The Top Order Cricket Podcast

It's that time of year again - the Indian Premier League is set to begin at 3am New Zealand time on 1 April and fill the cricket calendar for the following two months. We cast our eyes over all the squads and make our tournament predictions in this jam-packed episode.

We start the show with a shout out to the Mumbai Indians for winning the WPL - Nat Sciver-Brunt starred in the final, alongside Hayley Matthews, New Zealand's own Amelia Kerr and many more in a tournament that felt like a huge success and a fantastic advertisement for our great game.

As our attention turns to the men's edition, we run through each of the 10 teams in alphabetical order to answer questions like:

Will the Chennai Super Kings spin their way to another trophy?

How will the Delhi Capitals overcome the absence of Rishabh Pant?

Can Hardik Pandya lead the Gujarat Titans to back-to-back titles?

Is it a case of no Brendon McCullum, no chance for the Kolkata Knight Riders?

How angry will Lucknow Super Giants fans be about KL Rahul's strike rate this season?

Has Suryakumar Yadav forgotten how to bat, and what does that mean for the chances of the Mumbai Indians?

Can super Sam Curran propel the Punjab Kings to their first playoff appearance since 2014?

Do the Rajasthan Royals have any weaknesses?

Will a happy Virat Kohli be the star of an RCB side that's stacked with stars?

Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad the sleeping (or singing) giants of this competition, even despite the departure of Kane Williamson?

And who will win it all?

If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years.

We'll be back again next week to discuss the white-ball series between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and discuss the early stages of the IPL. In the meantime, 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including adding our latest episodes, like this one!

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, David Hussey, Ajaz Patel, Sophie Devine, Barry Richards, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.

If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

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The Top Order team are all back together under the bright studio lights this week as we look back at the Black Caps' convincing win against Sri Lanka, which wrapped up a 2-0 series victory.

Kane Williamson's magnificence was to the fore once again as he delivered his sixth Test double century, passing 8000 Test runs during yet another milestone performance.

Henry Nicholls got in on the act as well, repaying the selectors' faith with a double century of his own on his way to the player of the match award. Then Blair Tickner and Michael Bracewell chipped in, New Zealand won by an innings to make it three Test victories in a row and all the Black Caps' doubters have disappeared, right?

To round out the show, we touch on the topsy-turvy India v Australia series, a stunning performance by Sophie Devine for RCB at the WPL and the Major League Cricket draft, which included some familiar names like Corey Anderson, Wanindu Hasaranga and Aaron Finch.

If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years.

We'll be back again next week to discuss the white-ball series between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and catch up on all the other cricket going on around the world, including the WPL and the IPL. In the meantime, please also 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Gary Stead, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.

If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

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This New Zealand home summer continues to deliver incredible moments, and in this episode of the show Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the Black Caps' final-ball victory against Sri Lanka, plus review the Border-Gavaskar series.

Just when we thought we'd seen one of the best Test finishes of all-time, Kane Williamson and Neil Wagner combined to deliver more late drama as the Black Caps (just) got over the line at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

We talk Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, run chases, giant hearts, watching while driving and the positives for Sri Lanka as we unpack the emotions and highlights from another incredibly entertaining Test match.

In the second half of the show, we review what turned out to be quite a dull finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the series as a whole had a number of talking points. We discuss Virat Kohli, Australia's young spinners, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, the World Test Championship final and much more.

If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years.

We'll be back again next week to review the second Test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and catch up on all the other cricket going on around the world. In the meantime, please also 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Katey Martin, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Tim Southee, Sophie Devine, Finn Allen and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.

If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

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In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at Australia's win against India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, look ahead to the Black Caps v Sri Lanka series and reflect on the first few days of the WPL.

Pitches are in the spotlight again in India, but has all the pitch talk overshadowed the excellent performances of Nathan Lyon, Cheteshwar Pujara and Travis Head?

The Black Caps are about to start another series, this time against Sri Lanka, with an unchanged side. But does Gavin Larsen's departure signal that change is on the horizon?

To round out the show we highlight some of the stars from the opening days of the WPL. There's praise for Hayley Matthews, Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, we discuss the decision to allow no balls and wides to be reviewed, and what a platform this tournament could be for the growth of women's cricket, particularly in India.

We'll be back next week to review the tests between India and Australia, the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and plenty more cricket from around the world. In the meantime, 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.

If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

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In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu reflect on an incredible Test match between England and New Zealand, which saw the Black Caps win by a single run.

We discuss the key moments and players, including Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Ben Foakes, Tom Blundell and, of course, Neil Wagner. The panel also looks ahead to NZ's next assignment, against Sri Lanka, in a week's time.

We finish the show with a shout-out to yet another tournament win for the incredible Australian Women's side at the T20 World Cup, and decide that if it weren't for Ravi Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel then the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would probably be quite a closely fought series.

We'll be back next week to review the third Test between India and Australia, plus preview the Black Caps v Sri Lanka. In the meantime, 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.

If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

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On this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy and Binksy look back at the Test matches between New Zealand and England, and India and Australia.

Fresh off a trip to the Bay Oval, the panel discusses an England side that continued their winning ways against a Black Caps team struggling to put a complete performance together in the Test arena.

We talk about the viability of pink-ball Tests, there's more praise for Harry Brook and Ben Duckett - plus the Jimmy Anderson/Stuart Broad duo - before looking ahead to potential events at the Basin Reserve.

Attention then turns to India, where Australia put real pressure on the hosts until the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel took charge with bat and ball to propel India to a comfortable victory in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

It was great to catch up with a number of listeners at Bay Oval - some new, some who have been with us from Day 1. If you do enjoy the show, 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Ish Sodhi, Andre Adams, Lesley Murdoch, 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.

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In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the third day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval.

We talk marmalade, world records, Ben Foakes, short-pitched bowling, England's dominance and more Night Hawkery as the Test looks likely to come to a conclusion on day four.

We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day three, but 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, 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

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the second day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval.

We talk Tom Blundell's superb hundred, English bowling plans and the Nighthawk as NZ edged their way back into this Test as we approach day 3.

We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day three, but 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, 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

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the first day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval.

We talk NZ's seam attack, Harry Brook's genius and Jimmy Anderson's class as England ended the day firmly on top.

We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day two, but 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, 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 of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look ahead to the upcoming Test series between the Black Caps and England.

We start with squads and selection:

Then we discuss tactics to consider how the Black Caps will approach BazBall in home conditions. Will they stick with the measured, patient style that brought them success in recent years? Or do they need to fight fire with fire against this new brand of attacking Test cricket? Will the likes of Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Harry Brook change their game at all if the pitch is green and the pink ball starts to move around at the Bay Oval?

And finally we make our predictions for what we all hope will be a fascinating series.

If you're going to be at the Bay Oval, reach out to us on social media or via email if you'd like to say hello. We're planning to be there for days 1-4 and we'd love to say hi.

If you haven't already, 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 leave 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 slowly chipping away at populating this channel.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Wasim Khan, Ish Sodhi, Sophie Devine, Barry Richards, 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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices