The Top Order Cricket Podcast

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England, which saw the visitors secure their first victory on Australian soil in almost 15 years. We start the show by talking about our experiences of yet another two-day Test. For Binksy, as an English fan, was this a hollow victory since the series has already been lost? Or a joyous, historic moment since wins have been so hard to come by in Australia? We also discuss whether the narrative needs to change as Test cricket evolves - do two-day Tests have to be a disappointment? If we're given maximum entertainment, is that not enough to satisfy our hunger for the game? As the episode continues, the conversation inevitable turns to the pitch, plus the implications for Cricket Australia of such a short game. Are batters simply not good enough any more? Or did the groundstaff get this one horribly wrong? From there, we move to highlighting individual players, starting with Josh Tongue. What made him so successful on this surface? And did England miscalculate what was needed from a bowling point of view in this series? We also discuss whether Jacob Bethell's bright and breezy second-innings knock could spell the end for Ollie Pope. We also touch on Australia's batting, which, despite the 3-1 scoreline, still appears to have plenty of questions to answer. To round out the show, we look ahead to the options facing both sides for the final Test in Sydney, and what's riding on the match. Gus Atkinson's hamstring means at least one change for England, and will Todd Murphy get another opportunity for Australia? We'll be back in your feed again soon with more from the cricketing world. 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: Ashes 4th Test Review 1:45 Initial reaction to England's win inside two days 9:10 Do we need to rethink the way we view & discuss Test cricket? 14:35 The pitch and the impact it had on this game 26:40 Key players - Josh Tongue 38:20 Jacob Bethell 44:50 Australia's batting 49:50 What's riding on the Sydney Test for both sides? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a calamitous episode all around Jamie, Baldy, and Raj wrap up the Ashes far too early in the Southern Hemisphere summer. While England were (more) competitive in the final two days in Adelaide the native South Australians in Travis Head and Alex Carey won the day meaning Australia retained the urn in 11 days. Baldy - ruthless as ever - still wasn't totally satisfied and struggles to come to terms with what to do with Cameron Green, and who replaces the irreplaceable* Nathan Lyon. For England, the questions go much deeper. Given that they looked much more competitive without an all-out attack mindset, what does Jamie think about their style of play? Raj guides Jamie through some delicate waters in assessing where England go from here. Finally, Raj gives us the Cliff Notes version of what caught his eye in the immediate aftermath of the New Zealand x West Indies Test in Mount Maunganui in advance of a deeper dive into that series next week. Merry Christmas to all our listeners and viewers from all of us here at the Top Order. * Feels like a strange statement after leaving him out of the Brisbane Test but I'm fine with it - Baldy... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Jamie and Stu chat with Australian international Pete Handscomb about The Ashes and the ups and downs of his cricket career so far. We start the show by diving into Pete's experience watching the Ashes as someone playing first-class cricket and with a lot of connections on both sides. Has anything come as a surprise so far? How tough is the challenge as a batter of moving from English pitches to Australian pitches? And should we expect anything different from in Adelaide or Melbourne? As the conversation continues, we move to Pete's own Ashes experience and the extra levels of scrutiny that come from playing on the biggest of stages. There's plenty in here about mindset and approach, and how tough times led to a rethink that has paid huge dividends in recent seasons. Along with sharing the tough times, Pete also recalls the moment he first received his Baggy Green from long-time friend and current Cricket Victoria coach Chris Rogers, and the moment he scored his first Test hundred against Pakistan. With the fires still burning for an international recall, Pete talks about how the game has changed since his debut, looks back at the challenge of facing India in India on difficult batting surfaces and shares what he's learned about the leadership style that works best for him, plus a few young players to watch out for on the Australian domestic circuit, such as Campbell Kellaway and Oliver Peake. To round out the show, we run through our quickfire round that hits on a number of topics, such as Pete's favourite innings, the toughest bowler he's faced and the most talented cricketer he's ever encountered. All in all, it was a conversation we really enjoyed and we hope you will too. We'll be back in your feed after the Test matches between England & Australia and New Zealand & the West Indies. 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: Pete Handscomb joins the show 0:55 Pete's experience and thoughts on The Ashes so far 5:55 Challenges for English batters in Australian conditions 7:55 Could moving to Adelaide help England get back on track? 16:20 Pete's own Ashes experience from 2017 21:50 Working through the tough times 31:10 The drive to play international cricket again 35:15 How cricket has changed over the past 10 years 40:05 Baggy Green and first Test hundred 43:50 Leadership 47:15 Facing up to India in India in 2023 54:00 Young players to watch out for in Australia 56:40 Quickfire round - favourite moments and toughest opponents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Stu and Raj look back at the second Test between New Zealand and the West Indies, which saw the Black Caps take a 1-0 series lead at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. We start with our initial reaction to a game between two teams with a host of changes, that at times looked set to be closely fought but ultimately ended in a comfortable victory for the Black Caps. The New Zealand bowling attack comes in for praise, especially Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy and Michael Rae, and there's also a conversation about the role of spin in the Test team going forward and the role Zak Foulkes can play once the ball stops swinging. As we bounce around a number of talking points, we chat about Mitch Hay's impressive debut, Devon Conway's recent form and how the Black Caps dealt with losing another fast bowler to injury early on in the match. To round out the show, we discuss the level of disappointment the West Indies must be feeling, a potential debut for Kristian Clarke and our hopes and dreams for the third and final Test at Mount Maunganui, starting 18 December. If all goes to plan, we'll be back in your feed in a day or two to bring you a conversation with Australian international Peter Handscomb, which is bound to include a bit more Ashes chat. 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 v West Indies 0:40 Injury-enforced changes and nervous moments in the first hour 2:50 New Zealand's bowling performance - Blair Tickner 6:25 How NZ handled another in-game bowling injury 8:55 How does spin fit in to the Black Caps' Test plans? 14:45 Michael Rae and Jacob Duffy 21:20 Any concerns about Zak Foulkes? 25:15 Mitch Hay's impressive debut 30:15 Is Devon Conway back in form? 33:35 A disappointing performance from the West Indies? 38:50 Potential changes & hopes for the third Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, it's a full house as we look back at the second Ashes Test between Australia and England, which saw the hosts take a 2-0 lead after a comprehensive win at the Gabba. As per tradition, we start with the victors: first to praise Australia and then to attempt to understand why they've been so dominant so far - and where England have let themselves down. There's talk of key moments, of selection, of game management and much more as we bounce around a number of different talking points. As the episode continues, the conversation turns to individuals: Mitchell Starc's starring role in the series and his overall status in the Test game; Is Jake Weatherald looking like the long-term solution for Australia at the top of the order?; Joe Root's first hundred on Aussie soil; Alex Carey's performance with the gloves; criticism of Jofra Archer and whether England are actually learning from their mistakes. To round out the show, we look ahead to the options facing both sides for the third Test in Adelaide as injury ins and outs seem set to play a major role: Mark Wood and Josh Hazelwood out for the series, but Pat Cummins is on track to return. We'll be back in your feed at the end of the week with more from the cricketing world. 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: Ashes 2nd Test Review 1:45 Australia's dominant victory: more impressive than the first test? 3:15 Did we underestimate Australia before the series started? 7:00 Why are England not performing up to expectations? 19:40 Key performers: Mitchell Starc stars again 23:40 Nathan Lyon's exclusion & stats-based decision-making 27:20 Are England making tactical errors? 34:35 How much is the Bazball mindset contributing to these results? 37:35 Alex Carey's performance with the gloves 42:45 Joe Root's first hundred in Australia 44:40 Is Jake Weatherald a long-term solution at the top for Australia? 49:30 Selection questions for the third Test: Australia 53:20 Selection questions for the third Test: England 57:15 Quick predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Raj look back at the first Test between New Zealand and the West Indies, and give a brief shout out to Virat Kohli and a live reaction to the goings on in the second Ashes Test. With England and Australia still on the field at our regular Sunday recording time (check back in a day or two for our wrap of that match), we dedicated the majority of this episode to unpacking the West Indies' impressive rearguard action against the Black Caps at Hagley Oval. We start with a round-up of emotions after what proved to be a draining final couple of days in the first Test of the New Zealand summer. The Black Caps looked set for victory with the West Indies at 72-4 chasing 500+, but injuries to Matt Henry, Nathan Smith & Tom Blundell and an outstanding fighting effort from Shai Hope, Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach took the game into the final overs and secured a draw for the visitors. As we bounce around a number of talking points, there's also praise for Jacob Duffy, Tom Latham & Rachin Ravindra, we discuss the pitch and umpiring decisions, and debate whether the Black Caps still had enough chances to win or whether the West Indies should have put the accelerator down in the final session in an attempt to chase down the target. In amongst all of that, we speculate on the New Zealand lineup for the second Test and the prospect of potential Test debuts for Mitch Hay and Michael Rae or an SOS call-up to Kyle Jamieson. To round out the show, we there's a shout-out to Virat Kohli for his stacks of runs in the ODI series against South Africa, plus Baldy's live reaction to the news that Australia were on the verge of victory against England under lights in Brisbane. We'll be back in your feed in a day or two to review that second Ashes Test, then again next week with more from here in New Zealand and around the world. 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 v West Indies 1:00 West Indies fight back to secure a draw 3:05 Black Caps injury crisis 4:20 Shai Hope, Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach dig in 9:25 Thoughts on the Hagley Oval pitch 13:00 Jacob Duffy's lion-hearted effort 16:10 What will NZ's bowling attack look like at the Basin Reserve? 23:15 Are New Zealand still favourites for the second Test? 24:10 Missed opportunities and DRS decisions 27:30 Rachin Ravindra & Tom Latham's big partnership 31:20 Should the West Indies have gone harder for the win? 34:20 India v South Africa ODIs - Virat Kohli is still good at batting 37:45 Baldy's live Ashes reaction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at South Africa's 2-0 sweep of India, and look ahead to the upcoming series between the Black Caps and the West Indies, as well as the second Ashes Test. We start the show by discussing South Africa's dominant victory against India in the second and final Test of that series, which saw lower-order runs from Senuran Muthusamy and Marco Jansen backed up by impressive performances from Jansen and Simon Harmer with the ball. There's plenty of praise for the visitors, but why were they able to be so successful? Are they better than we thought? Was Shubman Gill's injury that impactful? And how much pressure does another home sweep pile on Gautam Gambhir? Next we head back to New Zealand, where we look forward to the Test series against the West Indies, which starts at Hagley Oval on Tuesday. It's a matchup that favours the Black Caps on paper, but how much have injuries impacted the strength of this Kiwi side? We talk through possible lineups, what's at stake for the likes of Devon Conway and Tom Latham with a big 12-18 months ahead, and the role Mitchell Santner could fill at number 7 in the batting order. To round out the show, we chat about the Ashes, with team selection in focus. Mark Wood is out for England, Pat Cummins isn't yet back for Australia and the Travis Head or Usman Khawaja to open the batting question still remains. Plus: could Nathan Lyon miss out, and should we even have pink-ball Tests at all in the Ashes? We'll be back in your feed next week to review the Tests and anything else that catches our eyes from around the world. 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 1:10 India v SA Test series review: South Africa's statement win 10:50 Jansen, Stubbs, Muthusamy all step up 13:45 Simon Harmer's performance & do Indian batters have a weakness against spin? 22:25 How much pressure is on Gautam Gambhir? 30:30 Black Caps v West Indies Test series 32:15 Injuries and absences for NZ 34:35 Black Caps bowling attack 37:50 What's at stake for New Zealand as a team and individually? 48:00 Will this be Kane Williamson's last Test series at home? 52:00 The Ashes 2nd Test preview: will Travis Head open for Australia? 1:00:00 England selection questions and build up 1:03:30 Do we need a pink-ball Test in the Ashes? 1:07:10 Could Cummins still play? Would Nathan Lyon miss out? 1:12:45 Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Jamie and Stu look back at the first Test between Australia and England, which was action-packed but was finished within two days. There was plenty of drama in the lead-up to The Ashes, but that was nothing compared with the rollercoaster we saw on the field. Mitchell Starc started with a bang, England's pace battery hit back and it seemed like things were about to settle down by lunch on the second day with England one wicket down and leading by 99. But instead the action resumed, with the visitors crumbling and Travis Head's hundred powering Australia to victory within two sessions. We react to the emotion of the two days, then discuss the lineups and the pitch before highlighting key performers like Starc, Head, Ollie Pope, Jofra Archer and Marnus Labuschagne. We ask where it all went wrong for England, debate whether Travis Head's success could bring an unexpected end to Usman Khawaja's Test career, talk through potential changes for the second Test and plenty more as we try to process a game which moved through the gears at a rapid pace. We'll be back in your feed soon with more news and notes from around the world. 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 1:45 Initial reactions to a wild two-day Test 8:35 Toss and lineups 14:00 Pitch conditions - too spicy or poor batting? 17:00 Key performers - Mitchell Starc's 10-wicket haul 21:30 Did England miss a leader in their bowling attack? 29:00 England's superb bowling on day 1 32:20 Travis Head's outrageous hundred 43:20 Was Jamie Smith out? 47:00 Is Usman Khawaja's future in doubt? 56:45 Do England's tactics need a rethink? 1:11:05 TNT coverage in the UK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at the first Test between India and South Africa, which saw the hosts take a 1-0 series lead at Eden Gardens. A quickfire Test but plenty of talking points as seam dominated day 1 and then spin took centre stage on days 2 and 3. Jasprit Bumrah's remarkable skills were on display yet again, Simon Harmer continued his good form and Ravindra Jadeja tore through South Africa's batting lineup in the third innings as the game sped to a conclusion. It all looked to be on track for an Indian win - until it wasn't. We talk about the quality bowling on show, what made batting so tough, the impact of the injuries to Shubman Gill and Kagiso Rabada, and whether India can bounce back at Guwahati. Plus plenty more! We'll be back in your feed later in the week with more news and notes from around the world. 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 1:00 South Africa pull off a stunning victory 5:25 Simon Harmer's impressive performance 9:30 Were India's spinners outbowled? 13:15 Was that style of pitch the optimum surface for India? 20:25 Shubman Gill's injury & the pressure on India 31:00 Can South Africa make it 2-0 or will India bounce back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Jamie, Raj and Stu look ahead to the 2025-26 Ashes series between Australia and England. As usual, the Ashes hype machine has been in overdrive in recent months, but the cricket is finally (almost) here and the Top Order team are fizzing. We talk squads and potential line ups, key players and matchups, grounds and conditions, storylines to watch for and make our predictions for the series. How much will the Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood injuries hurt Australia? How excited are the English to unleash Jofra Archer and Mark Wood on an under-pressure Australian top order? Will Joe Root and Steve Smith imprint their class on the series? Will Nathan Lyon have an impact? Is it Scott Boland's time to shine? Can Harry Brook Bazball Australia to dust? Or will Marnus Labuschagne bounce back in a big way? And can Ben Stokes' boys etch their name into history on Aussie soil? Or will Steve Smith, Pat Cummins & co. inspire another victory for green-and-gold? There's all that and plenty more as we preview a series that's set to provide entertainment galore over the coming weeks. We'll be back in your feed regularly throughout this series to review/preview games and catch up on what's happening elsewhere in the world, including India v South Africa and Black Caps v West Indies. 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 2:00 Potential lineups for first Test - questions for Australia? 14:55 How will England manage their seamers through the series? 23:55 Has Australia won the preparation battle? 36:25 How will Australia's top order respond to pressure? 48:50 Key matchups: Nathan Lyon v England's middle order 54:20 Jofra Archer, Travis Head, Harry Brook, Joe Root 58:10 Mitchell Starc, Ben Duckett, captaincy 1:02:20 What can we expect from the pitches? 1:09:20 Predictions: Who will win The Ashes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at the cricketing week that was, which saw NZ in T20 action against the West Indies, India win the Women's World Cup and Australia name their squad for the first Ashes Test. We also look ahead to an intriguing Test series between India and South Africa. We start the show by congratulating India on their Women's World Cup win, before moving back to New Zealand where the Black Caps are 2-1 up in their T20 series against the West Indies. There's praise for Matthew Forde, Ish Sodhi and Mark Chapman, plus questions about NZ's death bowling and what the T20 World Cup squad might look like if - and it's looking like a bigger 'if' with each passing day - injured players like Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Will O'Rourke and Lockie Ferguson do return. Next we head to India, where Rishabh Pant returns for the home side as they prepare to take on South Africa in what shapes to be the toughest challenge to date for the current World Test Champions. Can Pant and Dhruv Jurel play in the same XI? Is Keshav Maharaj the best spinner in the world? And will India simply be too strong on home soil? We round out the show with the latest Ashes news, which mainly involves asking Baldy his thoughts on the Australian squad for the first Test. Jake Weatherald's inclusion has generated most of the headlines, but will he actually play? And if so, what might that mean for Marnus Labuschagne, Beau Webster, Cameron Green - and even Sam Konstas? We'll be back in your feed next week with a full preview of The Ashes, plus some more news and notes from around the world. 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 India win the Women's World Cup 3:10 Black Caps v West Indies: Matthew Forde impresses 6:00 Do NZ have a death-bowling problem? 8:00 Ish Sodhi bowling well 11:20 Is NZ's T20 World Cup squad any clearer? 23:15 India v South Africa Tests: Rishabh Pant returns 26:40 Will India be too strong? 37:35 The Ashes: Australia name their squad 39:10 Will Jake Weatherald make his Test debut? 51:45 What next for Sam Konstas? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at the past two weeks, which saw NZ sweep England in an ODI series, Rohit & Virat roll back the years, Women's World Cup upsets & South Africa win a Test away in Pakistan. We start the show in New Zealand, where the Black Caps beat England 3-0 in the ODI series after a rain-affected false start to the international summer. There were plenty of positives for New Zealand - Daryl Mitchell, most of the bowlers and Mitchell Santner's bat, to name a few - as they chased down the visitors' modest totals on three separate occasions. We talk about Zak Foulkes's composure, Kane Williamson's retirement from T20 internationals and ask if there's anything to worry about from an England point of view. Next we head to Australia, where the home side has been playing white-ball cricket against India, but inevitably the conversation turns towards The Ashes. Has Marnus done enough? Would they actually leave out Beau Webster? And is Josh Hazlewood the first name on the Australian teamsheet? There's also praise for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's unbeaten partnership in the 3rd ODI, which could well be the last time the two of them stride to the middle on Australian soil. Then it's off to the Women's World Cup, where we saw India end Australia's incredible run and South Africa reverse their opening-match loss to England on their way to the final. Batting was in the spotlight once again in our discussion of this tournament, with the hundred from Jemimah Rodrigues taking top billing. To round out the show, there's a brief shout-out to the South African men's side for defeating Pakistan in the second Test of their series, thanks in no small way to Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer as the latter brought up his 1000th first-class wicket during the match. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. 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 1:40 Black Caps v England: slow start to the NZ summer 5:05 Plenty of positives for NZ - Daryl Mitchell 7:10 Anything to worry about for England? 12:20 Black Caps bowlers - Foulkes, Duffy, Tickner 20:25 Kane Williamson retires from T20s 24:00 Australia v India white-ball series/Ashes build up 44:25 Women's World Cup: Jemi Rodrigues ends Australia's run 56:20 South Africa v Pakistan Second Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at a rainy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw England begin a T20 series against the Black Caps, Australia hosting India, Pakistan defeating South Africa, rain dent the White Ferns' chances at the Women's World Cup and the advent of a new format (that looks somewhat similar to an old format and a current one). We start the show at Hagley Oval, where the Black Caps hosted England in an incomplete T20I to start off the series with a stutter. There was talk about the return of Mitchell Santner, Jimmy Neesham's ability to make things happen, whether Tom Banton can turn domestic form into international success - and more moustache-related praise. Next we head to Australia, where at the time of recording it was also raining in Perth, as the home side welcome India for 3 ODIs and 5 T20s. We talked about what's at stake for the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, there was some Ashes-based discussion and we asked for listener feedback about what Indian fans - and Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli - would like to see in this series. After a quick detour to Pakistan to talk about Noman Ali's pearler to Dewalt Brevis and Shaheen Shah Afridi's yorkers, it's off to the Women's World Cup, where rain has put a dent in the White Ferns' semi-final hopes. Alyssa Healy and Laura Wolvaardt continue to pile on the runs for Australia & South Africa, but are England going under the radar? Or is their potential challenge about to drop away? To round out the show, we debate the merits of a proposed new cricket format - Test Twenty - which will see young players from around the world test its merits in January 2026. Is this format a gimmick? Or could it actually stick? Does it actually blend Test cricket and T20? Or is it just two T20 games in a row? We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. 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 2:10 Black Caps v England T20 series - key questions 17:45 Australia v India ODIs - what's at stake? 35:40 Pakistan v South Africa - home side takes 20 wickets again 39:05 Women's World Cup - England about to be tested 51:00 Test Twenty - what do we think? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, the Raj, Baldy and Stu look back at a busy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw India wrap up a 2-0 Test series victory against the West Indies, Australia's women continue to roll on in the World Cup and Sean Solia keep Samoa's T20 WC chances alive. We also look ahead to the upcoming series between the Black Caps and England, and provide a live update as South Africa take on Pakistan in the first Test of that series. We start the show in India, where the home side made the West Indies follow-on and looked set for another innings victory, before John Campbell and Shai Hope, with help from Roston Chase, Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales, dug in to make it much more of a contest this time around. We give credit where it's due to both Campbell and Hope, talk about Kuldeep Yadav's performance with ball in hand, take stock market updates on Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan, dish yet more praise on Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, and look ahead to what's next for both sides. Next up we talk about the Women's World Cup, where the White Ferns have stumbled, Team India have lost two nail-biters and South Africa are charging again after their first-up loss to England. And yet again, Australia, thanks to contributions from almost everyone - including a fantastic hundred from Alyssa Healy - keep marching on. Back on NZ shores, we look forward to the Black Caps taking on England in three T20s and three ODIs - although injuries continue to linger. How will the bowling attack take shape? Can Jimmy Neesham take another step towards World Cup selection? Will Devon Conway find form? And how will Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra slot back into the side? To round out the show, we give a shout out to Sean Solia and Ross Taylor for their efforts for Samoa in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, as well as discussing the in-progress Test between South Africa and Pakistan - another home Test for Pakistan that looks to be dominated by spin. Will this prove to be their best path to the World Test Championship Final? Or is it actually doing more harm than good? We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. 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 India v WI: West Indies show some fight as Hope & Campbell make 100s 13:50 Stock market check on Dhruv Jurel & Sai Sudharsan 20:50 Siraj, Gill & Jaiswal 28:45 Women's World Cup playoff race heating up 41:15 Black Caps v England 48:30 Samoa make the Super Sixes 52:00 Pakistan v South Africa update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, the team look back at a busy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw Australia's men and women get the better of their New Zealand counterparts, India secure an innings victory in their first Test against the West Indies and Chris Woakes call stumps on his Test career. We start the show in India, where the home side demolished the West Indies by an innings in the first Test. An all-round bowling performance was backed up by hundreds from KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel & Ravindra Jadeja and some nice catches in the field as India proved they are currently a class above the West Indies. There's talk of the visitors' batting woes, Jurel's future and some spin chat. Next up we talk about the Black Caps v Australia T20 series, which was disrupted by rain but saw Mitch Marsh steal the limelight as the visitors secured a 2-0 series win to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. There's praise for Tim Robinson's batting, Matt Henry's moustache and plenty of discussion around what we learned from this short series. At the Women's World Cup, Australia inflicted another defeat on New Zealand, but not without a few wobbles along the way. The White Ferns made inroads into the Aussie batting lineup, but it was Ash Gardner's quickfire century that proved to be the difference despite Sophie Devine's impressive response. We also talk about England's big win against South Africa and how that positions them for the remainder of the tournament. To round out the show, there's a quick word of farewell to Chris Woakes, who announced his retirement from Test cricket. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. 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 1:25 India v WI: West Indies' batting woes 15:20 Plenty of positives for India 25:00 Black Caps v Australia: Mitch Marsh stars & Kiwi questions 43:40 Women's World Cup: Big wins for Aus & England 58:00 Chris Woakes announces international retirement & Baldy's black book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu recap the India v Pakistan Asia Cup final and take a brief look at all the cricket to look forward to over the next few months. We start the show by talking about Pakistan's impressive start, with Farhan and Fakhar combining to reach a score of 113-1. And then the wheels fell off as a mixture of excellent spin bowling and poor shot selection led to the collapse of all collapses, which saw Pakistan crumble to be all out for 146. It wasn't all smooth sailing for India, though, who found themselves in trouble at 20-3 before Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube played their part in what proved to be an exciting final and one which saw India crowned as Asia Cup champions in 2025. Do Pakistan have enough building blocks for a 2026 T20 World Cup challenge? And is SKY's spot under threat? To round out the show, we make quick mention of a few things we're looking forward to in what shapes as an exciting finish to the calendar year in the world of cricket. We'll be back in your feed again soon to discuss the week that was, which should include India v West Indies, the Chappell-Hadlee T20 series and the Women's World Cup, among other things. 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 1:25 Asia Cup Final: Pakistan's brilliant start 5:30 Did Pakistan show a lack of game awareness? 13:30 India in trouble early - enter Tilak, Samson and Dube 21:00 Is Suryakumar Yadav's India spot under threat? 26:20 An exciting few months of cricket ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy and Binksy look ahead to the India v Pakistan Asia Cup final and the Women's World Cup, plus discuss England's squad for The Ashes and Quinton de Kock's decision to unretire. We start the show once again by talking about the Asia Cup, which is set to conclude with an India v Pakistan final. It's the game the crowds wanted, but will it live up to the hype? Can Pakistan learn from Sri Lanka's approach and push India all the way? Next we turn the The Ashes, as England named their squad this week. Were there any surprises? Any spots up for grabs leading into the first Test? And will it be strong enough to challenge the Aussies in their own backyard? To round out the show, we make quick mention of Quinton de Kock's decision to 'unretire' after Baldy drops off the video, before Baldy's voice returns to take through what he's looking out for ahead of the Women's ODI World Cup. We'll be back in your feed again very soon to discuss the Asia Cup final & plenty of other cricket that begins over the coming week. 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 Asia Cup Final - India v Pakistan 10:30 England's Ashes squad 35:50 Quinton de Kock unretires 40:40 ICC Women's World Cup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu discuss India v Pakistan at the Asia Cup, the Black Caps' T20 squad to take on Australia, NZ A's tour to South Africa and the start of Australia A's tour to India. We start the show once again by talking about another dominant Indian performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup - this time in the Super 4 stage. Last week it was two brilliant allrounders - Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel - who made important contributions for India, but this time the spark came from Shivam Dube, who slowed Pakistan's momentum after a rather sloppy start to the match. There's also more praise for Abhishek Sharma, as well as discussion around the controversial catch by Sanju Samson. Next it's a Black Caps focus - first the T20 squad named to take on Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee series, in which Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Kane Williamson and a host of other key names are unavailable for the Kiwi side. We discuss how the NZ T20 side might take shape over the course of the home summer, with an eye to the ICC T20 World Cup in February. Is it a good thing that we can't name the Black Caps' best XI? Or a concern that so many roles feel up for grabs this close to a major event? To round out the show, first we give a big tick to NZ A's overall tour to South Africa. Things started slow with the white ball, and the final Test ended in a fairly subdued draw, but the likes of Rhys Mariu, Dale Phillips, Curtis Heaphy, Adi Ashok and Matt Fisher all made cases for higher honours over the years to come. We also quickly touch on Australia A's tour to India, in which we saw bat dominate ball in the first Test of that series, with Sam Konstas, Dhruv Jurel & Devdutt Padikkal among those to impress. We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup & more from New Zealand. 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 1:05 India cruise to another Asia Cup win against Pakistan 3:05 Shivam Dube & the spinners 7:05 Are India that far ahead? Or are Pakistan in transition? 15:15 Sanju Samson catch, Nawaz run out 19:10 Black Caps name T20 squad to face Australia 26:15 Ish Sodhi, Tim Seifert, Mitch Hay 35:25 Rhys Mariu shines for NZ A in South Africa 45:30 Runs galore between Aus A & India A Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Jamie and Stu discuss India v Pakistan at the Asia Cup, the white-ball series between South Africa & England, NZ A's tour to South Africa and the NZC casual contracts that leave the Black Caps with some tough decisions in the build up to the T20 World Cup. We start the show by talking about India's dominant performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup group stage. We talk about India's depth and the balance that their two brilliant allrounders - Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel - provide, as well as the impressive contributions of the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Saim Ayub's bowling was a bright spot for Pakistan in what was otherwise a tough day at the office for Mike Hesson's side. Next we move to the final stages of the English home summer to discuss a damp end to the white-ball series against South Africa, which saw a return to form for England's batters in between the rain. After scores of 400 in an ODI then 300 in a T20, it wasn't hard to hand out praise, with Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell in particular our topics of conversation. We also look back at a full international summer from Jofra Archer and try to make sense of a very full domestic calendar. We round out the show with a Black Caps focus - first a NZ A performance against South Africa which put the likes of Rhys Mariu, Dale Phillips, Curtis Heaphy, Adi Ashok and Matt Fisher in the spotlight, before running through NZ Cricket's decision to hand out five casual contracts to Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway and Kane Williamson. Does Kane's inclusion mean we might see him at the T20 World Cup? And did you realise the NZ home international summer is only two weeks away? Finally, we mention Gary Stead's new gig in the Ranji Trophy, and shout out Leicestershire for gaining promotion in the County Championship. We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup & more from England and New Zealand - maybe even some Australia A v India A content. 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 0:40 Asia Cup - India's dominant win against Pakistan 15:05 England's batters come to life against South Africa 18:30 Phil Salt's impressive performance 22:10 Jacob Bethell's hundred 26:30 Jofra Archer's home summer 29:15 England's disjointed domestic schedule 33:15 Mariu, Ashok, Fisher & more shine for NZ A 40:00 NZ Cricket's casual contracts 46:30 Gary Stead's Ranji Trophy gig & Leicestershire's promotion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu discuss the white-ball series between South Africa & England, NZ A's tour to South Africa and Ross Taylor's return to the international arena. We start the show by talking about South Africa continuing to impress across all formats, this time in a white-ball series against England. Aiden Markram at the top of the order has been well supported by a powerful and dynamic middle order of Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs and Dewalt Brevis as the Proteas surged to a 2-0 series lead. Throw in impressive displays from Keshav Maharaj and the rest of the bowling attack and South Africa looks a side that shapes as a strong contender for the upcoming World Cups. Turning our attention to England, we wonder whether Jamie Overton's decision to step back from Test cricket is a sign of things to come, and also assess where the holes are in this current ODI squad. The praise for the Proteas continues in the next segment as we talk about NZ's A tour to South Africa, as it has been a good week to be a Hermann brother. The home side took the 50-over series 2-1 thanks to runs galore from Rubin and Jordan, with Dale Phillips's 147 the shining light for New Zealand's batting display. To round out the show, we discuss Ross Taylor's decision to come out of international retirement to play for Samoa in the upcoming East Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the ICC T20 World Cup along with Sean Solia and the rest of the squad. Aside from it being a heartwarming story, it also raised a few questions for us about the international eligibility rules. Would it be good for the game to reduce the stand-down period? Or would that simply lead to manipulation? We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup as well as more of the South Africa series. 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 1:00 England v South Africa - Proteas keep rolling on 4:10 England in a white-ball rebuild phase? 6:55 South Africa's depth looking good 11:00 Where are the gaps in England's squad? 14:30 Jamie Overton's decision to step away from red-ball cricket 20:20 NZ A v SA A - Good week to be a Hermann brother! 34:05 Ross Taylor returns to play for Samoa - should cricket's eligibility rules change? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices