World Cup Fever

It all starts here. Novelty records, metatarsils, unbounded optimism, wall-charts and booking your holidays. Yes, it’s the World Cup Draw. England, third out of the proverbial hat as the seeds for Group C have been drawn against Algeria, USA and Slovenia. First up is a match against our friends across the pond, the US of A on Saturday 12th June and I’m already planning the party. The draw itself was its usual fun with a remarkably watchable Charlize Theron and some French chap hosting the ceremony and a handful of sporting icons pulling plastic balls from glass jars. Amazing to think 150m people were watching, worldwide. Of course, there’s always room for comedians as the above Wikipedia screenshot proves. Now the only question left is which episode of Doctor Who series 5 will act as the warm-up entertainment before the match?

Tags: Charlize Theron, Doctor Who, Draw, England, World-Cup

Haven’t We Been Here Before?

The dust has settled, the palpitations have died down and another Ashes series is consigned to both the collective memory and the pages of Wisden. Perhaps lacking the national fervour that surrounded the 2005 series, and studiously avoiding all mention of the calamitous 2006/7 tour Down Under, we will not quickly forget the cricketing summer of 2009. Criminally, there was limited terrestrial coverage of the series with it being reduced to the ignominy of a 45-minute early evening helping served up manfully by Mark Nicholas

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Tags: 2009, Ashes, Australia, Broad, Cricket, England, Flintoff, Ponting, Strauss, Urn

Run Like The Wind

I couldn’t let it go without mention but three big sporting events are capturing my attention during this televisual drought where House MD seems to be  the only drama I’m currently watching.  First off, of course is the final Ashes test whose second day is looming large. It’s 1-1 going in to this final match and the first day finished relatively even with England on 307-8 on a pitch that looks like it will fall apart rapidly. I will, and I warn you in advance, be writing a review of the series once the dust has settled.Elsewhere,

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Tags: 100m, 200m, Ashes, Athletics, Australia, Cricket, England, Oval, Premier League, Spurs, Test, Usain Bolt, World

Ashes Fever Returns

Well, we had the drama of Torchwood entertaining us for the week but the highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the conclusion to the first test match in Cardiff. Staring defeat in the face after days of under-performance, England found themselves at 233-9 with 40 minutes left to play and the unlikely duo of Monty Panesar and Jimmy Anderson in bat trying to save the game. The ever test match held in Wales and the 100th test venue (so I heard somewhere) saw witness to a finish of 2005 proportions. Palpable tension and a fantastic crowd saw the tail-enders resist the Aussie onslaught and hold out for an unlikely draw after having been 70-5 shortly before lunch. Credit also has to go to Paul Collingwood who’s stubborn and determined 74 in the afternoon formed the foundation of the amazing finale. Looks set to be another great summer of the great game.

Tags: Ashes. England, Australia, Barmy-Army, Cardiff, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Paul Collingwood, Sky-Sports

Brilliant game of tennis on the telly tonight as Andy Murray messed up the BBC schedules with a four hour, prime-time thriller under the new roof and lights of Wimbledon. Can’t believe we have to sit through three more games like that if we’re to finally have a British winner.  Also, very happy that it’s not Torchwood this week… you don’t want to upset the Who-fans, ya know.

Tags: Andy Murray, BBC1, schedule, Torchwood, Wawrinka, Wimbledon

Long Time No See

England won a game.  Of cricket.  No really.  I think it was something to do with the fact that the England football team are now sporting a new line of cricket shirts in their resurgence under Mr Capello and perhaps the good fortune is rubbing off.  Out in the Caribbean, and for the first time all winter, we finally won a match. It reminds me of the winter 2006/7 when we got mashed 0-5 by the Aussies in the Ashes and then came from nowhere to win the one-day series.  Strauss has been one of the only positives this winter and, may be, just may be, he could lead us to something noteworthy this summer.

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Tags: Ashes, Caribbean, Cricket, England, Strauss, West-Indies