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Wednesday 18 June 2008

Les miserables

FRANCE must go back to the drawing board after a miserable Euro 2008 campaign.
‘Teary’ Henry looked a forlorn figure, during and after the 2-0 defeat by Italy. Why did he ever leave Arsenal?
A penalty and an own goal, typical Italy as they came back from the brink in the group of death.
Talk of Holland fielding a reserve side and stitching Donadoni’s men up was irrelevant. Let’s face it. France were a miserable shambles and so was the team selection. What was Raymond Domenech thinking?
Talking of miserable, apparently Tiger Woods wasn't faking it at the Battle of Wounded Knee?
It now looks like sour grapes when Retief Goosen questioned whether the limping, grimacing Woods was faking it and just playing to the crowd for sympathy in the US Open.
Woods - who now needs another operation on his troublesome knee - appeared to wince with pain when he hit a bad shot. But he somehow staged a miraculous recovery when he hit a good ‘un.
OK, playing 91 holes is demanding enough with two good legs, never mind a handicap. And everyone knows that a wounded tiger is infinitely more dangerous.
But I don’t really care either way. Tiger Woods (legend that he is) is a pain. Full stop.
Crying with pain! Laughing all the way to the bank more like.
Talking of sour grapes, surprisingly there weren’t any from New Zealand following Kevin Pieterson’s "unsporting" switch-hitting tactics.
Even Scott Syris, victim of the two massive sixes, admired Pieterson’s audacity.
Of course, there were the immediate calls to have the shot outlawed. After all, it’s just not cricket, is it old boy?
How can a captain set a field for a bowler when the batsman suddenly changes his stance and hits the ball to the opposite side of the ground?
Let’s face it. The reverse sweep shot has been around for 50 years, Pietersen has merely taken it to another level.
It’s a great Twenty20 shot which can produce runs. But it can also be your downfall (remember Mike Gatting in the 1987 World Cup?)
Bowlers - like Muttiah Muralitharan - use every means possible to get batsmen out. Isn’t it only right that the willow wielders have the chance to get their own back?

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