After four days of lazily watching cricket I need to work but am torn between sport, sport and more sport on the TV, football, cricket, motor racing, running and more football and other TV both live and catch up, a walk in the sun, wanting to read, to plan the week ahead, and more.
The first distraction came from Ruby James asking to be added to my friends and taking the trouble to pen a note on how the request was made. I could listen her all day and she interests because the combination of the sound, and what she reveals about herself, whether intended or not. Hopefully she will find someone who will not attempt to contain or change her. She admits she only comes alive when involved in song creating and performing and while that is the most satisfying of experience any human can have it is also a cross when it comes to undertaking the normal things such as a loving relationship, children, ongoing family relationships and on going friends. The path involves constant travelling, self observed experiencing and periods of reflection, alone. Although young, you know she understands this and is prepared to pay the price, for now. For every Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin who find fame a two edged sword, there are hundred of singers and musicians who seem able to combine making music with a satisfying life even though they are more part time than full time. MySpace provides a wonderful window into their world and at the moment I am exploring Spanish guitarists and flamenco players.
Shame on Yorkshire Cricket Club for lacking the self belief to meet the challenge set by Durham last week. Until late on Thursday the evidence was the two teams were well matched and then Yorkshire folded from 246 for five wickets to all out for 272, mainly because of a blistering attack from Steve Harmison and an accurate performance from Graham Onions with 3 for 49.
When local player Mark Stoneman was out in the first over for 0 the Leeds radio commentator got excited as he hoped this would herald a Durham collapse and nullify the 90 run first innings lead. However he had not allowed for Michael Di Venuto who last year scored 184 and then 45 not out in the same fixture, a total of 229 runs. This year he and only scored 26 runs in his first innings although had looked in command. On Friday he made 146 and until his dismissal looked as if nothing what going to stop him, making a total of 250 runs for the season so far.
Durham knew that that they needed to score quickly if on this wicket they were going to bowl out Yorkshire on the fourth day. Captain Smith 67 making 88 for the match and total of 288 runs for the season so far. With Blackwell also scoring over 250, former captain Blenkenstein contributing 100 and Mustard 135, The batting has got off to a great start.
It was the bowling where there was a question mark until Steve Harmison who had commenced to find pace and some accuracy on the Friday morning was supported by Graham Onion to wrap up the Yorkshire innings that hope emerged both for the match and the season as it is evident they are getting better with each innings performance. Durham have been noted for their poor starts to the season but the evidence, despite the one day loss and now the draw omens well.
The approach of Yorkshire was evident from the start on Saturday morning having survived four overs the night before. They offered no scoring strokes unless the bowlers were inaccurate. Everything else was defended and the bowlers had rely on getting edges which flew to where a fielder had been placed. Whereas on the Sunday and in the early pat of their first innings Yorks scored an average of five runs an over, on Saturday the rate was only two. Yet the game was of interest as the Durham bowlers attempted to force the batsman into making errors.
On Saturday I had risen early and having prepared the night before I was ready to leave so as to arrive well before the start of play. From the experience of previous years I expected the crowd to be less at weekend as Members had family commitments and would wait to see how the game progressed before committing themselves to attending. However I was unable to park in my favoured position because of the local rowing regatta. A full day of events loudly cheered by competitors and their families and friends who occupied the usual deserted river banks.
It was also warm, almost hot as the wind had dropped as I may have appeared overdressed with a coat, soft inner jacket and shirt but as the day progressed I was the one warm as the wind recommenced and the clouds rolled in and we were all reminded that this was spring and frosts were still possible at night.
On arrival I enjoyed a pan au chocolate with a cup of coffee either side, and then had two salami filled rolls with mustard for lunch followed by a fruit salad and the rest of the coffee. I had been for a cup of tea on previous afternoons but as a draw appeared inevitable and Sunderland were losing at West Brom, I indulged with a fat scone spread with raspberry jam and a thick layer of cream on each slice. It was delicious. I went outside to take a seat in the stand overlooking the wicket only to see rain bearing clouds roll over so stayed overlooking the restart from the shelter provided by the health club balcony. I waited until the rain stopped and as the shower was short there was the possibility of further play, but the inclination was to return home, which I did. and then listened to radio Leeds who were content with the draw.
The bowling deserved a better outcome. Onions was at least rewarded with 5 for 56 and a match total of 8 for 105. The most impressive performance was that of Steve Harmison whose 1 for 32 came from 28 overs which I would be surprised if was not his most economical and controlled spell for sometime. Blackwell with 21 runs from 11 overs and Thorp 18 from 11.4 all deserved wickets and the joy of winning the game. Credit to Yorkshire for their defence which I suspect would not have been the situation had Gough still been captain and he would have been unable to resist the challenge.
On Sunday morning I decided I could not bear to watch the humiliation of Sunderland losing 3.0 to West Brom after dominating most of the first half. Once West Brom scored their heads went down and there was no fight back, which was the mark of the team when Roy Keane was the manager. His appointment at the East Anglican club of Ipswich has just been announced. The present Manager Ricky Sprager seems a nice man with a footballing brain but I wonder if he will be the right man to get the team back into the Premiership if they are relegated and where some of the core players will want to move. Because of the dames which Boro have to play, the gap between the rest and West Brom and that Hull continues to lose despite their fighting endeavours I still think Newcastle and Sunderland will survive, but only just.
The sporting highlight on Sunday was the third Grand Prix win for Jenson Button in the cloudless heat of the desert track in Bahrain. Because the first two wins were in rain affected races where the steward’s safety vehicle was much in evidence and success was dependent on choosing the right tyres at the right time, this win was the more satisfying for him although as a spectacle it lacked the shunts and spills of all three previous races.
I did watch Match of the Day to confirm that the Boro had lost at Arsenal and where getting another point from their remaining games appears unlikely.
Food was disjointed on Sunday, ha ha... with the roast potatoes ready before everything else, then the portion of chicken and then some mixed beans, broad and red although I only consumed about a third of the remaining portion. Later I had the ham salad prepared for Saturday, enjoying a small piece of steak with mixed beans as an evening meal. There have been anchovies on thin crackers as a meal starter, and on Sunday there was smoked salmon with lemon droplets on thin crackers for tea. On both days of the weekend there was porridge for breakfast.
The first distraction came from Ruby James asking to be added to my friends and taking the trouble to pen a note on how the request was made. I could listen her all day and she interests because the combination of the sound, and what she reveals about herself, whether intended or not. Hopefully she will find someone who will not attempt to contain or change her. She admits she only comes alive when involved in song creating and performing and while that is the most satisfying of experience any human can have it is also a cross when it comes to undertaking the normal things such as a loving relationship, children, ongoing family relationships and on going friends. The path involves constant travelling, self observed experiencing and periods of reflection, alone. Although young, you know she understands this and is prepared to pay the price, for now. For every Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin who find fame a two edged sword, there are hundred of singers and musicians who seem able to combine making music with a satisfying life even though they are more part time than full time. MySpace provides a wonderful window into their world and at the moment I am exploring Spanish guitarists and flamenco players.
Shame on Yorkshire Cricket Club for lacking the self belief to meet the challenge set by Durham last week. Until late on Thursday the evidence was the two teams were well matched and then Yorkshire folded from 246 for five wickets to all out for 272, mainly because of a blistering attack from Steve Harmison and an accurate performance from Graham Onions with 3 for 49.
When local player Mark Stoneman was out in the first over for 0 the Leeds radio commentator got excited as he hoped this would herald a Durham collapse and nullify the 90 run first innings lead. However he had not allowed for Michael Di Venuto who last year scored 184 and then 45 not out in the same fixture, a total of 229 runs. This year he and only scored 26 runs in his first innings although had looked in command. On Friday he made 146 and until his dismissal looked as if nothing what going to stop him, making a total of 250 runs for the season so far.
Durham knew that that they needed to score quickly if on this wicket they were going to bowl out Yorkshire on the fourth day. Captain Smith 67 making 88 for the match and total of 288 runs for the season so far. With Blackwell also scoring over 250, former captain Blenkenstein contributing 100 and Mustard 135, The batting has got off to a great start.
It was the bowling where there was a question mark until Steve Harmison who had commenced to find pace and some accuracy on the Friday morning was supported by Graham Onion to wrap up the Yorkshire innings that hope emerged both for the match and the season as it is evident they are getting better with each innings performance. Durham have been noted for their poor starts to the season but the evidence, despite the one day loss and now the draw omens well.
The approach of Yorkshire was evident from the start on Saturday morning having survived four overs the night before. They offered no scoring strokes unless the bowlers were inaccurate. Everything else was defended and the bowlers had rely on getting edges which flew to where a fielder had been placed. Whereas on the Sunday and in the early pat of their first innings Yorks scored an average of five runs an over, on Saturday the rate was only two. Yet the game was of interest as the Durham bowlers attempted to force the batsman into making errors.
On Saturday I had risen early and having prepared the night before I was ready to leave so as to arrive well before the start of play. From the experience of previous years I expected the crowd to be less at weekend as Members had family commitments and would wait to see how the game progressed before committing themselves to attending. However I was unable to park in my favoured position because of the local rowing regatta. A full day of events loudly cheered by competitors and their families and friends who occupied the usual deserted river banks.
It was also warm, almost hot as the wind had dropped as I may have appeared overdressed with a coat, soft inner jacket and shirt but as the day progressed I was the one warm as the wind recommenced and the clouds rolled in and we were all reminded that this was spring and frosts were still possible at night.
On arrival I enjoyed a pan au chocolate with a cup of coffee either side, and then had two salami filled rolls with mustard for lunch followed by a fruit salad and the rest of the coffee. I had been for a cup of tea on previous afternoons but as a draw appeared inevitable and Sunderland were losing at West Brom, I indulged with a fat scone spread with raspberry jam and a thick layer of cream on each slice. It was delicious. I went outside to take a seat in the stand overlooking the wicket only to see rain bearing clouds roll over so stayed overlooking the restart from the shelter provided by the health club balcony. I waited until the rain stopped and as the shower was short there was the possibility of further play, but the inclination was to return home, which I did. and then listened to radio Leeds who were content with the draw.
The bowling deserved a better outcome. Onions was at least rewarded with 5 for 56 and a match total of 8 for 105. The most impressive performance was that of Steve Harmison whose 1 for 32 came from 28 overs which I would be surprised if was not his most economical and controlled spell for sometime. Blackwell with 21 runs from 11 overs and Thorp 18 from 11.4 all deserved wickets and the joy of winning the game. Credit to Yorkshire for their defence which I suspect would not have been the situation had Gough still been captain and he would have been unable to resist the challenge.
On Sunday morning I decided I could not bear to watch the humiliation of Sunderland losing 3.0 to West Brom after dominating most of the first half. Once West Brom scored their heads went down and there was no fight back, which was the mark of the team when Roy Keane was the manager. His appointment at the East Anglican club of Ipswich has just been announced. The present Manager Ricky Sprager seems a nice man with a footballing brain but I wonder if he will be the right man to get the team back into the Premiership if they are relegated and where some of the core players will want to move. Because of the dames which Boro have to play, the gap between the rest and West Brom and that Hull continues to lose despite their fighting endeavours I still think Newcastle and Sunderland will survive, but only just.
The sporting highlight on Sunday was the third Grand Prix win for Jenson Button in the cloudless heat of the desert track in Bahrain. Because the first two wins were in rain affected races where the steward’s safety vehicle was much in evidence and success was dependent on choosing the right tyres at the right time, this win was the more satisfying for him although as a spectacle it lacked the shunts and spills of all three previous races.
I did watch Match of the Day to confirm that the Boro had lost at Arsenal and where getting another point from their remaining games appears unlikely.
Food was disjointed on Sunday, ha ha... with the roast potatoes ready before everything else, then the portion of chicken and then some mixed beans, broad and red although I only consumed about a third of the remaining portion. Later I had the ham salad prepared for Saturday, enjoying a small piece of steak with mixed beans as an evening meal. There have been anchovies on thin crackers as a meal starter, and on Sunday there was smoked salmon with lemon droplets on thin crackers for tea. On both days of the weekend there was porridge for breakfast.
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