So Close and yet so far, Aston Villa Eclipse Arsenal, and Sports Personality Of The Year

By Luke Wilkins on Dec 16, 08 09:10 AM

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.

Another point of note was the gamesmanship employed by the Indians, with their over rate being so slow, at times it must have seemed as if England's score was actually going backwards, but I am sure the match referee will be handing out fines to those guilty, although this is a major issue in trying to bring crowds back to Test cricket, because what's the point in going for the day when your seem to be spending the whole time watching people adjust their fielders, with more chance of Elvis landing a flying saucer on to the top of the Loch Ness Monster's head, than seeing a ball bowled.

All in all though, it must be said, this is a victory for more than just the Indian cricket team, this is a victory for the whole country, and the defiant way in which they have reacted to the Mumbai attacks, and for that reason, I am glad to have see our boys beaten once more, albeit in a very close game, and I can't wait for the next match!

Another momentous occasion this weekend saw Aston Villa go above Arsenal into fourth place in the premiership table. Why so momentous you might say? Villa have been above the Gooners in the table before?

I think this weekend marked a shift in power though between Wengers flamboyant team of international wunderkinds (This is even harder for me to say being a Gooner!) and Martin O'Neill side of..........well of young English Wunderkinds!!

Watching Arsenal at 'Boro in the early kick off on Saturday, it was clear something is not right at Arsenal, yes they still have world class players like Fabregas, Adebayor and Van Persie, but at the moment our strikers look about as clinical in front of goal as Diana Ross, and the young players who have promised so much, have really struggled to make an impact, I mean Denilson on the right on Sat was worse than Eboue playing there..........and that's saying something!

In contrast, Martin O'Neill's side showed great confidence in their ability and composure to come from behind to beat a good Bolton side on Sat, and I think have shown that they are now the 4th best side in the country, not just by the result, but by the way they played for each other.

Ashley Young (or Christiano Young, or Ashley Messi as he was being called on Saturday) looks like one of the best players I have seen in a very long time, I hope Fabio Capello has seen his last few games, because this lad has it all, pace, skill, the ability to dribble, and what a shot on him........oh and he isn't bad from set pieces either.

In fact, he is the complete Arsenal player, and one that Wenger was going to buy last Jan when O'Neill splashed £8million on him (Wenger would spend no more than £5mil), and herein lies the problem.

MON said last week that he thought £8 mil was a lot for a young player, but could see the value, and now he is probably worth 4 times that and one of the bargains of the season, where Wenger simply dismissed the transfer as being too expensive and therefore not worth it (why I oughta!!!).

A great piece of business for Villa fans, but what will be exciting them more, is the way Young is playing with his teammates, especially the diminutive but fleet footed England striker Agbonlahor.

The two young English stars have struck up an amazing rapport, and it was great to them smiling on Saturday afternoon because they were enjoying playing together so much. Sure there will be tougher tests than Bolton to come for Villa, but it looks like Martin O'Neill has turned his team of young future stars into true Champions League contenders (And I know they are a long way off Liverpool - but it will be interesting to see how big the gap is after Xmas!).

Finally the big end to the weekends sporting action was the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year or SPOTY, and what a load of tosh!! Not the sports stars, they should be proud of what they have achieved, but the way in which the show was put on made me feel a little bit sick inside.

Gone was the subdued and emotional look back at some great British sporting achievements from the last twelve months, in was this ridiculous glittering ceremony in Liverpool which seemed to be more intent on razzmatazz and making our sport stars appear as Superheroes than a gentle pat on the back (after all they do get paid- even the Olympians!)!

They are not superheroes, they are incredibly dedicated, talented and deserving sporting heroes, but as much as I hate to remind the BBC this, I was more worried about the athletes who seemed to believe their own hype!

I mean you need to have confidence verging on arrogance to be a sporting great, but does no one else think the 1,045 minute standing ovation for the eventual winner Chris Hoy was O.T.T? The guy deserves our upmost respect, and I hope he inspires a future generation of cyclist to do the same, but wow did it seem a bit overblown, especially considering that Lewis Hamilton was hiding smirking in the background having been voted 2nd!!

I love the Olympics, and having trained to compete in the 2004 Olympics as a rower for two years before getting injured, I can tell you how hard these guys and gals work to achieve their dreams, and in no way am I belittling that, but for me THE achievement of the year was Lewis Hamilton's incredible Formula1 World title win.

I am not saying he is better than Hoy or any of the other athletes up for the prize, simply that to me, his achievement was the greatest, he is on a par with Tiger Woods and Federer (or is it Nadal) as someone who stands out head and shoulders above the rest in his field, and as much as I love cycling, I know that there is a lot less skill involved, and a bit more brute determination in becoming a champ as there is in the pinnacle of motorsport that is F1.

I suppose at the end of the day, that doesn't count, it's the peoples vote that does, even if it is wrong (joking!), and I have to admit, it was nice to see one of the world's biggest and richest sporting icons blocked from our view by just one of Chris Hoy's thighs.........standing in the background is not something that Hamilton is used to, and I thought he took it very well, although he did seem more intent on chatting up Rebecca Aldington on the stage..........I suppose any port in a storm!

All in all a huge weekend of sport, and I can't wait for the next one already, especially as on next's week Offside show I will be chatting to England and Worcestershire cricket Legend Vikram Solanki about England's tour in India, and the rebirth of Test cricket. That's on Saturday from 1-5pm, and don't miss my show every weekday, playing the best new tunes with some classics thrown in from 3-5am Mon -Friday too!

Have a top week!