The Notts County Management Choice Contracting Solutions Group Handicap(ed) Chase.

Ground: Soft to Very Soft. The course at County favours those who ride well when company is higher than normal pay grade. Progressive horses less likely to be in with a shout. Aged horses who have ran well in previous seasons and need a boost in confidence tend to hold fort in this annual (sometimes/often bi-annual) chase sponsored by Contracting Solutions Group.

Runners and Riders:

Paul Hart 6/4 (Fav): This veteran has run poorly in his last three outings, often outstayed by those who have more to give. Has connections to this area, once running decently before falling at the second last when racing at course over the river. Though form is lacking, this race is heavily suited to older horses who won't cost much to parade in the winner's enclosure.

Curtis Woodhouse 2/1: Market has shortened this horse's odds, a surprise to see it so high up on the card. Many punters will be desperate to see this horse lose. Has run in a couple of Point-To-Points, but nothing of the standard of this grade successfully. Would be a shock to see it win, but on this course, little is impossible.

Mark Yates  5-1: Odds have been moving around the market all day. An interesting selection, surely worth a punt as highly backed by internet tipsters. Very much the type of horse less expected to win this race, given form is reasonable and has given hopes of a decent run, particularly given notable places at Cheltenham. Price means that many will fancy this horse to win, though the unpredictable ground and course may have other ideas.

Darren Ferguson 16/1: Horse has run in higher grade races with some success, though has never dealt well with handicaps, let alone the one he will inherit in this race. Always fancied due to sire being multiple National Hunt champion Sir Alex.

Neil Warnock 20/1: Has ridden well in this race before, but claims to place may be hampered by age and recent poor form, though at a higher grade. Hasn't raced at this level for many a season, brought back maybe for a pre-retirement hurrah. Outside shot, but younger runners must be fancied.

Ian Holloway 28/1: Horse with decent recent form in a group of runners that offer very little. Having said that, hasn't run at this low a standard for a while, though mind boggles as to why he hasn't dropped down to this grade previously given some great starts followed by fairly consistent poor jumping as race progresses at Grade One and Two. Not really a contender.

Nigel Adkins 33/1: Undoubtedly the best form of the horses in this race, having ran pretty well even in Grade One races, was an excellent progressive horse in his youth. Main reason for failure will again be down to the unpredictable ground at this course, often leading to best horses pulling up once the race has started. Has run well in handicap races of somewhat similar level in the past though.

Paul Ince 40/1: Won this race a few years ago off the back of poor form. Always on form card since then but will probably end up being a non-runner in recognition by owner that he has no chance whatsoever of placing, especially given various poor finishes since his first 'win' here.

Bookie's note: The winner of this race, rather than receiving usual cash prize will get nine games followed by hopeless career prospects and an undignified end involving dropping down a grade.

Cricket in a new light.

I've not played cricket since September. I've not really thought a great deal about it since then. I've not even watched any cricket since then. On Thursday morning, I woke up to the news of Phil Hughes' death. I didn't see it coming, even though I'd read that he was in a critical condition. You just don't think that someone will actually lose their life playing cricket, a thing that has no association with death.

Since Thursday morning, I've spent a majority of my time watching cricket. I've been thinking about the one thing that me and Phil Hughes have in common: a deep love for the game. I don't even know if this is the correct response to his death. But even in the depths of winter, it suddenly seems so poignant that I should enjoy and experience, what is for me personally, beautiful: cricket. 

I've watched Brian Lara's 400 against England, an innings crafted, for the viewer, like a Rembrant painting. I do not apologise for hyperbole in this case.

I've ordered the Ashes 2013 DVD, so that I can re-watch Phil Hughes' final Test 50 at Trent Bridge, something which I had the exceptional privilege to watch first time in the flesh.

I've even watched the highlights of Brendon McCullum's 153 against Pakistan yesterday. Whilst this is an exceptional cricketing feat, I don't exaggerate when I say I really don't watch anything.

During this time, I've been thinking about the utter sadness that has surrounded Phil Hughes' death. It is a travesty that he has died, aged 25. I've also been contemplating how wonderful the cricket community is. It is truly "universal", in the sense that nearly every cricketing fan and player, from every single cricketing nation will have been touched by this in some way. It is a community in moments like this, thankfully, rare as they are. 

You might think that given mine and others sadness, the last thing I would want to watch would be cricket. Yet for some reason, through all of this, where I am finding hope in a young man's death, is through a sense of a mutual understanding with that person - through mine and his love of  cricket - as I recognise, perhaps for the first time properly, what a remarkable sport it is.

I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. - Anne Frank

The Liechtenstein Manifesto

I'm going to be honest with you, dear reader. This is an unabashed, unashamed, entirely cheeky, rather forthright plug. A recruitment drive, if you will. You see, I've had it up to here *points to forehead* with being an army of one. We've entered an age of multi-culturalism, pluralism – the destruction of the nation-state and of increasing globalisation. So in a sense, what I'm about to propose to you is really just good old progressive thinking in line with all that. What I'm saying involves what some might regard a bit of a de-sacralisation of a way of life. But I'm willing to offend strong feelings for this cause. So here goes:

 I want you to renounce your patriotism to England.

Specifically, I want you – and I recognise this may cause you to close down this tab – to renounce your support of the Three Lions, the English national football team.  Take a deep breath.  I think I can provide a sustainable alternative, a realistic international footballing reality. I'm not talking about video games, this is very real. I'm not even being one of those knobby people who supports Germany/Spain/Real Madrid/”Barca” because they play “great tika-taka, rah” and "Xavi is just amaze". If that is hipster-ish and annoying, my proposal is original, if somewhat masochistic.

I want you to join me, in my army of one. I want you to become an English-speaking supporter of the Liechtenstein national football team. I've come to something of a Socratic revelation. It was ponderous, treacherous and disheartening at times. I've realised that Robert Frost was referring analogously  to his support of the ‘Stein in his poem “The Road Not Taken”. It says of the two roads (England and Liechtenstein):

“I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

A genuine Liechtenstein away following: in its entirety. 

It has made all of the difference. You see, as an England supporter, I would have to watch us beat (to take a recent example) Estonia 1-0, with a late Rooney free-kick. I’d hate the game. It was boring - England had many chances, though they struggled with a spirited Estonian showing. England snuck past them, underachieving, somewhat desperate, and perhaps worst of all: dispassionate. 

Here’s where the Frost quote comes in.

On Saturday evening, I watched Liechtenstein win 1-0 against Moldova. Now, this game primarily consisted of no real chances, dangerous chances at any rate, for either team. The game was settled by a (genuinely) wonderful free-kick, scored by one of Liechtenstein’s greatest players, and the Stein’s second top goal-scorer, former Darlington midfielder, Franz Burgmeier. Liechtenstein barely had a shot on target. They had 29% of the possession. Yet they gave an impassioned, fighting, characteristic performance. Not only that – I loved it! I've watched most of the games since 2013, and it is the first competitive away win I've seen the tiny Alpine nation record – it was the first away victory in their European Championships Qualification history. To have followed their journey in development, in their increasing organisation – to this seemingly minuscule pinnacle – was undoubtedly more entertaining, more intimate, and more exciting than watching the bores at Wembley, feeling rubbish.

That’s the beauty of supporting Liechtenstein – you expect them to be properly crap, not just England, slipping-past-Andorra-with-a-team-of-Premier-League-players “crap”. When Liechtenstein over achieve in the slightest, it’s monumental. The England team don’t overachieve, so it’s irrelevant. With Liechtenstein, I can guarantee you a surprising positive result at least once a year, especially under current form. I can’t even remember the last time England did better than expected. Beating Germany 5-1 in 2001?

I suppose that underlines my point – Liechtenstein aren't even like San Marino. They actually do the odd interesting thing relatively frequently; they’re beyond mere whipping boys. It’s amazing how fun watching a team defend for their lives against Sweden can be (2-0 to the Swedes). Even the individual flashes of brilliance are there - and are ten times more enjoyable than a Raheem Sterling run, assuming he’s not too tired, even for that. I experience pure surges of joy at the moment – for the most recent addition to the squad, Dennis Salanovic. He’s the first Liechtenstein player in recent history to have the balls to actually run at defenders (he won the free kick against Moldova). He is a joy for the five touches he gets, playing alone up-front every game – and he plays for Atletico Madrid B at club level. This is the like that ‘Stein have not seen for years – in the prime of Mario Frick, the principality’s greatest ever player, without question.

Liechtenstein's Wembley: Nicer, and not in London.

Finally, I think the case from a viewing perspective is perhaps the strongest. Can you imagine watching games on pixelated, buffering  internet streams with Lithuanian commentary? It does sound terrible, I accept, but you do get used to it. Crucially, I’ll let you into a secret – Adrian Chiles does not present the television coverage of the Liechtenstein national team and Andy Townsend has never once uttered the words “Well Clive, I just don’t think Liechtenstein can match Germany in terms of individual talents”. Case closed.

I guarantee you players who are obscure, defenders who are foolhardy, fans who don't chant, dreams that are small, and (occasionally) fulfilled. Plus you can always support England in the major competitions, if you still want the depressing feeling I've been describing.  Liechtenstein guarantee they won’t go past the qualification stage – it is company policy.

And one  final thing - we Stein fans haven’t had to endure a 48 year wait since the last time we won a World Cup. Welcome to the smallest footballing family.

Number Crunching

Jos Buttler, aged 23, England's replacement for Matt Prior:

8 matches, 15 innings, 1 N/O, 568 runs, HS of 100, average of 40.57, 1 fifty, 21 catches. 

Chris Read, the man who England abandoned in 2007, now aged 35, currently captaining the leading side in the County Championship:

12 matches, 18 innings, 4 N/O, 632 runs, HS of 96, average of 45.14, 41 catches.

I look forward to hearing arguments explaining why it would be wrong to leave Cook out for the rest of the series, replacing him with Read as captain, thereby also bringing in a proper keeper, rather than a makeshift one in Buttler... 

County Cricket Predictions

The new season started this week, so to hold myself to account, here are my predictions for the 2014 season:

LV County Championship Division One

Winners - I'm assuming Durham have second season syndrome (though that hasn't been a problem for them in the past), so the real competitors for the title race will be Sussex, Warwickshire and Notts for me. Lancs are still quite a young side, and Yorkshire don't have the consistency over a season in my opinion. On that basis, I'm going to hand the Championship to Sussex who have the benefit of a fiery Matt Prior this season, as well as one of the strongest squads in the league even without him. Second place (I may be biased) Notts and third to Warwickshire. My surprise fourth place is Northamptonshire - they look like a team very much on an upwards trajectory.

Relegated - The two going down for me are Middlesex and Somerset. Middlesex I think will be there at the bottom by a considerable margin. Somerset may show a little more resilience, though they simply have not added enough to their squad, and it's about time for a transition period anyway.

LV County Championship Division Two

Leicestershire in one image.

Winners - Division Two is not so much my territory, though I get the odd update on the sad-goings on at the bottom from some of my Leicestershire friends (yes Jon, that means you). My champions are Glamorgan. They've been there or thereabouts for the last few seasons, and their excellent performance against an admittedly shaky Surrey team suggests they're likely to be there again. Clinching second, I'm going with Hampshire, who have a very strong team and are very much up for the challenge. My outsiders are Kent, who have clinched the signing of Doug Bollinger, as well as having a good few talented youngsters on their books. As for Surrey, they'll take a season with all those great players to adjust to Division Two. Also, bar the excellent Stuart Meaker and the decent Chris Jordan, who do they even have for bowlers (I don't count Dernbach)?

Wooden Spoon - Leicestershire. Doesn't even need explaining.

Royal London One-Day Cup - I'm not going to be popular for this, but I really do fancy Notts to retain the trophy. All I'm saying is we could've won it by a canter last year (we won it anyway), and the only change we've made is that of Peter Siddle replacing the admittedly superb David Hussey. If Alex Hales and Lumby can find the form they're both capable of, I simply can't look further than us. One thing that is notable is that Group B is quite self-evidently much harder to win. Group A looks to me like it only has two big claims - Lancashire and Northamptonshire. Of those two, I think Northants will take it, as they just have the edge in terms of experience and top performances in the past few seasons. So an all East Midlands final of Northants V Notts...

Simply the best.

T20 Blast (No, me neither) - For the kings of corporate title, anyone could be in the hunt, as seems always to be the case. Going along similar lines as last season, I'm going to stick my neck out and say that Northants are going to be the first team to make back-to-back wins. Of their opponents in the final, my guesses are as good as any of - Surrey, Somerset, Glamorgan, Leicestershire
and (why not) Notts... Though, to be frank, it really is pure guess-work.


   

8 Football Grounds that are a bit weird and I've been to/near

I'm doing this post as a time killer, though it's nice to be able to write another blog. Re-adjusting my sleep pattern post second Ashes test, since I've been working on Oz time for the past five days. Sadly, as you'll have guessed, it's not been worth it. 

The other day I was at Meadow Lane (we actually won!), and was talking with my flat-mate - who is a Notts County convert from Leeds - I liken this to the conversion of Saul in the Bible... seen the light etc... Anyway, I was checking my 'Fotmob' app, when a result popped up that Queen of the South (went to their ground once, like to see how they're doing, don't ask) were beating Dumbarton. Now I also happen to have been to Dumbarton's ground, and it is particularly notable, because it is situated next to a castle. This led me off on a huge and probably tedious chat about how Dumbarton's ground is next to a castle, which said flat-mate suitably endured. The conversation inspired me to write the spectacle before you. And so, without further ado, 8 Football Grounds that are a bit weird and I've been to/near.

1. The Bet Butler Stadium, Dumbarton FC.
As promised, Dumbarton's ground, which has undergone many sponsorship changes in its time. Ironically, given "The Sons" have won only 1 out of 6 league games at home this season, the ground is nicknamed by the fans "The Rock". This is because it is next to a rock, on top of which there is the aforementioned castle. Following that logic, Meadow Lane should be nicknamed Hooters. I'll leave that one hanging. Overall though, well worth a visit, the  rock, castle and ground all come off well in this one.

2. Estadio Municipal de Braga, Sporting Clube de Braga.
Continuing the rocky theme, (listen, whilst you read), this is the wonderful, magnificent, bizarre, natural-looking, eccentric Braga stadium, carved out of a quarry. I'm guessing with all the superlatives, by the way, I did go there, but behind the massive gates and car-park, the view is pretty shameful. Though there was a nice ice-cream van outside, which is good.

3. St Mary's Park, St Cuthbert Wanderers FC. 

This one I put down, with more of a tenuous hand. I think this is slightly less effective photo-wise, and  you actually have to go there to get the full feeling (highly recommend it, Kirkcudbright is a very nice town). From memory, you can pretty much walk off the beach, turn a corner, and end up with this ground in front of you. Nice in general and a rackety old stand that makes the whole affair very 'proper' football. I generally remember it being undoubtedly the most shocking place to find a ground of a decent size. P.S - I see from Twitter, Saints also got to the semi final of the League Cup, having just missed out to Wigtown (another great town to visit) - Congrats! *

4. Rheinpark Stadion, Liechtenstein and FC Vaduz.

A ground undoubtedly close to my heart, the mighty Rheinpark is the fortress of the Liechtenstein national team and of the capital's local club, FC Vaduz. The ground entered Howlett family folklore (how sad) when I managed to get in to the ground and touch the hallowed turf with no one once challenging me. Which says a lot about Liechtenstein and my excitement. Notable and a bit weird for the mountain alpine scenery that surrounds it. Which is more or less notable enough. Rumour has it the North Stand is in fact a tax haven for Conservative Party donors, though this has yet to be confirmed.

5. Caledonian Stadium, Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

One of my favourite grounds, if I look past the fact that they've turned Celtic over far too many times to be comfortable with, it's mildly weird/different in that it is right next to the Kessock Bridge, which is an architectural success in it self. Well worth going over the bridge if nothing else, as the view of the ground is really attractive. The other thing about bridges is that they're over water. We deduce from this that the ground is also right next to a river, namely the Beauly Firth (like either you or I have ever heard of that)...

The ground is in the picture somewhere

6. The John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield Town FC.

Known as t'Galpharm when I were there, this stadium is hilariously average (that's far too harsh, but never mind), the ground is notably weird because it's the only ground I've been to where there's a humongous driving range next door. 

This has clearly been noted by the PR people - the Main Stand's sponsorship deal is the "Direct Golf UK Stand", which is almost as emotive amongst the football-lover as "Sir Matt Busby Way" is to the average Japanese Manchester United fan. No one has yet managed a drive into the ground. Shame.

7. Allianz Arena, FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 Munchen.

A simply remarkable piece of architecture, it's like art and stadium, in one. Weird because it has a 'luminous exterior' that can change colour depending on whichever team is playing there at the time. Much to my protests, we only drove past the ground on the Autobahn, but even in the dark, probably doing double the limit in England (efficent Germans), the light show was incredible. Probably the most intrinsically attractive ground on the list, but still - a bit weird.

8. Field Mill, Mansfield Town FC.

I was never going to get through a post without mentioning Nottinghamshire in some extended form, and the excuse this time, unusually for me, is Mansfield. Always a shame to think about it, but relevant for these purposes. Field Mill, a bit like Huddersfield, is a very average ground. However, the 'non' stand makes it a weird one. Also, more amusingly, their hilarious attempts to make it look nice. Unfortunately I couldn't find any pictures of the 'lads' up the trees nearby on sell-out crowds. Equally Mansfield-ish.

The 'non' stand. Note the saving money on the hole in the roof.

And there we have it. Eight clubs, some of which you'll have heard of, all weird in some way. I will undoubtedly have a 'List of cricket grounds that are a bit weird and I've played at', soon...

*I'm told by one of the Cuthbert's faithful on Twitter that St Mary's Park now has a 3G pitch, and the terrace in the picture has gone down, to be replaced in the new year... All the same, I enjoyed it whilst it was there.

Sketch: Cricket Ireland V England

It seemed like it would be the most perfect match. Ireland, having

built and built their ODI side, nearly beat Pakistan and were a few runs away from

their first proper ODI series win. Now, just a couple of months later, they faced

an England team coming off an Ashes high, full of that all too

familiar nonchalance - 'it's just those amateur Irish Paddys'. So much

so, they'd filled the side with a second string 'Lions' team, with a

few added extras in from the first pick. I really believed Ireland

would have a chance. In fact, I still believe that if they did play a

series against England, Ireland would win at least one match.

Given this premise, you'd have thought I would've enjoyed the match,

Big changes: From this passion...

on the basis that it is only cricket, after all. But I found myself

taken to as high a level as any sporting contest has taken

me before. It was not just a simple game of 50 overs a side (43 overs,

if you count the fact England knocked them off with 7 to spare).

It was higher than that. It was a battle between Good and Evil. It wasn't

Bopara's amazing propensity suddenly to find run scoring/wicket taking

easy that enraged me. Nor was it Eoin Morgan's slightly patronising

decision to bring on Michael Carberry (who has bowled just 322

balls in his entire List A career). No, it was more than that. It was

that Ireland were being taken apart by Irishmen. Even worse - Irishmen

who were then giving smug Englishmen the excuse to laugh about it on

twitter.

As many will know (if only from my 'About me' page), I am an England

fan. I'm born English - I am far too passionate about England during

the Ashes (even the 06-07 series). But I am an Englishman who prefers

a cricket board that lacks Giles Clarke suave stickiness - Cricket

Ireland; an Englishman who is part Irish, and who would fail Norman

Tebbitt's cricket test. I am hopelessly romantic about Irish

cricket and a nation that lives, cricket-wise, at just about the right

distance behind England. I have fallen for the British tendency to back

the underdog.

So, I return to the dilemma of Good Vs Evil. Here am I, totally

appalled. If they are so bad, how come it took a Derry-born man to

take 4 Irish wickets and a Dublin-born man to score 124 runs and sink

the Irishmen? Would they have tipped the balance in Ireland's favour

had they been playing for their native country? Undoubtedly, yes. And

as the England 'masses', tweeted about how the match was 'a waste of

time' and 'totally pointless as England were always going to win', the

irony hit me. These were fully fledged England fans supporting the

best pick of Irishmen for easily beating the next best lot of

Irishmen. It is cricket's latest wave of colonisation. 

The system should stop players playing against their native country. This injustice

should not be allowed to continue. Morgan and Rankin may have decided to play

cricket for England (understandable, at least in the case of Morgan), but they cannot simply be allowed to sink their own country, especially when they are clearly not surplus to requirements.

Had they both played for Ireland, they could well have put their own

nation's chances of Test cricket a few years forward. Whilst Giles

Clarke may or may not make jokes at Irish expense, the fans certainly do,

However, England are simply delaying the time until (inevitably)

Ireland win a Test series against their old enemies. I for one, will

have my green jersey on that day, for it will be a victory for proper,

grass-roots cricket.

To this...

N.B- No doubt some smart aleck will make the point that Ireland had a

load of Aussies playing for them. Five killer points - 1) Irish

Cricket is currently building up the base from which to play

test-cricket and the best players should always be picked if available -

England have the advantage of being the oldest cricket nation in the

world. 2) Irish cricket's establishment (note my comment on the system

above) is already trying to lessen the influence and selection of

non-Irish players. Already. 3) When Ireland select Aussies, the

Aussies aren't moaning they can't select Trent Johnston, as he is

surplus to requirements - this is clearly never going to be the case

with England selecting Irish cricketers. 4) 7/8 of Ireland's

first-class county players are all Irish. The best Irish players are

Irish. Trott and Pietersen? 5) If Morgan and Rankin were playing for

Ireland, then maybe they could afford to play a fully Irish eleven.