The Top Order Cricket Podcast

IPL 14 is almost here and the boys are back to preview the tournament. In this episode we set the scene for the latest edition of the Indian Premier League, then run through the ins and outs, key players and predictions for the Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. Do CSK have too many all-rounders? Can Rishabh Pant's mastery lead Delhi to a title? KKR has an...

In this episode of the show, we span the globe to chat through the cricketing week that was. We start in India to discuss their excellent white-ball series against England. Did India keep a few tricks up their sleeve? Are the days of the big-daddy hundred over? Will Virat Kohli's move to open become permanent? And can we expect similar run-fests in the 2021 T20 and 2023 ODI World Cups? With all th...

Finn Allen has been the breakout star of the New Zealand summer, topping the Super Smash run charts and putting himself in the minds of selectors around the world. We spoke to Finn about the move from Auckland to Wellington, the Firebirds' culture, Super Smash finals day, being the best you can be and what it's like to bat with the likes of Devon Conway, Tom Blundell and Rachin Ravindra. From ther...

After a busy week commentating for Auckland Cricket, the boys are back to round up all the news from around the cricketing world. We talk Rashid Khan's marathon spell, World Test Championship conspiracy theories and Finn Allen's IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Raj starts a passionate debate about Jason Holder being replaced as West Indies Test captain, punctuated by a Dad joke of the hi...

There's plenty to talk about this week and we start the show with a bang, reliving Kieron Pollard's six sixes off an Akila Dananjaya over. South Africa named new captains, Cameron Green scored some runs and Canterbury added another trophy to their cabinet thanks to a hundred from Henry Nicholls and some big bombs from Ken McClure. After New Zealand sealed the T20 series against Australia with an i...

In the second of our bonus episodes this week, we discuss reports of the MCC proposing potential rule changes to the ICC. Should 'Umpire's Call' be removed from the cricketing lexicon? What's the best use of technology in decision making? And what role should the on-field umpire play in all of this? We had our say, and would love to hear what you think via any of our social channels or via thetopo...

In the first of two short bonus episodes this week, we discuss reports of the MCC proposing potential rule changes to the ICC. Should the bouncer be banned? Will we ever use spit to shine the ball again? We had our say, and would love to hear what you think via any of our social channels or via thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Keep an eye on your feed for one more of these debates, in which we discus...

It's been another busy week in the world of cricket and we start the show in Aotearoa to discuss the series of Conway and two impressive performances from the Black Caps. We praise Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham, discuss Kyle Jamieson's struggles for the first time in his international career and Baldy is left with more questions than answers when looking at this Australian T20 squad. As we move...

In Part B of our bumper 100th episode, the discussions get heated as we look back at the second Test between India and England. Binksy questions the value of the ICC pitch guidelines, while Raj questions the English tactics and praises Lippy for messages he sent to Virat Kohli and the India squad in our previous podcast. There's spin chat from Baldy, Binksy gets very very excited about Ben Foakes,...

It's our 100th episode and it's so packed full of content we've split it into two parts for your listening pleasure. Plus there's a new sponsor (see discount code below)! In the first part of the show, we touch on West Indies v Bangladesh, Faf Du Plessis' retirement, Super Smash finals day and the upcoming series for the Black Caps and White Ferns against Australia and England. To round out Part A...

It's a Test cricket bonanza! Test cricket is on fire at the moment and this episode was especially fun to record as we looked back at three quality games in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as a match-winning partnership by muscle man Cam Fletcher and Black Cap Daryl Mitchell in the Super Smash eliminator. We talk incredible double hundreds from Kyle Mayers and Joe Root, feel vindicated abo...

No Raj this week but Binksy and Baldy are together in the studio as Lippy dials in from the boot of his car (it's a long story, but the resulting audio quality is great!) to review another eventful week. We start in New Zealand, where Finn Allen and Devon Conway have been on fire to propel Wellington into the Super Smash final. On the women's side of the draw, it's the Canterbury Magicians who are...

On this episode of the show, we take a look back at the epic Australia v India Test series. India won 2-1 on the scoreboard, but which individuals saw their stock rise throughout the series? We start the show with captaincy and leadership by contrasting the actions and fortunes of Ajinkya Rahane and Tim Paine, before discussing a host more key figures including: Rishabh Pant Shubman Gill Pat Cummi...

After a few special guests lately, the crew are back to the debating table but not quite as a minor Covid scare in NZ had us recording remotely to review the cricketing week that was. There's plenty of action going on around the world, but we start the show at Lippy's old stomping ground, Hagley Oval, where he hopes the Black Caps selectors were watching Dan Vettori's clutch display in the Black C...

There’s been a lot going on in South African cricket circles lately, both on and off the field, and who better to help us make sense of it all than ESPN Cricinfo’s Southern Africa correspondent Firdose Moonda, who’s been leading the cricket coverage in the region during this challenging time. In this fascinating deep dive into all things cricket in South Africa, we start by discussing the men's si...

Former Blackcaps' all-rounder and current White Ferns bowling coach Jacob Oram joins the show to chat about New Zealand's home summer, his playing days, the move to coaching and the Black Clash. In the first part of the show, Jacob talks about being back in the commentary box with Magic Talk, the Blackcaps' #1 Test ranking, what he finds most impressive about Kane Williamson and the rapid rise of...

Binksy joins via Zoom but the Top Order are back again to review a fascinating week of cricket and look ahead to the final Australia v India Test in Brisbane. We start the show (0.40) with South Africa's 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka, before discussing the England squad and whether we expect them to follow suit in Galle. Baldy and Lippy then take us through the BBL and Super Smash action so far...

In this episode of the show, we welcome current international umpire and former Auckland, Cook Islands and East Coast Bays seamer, Chris Brown. Recorded before the start of the New Zealand's home summer, we talk umpiring logistics, the pathway to the top, what it feels like to get your decisions proved right - and wrong! - home vs neutral umpires, not giving Lippy any LBWs and how Chris wishes he'...

It’s a new year but same Top Order Podcast, as we recap the final week of 2020. Baldy starts the show (0:45) with a deep dive into the BBL table and a few players who’ve caught the eye so far in that tournament, including Ollie Davies and Tanveer Sangha, before a quick review of the first South Africa/Sri Lanka Test, where injuries played a big part and Faf du Plessis’s 199 set up a big win for th...

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

In this jam-packed episode of the Top Order Podcast, we take a look at the past week, updating the goings on in the Ford Trophy, BBL10, the England squad to Sri Lanka and the burgeoning international schedule. As we move to the Black Caps v West Indies series, we discuss Henry Nicholls’ big score and what that means for Will Young and Devon Conway — how long will they have to wait for an extended...

There's a lot going on in the world of cricket right now, and the Top Order Podcast have a bumper episode to celebrate getting past the tricky 87. In our 88th episode of the show, the team cover: The cancellation of England's tour to South Africa, what that means for the Proteas, the impact for the BBL and whether the ICC needs to take charge. We then turn our attention to the Black Caps/West Indi...

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we give a shout out to the Sydney Thunder for winning the WBBL, ponder the impact of Greg Barclay’s appointment as the ICC Chair, and encourage you all to check out NZC live streams of the Ford Trophy. We then dive into the international fixtures going on around the world, starting with the West Indies’ tour of New Zealand, including the coverage provided...

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

In this episode of the show, we're joined by award-winning author and ESPN Cricinfo Assistant Editor Daniel Brettig to discuss the Australian summer of cricket and the upcoming India tour. Are India favourites for the white-ball fixtures? Will Cameron Green and Will Pucovski get their chance? How excited should we be about their futures? Who holds the key for India once Virat Kohli heads home? And...