Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
First day of test abandoned because of dangerous outfield
Just when West Indies looked back on the up after the drubbing of England in the first test, cricket in the region has suffered another blow to its credibility.
The first day’s play in the second test match at Antigua was abandoned on Friday because of an ‘unfit and dangerous’ pitch, match referee Alan Hurst said.
West Indies bowlers were struggling to complete their run-ups because of sand on the ground used to plug holes in the outfield. England were seven for no wicket when play was halted.
“They will abandon play for the day as the ground is unfit and dangerous for the bowlers,” Hurst told Sky Sports. ”We will look at relocating the game, but the game is abandoned for today and we’ll look into it and make a further announcement later on today.”
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
The Spanish secretly love Beckham too
David Beckham was roundly booed when he was booked for dissent in Seville on Wednesday but most of the local fans had their tongues firmly in their cheeks given there is a good deal of affection in Spain for the former Real Madrid midfielder.
His feat in equalling Bobby Moore’s England outfield appearance record of 108 is impressive to the Spanish, whose most-capped non-goalkeeper is Beckham’s former Real colleague Raul with 102, followed by Fernando Hierro on 89.
Just why did England’s cricketers bat so badly?
England’s abject batting collapse against West Indies on Saturday, a 51 all out, was the third lowest total they have made in test matches and inevitably journalists search for an explanation for how Andrew Strauss’s side batted so badly.
I’m still searching and having read most of the attempts to explain, I’m not convinced that any of them, on their own, provide the answer .
Sports picture of the day: David Beckham
To celebrate the launch of the new sports blog we’re reviving a feature from View from the Bird’s Nest and posting a picture of the day from the Reuters file.
Sports Pictures Editor Greg Bos has chosen the first pic, a shot of David Beckham from Spanish photographer Marcelo del Pozo. Over to Greg…
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Beckham deserves to stand alongside Moore
A great many people, most of whom never saw Bobby Moore play, have decided that it is an insult to his memory that David Beckham will equal his outfield record of 108 England caps if he plays against Spain on Wednesday.
But if Moore , who died in 1993, had been around today you can be sure he would have been the first to sincerely congratulate a fellow gentleman of the game. The Golden-locked hero of 1966 would have recognised much of himself in Goldenballs.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Would a unified Britain have won more than one World Cup?
Resistance to plans for a unified British soccer team for the 2012 London Olympics means the idea may well be a one-off, if it gets off the ground at all.
The four home nations are wary of setting precedents that could harm their independent status, despite their lack of success as separate entities.
It’s been a long time coming … But are West Indies back?
Too many false dawns over the Caribbean in recent years have induced increasing pessimism among those who follow and cherish West Indies’ cricket.
Isolated flashes of brilliance, such as the record run chase to beat Australia in 2003, have been more than outweighed by a succession of heavy and, sometimes, humiliating defeats.
Only thing red about this England team should be their faces
My Reuters colleague Padraic Halpin suggested last week that no Englishman would be good enough to merit a place in British and Irish Lions team to face South Africa this year but on the evidence of this weekend none of Martin Johnson’s men would even have a chance of donning the red shirt of Wales.
The only England player to enhance his reputation was Danny Cipriani, having been dropped for the squad to face Italy then seen the Saxons game in Dublin frozen off. The 21-year-old’s confidence took enough of a dent in autumn and Johnson should get some credit for enabling to rebuild it away from the car crash that is the current England team.
Coach Dyson reflects on whirlwind win for West Indies
Miami-based correspondent Simon Evans is away covering England’s cricket tour of the West Indies. Tough job.
As soon as England’s second-innings humiliation was complete at Sabina Park, Simon grabbed West indies coach John Dyson for a chat about the great strides being made by his team. You can read Simon’s piece here. Think the ball that got Pietersen in the second innings was a bit special? Well, you’re in good company.
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Resident Left Field Expert
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