India Back To Winning Ways With Thrashing

Give India another format aside from the test arena and they thrive. Another dismal overseas test series in England ended 3-1 to the hosts but they bounced back from that humiliation with a thumping 133 run victory over England in the second ODI at Cardiff. A much improved Indian side in all three areas of the game definitely raises the question as to why they perform so much better in one day cricket as opposed to the test format.

After the first ODI was rained out on Monday, this was effectively the first in a five match series. England won the toss and elected to bowl in overcast conditions and were rewarded, reducing India for 19-2 in the 8th over. Chris Woakes was the man to take both the wickets, which included the removal of danger man Virat Kohli for a duck as his abysmal tour continues. Rahane and Rohit Sharma got things moving with a 91 run partnership at just under a run a ball, until Rahane was stumped off the bowling of Tredwell for 41. Rohit Sharma brought up his half century, a gritty innings of 82 balls crucial to India's cause. But he fell tamely trying to hit the ball over long off but did nothing other than finding the fielder and reducing India to 132-4 and needing a big partnership to restore things. 

India had got to 156-4 by the 35th over and the start of the 5 over powerplay, which really changed the whole momentum of the innings and indeed the match. Raina blasted Woakes for 20 runs in the 38th over which kick started a real surge which led to 62 runs coming off the 5 over batting powerplay. He then brought up his 4th ODI century of just 74 balls which was his first international century for over 4 years. He later fell to Chris Woakes and Dhoni picked up yet another half century as India closed their 50 overs at a very competitive total of 304-6. 

England's innings was halted initially by rain which reduced their innings to 47 overs, with a target of 295. Debutant Alex Hales looked assured at the crease as he cruised to a run a ball 30 with England bringing up their 50 inside 10 overs. But captain Cook and then Ian Bell fell in the same over off the bowling of Mohammed Shami to leave the hosts 56-2. Things then got worse as Joe Root was bowled by Kumar to make it 63-3 and which gave India all the momentum. 

The visitors really bowled well, hitting the right areas which challenged the England batsmen greatly. Left arm spinner Jadeja then came into the attack and removed Hales in his first over for 40. Buttler was then out for 2 as Jadeja picked up his second wicket in as many overs to leave England in tatters on 85-5 from 23 overs, needing over 200 runs at a run rate of nearly 9. Ashwin dismissed Morgan for 28 to leave England 119-6 with the match seemingly all but over. Jadeja picked up a couple of wickets as he ended up with figures of 4-28 as England got bowled out for 161, giving India victory by 133 runs in a match they mostly dominated throughout and looking like a real force ahead of the World Cup in February.  

MK Dons and Coventry Play Out Stalemate

"We're going home, we're going home, back to the Ricoh, we're going home." This was the chant the Coventry fans sung throughout the goalless draw away to MK Dons, after the news broke out on Thursday that the Sky Blues were to finally return to the Ricoh Arena after a year ground sharing with Northampton at Sixfields. The football might not have been great but a very good away point to go with the news of a return to Coventry has put the fans in a great frame of mind and hopefully the club can build on this momentum and perhaps launch a promotion push.

Over 3,000 City fans made the trip but the home side came closest in the early stages after a Ben Reeves free kick was easily saved by keeper Allsop. Josh McQuoid had Coventry's first chance after being put through by John Fleck but McCloughlin made a smart save to deny the Sky Blues. City keeper Allsop was brought into action twice more before half time but he reacted well to keep out Bowditch's effort before saving with his feet to further frustrate the hosts. 

The second half started much the way the first finished, both teams solid in defence with most of the play taking place in the middle third and neither side creating much or taking hold of the match. Reeves almost found a way through for MK Dons after his shot was parried by Allsop but luckily for the visitors he quickly gathered the ball before any player could latch on. In a half of very few chances, City new boy and late substitute Simeon Jackson went closest for Coventry in stoppage time after picking up the ball by the halfway line, he beat 3 defenders but his 20 yard shot was just put behind by McCloughlin for a City corner. Just as it looked like the away side would get one more opportunity from the corner, Jim O'Brien's tame effort went straight out of play and both sides settled for the point. 

It was a match in which neither side did enough to win as neither side created nearly as much as they would have liked but Coventry can be pleased with a hard fought away point against one of the early season favourites for promotion. 

Poor display adds to Sky Blue's Woes

Coventry’s abject performance at ‘home’ to Cardiff in the first round of the League Cup heaped more misery on Sky Blue supporters with things not looking like improving, both on and off the field. 

Coventry City went into Wednesday’s clash with everything still seemingly against them. Seven first team players left in the summer with fairly inadequate replacements adding to the fact they are still playing at Northampton’s Sixfields stadium 35 miles from Coventry, and little to no money to spend has left Coventry fans wondering again when this nightmare will end. A light squad was connoted with 3 players making their professional debut in this League Cup tie.

Coventry have started the new season deploying  5-3-2 formation with three centre backs and two wing backs making up the back 5, which was used in yesterday's fixture. But the young guns of Coventry started immediately on the back foot when poor defending from Jordan Clarke and Jordan Willis resulted in the two colliding which allowed Burgstaller to fire home and give Cardiff the lead. Cardiff completely dominated possession of the ball and created chances to increase their lead. Lee Burge who was making his professional debut was made to produce a couple of saves but nothing that really tested the young keeper. Coventry were extremely poor in possession as they kept giving the ball away too many times instead of playing the simple option. 

Cardiff started the second half much the same way but on the hour mark, Coventry's Josh McQuoid broke through on goal but his shot went wide of the target. As the game wore on, Coventry were allowed a foot hold of the game but mistakes were still occurring far too regularly from this inexperienced side. And that inexperienced showed when Miller fired over a shot after being put through one-on-one with the goalkeeper but fumbled under the pressure. This proved costly as just 4 minutes later with less than 10 minutes to go, Mats Daehli broke through on the left hand side before he played a ball into the six yard box in which 18 year old Haynes put through his own net to make it 2-0 to Cardiff. However, Coventry showed character to come back when  Haynes put a testing ball into the penalty area that Miller tapped home for his first Sky Blue goal and a way back into the match. Their last chance came in stoppage time when stand in captain Andy Webster headed wide, and the score ended Coventry City 1-2 Cardiff City with Cardiff progressing to the second round.

India's Lower Order Deny England

The first test match between England and India will mostly be remembered for the incredibly flat pitch and the huge amount of runs both team's lower orders made in a stalemate between the two. Numerous records were broken including Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson’s partnership of 198 being the highest 10th wicket partnership in the history of test match cricket. Jimmy Anderson’s 81 was the third highest score by a number 11 batsman and Bhuvneshwar Kumar became only the second number 9 to score two 50s in a test match, after Peter Siddle achieved this feat in 2013. These extraordinary records highlight both teams’ struggles to dismiss the tail and ultimately fall short of victory.

The first day started with India winning the toss and electing to bat first on a seemingly flat track. England brought about an early breakthrough when Anderson dismissed opener Shikhar Dhawan for 12 but India safely negotiated to lunch on 106-1. England then made two quick breakthroughs to leave India 107-3 and India were wobbling a touch when Rahane was out to Plunkett for 32 to leave the tourists 178-4. Murali Vijay scored a sublime hundred before the end of play, his first outside the subcontinent before captain Dhoni added a stylish 50 to leave India 259-4 at the end of day 1.

Day two started with India comfortably crossing 300 before the first wicket of the day fell with the score on 304 and it was Vijay who departed for a very well made 146 to Anderson, in a dubious LBW decision. India reached lunch on 342-5 before a typical Indian collapse started. They lost 4 wickets for 2 runs to leave them with a seemingly below par score at 346-9. But to England’s dismay, Kumar and Mohammed Shami added 111 with both batsmen scoring their first half centuries in their Indian career. Kumar was eventually out for 58 as India were bowled out for 457. There was however still time for England’s captain Alistair Cook to be dismissed for 5, prolonging his dismal form. England ended day 2 at 43-1.

England began day three brightly moving past a hundred with both Robson and Ballance passing 50. Both batsmen were then out in a relatively short time with Ian Bell following soon after to leave the hosts 172-4 after being 134-1. England then followed India’s example in the first innings to collapse to 202-7 putting themselves in all sorts of trouble. But just like England struggled to dismiss India’s tail, India followed suit as Stuart Broad added a quick fire 47 of just 42 balls before being adjudged LBW to Kumar to leave England 280-8. Kumar then added his fourth wicket to leave England 298-9, still over 150 behind India. However it was India who left the field feeling frustrated as Root and Anderson added 50 runs for the last wicket to end the day not out.

The fourth day arrived with India hoping to get the elusive wicket quickly with a lead of around 80-90 but things soon started going pear-shaped rather quickly. Joe Root brought up his hundred as England blasted 50 runs in the opening 10 overs of the day. Thanks to India’s rather defensive tactics, Jimmy Anderson and Joe Root put on easy runs as Anderson scored his first ever 50 in any form of cricket as England rapidly approached India’s first innings score. Joe Root brought up his 150 before Anderson fell to Kumar, who claimed his 5 wicket haul to leave England with 496 after that mammoth last wicket stand of 198, which gave England a slender but priceless lead of 39. India’s openers looked untroubled before Dhawan fell cheaply to Ali but Vijay and Pujara cruised to take India to 130-1. Both passed 50 and looked in little trouble before like Dhawan, they gave away their wickets cheaply to leave India 167-3 and the close of play, 128 ahead.

The fifth and final day began with England in search of quick wickets to put India under pressure to try and force an unlikely victory. Their plans worked as India lost 3 wickets for 17 runs to leave themselves 184-6, just 145 ahead. Binny and Jadeja came to the crease and looked assured early on. They added a vital 65 before Jadeja fell to Anderson to put India on 249-7, just over 200 ahead. Binny then made his maiden 50 on test debut as India crawled ever close to safety. He then fell for 78 to Ali to leave India 340-8, with a draw all put confirmed. There was still time for Kumar to add his second 50 of the match before England’s captain Alistair Cook brought himself into the attack and took his first ever test wicket dismissing Ishant Sharma for 13 before India declared at 391-9, which confirmed the draw.

Overall both teams would agree that a draw was a fair result but both sides had chances to win the match. The final consensus will be that the pitch was ultimately too flat to force a result and both teams move on to Lords for the second test match, starting later this week.  

Greece Pay The Penalty Despite Domination

Greece paid the ultimate penalty last night as they crashed out of the World Cup at the last 16 stage to a determined and a fighting Costa Rica side. After 120 minutes of near total domination, Greece must wonder how they did not manage to win this tie against a side lacking any real quality but had true spirit as shown in the group stage. Despite this, Costa Rica progress to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history following a 5-3 penalty shoot out victory, after it finished 1-1 after extra time.

The first half was certainly a slow and dull encounter with neither side creating many chances and the majority of the play in the middle third. Greece did however have the majority of the possession but their build up play took far too long to pose any real danger. Dimitris Salpingidis did have the best chance for the Greeks but his effort was well saved by the Costa Rica keeper Navas- the first save of many. 

Greece again started the second half dominating possession but it was Costa Rica who made the breakthrough with one of their first efforts on goal. Bryan Ruiz converted his effort from the edge of the area into the corner of the goal, a very weak finish that somehow found its way in. Certainly all too easy as far as Costa Rica were concerned.

Costa Rica then should have been awarded a penalty shortly after when an apparent hand ball from Torosidis went unnoticed by the referee. Duarte was then sent off for a second bookable offence on 65 minutes, reducing Costa Rica to 10 men and certainly allowing them to focus on defending for the rest of the match. 

As the second half wore on, it looked like Greece were never going to find the all elusive equaliser. Again, their build up play was extremely long and mostly broken down by a dogged Costa Rican defence. Gekas and Fulham’s record singing Mitroglou went close before eventually in the 91st minute, defender Papastathopoulos fired home his first international goal. Greece then almost won it with the last kick of the 90 but Navas pulled off a tremendous save to deny Mitroglou.

Greece looked like the most likely side to progress in extra time but Navas made two more saves denying the Greeks once again. Greece’s best chance came with two minutes left of extra time as Christodoulopoulos found himself through on goal but was stopped by the excellent Navas to take the tie into the dreaded penalty shootout.  

The first seven penalty kicks were put away with ease before Navas made his most decisive save denying Gekas which left Umana to put Costa Rica through to their first ever World Cup Quarter-Final, with a 5-3 penalty win.

Greece will only have themselves to blame that they did not make it through. Poor build up play and a lack of real quality on the wings cost them dear in a match where they had 23 shots with 8 on target to Costa Rica’s 7 attempts all match. It is clear then that the true hero was the Costa Rica and Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

England Crash Out Of World Cup

After just two matches, England’s World Cup dreams have ended perhaps even earlier than the most pessimistic of England fan would have expected. Back to back defeats mean for the first time since 1958, England have failed to make it out of the group stages of the World Cup. With their chances all but over following a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay, Costa Rica’s surprising win over Italy consigned England to their fate. Another World Cup, another failure.

The match against Uruguay was a must win encounter for both sides with defeat not being an option. England started with the same team that lost against Italy and failed to find any finishing touches despite much possession early on. Rooney did come close on a couple of occasions in the first half with his closest effort heading against the bar from close range, where perhaps an inform Rooney would have done better.

England’s frailties in defence were evident in the first half especially when Cristian Rodriguez went close after a Jagielka mistake. Uruguay inevitably took the lead on 39 minutes after Cavani’s inch perfect cross met the head of Suarez after he left his marker to head into the back of the net. The second half started with Uruguay dominating play. They could have so easily scored two or three times in the opening second half minutes but England rode their luck and managed to equalise. Wayne Rooney stuck his first World Cup goal with just 15 minutes left on the clock, following some great work by Johnson out on the right which left Rooney to tap home.

But just as it looked like England had been gaining momentum and looked the most likely team to win, it was that man Suarez who broke England hearts with five minutes remaining. A root one goal began with a punt from the Uruguay goalkeeper which caught out England captain Gerrard who could only flick the ball backwards to Suarez who finished home to seal the win for the South American outfit. 

The defeat left England needing a miracle to qualify but that was soon dashed as Ruiz scored the only goal of the game to give Costa Rica victory over Italy, sending themselves through and England packing.

Greg Dyke's B League Plan to Ruin English Football

FA chairman Greg Dyke’s proposed plan to help boost English football by increasing the level of English players in the Premier League, will do nothing but tear apart the football league.

Dyke’s proposed plan is to create a new tier in English football between League Two and the Conference. This tier will be named ‘League Three’ and will be made up of 10 Premier League B teams and 10 Conference sides. B teams would be able to be promoted up until League One but will be barred from domestic cup competitions. Most of these B teams would have 20 players from the squad qualifying for the home grown rule and 19 would be under 21.

The whole idea of this extremely controversial idea is to increase the ability level of youngsters who are unable to play first team football in the Premier League, by getting them game time in competitive Football League matches. The first obvious problem is this is exactly what the loan system does. Young English players who find themselves out of the picture in the Premier League, sign for Football League clubs helping them to get game time and competitive football. The most recent example of this working is Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford who scored nearly 30 goals playing on loan at MK Dons and Derby this season. With this system clearly working for many years, why fix it if it isn’t broken? 

The main issue with this proposal is the damage it will have on the Football League. First of all, Conference sides will find it much harder to play in the Football League, which is extremely unfair on clubs with limited resources whose only dream is to play in the top 4 leagues. And with this introduction of B teams in ‘League 3’, Dyke clearly has not thought about the consequences this could lead to in the coming years. Potentially, in 3 or 4 years time League One could be made up of these 10 B teams who could all finish in the top 10 and because they are not allowed to be promoted to the Championship, we could find ourselves in the situation where clubs all the way down to 16th would be getting promoted and be in the play-off picture. That in itself is a reason why this ludicrous idea will surely never work and do nothing but destroy the heart and fabric of the English game. 

With these squads being made up of mostly under 21 players, these players are going to find it hard to develop their game. 21 years olds are not really going to learn much playing with each other, which is why the old reserve league system and the loan system are perfect ways in which young English players can learn and improve their skills. The reserve leagues where more experienced players who find themselves on the fringes of the first team would be playing reserve football, along with the youngsters meaning they are able to learn from playing alongside quality, older players. The B league is just a reserve League anyway, but put into the Football League system.

The loan system is a perfect way for youngsters to play in the Football League without this frankly stupid idea from a man who clearly does not know what he is doing.