The World Test Championship Final has been played out at The Oval in London, with a match between the so-called two best Test teams in the world at present.

On today's program, we will look back at the match in full - the scores, the drama, the good, the bad and the ugly.

We cast our eye over the match details, and where the game was won and lost. We also take a more detailed look at each team's performance, and determine if the match itself serves as a satisfying determination of the winner.

We also discuss the situation with over rates in this match and in Test cricket as a whole, whether the pitch was up to Test match standard or just a ploy to help the home team in the upcoming Ashes series, and whether technology should be used in the decion of on-field catches, and just how the over-reaction to a fair catch would have been interpreted if it had been by Australian supporters.

All of that can be found here on The Casual Mankadder, on the podcast where a cricket tragic continues his monologue incessantly, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

On today's episode of In League with the NRL:

We take a glance at the selections of both teams for the first match in this year's State of Origin series, and ponder over whether New South Wales has once again given Queensland a free kick with the team they have selected. Is form now not a pre-requisite for being picked, but merely a happy coincidence if the players chosen are also the best in their position?

Then we cast our eye over several of the decisions made on the field over the past weekend in the NRL, and talk about the influence the bunker now has on the game, and the indiscretion that is shown in not only deciding what incidents have precedence in regards to either being a reportable and sin-binning offence and those that get a free pass and are not acted on until after the match has been concluded. And, what influence this is having on the eventual results of the match.

That's the program for today on the least informed rugby league podcast episodes on the intraweb, In League with the NRL, on Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

On today's first episode of our winter series of The Casual Mankadder, we delve into the hot topics that current in the world of cricket.

The states have begun their recruiting drive for next season's Sheffield Shield, with a number of players already having made big moves across the border, and we discuss what may be behind those moves.

We then have a deeper look at the problems that beset New South Wales and their two seasons of rubbish cricket, the spectre that Pathways cricket may have had on them and how a return to performance-based selections could well be the way forward.

Australia and India, and to a lesser extent England have all decided against warm-up matches before the start of their big upcoming tours, and we discuss the reasons why and whether or not it is a smart move (spoiler alert - it isn't).

We finish off discussing the recent reports of prominent IPL owners suggesting International cricket is on borrowed time and that franchise T20 cricket is the way of the future, and just what that landscape could look like.

It's the return of The Casual Mankadder, hopefully on a weekly basis for the duration of the winter cricket follies, here on the podcast that rarely relies on the soft signal, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

On today's episode of In League with the NRL, we have a change of format to try and streamline exactly where we are going with this part of the podcast.

Today we discuss the hip drop tackle and just what direction the lawmakers what to take with it, and also discuss other rules that have had a rush of rulings in a four week period before being dismissed without a thought forever again.

Then we have a look at the draw for Magic Round, and wonder why the Brisbane-based teams seem to have an away game when they are playing at home.

And finally we look back at the ladder at the time of the previous two Magic Rounds, and if they offer any insights as to how the 2023 premiership may be panning out.

That's the line up for today's episode of In League with the NRL, here on the podcast that knows a forward pass even if the officials don't, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

The Australian Test squad for the World Test Championship final and the first two Tests of the 2023 Ashes series has been announced, and as expected there were the usual couple of talking points.

Once again, somehow, a Marsh from Western Australia has managed to be named in the Test arena, despite almost zero form on the board to back his claims for selection. We discuss just what it is that gives him this magical permanent hold on a position, and how his selection in front of Michael Neser at the very least is an abomination.

David Warner, as expected, was also given a ticket on the plane to England, and while it was probably not as explosive, we discuss just where his selection leaves the team going forward, and how it gives Australia little fresh air for the entire tour because his spot will be discussed ad nauseum for the entire Test series.

Those are today's discussion points on this edition of The Casual Mankadder, on the podcast that wishes it had as much dirt on the Australian Selectors as some of the players chosen obviously do, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.