Manchester Rains Supreme

‘IT’S the first day of the Lord’s Test between England and India, the start of the Commonwealth Games and still Leeds United are the sporting subject uppermost in the Mirror’s mind.

The South African marathon runner got hopelessly lost

With Rio Ferdinand gone and Lee Bowyer in limbo, it’s now Nigel Martyn’s turn to spot the door marked ‘Exit’. In ‘Stay-away Martyn axed by Tel’, the Mirror tells how Nigel Martyn has been replaced as Leeds’ first choice goalkeeper by Paul Robinson following a row with Terry Venables.

More disappointing news for Leeds fans comes on the back page of the Sun and the news that Brett Emerson, the £12m-rated Australian, has rejected a move to Leeds in favour of wearing the red of Liverpool.

And while all of Leeds weeps, the Times writes that ‘Manchester’s conversion into the sporting capital of the Commonwealth nears completion’. Until Yorkshire declares itself a full-blown Republic, that puts Leeds further into the sporting backwaters.

And so to Manchester the sports writers go to watch today’s opening ceremony and catch up with a few British medal prospects.

The Sun leads with a moody shot of Dwain Chambers, favourite to win the 100m. ‘I don’t fear anybody,’ says Chambers, fearlessly. ‘There are going to be a lot of fast times and world records may even be broken.’

It’s all upbeat stuff in the Sun, a mood not shared by the Mail. While the Sun tells the stars to ‘grab your golden chance’, the Mail describes it as the ‘last-chance saloon for our Olympic bid’.

Unable to enjoy the moment, the Mail begins a preview to the big show by talking about the rain. Odd then that on Page 1 the Mail’s Michael Henderson should write: ‘Let us enjoy the hoopla and a few days in the sun, and maybe it’ll help cure the city’s ills.’

That must be the proverbial sun, and the proverbial ‘hoopla’, as to our knowledge, it always rains in Manchester and the fairground game has not been made an official Commonwealth sport – yet.

And neither has cricket. Which is odd, since the only countries that really play the sport are ones touched by Britain’s imperial forces. But the Games can do without such a violent sport in town, especially if the Mirror’s headline is a guide.

‘Lord’s alert after 12-inch knife found,’ screams the legend, alongside a three-inch high picture of a blade. The bigger knife was confiscated from a spectator at the recent England v India one-day final. In all, 900 items were seized by security services that great day, including small blades, fiendish musical instruments and flags that could easily have taken someone’s eye out.

And Alan Baxter, head of security at Lord’s, remains vigilant ahead of toady’s clash. ‘If spectators try to bring banned items in the ground they will be taken away from them for the duration of the game and can be picked up later.’

Which means that the man with the 12-inch knife will have to wait until after the match to slice his rustic loaf of bread, his mature cheddar cheese and whatever else his wife has hidden in his picnic hamper. So there. ‘

Posted: 25th, July 2002 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink