On today's edition of The Casual Mankadder, we take a look at the start of the Women's Ashes series between England and Australia, and the success of the one-off Test match between the two that has started the series in style, focusing on a couple of wonderful batting performances and the showcase of spin bowling from Sophie Eccleston and Ashleigh Gardner.

We also check in on the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers for the men's competition happening in Zimbabwe, and I find myself eating huge lumps of humble pie over the success of the format, and just how well it has given the associate nations a chance to stake their claim for a place in India in October, and how the senior nations are being given a run for their money.

We will also preview the 2nd Men's Ashes Test, and ask ourselves if, after all of the rubbish that has been spoken since the conclusion of the 1st Test, both teams can produce a match that truly showcases the skills of both teams on the field.

All of that and much much less on today's episode of The Casual Mankadder, on the podcast that continues to fight each day on minimal sleep, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.