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In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu quickly hit on a couple of news items out of New Zealand and India before diving into an extended preview of the upcoming Test series between Australia and South Africa, which begins on 9 October. We start the show with news of disharmony among some New Zealand cricket legends, including Sir Richard Hadlee, about the way the NZC board has approached the consultation and communications process that led to the decision to pursue the NZ20. Will it prove to be the best decision for New Zealand Cricket? That's a question we might not know the answer to for a good few years yet. We also briefly touch on the runfest going on in the white-ball series between India and the West Indies, which has seen hundreds galore and a sparkling double-century - the fastest ever in ODI cricket - from Shubman Gill. As the conversation continues we move to the main feature of the show and the much anticipated Test series between World Test Champions South Africa and the visiting Australian side. We discuss the shape of the series and recent performances, and run through a range of squad news including the fitness of Kagiso Rabada and Cameron Green, plus call-ups for Nic Maddinson, Marques Ackerman and Sam Harper. Next we move to the key players and matchups that could define the series. What role will spin play? Will Keshav Maharaj outbowl Nathan Lyon? Can Steve Smith prop up an Australian batting lineup that looks more vulnerable than it has in a long time? Does none of that matter because Australia's seamers are so good? Or can Temba Bavuma go big to lead this South African side to another famous victory? In the final segment of the show, we make some series predictions so it's all on record to review at the end of what we hope will be a fascinating few weeks of test cricket. We'll be back again soon to discuss the first test of this series and any other news that catches our eyes. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:40 Sir Richard Hadlee's letter to NZC 12:05 India v West Indies 17:40 Australia v South Africa Test Preview 18:50 Squad news & Australia's batters 26:20 Who bats 5 for Australia? 32:10 South Africa's squad/lineup decisions 41:00 Key players/match ups: Lyon v Maharaj 48:00 South Africa's batters v Australia's seamers 53:25 Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at the week that was to discuss batting questions for Australia's white-ball side, England's summer performance, the arrival of Stephen Fleming, the retirement of Mark Wood, and the Black Caps' T20 squad to take on India in a few weeks' time. We start the show with a conversation about Australia's recent white-ball performances and the key questions facing the squad a year out from the ODI World Cup. We examine the allrounder position, potential roles for Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw, plus another segment from the Cooper Connolly fan club. Within this section, there's also praise for Marco Jansen and Matthew Breetzke for their roles in the first ODI. As the conversation continues and England's series with Sri Lanka comes to a close, we turn our attention to the English summer as a whole. At times it's felt very tumultuous, with the departure of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum being removed from the test coaching, but on the other hand the white-ball team has performed incredibly well. We discuss some positives, a few work-ons and the arrival of Stephen Fleming after his first few interviews to the British media as test coach. We also pay tribute to Mark Wood, who announced his retirement from international cricket after 250+ wickets for England across all formats. In the final segment of the show, we react to the Black Caps T20 side named to face India in late October. Conversation centres mainly on the strength of the side, and also how the casually contracted players like Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne and Mark Chapman look set to play big roles. We also discuss the inclusion of Bevon Jacobs and why he may have been chosen over other potential candidates. We'll be back again next week, most likely with news from the India v West Indies series and an Australia v South Africa Test series 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:00 Australia v South Africa 2:30 Role questions for Australia 11:45 Matt Renshaw & Cooper Connolly 17:50 Matthew Breetzke 20:00 England's home summer review 25:45 Kevin Pietersen joins the English coaching staff 30:35 Stephen Fleming's first interviews 35:00 Mark Wood's retirement 39:05 Black Caps T20 squad v India 50:20 Rachin Ravindra's injury Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at the third test between England v Pakistan with an eye to what we've learned from the series as a whole and the key questions still remaining for England before they head to South Africa. We start the show with our initial reaction to England's dominant series win, which has been somewhat overshadowed by Pakistan's flat performances on the field and at times shambolic team dynamics off it. As the conversation continues, we discuss what we've learned from the series and what might still be up for debate. Jofra Archer stayed fit all summer, Ollie Robinson took bags of wickets and they were nicely backed up by Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue. On the batting side of things, it's looked much harder work for both sides, with no centuries from either side. With an England focus, we cast our eye up and down the lineup to discuss who might miss out when Jacob Bethell returns, as strong series from Dan Lawrence and Jordan Cox have complicated matters. We also ponder what Stephen Fleming would have been thinking while watching the series and what he might have learned from these three test matches. To round out the show, we touch on BBL deals for Mark Chapman and Tim Robinson, plus the offer made to Mitchell Santner, and how this provides yet another signal that the fate of the NZ20 will be an interesting watch over the next 12 months. We'll be back again soon with more news and views, recaps and previews. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro: England v Pakistan 1:15 Initial reaction to the series 10:30 A full summer of Jofra Archer 16:50 Top order batting is hard 22:20 Who misses out when Jacob Bethell returns? 34:15 How different is batting 3 than opening? 40:40 England's best XI right now if everyone is fit? 43:10 What would Stephen Fleming be thinking? 48:40 Black Caps in the BBL & NZ20 thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the first two tests between England v Pakistan, which have seen the English bowlers dominate, piling even more pressure on the visitors. We start the show with the positives for England, who have started the Joe Root reboot with two dominant performances to wrap up the series with a test to spare. While they wait for Stephen Fleming to arrive, the bowling group seems to be coming together and Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue & Gus Atkinson seem to be complementing each other beautifully. In particular, we ask whether England missed a trick leaving him largely on the sidelines for the past three years. As the conversation continues, we discuss the growing trend of shorter test matches. Why is it happening? And is it actually an issue if the games are still entertaining? We also try to make sense of the multitude of problems that appear to be plaguing Pakistan. Mohammad Abbas is shining, Mohammad Ali is trying hard, but why is everyone else finding it so tough? In the final segment of the show, we look ahead to the third test. Do Pakistan have any hope of turning around the result? And are England likely to make any changes? We also pay tribute to Richard Hayward - 'a true gentleman of the game'. We'll be back again soon with more news and views, recaps and previews. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:00 England v Pakistan 3:00 Positives for England 9:35 England's bowlers 12:20 Ollie Robinson 18:00 Are the pitches too bowler-friendly? 20:50 Are short tests a problem? 36:25 Why are Pakistan struggling so much? 44:25 Outlook for the 3rd test? 51:50 Richard Hayward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at the two-day test between Australia and Bangladesh, plus talk India v Sri Lanka, England v Pakistan and the Top End T20 Series. We start the show with reactions from Australia bouncing back to level the series against Bangladesh. There's plenty of praise for Mitchell Starc and Shoriful Islam, who starred with the ball, but questions galore for the batting lineups of both sides. For Australia, we debate whether time is finally up for Marnus Labuschagne and talk through more potential reshuffles in the Australian batting lineup, but also highlight the big step forward this series may prove to be for Cameron Green. On the Bangladesh side, no doubt they were hoping for a better showing after winning the first test, but the focus now must be on building on the good things from this series - and somehow getting more opportunities to play in Australian conditions. We also examine the conditions that led to a two-day test. As the conversation continues and Sonal Dinusha continued to stand firm, we briefly touch on the first test between England and Pakistan, as well as the New Zealand A involvement in the Top End T20 Series. In the final segment of the show, we discuss the India v Sri Lanka series while day 5 of the second and final test plays out around us. For India, it's been a series where fringe players like Manav Suthar, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel have grabbed their opportunities with both hands. On the other side of the equation, we try to make sense of Kuldeep Yadav's form and whether he'll ever get an extended run in test cricket. For Sri Lanka, the results will show a home series lost, but it certainly hasn't been without a great deal of fight. They're a rebuilding side, but the performances of the likes of Pasindu Sooriyabandara and in particular Sonal Dinusha have provided at least some green shoots of hope. We'll be back again soon with more news and views, recaps and previews. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:15 Australia v Bangladesh 2:15 Mitchell Starc stars as Aussie bounce back 4:00 An important series for Cameron Green 7:50 Was the pitch that bad? 13:25 Australia's batting woes continue 30:15 What now for Bangladesh? 36:20 England v Pakistan 38:20 NZ A in the Top End T20 Series 41:40 India v Sri Lanka 42:50 Positive series for Suthar, Padikkal & Jurel 47:15 The Kuldeep Yadav conundrum 56:25 Sonal Dinusha & Sri Lanka's green shoots 59:00 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at Bangladesh's comprehensive and history-making win against Australia, then look ahead to England's upcoming series against Pakistan. We start the show full of praise for Bangladesh after their impressive victory over Australia in Darwin. Tanzid starred with 100, Mehidi and Hasan Mahmud were excellent with the ball, and that plus contributions from up and down the XI contributed to dominant win that belied their underdog status. As the conversation continues, we dive into what went wrong for Australia. Why did they decide to bat first? What's going on with Jake Weatherald's technique? How much longer will Marnus Labuschagne stay in the side? How important was Cameron Green's hundred? What's Beau Webster's ideal role? Is it time to panic? In the final segment of the show, we talk about the upcoming England v Pakistan series, with a focus on the home side. Will we see a different style of cricket with Joe Root back at the helm? Will Shoaib Bashir get an opportunity to play? If not, which four seamers will play? And what would qualify as a pass mark for England? We'll be back again next week with more news and views, recaps and previews. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 0:45 Bangladesh's 'biggest win'! 4:05 Tanzid Hasan & Bangladesh's batting 6:50 Panic stations for Australia? 9:40 Australia's batting concerns 10:55 Why did Australia bat first? 17:10 Were Australia underprepared? 19:00 How important was Cameron Green's hundred 21:45 Marnus Labuschagne under pressure again 24:10 Beau Webster's role & potential changes 35:10 Bangladesh wanted it more 37:50 England v Pakistan 39:40 What should we expect from England? 44:05 England's spin bowling options 50:00 England's style changes 53:30 Pitch conditions 54:50 What result would England be happy with? 1:00:10 The Hundred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look ahead to three upcoming series in the World Test Championship cycle that are all due to begin over the next 10 days: Australia v Bangladesh, Sri Lanka v India & England v Pakistan.. We start the show with the closest series on the horizon: Australia taking on Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay. On paper it looks like plain sailing for Australia, particularly after Campbell Thompson's 8-wicket haul made a mess of Bangladesh in the warm-up fixture, but what would be a pass mark for the home side? We talk about managing Josh Hazelwood's workload, the pressure on Marnus Labuschagne and potential new caps at Australia begins a run of 20 tests across the next 12 months. As the conversation continues, we head to Galle, where Sri Lanka hosts India for a two-test series that begins on 15 August. The home side is coming off a tough tour of the West Indies, but with injuries to Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar, are India the side with more to prove over these next two games? There's talk of opportunities for players like Devdutt Padikkal and Manav Suthar, plus Kuldeep Yadav's form and whether there's room for Dhruv Jurel in India's best XI. Next up it is England v Pakistan, with the visitors securing a long-awaited away victory thanks to a big hundred from Abdullah Shafique, runs for Babar Azam and wickets for the spinners. We talk about whether any of that can translate to English conditions, then discuss the home side's 16-strong squad for the first two tests. There's returns for Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope and a host of bowlers, Jordan Cox looks set to bat 3, but a potential injury to Emilio Gay could complicate things further. We'll have a more in-depth preview of this series next week as well. To round out the show, we talk about the strong NZ A side selected for a tour to Australia, and where the opportunities might come for that group at the international level. We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 0:50 Australia v Bangladesh Test Preview 2:45 Australia's bowling workload 8:30 Marnus Labuschagne under pressure? 15:50 Bangladesh v CA XI 22:25 What's a pass mark for Australia? 24:10 Sri Lanka v India Test Preview 24:50 India's changing test lineup 32:10 Kuldeep Yadav & Ravi Jadeja 35:25 More batting or more bowling for India? 42:10 England v Pakistan 43:00 Pakistan's win against West Indies 45:35 England's squad named 46:35 Is Dan Lawrence playing as the allrounder? 53:10 World Test Championship cycle 55:40 NZ A squad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu discuss Stephen Fleming's appointment as England's Test coach, plus Joe Root's return to captaincy, a bit of Black Caps news and the West Indies taking a 1-0 lead against Pakistan. We start the show with the news that Stephen Fleming will succeed Brendon McCullum as England's Test coach - although not until the end of their upcoming series against Pakistan. We give our initial reactions, then dive into what changes that might lead to both on and off the field. As the conversation continues, we talk about how much pressure Fleming will face to immediately deliver results, whether he was the best candidate for the role and how he might put his own stamp on this group. We then detour briefly to talk about great international captains in our lifetimes, before returning to Fleming's first big decision at the helm, which was to appoint Joe Root as captain rather than Harry Brook. To round out the show, we bounce around a bit of Black Caps news, including some strong performances in The Hundred, whether NZ could be getting more from Finn Allen in the international arena, and the upcoming NZ A fixtures in Darwin. We also make mention of the West Indies' Test win against Pakistan, led by their impressive seam attack even with the curious absence of Alzarri Joseph.. We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:00 England hire Stephen Fleming as Test coach 4:00 Will things be different under Fleming? 10:10 How much pressure will Fleming be under? 16:25 Is this good news for Brendon McCullum? 19:45 Best international captains in our lifetimes? 28:10 Joe Root the right call as captain? 37:45 Will there be changes to England's playing group? 44:40 Rob Key leaves door open for a Stokes return 48:00 Black Caps in the Hundred: Finn Allen 56:40 NZ A to join Top End T20 series 58:15 West Indies win first Test v Pakistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu make the most of a quiet week in the southern hemisphere to debate the best approach to test cricket succession planning, with Australia's crop of outstanding fast bowlers front of mind. There's also talk of an Ashes test in India, plus plenty of other notes on the Aussie squad to face Bangladesh. We start the show with the news that Australia has named a largely predictable test squad to take on Bangladesh in a few weeks' time. Players like Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green have retained their spots despite recent scrutiny, with it looking likely that Green will have the first chance to lock down the middle-order vacancy left by Usman Khawaja's retirement and Travis Head's move to the top of the order. The conversation quickly turns to whether these games in Darwin and Mackay were a good opportunity to inject some younger legs into the Australian fast bowling attack, with Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Boland all likely to be closer to the end of their careers than the beginning. When's the right time to 'rebuild'? Will Australia be ready when the time comes? And how have other teams handled similar situations? To round out the show, we chat about Todd Greenberg's comments on being 'open' to playing an Ashes test in India one day - I'm sure most long-time listeners can imagine Baldy's response!. We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 0:50 Australia's test squad to face Bangladesh 3:55 Should Australia be thinking about the future? 9:50 Will Starc, Cummins & Hazlewood retire at the same time? 14:40 Is white-ball cricket the breeding ground for tests? 22:55 Australia's batters get another chance 29:55 Jake Weatherald's prospects 36:25 An Ashes test in India? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Raj and Stu talk mostly ODI cricket for the first time in ages, as we look back at the first two matches in England's series against India and the first three of New Zealand's tour to the West Indies. We also pay tribute to the late Sir Garfield Sobers - a true legend of the game.   We start the show with England v India, and it's Rohit Sharma who has been under the most scrutiny so far. Is it time India pull stumps on his international career? For England, it seems clear the talent is there to build a formidable white-ball side, but have they got the tactics right? And is Harry Brook determined to self-destruct in every innings? We also discuss whether ODI openers should consider a T20 approach, and continue to speculate on the vacant England test coaching job now that Andy Flower has withdrawn from the race. As the show continues, the conversation moves to the West Indies, where at the time of recording New Zealand held a 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI series. After bat dominated the first game, it's been the Black Caps spinners who have delivered the decisive moments. We talk about where Michael Bracewell and Jayden Lennox fit on New Zealand's depth chart, and there's also praise for Tom Latham and his performances in the middle order of this ODI side. To round out the show, we pay tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away this week just short of his 90th birthday. One of the true greats of the game - perhaps the greatest there ever has been - and a player who excelled across so many skills, it's fair to assume he'd have been a superstar in any era. If you haven't already seen it, the video Stu referenced in the podcast can be found at: https://youtu.be/X8T3G40iLh0?si=FgW494339IaNr0LG We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:00 England v India 3:00 Rohit Sharma under pressure? 7:30 Why don't we see T20 tactics in ODIs? 13:05 England's white-ball tactics 20:50 England's test coach? Not Andy Flower 25:20 Black Caps v West Indies 28:40 Where does Michael Bracewell fit in? 32:00 Where's Jayden Lennox on the depth chart now? 35:30 Tom Latham's contributions 40:50 Luke Ronchi stepping away 42:45 Remembering Sir Garfield Sobers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Jamie and Stu turn a 'short' episode into a long one by reacting to the news that Brendon McCullum has been sacked as England Men's test coach, and then looking back at the Stokes/McCullum tenure. We also discuss England's T20 series victory against India and New Zealand's ongoing ODI series against the West Indies.   We start the show with an extended conversation about Brendon McCullum's sacking as England Men's test coach. We talk the timing of the announcement, the reaction so far and the personal side of difficult conversations. We ask whether he'll see out the rest of his white-ball contract, wonder about who might replace him, and look back at the Stokes/McCullum era to consider how that time will be remembered and what, if anything, should be carried forward by their successors. As the show continues, the conversation eventually does turn to recent cricket matches to discuss England's 4-0 T20 series win against India. We saw a return to form for Jos Buttler, some remarkable hitting from Harry Brook and a continuation of Jofra Archer's impressive summer. For India, is it time to panic? Probably not, but the absences of the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy certainly left holes that couldn't be filled. And what to do now with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? To round out the show, there's an overview of the first two ODIs between the Black Caps and the West Indies. New Zealand are much changed from the tests against England, but after an initial loss, it was a group of spinners led by Jayden Lennox who helped them level the series. We also share a few quick thoughts on the first round of New Zealand domestic contracts, and highlight some players we'll be keeping our eye on during the home summer. We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:15 Brendon McCullum sacked as England Men's Test coach 6:10 Will McCullum see out his white-ball contract? 10:35 Has the Bazball era delivered on its initial promise? 23:20 Which parts should endure into the next era? 34:20 Who will replace Brendon McCullum? 39:30 Could it be Stephen Fleming? 44:30 England beat India 4-0 in T20s 51:10 Are we worried about India's T20 slump? 55:35 How do India manage Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from here? 1:01:35 Black Caps v West Indies 1:09:35 NZ domestic contracts of note Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu look back at the Black Caps v England series in an attempt to figure out where to next for both sides. There's also a quick word on the Women's T20 World Cup final, and a nod to some upcoming white-ball series also featuring India and the West Indies.   We start the show with plenty of positivity from the New Zealand side of the ledger again as the Black Caps series victory remains at the forefront of our memories. There's a heap of praise on the bowling group and Nathan Smith in particular, along with questions about whether the batting lineup still contains a few areas of concern. Daryl Mitchell's gritty hundred is singled out as a sign of NZ's situational awareness, and we dare to dream about whether this group can go to Australia and win having now ticked off India and England in recent times. As we turn to England, the questions mount up in the wake of Ben Stokes's retirement, and 'Who's next?' is right up there on the list. We discuss the good and the frustrating about the Stokes/McCullum era, what England could take forward with them into the next one and whether Harry Brook is the right person to lead that group. We also speculate about who might replace Stokes at 7, and who might take over as coach if Brendon McCullum is moved on from the test role. After a long discussion, we round out the show with a conversation about the Women's T20 World Cup. We say thanks and farewell to three White Ferns legends in Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu, then look ahead to the final between England and Australia that will play out not long after our recording. There's also a brief mention of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's international debut at the remarkable age of 15 years 99 days, but no doubt there will be longer discussions on his career in the weeks and months ahead. We'll be back again next week with more 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. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:40 Plenty of positives for the Black Caps 5:35 Depth of NZ's bowling attack 10:00 Black Caps' style 13:45 Daryl Mitchell's throwback hundred 16:20 Could NZ finally beat Australia away? 23:10 How much change is needed for England? 33:05 What should England take forward from Bazball? 38:15 England's leadership 46:00 Who replaces Ben Stokes at 7? 57:05 Women's T20 World Cup 1:06:50 India v England & NZ's ODI squad v West Indies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at the third and final test between England and the Black Caps, this time at Trent Bridge. We talk about New Zealand's impressive victory and their collective effort throughout the series, plus Ben Stokes’ decision to retire from international cricket.   We start the show with plenty of positivity from the New Zealand side of the ledger after another impressive team performance. There was a huge partnership between Devon Conway and Tom Latham, runs for Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell scored one of the grittiest centuries you could hope to see. Throw in the performance of Tom Blundell behind the stumps and the effort and execution from a depleted bowling attack and it means there’s a lot to celebrate after a rare series win in England.   For England, it’s been a tumultuous few weeks. Right when the ship seemed to be steering in the right direction after the win at Lord’s, the crew went off course and they’ve been outplayed since that moment. And then Ben Stokes retired! We talk tactics, the emotion of it all and how the game ebbed and flowed, especially on the first few days.   It’s an episode that could have gone for days given the eventful nature of the game and the series. Fortunately, we'll be back again at the weekend (or Monday NZ time), when we’ll likely have more thoughts about this entertaining series, England will already be playing a white-ball series against India, and the Women's World Cup will be nearing its conclusion. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.   0:00 Intro 1:30 Black Caps win! 11:20 A full reset needed for England? 17:45 New Zealand standout performers: Everyone 25:05 A game in the balance at the halfway stage 29:25 Ravindra and Mitchell partnership 33:45 Day 4: Ben Stokes retires! 46:20 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at the second of three tests between England and the Black Caps, this time at The Oval. We talk about New Zealand's dominant win and the star performers, plus the tumultuous off-field nature of England Cricket at the moment, all with one eye on the series decider at Trent Bridge in just a few days' time. We start the show with a much happier New Zealand contingent after an all-around team performance contributed to a big Kiwi win to square the series. There's praise for Henry Nicholls and Glenn Phillips - including yet another debate about Phillips' best position in the order - for their impressive hundreds. We also pour one out for Matt Henry's masterclass and highlight the impact of Tom Blundell behind the stumps.. In amongst all of the positives for New Zealand comes the nuggets of frustration for England - dropped catches, tactical errors and the continuation of off-field drama that led to a much-changed side and the broadcasters showing footage of Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson playing in the County Championship rather than at The Oval. We also discuss newer players like Emilio Gay, Sonny Baker, James Rew and Jordan Cox. To round out the show, we examine how curfew-gate has been handled, and what that might mean for the futures of Brendon McCullum, Rob Key and.Ben Stokes - and how much it could impact the England dressing room for the third test at Trent Bridge. And before Jamie and Binksy have to race off to start their workday, we make our predictions for that match. We'll be back again at the conclusion of the third test in the England v New Zealand series, when we should also be nearing the business end of the Women's World Cup. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 1:30 All-around dominance from the Black Caps 3:30 A muddled performance from a much-changed England 6:30 Hundreds for Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls 20:30 Matt Henry's masterclass 23:00 Tom Blundell's glovework 26:00 England's newer players: Baker, Rew, Gay, Cox, Fisher 37:05 Contrasting tests - what's real for the Black Caps? 41:05 How much did the Stokes/Atkinson curfew impact England? 51:20 Predictions for Trent Bridge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at an eventful week in the world of cricket - although a lot of the news came off the field, with Kane Williamson calling stumps on his career and England Cricket's curfew kerfuffle involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson. We also discuss the first few games of the Women's T20 World Cup and the Australian's Men's team's recent performances. We start the show by talking about Kane Williamson's decision to retire immediately from international cricket - news that came as a surprise to a few people, particularly with it happening after just one game of the three-match series against England. We discuss the initial announcement, then quickly reflect on what Kane Williamson's career has meant to New Zealand cricket fans and the special place he holds in the record books and in our hearts. There's also talk of his overall legacy in the Test arena and who might step into his shoes for the Black Caps in the years to come. As the conversation continues, the topic moves to the other big off-field news of the England-New Zealand series - the incident involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson that has resulted in them being stood down for the second Test pending the outcome of an investigation by the ECB. Was it an over-reaction? Does it signal a disconnect between the players and the coaching staff and/or England Cricket management? And what might England's XI look like for the second Test following the news that Ollie Robinson may also be in doubt. To round out the show, we hit the opening games of the Women's T20 World Cup, which has started brilliantly for England and Australia, but not so much for New Zealand's White Ferns, who will be ruing missed opportunities that saw them lose their opening encounter against the West Indies. There's also a quick chat about the Australian Men's team and their performances in Pakistan and Bangladesh. We'll be back again with more news and views next week, hopefully with a lot more on-field entertainment to discuss from the England v New Zealand series and the Women's World Cup. 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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 1:10 Kane Williamson retires from international cricket 5:00 Retirement mid-series 9:45 Does it leave NZ short for the rest of the series? 13:20 What has Kane meant to Black Caps fans? 17:05 Kane Williamson's place in history 23:10 Who will fill Kane's shoes? 28:10 Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson suspended for 2nd Test 32:10 What might England's team look like at The Oval? 34:45 Do these incidents suggest a breakdown between players and staff? 44:45 Women's World Cup round-up 52:40 Australia's men against Bangladesh & Pakistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices