My Sporting Weekend
The Border-Gavaskar trophy between Australia and India has done much to enhance and elevate the status of Test cricket.
India won the First Test in Perth – Australia levelled the series in Adelaide – and the Third Test in Brisbane was a washout draw.
Australia won the Fourth Test in Melbourne – a large margin of victory belying the closeness of the four days. India had to draw at least in Sydney to retain the trophy, but Australia won the game.
I followed the commentary through the night.
It brought back distant memories of my public school dorm in a second-rate establishment in the home counties where I would snuggle a transistor beneath the sheets for the boxing commentary of Barrington Daley – or of cricket in long distant lands – whilst the pupils in the dorm indulged in more furtive activities.
My favourite early hours radio vigil was England beating Australia by 3 runs.
As a poor sleeper now, the commentary – taken from ABC radio – broadcast on Radio 5 Live Extra is very welcome.
I’m no admirer of women commentators, who tend to screech and extol their own version of the game, which on any basis is inferior to the male variety.Fortunately working on The Rust means not being hauled over the coals for my views, nor slaughtered on social media, which I ignore for such views.
However, Alison Mitchell is a fine commentator – well informed, witty and with a fine voice. She sits well alongside the gruffer male chauvinistic Aussie commentators and is clearly both liked and appreciated by them.
India suffered from the injury to Jasprit Bumrah, whose pace might have posed problems in the final session.
As it happened Australia reached their target now Scott Boland is new kid on the block.
Most of the Aussies are getting older with Cummins, Lyon, Steve Smith and Kumarja all over 30,
In contrast England are youthful but inexperienced, with Carse, Bashir, Mahmood, Bethell and Jamie Smith.
Another advantage of writing for The Rust is that our correspondents tend not to support the bigger teams ( Derek of the Harlequins may disagree here!).
So – in touch with Stefano who supports Fiorentina – I was motivated to watch la Viola v Napoli. Fiorentina lost 0-3 but the game turned when a goal by Moises Kean was chalked off for handball. In fact, the wily Oliveira of Napoli pushed Kean causing him to handle the ball.
Napoli went on to score two more. I was particularly impressed by Napoli’s Anguissa.
When Fulham were promoted 6 seasons ago they bought a flurry of French players including Anguissa from Marseilles for €30 million. Nine of these really made an input and Anguissa was often injured. Fulham were pleased to sell him to Napoli and he was a major contributor to their side that won the scudetto.
After Fiorentina were 3 down I switched to Brighton v Arsenal.
Brighton are on a 7-match winless streak but – after going one down – they rallied and, after a slightly dubious penalty award, equalised.
It was more 2 points lost by Arsenal, but for Brighton 2 draws against Aston Villa and now Arsenal are encouraging.
