In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy review the past three days of IPL 2024 action - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals and the Gujarat Titans v Delhi Capitals. Recorded on 18 April, we discuss the record-breaking runfest at the Chinnaswamy, which saw a Travis Head century, plus excellent innings and giant sixes from Heinrich Klaasen, Dinesh Karthik and many others. There's also praise for Jos Buttler's remarkable effort for Rajasthan, as they chased down KKR's 223-6 off the final delivery, meaning Sunil Narine's hundred was in a losing cause. The trend of praising wicketkeepers continues with Dinesh Kathik also mentioned in despatches for his effort in a losing cause against the Sunrisers. Some sides are making a run (we're looking at you Sunrisers and the resurgent Delhi Capitals) whereas the Gujarat Titans look to be in a big hole. Are they done for the season, or is there life yet? We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 15 April, we review all 10 teams, awarding the turquoise cap and handing out the power rankings along the way. Is the biggest threat to the Rajasthan Royals actually the Rajasthan Royals? Will the Kolkata Knight Riders ever slow down? Can the Chennai Super Kings get even more from MS Dhoni? Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters struggling? Can Shubman Gill carry the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs? Are the Lucknow Super Giants slumping? Why is the Mumbai Indians' bowling so bad when Jasprit Bumrah is so good? Are the Delhi Capitals the scariest team in the bottom half of the ladder? Will a Punjab Kings game ever finish outside of the final over? Has Faf du Plessis given up on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowling attack? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 RR - Are they over-complicating things? 8:45 KKR - Full speed ahead 15:20 CSK - MS Dhoni sixes and a statement week 24:50 SRH - Bowlers getting into a rhythm 30:50 GT - Are they about to go on a winning streak? 37:50 LSG - Is Quinton de Kock having fun? 44:00 MI - Jasprit Bumrah is awesome but the other bowlers are struggling 51:45 DC - Are they becoming a dangerous side? Kuldeep Yadav & Rishabh Pant pushing for India spots 56:25 PK - A lack of matchwinners hurting them 61:50 RCB - Bowling attack at rock bottom

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy provide a midweek IPL update to discuss CSK's win against KKR and two final-over thrillers that saw points go to Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Gujarat Titans. We discuss standout performances from Rashid Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shashank Singh, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shubman Gill as well as the key moments of these three games. Are the Gujarat Titans back? Will the Punjab Kings ever give up on a chase? Is spin going to be a major factor for the Chennai Super Kings from now on? Have Sunrisers Hyderabad found some consistency? Was it just a bad day at the office for Kolkata Knight Riders? Should the Rajasthan Royals have regrets about only bowling two Trent Boult overs? And much more! We'll be back again early next week with more news and views as we go through the next instalment of our Power Rankings, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:55 CSK v KKR - Chennai are a force at home 4:45 Crucial wickets for Ravindra Jadeja as spin plays a big part 8:00 Was it just a bad day at the office for KKR? 10:00 Jadeja pranking the Chennai crowd with MS Dhoni 11:50 SRH v PK - Sunrisers local players step up 14:45 Punjab Kings love a close game 15:30 No score is safe anymore - batters hitting the go button 19:50 Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh do it again (almost) 21:05 GT v RR - Are Gujarat back? 22:50 Excellent day for Rashid Khan 24:40 Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag's partnership 26:15 What went wrong for Rajasthan's bowling? 30:40 Upcoming games

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu review the week that was in IPL 2024 with another instalment of the power rankings. Recorded on Monday 8 April, we discuss all 10 teams and the key questions facing all of them as we pass the 20-game mark of the tournament. Can anyone stop this Rajasthan Royals side? Is the KKR bowling lineup, led by Mitchell Starc, strong enough to win at the business end of the tournament? LSG building nicely in all three facets of the game - so why don't we trust them? Abhishek Sharma's impact at the top of the order for Sunrisers Hyderabad Shashank Singh's heroics for the Punjab Kings CSK's challenges without Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana Have the Mumbai Indians found a better balance with Romario Shepherd and Mohammad Nabi in the lineup? How damaging will David Miller's injury be for the Gujarat Titans? With Mitchell Marsh out for a while, are the Delhi Capitals' semi-final hopes all but gone? Virat Kohli has been outstanding to start the season, but where's the help from the rest of his RCB teammates? We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 Rajasthan Royals - Jos Buttler's 100, do they have any weaknesses at all? 7:40 Kolkata Knight Riders - So much batting firepower, but what about the bowling? 14:15 Lucknow Super Giants - Marcus Stoinis's responsible knock 20:55 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Abhishek Sharma's ball-striking and positive signs for the bowling attack 30:05 Punjab Kings - Shashank Singh to the rescue 36:45 Chennai Super Kings - Is their bowling in trouble without Pathirana and Mustafizur? 44:25 Mumbai Indians - Is Romario Shepherd the answer to balancing this MI lineup? 51:30 Gujarat Titans - Runs for Shubman Gill, but David Miller's injury news takes their week from bad to worse 58:00 Delhi Capitals - Has Mitchell Marsh's hamstring strain put an end to their playoff chances? 61:40 Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Virat Kohli scoring runs for fun, but where's the help?

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu review the recent IPL 2024 games between LSG and RCB, and KKR v Delhi Capitals. Recorded on 4 April 2024, we start by discussing Kolkata's huge win against Delhi: Are we about to live in a world where scores of 270 in a T20 become the norm? Sunil Narine's boundary-fest at the top of the order Angkrish Raghuvanshi's first IPL innings and the fearlessness of young players Plus Andre Russell, Mitchell Starc, Rishabh Pant and more! In the second half of the show we look back at the Lucknow Super Giants' comfortable win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. How fun is it to watch this Mayank Yadav story unfold?! How much trouble are RCB in? Will Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell be able to produce the match-winning performances needed to stop this slide? Plus Nicholas Pooran, Quinton de Kock, Reece Topley and other storylines from this fascinating game. We'll be back again early next week with the next instalment of the IPL 2024 Power Rankings, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:40 KKR v DC - Is 270 in a T20 game about to become the norm? 3:05 Sunil Narine's boundary-fest and the KKR power-hitting 6:00 Angkrish Raghuvanshi and the fearlessness of young players 8:40 Mitchell Starc on the board 9:55 Rishabh Pant continues to improve 10:45 Are KKR title contenders now? 11:45 LSG v RCG - how much trouble are RCB in? 13:40 Do RCB need more from Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green? 16:00 LSG - Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran looking in good touch 19:15 The Mayank Yadav show 23:35 How are we feeling about LSG's chances after 3 games? 28:10 Outro

Back by popular demand, the Binksy, Raj, Baldy and Stu gathered in the same room to run through the second instalment of the IPL 2024 Power Rankings. We discuss all 10 teams and how they are travelling after the first 14 games of the tournament. Are the Rajasthan Royals the real deal? KKR are flying, but how worried should they be about the form of Mitchell Starc? CSK have looked superb, but what happened against Delhi? And is MS Dhoni wasted down the order? Gujarat bounced back after their loss to CSK, but do they have the batting firepower to keep them in the playoff picture? Delhi's batting order shuffle led to a win against CSK - is Rishabh Pant the key to unlocking their true potential? Sunrisers Hyderabad shattered records in game two, before crashing back down to earth. Which performance is the best indication of who they are as a team? LSG were at risk of going 0-2, until Mayank Yadav sparked them into life on debut. Virat Kohli has still got it, but what about RCB's other overseas players? Optimists might say the Punjab Kings should be unbeaten after 3 games - do the boys agree? And what's going on in Mumbai as the Wankhede Stadium fans boo Hardik Pandya?! We'll be back again next week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the show, Raj and Baldy discuss the past few days of IPL action. Recorded on 29 March 2024, we look back at the highlights from the first full week of the IPL, including: Sunrisers Hyderabad's record total, which kept pre-tournament favourites Mumbai winless from their first two games. Is 277 in 20 overs a good thing? Is it time to panic for Mumbai and Delhi fans? More Rachin Ravindra fireworks as CSK continue rolling against Gujarat Who are we concerned about already? Can anyone stop the CSK and RR juggernauts? And much more! We'll be back again early next week with another instalment of our power rankings, plus more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:55 Records galore for SRH against Mumbai Indians 5:45 Is it time to panic for MI? 7:35 Rajasthan make it 2 from 2 against Delhi Capitals 10:10 What have we learned about KKR? 13:45 CSK - leadership change but the winning ways continue 15:35 Rachin Ravindra on fire 18:30 Biggest surprises from Week 1?

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu cast their eye over the first few days of IPL action and unveil the first power rankings of the 2024 tournament. Recorded on Monday 25 March, after each of the 10 teams had played one game, we look back at the big moments and key players from the 5 matches so far, including: CSK debuts for Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Mustafizur Rahman Bowling woes for RCB Hardik Pandya's confusing return to the Mumbai Indians Why we should never doubt the Gujarat Titans Sanju Samson's fireworks starting the season with a bang for Rajasthan Royals Nicholas Pooran hitting back at Baldy for LSG Andre Russell proving to Stu he's still a matchwinner Heinrich Klaasen's almost heroics for Sunrisers Hyderabad Sam Curran's big day out for Punjab Kings The Delhi Capitals drop-a-thon And much more! We'll be back on Thursday evening (NZ time) with more news and views from IPL 2024, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:50 CSK v RCB - defending champs start where they left off 5:35 Rachin Ravindra's debut 7:40 RCB - it's early, but are there danger signs already? 11:30 Gujarat Titans - why do we still underrate them? 14:40 Mohit Sharma and contributions from everywhere 16:08 Ashish Nehra's wizardry 18:15 Mumbai Indians - Jasprit Bumrah outstanding, but what about Hardik Pandya's role? 22:10 Mumbai's seam-bowling injuries 22:55 Rajasthan Royals - Sanju Samson's great start 26:10 Trent Boult in the powerplay 28:15 LSG - underwhelming performance or decent fightback? 31:55 KL Rahul at the top of the order 32:40 KKR - Andre Russell goes boom 36:00 Should KKR be ranked higher? 37:35 Buyer's regret on Mitchell Starc? 39:35 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Heinrich Klaasen's almost heroics 40:00 SRH player combinations - did they get it right? 44:35 Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals 45:00 Sam Curran stars for Punjab 49:30 Alarm bells for DC? 50:25 Impact player rule 53:35 Two-bouncer rule 56:00 Outro

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Stu and Raj preview the IPL tournament, covering Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan, RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Wall-to-wall T20 cricket is about to begin, with the IPL followed by the T20 World Cup and in this episode (part 2 of 2) we focus on five teams, discussing squad news, why each team can win, potential weaknesses, key players and predicted finishing order. We also give our overall tournament predictions, including semi-finalists, champions and the winners of the purple and orange caps. Teams covered are: Mumbai Indians: Mumbai have arguably the best batting lineup in the competition, stacked with local talent. There's the return of Hardik Pandya and what that might mean for the harmony of the side with him taking the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, plus a few question marks about their spinners - but does that even matter when Jasprit Bumrah is in your side? Punjab Kings: There's an English flavour to this squad, with Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran all set to feature during the tournament. Add the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Harshal Patel to that and the bowling attack looks solid, but can Shikhar Dhawan and co score enough runs to take them to the playoffs? Rajasthan Royals: T20 opening partnerships don't get much better than Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler, and the addition of Shane Bond to the coaching staff has the New Zealanders excited for 2024. There's great spin depth, batting firepower and lovely Trent Boult, but where are the allrounders? Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli! Faf du Plessis! Glenn Maxwell! Cameron Green! Mohammed Siraj! The RCB lineup won't be short on matchwinners, but who will fill the fourth overseas spot in the XI? And will their bowling lineup be able to defend anything under 200? Sunrisers Hyderabad: It was a busy auction for Daniel Vettori and the Orange Army. Pat Cummins joined as captain, plus Travis Head and Wanindu Hasaranga to round out a remarkably strong collection of 8 overseas players. Which four will they choose from game to game? We debate this, plus discuss whether Umran Malik can get back to his best, how much we'll miss Dale Steyn's hair and whether Captain Cummins's golden run is set to continue in 2024. We'll be back again regularly during the tournament with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Stu and Raj preview the IPL tournament in two parts, starting with CSK, DC, GT, KKR and LSG. Wall-to-wall T20 cricket is about to begin, with the IPL followed by the T20 World Cup and in this episode (part 1 of 2) we focus on the first five teams (by alphabetical order) to discuss squad news, why each team can win, potential weaknesses, key players and predicted finishing order. Teams covered are: Chennai Super Kings: New Zealand eyes are focused on the fortunes of new Black Caps' recruits Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra - will they become CSK fan favourites? We also debate how damaging Devon Conway's injury will be and, of course, whether MS Dhoni will lead #WhistlePodu to another title. Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant's return is filling all the headlines, but is it fair to put so much expectation on his shoulders? There's also talk about the Australian connection, the spin strength of Kuldeep and Axar, and whether young players like Kumar Kushagra and Yash Dhull will have a positive impact. Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya is gone, but there's still plenty of experience in this squad as they look to return to a third consecutive final. We discuss the impact of Mohammad Shami's injury, try to figure out which overseas players will best balance the side and whether Spencer Johnson has a big role to play. Kolkata Knight Riders: Binksy's old favourite Andre Russell is back for another campaign, but can they improve on last year's 7th placed finish? We're excited to watch another Rinku Singh season, and there's excitement about a spin attack that could include Suyash Sharma alongside Varun Chakaravarthy, but what about the seamers? Lucknow Super Giants: The not-just-regular giants have made the playoffs in both of their two seasons, but there are plenty of questions leading into this upcoming campaign. How fit is KL Rahul? Can Shamar Joseph light up the tournament? And can Deepak Hooda get back to the form that saw him earn an international call up? Look out for part 2, which will release in 24 hours' time, in which we'll discuss the Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. We'll also predict our semi-finalists, winners and leading wicket-taker and runscorer. We'll be back again regularly during the tournament with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss the second Test between the Black Caps and Australia, as well as some parting thoughts on the India v England series. Fresh from day 4 at Hagley Oval, we give our initial reaction to a see-sawing Test that saw Australia win by 3 wickets and secure at 2-0 series victory. We talk about a match-defining partnership between Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh, ask if Australia's bowling attack is their best of all-time and give praise to Matt Henry for his efforts during the series. There's also praise for Ben Sears, plus questions about Steve Smith as an opener and New Zealand's game management in the second Test. In the second half of the show, we move to the India v England series to discuss Rohit Sharma's captaincy, the future of Bazball under Stokes and McCullum and which young Indian players might have a long-term future in the Test side. We'll be back again next week with an extended IPL preview, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:22 Black Caps v Australia immediate reaction 4:09 Australia's ruthlessness and patience 7:09 Is this the Australia's greatest ever bowling attack? 9:00 New Zealand's bowlers 11:40 Ben Sears 14:45 Matt Henry's impressive series 16:00 Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh 18:25 The Steve Smith question 21:40 New Zealand's missed opportunities 24:20 India v England 25:30 Rohit Sharma's captaincy 32:00 Questions about the Bazball approach? 38:25 Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep - who can stick in this Indian side? 43:40 Outro

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss the 5th and final Test of England's tour to India, which saw the home side record a dominant victory to celebrate Ravichandran Ashwin's hundredth Test. We start the show by discussing the English reaction to a heavy defeat, and which players might face questions leading into their home summer. Then of course there is huge credit to India - batters such as Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have shown that the future is still very bright for India, while the experienced spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav got better and better throughout the series to pick England apart on their way to a 4-1 series victory. To finish the show, there's a word for Jimmy Anderson, who took his 700th Test wicket in his 187th match. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 0:35 Deflating way for England to end series? 11:00 Huge credit to India - Gill, Jaiswal, Ashwin, Kuldeep 20:35 Jimmy Anderson's 700th wicket

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the first two days of the final India v England Test, and day one of the Black Caps v Australia at Hagley Oval. Ravichandran Ashwin took 4 wickets in the first innings of his hundredth Test, but it was Kuldeep Yadav who stole the show with 5 delightful dismissals as he ripped out England's top order. When it was India's turn to bat, centuries for Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, plus fifties for Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Devdutt Padikkal have put India right on top at the end of day two. At Hagley Oval, the Black Caps won the first hour, but then Josh Hazlewood's relentless pressure took its toll and New Zealand crumbled to 162 all out. Matt Henry showed his class again, and Ben Sears bamboozled Steve Smith, but a return to form for Marnus Labuschagne edged Australia towards parity with six first innings remaining at stumps. We'll be back again in the next day or two with more news from both tests, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 Day 1 at Hagley Oval - Black Caps skittled again 1:45 First hour of the day - Tom Latham looking fluid 3:55 Quality seam bowling, led by Josh Hazlewood 5:35 Australia's relentless pressure with the ball 7:50 Is Marnus Labuschagne back? 9:05 Ben Sears debut, a good selection? 11:20 Baldy's high standards 13:00 Hopes for day 2 15:55 India v England 16:55 Which of these English spinners will stick? 20:05 How many of the young Indian batters will be there once Kohli and Rahul return? 23:00 Kuldeep Yadav's fab five 26:40 Hopes for day 3 29:05 Natural variation

This week on the show, we're all back in the same room to discuss the Black Caps' demoralising loss to Australia at the Basin Reserve, as well as a preview/review of the 4th and 5th Tests between India and England. We start the episode with some initial thoughts from the Kiwi contingent about the pain of another Test loss to Australia - a game where New Zealand showed signs they could compete on days 1 and 3, but crumbled on the even days on their way to a very familiar scoreline against their Trans-Tasman neighbours. There's plenty of praise for Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon, as well as Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips who provided the positives from a New Zealand point of view. We also discuss the make up of a Black Caps bowling attack in transition, a seemingly indestructible quartet of Australian bowlers, the impact of injuries and the form of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey. In the second half of the show, we look back at the 4th Test between India and England, which saw India secure a series victory in Ranchi. Was it a missed opportunity for England? Or do India deserve all the credit for winning the biggest moments of this series. We touch on crucial performances from Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill, highlighting their composure under huge pressure. Joe Root's hundred demonstrated his class, but India's spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav made life difficult for England in the third innings and turned the match back India's way. Finally, we preview the 5th Test in Dharamasala - potentially the hundredth for Jonny Bairstow and Ravi Ashwin - with an eye to conditions and how England may look back on this series when all is said and done. We'll be down at Hagley Oval in a few days' time at the second Test between the Black Caps and Australia, so expect plenty of content from that match and also the final India v England Test. As always, we really appreciate everyone who takes 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:55 A demoralising loss for the Black Caps 3:50 Do New Zealand have a mental block against Australia? 5:10 Why is it so hard to clean up the tail? 6:50 Cameron Green delivers under pressure 9:25 Nathan Lyon - the GOAT gets even GOATier 12:40 Australia's bowling group 15:55 Glenn Phillips - better than a part-timer? 17:00 Selection...

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy look ahead to one of the most anticipated Test series of the year - at least here in New Zealand - the Black Caps v Australia. We also discuss the Neil Wagner's retirement from international cricket in the lead up to the first Test, which starts on Thursday at the Basin Reserve. We start the show with a tribute to Neil Wagner, who announced his retirement on Tuesday here in New Zealand. His impressive record and statistics speak for themselves, but with Wagner it was always the things that don't show up on the scorecard that spoke the loudest. We discuss his outstanding spell as a Test cricketer and how he'll be remembered in the coming years. Attention then turns to the upcoming series. Can the Black Caps overcome injuries to Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway, and a lean history of success in this fixture to defeat the Aussies on home soil? Will Kane Williamson maintain his incredible run of form against a bowling attack featuring Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon? Are the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne vulnerable in New Zealand conditions? What will the New Zealand bowling attack look like? And do Australian fans even care about the series at all? Plus we make our predictions as we look ahead to this rare occasion on the eve of the first Test. We'll be back again soon with more news and views, including a review of the 4th Test between India and England, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Finn Allen, 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:10 Neil Wagner retires! 3:50 Will Neil Wagner go down as an NZ Cricket great? 7:25 Squad news - Black Caps bowling attack 10:05 Mitchell Santner or Scott Kuggeleijn for the final spot in the XI? 11:35 Australia's settled lineup 12:45 Devon Conway ruled out of the first Test with thumb injury 13:55 What does this series mean for both sets of fans? 21:55 Why do people still doubt this Australian side? 25:45 Key matchups - Black Caps' seamers v Smith, Labuschagne and co. 32:25 Key matchups - Can New Zealand's batting lineup stand up to this experienced Australian attack? 34:00 Will Nathan Lyon be a factor in this series? 36:40 How important is Kane Williamson's performance for New Zealand's chances of victory? 41:15 Prediction time! 47:30...

In this episode of the show, there's plenty of ground to cover as the cricket calendar continues apace. We recap India's big win against England in the third Test and look back at the Black Caps' first-ever series win against South Africa - with one eye on the upcoming Tests against Australia. There were many impressive performances during the third Test between India and England: Yashasvi Jaiswal's second double-century in as many Tests (including a record-equaling 12 sixes!) Hundreds to Rohit Sharma and Ben Duckett A hundred AND a 5-wicket haul for Ravindra Jadeja Entertaining debuts from Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel Which all led to a big win for India as they defeated England by a record margin. We discuss the key moments and the aftermath and reaction to Bazball's biggest defeat, as well as potential changes for the 4th Test, which will see Jasprit Bumrah left on the sidelines. In the second half of the show, we return to New Zealand to look back at a historic Test series for the Black Caps, which saw them win the Tangiwai Shield and secure a series win against South Africa for the first time in their 92 years of trying. There was a record-breaking debut for Will O'Rourke, Kane Williamson gave us another demonstration of his greatness, while Dane Piedt and David Bedingham combined to make it a much tougher assignment than many people predicted. To round out the show, we touch briefly on a last-ball thriller in Wellington, which saw Tim David steal the show, as well as an Annabel Sutherland masterclass against South Africa. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:48 India v England 3rd Test review 1:31 Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks records on his way to another double century 5:55 The topsy turvy nature of the game 8:07 Does Joe Root need to dial back the gears? 11:55 Was the backlash to Bazball justified after this heavy defeat? 16:00 England's batting collapses - can Jonny Bairstow return to form? 18:00 Ben Duckett's highlight-filled hundred 21:35 Sarfaraz Khan's impressive debut 26:45 Should substitutes be allowed during a Test? 29:22 4th Test Preview: Will the pitch spin big from ball one? 30:40 Any changes to the two...

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Binksy discuss the recent Test matches between India and England, and New Zealand against South Africa. India levelled the series, and the pitches so far have made for two excellent Tests - but why are England proving such a tough opponent for the home side and their star-studded spinners? There's plenty of chat about England's approach, the young spin trio of Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, Yashasvi Jaiswal's double hundred, Shubman Gill performing under pressure, Ben Foakes' wicket-keeping and of course the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah. As we move to New Zealand shores, there's praise for the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner, but is there anything to be learned from a series against a clearly under-strength South African side? And should the points even count towards the World Test Championship? We also gaze ahead to the next Tests in both series, with Daryl Mitchell looking at an extended absence for the Black Caps, plus Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja likely to return for India. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy look back at 2 epic test matches. Starting at The Gabba we discuss Shamar Joseph’s heroics in an historic win for the West Indies, which brought both Baldy and Brian Lara to tears but for different reasons. We then crossover to Hyderabad to review an amazing 1st test between India and England, which saw England’s debut spinner Tom Hartley go from zero to hero with his 1st ball disappearing for 6 off the bat of Yashasvi Jaiswal but his final ball winning the game and seeing him finish with figures of 7-62. We also discuss selection permutations for the 2nd Test. Who will replace KL Rahul and Ravi Jadeja and will England hand a debut to Shoaib Bashir to replace the injured Jack Leach? Will we also see a return for Jimmy Anderson and when will Virat Kohli be back? Finally, in true Top Order Podcast fashion, we make our predictions for the 2nd Test, which will be out of date at the hint of a tweaked hamstring. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels  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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for watching 0:00 Intro 5:14 How big is the hole that David Warner leaves? 10:30 Introducing Shamar Joseph 17:07 Are Aussie carrying Cam Green? 21:00 India V England 24:00 Were Abu Dhabi preparations vindicated? 29:25 Should India have batted England out of the game in 1st Innings? 30:52 Tom, Jack, Joe and Rehan, England's spin quartet 39:20 India changes for 2nd test? 43:40 England changes for 2nd test?

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy journey from Hyderabad to Adelaide and East London before we return to Aotearoa New Zealand while we review the week that was and look ahead to a full schedule of Test cricket just around the corner. We start the show with the recent news from the India v England series, which has seen the withdrawal of both Virat Kohli and Harry Brook from at least the first two Tests, and the visa concerns for Shoaib Bashir, which may well have cost him a Test debut. We also discuss reports suggesting England might line up at Hyderabad with Mark Wood as the only seamer in the side. It's off to Australia after that, to discuss the home side's victory in the first Test against the West Indies. We saw runs for Travis Head, wickets for Josh Hazlewood and a comprehensive win for Australia, but it was a West Indian debutant, Shamar Joseph, who earned at least some of the limelight after his performance in Adelaide. There's also a nod to Jake Fraser-McGurk's selection for the upcoming ODIs, plus praise for Josh Brown and his exploits for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL. After a quick detour to South Africa to talk about Matt Rowe, Mankads and the under-19 World Cup, we return to New Zealand to talk through selection options for the Black Caps as they prepare for the Proteas' Test tour. How much does South Africa's squad diminish the interest levels? Who should keep wicket for New Zealand if Tom Blundell isn't fit for the first Test? Should the Black Caps also give opportunities to fringe players? Is Devon Conway human after all? And is this a big series for Neil Wagner? We'll be back again next week with more news and views, including recaps of the India v England and Australia v West Indies Tests, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Finn Allen, Sophie Devine and Rachin Ravindra, 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Stu and Baldy look ahead to the five-test series between India and England, which starts on 25 Jan and takes us right through to March. We open the show by discussing how much has changed since the previous series between these two sides in India in 2021, when a struggling England side won the first Test convincingly, before the hosts bounced back in a big way to secure the Anthony de Mello Trophy. We analyse the squads and the biggest selection questions - Bairstow or Foakes? Bharat or KL Rahul? - plus outline the key battles that could determine the series. Can Joe Root improve his already impressive numbers in India? Will Axar Patel destroy England once again? How will Rohit Sharma react to Bazball? [Note: This was recorded before the news broke that Harry Brook and Virat Kohli would miss at least part of the series for personal reasons] Finally, in true Top Order Podcast fashion, we make our predictions for the series result and individual performances. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.