The Top Order Cricket Podcast

This week on the show we discuss a bounce back performance by South Africa to draw the Test series with the Black Caps, then try to make sense of the upcoming England Test tour to the West Indies and recap a winning week for Auckland and Otago on the NZ domestic circuit.

There are plenty of apologies during the New Zealand v South Africa segment as we examine what changed so drastically from the first Test to the second.

Later in the show, we briefly move away from New Zealand to discuss the upcoming West Indies v England series. We talk about our expectations for both sides, and whether there's a way back for Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson during the English home summer. And then we round things off with shout outs to a few winners on the NZ domestic circuit, with the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Ford Trophy seasons coming to a close, as well as recapping an impressive win for the White Ferns during the World Cup warm up matches.

We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss the many different international series and tournaments going on around the world. In the meantime, 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 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 most recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Ajaz Patel, Dion Nash, Colin 'Funky' Miller, George Dobell 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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For the first time since 1998, Australia are in Pakistan for a Test series and it's one that holds a lot of importance in the cricket world, both on and off the field.

We talk through the key questions facing both sides, plus our expectations for the series.

*NOTE: Since we recorded the episode last night (Tuesday 1 March, NZ time), Haris Rauf has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the first Test (https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pak-vs-aus-2021-22-haris-rauf-ruled-out-of-first-test-against-australia-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19-1303174). Pakistan's bowlers aren't having much luck at the moment!

We'll be back in your feed later in the week to review the Black Caps v South Africa Test series, look ahead to England v West Indies and recap a weekend of trophies on the NZ domestic scene. In the meantime, 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 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 most recent conversations with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus Wasim Khan, Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Dion Nash 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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We love a World Cup at the Top Order Podcast and after a year’s delay, the 2021 Women’s ODI World Cup is about to begin. So to help us look ahead to the next month of action, we’re joined by contributing writer at Locker Room, Canterbury Magician and World Cup Operations Coordinator (among many other things!) Kristy Havill.

If you want to hear or read more from Kristy Havill, the link below is a great place to start: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/lockerroom/profile/Kristyhavill/posts. It includes her brave and brilliant story with Amelia Kerr, regular World Cup coverage and interviews with key players involved in the tournament.

We'll be back in your feed again next week with a preview of the upcoming Australia v Pakistan Test series, a wrap of the second Black Caps v South Africa Test and plenty more cricket from around the world. In the meantime, 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 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 conversations with Georgia Wareham, Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Melinda Farrell, 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.

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This week on the show we review a great week for both the Black Caps and the White Ferns, as well as a host of other topics as we look back at the week that was.

We start by discussing the amazing performance from Matt Henry, which saw him record the third-best bowling figures in a Test innings for New Zealand, as well as smashing a quick 50 at #11. There's praise for Tim Southee, Tom Blundell and Colin de Grandhomme as well as Gary Stead for his decision to promote Neil Wagner to #5 in the absence of Kane Williamson. But will South Africa bounce back in the second Test?

We remain in Aotearoa to chat about the White Ferns, who have looked more and more impressive with every game of their series against India, highlighted by contributions from many different players within the squad. Then it's a quick look at the domestic scene, with the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and the Ford Trophy up for grabs this weekend.

As we venture offshore, we discuss a changing of the guard for the Indian Test team, with Pujara, Rahane, Saha and Ishant all left out. There are questions around the Australian white ball team, despite winning their T20 series 4-1 against a Sri Lankan side that showed a lot of promise. Will Aaron Finch make it to the next T20 World Cup? And how much is the IPL going to impact international tours for both Australia and New Zealand?

We'll be back in your feed again later this week with a special guest to preview the Women's World Cup. In the meantime, 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 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 conversations with Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, 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, we take a look back at an IPL auction that saw 11 Kiwis picked up (to join Kane Williamson, who was retained). We talk through our initial reactions, the most croresome buys, the biggest waste of crore and which teams had the best auction.

We then discuss the White Ferns' wins against India in the first two ODIs, which included hundreds to Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, plus a batting order reshuffle involving Sophie Devine. Moving around the globe, we head to Australia to chat about their T20 series against Sri Lanka, another setback for Will Pucovski and the latest rule to combat slow over rates. Finally, there's a word or two on the India v West Indies white-ball fixtures and Kieron Pollard's advice to his side.

We'll be back in your feed again soon to discuss the first Test between the Black Caps and the Proteas, the White Ferns, Australia v Sri Lanka and much more in our next This Week in Cricket show. In the meantime, 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 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 conversations with Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, 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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With the Black Caps v South Africa Test series starting on Thursday, we decided to break from tradition and release this stand-alone episode before our regular This Week in Cricket show.

We discuss potential lineups, key matchups, two batting orders missing important players, bold predictions and series winners as we deep-dive into this eagerly anticipated series, which sadly is only two Tests, both at the home of cricket, Hagley Oval.

We'll be back in your feed again later this week to discuss all things IPL auction, the White Ferns, Australia v Sri Lanka and much more in our This Week in Cricket show. In the meantime, 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 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 conversations with Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, Lockie Ferguson 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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Hours after we recorded our This Week in Cricket episode earlier in the week, news came out that England Cricket legends Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad had been dropped from the Test squad to tour the West Indies. Binksy added a short instant reaction into that episode but the frustration was still brewing, so Baldy jumped on a call to help him talk through the latest in a series of changes going on in English Cricket.

We were planning to pop this segment into our Great Resignation episode, but after the Pat Cummins' press conference, there was quite a bit to digest, so here it is as a stand-alone episode. Enjoy!

We'll be back in just a few days with a preview of the Black Caps v South Africa Test series, as well as a recap of the IPL auction and plenty more as the week continues. If you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Mike Hussey, Rachin Ravindra, Georgia Wareham, Bharat Sundaresan, Jacob Duffy and many more fantastic characters from around the world. You can also find all our written content, featuring our Hall of Fame series, at our website.

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.

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What a week it has been at the English and Australian cricket boards!

The fall out from The Ashes has led to a clean out at the ECB and the resignation of Justin Langer. Recorded on Tuesday night, there's plenty of debate as we discuss:

We'll be back in your feed tomorrow with a short episode featuring Baldy and Binksy talking through the clean out in the English Test side (Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad!!!) and Pat Cummins' press conference about the coaching situation.

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 chipping away at populating this channel.

If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, Graham Thorpe, George Dobell 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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We start the show this week with Binksy's reaction to the breaking news that England have dropped James Anderson and Stuart Broad from their upcoming Test tour to the West Indies, before we travel the world again to discuss a wide range of news from the cricketing week that was.

We go in-depth on the Black Caps' Test squad to face South Africa, which features call-ups for Cam Fletcher and Blair Tickner, as well as recalls for Colin de Grandhomme and Hamish Rutherford. Should anyone feel snubbed? How will the batting order line up at Hagley? And how worried are we about Kane Williamson's elbow? Selection discussions continue with a look at the White Ferns' World Cup squad, including the omission of Leigh Kasperek.

The conversation then turns to youthful exuberance as we look back the the ICC U19 World Cup and a few future stars that caught our eye, before jetsetting off to the conclusion of the Ashes, the West Indies v India ODI series and the upcoming IPL auction.

We'll be back in your feed later this week to discuss the coaching merry-go-round that is Cricket Australia and ECB, with thoughts on Justin Langer, Chris Silverwood, Ashley Giles and what's next. 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 chipping away at populating this channel.

If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Tim Southee, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, George Dobell 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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This week's show was recorded about 20 minutes after the conclusion of the Ashes Test, so naturally we start by discussing the final-day drama. We talk declarations, Heather Knight's big hundred and 4-day Tests as the multi-format series now shifts to ODIs.

From long-form cricket we move to T20s, recapping the finals of the BBL and Super Smash, which resulted in wins for the Perth Scorchers, Wellington Blaze and Northern Brave. Should the Sixers have been allowed to retire Jordan Silk? Are the Blaze too good? And have any uncapped Super Smash players made a case for international honours?

We finish the episode by discussing the entertaining T20 series between the West Indies and England, which was perfectly poised at 2-2 when we recorded the show. Rovman Powell smashed a hundred, Adil Rashid bowled a googly and Raj and Binksy go head-to-head on a prediction for the final game before Baldy gives us an update on the U19 World Cup.

Only the one episode from us this week, but we'll be back again in a week's time to circle the cricketing world once more. 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 chipping away at populating this channel.

If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Shane Bond, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Jacob Oram 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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