Southampton (A) – 27.6.10

From two attempts to play at Southampton this season we have so far managed not a single ball. After the cancellation last month I ended up in a bluebell wood instead; this time was far less pleasant. From the moment England’s footballers failed to win their World Cup group on Wednesday I knew the RUASCC match was at considerable risk.

It should have worked so perfectly: I would have happily watched England get knocked out on Saturday night and had Sunday free to play cricket. But they couldn’t even do that. In their desperation to make their World Cup last a single day longer they finished runners-up in Group C, earned a thrashing at the hands of Germany on Sunday AND caused my cricket match to be cancelled. Useless cretins.

I know many England fans have found the defeat hard to take especially because modern video technology confirms that the ball completely crossed the England goal line four times. This was often caused by the positioning of the defenders, for example, for the second Germany goal when Johnson, Terry and Upson were simply too close together:



Meanwhile the England cricket team sealed a series win against Australia exactly as I predicted last week (sort of). Despite the dangerous left-arm swing of Doug Bollinger (3-20) England wobbled home by one wicket to go 3-0 up with two to play. After shipping 43 runs in six overs I suspect Tim Bresnan won’t score a more satisfying 14 not out all year.