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In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu kick off the IPL 2025 coverage by previewing the fortunes of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings.
We start with a Baldy explainer, and a quick chat about the impact of the mega auction, before moving straight into the team previews. We discuss what excites us about our chosen teams, whether that's particular players or team storylines, and whether they'll be in title contention come the business end of the tournament.
First up is KKR, in which Binksy asks why they aren't favourites with the betting agencies, highlights the importance of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine again, as well as the talented Indian bowling core featuring the likes of Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. There's also a word on Ajinkya Rahane taking over as captain.
Next is Sunrisers Hyderabad, in which Stu gets excited about songs, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, the power-packed batting lineup and bowling reinforcements, before asking whether this team can go one better in 2025.
For the Rajasthan Royals, the absence of Jos Buttler is the question on our minds. Without him and others, they look weaker and the betting agencies have written them off. But can Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and co. make those odds look silly when the winners medals are handed out at the end of May?
The Mumbai Indians are up fourth, and Baldy proceeds with caution when discussing their favouritism with the bookmakers. Will the star-studded batting lineup featuring Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and friends deliver in 2025? Or will the absence of Jasprit Bumrah - for how long? - be too difficult to overcome with the ball in hand?
To round out part one of our preview, Jamie takes a look at CSK, highlighting the plethora of options their allrounder-packed squad provides them. What role will Rachin Ravindra play? Will MS Dhoni continue his six-hitting exploits? And when the team does settle on a best XI, will it be strong enough to take them to the final?
We'll be back in your feed again at the end of the week with the second episode of our IPL 2025 Preview. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
4:20 Impact of mega-auction on overseas fans
7:00 Kolkata Knight Riders
14:05 Sunrisers Hyderabad
21:30 Rajasthan Royals
28:50 Mumbai Indians
37:30 Chennai Super Kings
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This week on the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu felt like bouncing around a few topics in the aftermath of the Champions Trophy before the news cycle is dominated by the IPL. There's a bit of ODI format chat, then a quick check-in on the teams we support - Australia, England and New Zealand.
The episode starts with a discussion about the Champions Trophy format and ODI cricket in general. Did the tournament make a convincing case that there's still life left in 50-over cricket? Or are ODIs too formulaic? If the number of bilateral ODIs are declining, is that a problem? Or does it make these tournaments more exciting? Was the jeopardy of knockout cricket something the World Cup should consider? Or is a longer tournament still the best way to find out who the best team in the world is?
We round out the show by touching base in Australia to wonder whether any of the fringe players did enough to force their way into best XIs when Cummins, Hazlewood and co. return? Then in England to ponder on the white-ball captaincy after Jos Buttler decided to step down. And we finish by looking at New Zealand's home series against Pakistan, which saw the return of some familiar names in Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham and Ish Sodhi, but it was Kyle Jamieson who stole the show in the first T20 as the Black Caps powered to an emphatic win.
We'll be back in your feed again later with the first instalment of our IPL 2025 Preview. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
1:30 Was the Champions Trophy fun? Is ODI cricket still in trouble?
11:50 Did Australia learn anything about their fringe players in the Champions Trophy?
15:25 Jos Buttler steps aside as white-ball captain - will he be replaced by Harry Brook or AI?
20:00 Black Caps v Pakistan - old faces return and Kyle Jamieson looks fantastic
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Fehlende Folgen?
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at the tournament final between New Zealand and India.
It's a tough morning for Black Caps fans as another ICC final ends in defeat, but for India it was congratulations all around as we saw a continuation of an astonishing run of form for their white-ball side - which has seen them as runners-up in 2023 and winners in 2024 and now 2025.
We discuss the key contributions and moments - from Matt Henry's injury-enforced replacement to KL Rahul's calmness, Rohit Sharma's leadership, the quality (yet again) of this four-pronged Indian spin attack, Rachin Ravindra's tournament, the Black Caps' ability to stay in the fight even when it seemed like they were slightly behind for the majority of the game and much more.
We'll be back in your feed next week - possibly to review the tournament as a whole, or maybe even look ahead to the IPL and the Black Caps white-ball series against Pakistan. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching throughout this tournament, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Stu look back at the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand, then glance forward to a Dubai final where the Black Caps will face the might of India.
It was just about the perfect performance for New Zealand, with Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson both scoring hundreds to set up a platform from which Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell could put the icing on the cake.
On the other hand, right when it looked like South Africa might do the same, Mitchell Santner ripped the heart out of the Proteas middle order, picking up Bavuma, Van der Dussen and Klaasen within a short space of time. David Miller scored a consolation hundred, but the Black Caps spinners continued to squeeze and booked themselves a date with India in the final.
To round out the show, we discussed a couple of the key things to watch out for in that big dance, which sees the best two sides in the tournament line up in what we hope will be a classic final.
We'll be back in your feed to review that final, and if you've enjoyed listening and/or watching throughout this tournament, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Baldy reflect on a command performance by India as they cruise past Australia on their way to the ICC Champions Trophy final.
Mohammed Shami set the early tone for India, and despite Australia trying to match India's strength by also selecting four spinners, the slow bowlers dominated Australia's batting efforts. Crucial chances cost Australia, but did they get the selection wrong? Baldy dissects some possible alternatives. India's batters come in for some praise from both Baldy and Binksy. What can stop India from picking up the silverware?
Looking ahead to NZ and South Africa, Mitchell Santner's captaincy comes in for some praise, and the lads discuss where the second semi-final could be won or lost. Will Binksy and Baldy agree on the prediction for the semi-final?
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to recap the second semi-final. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Raj and Stu look back at the final group match of the tournament between India and New Zealand, then glance forward to the semi-finals.
The Black Caps made a brilliant start in Dubai, with a quality opening burst from the seamers and some outstanding catching headlined by Glenn Phillips' screamer to dismiss Virat Kohli, but ultimately it was India's spinners who had the final say. We discussed the approach of both sides, how it might translate to the semi-finals and give praise to the efforts of Varun Chakravarthy among India's four-pronged spin attack and Kane Williamson's fighting knock.
To round out the show, we look ahead to India's semi-final against Australia and New Zealand's game against South Africa. Will Varun play? Can NZ take wickets through the middle? Will Rohit and Shubman take the game away from Australia in the first 10 overs? How scared are we about Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller?!
We'll be back in your feed to review the semi-finals and again for the final. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie. Raj and Baldy dissect the disappointment of England's performance against South Africa. South Africa are on a roll with bat and ball, but do they have a selection headache for the semi? For England, their exit with a whimper raises questions for the future of white-ball Baz-ball.
The hits keep on coming in this episode as Baldy lays into the Australian bowling attack for conceding 37 extras in 50 overs and ponders a crucial change to the lineup for the semis. Have Australia over-achieved by making it out of the group stage?
In the final feel-good segment, the boys preview India and New Zealand. Who will have the best spin attack for the middle overs, and will each side hold back their trump tactics for a possible meeting in the final? Jamie gives us great insight into the psychology behind preparation for big matches.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Jamie discuss another ICC tournament catastrophe for England as they crash out in the group stages. They discuss England’s batting order and bowling plans and the stand out performers for Afghanistan. They also take a look forward to the closing fixtures of the group stages and early thoughts on the knockout stage.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy, Raj and Stu review the Group A clash between New Zealand and Bangladesh, and look ahead to Australia v South Africa.
On paper things looked fairly comfortable for the Black Caps, thanks in part to Michael Bracewell's 4-26, which helped restrict Bangladesh to 236-9. And despite a few nervy moments, a Rachin Ravindra hundred and a fifty from the calming presence of Tom Latham eased New Zealand to the top of the table and into the semi-finals.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to review Australia v South Africa. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Baldy and Stu review the Group A clash between India and Pakistan, and look ahead to the Black Caps' upcoming match against Bangladesh.
It was a fairly comfortable Indian victory in the end in what shaped as an important fixture for both sides. Babar Azam flashed his quality early on, but Hardik Pandya and the Indian spin trio chipped out wickets whenever they were needed.
Despite a couple of quality deliveries to dismiss Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, once Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer built a partnership, it became clear the 240 was never going to be enough, with Kohli sealing his hundred, the win and India's spot in the semi-finals with the last shot of the match.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to review the Black Caps v Bangladesh. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie and Baldy cover rivalry round! England and Australia faced off overnight in the highest scoring game in Champions Trophy history, and preview the face-off between India and Pakistan tonight in the greatest rivalry in cricket.
There were records galore in Lahore in a benign surface that had both sides looking like nine an over was gettable at any time. Duckett provided fireworks with the bat for 165, Joe Root did Joe Root things and for a few brief hours England held the record for the highest score in the Champions Trophy. For Australia, the not-so-household names shone brightest, and for Binksy and Jamie the solace of England-born Josh Inglis hitting the match-winning hundred will hold little comfort. England now face must-win games against Afghanistan and South Africa.
For India and Pakistan the question on both Jamie and Baldy's minds was how much Pakistan could lift emotionally against India. India are almost certainly favoured in Dubai conditions, but can Pakistan pull out something special in the UAE in their home tournament? Like England, Pakistan are in win-or-bust mode for the rest of the tournament. With their backs to the wall, will this be when Pakistan's star shines brightest? For both pundits, the Indian spin strength in the middle overs will be where the game could be decided.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, 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.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie and Stu look back at day 3 of the tournament, which featured a strong performance from South Africa against Afghanistan, and look ahead to the big clash between England and Australia on day 4.
Ryan Rickelton led the charge for the Proteas with an impressive hundred as South Africa's batting strength was on full display despite the absence of Heinrich Klaasen. We talked about the run-rate implications, the ODI cricket template, pace-bowling tactics in this tournament and discussed English optimism ahead of their clash with the Aussies. Jamie Smith at three was the headline, but the battle between Archer, Wood, Carse and co. against Travis Head and Steve Smith should make for fascinating viewing.
We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
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The Champions Trophy is on and popping! India beat Bangladesh overnight, and Shubman Gill's hundred has Baldy happy. Shami gets a five-for, and Hridoy gets a hundred in a losing cause. India look strong, but are there trends emerging in the pitches that are important going forward?
Raj and Baldy then preview the upcoming match between South Africa and Afghanistan. In the battle of spin, who will emerge stronger in a crucial group?
We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with more Champions Trophy news
and views. 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.
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.
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In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Raj and Stu look back at the first game of the tournament, between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand's Black Caps, which saw the visitors secure a clinical 60-run victory thanks to centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham, a quality all-round display from Glenn Phillips and a disciplined bowling performance..
We'll be back in your feed with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Jamie, Baldy, Binksy and Stu preview the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan and Dubai.
We start the show with one of Baldy's famous explainers, before discussing the favourites, the each-way chances and the outsiders. That means covering India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in an attempt to predict who will lift the trophy on Sunday 9 March. Questions include:
Can anyone stop Rohit Sharma's India?
Do Australia deserve to be among the favourites after the loss of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood & Co.?
Have the Black Caps timed their run to perfection?
Is this one tournament too early for an England white-ball side still under construction?
Will the likes of Klaasen and Rabada power South Africa into the final?
Can Babar Azam whip the home crowd into a frenzy?
Are Ibrahim & Gurbaz going to repeat their T20 WC heroics?
Do Bangladesh have any chance at all?
And so much more!
We'll be back in your feed with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
1:15 Tournament explainer
3:55 India
14:05 Australia
25:10 New Zealand
34:50 England
44:40 South Africa
51:40 Pakistan
59:30 Afghanistan
1:04:55 Bangladesh
1:06:45 Tournament predictions
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Jamie, Baldy and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including Australia's 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka, the England v India ODI series, a tri-series for the Black Caps, Champions Trophy injuries and some New Zealand domestic players we're keeping an eye on.
We start the show by discussing Australia's 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka. Despite Baldy's worries about selection, it was another dominant performance from the Aussies at Galle - led by Steve Smith with the bat and in the field. We also talk about Dimuth Karunaratne's legacy in what was his 100th and final Test.
Next we move to white-ball cricket, with England taking on India in ODIs. Results keep going India's way, thanks to an excellent return to form for Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja's craft & the all-round contributions of Axar Patel. There's also chat about England's batters, dot balls in the middle overs and what clues selections are giving us for the Champions Trophy.
We then turn our attention to the tri-series between the Black Caps, Pakistan and South Africa, which has seen a stunning hundred from Glenn Phillips, a record-breaking debut from Matthew Breetzke and a mammoth partnership between Kane Williamson and Devon Conway. We discuss the importance of these fixtures and what we might be learning with one eye on the ICC tournament to follow.
To round out the show, Stu gives a shout out to the Kerr sisters and the Boyle brothers, before sharing a few names he'll be watching for the remainder of the NZ domestic summer.
We'll be back in your feed again next week with a full preview of the Champions Trophy. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
1:35 Australia's dominant win against Sri Lanka
2:35 Steve Smith at the top of his game again
4:30 Australia's spin bowlers did the business
8:10 Was Cooper Connolly's selection a mistake?
18:10 Alex Carey's hundred
19:05 Dimuth Karunaratne's retirement and legacy
23:30 India v England - any positives for England?
30:45 England remain a work in progress in white-ball cricket
37:25 Rohit Sharma's delightful return to form
42:40 NZ v SA and Pakistan - runs galore for Matthew Breetzke, Glenn Phillips, Kane Williamson & Devon Conway
48:00 Who will open the batting for the Black Caps in the Champions Trophy?
52:00 What have we learned from the tri-series so far?
56:20 Champions Trophy injury news
1:01:30 Super Smash winners and NZ domestic players to watch
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Raj discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including the England v India T20 series, Australia's innings victories in the tests against Sri Lanka & India, plus a Sachin Tendulkar/Steve Smith stat-off to finish.
We start the show by discussing Australia's WAshes victory and the fallout for an England side that has performed well below their own expectations. Will there be changes at the top? There's also praise for Alana King, Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney, Ash Gardner and more.
Next up we move to India's T20 series with England. The show was recorded before India's crushing win in the 5th match, but the discussion around England's mixed performances shone through. There are question marks around the finishing and concussion substitutes, but plenty of positives for Varun Chakravarthy and also Hardik Pandya's leadership.
After that we move to another big Australian victory - the innings win against Sri Lanka at Galle. We talk about the manner of the victory and the dominant performance, but of course Baldy is always looking for improvements from this Australian team. Usman Khawaja and Josh Inglis went big, but should Sam Konstas have played? How well did the Aussie spinners bowl? And what was Dhananjaya De Silva doing?
To round out the show, it was a good old fashioned head-to-head battle as the boys discuss the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith after the latter passed 10,000 runs.
We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
1:15 Australia's clean sweep of the WAshes
12:45 India's T20 series win against England
21:30 Concussion substitutes
36:15 Australia's dominant win against Sri Lanka
46:45 Should Sam Konstas have played?
56:45 The Sachin Tendulkar v Steve Smith stat-off!
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including the England v India T20 series, Australia's dominance of the WAshes, whether there should be NZ teams in the BBL and a look ahead to Australia's Test tour to Sri Lanka.
We open the show by discussing the first two T20s between England and India, mainly from an England point of view aside from a SRH fan club shout out for Abhishek Sharma. We talk about closers, Jos Buttler's role and England's reliance on Adil Rashid.
From there we move to the Women's Ashes, which have been one-way traffic so far as Australia continue their dominant run that looks to be extending for yet another year on the international stage. Staying in Australia, we also talk about recent discussions in New Zealand about getting some Kiwi sides into the BBL. Would this be good for the competition? For NZ Cricket? For anyone?
To round out the show, we look ahead to Australia's upcoming Test tour to Sri Lanka. With injury concerns on both sides and World Test Championship final spots basically secured, how much does this series actually matter? We talk about whether Australia will shuffle the likes of Travis Head and Usman Khawaja, the role Scott Boland could play in Sri Lankan conditions, what we might see from newcomers like Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Cooper Connolly and Sri Lanka making the most of the Galle fortress.
We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
1:35 England v India T20s - early impressions for England
6:55 Abhishek Sharma excitement & India's T20 dominance
8:10 England's finishers
12:15 The WAshes - Australia's dominance against England
24:00 Should there be NZ teams in the BBL?
39:30 Australia v Sri Lanka Test preview
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Raj, Jamie and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past couple of weeks, including the apparent proposal to change the Test structure to two tiers, India's 10-point plan towards team harmony, Champions Trophy news, James Vince, Pakistan spinning their way to victory against the West Indies and Jimmy Anderson's love for the game.
We open the show by discussing the reports suggesting the boards of England, Australia and India are planning to start a conversation that could lead to a proposal to separate Test cricket into two divisions of seven. With a lot of details still to be determined, we talk about our initial reactions to the idea, how an ideal version of the proposal could work, who might benefit from it and ultimately whether it would be a step forward from the current World Test Championship.
From there we move to white-ball cricket and the Champions Trophy, with India naming their squad yesterday. Mohammad Shami returns from injury with Rohit Sharma as captain and the experienced core of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and co. given an opportunity to go one better than the World Cup in 2023. We also discuss the BCCI's 10-point 'Policy Document for Team India', plus England's upcoming white-ball tour.
To round out the show, we talk about pitches in Pakistan and batters around the world struggling against spin, the PSL window and how James Vince's decision could lead to more instances of the nomadic cricketer, plus a shout out to Jimmy Anderson as he looks set to return to Lancashire for the county season.
We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show and hopefully the full crew back together. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro
0:45 The two-tier test proposal
17:45 Champions Trophy squad news - India
20:30 The BCCI's 10-policy 'Policy Plan for Team India'
32:40 England's best XI for the Champions Trophy
42:15 Pakistan v West Indies - pitches and spin
54:00 James Vince & the PSL
1:03:45 Jimmy Anderson playing on with Lancashire
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In this episode of the Top Order Podcast it’s a Black Caps focused show as Raj and Stu look back at New Zealand's performances in 2024 take stock of where the side is at heading into a relatively quiet 2025.
We open the show by reviewing the 2024 results, which paint a picture of a middling side that had a big gap between their best performances and their worst ones, before discussing a bowling attack that saw some big changes over the past 12 months with the retirements of Neil Wagner and Tim Southee, plus the emergence of the likes of Will O'Rourke and Ben Sears. We also discuss the spin stocks and whether this is an area of concern.
As we move to the batting department, there's plenty to discuss - primarily the lack of runs by the majority of the core group of players. We talk about Devon Conway, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson and many others, plus the central contracting system and how New Zealand Cricket are managing the competing pull of franchise leagues.
To round out the show, we look ahead to a 2025 fixture list that looks quite bare after the Champions Trophy to consider where we'd like the side to be by the end of the year..
We'll be back in your feed again later in the week or early next with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening.
0:00 Intro: Black Caps' 2024 results
2:55 Thoughts on 2024 as a whole
6:20 NZ's pace-bowling refresh
10:50 Are the spin-bowling stocks a concern?
20:30 Batting depth
22:25 Devon Conway - are we still optimistic about his international future?
25:30 Tom Blundell & wicketkeeping position moving forward
29:55 Casual and central contracts
38:20 Will Young - can he cement a spot in 2025?
42:25 Glenn Phillips - what should his role be in this NZ side?
45:40 Rachin Ravindra's development
51:10 Kane Williamson's form and future
55:20 NZ's fixtures in 2025 and hopes for the year
1:07:22 Coaching situation and ideal potential candidates
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