England v SAF final day...

So it’s day five of the first Test and with SAF sitting comfortably on 312-1 at lunch. the draw looks more certain than a Geordie bird six pints to the good.

Of course the SAF’s have done well but the pitch has run true to form and been more placid than a pensioner on Prozac. Yet is it has also pointed towards a real lack of true firepower and penetration in the England attack, perhaps vindicating Duncan Fletcher’s long held view that you must have real pace or world class spin to force the pace on these benign featherbeds.

The return of the Fred is palpable and almost inevitable now as we whistle up our one true World Class performer – but who should he replace and how will it affect the balance of the side? There’s a few imponderables like is Ryan Sidebottom fit and if not, in comes Simon Jones/Chris Tremlett depending on the Headingley pitch.

Bell also goes up to three and Vaughan down to five so here’s our XI to face the SAFs on Friday....

Cook
Strauss
Bell
KP
Vaughan
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Sidebottom/ Simon Jones/ Chris Tremlett
Anderson
Panesar

The return of the four Musketeers?

Work, that unconscionable burden of the drinking classes work kept us occupied for a couple of days – that and the fact there’s been less sporting meat than Frankie’s famous vegetarian breakfast – has meant a slight lapse in our posting schedule but we return to form, on a glorious sunny Friday full of the joys of summer, .or at least full of the joys of an early morning caffeine overload.

Sometimes it’s hard to bear the spurting burden of being perpetually right but as predicted Master Murray went out on Wednesday to the awesome power of Rafael Nadal, not so much having his arse handed to him, but rather having it served on a shiny silver platter, surrounded by flowers and garland and with a neatly peeled poking delicately through the ring.

Still no shame in losing to Nadal, who is quite simply awesome and sets the benchmark for what Murray should be serving for. There’s plenty of time for the Scotsman to raise his game and a Wimbledon quarter final is no disgrace for a 21-year-old. Especially if he’s a Brit.

But to more heartening cricketing matters today and a missed opportunity in our not-so-humble opinion with the announcement of the England squad to face South Africa in the first Test next week, which basically, like our flinty heart when it comes to fat lasses, remains unchanged.

However dropping down a level into the shires it’s encouraging to see not only The Fred scoring runs and the Harminator rumbling ominously up at Durham, but Welsh pace wizard Simon Jones taking a few names and rattling a few wickets at Worcester.

It almost begs the question: could the four bowling musketeers of the Ashes 2005 be finally reunited in one last great adventure next year?

Ironically it’s probably the Hogster, historically the most dogged and dependable of that redoubtable quartet who’s furthest from regaining his place but with Flintoff, Harmison and Jones all getting back in contention our bowling resources are looking a whole lot deeper.

…Now if we can just sort out that that batting