December 2008 Archives

Well I have just watched one of the most thrilling, tense and virtuoso test matches ever!!!
England's first Test against India in Chennai has been one of THE great advertisements for test cricket, and I still can't quite believe that India and the "Little Master" Tendulkar have managed to pull off the win, but what a match!

For Andrew Strauss to be on the losing side after hitting two of the most determined and patience tons you will ever see, feels wrong, but the attitude and application of the India batsmen in the final innings, plus the sheer destructiveness of Sehwag (oh for a big hitting opener ourselves) and the excellent support added by their bowlers meant they ran out worthy winners, but this match had so much more in it than just a result.

Seeing Freddie steaming in to the Indians throughout the test, brought back memories of the 2005 Ashes series where he singlehandedly managed to lift the England team with a trademark fiery spell of fast bowling, and to see the big man back at his aggressive best was breathtaking.

Collingwood also showed how to apply yourself and bat your way back into form with his ton in the second test, and I must admit at that point I thought we had the game won. In fact the highest total chased previously at this ground in the 4th innings was well below 200, so it would seem as though England almost threw away the test match with their negative batting tactics, although I don't think these were so much tactics, as simply the only way we can play.

When confidence is not coursing through your veins, it is easy to try and play expansive cricket and give away your wicket (KP take note!), the much harder thing to do is to knuckle down and be prepared to drop anchor until you play yourself back into form and confidence.

Therefore I do not see it that England were deliberately batting slowly, but we were simply made to by our lack of time at the crease before this game, and although it might be as exciting as watching paint dry while you're sitting in a queue at the post office with Last of the Summer Wine on repeat on the big screen.......... I would prefer to see us scrap for every result, instead of just throwing it away, especially as it led to such an exciting finale.

Firstly, massive apologies for the lateness of the blog but wow, what a week!

I won't go into too much detail, but I just watched Black Stone Cherry do an awesome Live at Kerrang gig and then afterwards got to meet Mike Byrne, the ex-London Irish and Munster back row!

What a top day, but a busy one!

Right, now I've got some name-dropping out the way, I want to start with saying 'Well done Villa!'

Martin O'Neill must have read my blog last week (well, we are very good friends now...honest!), when I said that they have all the ingredients to be one of the best teams around, except that they seemed to lose focus in the games against the not so glamorous teams, and that was costing them dear.

I have to be brief this week as I have been extremely busy!!! But let's start with a result that even a die hard Arsenal fan like myself didn't think it would happen, beating Chelsea at the Bridge.

I mean, yes Arsenal on their day are a match, if not better than most, but facing such a clinical side as Chelsea, when 1-0 down and with no real sign of a way back into the game, Robin Van Persie worked his magic, and once his controversial equaliser had hit the back of the net, you saw a change take place in Wenger's men, they suddenly forgot all the turmoil at the club, the disappointing league position, and the thrashing we were handed by man city, and started playing football again.

There was only going to be one winner once the tide had turned, as Chelsea struggled to change up a gear, and it was great to see the boys score again and nick three points from a Chelsea side who must have been wondering what went wrong!

As for Villa, a goalless draw against Fulham (who aren't a bad side) rang a few alarm bells for me, I am really enjoying watching Villa in the big games this year, as with their pace, skill and style of football, they are an attractive team to watch, but against the smaller sides, who you would expect them to be clinical and net 3 points they seem to struggle.