could have been a great week.
Spurs winning their first game of the Premiership, Aberdeen finally beating Rangers (first time in seven years), Yankees sweeping the Texas Rangers and England outplaying Australia at Old Trafford, made Saturday and Sunday pretty good sport wise.
But then on Monday the Aussie batted out the final day to save the game, leaving it still 1-1 going into the 4th test at Trent Bridge. Have the Ashes gone with those last 3 overs that failed to remove one of the tail enders something of course England have struggled to do, McGrath still to be dismissed this series.
Was a great shame that Simon Jones had to go off with cramp the way he was swinging the ball, in and away, he would have got Lee & McGrath playing at more balls than Harmison did trying leg side bouncers.
It’s been great to see England outplay the Ponting’s men in the last two games but they’ve only come out with one win. The Aussie’s top order haven’t batted well, Gilchrist is tied up in knots by Flintoff & Giles and their bowlers haven’t looked as menacing as before, McGrath producing his worst test record in the first innings at OT, Warne not being able to take a wicket in the second innings and surely we won’t see Gillespie bowl again this summer. Can the Aussies keep this poor performance going or has saving the last test given them the boost and kick up the arse they need, has anyone seen an Australian side celebrate a draw like that before ?
It would be nice if Harmison could find some better bowling, Harmison, Flintoff and Jones all firing on full cylinders will cause any side they faced problems, and Pieterson could actually catch a ball five drops out of five attempts so far isn’t good enough.
Oh and another congratulations to the ECB this tight Ashes series with England finally competing after 16 years produced C4’s best viewing figures and real interest in the sport so much that it’s knocking the start of the Premieship off the back and front pages of the papers and kids are taking an interest.
All of which will be lost when there won’t be any England games on free to air TV but on Sky next year and to think your short term financial reward could have been greater if you’d have waited a while.
Well Spurs got off to a good start to the Premiership on Saturday with a 2-0 victory away at Portsmouth. Though I (along with many others it seems) think Pompey will be one of the relegation strugglers this season it’s a good win. Portsmouth have been a bit of a bogey team and it’s Spurs first victory at Fratton Park in 49 years.
Home form was pretty good last year, only ARSEnal scored more home goals, it was the away scoring that was the problem this may be an indication that things will be different this season.
Though one striker has gone with the sale of Freddie Kanoute to Seville for £4.4 million. It was obvious he was on his way out with Mido being Martin Jol’s preferred striking partner for Defoe through the preseason. 21 goals in 73 games is OK but not great and you always felt he was a weak link application wise in away games.
I only hope they don’t use this money to buy Jenas – what exactly is the point of Jermaine Jenas all he does is mince round the park.
I think people should expect something from Spurs this season. Martin Jol
The coach seems confident about the season and I have to agree it’s the most confident I’ve felt about Spurs in some time – Toxic Web Kiss OF Death.
Well the Yanks swept the big hitting Texas Rangers 4-0 even with Proctor taking “The Big Unit’s” place in the rotation and a blown save from Mo ending his career best 31 consecutive saves streak, though with A-Rod’s hitting over the series this didn’t cost the Yanks, offensively I think A-Rod is bringing round Yanks fans that didn’t really like him.
But then the D-Rays turn up, what is it that Tampa have over the Yanks this year? Jaret Wright hepled subdue them in his first outing for 4 months but then the “Unit” was back starting and Mo blew another save for Embree to lose the game by Proctor walking in the winning run.
Yanks are 4-8 against the 47-73 D-Rays this year and the knives are really out for Torre.