There is nothing that infuriates players and fans more than the inequality that exists in the disciplinary protocols for the game and their applications by referees and linesman in games. Stephen Callen misses the FA cup trip to Clitheroe on Saturday because he reacted, unwisely but not that badly, to an atrocious tackle by the captain of Ryhope CW in the last minute of the game last week. The game was won, Ryhope CW were well beat, and there was nothing left to play for, when their centre half and captain tried to chop Steve in half with an appalling challenge. Steve reacts, understandably but wrongly, both get a three match ban, where is the justice in that? Never mind, nobody said it was fair.
Funny start to the season, with us not playing as we can yet still looking strong. A long way to go and a few ups and downs to come no doubt but an air of grumbling and annoyance around the camp. It’s a funny old game.
Meanwhile the new regime at the SoL seems to have made a good start, while over on the dark side, Rafa is clearly considering his options. And Guardiola ramps up the pressure on Mourinho. Gone by Christmas I reckon. Mourinho I mean, not Guardiola. Although I might be wrong.
Anyway, it’s still the summer and the summer is the time for cricket. Whitburn are doing very nicely if you were wondering, and Ben “Big Punch” Stokes has got away with it. The Indians are staging a bit of a recovery, having looked like they had never seen rain or wind before, which may well be the case. Kohli seems like the sort of bloody-minded hard case you would want on your side when the chips were down, and even though his batting colleagues seem useless, he may on his own drag India back into the Test series. How much longer can they go on pretending it’s a five day game? Lucky if it lasts three nowadays. Make it one hundred overs an innings I reckon, might concentrate minds. I know that cricket is a minority spot nowadays, unless you are into fancy dress. But I like it.