Sport Roundup

Cricket 


So England completed a memorable series whitewash and cemented their place at the top of the ICC test rankings with their 7th innings victory in 13 matches, a stat which in itself shows how dominant they have been in recent form, although after the first 3 tests this series was really over as any sort of contest. Since India lost Zaheer Khan in the first test you really have been wondering how India were going to take 20 wickets, and its really shown all through the series. India had England 124-8 and still let them get 120 more runs, they really lacked a cutting edge all series. However poor India were you do have to feel for Sachin Tendulkar, who looked in ominous form in the fourth test, only to be dismissed by a very fortuitous run out from Graeme Swann, then in the fifth test reaching 91 only to be trapped LBW by an absolutely wonderful delivery from Tim Bresnan. This kind of display shows how England have evolved, and really if they continue to evolve like this they could be a team that people feared in the like of Australia of the Warne and Gilchrist era. There are many parallels to be drawn between the two sides, especially from this series.
1 - Any number of batsmen could score a century. When Australia used to bat, you knew your bowlers were going to have to be on top from to stop them scoring 350/400, as every single batsman was a danger. Hayden and Langer opening, Ponting, Gilchrist and the Waughs following on. It was a tough ask to get them all out cheaply. The current English batsmen may lack the style and hard hitting that that Aussie team had, but they are all just as capable of scoring the runs. And when your bowlers are scoring runs like Bresnan and broad did, you're always looking at a healthy score.

2 - You could turn to a number of bowlers to take your wickets. Swann, Broad, Anderson, Bresnan and Tremlett all took wickets at pivotal times, and when Strauss changed bowlers you felt every bowler bought something to the crease. Australia used to have brilliant bowlers in the shape of Lee, McGrath and of course Warne, and if one of those wasn't performing another was just as likely to take the wicket.

3 - They field brilliantly. Everyone in that Aussie team knew what they were doing in the field, and the same can be said for the England side at the moment. Only a few dropped catches and it is the one area India never looked like competing with England, India looked sluggish in the field and only a few players looked like they'd paid any attention at catching practice.

Next for England is the One Day series, and unless India really exchange things around, I would predict much of the same. Obviously it's not as forgone as that, being One day matches there is a lot more uncertainty involved but I would still back England to win comfortably unless India really sort themselves out.

Football

With 5 days left of the transfer market one of the more obvious transfers of the season has been completed. Nasri to Man City has been on the cards for a while, especially since the player admitted he wanted the move himself. And after the move Arsenal really need to reinvest the money, or my prediction of them still making the top four is going to be way off the mark, especially with Liverpool looking solid. They're trying to buy Cahill, and I also heard a rumour that they were after Kaka for the season, which would be a massive capture, but I'm not convinced Wenger is able to buy big players at decent prices, rather than spotting young people for tuppence. This season is going to be another struggle for Arsenal unless they can convince some clubs to part with their big players. Tottenham also look like they're in the business of remodelling their squad, with 8 players rumoured to be moving out, with Adebayour moving in as well. In things concerning Tottenham the Europa league outcomes for the English clubs were brilliant, will all teams making it through to the group stages with relative ease, Spurs themselves fielding a team of academy graduates for a 0-0 draw. But at the other end of the scale, Scotland has no teams in the draw for the fist time since the competitions inception. However the best news of the Europa league must be the First Irish side to make the main draw of the Europa League which really is one for the sporting fairtytale believers.

Tennis

In the world of tennis the last major of the season starts on Monday, and after winning the last Masters tournament Murray is on good form and may well be in the best shape possible to win his first Grand Slam. If Djokovic is on form the only member of the top 4 I'd rule out is Nadal, as he really does not seem to know how to beat the Djoker, whilst Federer remains the only man to beat a fit Djokovic this year. If I was going to pick a winner, my heart says Federer will claim his next Slam, but my head says it's going to be Djokovic's 3rd Grand slam of the year. If you're after a dark horse for the title, either Del Potro or Tsonga could be dangerous of the hard courts, but personally I feel only 4 players have a chance here.

Formula 1

This weekend on the formula 1 calendar is a favourite amongst fans and drivers, with the Circuit de Spa-FrancorchampsSchumachers 20th anniversary, meaning he's been racing in F1 almost precisely as long as I've been alive, only a couple of days in it infact. With such a long break between races it's almost impossible to predict who's made the most progress, but I'll back Hamilton's desire to win to bring a McLaren 1-2 in a most likely damp Spa Sunday.