The Sofa Ref

I have some sympathy for Johnny Bairstow and the England team but, to be honest, Bairstow was a bit naive here. I have watched the video over and over and Carey receives the ball after Bairstow ducks under the short ball and immediately throws it at the stumps. There is no delay or attempted trickery. Bairstow had no right to assume at that stage the ball was dead. It wasn't, and the umpires were quite correct to give him out. He simply went walkabout at a crucial time in a test match and that let the Aussies back into the game.  Is this in the "spirit of the game"? No, probably not, in the good old "that's not cricket" days, but the spirit of the game disappeared long ago. Was the body line series of 1932 in the spirit? Did Clive Lloyd's Windies side think about the spirit as they swept all before them with a mixture of hostility and in your face challenges? We have had under-arm bowling, Mankads and all manner of controversies over the last century of ...

  No one can accuse me of being a Johnny Sexton fan, but as much as Mr Misery irritates the life out of me with his constant whingeing on the field, referees, and their lack of accountability to anyone, piss me off immensely. They are answerable to nobody but their own little cabal and they are protected by every single board and organising body. They always back the official. The game has become all about them. Little celebrities in their own minds. In recent years everyone has fallen foul of criticising the match day officials. Some have been punished more than others (that’s a post for another day though) some have gotten away with nothing but a few column inches in a blog somewhere. But, to a man, all are critical of the level of officiating.  There are almost no officials worthy of a test match these days but no one is telling them how bad they are, because everyone is too scared to do it!! Sexton was wrong according to the standard, but being threatened with a 10 week ba...

  It seems, as technology advances, most people have an argument about everything. They see it as their inalienable right. Most times there is no reputable source for their rants, or they are simply agenda driven promotions of one side of the affair.  Sport is no different. Partisan supporters are blinkered to the truth by their utter loyalty to one side or another. Take the ongoing battle between LIV Golf and the DPW and PGA Tour. Ridiculous arguments on both sides. Or international rugby. probably more divisive than many others. and no sport is immune.  So what I am going to do is call it like it is! No one will be safe and no player, coach, celebrity, owner or anyone remotely connected to the topic will be immune. Its not just a rant page, I am hoping the good will outweigh the negative but we all know it is feelings of of frustrated injustice that gets us the most riled up. There may be some colourful language, it will be spicy but it will also be fair, from my person...