My trip to Leeds yesterday was not just to sit at Headingley and watch the first day's play of the Championship encounter between God's own county and their north-east rivals Durham.
My journey did have a more pressing purpose in talking to David Hall, the curator of the new Yorkshire Cricket Museum at Headingley, which opened its doors to the public for the first time yesterday - the occasion being the first day of cricket at Yorkshire's home this season.
But it was the cricket, not the museum, that most captured my imagination.
It was a typically chilly April day. The sky was grey and sullen throughout but with the lack of any moisture having fallen from that sky in recent times, the Headingley pitch looked far too white and hard to tempt Durham to bowl first after winning the toss.
And Michael Di Venuto was delighted they did choose to bat as he took advantage of the one four ball that occured in almost every over to stroll his way to a half-century almost without anyone noticing.
Durham were flying along until the unlikeliest of heroes, Richard Pyrah, came on to bowl. The medium-pace allrounder suddenly began to frustrate Di Venuto as he sent down six, rather than five, good balls in each over, thus drying up the runs and creating a bit of pressure.
The breakthrough came about a quarter of an hour before lunch, golden-arm Pyrah trapping Di Venuto lbw for 74. And when Adam Lyth took a good low catch at first slip to dismiss Gordon Muchall in the same over, suddenly it was Yorkshire who would take some momentum into the luncheon interval.
Two quick wickets after the break brought Michael Richardson to the crease, apparently a late replacement for Phil (Colonel) Mustard due to a sore toe, I learnt after the end of the day's play. I had no clue who Richardson was when his name was announced over the PA system, but I assumed he was a youngster who had not played many games. Only when he had reached fifty did I learn through the PA announcer that he was on debut. You could not tell.
His technique looked good and his knock of 67 was better than Di Venuto's because he had less dross to feed from (although Adil Rashid did bowl a couple of short balls and a full-toss that he smashed away with ease).
Richardson looked so relaxed and composed considering he was making his first appearance in Championship cricket and some of his stroke-making was heavenly. One of his 10 fours was a beautiful straight drive off Pyrah that received admiring applause from surely everyone in the ground, and when Ryan Sidebottom came back on from the Rugby Ground end to try to capture his wicket, his first ball went sailing over square-leg for six. Richardson's pull shot was executed with superb timing and flair.
Research when I got home told me he is the son of former South African wicketkeeper-batsman Dave Richards, currently general manager of the ICC. South African blood but (presumably) eligible to play for England. Where have I heard that before? I was hoping he was a north-east born-and-bred lad from Chester-le-Street. Regardless of where he is from, he certainly looks a promising prospect with the bat.
When Richardson was dismissed by Pyrah with the score on 223, the Yorkshire faithful expected the last two wickets to fall pretty swiftly, but Liam Plunkett showed his prowess with the bat too, putting on 94 for the ninth wicket with Callum Thorp to sway the game in Durham's favour once more. Adam Lyth's very obvious disgust at another wayward Moin Ashraf delivery down the leg side that was clipped for four summed up the frustration in the stands in the last half hour.
Durham's innings should be wrapped up swiftly this morning, with their overnight score 326 for 9. It was certainly worth witnessing yesterday's cricket.
Friday 15 April 2011
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Football: Chelsea's £50m headache continues
Carlo Ancelotti made the right decision in starting Fernando Torres at Old Trafford last night. If he had not, it would have been a clear vote of no confidence in the Spaniard and thus Torres's confidence would have taken a further blow, meaning it would just take even longer to rebuild.
It was vital Ancelotti showed faith in his 50 million pound man in such an important game for the football club - and possibly for his own future at Chelsea. Torres must surely take something positive from that decision. If he does not, then he has not realised the magnitude of the occasion.
It has been the mightiest of migraines since game one. How do we fit Torres into our team? What role do we want him to play? What role should he play so as to get the best out of other players? There is no doubting Torres is of world class proportions, but should Chelsea have not asked themselves these questions and pondered whether he would be compatibile with the club's current attacking players before forking out an astronomical amount of money?
It is almost inconceivable that one of the world's most sought-after and prolific strikers has gone nearly 700 minutes on the field for Chelsea without scoring a goal. He also has precisely zero assists. But it just shows how a striker's confidence and belief in himself can plummet, and how not all the best players can be compatible and in harmony with one another to create success.
There was a moment within the first 10 minutes last night when Nicolas Anelka was raiding down the right-hand side, Torres making a run ahead of him and behind Rio Ferdinand, but just as Anelka played his through-ball for Torres, the Spaniard changed the direction of his run slightly, the ball running behind him and comfortably being collected by a defender and cleared. It was a moment that summed up their relationship.
You would think that two such quality players like Anelka and Torres could play together with great success, but so far their lack of understanding has been the most glaring of attributes.
It does not look like the situation will improve anytime soon either - not as long as Torres plays with about as much vigour and gusto as a dead goat. That now-familiar look of apathy and glumness as he wanders around the pitch, seemingly unwilling to break sweat in pressurising opponents, was not a surprise to witness once again, but some might have hoped for more given the importance of the match.
Ancelotti had no choice but to replace him with Didier Drogba at the break. He had given him the opportunity to show desire, appetite and passion to contribute to a Chelsea win and turn that corner that so desperately needs to be turned - yet the faith the Italian showed in Torres was not rewarded in any way whatsoever.
In contrast, Drogba was far livelier, and his one-two with Anelka before getting a shot away that flashed narrowly wide just before the hour mark underlined the improved on-field relationships. Whether that is due to time playing with one another, or just that they are more naturally in sync due to the type of player they are, is something open for debate. You would think, though, that Torres and Anelka have trained with each other for the last couple of months and been able to develop an understanding.
Whilst Torres managed just a weak header off target in the first half, the second half produced two efforts (one off, one on target) and a goal from Drogba. The Ivorian's clever drift in behind Patrice Evra as Michael Essien lifted the ball over to him, his delicate first touch with his puffed-out chest and his right-foot finish were executed with all the brilliance Torres can only dream about at the moment.
It was the right decision to start with Torres, but it was also brave, and in hindsight, it was also stupid. How Chelsea are going to get value for that £50m is the massive headache that does not look like going away too swiftly.
It was vital Ancelotti showed faith in his 50 million pound man in such an important game for the football club - and possibly for his own future at Chelsea. Torres must surely take something positive from that decision. If he does not, then he has not realised the magnitude of the occasion.
It has been the mightiest of migraines since game one. How do we fit Torres into our team? What role do we want him to play? What role should he play so as to get the best out of other players? There is no doubting Torres is of world class proportions, but should Chelsea have not asked themselves these questions and pondered whether he would be compatibile with the club's current attacking players before forking out an astronomical amount of money?
It is almost inconceivable that one of the world's most sought-after and prolific strikers has gone nearly 700 minutes on the field for Chelsea without scoring a goal. He also has precisely zero assists. But it just shows how a striker's confidence and belief in himself can plummet, and how not all the best players can be compatible and in harmony with one another to create success.
There was a moment within the first 10 minutes last night when Nicolas Anelka was raiding down the right-hand side, Torres making a run ahead of him and behind Rio Ferdinand, but just as Anelka played his through-ball for Torres, the Spaniard changed the direction of his run slightly, the ball running behind him and comfortably being collected by a defender and cleared. It was a moment that summed up their relationship.
You would think that two such quality players like Anelka and Torres could play together with great success, but so far their lack of understanding has been the most glaring of attributes.
It does not look like the situation will improve anytime soon either - not as long as Torres plays with about as much vigour and gusto as a dead goat. That now-familiar look of apathy and glumness as he wanders around the pitch, seemingly unwilling to break sweat in pressurising opponents, was not a surprise to witness once again, but some might have hoped for more given the importance of the match.
Ancelotti had no choice but to replace him with Didier Drogba at the break. He had given him the opportunity to show desire, appetite and passion to contribute to a Chelsea win and turn that corner that so desperately needs to be turned - yet the faith the Italian showed in Torres was not rewarded in any way whatsoever.
In contrast, Drogba was far livelier, and his one-two with Anelka before getting a shot away that flashed narrowly wide just before the hour mark underlined the improved on-field relationships. Whether that is due to time playing with one another, or just that they are more naturally in sync due to the type of player they are, is something open for debate. You would think, though, that Torres and Anelka have trained with each other for the last couple of months and been able to develop an understanding.
Whilst Torres managed just a weak header off target in the first half, the second half produced two efforts (one off, one on target) and a goal from Drogba. The Ivorian's clever drift in behind Patrice Evra as Michael Essien lifted the ball over to him, his delicate first touch with his puffed-out chest and his right-foot finish were executed with all the brilliance Torres can only dream about at the moment.
It was the right decision to start with Torres, but it was also brave, and in hindsight, it was also stupid. How Chelsea are going to get value for that £50m is the massive headache that does not look like going away too swiftly.
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