Headlines

Six years and still counting.

Amazing England/India match (many beautiful stats to relate).

Grand Slam still on!

These will be discussed at length tomorrow. For tonight I must sleep, perchance to dream of English glory and what might have been.

I'll keep you blogged...

Multi-sport!

Many things to talk about!

First of all my Dad would like me to mention Spurs' triumph over Inter Milan last Tuesday. He was away on holiday and watched the whole game then celebrated by drinking like a fish and 'pogo-ing the night away'. It was an amazing victory. Yes, the Arse upstaged them a day later but this should take nothing away from an amazing night for Tottenham (although, lets face it, it did).

I have been watching a lot of women's tennis in recent weeks and have been loving it. I missed the WTA tour. Watched a great match between Jankovic and Wozniacki. Women's tennis is exciting, I don't care what people say. Some of the rallies are breathtaking and the fact that it's so even at the top (will Serena ever come back?) can only be a good thing. There are so many women on top form at the moment which makes many of the matches incredibly even and very exciting to watch. Yes, it's great to see GoNads cream an opponent, but it gets dull after a while, right? You really want to watch a match that has a possibility for some competition. If you don't then you're not a sports fan, you're a GoNads fan (arf arf).

Six Nations! I have been sorely remiss at posting about the competition, and it's been really exciting! England absolutely annihilated Italy with a massive 59-13. That is quite a score. The Grand Slam is still on and many are predicting England to do it. As I've confessed, I don't know enough about rugby to really have an opinion on the matter but I hope the experts are right. However, the next match is against France and could be the sternest test yet. After a two week break the players should be refreshed and raring to go - bring on Twickenham on Saturday! I shall be watching.

Just a quick note on Cycling. Apart from the Olympic Velodrome becoming the first stadium to be completed, there have been a number of very exciting races leading up to 2012. The most exciting, as ever, had to be the men's Keirin. Sir Chris Hoy eased his way to an emphatic victory as practically every rider behind him fell. Azizulhasni Awang suffered the most as a huge splinter from the track pierced his calf clean through. It was huge and poking out on either side. Gross gross gross. Check it out on BBC Sport - It's pretty gruesome but well worth a viewing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/9402907.stm

In the world of snooker Higgins battled past Maguire to win a third Welsh Open title and a 23rd-ranking title - one more than a certain Mr O'Sullivan. Gotta love that he's back.

Ok, now to the really good stuff. The cricket World Cup began a couple of days ago. England limped past a tough test from The Netherlands yesterday, eventually winning by six wickets. It was a poor performance by their usual standards, especially on the fielding front. There were dropped catches all over the place (most notably Swann and the Anderson/Pieterson mix up), overthrows, and, apart from Swann and Bresnan, a pretty dismal bowling display as well. This is not the England we've come to know and love under Andy Flower. You can be sure he was pretty peeved at them, even after the batters had managed to 'get them out of jail' (Strauss). They will have to step up their game enormously if they're to have any chance against India on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Ponting's miserable season continues as he faces ICC charges for allegedly damaging a TV after his dismissal against Zimbabwe. He is, as I have long suspected, an angry little man. Australia came through with a 91-run win against Zimbabwe. The kiwis battered Kenya, winning by 10 wickets. Sri Lanka beat Canada by 210 runs. And in the first match, India beat Bangladesh by 87 runs. No major shocks or surprises so far but some great matches have been played (and some brutal ones - the Kiwi/Kenya one was particularly gruesome if you're a Kenyan). Whoever says ODI cricket is boring and T20 is the way forwards, eat your tongue and watch the World Cup!

I'll keep you blogged...

Come on!!

Arsenal beat Barcelona 2-1
ARSENAL BEAT BARCELONA 2-1

I want to write that over and over again. Arsenal beat the best team in the world, possibly the best team ever. And better yet, they came back from a goal down to beat the best team ever. This can only bode well for their trip to the Nou Camp in early March for the second leg. I'll bet Barca didn't think they'd be leaving The Emirates with anything less than a draw, and probably more like an emphatic win. They looked a little shell-shocked afterwards (or was that just this Arsenal-fans mind imagining things?).

I have great fear and trepidation for the second leg. I know I should be all upbeat and endlessly positive like many Arsenal fans I know (football fans in general - they seem a very optimistic - blinded - lot), and usually I am the most optimistic person you'll ever meet, but for some reason when it comes to the Arse I just can't look at that glass and see it half full. It's not even half empty; it's leaking (that sounds disgusting but you know what I mean). Then again, I had this same feeling before last night and how beautifully they proved me wrong.

Ach... I have to leave! Got a dinner date and may well be late. Will continue this when I get home tonight. Until then, dear readers.

I'll keep you blogged...

Got the Ray-ray Blues?

Ray-ray lost horribly to Baggy the other day and looked pretty grim in his post-match interview. Is this going to be a repeat of last year when his impressive Aussie Open run ended in a straight sets defeat in the final, and was followed by months of wallowing in mediocrity (by his high standards) only to come good at the end of the year with a good World Tour Finals performance culminating in what is widely known as the best match of the 2010 season in his semi-final against GoNads? I hope not. Put some pep back in your step Ray-ray! You got the final of the first Slam of the season. You have started better than all but one player on tour. Chin up, eh?

I'll keep you blogged...

Six Nations

Well well, we beat the Welsh again - 26-19 in a hard-fought win at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. I was not aware that many people think of England as favourites for the competition. I didn't know we were that good. Granted, I don't know much about rugby, but I thought I would have known that. Perhaps my standards are slipping. Not good enough; must do better. I shall endeavour for this Six Nations competition to learn as much as I can about the fascinating (but frighteningly complicated) world of rugby. The difference between League and Union still means little more to me than in the former there are less players on the field and they seem to stop a lot less. Six Nations rugby is Union rugby, which, according to some, is a slower and more complicated version of the sport. I have to say I did not find the match on Friday night slow or boring. Complicated, yes, but isn't everything when you don't understand it?

Elsewhere, France beat Scotland 34-21 and Ireland scraped through against Italy 13-11 to save their blushes and deny Italy a first ever win over the irish in the RBS Six Nations.

This weekend promises more exciting encounters as England take on Italy, Scotland play Wales and France meet Ireland. I doubt very much I'll have the chance to see any of those matches live as I have a very busy weekend coming up (a weekend I cannot wait for - bring on the 'honeymoon') but I'll certainly be sneaking the occasional look at my phone to keep me in the loop and shall be cheering when England win. Can we possibly do the Grand Slam? Oh damn, I shouldn't have said anything.

I'll keep you blogged...

Colour...

THE COLOUR IS BACK! HURRAH!!

Furore

Oh dear, Fabregas has been a naughty boy. He apparently accused the ref of taking money from Everton after not disallowing Everton's first-half goal when Louis Saha was in an offside position. At half time Fabregas caught up with the ref and made the comments that have been causing such a furore in the footballing world these past few days. Arsene Wenger has crticised David Moyes for basically being too sensitive and Moyes has hit back today with revealing to the world what Fabby actually said, having previously kept the comments to himself.

It's all turning into a bit of a handbags at dawn fight, isn't it? Pretty bitchy. Like watching two fish wives have at it over the last haddock. Wenger v Moyes... I'm pretty sure Wenger would not do well out of that. Moyes looks hard and scrappy, like he got into a fair few fisticuff exchanges as a lad. Wenger may well be able to beat him in a poetry contest, but physical violence? I'm no convinced. Although if it is true that ol' Arsene's a vampire, as I have always suspected, watch out Davey.

Elsewhere the Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, along with agent Mazhar Majeed, will face corruption charges. They will be charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and also conspiracy to cheat. They all deny deliberately bowling no-balls for money. It makes me feel sad that any of this is happening.

Oh, but the Six-Nations starts tonight which will brighten me up no end. I do not know that much about rugby - it seems to have so many rules! - but I like to watch it and I like the players. Come on England!! They play Wales tonight, in Cardiff, watch it or miss out!

I'll keep you blogged...

Live Text

Have I ever expressed my love for live text commentary? The Beeb and The Guardian do particularly good ones. Yes, it's a little frustrating because you know everything has already happened - especially when those few seconds are vital - but it's still fast-paced and entertaining as anything. Plus it's a great thing to do when you're sitting at work with nothing to do (or everything to do and you need a good excuse not to do it).

I have been following the sixth ODI in Sydney this morning as I toil away the long hours at work, and boy was it an exciting finish! England made their sixth highest ODI score and their highest against Australia with a mammoth 333-6. Things were looking good for at least salvaging a somewhat respectable score from this much criticised (for being too long and the England schedule being far too packed, resulting in injuries and poor form and exhaustion) ODI Series. Australia, however, had other ideas, and weren't about to relinquish their firm grasp on England. They put on the fourth highest successful ODI run chase in history, and their highest ODI total against England, to come back and win it by two wickets. Needing four from four balls, Hastings turned it down to fine leg for four, ending a tense, exciting and really rather brilliant match.

Yes, England lost, but not by much. These are the kinds of performances we need to be putting on for the World Cup. Winning them, obviously, but this shows we're very capable in the 50 Overs format of the game - remember, Australia are the number 1 team in the world (in ODI cricket).

As a stand-alone game, this was a great match by two great teams. Bring on Sunday and Perth, I hope it's more of the same!

Hum, I guess I actually have to find something to do now.

I'll keep you blogged...

Mats Wilander...

...is a legend. For those who have never heard his commentary or analysis of matches, you should. He's a genius. He knows a lot of stuff, does Mats, and yes, Eurosport may well have bought him purely because they could call their nightly round-up show 'Game, Set, and Mats', but they lucked out because he has a tennis brain if ever anyone did/does/whatevermakessense.

He's cool. End of.

I'll keep you blogged...

Update Heaven!!

Just realised the last post was my one hundredth... feel like I should have celebrated or something. Maybe when I get to 500. Right folks, you read it, when I get to 500 posts I'm going to party hardy. Big time. With knobs on. Woop woop!

I have been seriously busy lately and as such have not had a chance to update for a while - and at such an exciting time! I was doing work experience at The Guardian (loved it loved it) on the Sports Desk so feel like I've been immersed in sport yet haven't had time to update my blog. So here goes.

TENNIS

So the Aussie Open has come and gone. Another fantastic competition, especially for player-of-the-moment Djoko who beat Berdy, The Fed and Ray-ray in crushing style on his way to a fine second Slam win. He is looking awesome at the moment. His movement is sublime and apart from the odd pesky eye problemo he doesn't even seem to be complaining about much anymore. Bring back the allergies and the aching limbs and the breathing problems. He does seem to enjoy the Australian Open as both of his wins have come there - he beat surprise-finalist Tsonga in the 2008 final. And as in 2008, he beat The Fed in the semi, although this time a little more convincingly. Fed looked a little sluggish but didn't play badly, Djoko was just too good for him. He defended like a mad man and whenever he had the slightest opening would send a winner fizzing past his bemused opponent. He out-played and out-classed Federer, simple as that.

On the other side of the draw Ray-ray had beaten newcomer Glop (I checked, that's what I called him. Not Dlog. Sorry. Inconsistency annoys me too) and faced a stiff Ferrer test in the semi-final. He lost the first set to a player who has enjoyed some of the best form of his life in the last year, and was set points down in the second before he found something of his former form and came back to take a tight four-setter.

For the second year in a row, Andy Murray of Great Britain was in the final of the Aussie Open. Hurrah! The final everyone wanted? Maybe not - I know a few sadists who wanted a repeat of last year's and for Ray-ray to crush (or, y'know, just win) him; the purists, who were looking forward to a GoNads/Fed final. But I for one was most happy with the final. I like both Djoko and Ray-ray, and I think their playing styles being very similar sets up a potentially intriguing match. They're both excellent receivers, both have big beautiful double-handed backhands, both run like the clappers, both vary their game... I was ready for epically long rallies with drop shots, huge backhands, lobs and a lot of running.

For much of the match, this is what happened. The first set was tight and not exactly flowing but still great to watch. There were some excellent points. Djoko came through after nearly an hour 6-4 the winner. Ray-ray was looking good and I had no doubt he'd step it up in the second set, attack attack attack, and get back on level terms. However, Ray-ray backed up his great first set battling performance with a woebegone passive stretch of play which saw him 0-4 down in a matter of minutes. This was the only time Ray-ray was truly disappointing in the match, indeed the whole tournament, but I think it's what sunk him. He did break back and win a game to lose the set 6-2 but after being so dull it's hard to find that excitement again and even though he tried in the third, and it was a much better set, Djoko was always going to be the winner - 6-4 6-2 6-3. I have said it time and time again - he cannot afford to slump like that. Yes, it happens, and yes, others do it - Djoko himself is not a stranger to going off the boil in matches, and The Fed is sometimes susceptible to a waver in concentration... but the difference is, the big difference, is that The Fed and Djoko have won Slams. They know they can do it. We know they can do it. They have the mental ability to come back into a Slam final match and win. Murray does not have that. He hasn't won a Slam and to be honest I don't think he thinks he can most of the time. If he slumps in a final, it's going to prey on his already frazzled nerves and he's not going to be able to come back from that. I don't think, mentally, Murray is ready to win a Slam yet. I think he has the game, we've all seen how amazing he can be - there's no doubt in my mind that, even playing as brilliantly as he was, Murray could have beaten Djokovic on Sunday - but I don't think he has the belief and the mental strength, yet, to get over that line. He's been in three Slam finals now, and lost every one in straight sets. That's got to effect you. That's got to make you think 'Maybe I can't do this...' It definitely would me.

I think he can do it - I don't want you to think I'm one of these 'He's British; he's never going to win anything!' kind of people. I'm not at all. I just think he's still really young and he's just not quite there. He needs someone new on his team to bolster his confidence and to make him believe in himself. Some fresh blood to change things a little and shake them up and give him that little sumthin sumthin that he's missing.

In the ladies final Kimmy (who beat a misfiring and thoroughly cross with herself Zvo in two easy sets in the semis) played Li Na (much tougher match against an ultimately tearful Wozza. Li saved match points to fight her way to a three-set victory. Wozza continues to wait for her first Grand Slam win and for the silverware to finally silence her critics) in a scintilating match that swung this way and that before Clijsters finally came through 3-6 6-3 6-3. Kim immediately burst into tears when she saw Li had missed her shot on match point and admitted to being overwhelmed by the 'intense' feelings of winning a Slam in a country she has loved and has loved her (they call her 'Aussie Kim' after her time with Lleyton Hewitt) for a long time. There is already talk of her doing the 'Grand Slam' (winning all four majors in a calender year) this year as she's admitted it'll be her last full-time year of her professional career. Poor Belgium have gone from having two Major winning champions to none at the start of 2012.

CRICKET

England, after a resurgence in form to claim the fourth ODI against Australia and keep their (slim) hopes of winning the Series alive, have been brought crashing back down to Earth as another poor batting display saw them lose the fifth match and therefore the Series. Strauss was none too pleased with his or any of the top order batsmen's batting displays and has said they will need to improve if they hope to go anywhere in the World Cup. Here here Straussy! It's funny, since The Ashes, peoples' opinion of the English Cricket Team has become rather rosey. Losing an ODI Series would have annoyed a lot of people I know - 'More of the same...' 'They're rubbish...' 'What did we expect, it's the Aussie's...' - but I've heard barely a word of complaint and absolutely no disgust. It's amazing how calm everyone about this World Cup; calm AND reasonably confident that England can go far into the competition. I don't think this has happened since I've been a cricket fan. Long live actually winning things and this feeling of assured confidence. This must be what Australia usually feel like...

FOOTBALL

Arsenal have reached a final! Could The Carling Cup be the answer to us long-suffering Arsenal fans' prayers? They are still involved in all major trophy hunts which is very exciting indeed. Could the drought be ending? Dare we dare to dream?

Oh yes, and Chelsea have bought Fernando Torres for £50m from Liverpool; a new record for a British transfer fee. Repugnante, no?

I'll keep you blogged...