Eight In A Row
‘WHEN the papers went to bed last night, Englands cricketers were on the brink of a record-making eight consecutive Test match win.
|
| Handy Andy |
We can now happily report that they achieved that win this morning with hardly any fuss, courtesy mainly of a brilliant unbeaten 94 by Andrew Strauss.
However, it is Glamorgan paceman Simon Jones who takes centre stage in this mornings papers after his four wickets that blew away South Africas batting resistance.
The catalyst for the collapse, which saw the hosts slip from 201-4 to 229 all out, was a brilliant catch by Jones to dismiss captain Graeme Smith.
He then came on and trapped Jacques Kallis lbw before removing three members of South Africas lower-order in quick succession.
When the going gets tough, the Taff gets going, the Mirror says of the Welshmans performance.
This was the day, it continues, when the Boks were rocked by the bionic boyo and had trouble keeping up with the Joneses.
However, as the Mail acknowledges, the performance of Andrew Strauss has been crucial in the match.
He was the one who steadied Englands nerves after losing Marcus Trescothick first ball and Mark Butcher for nought.
Not only has he set a record by becoming the first batsman ever to score a ton in his first Test against three different opponents, but he now averages over 50 with the bat since he was called up at the beginning of the summer.
All of which takes our attention away from football for a while.
But the days headlines are these:
West Ham want to persuade Gordon Strachan to return to football in place of manager Alan Pardew (Mail).
Real Madrid want first refusal on Steven Gerrard in return for a cut-price Fernando Morientes (Mirror).
Manchester United have challenged Malcolm Glazer to make a formal offer for the club (Express).
Struggling Blackburn Rovers have made a £2.2m bid for Birminghams Robbie Savage (Star).
And Nicolas Anelka was punched by a boozed-up fan at Manchester Citys Christmas party (Sun).
Presumably not the same fan who squared up to Rio Ferdinand at Uniteds Christmas party the night before…’
Posted: 21st, December 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
