Hampshire were fucking dire at Basingstoke last week, I stormed¹ out before the end. But on the plus side we’ve signed Ajantha Mendis for next season, with Tahir coming back for 2011. If he gets a chance to play most of the season that could be very good.

In the Ashes England should’ve gone for
Strauss
Cook
Trott
Collingwood
Prior
Flntoff
Rashid
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions
The 4 all-rounders give you some batting quality, but it looks like a typical Oval pitch and we’ve got to get 20 wickets so the 4 seamers and 2 spinners should cover than. And we really want to avoid a situation where we’re batting towards a declaration, ’cause we tend to be shit at that.

Football

A great start for Arsenal, all this bollocks about finishing below City will look really stupid when we win the title this year.

But I won’t look stupid when I win the fantasy football this year. I’ll look stupid when I don’t.

¹ well, ambled

5:50 – Hamilton-Brown just bowled by Tomlinson for 15. 209/6

5:42 – Prior’s century brings a big exodus around the ground. Bit of a bugger we’d be doing well without it.

5:37 – Just brought up the 200 to avoid the follow on condeming the game to a draw. Prior on 99.

5:02 – Nearly missed it, but Cork just got Hodd, now 177/5. Follow on looks unlikely.

3:40 – Prior just got his 50, they’re 113/4

3:18 – Goodwin run-out by Taylor, the classic batsman hits it straight, bowler gets a finger to it and runs out the non-striker who’s out of his crease.

3:13 – 50 partnership is up with Prior getting 40 of them. Cork could’ve had a wicket the ball after Joyce it either didn’t carry or was dropped. Several variations of fuck were heard even from this distance.

2:02 – And Cork’s just bowled Joyce for 3. 46/3.

1:57 – Nash out bowled Tomlinson caught by Adams for 33. 46/2. And the sun’s out again.

1:45 – Cork just got Yardy plum lbw for 7. 32/1

1:14 – Sussex got to 31/0 at lunch, Tomlinson had a few go past the outside edge but not a lot of great chances.

12:20 – Either Nic Pothas reads this blog or, slightly less likely, my mind. Hants have just declared on 350/8.

11:58 – Play just about to start, still miserable weather. I’d get to 350 for the bonus point then try to bowl them out cheaply. The only chance we have of winning is if they follow on.

11:09 – Due to a delayed train I’m still waiting for the bus, and to make it worse it’s very overcast. On the plus side I haven’t missed any cricket as it’s been delayed with an inspection on 20 minutes.

5:04 – Ervine out for 109 off the unlikely bowling of Ed Joyce. And I’m off at the end of the next over to get the bus.

4:55 – Ervine’s century off 136 balls.

4:45 – The 100 partnership, 250 total and Pothas’s 50 all up in quick succession. Now 269/4

3:53 – Tea, Ervine got to his fifty with a six, now on 63. Pothas on 34 and they’re 224/4 off 64 overs, a good session for Hants.

3:31 – The 200 up off the 58th over, another quick 50, Ervine on 47, 205/4.

2:52 – 52 off the first 24 overs, 115 off the next 24. Ervine hit a flurry of fours to get up to 37.

2:34 – Adams out caught Prior bowled Aga. 145/4 in the 44th over.

2:16 – And Adams brings up his 50 with another 4. 110 balls, 7 fours and a six.

2:12 – Prior drops Adams on 37. Putting himself under pressure with all his rivals scoring runs. Adams now on 46.

2:00 – The hundred up with 4 byes 101/3.

1:50 – Just after lunch Benham out to a poor shot. Caught Hamilton-Brown bowled Martin-Jenkins (a pain to type on the iPhone).

12:51 – Just after the 50 partnership Lumb caught Prior off Wright for 30. Now 81/2.

12:45 – A six for Adams to the longest boundry. Now 73/1 23 off the last 4 and a bit overs.

12:32 – They finally get to 50 off 24 overs. Not exactly IPL pace.

11:46 – it was a great catch by Hodd off Martin-Jenkins. And Lumb was nearly caught in the slips on 1.

11:36 – Carberry’s just got out, 26/1 in the 10th over.