The Sporting calendar

Tickets for the fifth day of the first test in Cardiff go on sale on the 10th March 2009.

The first four days of the opening Ashes test match have sold out. The Test starts on July 8, and hospitality packages are still available for the first four days.

Tickets – priced at £25 for adults and £15 for juniors – can be purchased by phoning 0844 967 0701 or by visiting the Glamorgan website. They go on sale at 9am, so be quick!

Click here for Glamorgan cricket club’s website

What is going on over there, with the state of the pitches?
Batsmen (yes english ones) scoring hundreds of runs, bowlers toiling in the field lucky to get 6 wickets before a declaration comes, then easily hanging on in the second innings to play out time and it all ends up a draw – very odd!

I’m used to an England mini collapse or a glorious victory against the odds, rescued from the jaws of defeat, is it the wickets? or could it be the bowling attacks of both teams?

The only other explanation I can see is that the bowling lacks bite or flexibility to change from swing to medium or spin, the ability to mix it up, etc.
As pleased as I maybe to see England’s batting order scoring healthily, I’m not convinced that they are doing as well as I’d like on merit.

Day 4 (4th test):
Ramnaresh Sarwan makes a brilliant 291 as West Indies declare on 749-9 against England.
Ramdin added 166 and Taylor reached 53 as England struggled in the field.

With the Windies traditionally having long hot summer days, you would think that England would have an attack based upon spin and medium pace?

Seam bowling only has good returns when there is cloud and air pressure, hence the reason why most of the wickets have fallen at the end of each day as the sun starts to set and temperatures drop.
England need more bowlers that can drop in a few slower balls and mix it up instead of treadmill like fast seam bowling.

CRICKET: Already into day 3 of the fourth test between the Windies and England (Saturday)

FOOTBALL: All but two teams are playing fixtures this weekend in the premier league.
The league cup final takes place on sunday, Man Utd v Spurs.

SIX NATIONS: Tough match for England as they are away to Ireland, with Scotland taking on Italy. (Both saturday games).

Brilliant batting display from England!
They finally stepped on the gas and hit a big score that they’ve been threatening to do for ages, declaring at 600-5.
Windies finished the day at 85-1.

Its a cracking day for sports today, with an almost full football fixture list, 6 nations rugby and test match cricket, its hard to know wether to sing barmy army songs or swing low!