Drama Denied: What Was The Double Point?

The Hives put it perfectly - 'hate to say I told you so'. As I mentioned in a critical (and therefore fairly normal) post earlier in the year, I was not all for the double points race being discussed at the time. Having had that race - today's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, I can safely say I am still not a fan. A season full of twists and turns (even though viewers may have wanted a slightly more competitive field) has, thanks to the double points rule, seemingly been won emphatically. And this season review post will demonstrate that this has simply not been the case.

Though no-one can deny that the Constructors title has been long since over - really since about race five or six - the Driver's Championship has gone right down to the wire, with both Mercedes drivers in with a shout as the lights went out in the desert. It's worth saying that this would still have been the case without double points, though admittedly the pressure on Hamilton would have been non-existent.

However, after all the pre-race talk about avoiding technical issues, it was perhaps inevitable that the title would ultimately be cemented by a catastrophic ERS failure for Nico Rosberg. This left the German well outside the points, while his teammate took the top step in Abu Dhabi to extend his Drivers Championship lead to an impressive 67 points. Much like many football results we see, the final score simply doesn't tell the story, and this must be blamed, at least slightly, on the ludicrous double points final race.

Despite his enormous final margin of victory, the 2014 season started in the worst possible way for Hamilton with a DNF handing Rosberg a 25 point advantage. However, four straight one-two victories for the Briton saw him reel Rosberg back in as the pair headed to Monaco, with the Constructors Championship practically sewn up.

But the famous track saw an ugly twist in race, which threatened to break the two lifelong friends apart. In a move reminiscent of the cynical parking manoeuvre pulled off by Michael Schumacher in 2006 at Rascasse, a dubious "mistake" handed Rosberg pole and ultimately victory, bucking the trend of Hamilton wins and left a bad taste in the mouth. This would not be the only time the pair clashed, with Hamilton again feeling aggrieved at the tactics of his teammate at Spa later in the year.

With Hamilton's win at Yas Marina, Mercedes set a new record for most wins by a Constructor in a single season - 16. The only man to taste success was a surprising one - not one of the several world champions littering the field, but Red Bull new boy Daniel Ricciardo. His first race win in Canada was gifted to him, with both Mercedes drivers struggling with ERS problems - forcing Hamilton out, and Rosberg into second. He was also the beneficiary when the two Mercedes collided in Belgium, whilst poor strategic decision-making and changeable conditions handed the Australian the victory in Hungary. Though he has been fortunate, take nothing away from his performance - to comprehensively beat the four time world champion Sebastien Vettel, in the car he won the titles, both in qualifying and the race, is quite incredible.

Likewise, Valtteri Bottas's performances have also been eye-catching. Though the Finn failed to claim victory, he was a regular on the podium, more than matching his illustrious teammate, Massa. Moving back to the title race, the Mercedes pair swapped victories, with both taking their home races. However, after the incident at Spa, the team's sympathy sat well and truly with Hamilton, with a number of the upper echelons publicly blaming Rosberg for the crash. This clearly had an impact on Hamilton, as the Brit claimed the following five Grand Prix to take the initiative in the title race - 24 points ahead with just two races to go.

While in any normal season, that would almost see the title done and dusted, the threat of double points in Abu Dhabi placed more emphasis on the Brazilian GP. This time, the pressure told on Hamilton, with an uncharacteristic driving error having seemed set to jump his teammate in the pits. The spin left Hamilton 17 ahead going into today's GP in the desert, with the ERS problem for Rosberg killing any threat of final day drama.

So as I have mentioned, I am hardly the biggest fan of the double points rule. I was equally against the extension of the points to 25,17 etc... from the more traditional 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 that I grew up with. So, using the older scoring system, how would the season have panned out?

	Hamilton	Rosberg
Australia	0	10
Malaysia	10	18
Bahrain	20	26
China	30	34
Spain	40	42
Monaco	48	52
Canada	48	60
Austria	56	70
Britain	66	70
Germany	72	80
Hungary	78	85
Belgium	78	93
Italy	88	101
Singapore	98	101
Japan	108	109
Russia	118	117
USA	128	125
Brazil	136	135
Abu Dhabi	146	135

So Bernie wants excitement right to the end? Newsflash Mr Ecclestone - you don't want double points, you don't even want the current 25 for a win scoring system - you want the system you used 10 years ago! Under the old system, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg would have come into today's race separated by just one point, knowing that the winner would take it all!

Premier League 2013/2014: So Did The Fixtures Mean Anything? (Title Race)

Those of you who have been following my blog (and I thank you for it - I know it's been irregular), will possibly recall some posts I did about nine months ago about the newly announced fixtures for the 2013/2014 Premier League season, and how they may affect the three main races: the title, 4th place and relegation. I did a post on each, and I will now review this as the season draws to a close, and give an indication of who is now the favourite based on the final four fixtures.

Beginning with the title race, I (wrongly as it turned out) assumed that the winner would almost inevitably come from one of the three teams that have shared the title for the last 10 years: Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. Though we now know we need to throw Liverpool into the mix, it is worth looking back over the fixtures, and seeing just how right (or often, wrong) I was.

Strangely, based on the fixtures I picked Manchester United to retain their title. I identified the three key times of the season, looking at the five fixtures at the beginning, middle and run-in. In reality, United have massively underperformed in both of the beginning and middle fixtures. Though they started well, with an emphatic 4-1 victory away at Swansea City, their form tailed off dramatically. A boring 0-0 draw with then-title rivals Chelsea was followed by two devastating defeats, away at Liverpool and Manchester City. The Manchester derby was particularly damaging, both for United's title chances, and David Moyes's credibility, as the Red Devils were comprehensively outplayed (the first of many times that would occur this season). Though I did not select United to start the season particularly well, I did not expect them to collapse quite so spectacularly.

Manchester City's start was considerably less tricky, and as a result saw them post a more healthy total after 5 games. Beginning the season with a 4-0 demolition of Newcastle, City were shocked by newly-promoted Cardiff City in a topsy-turvy game. Despite taking the lead, Cardiff came from behind to record one of the surprise results of the season, winning 3-2. This defeat evidently affected the Blues, as they laboured to a 2-0 victory in their next home game against Hull. A 0-0 draw at Stoke, historically a tough place to go, left City lagging behind slightly. However, the resounding victory over United sent out a real message into their title rivals and reinstated City's place towards the top of the table.

The final contenders I covered, Chelsea, began the season with a comfortable home win over Hull City, with fans rejoicing in the return of the 'Special One'. Though the fixtures changed slightly to accommodate the UEFA Super Cup, meaning that Chelsea picked up another home win over Aston Villa, that bore draw with Manchester United checked the rhythm of the Blues. This was further disrupted by the 1-0 defeat suffered at Goodison Park against a resurgent and difficult Everton. However, the 2-0 win over Fulham was the perfect tonic for their difficult period and meant that Chelsea could regain the momentum lost through their 100% home record.

I predicted that of those opening 5, it would be Manchester City that performed best, with Chelsea having to travel to Everton and Manchester United, and United having a horrible run of fixtures (causing David Moyes to have a meltdown about them - would it have happened with Fergie in charge?).  After the opening 5, I was still fairly confident that surprises like Cardiff's win against City was an example of teams bedding in and learning the ropes under a new manager, and I was confident that form would pick up as the season went on. Whilst I was not particularly surprised with the defeats United had away at City and Liverpool, the manner of them was shocking, and it looked like they would be the side most in need of adjustment.

End of First 5: Manchester United - 7pts (8th), Manchester City - 10pts (3rd), Chelsea - 10pts (4th)

To be fair to United and Moyes, whilst they looked defensively suspect, particularly at home, their away for has been impressive throughout the season, and eventually they began to improve in the mid-season period. Traditionally, the games over Christmas are where United really begin to gain momentum, so their rather fortunate five fixtures helped them considerably. Looking between the 14th December and New Year's Day, United began with a winnable tie at Aston Villa. With their excellent away form, win they did, and comfortably - 3-0. Three further victories, a 3-1 win at home to West Ham, a 3-2 come from behind win at Hull and an edgy 1-0 win over Norwich at Carrow Road saw United begin to string together results and gain momentum. However, once again their abysmal home form came back to bite them. Having already lost to Everton, Newcastle and West Brom at Old Trafford by this point, United's fortess of the past decades had been eradicated. This was proven once again with another dismal display at home to Tottenham, where goals from the rejuvenated Emmanuel Adebayor and the excellent Christian Eriksen gave Spurs a deserved 2-1 win and denting United's title prospects further.

Man City's mid-season fixture list was dauting, with visits from Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as a tough tie at Swansea. I said in my earlier post that this may be the making or the breaking of City's season, and if so, it certainly made it. A 6-3 demolition of Arsenal in an incredible game at the Etihad saw City continue their unbelievable goalscoring form. Though they were winning, they were having to do it the hard way. A 4-2 away win at Fulham saw the Blues chuck a 2-0 lead away, before recovering to claim the three points. With similarly free-scoring Liverpool the next to travel to City, they could ill-afford more slip-ups. In a testing and absorbing contest, a Simon Mignolet error handed Alvaro Negredo the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory for the Blues. Two further wins at home to Crystal Palace and away at Swansea saw City claim maximum points from the mid-season and keep themselves very much in the hunt for the silverware.

Chelsea had a similarly difficult run of games, but they started with a comfortable (but not too easy) 2-1 win at home to a resurgent Crystal Palace. Mourinho's tactics ensured that they left their next game at the Emirates with their goal untroubled, but too often left them toothless upfront in a boring 0-0 draw. The lack of goals has been a theme throughout this season for Chelsea, and this was proven with the 1-0 win at Swansea, where Samuel Eto'o missed several golden opportunities to make the scoreline more emphatic. However, winning is winning, and a huge victory in the crunch game at home to Liverpool ensured that Chelsea remained well in the title race approaching the New Year. A dominant 3-0 win at the difficult St Mary's Stadium in Southampton saw Chelsea move within two points of the top spot, having taken 13 from the 15 points available in the period.

Here I was surprised. I predicted that it would be Manchester United that performed best of the three, as their fixtures seemed markedly easier than either those of Chelsea or City. However, it is probably unfair to castigate too much, as all three sides had excellent mid-season periods, with 12 out of 15 being the worst return. City's demolition of Arsenal sent out a warning shot to the rest of the Premier League that they were ready to fight their corner to the end, whilst Chelsea were quietly creeping up behind. By this point, United had already lost too much ground to put them in the title shake-up, and their efforts were now focused on claiming that all important 4th place. If they continued the way they managed in the mid-season, this was certainly possible.

End of Middle 5: Manchester United - 34pts (7th), Manchester City - 44pts (2nd), Chelsea - 43pts (3rd)

So what happened as the season reached its climax? Well, United continued to be consistently inconsistent, with their away form remaining the best in the division. However, their home form continues to be their undoing, and they seem incapable of competing in the big games. Heavy 3-0 defeats in successive games against Liverpool and Manchester City followed the 3-1 loss to Chelsea, ultimately ending United's push for a Champions League place. How badly this will affect the future of the club remains to be seen, but irrespective of what Moyes says, I truly believe that it will have a negative impact on the calibre of player United can attract. As a result, I would not be surprised to see a lot of new faces at United over the summer, but few will be huge headline names.

Manchester City, rocked by injuries to key personnel at times, have gone off the boil at a critical moment. Despite looking unstoppable at times in the mid-season, cruising past Spurs, Norwich and Arsenal with huge scores, the injury to Sergio Aguero has halted their goalscoring prowess. They, like United have failed in the big games, with a pair of defeats against Chelsea being followed by an incredibly damaging 3-2 defeat away at Liverpool (marked as a title decider). Wednesday's draw with Sunderland takes the title well and truly out of their hands, and they now need someone to do them a favour if they are to reclaim the trophy they won two years ago.

Chelsea have continued in the vein they have seen all season - winning games, but not scoring goals. As such, they are within touching distance of leaders Liverpool, but without a particularly good goal difference or any games with spectacular scorelines. Though they would now be favourite of the three I picked to win the title from here, it is interesting consider the three in the race and how I believe it will pan out as we head into the home straight.

5 To Go: Liverpool (1st), Chelsea (2nd), Manchester City (3rd)

The real surprise of the season was the rise of Liverpool. Their potent attacking force has made the Anfield side difficult to stop this campaign, as proven by their monumental home victories against all of their title rivals thus far. However, two damaging results ensured that the title would be making its way back to Manchester for the fourth successive year. Chelsea's brilliant, if a little dull, victory at Anfield was followed by an incredible collapse at Crystal Palace, handing momentum, and ultimately the trophy, back to City.

City, after their defeat at Liverpool, and the 2-2 draw with Sunderland, seemed rank outsiders for the title. However, 6 successive wins, including tough away ties at The Eagles and Goodison Park, a traditional bogey ground, meant that a final day coast at home to West Ham handed them the crown.

Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, having beaten the Reds, shot themselves in the foot, dropping points at home to Sunderland and Norwich, wrecking what promised to be a golden return for the Special One.

At the end of one of the closest championship battles for years, we could have seen the trophy back in the North West - but not in the place you would expect. However, one of the most exciting races in recent memory promises to be even more so next year, with free-spending Chelsea and Manchester City likely to be joined by Manchester United and Arsenal, if they can avoid injuries. It will be incredibly interesting to see if Liverpool can marry European football, particularly Champions League, with a decent domestic campaign. We have seen sides struggle to compete for multiple honours, and it will be a real test of Brendan Rodgers' small squad next year.

F1's Double Points Finale: Just How Ridiculous Is It?

The news that Formula 1 is planning to award double points for at least the final race of the season has been greeted with almost universal derision from fans and drivers alike. I pride myself on attempting to put both sides of the argument before coming to a reasoned decision, and this will be no different. Personally, I disagree whole-heartedly with the changes, but then again I generally am averse to major change in sport. I disliked the points move to 25 initially, but this has widely been accepted.

After such an emphatic title victory by Sebastian Vettel last time around, it is unsurprising that bosses want to prevent the same repetitive, boring season next year. Handing double points for the final race of the season would certainly prolong the title race, as an individual would need to be more than 50 points clear before travelling to the final race to be assured of the title. However, even this argument has flaws. It would not prevent the situation that we saw this season, as Vettel would still have been champion entering the final race in Brazil, and his win in the final race would only add further emphasis to the margin of victory.

I have further issues with this proposal. At the beginning of the season, every team sets up their car in a particular way, with different top speeds and cornering ability. This means that the best car often changes depending on the type of track. If a track has a huge amount of straights, like Spa-Francorchamps or Monza, this inevitably favours a car with a high top speed. On the other hand, a track like Monaco or Singapore's Marina Bay circuit rely on twisting turns, meaning that cars with excellent turning ability and high downforce will be at an advantage. What this has to do with the proposal is regardless of the track that is chosen to be the final race of the season, it will favour one team in particular. Either this, or, even worse in my opinion, all of the teams will set their cars up with the final race in mind, meaning that there will be no difference between the cars from track to track, meaning that we will almost certainly repeatedly see the type of emphatic Vettel win each season. It will become who can set their car up for the final race best.

As I mentioned earlier, this proposal has been met largely with disapproval. Most outspoken of the drivers has been Sebastian Vettel. Whether that is because it disadvantages him should his championship lead next year not be as emphatic as this, or whether that is me being cynical, I am not sure. Nevertheless, his comments have been covered in media across the globe, and he has become the face for the anti-50 points campaign. As much as I agree with the sentiment behind his words, I have a serious issue with something he said. One of the soundbites used during his comment was 'it's like giving double points for the final game of the Bundesliga'. That got my back up. I do love a good analogy, but it is this kind of ill-conceived and poorly constructed notion that makes me think that sportsmen should just stick to 'I think that...'.

The reason this simple statement got me irritated is that the two aren't really comparable. Whilst they are both sports, there is pretty much where the similarities end. The key point that makes me disagree is the fact that not all of the teams play each other on the final day. In racing, every driver is on the track at the same time, and therefore each can alter their own fate and position. On the final day of the football season, Bayern Munich (the team in first) could be playing Eintracht Braunschweig (the team currently bottom), whilst their main title rivals Borussia Dortmund could be playing Bayer Leverkusen for double points. I know which I would favour in that equation. In football, the fixtures leave more to fortune than F1 ever can, and therefore the double points in football would be far more unfair than the double points in motor racing.

However, just because I am arguing against Vettel's usage of a misguided metaphor, please do not think that I support the new rules. I do not. I think, for the reasons I have outline, it is a ridiculous notion, which doesn't even achieve its original purpose. If an individual is really as dominant as Vettel was this season, they will win the final race regardless, as Vettel did. Designed to attract TV audiences, all this new rule would do would be to force the other 19 races into a lesser category, meaning that viewers are unlikely to watch them. This makes no sense, either for the benefit of the sport, or the wallet of Bernie Ecclestone.

The Ashes 2013 Review: Are We Seeing A Reversal In Fortunes?

                        This summer's Ashes series has seen the pendulum swing massively. Gone are the days of Australian dominance, aided by the likes of McGrath, Warne and Ponting, and emphatically so. The complexion of the current Ashes landscape sees the English, for arguably the first time in decades, in the drivers seat. There are some that will argue that this was confirmed by the historic English victory in the 2009/2010 Ashes victory down under, but for me, I consider this to be the clincher. An individual series can be a flash in the pan, but to consolidate without losing a Test in the next series is highly impressive, and indicative of a shift in power. Of course, winning a series comfortably is a lot easier on home soil than it is away, and therefore any claims of an English Ashes dynasty will have to wait until after this winter. Should England win the next series in three months' time, I would expect the urn to be residing at Lord's for quite some time. This post will review this summer's Ashes series, giving my personal high points and lows, before asking whether the momentum has swung full circle, and it is England that now have the dominance that the Australians enjoyed throughout the 1990's and early 2000's.

High Points:

1) Ian Bell's Breakthrough Series?

                           Ian Bell has been a regular in the England side for some time now, so perhaps the sub-heading is a little misleading. I am not suggesting that he really needed to prove himself, being under pressure for his place. Nevertheless, it could certainly be argued that Bell has produced his best cricket, and more importantly, his most consistent performances of his career. The Warwickshire man had never really starred in Ashes series, with 2005 being a particularly poor showing, but he has completely redeemed himself this time around. At times keeping England in the Tests, his 3 centuries had the Australian bowlers quaking when he strode to the crease. Beginning with his vital century at Trent Bridge, which gave England the lead that enabled them to take the opening Test, he continued that form into the Lord's Test. At the home of cricket, a 109 gave Bell his second consecutive ton, helping England to a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead. Finally, arguably his most pivotal contribution occurred in the 4th Test at Durham. With England in real trouble at 49-3, Bell stepped in to produce a magnificent 113 not out, and once again set England on the path to victory. All of the English victories owe something to the middle-order batsman, and proved why he is one of the best with the willow worldwide.

2) The Nerves and the Drama

                            The first and final Tests are the ones that I am referring to here. Trent Bridge was reminiscent of that classic Test at Edgebaston in 2005, and ended with the same result: an English win. A quite incredible Test, which had the most enthralling final day. With England looking nailed on for victory, needing just 4 wickets to take the opening Test, Australia fought back, getting to within 15 runs of their 310 target. A controversial decision ended the game, with Australian wicketkeeper Haddin being dismissed after a DRS review indicated a small mark on the bat. The final Test at the Oval was equally as dramatic, but for different reasons. Instead of allowing the game to peter out into a boring draw, Aussie captain Clarke rolled the dice and tried to win it. Instead, they very nearly lost it, with another controversial decision this time costing the English the win.

3) So Near and Yet So Far For Agar

                             Arguably my favourite moment could also go in one of the worst moments. At the beginning of the Trent Bridge test, the name Ashton Agar meant nothing to the world of cricket, with the 'mystery spinner' being handed his Australian Test debut. By the end of it, he was a household name (for the next week at least!) in cricket homes up and down the country. After Australia followed England's example, collapsing to just 117-9, the 19-year-old stepped onto the park knowing his country needed him. Another 3 hours later, the number 11 was still there, having broken record after record in the meantime. Some of his records now include: highest score by a debutant number 11, first ever half century by a debutant number 11, world record 11th wicket partnership, highest ever score by a number 11. Unfortunately, it could not have a fairy-tale ending, as he fell for 97. Despite being an England fan, I have to admit I was willing the young man on to his century. However, having seen the narrow margin of victory three days later, I am not so certain I would have been as sporting had I known! Nevertheless, his 97 put Australia into the lead after the first innings, and put them back into contention.

4) The Best Batsman In The World?

                              Challenging the likes of Ian Bell for the title of 'World's Best Batsman' is Michael Clarke. To make a comparison, the Australian captain is arguably the Robin van Persie of cricket, with the middle-order batsman seemingly carrying his side, having scored an alarming percentage of the visitors runs. Most notably was an exceptional century in the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, where the captain scored a classy knock of 187 to put his side in a dominant position. Had it not been for the downpour, the Australians would almost certainly have registered, and that century could have been the moment that swung the momentum to the Aussies. The most consistent performer of the Australians, the captain is exceptional with the bat and in the field. If anything, the only aspect he lacks is the ability to judge the technology, something that frequently haunted the Australians. If he can learn from Cook in that regard, he will be a phenomenal captain for the Aussies down under.


5) The Marmite Man (1): Chester-le-Street

                                 The 'love him or hate him' man of this series has undoubtedly been Stuart Broad. The seamer has been in the news for both positive and negative reasons, but we will start on his high moment. Day 4 of the 4th Test was the hero moment for Broad, who almost single-handedly destroyed the Australian batting, and claimed the Ashes victory for the English. Finishing with bowling figures of 6-50 in the second innings, and 11 wickets in the match, his was the outstanding contribution in Durham, ensuring that the English did not just retain the urn, but actually won the series as well. However, unfortunately for Broad, it was not all light moments...

Low Points:

1) 'Punchgate' and David Warner

                                  Even before the Test series began, controversy surrounded the Ashes. With the news that after a night out, Australian opener David Warner had launched into an 'unprovoked attack' on English opener Joe Root, which was later confirmed as a punch on the English man. This saw Warner dropped for the opening two Tests, returning for the Old Trafford contest. Cue boos from all areas of the ground when the Australian entered the pitch or touched the ball, but what did he expect? In fairness to him, the opener did not allow it to distract him from his job, often bringing a rye smile to his lips. Eventually, the Aussie fought back to record two half centuries in the series, but Joe Root's dismissal of him brought smiles to the faces of all Englishmen concerned.

2) The Marmite Man (2): Trent Bridge

                                    I said Stuart Broad's performance wasn't entirely flawless... In the very first Test, Broad got involved in a moment of controversy that would continue burning until the very end of the season, and I suspect will see the seamer treated like David Warner when England visit Australia for the return series this winter. On the 3rd day at Trent Bridge, and with England on 297-6, Broad clearly edged an Agar delivery. However, having ballooned off the pads of Brad Haddin and into the grateful hands of Michael Clarke, the umpires refused the requests, much to the disbelief of the Australian captain. Given how obvious the edge was, it is amazing that the umpires missed it, but even more amazing and disturbing was Stuart Broad's refusal to walk. This threw questions of gamesmanship, with the phrase 'it's not cricket' being thrown around, which were even more so when Broad admitted he knew he had hit it. Even more so, it escalated into Australian coach Darren Lehmann accusing Broad of cheating, and asking the Australian people to 'make him cry' in the return series. Though the Aussie has apologized for those comments, the issue will remain in the minds of the Australian people, and I expect the Englishman to recieve a particularly hostile reception.

3) I Thought We Got Rid Of Human Error?
                                     Unfortunately, for all the good cricket that has been played this summer, there are countless examples of DRS and umpiring controversies. Beginning with the Broad-walking issue, and finishing with the 'Bad Light' fiasco at Lord's, this series has rarely been without incident and controversy. Though no-one would ever accuse them of corruption or cheating, the vast majority of the controversial decisions have gone in the favour of England. So bad were a couple of the decisions, the Australian Prime Minister got involved on Twitter. After Usman Khawaja was dismissed after a review in the Old Trafford Test, despite the video clearly showing no contact between bat and ball, the Aussie PM took to Twitter to announce his displeasure, with the comment 'one of the worst umpiring decisions I have ever seen'. Technology has been blamed for the inconsistencies and errors, but for me, it is the lump of flesh working the technology that has seemed to have crashed on all too many occasions.

4) Kevin Pietersen and the Silicone Tape of Deceit

                                       Until the events of the final night, I would have said that this was the most ridiculous controversy of the entire series. In the lead up to the 4th Test at Chester-le-Street, reports circulated that an Australian paper had accused English batsman Kevin Pietersen of cheating. Rather than the Broad 'non-walking' element of cheating, which the Aussies had a case for, they chose an altogether more non-sensical tack. They made the assertion that the South African-born batsman had been using silicone tape to prevent the thermal imaging part of the DRS system, Hotspot, to detect nicks through to the wicketkeeper. This would make complete sense as an argument if caught behind was the only way of getting out. The Australians clearly did not think about lbw claims. If, as they suggested, the batsman had been using tape to prevent any evidence of the ball on Hotspot, it would actually work against him on lbw claims. Both sides confirmed this as ridiculous, and nothing came of it since.

5) The Ridiculous Celebrations

                                         The story that broke relatively recently arguably tops the lot in terms of controversy. A story that would be more appropriate in Mario Balotelli's house or among the stories of dwarf throwing in the England Rugby Union World Cup camp, reports emerged that the English players had been seen urinating on the Oval turf after the finish of the final Test. This was practically confirmed when, just this morning, the England players came out and apologized for what they called 'inappropriate behaviour'. Why anyone would consider this to be an ordinary thing to do is beyond me, and it simply put a downer on the end of what had been a tremendous summer for the English boys. They will have to redeem themselves when they travel to Australia, and behave in an impeccable manner. However, as we have seen, that appears to be easier said than done...

Has It Swung All The Way?

                                          Such has been the dominance of the English team at times this series, that the question now has to be raised about whether the balance of power has shifted the full 180 degrees from the 90's. Personally, I think that we saw enough from the Australians in the latter parts of the series to suggest that they will fight back this winter. However, should the English dominate that series down under, we could be on for a good few years of English success, which may see the Aussies put into the wilderness in terms of the Test game, at least for the time being.