The Top Order Cricket Podcast

A Pom, an Aussie and two Kiwis walk into a bar ... it’s not a joke, it’s The Top Order, a cricketing podcast where good friends mix their own banter and opinion with extended interviews with some of cricket's most interesting characters from the past and present day.

The Top Order Cricket Podcast is a sports podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 514 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Top Order Cricket Podcast, a sports show with 514 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #515

  This Week in Cricket #212: Bangladesh thump Australia - How did that happen? Plus England v Pakistan

  Aug 16, 20261h 7m

  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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. 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

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  The Top Order Cricket Podcast

  This Week in Cricket #211: Australia v Bangladesh, India v Sri Lanka & England v Pakistan

  Aug 9, 20261h 7m

  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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. 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

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  Episode #513

  This Week in Cricket #210: Stephen Fleming & Joe Root combine for England, plus a Black Caps news round-up

  Aug 2, 20261h 12m

  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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. 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

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  The Top Order Cricket Podcast

  This Week in Cricket #209: When is the right time to rebuild? The Ashes in India?

  Jul 26, 202651 min

  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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. 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

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  Episode #511

  This Week in Cricket #208: NZ's ODI depth chart, Rohit under threat & remembering Sir Garfield Sobers

  Jul 19, 202655 min

  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 thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. 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

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