiz Baldy about what's going on with this Australian white-ball side. Are they good? Or not? Have they completely mismanaged their selections and plan for the year? Or not? Or is it way too early to tell? And why can the West Indies score more runs in 20 overs than they can in 50? Raj has the answer, which may have something to do with the Universe Boss Chris Gayle. We round out the episode by looking ahead to what we hope will be a fascinating Test series between England and India. How excited are the spinners among us about watching Ravi Ashwin for five Tests? How many runs will Joe Root need to score for England to have a chance? How will Ollie Robinson fit into England's bowling attack? There's Broad and Anderson v Kohli, Sharma, Pant and co, and optimistic Binksy makes an appearance during prediction time. If you enjoyed our latest episode - the introduction to our Top Order Podcast Test Cricket Hall of Fame, keep an eye out for the next instalment - where we introduce players 100-96 and debate their inclusion. It's not far away. If you haven't listened yet, there's plenty of time to catch up, but we suggest you do so as these episodes will become a regular feature as we countdown from 100-1. You can also find extensive write ups about the Hall of Fame on our recently revamped website. You can also dip back into our recent interviews - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format and Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. As always, we love hearing from our listeners, so please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's here! We've been teasing this for a while, and Baldy's been putting in hours and hours of work behind the scenes to get us ready to begin. Now here it is: the Top Order Podcast Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In this episode, Baldy sets the parameters for discussion: What makes a great player? What are the criteria for selection? Stats or the eye test? Longevity or peak performance? Does winning matter? Is it possible to compare eras? Lippy then hijacks the notable omissions conversation to ask Baldy why a Black Caps legend hasn't made the cut, before we chat through players 103-101 (Shakib Al-Hasan, Nathan Lyon and Mark Waugh) who currently sit just outside the Hall and thus provide the benchmarks for selection. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website. You'll find the Preamble, plus the list, which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our hope is this list will generate plenty of debate, both on the podcast and on our social channels, so don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out if you disagree - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players (100-96 will be next) with our This Week in Cricket shows and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format; Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy; and Iain O'Brien was incredibly candid sharing stories from his career and his philosophy on life and cricket as he moves into a coaching gig with Cricket Wellington. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a hat-trick of quality guests, normal service resumes as we discuss recent events across the cricketing world. We talk about the raft of Black Caps performing on the English county circuit, including Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne, and the prospect of huge competition for spots as New Zealand builds towards the T20 World Cup. Baldy really enjoys it as he's questioned about Australia's performances against the West Indies: Are they any closer to knowing their best XI in T20 cricket? Should Mitchell Marsh be in that lineup? Are there problems behind the scenes? And we heap praise on the West Indies who, even after their recent series losses to South Africa, look an incredibly united cricket side that are so fun to watch and so dangerous in the white-ball formats, with a batting lineup featuring the likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard, plus the emergence of bowlers like Obed McCoy and Hayden Walsh. After a swish, it's England's turn to receive our praise, with their incredible limited-overs depth demonstrated by series wins against Sri Lanka, followed by Pakistan with a complete team swap in between. Binksy explains why it's easier to make the step up to international cricket in ODIs and T20s than it is in Test match cricket, and why we should all have posters of Joe Root on our wall. Raj takes us through Sri Lanka's off-field struggles and Lippy asks: Will they even qualify for the 2023 World Cup? If you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format; Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy; and Iain O'Brien was incredibly candid sharing stories from his career and his philosophy on life and cricket as he moves into a coaching gig with Cricket Wellington. Coming up, you'll be introduced to Baldy's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, in a series of podcasts and written material that's bound to ruffle a few feathers and generate plenty of debate. As always, we love hearing from our listeners, so please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we speak with one of the best in the business. Jarrod Kimber has written for Wisden, Cricinfo and many many more cricket sites and publications around the world. He’s authored books, worked as a commentator, an analyst and made an award-winning film (Death of a Gentleman). We've been admirers of his work for a while and were particularly taken with all the New Zealand content he's produced lately, so we invited him on the show to talk about the Black Caps journey from mediocrity to World Test Champions. After some P Diddy chat and a bit about Jarrod's own cricket fandom, we talk about the many factors behind New Zealand's growth as a cricket side in recent times, which sees them hold top spot in both Tests and ODIs after beating Virat Kohli's India in the WTC final. We discuss what makes Kyle Jamieson so special, why Neil Wagner takes wickets even though everyone knows exactly what he's trying to do, the role of analysts at the international level and where New Zealand sits compared with the Big Three of India, England and Australia. To finish the show, we pan out to take a wider look at the World Test Championship, ICC tournaments, associate nations and franchise cricket to examine how they can all co-exist and what the best version of a cricket calendar might look like. There's even a lawn-mowing metaphor! For more great content from Jarrod, we highly recommend you check out his YouTube channel, or his podcasts Red Inker and Double Century. There's plenty in there for cricket lovers from all around the world. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, including recent chats with Tim Southee and a wonderfully candid Iain O'Brien. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Southee, Blackcaps seamer and recent member of New Zealand's elite 300 Test wicket club, joins the show to re-live the glory of the World Test Championship Final and the tour to England. We talk celebrations, the mace's journey home, what it means to win an ICC tournament after coming so close in 2015 and 2019, and the growth of this Blackcaps side during Tim's impressive career. Tim insightfully leads us through the key moments of the win against India. From searching 'Southampton weather' countless times, to the Test's first hour, Kyle Jamieson winning the battle with Virat Kohli, the drop and dismissal of Rishabh Pant and nerves in the dressing room as Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor steered New Zealand to victory. To finish the show, we look ahead to the next 6 months for the Blackcaps and give Tim a huge shout out for auctioning a match-worn shirt to raise funds for Holly Beattie. Outstanding work, Tim. Keep your eyes on our feed and our social channels in the coming days. We've got another great interview on the way early next week as we continue to bask in the glory of New Zealand's World Test Championship win. In that episode, we're joined by cricket writer and content producer extraordinaire Jarrod Kimber. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iain O'Brien's career is one that has taken many turns along the way. From forcing his way into the New Zealand side, to being dropped after two games, and then battling back to become a fixture in the lineup before retiring for family reasons when he was arguably at the top of his game. In this candid chat, Iain shares his excitement about the return to Cricket Wellington in a coaching role and his passion for passing on knowledge to help others achieve their potential both as people and as cricketers. We hear about his early international experiences for the Black Caps against an outstanding Australian side (including being Alpha-d by Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne), representing NZ at indoor cricket, bowling into the wind at the Basin Reserve, wicket celebrations, opening up about mental health, the loneliness of touring life, testing yourself against the best, being Neil Wagner 0.5 and plenty more in this wide-ranging chat about Iain's playing days and life in general. If you enjoyed listening to Iain, you can check out his own YouTube channel, where you'll find fascinating chats with a wide range of people from all around the world. And of course keep an eye on our feed in the coming weeks. We've got more great interviews on the way as we bask in the glory of New Zealand's World Test Championship win. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You beauty! Absolute scenes at Top Order HQ as New Zealand defeats India to become the inaugural winners of the World Test Championship. Is this New Zealand Cricket's greatest moment? Is this the best Black Caps team ever? Is Kyle Jamieson the best bowler of all-time? Or is that actually Neil Wagner? What were India doing in their second innings? And how nervous were we as NZ edged towards the finish line? Plus there's chat about Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, BJ Watling and Devon Conway, as we run through the key figures and moments of a fascinating final that spanned six days and went right down to the wire. Dropped catches, absolute stunners, lower-order runs, great shots, reckless shots and crucial spells, it's all there for you to re-live and enjoy. World Champs! In case you missed it on our social media feeds, we're now taking orders for Top Order Podcast merch. Take a look, and let us know if you'd like to get in on our first shipment. And don't worry, this first WTC cycle is complete, but there's plenty more content on the way - our chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will drop next week. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, such as Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry and Graham Thorpe, just to name a few.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the World Test Championship Final on the horizon this week, it's a feature-length episode as we break down New Zealand's historic Test series win against England and look forward to the big dance. We start the show with South Africa's crushing victory over the West Indies and Shakib al Hasan's tantrum, but it isn't long before Raj and Lippy are praising the Black Caps and celebrating NZ's first Test series win in England since 1999. There's a detour from the Black Caps squad to discuss England's batting woes, wonder who decided it was a good idea to give James Bracey the keeping gloves and ask if the ECB are disrespecting Test cricket. Spoiler alert: Binksy comes off the long run - shorter Ashes series, anyone? After we wrap up the England series, our attention turns to the World Test Championship Final. Who will New Zealand pick? Who would we pick? And can they beat this formidable Indian line up, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravi Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah? We're also delighted to be joined by DJ from the Edges and Sledges podcast to help us look at the game from an Indian perspective. Is this the best ever Indian Test side? How much would a World Test Championship victory mean to Indian fans? Which spots in the XI are up for grabs? And who will win? We also featured on Edges and Sledges this week - they do some great work so we thoroughly recommend you check out their feed if you haven't already. The YouTube link to our appearance is available here. Keep an eye out on our social media feeds as we get excited about and react to the World Test Championship final. We also previewed the final with the team at Gully Cricket to Bouncy Wicket, so give them a follow, too. And if interviews are your thing, a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will drop after we wrap up the WTC final. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, such as Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry and Graham Thorpe, just to name a few.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Test match cricket is back and we break down all the highlights and lowlights from the Black Caps v England Test at Lord's. Devon Conway's incredible debut Tim Southee's 6-for Ross Taylor's form A hundred from Rory Burns Ollie Robinson's debut - on and off the field Should England have tried to chase down NZ's target on the final day? Changes for the second Test? And before that, we quickly cover the ICC's tournament schedule, which sees the continuation of the World Test Championship, the return of the Champions Trophy and expansion of the men's Cricket World Cup (14 teams) and T20 World Cup (20 teams), plus Raj takes us through the contract disputes in Sri Lanka - something that seems to be an ongoing theme in many nations around the world. Keep an eye out on our social media feeds in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final and cover New Zealand's tour to England. We previewed that final with the team at Gully Cricket to Bouncy Wicket (@gcbwpodcast) and have another crossover episode coming soon with more podcast friends from around the world. And if interviews are your thing, a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will be the next to drop. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Lippy and Baldy chat with former Black Caps captain Ken Rutherford. From struggling in his international debut against one of the all-time great West Indian Test sides, through to captaining New Zealand, Ken Rutherford had a fascinating international career. We talk about that tough debut in 1984-85, scoring 300 in two sessions on a tour to England and the highs and lows of the 1992 World Cup. Lippy gets his full cricket nerd on with some 1993-94 World Series questions, Ken tells us about his acting skills and we hear about his experiences in South Africa, Ireland and the racing industry after his time with the Black Caps. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final and cover New Zealand's tour to England. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way - a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will be the next to drop. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've been busy recording interviews over the past couple of weeks, but we couldn't resist some banter about the week that was. A reserve day has been added to the World Test Championship Final, the BCCI has set dates and locations for the completion of IPL 2021 and the Black Caps inter-squad match is in the books. We also chat through the unfortunate injury to Ben Foakes and what that's likely to mean for the England side to face New Zealand, plus take a look at the upcoming fixtures between South Africa and the West Indies. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way as well, with chats with former Black Caps Ken Rutherford and Iain O'Brien to drop soon. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook, & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show.If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices