The Top Order Podcast Team

Binksy

Hailing from Birmingham, England and now firmly settled in Auckland I managed to combine my limited amount of cricketing talent with a lot of luck to play with and against some greats of the game. I spent over 10 years playing Birmingham Premier League Cricket where I managed to rub shoulders with and against some awesome players including Wasim Akram, Andre Russell, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell. My cricket is now limited to the odd game of T20 and some vicious backyard. I was also lucky enough to play a season in Tauranga Prem cricket in 2002/3 which is why I’m here now in New Zealand living the best life with my amazing wife and 2 boys who at this stage want to play test cricket against each other, the eldest one claiming to be English and the other Kiwi!

Baldy

Hailing from North Queensland, Australia and known for giving my legbreak an almighty rip I was delighted to be in the podcast even 8 seconds in.

Yep - I’m the Australian you can hear every week on the show, and despite the occasional dig at the Aussie team (mostly by me) I’m still loving the show almost two years on.

I’m our resident statistician, and I bring some numbers into proceedings when I think there hasn’t been enough talk of averages and strike rates.

My legacy to the world of cricket is (with any luck) my contribution to our Top Order Podcast Hall(s) of Fame, where I’ll be adding all sorts of stats and analysis to our collections of the greatest cricketers of all-time.

Lippy

Born in Norfolk, England, but raised in New Zealand, there’s a fairly good chance that I’m the most one-eyed cricket fan of the group. You’ll most often hear me praising the Black Caps whenever I can, trying to throw Riccarton Cricket Club into the conversation or referencing how great it was when ‘Insert off-spinner’s name here’ spun one through the gate. It has been a while since I stepped on a cricket field in anger but, like Binksy, I was fortunate enough to play with and against many international cricketers during my club cricket days, and absolutely loved challenging myself against the best.

Raj

Born and raised on the mean streets of Auckland’s North Shore, you’ll find me pushing the buttons and trying to get away with a dad joke or two on this podcast. While I loved to play cricket when I was younger, I have now well and truly transitioned to having a love for watching the game, and you will often hear me discussing the administrative side of cricket.

I’ll leave you with this quote from a man who we should all aspire to be . . .

“I am jealous of my parents. I will never have a kid as cool as theirs.”

~ Chris Gayle (The Universe Boss)