Top class sporting action

Last weekend saw one league start while a series finished and the culmination of a championship in a weekend of top-level sporting action that saw the sporting Rooneys experiencing differing fortunes.

The least famous, yet most successful, was Martyn Rooney who finally delivered on the promise shown in his earlier career.
 
After breaking Roger Black’s British 400m record in 2006 hopes were high, yet the gold he secured at the European Championships in Zurich was his first major success and came weeks after being edged into fourth position at the Commonwealth Games.

Despite some fantastic performances at the Letzigrund Stadion the main talking point surrounds the stripping of gold from Frenchman, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benaddad, for, well … stripping! Streaking ahead of his opponents in the 3000m steeplechase the controversial character had time to remove his vest, whirl it around in the air before crossing the line with the offending item between his teeth.

He was initially issued a yellow-card for unsportsmanlike behaviour although this decision was subject to an appeal, not from the man who won silver, as you might expect, but Spaniard, Angel Mullera, who finished fourth.

Mekhissi-Benaddad has courted controversy before having received a five-month suspension for his involvement in a fracas with a teammate, although surely he did not deserve to have his medal taken away, however much the IAAF wish to avoid football-style celebrations. 

Gold stayed in France with his national colleague, Yoann Kowal, being elevated from silver although he was slightly mystified and embarrassed at the manner of his victory.

After all the build-up to the new English Premier League the season started with some Welsh wizardry and was pretty much business as usual – with Manchester United losing at home, although this was their first opening-day home loss since 1972!

This came after an impressive pre-season, which brought them a trophy in the US at the expense of arch-rivals, Liverpool. United’s 2-1 defeat to Swansea ‘shattered’ the confidence of Louis van Gaal’s new charges and has left him searching for squad replacements.

Demonstrating his reputed stubborn streak the Dutchman played two home-grown youngsters, refusing to change from his preferred formation of 3-5-2.  United fans should not be too disheartened, however, as he did warn that results may get worse before they get better as the players adapt to his methods.

That said, they do have a relatively easy start to the season so will need to pick up points sooner, rather than later.

However, demonstrating that these warm-up games are no indicator to the real business at hand, Liverpool started with a win, albeit one that was slightly fortuitous.
 
This was an intriguing opening fixture given the transfer activity over the summer that saw them acquire three players from their opening-day opponents, Lallana, Lambert and Lovren.

The new ‘SAS’ partnership of Sturridge And Sterling supplied the goals although Southampton looked more dangerous for long periods and were unlucky when a late strike from Tottenham-target, Morgan Schneiderlin, hit the woodwork.

Defending champions Manchester City continued the impressive record of title-holders failing to lose on the opening day of their defence. In fact they comfortably disposed of Newcastle United 2-0 with goals from Silva and Aguero.

The end of the cricket series between England and India has come to an end possibly too late for the beleaguered Asian powerhorse who have not looked at the races after winning the second Test.

In what must have seemed to their seniors to have been a meek submission, ironically on the day they celebrated winning their independence, they were dismissed for another paltry total of 148.
 
The only man who provided any resistance was the under-fire captain, MS Dhoni, who contributed 82. This total was boosted by a dropped catch with the total on 95 that allowed a large last-wicket partnership of 58.

The second innings total of 94 suggests that, after their win at Lords, the Indian batsmen mentally thought the job was done and relaxed too soon.

Leading a country that boasts one billion experts, Dhoni is receiving increasing levels of criticism in a nation that demands success, yet is quick to forget recent glories.

That said, it is true that India has struggled in the longest format of the game and the early series lead raised expectations. The irony is that it was England’s captain Alastair Cook who was initially under pressure to quit, or be sacked, yet he now looks secure with three successive wins under his belt.

However, the first two tracks were prepared in a style to suit India with both venues having been subsequently chastised.

Ever since the wickets and the weather have conspired to make life as difficult as it can be for the visitors. Dhoni cannot be held responsible for the regular failures of his talented batting line-up of which much was expected and he has been devoid of his best bowler at a time when he was most needed, exposing the lack of depth in their squad in this department.

Furthermore, the loss of form of Ravindra Jadeja after his spat with James Anderson cost him, while the handling of the incident perhaps had a more detrimental effect on the whole squad.

It would be a shame to see Dhoni quit as he is one of the most tactically-aware captains in cricket and has led India a record 58 times and overseen a record 27 victories. While most of his success has come in charge of the one-day side, he took India to the top of the world rankings and kept them there for three years. It is only recently that they have slipped due to a poor away record.

The one consolation for Indian cricketers in England has been the performance of their part-time ladies who, prior to their Test against England, had not played for eight years. The hosts, playing their first match as professionals, lost by six wickets as Shika Pandey struck the winning runs with an exquisite drive through extra-cover.

The Indian ladies deserve great credit for adapting quickly to English conditions, particularly the bowlers, who found swing from bowling a fuller length. This win may persuade the all-powerful Indian board to provide more backing to the team in an era when only two countries, England and Australia, provide full commitment to the format.