Just a different class

When Andy Murray lost in five sets the other day much was made of his gallant display. He had taken the world number two all the way and at times made him look ordinary. People talked of grand slams.

Now I took a slightly different view. Firstly he had lost the fifth set a little tamely as if, yet again, he was running out of gas AND just what sort of form was Nadal in? If Nadal had gone on then Murray's performance would look better as it was Fernando Gonzalez beat him in straight sets in the next round.

The next day Roger Federerr played Andy Roddick. Roddick was in form and you wondered if he could challenge Federer, even more so when he broke early to lead 4-3 with a break. Federer then won 15 of 17 games to win 6-4, 6-0, 6-2. He made Roddick look like a novice.

Murray is undoubtedly a talented player but the bloke at no 1 is a different class. If he wins the French Federer will take the mantle of the best player of all times.

When I was a lad...

.... the big boxing nights were mostly domestic. There were only 2 sanctioning bodies and British fighters didn't seem to feature that prominently.

When two fighters were in the same division it was natural that they should square off. Cooper v Bugner, Minter v Sibson, Minter v Finnegan (twice), Nash v Watt, Green v Stracey.

At the moment there are 3 potential domestic clashes that would be fascinating clashes. Hatton v Witter, Maccarinelli v Haye and Calzaghe v Woods or Carl Froch or both. All 3 would be for versions of a world title and in the Hatton-Witter case a unification match. Sadly none of them are planned.

I suppose such fights won't happen until a degree of sanity returns and the number of champions are reduced.

Mr Beckham

So its all over and Mr Beckham is leaving Madrid.

I am not a fan of Beckham. I think he is horribly overrated. That said he is a good honest pro who gives a 100% and is superb from a deadball situation.

His performances at major championship have been poor. This may be due to injury but he claimed to be fit and wasn't. He hasn't been a success at Madrid but I doubt he is to blame for that.

He could have come back to the Premiership but instead he has chosen to go to LA. Do I blame him? For £128 million in five years? No I don't the yanks must be nutty as fruit cakes.

Inevitable I suppose

And so for the first time since 1921 we've lost a series to the Aussies 5-0. After the euphoria of 2005 its very disappointing.

What went wrong? we were under prepared. It was debatable whether Flintoff was fully fit, he didn't seem it. Harmisson had forgotten how to bowl. Mahmood and Anderson didn't look likely to bowl anyone out.

The batting looked fragile, perhaps some of that is the feeling that as soon as we lost 5 wickets they knew we'd be skittled. The Aussies know that there low order can "help out" if necessary. Also the Aussie Batsman knew that if the ywere bowled out cheaply they had bowlers capable of responding. That relieves the pressure.

England aren't a bad team. They need to get Harmisson's head right and they need to sort out the keeper. Matt Prior anyone? Vaughan will be back but I'm not sure he adds much to the batting. Since being appointed skipper his batting has gone off the boil.

For the Aussies the next series will be fascinating. No Warne? No McGrath? Could be interesting.