The Top Order Cricket Podcast

The Top Order Cricket Podcast

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The Top Order Cricket Podcast episodes

  • This Week in Cricket #162: Tim Southee steps down, the Bumrah cheat code & the T20 World Cup is here again

    In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we discuss another busy week of cricket from all around the world - from Sri Lanka's dominant win against the Black Caps in Galle, which led Tim Southee to step down from the captaincy, to India's whirlwind victory against Bangladesh in Kanpur. We also quickly look ahead to England's Test tour of Pakistan and the Women's ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE.


    We start in a sombre mood, with the woes of the Black Caps front of mind after a crushing loss against Sri Lanka. We talk about the self-inflicted nature of the performance, whether New Zealand are actually equipped to win a series like this one, what's next for this Test side following Tim Southee stepping aside as captain and whether more changes should be made in the very near future. There's also praise for Kamindu Mendis and Nishan Peiris, and Sri Lanka in general as they keep their World Test Championship Final dreams alive.


    Conversation then moves to Kanpur, where it looked like the weather would have the final say - until Rohit Sharma two-stepped down the wicket and launched the ball over long on. We discuss India's positive approach to the game, Jasprit Bumrah's offspin, high-level catching, Ravindra Jadeja joining the elite 300/3000 club and debate whether this Test is an advertisement for making four-day Tests the norm.


    We finish the show by looking ahead to England's visit to Pakistan - do they have the bowling attack to take 20 wickets? And will Pakistan ever get it together off the field? - as well as a quick preview of the women's T20 World Cup, which will see Australia go in as favourites yet again, but Baldy assures us is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested tournaments in recent memory..


    We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    0:50 SL v NZ: the Black Caps collapse in Galle

    8:45 - Did NZ actually have the tools to win in Sri Lanka?

    13:25 - Tim Southee steps down as NZ Test captain: is it time for even more change?

    23:55 - Kamindu Mendis and NZ's toss training

    27:05 - India v Bangladesh: India's whirlwind win

    31:35 - Should we move to four-day Tests?

    34:50 - Jasprit Bumrah is a cheat code

    38:55 - India brilliant in the field & Ravindra Jadeja joins 300/3000 club

    42:20 - England v Pakistan: Why can't Pakistan sort out the off-field dramas?

    45:15 - Expectations for England: will their bowling attack stack up?

    54:25 - Women's T20 World Cup: can anyone stop this amazing Australian side?

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    1 hr 8 min
  • This Week in Cricket #161: Black Caps' missed opportunities, Ravi Ashwin's birthday bash & Rachin Ravindra's ceiling

    In this episode of the show, the Top Order are together again to discuss a busy week of cricket from all around the world - from Sri Lanka's win against the Black Caps in Galle to India's dominant performance against Bangladesh in Chennai, before a whirlwind around the grounds to drop in on series involving England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan.


    We start by analysing the closely fought Test in Galle, which saw Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis bowl Sri Lanka to victory despite an impressive 92 from Rachin Ravindra. Was this a missed opportunity for the Black Caps? Did they pick the right XI? How high is the ceiling for Will O'Rourke? And how worried should we be about Devon Conway?


    Conversation then moves to Chennai, where the Tigers started with a hiss and a roar before Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja turned the match in India's favour. We talk about these two great allrounders, before discussing Rishabh Pant's return to Test cricket, the seam attacks for both sides and Team India's dominance at home.


    We finish the show by whizzing around some of the other series going on around the world - we saw big hundreds from Travis Head and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, while the White Ferns continue to struggle with the bat in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.


    We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    0:55 SL v NZ - A missed opportunity for the Black Caps?

    10:30 - Will O'Rourke

    14:00 - NZ's team selection and Ajaz Patel's performance

    23:50 - Rachin Ravindra

    29:35 - Devon Conway worry levels

    32:18 - India v Bangladesh - Are R Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja underrated?

    41:50 - India's balanced bowling attack

    43:10 - Is Rishabh Pant better than Adam Gilchrist?

    46:15 - Is this India side historically one of the greats?

    50:40 - England v Australia white-ball series

    56:20 - Afghanistan's series win against South Africa

    57:55 - White Ferns struggles with the bat continue as the T20 World Cup approaches

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    1 hr 4 min
  • This Week in Cricket #160 - The shambles in Noida, Sri Lanka beat England & the Fraser-McGurk question

    In this episode of the show, we discuss the abandoned Test in Greater Noida between Afghanistan and New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s win against England, India’s squad to face Bangladesh and a the England v Australia bilateral T20 series.

     

    We start the show with a rant about the shambles that saw no play between the Black Caps and Afghanistan, but instead featured cutting up of the outfield, household fans and quite a bit of rain. Could this have been avoided? Or do we chalk it up to unseasonable weather and move on with our lives?

     

    It’s then time to heap praise on Sri Lanka for their comfortable victory in the third Test against England – a result that looked unlikely after a light-affected Day 1. Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis shone with the bat, as well as Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando, in a win that keeps their World Test Championship dreams alive. For England, we ponder whether this was just a bad few days at the office or something more concerning. We discuss Harry Brook, a relatively inexperienced seam attack and whether Dan Lawrence will ever play for England again.

     

    To round out the show, we look at India’s squad for their upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, as well as a few over-reactions after Game 1 of the England v Australia T20 series (which Liam Livingstone must have heard before Game 2!).

     

    We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.

    0:00 Intro

    1:05 The shambles in Noida - should we have seen some cricket between Afghanistan & the Black Caps?

    9:00 Sri Lanka beat England - did England get complacent?

    14:15 Did Sri Lanka find an effective counter to Bazball?

    18:35 Sri Lanka outbowled England

    23:10 Shoaib Bashir chat

    26:40 Will Dan Lawrence play Test cricket again?

    29:35 Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis were excellent

    31:50 England v Australia first T20 - Jake Fraser-McGurk and Liam Livingstone in the spotlight

    44:10 India v Bangladesh - Can in-form Bangladesh give India's balanced squad a run for their money?

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    58 min
  • This Week in Cricket #159 - Baz goes full-time, the Black Caps on tour & the Cricket Olympics

    In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu are back in the same room again after a short break to discuss the cricketing week (or couple of weeks) that was, with a focus on England v Sri Lanka and the upcoming six away tests for the Black Caps.


    Recorded after Day 1 of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka, we begin with a conversation about bad light, prompted by the lack of play on that first day. Baldy looks to the Olympics for a solution, whereas Binksy suggests interchangeable balls - but how much of an issue is this, really?


    We then move to the on-field action, where Kamindu Mendis has been Sri Lanka's shining light in the series so far, Joe Root has strengthened his case as England's greatest batter of all time, Brendon McCullum has extended his coaching contract and picked up the white-ball squad as well, and Gus Atkinson added a century to his already impressive home summer.


    To round out the show, we look ahead to two months of the Black Caps playing Test cricket, first against Afghanistan, followed by Sri Lanka and then India. We talk about lineups, the threat of Afghanistan, spin-bowling, Glenn Phillips and two new names to the central contract list, with Nathan Smith and Josh Clarkson added this week. There's also a quick mention about Australia's new white-ball era sans David Warner, and Bangladesh's historic Test series victory in Pakistan.


    We'll be back again next week to wrap up England v Sri Lanka and New Zealand v Afghanistan. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    2:25 Is bad light a huge issue for Test cricket?

    12:25 Kamindu Mendis Sri Lanka's shining light

    17:20 Is Joe Root England's GOAT?

    25:40 Brendon McCullum to coach England in red- and white-ball cricket

    35:00 A great summer for Gus Atkinson

    40:00 Black Caps begin a subcontinent tour - what will final XI look like?

    54:15 Australia v Scotland and Bangladesh v Pakistan

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    1 hr 2 min
  • This Week in Cricket #158: Stokes injury impact, underrated Maharaj & the Black Caps' contract dilemma

    In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy discuss the Black Caps test squad to face Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, plus the contractual situation facing NZC now that Devon Conway and Finn Allen have stepped away from the security of a central contract. We also look back at the quality bowling on show in South Africa’s series win against the West Indies, as well as the impact of Ben Stokes’s injury on the upcoming England v Sri Lanka series.


    We begin with a conversation about the potential dilemma facing New Zealand Cricket with the continued rise of franchise tournaments and their clash with the NZ home summer. Devon Conway has moved to a casual contract, Finn Allen has opted to play for the Perth Scorchers – but is it actually a dilemma?


    We then move to the West Indies where South Africa secured a valuable series win to keep their World Test Championship chances alive. There’s praise for Jayden Seales and Keshav Maharaj in particular, and we wonder whether the Proteas will regret not sending a full strength team to New Zealand in 2023.


    To round out the show, we look ahead to the upcoming England v Sri Lanka series, which will see Ollie Pope captain the home side following a hamstring injury that will keep him out of the rest of the summer. Who will replace Stokes in the starting XI? Will England’s style change at all? And can Sri Lanka pose any problems or will this be another straight sets win?


    We'll be back again in about a week with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    1:55 Devon Conway and Finn Allen step away from NZC central contracts

    4:00 How concerned should New Zealand be?

    12:45 South Africa edge West Indies 1-0 in Test series

    20:20 Jayden Seales and the impressive seamers on show

    22:35 Keshav Maharaj's importance

    24:25 A word on Kagiso Rabada

    27:10 Can South Africa make the WTC final?

    28:40 England v Sri Lanka - will it be plain sailing for the home side?

    32:25 The impact of Ben Stokes' injury and selection decisions

    40:50 Ollie Pope the captain

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    48 min
  • Most influential cricketers of the 21st century Part 2: The debate

    In this episode of the show, we take a break from the live cricket to discuss the most influential cricketers of the 21st century. This is Part 2 of this discussion, so if you haven't yet listened to Part 1, go back in your feed and start there to hear our definition of 'influential', and the wider group of candidates we considered.


    In this second half of our discussion, we narrow down the debate and each decide on our top 4 cricketers to etch into stone for the Top Order Podcast Mount Rushmore. We talk about T20 influencers like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, Indian powerhouse figureheads like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, culture setters like Brendon McCullum and Andrew Strauss, outliers like Ellyse Perry, Lasith Malinga and Rashid Khan as we try to evaluate who how the game of cricket got to where it is today and who has had the biggest impact.


    Who did we forget? What do you agree with/disagree with? We've love to get your thoughts and continue the discussion.


    We'll be back again in about a week with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro - the categories

    5:50 Chris Gayle v Kieron Pollard

    12:40 Brendon McCullum v Andrew Strauss

    23:40 MS Dhoni v Virat Kohli

    30:30 Ellyse Perry, Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, Adam Gilchrist

    39:45 Who makes Mount Rushmore?


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    54 min
  • Most influential cricketers of the 21st century Part 1 - The candidates

    In this episode of the show, we take a break from the live cricket to discuss the most influential cricketers of the 21st century.


    In Part 1 of this two-part discussion, we outline our definition of 'influential', and throw out a bunch of candidates for the Top Order Podcast's Mount Rushmore. We talk about T20 influencers like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, Indian powerhouse figureheads like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, culture setters like Brendon McCullum and Andrew Strauss, outliers like Ellyse Perry and Lasith Malinga, plus a host of other names as we consider how the game of cricket got to where it is today and who has had the biggest impact.


    Who did we forget? What do you agree with/disagree with? We've love to get your thoughts and continue the discussion.


    Part 2, in which we narrow down the debate and each decide on our top 4 cricketers to etch into stone, will be available 24 hours from the release of this episode, so keep an eye out for that. We'll then be back again about a week later with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro - Define influential

    4:35 Virat Kohli

    7:50 Chris Gayle

    10:45 Andrew Strauss

    14:00 MS Dhoni

    17:20 Kevin Pietersen

    22:35 Brendon McCullum

    31:15 Lasith Malinga

    34:45 Rashid Khan

    37:30 Ellyse Perry

    40:40 Adam Gilchrist

    43:55 Honourable mentions

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    51 min
  • This Week in Cricket #157: SKY gets a bowl, Mark Wood is rapid & Rachin Ravindra wins MLC

    In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the three T20s between India and Sri Lanka, England's Test series sweep against the West Indies, and touch on the final of Major League that saw the Washington Freedom take out the title.


    We couldn't quite believe our eyes when we saw Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh among the wicket-takers for India, but it came as no surprise to see the T20 World Cup champions to continue their winning ways against Sri Lanka. We discuss a wide range of players, from Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal to Riyan Parag and Matheesha Pathirana, and the Super Over drama of the third game.


    The second part of the show continued the 3-0 theme, as we discuss England's dominant wins against the West Indies - despite the touring side having some good moments across the series. We talk about the speed at which England can turn a tricky situation into a very good one, their complete team performance and whether they still have a shot at World Test Championship glory. There's also praise for Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood in particular, plus Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and just about everyone who wore the England badge in those three matches.


    We round out the show with a few comments about Matthew Mott stepping down as England's white-ball coach, the jam-packed cricket calendar and the latest edition of Major League Cricket, won by a Washington Freedom side containing the likes of Steve Smith, Travis Head and Rachin Ravindra.


    We'll be back again next week, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    1:30 India v Sri Lanka T20s - India's clean sweep

    15:15 England v West Indies Tests - England's complete team performance

    33:40 Matthew Mott steps down as white-ball coach

    39:55 Can England still win the World Test Championship?

    45:25 Rachin Ravindra wins Major League Cricket

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    59 min
  • This Week in Cricket #156: Shoaib Bashir's ceiling, the Gambhir era begins & an English sweep

    In this episode of the show, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at the second Test between England and the West Indies, as well as Gautam Gambhir taking over as Indian men's team coach and England's clean sweep of the White Ferns.


    The first three days of the Trent Bridge Test were very competitive - the West Indies took the lead thanks to runs from Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva, but a Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir-inspired collapse helped England to a convincing win in the end. We talk about the impact of Ben Duckett at the top for the home side, Ollie Pope's freneticness, Bashir's ceiling and much more.


    After a 4-1 T20 series win in Zimbabwe, the Gautam Gambhir era is about to begin for India and there's plenty to discuss. SKY over Hardik as T20 captain? What role will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play going forward? And Washington Sundar not just back in the mix, but thriving?


    We round out the show with England's 8-0 domination of the White Ferns across the recent ODI and T20 series. Are there any positives at all for New Zealand? And can England make a run at the T20 World Cup title in Bangladesh in October?


    We'll be back again next week to wrap up the England v West Indies series, as well as any other news that catches our eyes. Until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro

    1:20 England win big again, but positives for the West Indies

    7:50 Ben Duckett setting a great platform

    11:30 Luck for Ollie Pope, but he made it count.

    16:35 Chris Woakes the caretaker

    22:25 Harry Brook's ceiling

    24:35 Shoaib Bashir's courage

    32:20 The Gambhir era begins

    34:15 Captain SKY

    37:30 Virat and Rohit selected for the Sri Lanka ODIs

    39:35 Washington Sundar back in the side

    41:35 India's depth is scary

    43:35 Not good news for the White Ferns

    48:00 Confidence boost for England building towards T20 World Cup

    50:45 Further reading

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    57 min
  • This Week in Cricket #155 - Gus Atkinson's dream debut, Black Caps contracts and Jimmy Anderson's final test

    In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the first Test between England and the West Indies, as well as the recent announcement of the Black Caps' contracts for the upcoming year.


    The first Test of the English summer was supposed to be a fairytale finish for Jimmy Anderson at Lord's, but over the course of the short time the match was in motion it was debutant Gus Atkinson who stole the limelight with his 12-wicket haul. We talk about the encouraging performances from both Atkinson and Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes' bowling workload, batting woes for the West Indies and of course pay tribute to Jimmy, Jimmy, who has been a mainstay in our cricket-fan lives for two decades.


    To round out the show, we discuss the Black Caps' contract list for the next 12 months, which saw youngsters such as Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears and Will O'Rourke added, but plenty of familiar faces remain.


    We'll be back again with another episode after the conclusion of the second England v West Indies Test - until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) 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.


    You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan 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.


    0:00 Intro - First Test between England and the West Indies

    1:45 Big win for England, and the English selectors

    8:45 Gus Atkinson's dream debut

    14:30 Batting woes for the West Indies

    20:50 Ben Stokes the bowler again

    22:40 Jamie Smith's impressive start

    26:30 Jimmy Anderson's final Test

    34:10 Black Caps' contracts

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    49 min

About The Top Order Cricket Podcast

From the publisher's feed

A Pom, an Aussie and two Kiwis walk into a bar ... it’s not a joke, it’s The Top Order, a cricketing podcast where good friends mix their own banter and opinion with extended interviews with some of…

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