It’s been a mixed bag for my sporting interests this weekend, let’s start with the good, England beat Ireland in the cricket world cup as expected condemning Ireland to a 48 run defeat. It’s just as well that England beat unseeded Ireland as they would never live it down, I didn’t even realise that Ireland played cricket until this world cup. England knocked up 266 runs in their 50 overs with Paul Collingwood making 90 runs from 82 deliveries before being run out. Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff made useful contributions of 48 and 43 respectively. England will need to step up their game tomorrow when they play joint favourites to win the world cup, Sri Lanka. Let’s face it, apart from the Kiwi’s England hasn’t had any decent competition in this tournament so far and they lost their first match to New Zealand. I will have to make the short walk to my dad’s place tomorrow to watch that game, should be a good one if the England players can maintain their form. Although I would drop Ian Bell from the one day side, 31 runs off 74 balls isn’t really one day form, he’s got a test match mentality, so save him for test matches, where I know he’ll shine brightly.
Liverpool have gotten some revenge for their double cup exit from Arsenal beating the Gunners 4 – 1 at Anfield, although I really wish that the game was at the Emirates, that would have made my day. beanpole Peter Crouch was hero of the day for Liverpool, scoring his first hat-trick for Liverpool; his first two goals coming off his head from respective pin points passes from Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio 30 minutes apart on the 4th and 34th minute. Daniel Agger got on the end of another fine Fabio Aurelio cross to defeat Jens Lehmann for the third time. William Gallas managed to toe poke the ball into the Liverpool net after a goal line scramble, but Crouch killed off the game in the 80th minute with a superb turn and finish to make it 4 – 1 and no-way back for Arsenal. This result moves Liverpool two points clear of the Gunners in the league, it’s going to be a battle for third between Liverpool and Arsenal this season, Man Utd and Chelsea are too far ahead now.
Plymouth Argyle had a miserable day away at Portman Road against Ipswich being beaten 3 – 0 by the home team. The game was turned on it’s head in the very first minute when Argyle’s Mathias Doumbe was sent off for a professional foul on Jon Walters. Ipswich took full advantage of their extra man scoring twice in six minute period with Owen Garvan catching Argyle napping in the 9th minute with a superb left footed strike. Garvan turned provider for the second goal supplying a pin point pass which Alan Lee made no mistake in converting from close range. Argyle had the better of the second half, having a goal disallowed and Ipswich keeper Lewis Price made a superb save to deny Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Ipswich put an exclamation mark on the game with Danny Haynes scoring their third and final goal in added time. I think that Ollie has given up on any hope for making the play-off’s looking towards next season warning his players to buck up their ideas or they may find they are without a contract for next season. I think that’s the way it should be, no-one is guaranteed a place, they have to earn it, if you’re playing badly then you have no place in the team, that’s the only way to successfully build a winning team up!