Weston Saint

Nope, Frank Cousins in his SMS debut

There is no doubt Chamberlain has talent and it will be realised in the next few years. He will be a big miss but he would have moved on the one of the top 4 before reaching those heights anyway. We might have rich owners but it is clear they expect us to be run on a good business basis. It is all about trading so if we are going to get a good payment now and reinvest it into the football side I am sure we will come out stronger for it. We are no more a selling club than Arsenal when a player wants to move on to what he thinks is a better deal. We have stood our ground and fought off the rest just like Arsenal but sometimes you have to bend and look at the greater good for the club.

I mean Adkins before anyone questions me.

What a great weekend with Saints and Hants thumping the opposition. Finished off by speaking to Nigel Atkins who was at the game with his family. What a very pleasant man.

We have talked about strengthening yet this very competent starting line up containing only one new face, Jack Cork. In my opinion he did have added value. The side looked together and ready for the start of the season. Great testament to Adkins and the coaching staff. As others have said, Leeds played dirty early on and the referee was a bit soft on them but otherwise had a good game. It was the linesman who flagged for the penalty and I was convinced it was until I saw the incident on BBC later. Very dubious. Davis did all required of him. Richardson was strong at the back but his distribution let him down again. Harding had an ok game. Martin is a bit green and no doubt in my mind he was told to do the simple things like clearing the line and not relying on playing pretty. He will gain from this experience but that position could be our weak link. Fonte had a great game. Guly was out of position and drifted in too much reducing the outlet opportunities but had a decent game. Jack Cork had a great game and looked a good addition to the midfield. Lallana started quiet and then exploded into the game. Hammond had one of his most influential games for Saints. Lambert had a decent game. Connolly is real class and just wins my man of the match. Chaplow, when he came on was his usual busy, aggressive, mistackling self and will be ideal for waking up midfield when they need it. Not a starter though, for me. De Ridder showed the skills he has and when he gets used to Championship Football in England he will be a real threat. I an now no longer concerned if Chamberlain goes although I would prefer he stays as it gives us more options. I would start De Ridder on the right as soon as he has bedded in Schneiderlin looked his usual comfortable self on the ball. Great classy win.

The wicket is pretty flat at the moment but is likely gain a bit of turn later. Yorkshire were boring and too defensive. They could and should have upped the run rate. They could and should have declared earlier. They were only ever interested in making sure Hampshire did not gain points over them. It gives Cricket a bad name. They only gained 3 batting points in the alloted 110 overs. Tony Pigott there again today but he was not there to look at the pitch. He had his other hat on accessing the Umpires. Peter Such also around on behalf of the Selectors looking no doubt at Briggs and Rashid

Balance of the team is all wrong. Dimi is fit but could not get into the side. Kabir is fit but cannot get into the side. Yet our only change bowler is the woeful bowler, Ervine who only managed a 3 over and 2 over spell. Wood bowled well and deserved his place. Cork was OK. Why are we playing 2 spinners!!! Dimi or Ali should have been in the side for Briggs (only because Tahir is our overseas player and of international class) We have Dawson to turn to if we needed him. I bumped into Cork just before the game to ask about the toss. "I lost it and they bat" was the reply. Says it all really. I walked away from the balcony on one occasion as I was fed up clapping Yorkshire players achievements. Thoroughly depressing day but the food and company was to its usual high standard. Pitch Inspector, Pigott was present again today. Nothing to report would be my guess.

http://www.where-are-they-now.co.uk/southampton/

Nassau States looks a difficult one with Midday looking to be the first horse to win it 3 times. Snow Fairy is a danger but I am going for Crystal Capella to beat them all. My only selection of the day.

Mine arrived this morning. All present and correct.

Cannot see past Redwood for the Glorious Stakes. I have a feeling Saigon might just sail past Harbour Watch in the Richmond Chachamaidee from Law of the Range in the Oak Tree

Radio Solent reporting Griffiths has signed a new 2 year contract. Also confirmed on Hants Web Site

In the Audi King George Stakes Kingsgate Native knows the course having won this race in 2009 but chose the Group 1 Nunthorpe last year (9th). Swiss Diva a danger In the Goodwood Cup Fox Hunt to hound out Opinion Poll although the general view on the latter is he is a big danger if he gets the luck in running. And finally in the Langtry, Shankardeh on an overseas raid to win from Wild Coco

http://horses.sportinglife.com/Video/Racing/

Mine has not arrived yet despite all those near me in the Stadium receiving theirs, and we paid the same time in early July. However email response I had within hours of sending an enquiry Your season ticket is currently due to be printed out, the season tickets do not come out in any specific order unfortunately. However your season ticket will be posted out over the next couple of days.

In the Vintage it's Red Duke to lord over Chandlery. Frankel to be the Bobby Dazzler in the Sussex despite his unconvincing win last time out. Canford Cliffs to take him all the way. What a race that will be!

Of course they do. The club will be devistated. The players will be devistated, some of them have told me as much, and the supporters want to see the best against the best.

Whoops, so it was! Getting confused with so much speculation!

One thing everyone is missing. We made an offer which was accepted. It was Maynard who could not come to an agreement with Saints. Why would we make an improved offer to his club!!! Total cows

Gordon Stakes to go to top of the tree, Fiorente but watch out for Slumber if he wakes up Lennox Stakes, Strong Suit looks all dressed up to win but will face the music if Red Jazz takes the honours. Molecomb Stakes could be just the job for Vocational although Crown Dependancy may have a say

No, this has nothing to do with Rod Bransgrove rubbing someone up the wrong way. It is the rules on poor pitches that are wrong rather than the interpretation. Rod Bransgrove said on Solent that the panel decision was honest by fair minded people. This is not just the official view for the media, he expressed similar to me on the final morning when I chatted with him on the subject.

Just found this on Cricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/current/story/524514.html Could not agree more.

Whilst I am bitterly disappointed it was an event waiting to happen. It is difficult to blame Nigel, the Head Groundsman, alone as it would have been Giles White who made the decision he wanted to play on this pitch. The deduction does not suprise me in view of the events leading up to the deduction. First Sky were at the previous game and were aware, as were the supporters, that we were going to use the wicket for a 4 day game after a 40/40 with few overs lost to weather. I did not hear it, as I was at the game, but I am told Atherton said something like "If the Notts team are watching this, pack your coach with spinners!" The first day was lost to rain after the toss and teams announced. When I arrived on the second day I bumped into the pitch inspector and said "Hello Tony, what are you doing here, I did not see you yesterday" His reply was "no, not here yesterday, I was called in by the ECB" ECB send their inspectors to first days of games without cause, just to see how a wicket performs but on this occasion it was the umpires who must have contacted the ECB on the first day wash out. Therefore they had concerns before a ball was bowled. Never a good sign. When Tony turned up the next day as well the writing was very much on the wall. We spoke about the Lords 22 wickets in a day and he explained that a pitch panel was called after that day but it was decided the wickets were due to atmospheric conditions and poor batting and not as a result of a poor wicket (no suprise there!!!!!) Yesterday the panel arrived before the game so a further bad sign of things to come. This was a sub standard pitch, most in the game would agree, but it made for entertaining cricket. Was it a poor pitch within the rules.....the panel seemed to think so but many spectatorts I spoke to over the 3 days play will not agree. Back to the boring no result piches? I hope not. The paying public will continue to turn their backs on the game. When will we get a fair decision in our favour at the Rosebowl!!

Lot of issues with this game. It was only turning from the pavillion end when I spoke to Tahir yesterday afternoon. Tahir given 2 warnings for running on the pitch from the Pavillion end today. One more and he would have been banned from bowling further in the match so he had to be taken off but bowled from the Northern end. Much has been said about the wicket and the possibility of a points deduction. I spoke to Rod Bransgrove today. He said it was a poor pitch but not one deserving of a points deduction but that we would have to accept any finding. He was aware of the Telegraph article quoted in an above post. They were in discussion with ECB. As for the game itself a draw was the outside result this morning. Notts losing 3 early wickets meant they were always going to shut up shop until late on. They nearly won it but a draw was a fair result. Positives from this match was Bates & Wood batting in both innings added to Wood and Briggs bowling. These young players showed we have talent. Relegation looks likely but with 7 matches still to go we can still turn this round. If we are docked points for a wicket that lasted, where all three results were possible going into the final hour and where there were no dangerous lift or unusual turn, then the pitch panel are asses.

Tony Pigot the ECB pitch inspector was called in this morning to inspect the wicket and stayed all day. ECB were alerted by the Umpires, presumably because it was a used wicket. I spoke to Tony as he arrived this morning. I did not speak to him again before I left as he has previously told me he is unable to discuss his findings with the Umpires or the Club. Although 13 wickets today I saw nothing in the wicket to suggest it was dangerous or will pick up a penalty. Spoke to Dimi. He had a small flair up of his previous injury and is out of this game purely as a precaution. Should be ok by the weekend. He told me Kabir Ali also has a small reaction to his previous injury. Excellent batting from McKenzie to day. Real class. Shame no one could hold on until he got his 100 but bearing in mind the position we found ourselves, 213 is a good score particularly as Wood took 3 wickets before the close and Griffiths looked fast and dangerous.