The Top Order Cricket Podcast

Binksy joins via Zoom but the Top Order are back again to review a fascinating week of cricket and look ahead to the final Australia v India Test in Brisbane.

We start the show (0.40) with South Africa's 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka, before discussing the England squad and whether we expect them to follow suit in Galle. Baldy and Lippy then take us through the BBL and Super Smash action so far and what it could mean for international selection.

With the Blackcaps' Test summer now concluded, we review another win against Pakistan (17.35). Lippy claims to have run out of superlatives before heaping praise on Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell and the entire New Zealand side, while Raj is concerned about Naseem Shah and Binksy calls for calm heads as Pakistan conduct an internal review.

As we move to the Australia v India series, Baldy outlines his frustration while watching a battered and bruised India side hold on for a dramatic draw at the SCG (31.15). We credit India's fighting spirit, wonder why wicketkeepers (and fielders in general) can't catch any more and discuss many of the key individuals of this engaging Test match, including Nathan Lyon, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tim Paine, Rishabh Pant, Steve Smith, Shubman Gill and Will Pucovski. Baldy makes a big call as we wrap the show with our predictions for the final Test in Brisbane and the World Test Championship implications, and we all cross our fingers that India can find eleven players to pull on the whites before the end of the week.

And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [email protected] or on any of our social channels.

Thanks for listening.

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

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It’s a new year but same Top Order Podcast, as we recap the final week of 2020.

Baldy starts the show (0:45) with a deep dive into the BBL table and a few players who’ve caught the eye so far in that tournament, including Ollie Davies and Tanveer Sangha, before a quick review of the first South Africa/Sri Lanka Test, where injuries played a big part and Faf du Plessis’s 199 set up a big win for the Proteas. We ask whether NZ needs to push for longer Test series, and ask whether David Warner, Steve Smith and Shakib al Hasan deserved to be honoured in ICC Teams of the Decade.

As we move to the Australia v India series (24:00), we discuss a stunning response from India at the MCG to level the series. Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane all receive praise, Binksy signals a momentum shift, Baldy comes off the long run about Australian team selection and Raj talks about himself in the third person.

We wrap up the show with the thrilling Boxing Day Test at Bay Oval (47:20), where the Blackcaps beat Pakistan just before time expired on Day 5. Kane Williamson moves to #1 in the Test rankings, Neil Wagner has all of us glowing and Mitchell Santner has us discussing a spinner taking the final wicket for NZ in home conditions. Pakistan, with the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Fawad Alam, Faheem Ashraf and ‘Charlie’ Shaheen Shah Afridi, played their part in an excellent Test, but do we give them any chance to level the series?

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

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This episode of the show finds us still struggling to get our heads around the Australia v India Test in Adelaide, so we call in one of the best cricket writers in the business to help us make sense of it all. Formerly with the Indian Express and now with CricBuzz, Bharat Sundaresan is also a Penguin Random House author, publishing The Dhoni Touch in 2018.

Bharat describes the mad scramble for pads on Day 3 as we process India's shocking collapse and discuss how they can move forward and still compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With the departure of Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami, plus journalists and fans alike calling for wholesale changes, we shine the spotlight on Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant and other contenders, before an extended chat about 'Spin Scientist' Ravi Ashwin and the fascinating Cheteshwar Pujara v Nathan Lyon battle. There's breaking news about Rohit Sharma and Bharat reluctantly offers up his prediction for the remainder of the series.

Before we finish the show, we dip into Bharat's back catalogue to ask what it was like to write a book about MS Dhoni, and what makes MS one of the most fascinating characters of the modern era. We also discuss Bharat's search for West Indian fast bowler Patrick Patterson, and how that mission became so much more than just another piece of copy.

If you'd like to check out more of Bharat's work, you can find his archive at CricBuzz: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/author/bharat-sundaresan/235

His brilliant article about Patrick Patterson can be found here: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/patrick-patterson-an-unquiet-mind-4762590/

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In this jam-packed episode of the Top Order Podcast, we take a look at the past week, updating the goings on in the Ford Trophy, BBL10, the England squad to Sri Lanka and the burgeoning international schedule.

As we move to the Black Caps v West Indies series, we discuss Henry Nicholls’ big score and what that means for Will Young and Devon Conway — how long will they have to wait for an extended opportunity? We gush over the incredible talents of Kyle Jamieson — will New Zealand ever play another spinner in home conditions? Neil Wagner receives praise for both bat and ball in his 50th Test, and in light of the West Indies’ disappointing performance, we ask whether they can take anything positive from the tour and debate the idea of tiers at Test level.

After their demolition of the West Indies, the Black Caps move swiftly to the challenge of Pakistan. We discuss the omission of Ross Taylor from the T20 side, the return of Todd Astle and a potential debut for Jacob Duffy, before Raj gets excited about the prospect of New Zealand’s top 4 and Baldy gets excited about saying the name Shaheen Shah Afridi for the new few weeks. Injuries look set to play a big part in the series, however, as worrying news about Lockie Ferguson and a fractured thumb for Babar Azam wipe out two key players.

We wrap up the show with our predictions for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as concussion further disrupts the build up. The lads weigh in on the key selection debates — Pant v Saha, Shaw v Gill and the Australian top order — Lippy gives a shout out to Jasprit Bumrah’s skills with the willow, before asking whether India can truly challenge an Australian side that has been a juggernaut at home in recent times.

If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends 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, Facebook & 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] or @toporderpod on our social channels. With so much cricket going on right now, we'd love to hear what you'd most like us to focus on.

Thanks for listening.

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There's a lot going on in the world of cricket right now, and the Top Order Podcast have a bumper episode to celebrate getting past the tricky 87. In our 88th episode of the show, the team cover:

The cancellation of England's tour to South Africa, what that means for the Proteas, the impact for the BBL and whether the ICC needs to take charge.

We then turn our attention to the Black Caps/West Indies series, where Kane Williamson is playing a different game than everyone else right now. The NZ attack of Southee, Boult, Wagner and Jamieson gets plenty of credit for a great all-round performance, and what can the West Indies do to bounce back?

The India/Australia series is saved for last, but there's plenty to discuss. Concussions on both sides have caused shake-ups in team lineups, and we break down "like-for-like". Justin Langer and Virat Kohli are pumped up, Ajinkya Rahane is his usual self and Cameron Green has stood tall in the warm-ups, while Baldy has an unusual take on the Australian top order for the first Test.

If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends 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, Facebook & 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] or @toporderpod on our social channels. With so much cricket going on right now, we'd love to hear what you'd most like us to focus on.

Thanks for listening.

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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we give a shout out to the Sydney Thunder for winning the WBBL, ponder the impact of Greg Barclay’s appointment as the ICC Chair, and encourage you all to check out NZC live streams of the Ford Trophy.

We then dive into the international fixtures going on around the world, starting with the West Indies’ tour of New Zealand, including the coverage provided by Spark Sport. Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson get us excited about the Black Caps depth, but does a rain-interrupted T20 series against an under-strength West Indian side mean anything for the upcoming Tests? Speaking of the Test series, we talk the impact of Darren Bravo, debate the Black Caps’ XI without BJ Watling and whether the best line up includes a spinner or not.

Moving across the Tasman, Baldy is all smiles after a strong start by Australia, as consecutive 62-ball hundreds from Steve Smith, excellent tactics and contributions everywhere have put India firmly on the back foot. But what impact will David Warner’s injury have? Will India adjust to the conditions and find a way to put the Australian batting line up under pressure? And will Raj’s dream about Virat Kohli come true?

In the final segment of the show, we head to South Africa to try to make sense of this England batting order, discuss whether there’s a way back for the Proteas, wonder about Quinton de Kock’s skills in the kitchen and Lippy challenges Binksy about an outrageous Sam Curran claim.

If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends 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, Facebook & 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] or @toporderpod on our social channels.

Thanks for listening.

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We start our This Week in Cricket by outlining the WBBL semi-finalists before Lippy wraps the first four rounds of the Plunket Shield, which sees Canterbury well on top at the halfway stage. Baldy and Raj explain the new BBL innovations - are they fun, or just confusing? - and Binksy runs the rule over Sam Billings' comment that the England limited-overs side is one of the hardest teams in the world to get into right now.

In the second part of the show, we look ahead to the upcoming Black Caps/West Indies tour. How much rotation will we see during the T20 series? Which NZ fringe players will improve their stock? Why is the Test series so important? Has the emergence of Devon Conway made Will Young underrated? Can Kyle Jamieson unseat the incumbent pace trio? Plus Tom Blundell's role, pressure on Henry Nicholls, predictions, banter and more in this wide-ranging chat as we get excited about the start of the international summer.

Thanks for listening.

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In this episode of the show, we're joined by award-winning author and ESPN Cricinfo Assistant Editor Daniel Brettig to discuss the Australian summer of cricket and the upcoming India tour.

All that plus predictions, BBL innovation chat and much more in this deep dive into one of the most anticipated series of the summer.

Thanks for listening.

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In this episode of the show, we speak with current Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey about his recent experiences with KKR in the IPL, his outstanding career as a player and look ahead to BBL 10.

Reflecting on his time as the Chief Mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders, we talk T20 tactics, momentum, confidence, learning from the likes of Brendon McCullum and working with a diverse group that included Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan and Varun Chakravarthy, just to name a few.

As we move to David's playing days, we're introduced to 'Good David' and 'Bad David' as he speaks humbly about his impressive career both in Australia for the Victorian Bushrangers and the national side, and overseas, particularly for Nottinghamshire. We hear how, despite all this success, it took David many years before feeling like he truly belonged at that level.

In the final part of the show, we take a close look at a Melbourne Stars squad stacked with high-profile international signings like Jonny Bairstow and Nicholas Pooran, rising star Will Pucovski and explosive all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell. We hear about a few names to watch and explore the coffee habits of Adam Zampa as we look ahead to the upcoming BBL season.

Thanks for listening.

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