So the Australian selectors have named their 15 man squad for the first two Ashes Tests, as well as an 11 man squad for Australia A, who will compete in a warm up fixture for the Ashes squad as well as playing match against the England Lions who are also in the country to do the same thing with England’s Ashes squad. It is the earliest any Ashes squad for a home series has ever been named, and while the problems to do with quarantining and the pandemic will have been uppermost in Cricket Australia’s minds, it also feels as though it was done to stop the ridiculous speculation that has been going on in the media over the last few weeks as to who will make the squad and who will be cast aside. So now that we have those squads, we can turn our attention to who is likely to make the final XI for Brisbane, and whether that team would change for Adelaide whatever the result is of the 1st Test.

It’s a wonderful thing to be wrong, especially about such things that you think you have a reasonable knowledge of. Cricket for me is one of those things, and while I don’t have a lot of credits to back me up, I have over a long period of time found that some cricketing events back up what I think. That has absolutely not been true over the past month, where my many musings on winning the toss and batting in cricket is the only sure way of victory, that Australia just didn’t have the team or the form to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, that Marcus Stoinis was a bit of a dodgy selection and would probably be a liability, and many others that I could list, all proved to be almost completely 100% wrong. And that’s okay, because I’m happy to stand by my thoughts at the time and accept the fact that I got it so wrong. But WHY was I, and many others, so far off the mark in so many ways?

At the moment it is the media's favourite phrase - "ASHES BOLTER!!" Every time someone takes a bag of wickets, or crushes a century, it seems that they become an Ashes Bolter. But how much of that is cricket reality, and how much is media hype? On today's episode we have a look at a few of the names mentioned as "ASHES BOLTERS!!" and discuss just how much of a chance they have of figuring this summer.

We've reached the semi-final stage of the 2020 (yes it is confusing) T20 World Cup, with four teams remaining and lots of questions to be answered. On today's episode we look back at how the also rans performed befor they were knocked out, and cast our eye over the four teams left to see what may happen this weekend.

The cricket media used to be the most reliable section of journalism. There was little hysteria with extreme results, good or bad for the local team, and the analysis of the game was generally thoughtful and reserved. In the age of social media and parts of the media more interested in clickbait than actual commentary on the game, that kind of composure is becoming a thing of the past. Instead we have a multitude of former international cricketers who are more interested in having their voice heard above everyone else’s, and don’t mind too much if what they say today completely contradicts what they said yesterday, or what they will say tomorrow. I bring this up after the barrage of opinion that has come in the last three days, firstly over Australia’s unfortunate but not unexpected capitulation to England in their T20 World Cup clash, but also with India falling similarly to New Zealand and now in danger themselves of missing out on the semi-finals of the tournament. So as a result, what I can offer you today is my own opinion on what has transgressed over the past week or so, and see if I can outshout those ex-Test cricketers who seem to love to create drama, on today’s episode of The Casual Mankadder, right here on Thoughts From the Metal Cavern.

Well, it’s Halloween…. again… and here we are in Australia and despite a pandemic that has raged for nigh on 20 months, it appears everyone is dressing up and going out trick or treating once again. So here today, I want to discuss three things with you. Firstly – should Australians be celebrating a Celtic holiday that was popularised in the United States when it has basically zero to do with our culture. Secondly – if you do like Halloween, then surely the only thing you should be doing is watching the Halloween movies, right? And thirdly, if you aren’t into watching movies, then maybe you just need to listen to some music… from Helloween? If any or all of that interests you, please hang around after the podcast intro music for today’s thrilling - or is that horrific – episode.

In the past month, the Netflix South Korean limited series Squid Game has become the most watched show in the streaming platform’s history, reaching unprecedented levels of viewership. Telling the story of a dystopian present, where ordinary people with a need for money are coerced into playing kids games in the hope of a huge prize, but with a problematic future for those that lose those games, Squid Game has become a phenomenon, and has raised discussions around the globe not only of ‘how good is Squid Game?!’, but also of how different versions of the games shown could be used if the series was re-tweaked. On today’s episode, I’ll be discussing – is the show really as good as many people think? – as well as raising a few different games that could be used in a retelling of the story. That’s today’s discussion on Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

The men's World T20 tournament starts in a few hours, and so it is time to consider two important questions. Can Australia win it? And if not, who will? Today on The Casual Mankadder I give you my thoughts on Australia's squad, how they will line up, and what they need to do to change up their recent poor T20 form in order to have a chance of making the semi-final stage. After that I'll give you my opinion on the favourites from each group, and who I think will make the semi-final stage. All of that on today's episode of The Casual Mankadder.

There seems to be a lot of excitement in some overseas places and also on Fox Cricket who have the exclusive rights, to the beginning of the delayed men’s T20 World Cup, which gets underway tonight Australian time. And while we here at The Casual Mankadder are less enamored about the shortest form of the game at an international level, the first couple of weeks will at least showcase some of the lesser know nations as they try to force their way into the main draw. So on today’s episode we will have a quick look at their prospects, and see if there are any upset in the cards as we run through the teams on show.

Yes, the WBBL starts tonight, and here on The Casual Mankadder, we like to put our money where our mouth is. And then generally lose it. So on today's episode we run through all of the competing teams, and give you a run down on where they will finish this season from 8 through to the number 1.