Dutch Courage Doesn't Hide Mismatches

Phew! It nearly happened again. After being humbled by the Netherlands two years ago, England were almost beaten again. We're talking cricket here by the way. And however well the Dutch played yesterday, it doesn't mask what has been a first week of mismatches at the Cricket World Cup.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer of "every dog has his day" - in fact, look no further than this very competition four years ago when Ireland stunned Pakistan - but Kenya getting bowled out for 69 and Canada getting thrashed by 210 runs is no good for this tournament. And no good for the associate members taking part.

Yes, they have earned their right to be in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by qualifying, but the imagination is hardly captured by watching teams get a hiding. In sport, tension and competition is what provides entertainment.

This is a much maligned tournament and rightly so. 42 days it goes on for. If I didn't shave for that long, I'd have a beard longer than Santa's. And the longer it continues, the nearer Christmas gets.

Teams like Canada and the Netherlands do learn by playing the Test playing nations, but why not play them in one day internationals yearly? Otherwise cricket's showpiece event becomes just a bit of a farce.

Twitter Trouble

Social networking sites provide us journalists with opportunities to gain an insight to those involved in sport - even when we can't get an interview. They also provide an opportunity for players to slip up and tell us things the clubs or authorities don't want us to know.

Ryan Babel has become the latest player to fall foul of the Twitter revolution. After Liverpool's FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford, the Dutchman posted a doctored image of referee Howard Webb in a Manchester United shirt. It was accompanied by the Tweet "And they call him one of the best referees. That's a joke" (@RyanBabel) The joke's on Babel now though as it has landed him in trouble with FA. The game's authorities charging the forward with improper conduct.

Of course, it's not the first case of a player landing himself in deep water because of Twitter. Darren Bent (@DB11TT) did himself no favours with the Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy when he posted: "Do I wanna go Hull City NO. Do I wanna go stoke NO do I wanna go sunderland YES so stop f****** around Levy..." It caused outrage, but for Bent the post worked. He was transferred to the Stadium of Light shortly after.

Phil Hughes (@PH408) gave the game away that he wasn't to be selected for the Third Ashes Test back in 2009 when he tweeted "Disappointed not to be on the field with the lads today , will be supporting the guys, it's a BIG test for us..." Cricket Australia were not happy details of the team had been leaked before the match, but this is becoming more common. Rio Ferdinand Tweeted he would be rested before Manchester United's match with Stoke. Team selection issues are a far cry from libel though.

Babel has become the first player to be charged by the Football Association for comments on a social networking site. For tweeters and us journalists it sets a dangerous precedent. It means players' mangers and agents will be monitoring their actions ever closer. And behind the closed doors of the Premier League, this will make it that bit tougher for us journalists (or the tech savvy) to be informed of what's really going on behind the scenes.

Winter of content for England

So in the end it was a glorious victory for England down under. A first win against Australia on their own turf since 1986-7 and three Test matches won by an innings. But who were the winners and who needs to prove themselves in England's Test match squad? Here's my half term report of England's team ahead of the one day series and World Cup.

ALISTAIR COOK
756 runs - average: 127.66
Before the Ashes many, including Armchair Athlete were questioning keeping Cook in the squad. But the opener has proved everyone wrong with a series of the very highest quality. Records galore, three centuries and a winter where the Essex batsman came of age. And at only 26 years old, he's surely a future England captain.

ANDREW STRAUSS
307 runs - average: 43.85
The first captain to lead England to Ashes success in Australia for 25 years. That in itself says enough but it's the manner of the victories that impresses most and that comes from fine leadership. After the huge defeat in Perth, England teams of the past would have disintegrated. But Strauss got the troops going back in the right direction.

JONATHAN TROTT
445 runs - average: 89.00
Three Test match hundreds in just 8 innings against the old enemy, Trott has been England's Mr Reliable ever since being the key to Ashes success at the Oval in 2009. His match winning 168 at the MCG capped another brilliant series for England's number 3, who has the attributes to step up to open the innings.

KEVIN PIETERSEN
360 runs - average: 60.00
KP looked weak against the turning ball in the prelude to the Ashes, but he delivered when it mattered. The mature double hundred, which was key to the win at Adelaide, showed Pietersen is capable of traditional shot making, rather than the reverse shots and slog sweeps of previous.

PAUL COLLINGWOOD
83 runs - average: 13.83

2 wickets - average: 36.50
A shame that Colly couldn't end his Test career with a successful series with bat or ball but his real legacy to England's test team will be in the field. The catch to dismiss Ricky Ponting at the WACA will go down as one of the best in Ashes history.

IAN BELL
329 runs - average: 65.80
This is a man who is in the form of his life. Bell is now a joy to watch bat and the fact he's managed over 300 runs batting at six (and mainly with the tail) shows just how good he now is. Bell isn't a guarantee to be in England's ODI side, but I urge Strauss and Flower to select a man who is seeing it like a football.

MATT PRIOR
252 runs - average: 50.40

23 dismissals
No questions over Prior's keeping on tour, but before Melbourne there was plenty of doubts over his batting. But two big knocks (and at good pace too) in the final two Tests leave the selectors a dilemma for the one day series and World Cup ahead.

JAMES ANDERSON
24 wickets - average: 26.04
The leading wicket taker in the series, Anderson led England's attack to great things. His burst in the opening throws of the Adelaide Test will live long in the memory, even if the Aussies recovered from 2 for 3. Fast swinging deliveries, the ability to reverse the ball and Glenn McGrath like accuracy are rapidly becoming Anderson's stock.

CHRIS TREMLETT
17 wickets - average: 23.35

The fear over Tremlett's selection was that his summer wickets had come in Division Two of the County Championship. But confidence is a powerful catalyst for success and Tremlett burst onto the Ashes scene with a wicket in his first over. From that he never looked back.

GRAEME SWANN
15 wickets - average: 39.80

88 runs - average: 22.00
Australia produced pitches to nullify Swann's impact - that's how much they feared him. And to some extent that worked. But Swann's ability to turn the ball even on benign surfaces is what's making him a truly great bowler. What also mustn't be understated is his influence in the dressing room. His video diaries showed morale was high throughout and the Sprinkler is now every cricket fan's favourite dance.

STEVEN FINN
14 wickets - average: 33.14

Finn is an exciting prospect there is no doubt. His strike rate is impressive (a wicket every 8 overs) but he was the most expensive bowler of the series. If he can maintain the threat whilst stemming the flow of runs Finn could be the tall quickie England need for the future.

TIM BRESNAN
11 wickets - average: 19.54

39 runs - average: 19.50
A brilliant return from the Yorkshire all rounder. Bresnan stepped in to replace Finn and with 6 for 75 at Melbourne the big man certainly delivered. Needs to back it up with another series of consistency to maintain the pressure on the selectors to pick him.

STUART BROAD
2 wickets - average: 80.50
Injury cut short Broad's involvement but given his impotency with bat and ball maybe this wasn't the worst thing. But at just 24, Broad can expect more chances against the Australians in the future.

And lest we forget the involvement of Andy Flower. His importance to the players was signified by every one of them giving the coach a big hug (with Trott going with a meaty handshake) when the Ashes were retained at Melbourne. The preparations were perfect and Flower would have been key in turning around England's fortunes after the Perth defeat.

Let's forget all the press about Australia being a weak version of their former self and let's focus on what has been a series of excellent all round cricket from England. It's now a realistic goal for the Test number one spot to follow. Keep it up boys.

England now expects...

It's been a while since I've offered my two-penneth on sports stories here. But at last, Armchair Athlete is back. The name of this blog is especially pertinent at this time. This is where I will spend most of my nights sleep in the coming 6 weeks.

For this is the time of the Ashes. The biggest event in cricket and the most important series England have contested under Andrew Strauss. This is because England now stand a real chance of beating the Australians in their own back yard.

Ashes series in Australia paint a picture of woe for England. Just four wins for England down under post-war and not at all since 1986-7. Last time out we were whitewashed 5-nil. Just as Glenn McGrath predicted.

But, this Australia side are not capable of such a feat again. They do not have the quality of bowling like McGrath, Shane Warne and the like. The confidence has gone. The bravado of Australia teams (and their media for that matter) of old has been replaced by in-fighting, underperforming (one win in their last 8 outings - and that was a dead rubber against Sri Lanka), and from the media, shots across their own bows.

In stark contrast, consider the advance of England. This squad has flourished under Strauss and Andy Flower. They've won the Ashes already, here in England, and the ICC World Twenty20 trophy followed the little urn into the Lord's trophy cabinet. This squad, in Greame Swann, also now have a bowler who is capable of dismissing any batting order in world cricket.

More importantly in context of this series is England's preparations. They arrived in plenty of time before Thursday's first Test at the Gabba. And Australia beware - because England have found their feet quickly since travelling to Oz - and won two out of their three warm up fixtures.

I'm not going to do a McGrath and predict a 5-nil drubbing. But I will be as brave as the former pace-man and make a bold prediction. England are going to win this Ashes series.

Le Tour pavé-d with danger

Well, normal service resumed today at the Tour de France after an opening three stages that saw just about everything. Crashes taking out one of the favourites. Fancied riders hitting the deck or getting punctures at key moments.

Stage 3 was always going to cause accidents. 7 sets of cobbles, pavés, as they are know in French, for the peleton to overcome. Unfortunately for Frank Schleck, it was him to fall foul of the uneven surface. He tumbled out of the race and broke his collarbone in three places, needing surgery and eight bolts put into his shoulder.

Lance Armstrong had said he'd have rather had a team time trial then the cobbles as a method of falling out of contention. And given the severity of Schleck's injury, the race director really should take a long hard look at that route.

Armstrong himself was also a victim of the conditions and suffered a puncture during the 213 kilometre trek from Wanze to Arenberg. He lost time rather than blood. But finishing 2 minutes down on some of his rivals leaves him moving to Plan B even before the race has hit the Alps. Lance tweeted that was just bad luck - I'm not sure Sylvain Chavanel would have been so understanding after losing his yellow jersey to not one but two flat tyres.

Usually Le Tour goes to the rider strong enough to get over the hills and quick enough over a time trial. So far this year, it looks like going to the rider who manages to stay upright the longest.

Rose Blooming in America

A week is a long time in sport. Less than a week ago, my own Armchair Athlete view was that the South American teams were the mostly likely to prevail in the World Cup quarter finals. What do I know, eh?

This week really was seven days of ups and downs for Justin Rose. Having led through 54 holes, Rose was looking good for a second successive victory on the USPGA Tour at the Travellers Championship. He missed out there, but made sure lightning didn't strike twice - winning the AT&T National with a final round of 70.

It's been a remarkable season for Rose thus far. Having taken his first victory for three years by winning the Memorial Tournament, the 29 year old then failed to qualify for the US Open, before continuing his rich vein of form across the pond.

His success this year has been a long time coming for a man who burst onto the scene in such dramatic fashion. Rose finished fourth as an amateur in the Open Championship 12 years ago, promptly went professional and missed 21 cuts in a row. Far from an ideal start to a career.

In tow of his two wins and the slip up at the Travellers Championship, Rose has finished second in the Honda Classic and his now moved up into 16th in the World Rankings. He is playing his way into Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup squad, and even if he doesn't accrue enough points, you've got to fancy Monty will pick a player who is in the form of his life.

Rose will be at the Open Championship at St Andrews in 9 days time trying to better that fourth place finish that got things started. The way he's playing at the moment, I wouldn't bet against him coming away from Scotland with a first major title.

Latin Lovin'

So, we're down to the final 8. And four of them are from South America. They have been the only teams to set this World Cup alive so far.

Uruguay have seen off the challenge of a languid France and look the most likely of the Latin American countries to make it through to the semi-finals as they face Ghana.

Diego Maradona's Argentina have been thoroughly impressive. Their front three remain unstoppable, with Gonzalo Higuain surely in pole position to collect the Golden Boot. And their football has been beautiful - Carlos Tevez's first against Mexico might have been offside but there was no doubt about his second and Argentina's third. That was the best strike in this tournament thus far.

Paraguay have been ruthless, sending the 2008 World Champions crashing out of the competition at the group stage. And today holding their nerve to edge past Japan on the dreaded penalty shoot out.

And finally, Brazil, who have been as strong at the back as they are skillful going forward. Dunga's men have struck the perfect balance - and it was summed up perfectly by Robinho's goal against Chile, following a driving run by Ramires. Described, very eloquently on ITV's coverage as "steel and silver".

The question is why have the South American teams profited whilst most of the European sides have faltered?

Some answer must surely lay with the qualification process. England's toughest opponent in the qualifiers was Croatia, and they looked a shadow of the side that ended Steve McClaren's reign at Wembley. South American sides play 18 matches in trying to make it to the finals. And those games are against other serious contenders for the overall title. Top European sides only tend to face each other in friendlies - which normally take place in the middle of the season and none of the players are anywhere close to full tilt.

So, what is the solution? With so many nations taking part in the qualification process in UEFA, the only way forward may be a two tier system where the 'smaller' teams must qualify through a first round before facing those 'larger' nations. This idea doesn't sit easy with some people because they believe the likes of San Marino relish the games against England, Germany etc. But, realistically, are they ever going to beat any of the European powers? No.

Competition breeds success - it's a commonly used adage in sport. And one UEFA may want to consider if they want more accomplishment from European teams in future World Cups.