The bigger they are, the harder they fall

While Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, and James Milner were present at Villa Park Sunday, two of whom intent on keeping Newcastle in the top flight, Leeds fans sat quietly in their homes around Yorkshire and contemplated days gone by. They watched on with head in hands as Scunthorpe, the side Leeds finished eight points clear of during the League One regular season, celebrated promotion to the Coca-Cola Championship following a dramatic 2-1 win over Millwall in a dramatic play-off final at Wembley.

Five years ago, Viduka, Smith, and Milner were all in Leeds colours fighting to avoid relegation. It was May 4, 2004 at the Reebok stadium in Bolton. Coming off a 2-1 loss to Portsmouth, Leeds had to win to have any hope of staying in the Premiership. Viduka scored a first-half penalty, before being sent off for two ill-disciplined acts, and Bolton piled on four goals to reduce Alan Smith to tears and consign Leeds United to the Championship.

It was a remarkable fall from grace for a side that had played in a Champions League semi-final three years earlier. The irony, however, is that Newcastle qualified for the UEFA Cup in that same 2003-04 season.

Leeds United is a footballing institution of the north-east. It united a most diverse Yorkshire region. As aghast as fans, administrators, and management were at the reality of relegation, optimism was the automatic response.

None were more optimistic than Managing Director David Richmond. "It is not going to be easy because we don't have a lot of money but we have to do what we can for those wonderful supporters. We have got the backing of the best fans in the country and they deserve a lot better than what they have got.

"Next year we will have the passion on the pitch to compare with the passion shown by our fans. There is a lot of hard work ahead and that may include making some decisions which, in the short term, will prove unpopular, but this football club is in such a mess in every single way that we will need to completely re-build in the summer.

"We need a new team of hard-working players. Nobody wants our players because of their wages, some of which are beyond belief, but I will get rid of those players we need to as quickly as possible to give us the best possible chance of coming back stronger next season.

"Come August we will have a very, very good Division One team. We won't be buying average Division One players, we will have between £4m to £5m available to spend on wages and we will bring in the best possible players. On paper, at least, we will have a side that the fans can look at and say 'we have a chance'."

It proved nothing more than lip service. Leeds finished mid-table in the Championship the following year. 2005-06 saw them make the Championship playoffs for an attempt at reinstatement in the top-flight. Alas that door closed as Watford moved forth to enjoy the spoils of the Premiership. The following season the club went into voluntary administration following the sacking of Manager Kevin Blackwell on the back of a string of poor results and the clubs inability to relieve its debts.

Since then they have languished in League One, the third tier of English football, twice qualifying for promotion, twice failing.

One can’t help but fear for a club of similar stature in the north-east. Newcastle’s 16-year stay in the Premiership ended Sunday in an inglorious whimper, under the leadership of their fourth manager for the season.

Teams get relegated. It is the reality of English football. But clubs like West Bromwich Albion are used to yo-yoing between divisions. It characterises their club, and galvanises their fans. Clubs like Albion know the realities of the economies of football. They don’t possess the bank-balance to write blank cheques for managers during transfer windows. And without the quality of talent you cannot compete in the Premiership.

But Newcastle like Leeds before them did have a cheque book and were willing to use it. But now the glamour of the Premiership becomes a distant memory and the realities of the Championship sets in.

For Leeds in 2004, it was the end of an era. The squad that lost that fateful day at the Reebok was full of international stars, egos that would refuse to be bruised by the prospect of leaving grand arenas such as Old Trafford, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, for places like Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham, or the Don Valley Stadium in Rotherham, sights unseen and unheard of for any Champions League footballer.

So it was no surprise when the likes of Viduka, Smith, Milner, Paul Robinson, Dominic Matteo, Ian Harte, Scott Carson, Aaron Lennon, and Jermaine Pennant, all present at the Reebok, all fled for the door.

When the likes of West Bromwich move between divisions the skeleton of their quad at least remains, but more importantly, so does the soul. In Leeds case, the soul left and the body disintegrated.

So what of Newcastle? Their fans equally passionate, their coaching merry-go-round moving equally as quick, and their squad equally-laden with talented international stars, as Leeds of 2004.

It is hard to see the likes of Obafemi Martins, Michael Owen, Damien Duff, Geremi, Habib Beye, Sebastien Bassong, Jonas Gutierrez, Fabricio Coloccini, and Peter Lovenkrands staying to tackle away fixtures for the Magpies at Blackpool or Plymouth Argyle next season. Even the likes of Nicky Butt, Kevin Nolan, and Viduka, all rumoured to be considering staying for the Championship fight will find the gravitational pull of the Premier League hard to resist.

For the Geordies it is a long road ahead as Leeds has shown. A road that has seen them plummet to the depths of League One thru mismanagement and complacency. But it shows the bigger they are, the harder they fall which is why so many fear for the Toon army and its club.

Leeds is the blueprint for how not to handle such a fall. Whether Newcastle bounce or fall through the floor remains to be seen.

Expect the unexpected

We’ve never seen a season like it. Two sides undefeated after nine rounds is unheard of in the 113 year history of VFL/AFL football, but this is not necessarily the most surprising aspect of the current AFL ladder. Six sides have identical win/loss records of five and four, separated only by nine per cent, and four more sit outside the eight by just a game.

Despite Geelong and St Kilda being a long way clear, round nine provided hope for the chasing pack. Had Brad Johnson threaded thru his check-side after the siren the seemingly invincible Cats would be anything but. We expect this from the Dogs. They are a plucky side, full of run, skill, and heart - brilliantly mentored by one of the best in the business in Rodney Eade - and while most concede their list appears on paper to lack the talent and depth of some of the heavyweights, most agree like last year they will be there at the business end.

St Kilda’s start to the year has been phenomenal, but not that surprising. They’ve been threatening for some years but Ross Lyon has finally found the right formula to get his talented group to take the step up in class. What was surprising was the scare provided by a team exceeding all expectations in 2009, the Brisbane Lions.

The Lions, with an exceptionally young group and an even younger coaching staff, almost pulled off the upset of the season yesterday at Etihad Stadium. They needed everything to go right. They had to take every chance. Kicking 13 goals from 16 attempts is a close as you can get to perfection in modern football. They needed to somehow quell the influence of St Kilda’s extraordinarily potent and versatile forward line, without two mainstay defenders in Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull, and for three quarters they did. Michael Voss moved Daniel Bradshaw, Brisbane’s all-time leading goal kicker, into defense in an inspired move but misfortune in the form of the blood-rule forced Bradshaw from the field and the period it took to clean him up and find a pristine pair of white shorts, the man he had marked so well Nick Riewoldt kicked a crucial goal and had a hand in two others to seal the win for the Saints.

Brisbane are sixth, in that large group with five wins, four of which have come at Gabba. Many could still be skeptical given the calibre of opposition they have beaten. Richmond provided their only victory in Melbourne, while Geelong handed them almighty hiding in round five. But if they can win this week against an indifferent and vulnerable North Melbourne, Voss’ men have set the perfect platform for finals football.

But they are not the only young side making plenty of noise. While Brisbane has question marks over the quality of their wins no one can deny Essendon’s capability of winning against the big club’s. It was supposed to be another development year for Matthew Knights’ young group but such is the nature of their fearless running brand they have cut a swathe through some of the competitions big guns. Hawthorn, Carlton, and Collingwood have all been toppled by the new generation of “Baby Bombers” this season and they provided a stern test for the Saints in round eight.

They are a dangerous side capable of anything, the pace and skill of their midfield will frighten many a match committee in the weeks to come.

But as quickly as Brisbane and Essendon are climbing to unexpected heights, a much-hyped Carlton side is heading in the wrong direction. The Blues’ season is hanging by the same thread that is holding Jarrad Waite’s Anterior Cruciate Ligament together.

They have only themselves to blame. Inaccurate kicking cost them against Essendon, Hawthorn, Fremantle and to a lesser extent Sydney. But with the much maligned Brendan Fevola miss-firing and versatile swing-man Waite unavailable indefinitely, few sides will fear the team they thought would be coming.

Two other sides standing on the precipice, unsure of which way their year will go, are Hawthorn and Collingwood. The reigning premiers, ravaged by injury, have done exceptionally well to get to this point with five wins. Their plight is reminiscent of the Leigh Matthews-led Lion kings of 2001-03. Given the attritional nature of their consecutive and successful September campaigns the first half of every season was spent just trying to stay in touch with the frontrunners, with a squad held together by sticky tape, before sharpening through August to ensure they were cherry ripe when it mattered. Whether Hawthorn can achieve what that Lions side did remains to be seen.

Collingwood continue to confound expectation. They have lost to Adelaide and Essendon at the MCG, games where they started favourite, yet they have beaten Brisbane at the Gabba and West Coast in Perth. The competition’s least travelled club has now won nine of their last 12 on the road. Four and five is hardly the record of a side that was expected to be a lock for the top four after an impressive showing in the NAB Cup.

Then there is Sydney and Port Adelaide whose form is akin to picking lottery numbers. Neither are as consistent as they have been in their Premiership years despite still possessing key components of their most successful sides.

All that can be gleaned from nine rounds of the 2009 season is expect the unexpected.

Round 9 2009 Hawthorn v Melbourne

Alex Malcolm and Chris Robinson are your commentators for sunday twilight football from the MCG. The reigning premiers Hawthorn up against last years wooden spooners Melbourne. It was a clash on paper that looked lopsided but current form suggested otherwise as the Demon's looked to manufacture one of the biggest upsets of the year. Click on the links below.

Preview
1st term
2nd term
3rd term
4th term
wrap up

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Now all that’s left is the wait. It’s the same wait we had four years ago. Cast your mind back to 2005 and the lead in was the same in terms of results. England has just completed the most pointless of thumping’s against arguably the most hapless and carefree side in world cricket. Four years ago it was the same story against an equally hapless yet seemingly far more caring Bangladesh outfit.

Australia in 2005 like in 2009 had completed an impressive series victory away from home in the month of March. The anticipation for the Ashes was equally high. But that is where all similarities end.

In 2005 Australia had swept all before them in the previous 12 months, their first under the test leadership of Ricky Ponting. His first series in charge was the only time Sri Lanka have been swept three-nil at home in their three decades of international cricket. They then conquered the final frontier winning in India for the first time in 35 years. After losing the dead rubber on a diabolical surface in Mumbai the ensuring southern summer was almost flawless. Barring two days worth of rain in Wellington Australia would have claimed eight consecutive test wins in five months on either side of the Tasman.

The Australian Ashes squad picked itself. So many stars left no room in the squad for Michael Hussey, or the XI for Brad Hodge, with 20,000 first class runs between them. The anticipation came from the possibility of a fight for the first time since 1986-7.

England’s side was in the midst of a rare period of sustained success. They had won four consecutive test series for the first time since 1971. In doing so claimed two trophies away, in the West Indies and South Africa, achievements sight unseen for any Englishman born after that date.

The English side was settled under the astute, assured leadership of Michael Vaughan, a unique, uniting figure. A thick Yorkshire accent mixed with a game as classy as any oxford scholar galvanised a country still afflicted in a cricketing sense by old-time class structures. Not to mention the international flavour in the form of a Papua New Guinean-born, Australian-raised wicketkeeper, and a larger than life cricketing mercenary from South Africa. The biggest question in the lead-up to 2005 was a selection dilemma between the prolific, bullish, aforementioned mercenary, Kevin Pietersen and a hard-nosed veteran with 100 Tests experience in Graham Thorpe.

Fast forward four years and the form lines are nowhere near as deep, the selection dilemmas are nowhere near as trivial, and yet the anticipation is even more palpable.

Australia’s golden era is over. There is no denying this fact. When you lose the quality of players they have it is inevitable. Yet despite this no one was prepared for it. Australia lost in India, not a heinous crime by any stretch but the manner in which its maligned squad lost was of most concern. Australia had lost series in India before their 2004 triumph. But not since 1986 had they not won a test match there.

A two-test tour at home against New Zealand was about as relevant as England’s recent clash against the West Indies. Australia then lost their first series at home since 1992-93. The unthinkable had finally sunk-in. Australia were no longer the best team in the world, regardless of what the rankings said. Relieved of 205 test matches worth of experience due to the retirement of Matthew Hayden, and injuries to Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds, Ponting took a team of virtual “no-names” to the Veldt and arguably produced one of the greatest modern series wins.

But given the nature of the victory and uncertainty of youth, the jury remains out on this side heading to England, particularly given the speculation surrounding the naming of Australian touring party.

Likewise England’s prospects are equally as shaky. They returned to the bad old days during a winter spent overseas. Like Australia they lost in India, but unlike Australia they were feeble against the West Indies in the Caribbean. Their recent win reveals nothing form-wise. Arguably a month of County cricket may have been more productive.

But consider this, England have just won only their second series at home since beating Pakistan three-nil in September 2006. Those wins came against the might of New Zealand and the West Indies.

In that time six players have played 14 tests or more on home soil. Five of them are batsmen. Only one averages more than 50. No prizes for guessing it is Pietersen. England enter this series with a settled top six. They will agonise over the make up their attack. The questions will come thick and fast. Do we turn to Steve Harmison again? Do we pick Flintoff even if he is not fit?

They have no qualms with batting wicketkeeper Matt Prior at six. They will debate about the run-scoring value of the bowlers who fill spots seven to nine. But does anyone get a sense of déjà vu?

In 2006-7 they came to Australian shores certain of their fast bowling artillery and unsure about the depth of their batting, hence the return to Geraint Jones and Ashley Giles for the incumbents Chris Read and Monty Panesar.

In the end they could not buy a wicket and their batting depth became irrelevant.

In 2009 it seems the opposite is the case. They are unconcerned about their batting. Much like the South Africans they are underestimating the ability of one of the most inexperienced attacks Australia has ever sent.

England’s batsman folded under the pressure of two Indian left-arm swing bowlers in 2007, and last year stood no chance against a venomous and versatile South African attack. If they do not get enough runs it will not matter how well they bowl against an Australian batting line-up that is arguably the most vulnerable to travel to the UK in two decades.

England’s bowlers were lauded in 2005. It was their batsman who gave them something to bowl at and pressured an Australian line-up into deficits they had never conceded.

England’s batsman combined to total 400 or more in the first innings of three straight test matches during that epic series. A similar group has toppled 400 only four times in the last two northern summers, three of which came against insipid West Indies attacks.

This is what makes parts of Australia’s chosen squad puzzling. They know if their batsman fire they cannot be stopped. Even when they struggled in 2005 they still scrapped to semi-competitive scores. But Australian batsmen are the best frontrunners in the world. Give them a lead they will build a mountain. Their young firebrand quick’s gave them a lead in South Africa. The feats of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus were phenomenal. Andrew McDonald filled an admirable holding role, but given he could conceivably bat behind Johnson, a fit Stuart Clark could round out a superb pace quartet.

The fifth pace-man in the squad was chosen out of loyalty. Of that there is no question. Brett Lee has been an outstanding servant over many years for Australia in all forms of international cricket. He is lion-hearted. But who in their right mind would select a player who has not bowled in a first-class fixture this year, and who has the worst bowling average of any Australian fast-bowler to have delivered an over on English soil since Allan Border retired? Lee has 29 Ashes scalps at 45.44 apiece in England. Only Brendon Julian and Greg Campbell, of all specialist pace-men, have bought test wickets in England at a higher price in the last 20 years.

They are staggering figures. To think that the likes of Shaun Tait, Michael Kasprowicz, Jason Gillespie, Paul Reiffel, and Merv Hughes have better English records reveals much about Lee’s value in arguably some of the most favourable fast bowling conditions in the world.

Lee’s place has come at the expense of Doug Bollinger. The New South Welshmen could get not win a start during the tour of South Africa, after bowling so well without luck in his first test in Sydney, and before bowling exceptionally on flat slow wickets in the United Arab Emirates. Given England’s struggles against Zaheer Khan and RP Singh two summers ago, another left-armer with the ability to bring the ball back to a middle order dominated by right-handers could have been invaluable.

Instead Lee gets his chance, and he will almost certainly play at some stage.

Another curious anomaly in Australia’s squad of 16 is the lack of a specialist back-up batsman. Three all-rounders have been chosen if you include the incumbent number six Marcus North. But clearly the Australian selectors did not learn anything from the third test in Cape Town in March when North was confined to a hospital bed, and he was replaced by a specialist leg-spinner who conceded 149 in 18 wicket-less overs after Australia, without a specialist number six, slumped from 5-158 to be all out for 209. In the first test in Johannesburg they had been 5-182 before posting 466, with North scoring a debut-test century.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Without Lee, Shane Watson, and Symonds Australia took a risk and played six bats, a wicketkeeper and four bowlers. Each bowler as unique in style as the next, McDonald included.

Now with Lee back in the fold and Siddle as a walk-up start Australia’s variety becomes merely variations on a theme. Lee and Siddle have played in the same side three times. Australia lost all three, and the pair combined for six wickets between them in total.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Fourty-eight days out there is still much water to go under the bridge before the first ball is sent down in Cardiff.

But even at this early stage it is clear many believe like 2005 it will be a battle between England’s attack and Australia’s run-makers. But like 2005 the key will rest with England’s batsman and Australia’s bowlers.

Round 8 2009 Essendon v St Kilda

Alex Malcolm and Chris Robinson are your commentators for Sunday twilight football, Essendon against St Kilda from Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. It promised to be one of the matches of the round between the undefeated Saints and the giant killing baby Bombers. This was a great contest under the roof at Docklands. No need to download the podcasts. Just click on the links and press play.

Preview
1st Term
2nd Term
3rd Term
4th Term
Wrap up

From pretenders to contenders

It is currently a race in two. As so many expected it to be after seven rounds of AFL season 2009. Two sides have nominated themselves as genuine contenders and stand clearly out from the crowd.

Geelong is one. No surprises here. They are the benchmark of the competition. Their depth is incredible. They have covered the losses of Brad Ottens and Gary Ablett Jr in recent weeks seamlessly. Such has been their dominance Sydney coach Paul Roos proclaimed he had never seen a team so far ahead of the rest, after his side’s 50-point defeat to the Cats last Saturday. They have won 49 out of their last 52, which included the 2007 Grand Final but not the 2008 decider.

The other contender is not the 2008 Premier. This is a shock to the system. Hawthorn’s premiership hangover is lingering far longer than anyone expected. Just three wins in seven weeks is hardly the record of an elite side. Those in the know suggest this is not a cause for concern. But a 44-point loss to Essendon last Friday would suggest otherwise. They were beaten at their own game. They were suffocated by the pressure and intensity of the Bombers and got burnt going the other way. The number of injuries on the Hawks list is also of grave concern. Trent Croad, a pillar at centre-half back last year, has yet to play a game in 2009. Grant Birchall, who played all 25 last year, has missed three this year. Norm Smith medalist Luke Hodge looks set to spend up to a month on the sideline after a groin twinge. The reigning Premiers will be fortunate to be in touch at the half-way mark of the season.

Instead, the other contender is the perennial pretender St Kilda. No one expected their exceptional start to 2009. Seven wins from seven starts with a percentage of 208 is phenomenal in anyone’s language. Until a fortnight ago they still had their doubters. The Saints first month of football had been sublime. But the pretenders tag is hard to shake. We’ve seen this before from the Saints. They’ve played on Preliminary final weekend in three of the past five seasons. Never once have they come closer than five goals to their preliminary final conquerors.

Hence the skeptics have been keen to reserve judgment so far this year. Even two successful trips to Adelaide in the first five weeks could not convince some doubters. The quality of the five interstate teams they beat is still up for debate.

But their performances in the last two weeks have convinced all and sundry that they are genuine contenders. Their 28-point victory against the Western Bulldogs was not as convincing as it could have been had they kicked straight. And the Bulldogs were somewhat flattered by a fight back in the last term.

But St Kilda made the competition sit up and take notice on Monday night against Collingwood. Yes the Magpies have been as inconsistent as any side this year, and yes they were missing Leon Davis and Paul Medhurst, arguably early leaders in Collingwood’s Copeland trophy race, but the mauling was no less frightening.

Collingwood prepare for the best sides better than any other side in the competition. They took the attack to the Saints in the opening term. The Saints have played expansive play-on and attack football in the first seven rounds. The blueprint has been supplied by Geelong and Hawthorn. But their skills, depth, and running capacity has allowed the Saints to control the corridor and move the ball swiftly to their two tall targets in Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke upfront, with the classy and elusive pair Adam Schneider and Stephen Milne buzzing at their feet.

The key to the Saints ball movement has been two on ones. They draw defenders and move the chain along via handball, eventually releasing their best ball users in Leigh Montagna, Nick Dal Santo, Brendon Goddard, Jason Gram and Farran Ray to send the football forward untroubled.

The Magpies in the opening term did not allow it. They sweated off the ball carrier, not committing to him and therefore leaving a player free to receive as the next link in the chain. It saw 18 men defending 17 targets and forced the Saints wide throughout the opening term. If you didn’t look at the scoreboard during that period in the match you would have sworn the Magpies were in-front. But alas St Kilda still managed to lead at quarter time. Like any good side they found a way. And after quarter time they upped the ante and blew the Magpies away.

The feature of St Kilda’s play is their ferocity at the football. No team works as hard without the football. Ross Lyon has taken the man on man defensive pressure that led Sydney to the 2005 Premiership, where he was an assistant coach, and applied it to the current context. The result is a full ground defense akin to basketball’s full court press. Teams are suffocated from playing on quickly through the middle and tried and trusted defensive switches to the open side are rarely allowed. It is an upgraded version of Hawthorn’s rolling zone and a credit to Ross Lyon and his group.

They have even contributors across the board. Their midfield is a brilliant mixture of tough-inside ball winners, and smooth outside movers. The ruck division is vastly experienced and finally fit, aside from Steven King’s recent hamstring. Their forward line is versatile and full of stars, and their back six is as dependable as any.

They are still weeks away from confronting either Hawthorn or the benchmark in Geelong. But barring major injury St Kilda will most definitely be there on Preliminary final weekend. And on present form they should be there on the final Saturday in September for the first time in a decade, hoping to deliver their first flag in more than four.

Super Swede tames Sawgrass

It is known as the fifth major and today it played like a major. The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass produced a Sunday of golf to rival any major and it was the Uber-consistent Swede Henrik Stenson who survived to claim the title, producing a flawless final round six-under 66 to win by four over Englishman Ian Poulter.

The languid, long-hitting 33-year-old is fast becoming one of the best players never to have won a major title. The man who currently holds that unenviable “title”, Sergio Garcia, ironically won the Players last year.

But Stenson’s golfing resume is starting to read like that of a major champion. He entered the world’s top 10 with a win at the Dubai Desert Classic in February 2007. He then backed that up with a win at the prestigious World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play. Both times Tiger Woods featured prominently in the field. Then last year the Swede produced his most consistent results in majors as he tied for third and fourth at the British Open and USPGA respectively.

Today he played with the composure of a major champion. As the rest of the field melted under the pressure and the heat, on a treacherous golf-course that had been baked to a crisp, Stenson remained ice-cool behind his Oakley sunglasses.

Stenson began the day in a group of six players tied for second, five shots behind 54-hole leader Alex Cjeka, and a shot ahead of three other players. Of those ten men he was the only player to break 70 on Sunday, let alone shoot 66.

It was Cjeka’s tournament to lose. The German journeyman’s story is a remarkable one. Born behind the Iron-Curtain in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War, nine-year-old Cjeka unwittingly fled the Soviet-run state with his father crossing through four countries before swimming across the Rhine River into West Germany and freedom.

Cjeka had played brilliantly all week, belying his world ranking of 267. He led the field in driving accuracy and seemed to be playing a different golf course through 54 holes. The fear most held for Cjeka was the threat of Tiger Woods, who was paired with him in Sunday’s final group, drawing comparisons with Sean O’Hair who partnered Woods at Bay Hill six weeks ago with a five-shot lead only to lose by a stroke. Cjeka seemed unfazed about the prospect quoting the final-round of the 1996 British Open when he beat Woods – then a 20-year-old amateur – by three strokes. However that achievement ranks alongside English cricketer John White, whose claim to fame was dismissing a 20-year-old test debutant named Bradman.

But it was Stenson, not Woods, who made the most noise with a performance that was the total antithesis to the other nine men in the last five pairs.

Stenson hit 13 of 14 fairways in the final round, essentially copying the blueprint laid out by Cjeka over the previous three days. He turned in two-under 34 having ignited his day with birdie from the fringe at seven. He struck the best tee-shot of the day at the monstrous 235-yard par three eighth but could not capitalise. A two-putt birdie at nine was enough to give him the lead at eight-under from a host of players after Cjeka and Woods butchered the front side.

Cjeka’s magnificent driving over the first three days disappeared on Sunday as he flipped everything left on his way to a front-nine six-over 42 which virtually ended his tournament. He finished in a tie for ninth after a disastrous 79.

Woods was doing the polar-opposite to his playing partner and losing everything right. He confessed after day three that he is still fighting his swing since returning from knee surgery. He “grinds” better than anyone, his tournament score held together by his steadfast putter and superior mental strength, as he holed more than 50 putts from inside five-feet without fail all week.

But today his swing was at its worst and the best score he could muster was a one-over par 73. Consistent block-cuts were his kryptonite. His hips beating his hands through the ball as he wrestled with his rhythm the entire day.

Rhythm was a feature of Stenson’s play. His driving was exemplary bar one fairway miss at 14 but he still rescued par when he caught a break with the lie in the right rough.

But the power of positive thinking was the key. He was full of confidence following a magnificent birdie-two at 13. He has worked on his mental game recently with mind-guru Bob Rotella, the man accredited with unlocking the secrets to Padraig Harrington’s recent success. Not to mention the assured caddie Fanny Sunesson by his side, who partnered Nick Faldo to four of his six major titles.

Birdies at 15 and 16 meant he could safely negotiate the treacherous 17th and 18th without risk.

The eccentric Poulter was the best of the rest with a composed two-under 70 to finish in outright second. Poulter is best known for a verbal gaff last year where he revealed that if he got his game together it would be he and Tiger Woods each week and the rest would be playing for third.

But Poulter showed he may be able to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. He struggled with a 75 on Saturday playing alongside a resolute Cjeka but his response today was Tiger-esque as he grinded his was to eight-under whilst those around him fell apart.

It still wasn’t good enough to reel in the Swede. Stenson confirming he belongs amongst the game’s elite players while showing the composure and class required to win a major championship.

Dogs bark again after mute three weeks

After a horror three-week stretch the Western Bulldogs have restored their place among the elite teams of the competition with a convincing 32-point win over Adelaide at AAMI stadium.

Football Park is no longer a fortress for the Crows. The Bulldogs overcoming a terrible record in Adelaide to become the fourth consecutive Melbourne club to beat the Crows at home, winning 17.16 (118) to 12.14 (86).

It was a difficult game to predict coming in. Both sides entered with three wins and three losses. Adelaide had failed to string two wins together while the Bulldogs had won their first three before a nightmare month which culminated in this trip to Adelaide.

Despite all the leading indicators suggesting otherwise - the Bulldogs have been last in the competition in kicking efficiency and points percentage in the last three weeks and second last for inside 50’s - the visitors were installed favourite but it was the Crows who started brighter.

Adelaide dominated the clearances in the opening term leading 10 to four. Their midfield linked beautifully by hand through the centre square. Scott Thompson was the pivot. He went to quarter-time with 14 handballs bringing many of his teammates into play. Adelaide were able to deliver well to Taylor Walker who was a prominent target up forward early. But he could not hurt his direct opponent Tom Williams on the scoreboard kicking 1.2 from three set shots. It did not save Williams from the wrath of Rodney Eade who banished him to the pine for the start of the second term.

The Bulldogs trailed by only seven points at quarter-time courtesy of Adelaide’s inaccuracy but they were sparked in the second by their talisman Brad Johnson. The skipper kicked an early goal and provided plenty of energy at half-forward.

Inaccuracy plagued both teams in ideal conditions. Just ten of the 39 combined shots for goal in the first half were majors and the visitors led at the long break by one point thanks to a trademark running goal from Nathan Eagleton in the shadows of half-time.

The third term was a footballing clinic from the Western Bulldogs as they kicked eight goals to one. Eade has built this side on kicking efficiency and hard running, something that had been distinctly lacking in their last three losses, but it was their efficiency and directness that was decisive in this contest.

Will Minson got first hands on the football in the ruck, and Brownlow medalists Adam Cooney and Jason Akermanis and the talented Daniel Giansiracusa led the charge after all had been quiet in the opening half. Cooney was sublime, winning the football and delivering with aplomb to the likes of Akermanis and Robert Murphy. Murphy finished the day with four goals, Akermanis threaded three including two in the third term.

Cooney combined brilliantly with Daniel Cross in the clinches who was close to the Bulldogs best all day. The AFL’s leading contested ball winner last season had 29 disposals and showed tremendous courage which is a feature of his game.

The lead at three-quarter-time was a seemingly insurmountable 45 points particularly given the Crows could not get their hands on the Sherrin. But the hosts fought on well winning the final stanza. Walker (four goals), Chris Knights (three) and Jason Porplyzia (two) all produced accomplished finishes in the last term to provide the Bulldogs with a scare but the result was never really in doubt. Josh Hill’s two late goals sealed the win for the Bulldogs which arrested their three week slide and restored them in third place on the AFL ladder on percentage.

Rodney Eade’s men have a great opportunity to go 5-3 next week with a date with Melbourne on Saturday afternoon at the MCG while Adelaide have their concerns ahead of a tough trip to the Gabba to take on the in-form Brisbane Lions.

Round 7 2009 Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

Alex Malcolm and Tim Serjeant are your commentators this week for Sunday football from AAMI Stadium. The Crows and Bulldogs entered this clash with identical records of 3-3 but vastly different form lines. The Crows looking to avoid a fifth consecutive loss at AAMi while the Bulldogs looking for a win after three straight defeats. This was a very entertaining and freeflowing contest with some humour from your expert commentator thrown in for good measure. No need to download the files, just click on the links and press play.

Preview
1st term
2nd term
3rd term
4th term
Wrap up

Pakistan v Australia in the UAE

I have been working for cricinfo.com during the back end of Australia's one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. It has been an intriguing series between a Pakistan side that has been starved for international cricket and an Australian side missing Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, and Mitchell Johnson. The links below are to the match bulletins which i have written.

Game 4 Pakistan 197 (Shehzad 43, Afridi 40, Bollinger 5/35) lost to Australia 2-200 (Clarke 100no, Watson 85no)

Game 5 Australia 4-250 (Watson 116no, Ferguson 41no) lost to Pakistan 3-254 (Akmal 116no, Misbah-ul-Haq 76no)

Round 6 2009 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda

Alex Malcolm and Chris Robinson are your commentators for Sunday twilight football from Etihad Stadium, the Western Bulldogs and St. Kilda concluding Round 6. It was billed as one of the matches of the round. The Dogs started so well winning their first three before stuttering in the past fortnight whilst the Saints have been irresistible winning their first five in very convincing fashion. This was the biggest test for both sides so far. Once again no need to download the files. Just click on the links and press play.

Preview
1st term
2nd term
3rd term
4th term
Wrap-up