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Driver and presenter Alain de Cadenet, 76. Did a lot of things, but I never tire of watching this famous clip of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iOoiEbtf2w

Yes , it really is and we end up being over clever and it does us no good anyway as however much we learn lessons and next time it’ll be different it err isn’t … So judt stick to the next game and give every series equal respect , we’re not good enough to do anything more !

Losing that 4-0 lead in that first match at Wrigley Field in the series must have been a sucker punch for Boston. No doubt they’ve got a great batting line up this year, but I worry about strength in depth in the pitching to win a championship. Guess quite a lot can happen between here and then though.

Nah. Anyone can beat the Red Sox. As the past two nights will attest.

A seam attack of Broad, Anderson and Potts was always going to look ineffective once a pair of batters got in. And the bowling against the tail showed that no lessons were learned against them last year. Overton should’ve played, probably resting Broad. And an opening batter is needed desperately. Not even Warner and Sehwag have done particularly well as a shot playing opener when playing in England. How the hell is Crawley going to be any different?

Cheltenham Phoenix 4 All Golds 54 A friendly fixture between two clubs who have found their original fixture list reduced by cancellations. The history of the clubs in Gloucester and Cheltenham are complicated and interwoven but at present their is no connection. Cheltenham have always played in the West of England League which lost Reading pre season and then Oxford to the midlands and Swindon A due to struggling for numbers. A three team league was planned but Phoenix had the foresight to arrange additional friendlies, which just as well when the two remaining sides struggled for numbers including a Gloucester based team. All Golds who are a spin off from the league one side that folded are now Bristol based. The match was played at Cheltenham Tigers RU, out of the town beyond the racecourse, a venue I had previous seen soccer on when it belonged to a local company. Smiths Industries. The match was played on the main railed off pitch with a 4G surface, one of those paid for by the RFU. I was impressed with both sides off filed with a full compliment of subs and when there was an injury, people who knew what they were doing. The two clubs had different expectations at the beginning of the season and are at different levels. The scoreline was not therefore surprising but Phoenix played and tackled very well but All Golds were excellent for a southern based team. It is unclear what Phoenix should do for new year, the Southern Conference may be a step too, although it needs teams but a handful of friendliest is not enough for what is a very well organised club. Off to Ebbsfleet tomorrow for Broncos, as with the amateurs anything could happen off the field and hopefully a reasonable crowd especially as they are now playing two games there