New Zealand v Australia Test Series Preview - And Neil Wagner retires!

The Top Order Cricket Podcast

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy look ahead to one of the most anticipated Test series of the year - at least here in New Zealand - the Black Caps v Australia. We also discuss the Neil Wagner's retirement from international cricket in the lead up to the first Test, which starts on Thursday at the Basin Reserve.

We start the show with a tribute to Neil Wagner, who announced his retirement on Tuesday here in New Zealand. His impressive record and statistics speak for themselves, but with Wagner it was always the things that don't show up on the scorecard that spoke the loudest. We discuss his outstanding spell as a Test cricketer and how he'll be remembered in the coming years.

Attention then turns to the upcoming series.

• Can the Black Caps overcome injuries to Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway, and a lean history of success in this fixture to defeat the Aussies on home soil?
• Will Kane Williamson maintain his incredible run of form against a bowling attack featuring Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon?
• Are the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne vulnerable in New Zealand conditions?
• What will the New Zealand bowling attack look like?
• And do Australian fans even care about the series at all?

Plus we make our predictions as we look ahead to this rare occasion on the eve of the first Test.

We'll be back again soon with more news and views, including a review of the 4th Test between India and England, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Finn Allen, 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.

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Thanks for listening.

0:00 Intro

1:10 Neil Wagner retires!

3:50 Will Neil Wagner go down as an NZ Cricket great?

7:25 Squad news - Black Caps bowling attack

10:05 Mitchell Santner or Scott Kuggeleijn for the final spot in the XI?

11:35 Australia's settled lineup

12:45 Devon Conway ruled out of the first Test with thumb injury

13:55 What does this series mean for both sets of fans?

21:55 Why do people still doubt this Australian side?

25:45 Key matchups - Black Caps' seamers v Smith, Labuschagne and co.

32:25 Key matchups - Can New Zealand's batting lineup stand up to this experienced Australian attack?

34:00 Will Nathan Lyon be a factor in this series?

36:40 How important is Kane Williamson's performance for New Zealand's chances of victory?

41:15 Prediction time!

47:30 Outro

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