After the shock of seeing Rafa Nadal dismantled in straight sets in the quarter finals, those watching the French Open men's final on Sunday witnessed another stunning upset.
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka beat World Number One Novak Djokovic (the man who dismantled Nadal in the quarters) in an incredible display in four sets of tennis to win his second grand slam title, following his win at the Australian Open last year.
Due to Nadal suffering from injury in that final, particularly during the second set when he looked set to retire, Wawrinka never got proper credit for his first slam win. That was harsh on the Swiss star, who had to cope with Nadal's situation and regroup after losing the third set.
Sunday's win though truly showed Wawrinka at his blistering best as he beat a man who had only lost twice this year and seemed finally destined to win the French Open and complete the career grand slam.
An even first set between the pair was lost when Wawrinka served a poor game at 3-3 but he soon hit Djokovic with a barrage of winners that even the greatest returner of all time couldn't find an answer to. His one handed backhand is arguably the most aggressive and potent shot in tennis and it was lethal on Sunday. Although it took him until his fifth break point to seal the second set, he was on top throughout as he electrified the crowd with winners on the forehand side as well as his trusted backhand.
Some utterly outrageous winners followed during the third set, including one which saw him hit a winner round the net post which delighted the Parisian crowd. Djokovic isn't one of the finest players ever to pick up a racquet for nothing and he fought back terrifically well at the start of the fourth set going into a 3-0 lead, as Wawrinka started to make some regular errors for the first time.
Anyone thinking Wawrinka was going to crack were then put in their place. A tremendous mix of defence and attack ensured he levelled up at 3-3. It was Djokovic's turn though for some brilliance as an incredible diving volley put him ahead before he suddenly got three break points on his opponents serve. Wawrinka's game came roaring back though and following some more terrific blows between the pair, it was Wawrinka who seized the opportunity and somewhat appropriately win the match with a blistering backhand.
His win propels him into the top four in the world rankings and he should now be considered as a huge threat in every grand slam. In an era where Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have won 39 slams between them since 2003, Wawrinka is the only multiple slam champion other than Andy Murray in that period.
He dominated Federer and Djokovic in the French Open and he's also beaten Nadal and Murray in grand slams too. What he now needs to find in the slams to stay in the elite is consistency. Last year he lost in the first round of the French, then this year he wins it. A phenomenal turnaround, but also something that would be very unlikely to happen in Djokovic's, Nadal's or even Murray's world.
There is no doubting though that Wawrinka has massively improved since hiring former world number two Magnus Norman as his coach in 2013. He has made him believe he can beat the best and has led him to two slams as well as a semi final in Melbourne this year and at the US Open in 2013. He has turned him into an even more aggressive player, as the 59 winners on Sunday prove.
He might already be 30, but Wawrinka is playing like someone ten years younger right now. That fearless attitude poses a huge threat to everyone else in the men's game and whilst grass isn't Wawrinka's best surface, he can still be a major threat at Wimbledon.
Wawrinka has now moved out of Federer's shadow and is now his country's current tennis superstar. For that alone, he deserves massive credit.
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Thursday, 14 May 2015
England got it wrong with Kevin Pietersen- now they're afraid to go back
People make mistakes. That's just a fact of life. The world of cricket is no different.
Those running English cricket felt they were taking the right course of action in February 2014, when they decided to sack Kevin Pietersen after being whitewashed 5-0 by the Australians in a truly dismal Ashes series. Management including Paul Downton, Ashley Giles ( a man who shared a crease with Pietersen as he led England to the Ashes in 2005) and James Whitaker talked then about not only re-building the team for the future but also the team ethic.
It was clear that many felt that Pietersen was still a divisive figure in the dressing room and were unwilling to put this aside for a man who is England's all-time top scorer in all formats of the game and the man who had been England's top run scorer in the aforementioned Ashes series.
It looked then as if Pietersen's England career was over. That was until incoming English and Welsh cricket board chairman Colin Graves hinted at a softening stance towards Pietersen in March this year. Pietersen was naturally buoyed by Graves's interview and decided to leave his lucrative £250,000 contract in the Indian Premier League to return to English cricket with Surrey. He believed from Graves's words that if he showed form in county cricket, he could make his way back into the England set-up.
Then the madness of this week struck. New director of English cricket Andrew Strauss told Pietersen on Monday night that he would never be selected for England again as long as he was in charge. This came hours after Pietersen had scored an incredible 326 runs in one day for Surrey (he want on to finish on an unbeaten 355 on Tuesday). England cricket fans were furious and confused at the same time.
Strauss's press conference on Tuesday didn't clear up matters at all. In one sentence, the former England captain said that there were trust issues between him and Pietersen, then in another sentence, he revealed he had offered him an advisory role with the England one-day team. How on earth can you offer a role in a team set-up to someone you have trust issues with? It left Strauss open to ridicule and criticism which he rightfully got, only days into his new role.
Some said Pietersen should have accepted Strauss's offer; that he should be looking for any route back into the set-up. With all due respect, this isn't some average player we are talking about here. This is a man who's scored 23 centuries for England and over 8,000 runs in test cricket. He's helped his side win three Ashes in the last decade as well as a Twenty 20 World Cup. He's every right to turn down an offer like that.
He's also right to feel deceived by ECB chiefs. He's gone out and scored the runs they wanted him to. Some scoff and say it was only Leicestershire. The next top scorer for Surrey in that innings was Kumar Sangakkara with 36. Pietersen's 355 was the highest score in the County Championship in the 21st century. Yet England don't feel it's right to pick him.
And that's because they don't want to admit they were wrong. Deep down they must know they have weakened the team by ditching Pietersen. If they don't then English cricket is heading in a very worrying direction. Look at the names slamming Strauss's decision this week- Michael Vaughan, Alec Stewart, Ian Botham, Shane Warne, Graeme Smith, Geoff Boycott and Sangakkara. All legends of the game who can't understand why such a talented player isn't being picked.
You might have guessed by now I'm a fan of Pietersen. As he burst onto the scene in 2005 with three centuries in a one day series against South Africa I was gripped. His 158 in the final Ashes test in 2005 which secured England's victory in the series remains one of the finest innings I've ever watched.
However, I'm not so naive that I don't accept Pietersen's made mistakes. The insulting text messages to members of the South African team in 2012 when Strauss was England captain were stupid and plain wrong. And he knows that and it's perhaps why there are still issues of trust between the pair. His book last year certainly didn't hold back either, but plenty sports stars have written controversial books and come out the other side. It's called having an opinion.
He's also thrown away his wicket on too many occasions but he's hardly the only player guilty of doing that in the world of cricket. The fact remains is that Kevin Pietersen is one of, if not the most exciting batsman in the history of English cricket and a prize wicket for every opposition bowling attack. The Aussies must be laughing that their Ashes rivals aren't going to pick a man who's just hit a triple century just because there are 'trust issues'.
The best captains and managers deal with players who are perhaps a bit unique and upset the apple cart a bit. Why were Vaughan and Duncan Fletcher able to get the best out of Pietersen in the 2005 Ashes and Peter Moores and Andy Flower unable to work with him in other Ashes series? It's undoubtedly because the former gave Pietersen the freedom to express himself on and off the field whilst the others didn't create a happy working environment, not just for Pietersen but for the whole team.
Look at Paul Gascoigne; he was a maverick and genius in the way Pietersen is to an even greater extent. Managers like Walter Smith and Terry Venables got the best out of him because they understood that he was different, whilst also understanding the huge benefits he gave to club and country. Fall-outs are also part and parcel of team sports. Do you think Sir Alex Ferguson cared that Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole didn't speak to each other at Man Utd? Of course he didn't as they put that aside on the park and helped Fergie's club win the Treble.
If Pietersen wasn't liked by the England dressing room yet he went out and dominated the Australian bowling attack and helped England regain the Ashes this summer , would any lover of the England cricket team care? Of course they wouldn't.
People like Strauss and Cook don't want to admit they have got the Pietersen situation wrong so they are farcically sticking to their guns. Pietersen is one of those players that comes along every so often, that transcends beyond just cricketing lovers. He's like Freddie Flintoff or Ian Botham in that they are larger than life personalities, who need the right sort of management.
If there are trust issues between Strauss and Pietersen, then they should be worked out for the good of English cricket. Right now Strauss is coming across very childish; by not picking Pietersen he may even miss out on his number one target as the new England coach, Jason Gillespie, who has hinted he'd want to have Pietersen in his side.
The Pietersen situation has been allowed to develop into a fiasco but people who clearly don't have strong enough leadership skills to deal with a maverick in the dressing room, despite Pietersen still showing he has the talent to play for England.
For that and the way they've misled Pietersen, England cricket chiefs should hang their heads in shame.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
The Americans can stop Rory McIlroy's Masters dream
The 2015 edition of The Masters is finally upon us as the world's best golfers descend on Augusta National, hoping by the end of Sunday night that they will be slipping into the famous green jacket.
The world number one Rory McIlroy arrives at one of the world's most famous golf courses with the expectation that he will complete Golf's Grand Slam and win all four majors at the age of just 25. McIlroy famously had a meltdown on the back nine at Augusta in 2011, otherwise last years win at The Open Championship would have already seen him complete an achievement only managed by five other players in history.
There is no doubting that McIlroy's long and accurate hitting, combined with his wonderfully good iron play and red hot putter on the greens can win at Augusta and he will win a Green Jacket one day. It is a matter of if 2015 is truly the man from Northern Ireland's year to do it.
And looking at his Augusta record and his form this season, I don't think McIlroy will be leaving with one of golf's iconic images on his back. His best finish at Augusta was tied eighth last year but he was eight shots off winner Bubba Watson and shot a 77 in the second round. In every year since 2010, he has had one horror round (77 in 2010, 80 in 2011, 77 in 2012, 79 in 2013 and a 77 last year) and that shows how McIlroy has struggled to get to grips with the course even as he's progressed to become the best golfer in the world.
His form this season in America has been patchy. Despite winning the Dubai Desert Classic in February and coming 2nd in the preceding Abu Dhabi Championship on the European Tour, McIlroy missed the cut at the Honda Classic and has only shot one round in the 60's in his other two tournaments on the PGA Tour this season.
The Americans have upstaged the man from Holywood this season so far and I believe they are primed and ready to do so at Augusta this week as well. Here's five Americans to put some cash on:
Jordan Spieth (12/1 at William Hill)
Still only 21, the Texan produced a superb performance on his Masters debut last year finishing in second place behind winner Bubba Watson. Spieth led by two shots early on in the final round but bogeys at holes eight and nine meant Spieth was unable to recover a deficit to his fellow American.
However, Spieth now looks even more ready to win his first Major Championship this week. He has been in terrific form since the end of 2014, winning the Australian Open in November last year and then the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour in March this year, seeing off Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair in a play-off.
Last week he narrowly missed out on winning the Shell Houston Open but this time he lost out in the play-off to J.B. Holmes. Despite that loss, he arrives at Augusta full of confidence in the way he is playing and determined to go one better this year. His driving distance stats might be below 300 yards on average, but he is still a long enough hitter to cope with Augusta's length and a more pleasing stat on the Spieth front is that he is taking the least amount of putts per hole this season on the PGA Tour.
Jimmy Walker (22/1 at Various)
Jimmy Walker remains a bit of an unknown outside of the golfing world. He was certainly a late bloomer in the sport, only winning his first PGA Tour title in 2013, at the age of 34.
Following that maiden success at the 2013 Frys.Com Open, Walker hasn't looked back and has won a further four times on the PGA Tour since including twice this season at the Sony Open in Hawaii and at the Valero Texas Open at the end of March, where he finished four shots ahead of a certain Jordan Spieth.
Having finished tied eighth on his Masters debut last year, Walker now looks hungry to have a real tilt at winning his first Major on his second appearance at Augusta. He finished in the top thirty of all four majors in 2014, including further top tens at the US Open and US PGA championships which shows his love of the big tournaments.
With Walker regularly hitting the ball over 300 yards and having a devilishly good touch around the greens, you'd be mad not to take those odds on him.
Matt Kuchar (45/1 at Coral)
Regular readers and people who know me, know that I am convinced Kuchar will win a Green Jacket one day. And this year he may well just slip under the radar with many of his other countrymen being talked up ahead of him.
Kuchar has a great record at Augusta over the past three years, finishing tied fifth last year which followed a tied eighth in 2013 and a tie for third in 2012. His great touch around the greens combined with accuracy off the tee and his irons make him ideally suited to the challenge of Augusta National.
If there's one problem with Kuchar, it is that he doesn't seem to have the ruthless streak to win more tournaments than he does, with his last win coming almost a year ago on the PGA Tour. Nevertheless, Kuchar is someone who comes alive during Augusta week and is certainly worth an each way bet.
Brooks Koepka (100/1 at various)
You would usually be declared mad for tipping a Masters debutant to win, but there is something different about Koepka that makes me feel he could be in contention come Sunday.
Firstly, he hits the ball a long, long way, averaging almost 308 yards this season on the PGA Tour which is bettered only by Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson. Long hitting is absolutely necessary to succeed this week with Augusta lengthening every year.
Secondly, Koepka comes into the event in great form winning most recently in February at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he held off a challenge from Bubba Watson among others and shot 66-64 over the weekend to win. He also enjoyed a superb victory in the Turkish Airlines Open in November 2014, shooting a final round 65 to edge out Ian Poulter.
Only 24, he also enjoyed top three finishes in 2014 at the Dubai Desert Classic and Omega European Masters and subsequently won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title on the European Tour. No Masters debutant has won the green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, but Koepka's great driving and fearless attitude gives him a chance to break that long standing record.
Zach Johnson (100/1 at various)
The 2007 winner is well worth an each way bet. He might have only had one top 20 finish at Augusta since winning the tournament eight years ago, but Johnson is one of the most solid golfers of the last decade or so and loves a good challenge.
He might not be the longest off the tee, but he is accurate and that always leaves you with a chance at Augusta considering other players go wild off the tee. He remains one of the games greatest putters particularly from short-range and has always been someone who looked like he had no trouble with the pace of Augusta's greens.
He might not win a second green jacket this weekend but at odds of 100/1, 39 year old Johnson with his experience and temperament is more than capable of pushing towards the top of the leaderboard.
The Americans are hungry to wrestle back control of golf Majors from Rory McIlroy and there are plenty more names not on this list who it wouldn't be surprising to see lead the American charge at Augusta.
It's time to sit back and enjoy four days of brilliant golf from the world's best.
The world number one Rory McIlroy arrives at one of the world's most famous golf courses with the expectation that he will complete Golf's Grand Slam and win all four majors at the age of just 25. McIlroy famously had a meltdown on the back nine at Augusta in 2011, otherwise last years win at The Open Championship would have already seen him complete an achievement only managed by five other players in history.
There is no doubting that McIlroy's long and accurate hitting, combined with his wonderfully good iron play and red hot putter on the greens can win at Augusta and he will win a Green Jacket one day. It is a matter of if 2015 is truly the man from Northern Ireland's year to do it.
And looking at his Augusta record and his form this season, I don't think McIlroy will be leaving with one of golf's iconic images on his back. His best finish at Augusta was tied eighth last year but he was eight shots off winner Bubba Watson and shot a 77 in the second round. In every year since 2010, he has had one horror round (77 in 2010, 80 in 2011, 77 in 2012, 79 in 2013 and a 77 last year) and that shows how McIlroy has struggled to get to grips with the course even as he's progressed to become the best golfer in the world.
His form this season in America has been patchy. Despite winning the Dubai Desert Classic in February and coming 2nd in the preceding Abu Dhabi Championship on the European Tour, McIlroy missed the cut at the Honda Classic and has only shot one round in the 60's in his other two tournaments on the PGA Tour this season.
The Americans have upstaged the man from Holywood this season so far and I believe they are primed and ready to do so at Augusta this week as well. Here's five Americans to put some cash on:
Jordan Spieth (12/1 at William Hill)
Still only 21, the Texan produced a superb performance on his Masters debut last year finishing in second place behind winner Bubba Watson. Spieth led by two shots early on in the final round but bogeys at holes eight and nine meant Spieth was unable to recover a deficit to his fellow American.
However, Spieth now looks even more ready to win his first Major Championship this week. He has been in terrific form since the end of 2014, winning the Australian Open in November last year and then the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour in March this year, seeing off Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair in a play-off.
Last week he narrowly missed out on winning the Shell Houston Open but this time he lost out in the play-off to J.B. Holmes. Despite that loss, he arrives at Augusta full of confidence in the way he is playing and determined to go one better this year. His driving distance stats might be below 300 yards on average, but he is still a long enough hitter to cope with Augusta's length and a more pleasing stat on the Spieth front is that he is taking the least amount of putts per hole this season on the PGA Tour.
Jimmy Walker (22/1 at Various)
Jimmy Walker remains a bit of an unknown outside of the golfing world. He was certainly a late bloomer in the sport, only winning his first PGA Tour title in 2013, at the age of 34.
Following that maiden success at the 2013 Frys.Com Open, Walker hasn't looked back and has won a further four times on the PGA Tour since including twice this season at the Sony Open in Hawaii and at the Valero Texas Open at the end of March, where he finished four shots ahead of a certain Jordan Spieth.
Having finished tied eighth on his Masters debut last year, Walker now looks hungry to have a real tilt at winning his first Major on his second appearance at Augusta. He finished in the top thirty of all four majors in 2014, including further top tens at the US Open and US PGA championships which shows his love of the big tournaments.
With Walker regularly hitting the ball over 300 yards and having a devilishly good touch around the greens, you'd be mad not to take those odds on him.
Matt Kuchar (45/1 at Coral)
Regular readers and people who know me, know that I am convinced Kuchar will win a Green Jacket one day. And this year he may well just slip under the radar with many of his other countrymen being talked up ahead of him.
Kuchar has a great record at Augusta over the past three years, finishing tied fifth last year which followed a tied eighth in 2013 and a tie for third in 2012. His great touch around the greens combined with accuracy off the tee and his irons make him ideally suited to the challenge of Augusta National.
If there's one problem with Kuchar, it is that he doesn't seem to have the ruthless streak to win more tournaments than he does, with his last win coming almost a year ago on the PGA Tour. Nevertheless, Kuchar is someone who comes alive during Augusta week and is certainly worth an each way bet.
Brooks Koepka (100/1 at various)
You would usually be declared mad for tipping a Masters debutant to win, but there is something different about Koepka that makes me feel he could be in contention come Sunday.
Firstly, he hits the ball a long, long way, averaging almost 308 yards this season on the PGA Tour which is bettered only by Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson. Long hitting is absolutely necessary to succeed this week with Augusta lengthening every year.
Secondly, Koepka comes into the event in great form winning most recently in February at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he held off a challenge from Bubba Watson among others and shot 66-64 over the weekend to win. He also enjoyed a superb victory in the Turkish Airlines Open in November 2014, shooting a final round 65 to edge out Ian Poulter.
Only 24, he also enjoyed top three finishes in 2014 at the Dubai Desert Classic and Omega European Masters and subsequently won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title on the European Tour. No Masters debutant has won the green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, but Koepka's great driving and fearless attitude gives him a chance to break that long standing record.
Zach Johnson (100/1 at various)
The 2007 winner is well worth an each way bet. He might have only had one top 20 finish at Augusta since winning the tournament eight years ago, but Johnson is one of the most solid golfers of the last decade or so and loves a good challenge.
He might not be the longest off the tee, but he is accurate and that always leaves you with a chance at Augusta considering other players go wild off the tee. He remains one of the games greatest putters particularly from short-range and has always been someone who looked like he had no trouble with the pace of Augusta's greens.
He might not win a second green jacket this weekend but at odds of 100/1, 39 year old Johnson with his experience and temperament is more than capable of pushing towards the top of the leaderboard.
The Americans are hungry to wrestle back control of golf Majors from Rory McIlroy and there are plenty more names not on this list who it wouldn't be surprising to see lead the American charge at Augusta.
It's time to sit back and enjoy four days of brilliant golf from the world's best.
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
Andy Murray- 500 Not Out
Last night Andy Murray achieved history as he became the first British male tennis player to win 500 career matches.
He reached the landmark with a hard-fought three set win over South Africa's Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of the Miami Masters, a tournament he has won twice.
In many ways, the victory was similar to many of Murray's previous 499. He played well in parts, particularly in the first and third sets, but let his opponent back into the match as Anderson won the second set. His returning was also excellent for the most part, but his slow second serve continues to cause the man from Dunblane problems.
However, Murray won in the end and 500 career victories is a terrific achievement and one that should be cause for big celebration.
Having followed Murray since he first properly burst onto the tennis scene in the summer of 2005, I have seen many fantastic Murray wins, whilst also witnessing a fair share of his losses. But this is a positive article about Murray and with that in mind here are my five favourite Andy Murray wins to date.
1. 2013 Wimbledon final- Murray beats Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had chosen any other victory from Murray's 500. Murray was simply phenomenal against the man from Serbia as he made history on the centre court at Wimbledon.
Basking in roasting hot sunshine, from the word go Murray played as if he believed this was his time to finally become the first British male player since Fred Perry in 1936 to lift the coveted trophy. Whilst the scoreline doesn't reflect the true nature of the match (Murray was down 4-1 in the second set and 4-2 down in the third), he produced a brilliant display over the course of over three hours of tennis taking the match to Djokovic with a series of incredible ground strokes.
The match displayed Murray at his dogged and determined best and once that epic twelve minute final game had finished thanks to a Djokovic back hand into the net, the waiting was over.
Murray had delivered what people had been dreaming about for generations and for him to handle the mental pressure of the occasion, particularly after his emotional defeat to Roger Federer in the final on the same court the year before, this victory is Murray's best in his 500.
2. 2012 US Open Final. Murray defeats Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2
Closely behind the Wimbeldon final victory in the list, is another tremendous victory over Djokovic from Murray, this time at the 2012 US Open final.
This victory of course brought Murray his long awaited first Grand Slam title, at the fifth time of asking in a slam final as he withstood an onslaught from Djokovic, who was the defending champion at Flushing Meadows.
In a truly epic match lasting four hours and 54 minutes, the pair played some of the most pulsating tennis you are ever likely to see. The first set alone took 87 minutes (including 24 minutes for the tie-break) and involved a 54 shot rally at one point. Murray edged the tie-break 12-10 and that was hugely significant for him as he'd never won a set against Djokovic in the Grand Slam finals they had played before that night in New York.
Murray's tennis early in the second set was an absolute joy to watch as he raced into a 4-0 lead against the stunned Serb, but Djokovic isn't a multiple grand slam champion by luck and he fought back to level at 5-5.
However, Murray showed fantastic courage to hold serve and then attack Djokovic's serve as he went two sets to love up without the need of a tie-break. His fans inside the stadium and those at home including me felt sure that this was his moment to break his slam duck as he was now only a set away.
Djokovic wasn't quite done yet though and he took his tennis up several gears as he won the next two sets 6-3, 6-2 and suddenly he was in with a chance of completing a remarkable comeback.
Murray went off court before the end of the fifth and final set and psyched himself up with a pep talk in the mirror telling himself that this was his moment to win and that he wasn't losing this time. His words of wisdom worked a treat as he broke Djokovic's resistance and after almost five hours of tennis, he won the fifth set 6-2 and was finally able to call himself a Grand Slam champion.
I'm not ashamed at all to admit I was in tears at the sight of Murray holding the trophy aloft. After seven years of following him, I was so delighted but also so relieved that he'd finally overcome that hurdle which could no longer be used against him by critics. A performance that will stay with me forever.
3. 2008 Wimbledon 4th Round- Murray defeats Richard Gasquet 5-7,3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4
Talk about a match that put me through the ringer. 2008 was the year when people first truly started to believe on a wider scale that Murray was capable of winning a Grand Slam title.
Having just turned 21 by the time Wimbledon came around, he had shown great improvement in his maturity and in his technique as an all round player. He had performed well in his opening three matches at Wimbledon 2008, defeating experienced campaigners Fabrice Santoro, Xavier Malisse and Tommy Haas respectively in the opening three rounds which set up a second week Monday clash with Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Murray had lost his previous two encounters with the Frenchman who was seeded four places above Murray, so he knew he'd be in for a tough test despite optimism starting to grow among the British public.
Little did they know they were about to witness a thriller which ended up finishing in near darkness at 9.30pm. Murray produced an incredible comeback from two sets to love down for the first time in his career, sending the crowd wild as he flexed his muscles on centre court.
Gasquet had grabbed the first set 7-5, by breaking Murray's serve in the 12th game of the set at the fifth time of asking as his pressure told. That seemed to deflate Murray and the crowd and on the other hand give Gasquet, who had reached the semi-finals at SW19 the year before a huge confidence boost.
He was the better player throughout the second set, taking the game to Murray and eventually winning it 6-3. There appeared to be little sign of a comeback from Murray during the third as Gasquet remained composed. That was until the crowd pressure told as Gasquet failed to serve out the match and suddenly Murray had hope.
In a third set tie-break that he had to win, Murray produced what remains one of the most extraordinary winners of his career as hit a backhand winner on a point where he was outside the tram lines. That galvanised the whole crowd into chanting his name and this time it was Gasquet who was deflated.
Despite being a naturally talented player, Gasquet's mental confidence is always in question and the momentum was now all with Murray. He raced through the fourth set in little over 20 minutes to level the match and he then broke at the beginning of the fifth set.
A clearly rattled Gasquet asked about the light after failing to break back, but there was no way the officials were going to stop the match. Eventually at 9.29pm, in near darkness Murray ensured his place in the quarter finals after an unbelievable match.
This match was so good I got up the next morning and immediately watched the highlights of it on Yesterday at Wimbledon. A match that first showcased Murray's fighting qualities on a mesmerising scale.
4. 2008 US Open Semi-final Murray defeats Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
I'd argue, that even seven years on this remains Andy Murray's finest victory for a number of reasons. Nadal was world number one at the time and seemed unbeatable. He had won the Olympic Gold and Wimbledon titles during the summer and the French Open earlier in 2008. He had also thumped Murray in the quarter finals of Wimbledon that year and boasted a perfect record from their previous encounters.
The match was also rain-delayed with Murray leading by two sets to love so he effectively had to beat Nadal twice, in what was his first Grand Slam semi-final.
But Murray thrived on being the underdog in New York and blew Nadal away for most of the match with some truly breathtaking tennis. Murray's serving was absolutely impeccable as he took charge early on and gained the upper hand winning the first set 6-2. The second set might have taken a tie-break to have it settled, but it was Murray who ensured that he was in total command of the match by winning it as his forehand never seemed to miss.
Then came the rain delay after Nadal had got an early break in the third set. That delayed the match into a second day on the Sunday, when it was moved to an even bigger stadium, the Arthur Ashe stadium. It seemed as though Nadal had turned the match in his favour when he converted a set point to win the third set.
Murray was back to his best in the early stages of the fourth but Nadal somehow saved seven break points in game two before he immediately stunned Murray by breaking him to love. That seemed the cue for Nadal to take it into a 5th, but his opponent wasn't thinking along the same lines as he broke back to level at 3-3 and forcing mistakes from the Spaniard.
He eventually won the match with a superb backhand pass on the Nadal serve to reach his first Grand Slam final, where he was beaten by Roger Federer. The win over Nadal was the moment when I thought Murray proved he had all the attributes to truly make it at the top of the game, giving it a place in my top five.
5. Murray defeats Roger Federer, 2006 Cincinnati Masters 7-5, 6-4
A surprising choice for many people perhaps, but nine years on this match remains fresh in my memory for the way Murray brilliantly performed against Federer that day.
Only 19 at the time, Murray had come through a first round match against Tim Henman to set up the clash with a man who had only been beaten by Nadal in 2006 and this was a tournament taking place in August.
Murray wasn't to shirk the challenge though as he showed from the word go he wouldn't be intimidated by the then World No 1 who had reached 17 consecutive finals before being beaten by Murray.
Murray's ground strokes throughout the match took Federer aback time and time again as he took the game to the man from Switzerland. He seized an early break in Federer's second service game as he forced him into an error on his usually reliable backhand.
Instead it was Murray's backhand which was on form and despite allowing Federer to break back at 5-4 when he had served for the set, his backhand created another chance for him to win the first set 7-5.
It was a similar story in the second set as he pressurised Federer at every opportunity eventually forcing him to crack at 4-4, as he broke his serve for a remarkable seventh time. Murray held his nerve to secure what was then the biggest win of his career.
Federer in 2006 was arguably at his imperious best and Murray was one of only two men to beat him throughout the whole year. For that reason alone this win deserves a spot in my top five.
Other victories that came very close to my top five included his Olympic gold medal win against Federer in 2012, a five set win over Stan Wawrinka in Wimbledon's first roof covered match in 2009, a stunning victory over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2006 and a 2008 Cincinnati Masters final win over Djokovic.
Murray goes for win 501 tonight against Austrian youngster Dominic Thiem and he'll be looking to keep on climbing the list after becoming only the 46th male player in the open era to win 500 matches on court.
He reached the landmark with a hard-fought three set win over South Africa's Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of the Miami Masters, a tournament he has won twice.
In many ways, the victory was similar to many of Murray's previous 499. He played well in parts, particularly in the first and third sets, but let his opponent back into the match as Anderson won the second set. His returning was also excellent for the most part, but his slow second serve continues to cause the man from Dunblane problems.
However, Murray won in the end and 500 career victories is a terrific achievement and one that should be cause for big celebration.
Having followed Murray since he first properly burst onto the tennis scene in the summer of 2005, I have seen many fantastic Murray wins, whilst also witnessing a fair share of his losses. But this is a positive article about Murray and with that in mind here are my five favourite Andy Murray wins to date.
1. 2013 Wimbledon final- Murray beats Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had chosen any other victory from Murray's 500. Murray was simply phenomenal against the man from Serbia as he made history on the centre court at Wimbledon.
Basking in roasting hot sunshine, from the word go Murray played as if he believed this was his time to finally become the first British male player since Fred Perry in 1936 to lift the coveted trophy. Whilst the scoreline doesn't reflect the true nature of the match (Murray was down 4-1 in the second set and 4-2 down in the third), he produced a brilliant display over the course of over three hours of tennis taking the match to Djokovic with a series of incredible ground strokes.
The match displayed Murray at his dogged and determined best and once that epic twelve minute final game had finished thanks to a Djokovic back hand into the net, the waiting was over.
Murray had delivered what people had been dreaming about for generations and for him to handle the mental pressure of the occasion, particularly after his emotional defeat to Roger Federer in the final on the same court the year before, this victory is Murray's best in his 500.
2. 2012 US Open Final. Murray defeats Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2
Closely behind the Wimbeldon final victory in the list, is another tremendous victory over Djokovic from Murray, this time at the 2012 US Open final.
This victory of course brought Murray his long awaited first Grand Slam title, at the fifth time of asking in a slam final as he withstood an onslaught from Djokovic, who was the defending champion at Flushing Meadows.
In a truly epic match lasting four hours and 54 minutes, the pair played some of the most pulsating tennis you are ever likely to see. The first set alone took 87 minutes (including 24 minutes for the tie-break) and involved a 54 shot rally at one point. Murray edged the tie-break 12-10 and that was hugely significant for him as he'd never won a set against Djokovic in the Grand Slam finals they had played before that night in New York.
Murray's tennis early in the second set was an absolute joy to watch as he raced into a 4-0 lead against the stunned Serb, but Djokovic isn't a multiple grand slam champion by luck and he fought back to level at 5-5.
However, Murray showed fantastic courage to hold serve and then attack Djokovic's serve as he went two sets to love up without the need of a tie-break. His fans inside the stadium and those at home including me felt sure that this was his moment to break his slam duck as he was now only a set away.
Djokovic wasn't quite done yet though and he took his tennis up several gears as he won the next two sets 6-3, 6-2 and suddenly he was in with a chance of completing a remarkable comeback.
Murray went off court before the end of the fifth and final set and psyched himself up with a pep talk in the mirror telling himself that this was his moment to win and that he wasn't losing this time. His words of wisdom worked a treat as he broke Djokovic's resistance and after almost five hours of tennis, he won the fifth set 6-2 and was finally able to call himself a Grand Slam champion.
I'm not ashamed at all to admit I was in tears at the sight of Murray holding the trophy aloft. After seven years of following him, I was so delighted but also so relieved that he'd finally overcome that hurdle which could no longer be used against him by critics. A performance that will stay with me forever.
3. 2008 Wimbledon 4th Round- Murray defeats Richard Gasquet 5-7,3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4
Talk about a match that put me through the ringer. 2008 was the year when people first truly started to believe on a wider scale that Murray was capable of winning a Grand Slam title.
Having just turned 21 by the time Wimbledon came around, he had shown great improvement in his maturity and in his technique as an all round player. He had performed well in his opening three matches at Wimbledon 2008, defeating experienced campaigners Fabrice Santoro, Xavier Malisse and Tommy Haas respectively in the opening three rounds which set up a second week Monday clash with Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Murray had lost his previous two encounters with the Frenchman who was seeded four places above Murray, so he knew he'd be in for a tough test despite optimism starting to grow among the British public.
Little did they know they were about to witness a thriller which ended up finishing in near darkness at 9.30pm. Murray produced an incredible comeback from two sets to love down for the first time in his career, sending the crowd wild as he flexed his muscles on centre court.
Gasquet had grabbed the first set 7-5, by breaking Murray's serve in the 12th game of the set at the fifth time of asking as his pressure told. That seemed to deflate Murray and the crowd and on the other hand give Gasquet, who had reached the semi-finals at SW19 the year before a huge confidence boost.
He was the better player throughout the second set, taking the game to Murray and eventually winning it 6-3. There appeared to be little sign of a comeback from Murray during the third as Gasquet remained composed. That was until the crowd pressure told as Gasquet failed to serve out the match and suddenly Murray had hope.
In a third set tie-break that he had to win, Murray produced what remains one of the most extraordinary winners of his career as hit a backhand winner on a point where he was outside the tram lines. That galvanised the whole crowd into chanting his name and this time it was Gasquet who was deflated.
Despite being a naturally talented player, Gasquet's mental confidence is always in question and the momentum was now all with Murray. He raced through the fourth set in little over 20 minutes to level the match and he then broke at the beginning of the fifth set.
A clearly rattled Gasquet asked about the light after failing to break back, but there was no way the officials were going to stop the match. Eventually at 9.29pm, in near darkness Murray ensured his place in the quarter finals after an unbelievable match.
This match was so good I got up the next morning and immediately watched the highlights of it on Yesterday at Wimbledon. A match that first showcased Murray's fighting qualities on a mesmerising scale.
4. 2008 US Open Semi-final Murray defeats Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
I'd argue, that even seven years on this remains Andy Murray's finest victory for a number of reasons. Nadal was world number one at the time and seemed unbeatable. He had won the Olympic Gold and Wimbledon titles during the summer and the French Open earlier in 2008. He had also thumped Murray in the quarter finals of Wimbledon that year and boasted a perfect record from their previous encounters.
The match was also rain-delayed with Murray leading by two sets to love so he effectively had to beat Nadal twice, in what was his first Grand Slam semi-final.
But Murray thrived on being the underdog in New York and blew Nadal away for most of the match with some truly breathtaking tennis. Murray's serving was absolutely impeccable as he took charge early on and gained the upper hand winning the first set 6-2. The second set might have taken a tie-break to have it settled, but it was Murray who ensured that he was in total command of the match by winning it as his forehand never seemed to miss.
Then came the rain delay after Nadal had got an early break in the third set. That delayed the match into a second day on the Sunday, when it was moved to an even bigger stadium, the Arthur Ashe stadium. It seemed as though Nadal had turned the match in his favour when he converted a set point to win the third set.
Murray was back to his best in the early stages of the fourth but Nadal somehow saved seven break points in game two before he immediately stunned Murray by breaking him to love. That seemed the cue for Nadal to take it into a 5th, but his opponent wasn't thinking along the same lines as he broke back to level at 3-3 and forcing mistakes from the Spaniard.
He eventually won the match with a superb backhand pass on the Nadal serve to reach his first Grand Slam final, where he was beaten by Roger Federer. The win over Nadal was the moment when I thought Murray proved he had all the attributes to truly make it at the top of the game, giving it a place in my top five.
5. Murray defeats Roger Federer, 2006 Cincinnati Masters 7-5, 6-4
A surprising choice for many people perhaps, but nine years on this match remains fresh in my memory for the way Murray brilliantly performed against Federer that day.
Only 19 at the time, Murray had come through a first round match against Tim Henman to set up the clash with a man who had only been beaten by Nadal in 2006 and this was a tournament taking place in August.
Murray wasn't to shirk the challenge though as he showed from the word go he wouldn't be intimidated by the then World No 1 who had reached 17 consecutive finals before being beaten by Murray.
Murray's ground strokes throughout the match took Federer aback time and time again as he took the game to the man from Switzerland. He seized an early break in Federer's second service game as he forced him into an error on his usually reliable backhand.
Instead it was Murray's backhand which was on form and despite allowing Federer to break back at 5-4 when he had served for the set, his backhand created another chance for him to win the first set 7-5.
It was a similar story in the second set as he pressurised Federer at every opportunity eventually forcing him to crack at 4-4, as he broke his serve for a remarkable seventh time. Murray held his nerve to secure what was then the biggest win of his career.
Federer in 2006 was arguably at his imperious best and Murray was one of only two men to beat him throughout the whole year. For that reason alone this win deserves a spot in my top five.
Other victories that came very close to my top five included his Olympic gold medal win against Federer in 2012, a five set win over Stan Wawrinka in Wimbledon's first roof covered match in 2009, a stunning victory over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2006 and a 2008 Cincinnati Masters final win over Djokovic.
Murray goes for win 501 tonight against Austrian youngster Dominic Thiem and he'll be looking to keep on climbing the list after becoming only the 46th male player in the open era to win 500 matches on court.
Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Progress? Scotland had a dismal Six Nations
Progress is a buzzword in all walks of life, but it is particularly prevalent in the world of sport. When new managers come into a team, they are expected to give their teams a boost and fans talk of seeing progress.
The Scotland rugby team is a perfect case in point. After a disastrous Six Nations in 2014, in which a wooden spoon was only avoided by a drop goal against Italy, Scottish rugby fans couldn't wait to see what Vern Cotter could bring to the table. Cotter arrived in Scotland with an impressive CV having led French side Clermont Auvergne to the league title in 2009-10 and also to the Heineken Cup final in 2013, although they lost to Toulon.
Cotter certainly made a good initial impact on the team during the summer and autumn of 2014, winning three out of four tests in June, including a 21-19 victory away to Argentina and that fine form continued with a 41-31 win at Murrayfield in November against the Argentinians, which showcased the Scots potential for attacking flair under Cotter. A narrow 24-16 loss to New Zealand followed, before a dominant 37-12 win over Tonga was secured in Kilmarnock, to avenge a loss the Scots had suffered to the Tongans in 2012.
Confidence was high going into the Six Nations in February. Few truly believed the Scots could win the championship, but with young attacking talent and a desire to avenge the 2014 performance, it was hoped the Scots could make a significant impact on the tournament. How wrong were fans and the media to be.
After a dismal 40-10 loss at Murrayfield against Ireland on Saturday, Scottish rugby is once again at a low ebb. That defeat confirmed the Scots worst nightmare scenario; the wooden spoon as they lost five games out of five. Yet, we still here that progress was made during this Six Nations campaign.
I say, pull the other one. Sports is a results business and losing five games out of five, despite being close in many of them is not progress. Instead, Scotland have taken many steps backwards over the last couple of months, after showing genuine progress in the latter half of 2014.
Here are five things that Vern Cotter and Scotland must improve on if they are to even get out of the group stages at the World Cup later this year.
1. Start playing for 80 minutes
Scotland's second half performances in the Six Nations were absolutely diabolical right from the opening game to the last. They only trailed France 9-8 at the break in Paris, with Dougie Fyfe having crossed the try line, but in the second half they added nothing to the score board to let the game be won by France 15-8.
It was a similar story against Italy, in what was surely one of the worst 40 minutes of rugby Scotland have ever played as despite leading 16-15 at the interval, they only added three points in the second half and somehow conspired to let the Italians win 22-19.
After being railroaded by the English in the opening 20 minutes at Twickenham, the Scots produced some fine attacking rugby to lead 13-10 after 40 minutes. However, they couldn't sustain it and lost 23-10. The same was true against Ireland when they lost 23 points without reply in Saturday's second half.
That is a mindset that must be changed and it's got to be wondered what Vern Cotter is saying to his players at half time. He must ensure that they are full of positive belief when they emerge for the second half or the Scots will continue to let games slip from their grasp.
2. Install a natural leader on the pitch
For all his solid play and great kicking during the Six Nations, Greig Laidlaw doesn't come across as a natural leader on a rugby pitch. Whilst he is certainly still worthy of a pick by Cotter at scrum half (though Sam Hidalgo-Clyne is certainly pushing him hard in that regard), Scotland need someone on the pitch who can truly drive the team forward at crucial moments.
Despite only being 21, I believe the man who should get the captain's armband handed to him by Cotter is Jonny Gray. Following the injury to his brother Richie, Jonny led the Scotland line out superbly well and has a great presence on the field. Lock is a natural leadership position- you only have to think of Ireland's Paul O'Connell's and England's Martin Johnson for great examples of that and Gray has the mindset of someone who would thrive off the added responsibility.
It's time for Cotter to be bold and appointing Gray would be a great start.
3. Utilise Scotland's attacking talent better
Those who say Scotland did progress during the Six Nations this year highlight the attacking ability of youngsters such as Stuart Hogg, Mark Bennett, Tommy Seymour and Finn Russell who on occasions showed us what they are capable of.
Now Cotter needs to ensure that they attack on a more consistent basis. Scotland only managed six tries in the whole of the Six Nations and when they approached towards the try line, they still looked like Scotland teams of old who were nervous and made mistakes in handling the ball.
Cotter's system must be structured in a way which allows Hogg, Bennett, Seymour and others including David Denton and Alex Dunbar to express themselves and be confident of hurting any team in world rugby.
4. Improve the discipline
This is an area in which responsibility must be shared between Cotter and the players. The coach can only drum in so much during his time with the players in the dressing room that they should avoid giving away needless penalties during the match.
He can't be blamed for them not following out basic instructions when they cross the white line. Some of the penalties Scotland conceded were amateurish and in five matches, they conceded an astonishing 58 to the opposition. With an average of almost 12 penalties conceded in 80 minutes, Scotland are going to struggle to win any match, let alone the Six Nations.
Players need to take responsibility for giving away daft fouls and too many players (Johnny Beattie, Ben Toolis, Geoff Cross and Hamish Watson) spent unnecessary time in the sin-bin, though I stand by the fact that Finn Russell's yellow card (later upgraded to a red) against Wales was a harsh decision.
Scotland need to get their penalty against count significantly down ahead of the World Cup as that could even allow a nation like Japan a chance of winning against Cotter's side.
5. Bring some experience back into the fold
As mentioned in relation to the lack of leaders on the park, Vern Cotter could also do with bringing some experienced players back into the Scotland team.
For all of the young talent that looks more than capable of delivering in years to come, too many experienced players have been shown the door by Cotter. Former captain Kelly Brown is still playing well for Saracens and would have been a good option for coach Cotter to have at flanker. Scrum-half Chris Cusiter is another who can feel hard done by not to be included in the original squad, considering his good displays for Sale Sharks alongside England No 10 Danny Cipriani.
The addition of more experience even if just for the World Cup and next Six Nations would allow the young players to be guided more and give a better balance to the team.
Cotter came with a big reputation and started well but this Six Nations campaign has not seen Scotland progress, far from it. Big results are needed in World Cup warm up matches against Ireland, Italy and France and then at the World Cup itself, a group stage exit for the man designed to progress Scottish rugby is unthinkable.
It's time for Cotter and this Scotland team to cut out the excuses and win rugby matches.
The Scotland rugby team is a perfect case in point. After a disastrous Six Nations in 2014, in which a wooden spoon was only avoided by a drop goal against Italy, Scottish rugby fans couldn't wait to see what Vern Cotter could bring to the table. Cotter arrived in Scotland with an impressive CV having led French side Clermont Auvergne to the league title in 2009-10 and also to the Heineken Cup final in 2013, although they lost to Toulon.
Cotter certainly made a good initial impact on the team during the summer and autumn of 2014, winning three out of four tests in June, including a 21-19 victory away to Argentina and that fine form continued with a 41-31 win at Murrayfield in November against the Argentinians, which showcased the Scots potential for attacking flair under Cotter. A narrow 24-16 loss to New Zealand followed, before a dominant 37-12 win over Tonga was secured in Kilmarnock, to avenge a loss the Scots had suffered to the Tongans in 2012.
Confidence was high going into the Six Nations in February. Few truly believed the Scots could win the championship, but with young attacking talent and a desire to avenge the 2014 performance, it was hoped the Scots could make a significant impact on the tournament. How wrong were fans and the media to be.
After a dismal 40-10 loss at Murrayfield against Ireland on Saturday, Scottish rugby is once again at a low ebb. That defeat confirmed the Scots worst nightmare scenario; the wooden spoon as they lost five games out of five. Yet, we still here that progress was made during this Six Nations campaign.
I say, pull the other one. Sports is a results business and losing five games out of five, despite being close in many of them is not progress. Instead, Scotland have taken many steps backwards over the last couple of months, after showing genuine progress in the latter half of 2014.
Here are five things that Vern Cotter and Scotland must improve on if they are to even get out of the group stages at the World Cup later this year.
1. Start playing for 80 minutes
Scotland's second half performances in the Six Nations were absolutely diabolical right from the opening game to the last. They only trailed France 9-8 at the break in Paris, with Dougie Fyfe having crossed the try line, but in the second half they added nothing to the score board to let the game be won by France 15-8.
It was a similar story against Italy, in what was surely one of the worst 40 minutes of rugby Scotland have ever played as despite leading 16-15 at the interval, they only added three points in the second half and somehow conspired to let the Italians win 22-19.
After being railroaded by the English in the opening 20 minutes at Twickenham, the Scots produced some fine attacking rugby to lead 13-10 after 40 minutes. However, they couldn't sustain it and lost 23-10. The same was true against Ireland when they lost 23 points without reply in Saturday's second half.
That is a mindset that must be changed and it's got to be wondered what Vern Cotter is saying to his players at half time. He must ensure that they are full of positive belief when they emerge for the second half or the Scots will continue to let games slip from their grasp.
2. Install a natural leader on the pitch
For all his solid play and great kicking during the Six Nations, Greig Laidlaw doesn't come across as a natural leader on a rugby pitch. Whilst he is certainly still worthy of a pick by Cotter at scrum half (though Sam Hidalgo-Clyne is certainly pushing him hard in that regard), Scotland need someone on the pitch who can truly drive the team forward at crucial moments.
Despite only being 21, I believe the man who should get the captain's armband handed to him by Cotter is Jonny Gray. Following the injury to his brother Richie, Jonny led the Scotland line out superbly well and has a great presence on the field. Lock is a natural leadership position- you only have to think of Ireland's Paul O'Connell's and England's Martin Johnson for great examples of that and Gray has the mindset of someone who would thrive off the added responsibility.
It's time for Cotter to be bold and appointing Gray would be a great start.
3. Utilise Scotland's attacking talent better
Those who say Scotland did progress during the Six Nations this year highlight the attacking ability of youngsters such as Stuart Hogg, Mark Bennett, Tommy Seymour and Finn Russell who on occasions showed us what they are capable of.
Now Cotter needs to ensure that they attack on a more consistent basis. Scotland only managed six tries in the whole of the Six Nations and when they approached towards the try line, they still looked like Scotland teams of old who were nervous and made mistakes in handling the ball.
Cotter's system must be structured in a way which allows Hogg, Bennett, Seymour and others including David Denton and Alex Dunbar to express themselves and be confident of hurting any team in world rugby.
4. Improve the discipline
This is an area in which responsibility must be shared between Cotter and the players. The coach can only drum in so much during his time with the players in the dressing room that they should avoid giving away needless penalties during the match.
He can't be blamed for them not following out basic instructions when they cross the white line. Some of the penalties Scotland conceded were amateurish and in five matches, they conceded an astonishing 58 to the opposition. With an average of almost 12 penalties conceded in 80 minutes, Scotland are going to struggle to win any match, let alone the Six Nations.
Players need to take responsibility for giving away daft fouls and too many players (Johnny Beattie, Ben Toolis, Geoff Cross and Hamish Watson) spent unnecessary time in the sin-bin, though I stand by the fact that Finn Russell's yellow card (later upgraded to a red) against Wales was a harsh decision.
Scotland need to get their penalty against count significantly down ahead of the World Cup as that could even allow a nation like Japan a chance of winning against Cotter's side.
5. Bring some experience back into the fold
As mentioned in relation to the lack of leaders on the park, Vern Cotter could also do with bringing some experienced players back into the Scotland team.
For all of the young talent that looks more than capable of delivering in years to come, too many experienced players have been shown the door by Cotter. Former captain Kelly Brown is still playing well for Saracens and would have been a good option for coach Cotter to have at flanker. Scrum-half Chris Cusiter is another who can feel hard done by not to be included in the original squad, considering his good displays for Sale Sharks alongside England No 10 Danny Cipriani.
The addition of more experience even if just for the World Cup and next Six Nations would allow the young players to be guided more and give a better balance to the team.
Cotter came with a big reputation and started well but this Six Nations campaign has not seen Scotland progress, far from it. Big results are needed in World Cup warm up matches against Ireland, Italy and France and then at the World Cup itself, a group stage exit for the man designed to progress Scottish rugby is unthinkable.
It's time for Cotter and this Scotland team to cut out the excuses and win rugby matches.
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
The England Cricket team need to rip it up and start again
The title of this blog references a song by the band Orange Juice ('Rip it up'). If you were an England cricket fan watching the teams performances at the World Cup, you would probably have needed more than an orange juice to watch them.
Yet another shocking and pitiful World Cup tournament ended for England on Monday when they failed to beat Bangladesh. They will fly home after Friday's match against Afghanistan, who on current form you honestly wouldn't back England to beat.
England's 2015 World Cup to date has seen them only beat Scotland and be soundly beaten by Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Big changes need to be made in English cricket as quite frankly they are going nowhere at the moment.
So who should shoulder the blame? There is no one definitive answer to that question. All of the people at the top of English cricket are to blame for causing the team to be the laughing stock of world cricket, particularly in the one day format.
Take coach Peter Moores. His response of 'We'll need to look at the data' after the defeat to Bangladesh was astonishing. Moores seems a nice enough bloke but he is obsessed with data and burying his head in page after page of stats. Quite frankly, being that intense does not endear you to the dressing room and isn't a winning formula to try and win cricket matches. Here's some data for Moores; Ireland have won three games in the tournament and England have won one. With all due respect to Ireland, who have provided some of the greatest ever cricket world cup moments, that's a total embarrassment for England and Moores.
Quite frankly Moores should never have been appointed as coach again. His first spell was hardly a resounding success. Across all formats of the game, he won 27 games out of 68 and led England to only three test series victories out of seven. His second spell has seen him oversee defeats to Sri Lanka in all formats of the game since summer 2014. He just isn't good enough.
However, Moores can't be the sole guilty party in this charade. Managing director Paul Downton looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights most of the time and you have to question whether a man with a test batting average of under 20 is qualified to be managing English cricket. Along with Moores, the pair dithered for far too long to remove Alastair Cook as the one day captain when his confidence was shattered and he was starting to look like a player who had just broken into his local club side.
By taking so long to sack Cook, new captain Eoin Morgan had little to no time to prepare for the World Cup. Morgan has been a disappointment as captain and batsman this tournament but he was hardly given the rightful support from those above him.
Colin Graves takes over as the chairman of the England and Wales cricket board in May from Giles Clarke, who has long outstayed his welcome. Clarke of course made Kevin Pietersen the scapegoat for the Ashes whitewash in 2013-14, banishing from the team. Pietersen has his faults, significant ones to be honest but there is no doubting that he has been shoddily treated by the ECB who needed someone to take the attention off them when they were failing.
Later in 2014, Clarke told England fans to move on from Pietersen's departure. Clearly he wanted to stick to his guns, but couldn't he see that it was and still is hard for fans to accept they will never see a man who helped win them Ashes series, a T20 world cup and countless big games in an England shirt ever again if Clarke had his way.
Pietersen isn't a miracle worker, but he was recently the second highest run scorer in Australia's T20 tournament and it's hard to believe this England team are better off leaving him at home.
National selector James Whitaker should be packing his bags too. Leaving Pietersen aside, Ben Stokes would have provided all round skill for the team and surely Whitaker and Moores can see Jos Butler is batting way too low down at number seven. England are still in the mindset of thinking 300 is a good score in one day cricket.
That stems from Moores, Downtown and Whitaker who were all decent but never great cricketers. They haven't evolved as their sport has evolved and with them in charge England will never win anything.
Graves needs to bin Moores, Downtown and Whitaker upon entering in May, or sooner if he really wants to lay down a marker. Only by wiping the slate clean with new management can the England cricket team even begin to think about prospering again.
Yet another shocking and pitiful World Cup tournament ended for England on Monday when they failed to beat Bangladesh. They will fly home after Friday's match against Afghanistan, who on current form you honestly wouldn't back England to beat.
England's 2015 World Cup to date has seen them only beat Scotland and be soundly beaten by Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Big changes need to be made in English cricket as quite frankly they are going nowhere at the moment.
So who should shoulder the blame? There is no one definitive answer to that question. All of the people at the top of English cricket are to blame for causing the team to be the laughing stock of world cricket, particularly in the one day format.
Take coach Peter Moores. His response of 'We'll need to look at the data' after the defeat to Bangladesh was astonishing. Moores seems a nice enough bloke but he is obsessed with data and burying his head in page after page of stats. Quite frankly, being that intense does not endear you to the dressing room and isn't a winning formula to try and win cricket matches. Here's some data for Moores; Ireland have won three games in the tournament and England have won one. With all due respect to Ireland, who have provided some of the greatest ever cricket world cup moments, that's a total embarrassment for England and Moores.
Quite frankly Moores should never have been appointed as coach again. His first spell was hardly a resounding success. Across all formats of the game, he won 27 games out of 68 and led England to only three test series victories out of seven. His second spell has seen him oversee defeats to Sri Lanka in all formats of the game since summer 2014. He just isn't good enough.
However, Moores can't be the sole guilty party in this charade. Managing director Paul Downton looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights most of the time and you have to question whether a man with a test batting average of under 20 is qualified to be managing English cricket. Along with Moores, the pair dithered for far too long to remove Alastair Cook as the one day captain when his confidence was shattered and he was starting to look like a player who had just broken into his local club side.
By taking so long to sack Cook, new captain Eoin Morgan had little to no time to prepare for the World Cup. Morgan has been a disappointment as captain and batsman this tournament but he was hardly given the rightful support from those above him.
Colin Graves takes over as the chairman of the England and Wales cricket board in May from Giles Clarke, who has long outstayed his welcome. Clarke of course made Kevin Pietersen the scapegoat for the Ashes whitewash in 2013-14, banishing from the team. Pietersen has his faults, significant ones to be honest but there is no doubting that he has been shoddily treated by the ECB who needed someone to take the attention off them when they were failing.
Later in 2014, Clarke told England fans to move on from Pietersen's departure. Clearly he wanted to stick to his guns, but couldn't he see that it was and still is hard for fans to accept they will never see a man who helped win them Ashes series, a T20 world cup and countless big games in an England shirt ever again if Clarke had his way.
Pietersen isn't a miracle worker, but he was recently the second highest run scorer in Australia's T20 tournament and it's hard to believe this England team are better off leaving him at home.
National selector James Whitaker should be packing his bags too. Leaving Pietersen aside, Ben Stokes would have provided all round skill for the team and surely Whitaker and Moores can see Jos Butler is batting way too low down at number seven. England are still in the mindset of thinking 300 is a good score in one day cricket.
That stems from Moores, Downtown and Whitaker who were all decent but never great cricketers. They haven't evolved as their sport has evolved and with them in charge England will never win anything.
Graves needs to bin Moores, Downtown and Whitaker upon entering in May, or sooner if he really wants to lay down a marker. Only by wiping the slate clean with new management can the England cricket team even begin to think about prospering again.
Monday, 9 March 2015
It's time Britain talked up the Davis Cup
Despite being a worldwide event, the Davis Cup has consistently failed to capture the imagination of the wider public. Perhaps it is the convoluted format which involves many different "zones" in promotion and relegation groups or perhaps it is because many of the top players have shunned it over the years.
Compare it to golf's Ryder Cup. That's a tournament players will fight tooth and nail to get into a qualifying spot for and fans are glued to the action over the weekend.
Great Britain's 3-2 win over the United States in Glasgow which was completed yesterday could be a potential turning point for interest in the Davis Cup in this country. Tickets for the Emirates Arena sold out within ten minutes of going in sale last November whilst the crowds roared on their hero Andy Murray (and his teammates) to victory in a stunning atmosphere. Now this needs to be capitalised on ahead of the quarter final tie (at a venue TBC) against France in July.
Remarkably Great Britain have a one in eight chance of winning this trophy despite only having one male tennis player in the top 100 of the world rankings in the shape of Andy Murray.
Since taking over the Davis Cup captaincy in 2010, Leon Smith has performed nothing short of a miracle. His first task was to ensure Great Britain didn't plummet into the lowest depths of the Davis Cup group format, by beating Turkey, which the GB team duly did 5-0.
Since then, Smith has ensured that the country's Davis Cup team has once again become respected with two wins over the USA in the last two years confirming that.
The fact that James Ward, a player who has never been inside the top 100 in the world has managed to beat Americans Sam Querrey (career high ranking of 17) and John Isner (career high ranking of 9) is astonishing. His win over Isner on Friday in Glasgow was even more remarkable considering he came from two sets down against one of the best servers in the game. The nerve and fitness Ward showed in the final set to win 15-13 was something every British tennis fan should have been proud of.
And although they didn't win on Saturday, equally inspiring was Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot's performance against the Bryan brothers Bob and Mike coming from two sets to love down to draw level before losing the doubles tie 9-7 in the fifth.
Whilst there is clearly a massive burden on Andy Murray to win both his singles matches in any tie, captain Smith now has a reliable and hugely spirited team to call upon. Ward has now easily done enough to be considered a Davis Cup stalwart while Murray and Inglot are both in the top 40 of the doubles rankings and had infact beaten the 16 time slam champions, the Bryan brothers twice this year.
Smith's miracle work even extended to a team which didn't feature Andy Murray in it back in April 2013 when Great Britain somehow beat Russia 3-2 after being 2-0 behind after the opening day.
A doubles win on the Saturday from Jonny Marray and Colin Fleming gave the team hope, before Ward then ranked 214 in the world stunned Dmitry Tursunov, a former top 20 player in five sets before Dan Evans, then ranked at 325, beat Evegny Donskoy, who was ranked 245 places above him to complete the comeback.
Now two years on Britain stand a genuine, if still unlikely chance of winning the trophy for the first time since 1936. Andy Murray may well break another long standing record that has unfortunately stood since the heyday of Fred Perry, just like he did when he became the first British male to win Wimbledon for 77 years in 2013.
A 2015 Davis Cup win might not carry the same celebrations and it probably wouldn't even register in large parts of the country but the crowds in Glasgow were fantastic and helped to defeat the Americans. Now more people are needed to turn up the volume for the match against France, which will be tough considering they have Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet on board.
Much has been said of the country not capitalising on Murray's Wimbledon success and much of what has been said is true. If Britain were to win the Davis Cup or even reach the final, that would be a magnificent team achievement against all the odds.
It's time to spread the word about Leon Smith's British team and make them household names.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)