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| Somerset county championship win would exorcise ghosts of legends past | Mike Selvey Viv Richards, Ian Botham and Joel Garner, for all their one-day titles, they never nailed for Somerset the one most covetedAs I write this, the Met Office rainfall radar, my default port of call for prospects of play, is showing the ink-blot of rain that has hovered over Old Trafford has moved only ever so slightly east towards the Pennines, that there is a slender band of precipitation in the vicinity of Chester-le-Street and some pinpoints of frustrating light stuff around Leeds. To the south, not a smidgeon shows. The County Championship finale already promised a nailbiter but now the weather was added as an extra dimension.As it stands, then, it is Somerset who have managed to get their noses in front for the first time this summer, and short of contrivance in Manchester, and something similar at Headingley, will stay there. The Somerset cricket chairman (and Observer cricket correspondent) would be ecstatic of course, although his May prediction that his side were "hardly championship contenders" might come back to haunt him, possibly as early as our annual golf trip at the end of the month.In theory I should be dispassionate about the final destination of the championship trophy. My county loyalties (something that pertained in the old days) still lie with Middlesex, although I hope Glamorgan can hoist themselves up. However, if pushed, and at risk of alienating others from this parish, I would have to say I would not begrudge Somerset if they sneaked through on the rails. Yorkshire have had plenty of times to celebrate, almost twice as many as the nearest rival, and indeed I was actually at the crease (non-striker) when they clinched the last of their great run through the 1960s. Likewise Nottinghamshire. But Somerset supporters, while enjoying their various one-day successes with the accompanying jolly up to London, have never seen the championship pennant fly over the Taunton pavilion.I know what it is like wanting that title and what it means to win it: four times in fact with Middlesex and it never palled although there is no time like the first. Strictly speaking, 1976 was not the first time Middlesex had claimed the championship but they had not done so since they tied with Yorkshire in 1949.There were a lot of fine players at the county thereafter who never won and it rankled with them. But there was an element within the dressing room of the mid 1970s that had tired of stories of Compton and Edrich. The signs of a revival were there the previous year when we reached both domestic finals (losing them to Leicestershire and Lancashire respectively) but the following summer we got it right.As now, it came down to the final match. It had been a long hot summer but still the weather interfered as the season came to a head. Middlesex required five points from the last match at the Oval and were denied a fourth bowling point when John Edrich made a hundred. But Gloucestershire, the nearest challengers, also failed to get full bonus points, so only one batting point was needed, fittingly achieved on the penultimate day of the season, when Clive Radley nurdled one of the thousands of singles he thieved in his career. It would be nice to report that the celebrations were muted but they were not. Immediately the champagne was opened and quaffed. Then my bowling mate and travelling companion Allan Jones and I repaired to the Long Room bar for a couple. Wisden records only that subsequently I made an unbeaten 29 but for the half hour I was batting I thought I was Vivian Richards. In retrospect I should have spent my entire career batting pissed.Then came the aftermath. Prince Phillip presented the Lord's Taverners' Trophy to the county at Buckingham Palace one October afternoon and was to do so a further three times over the next six years, once, the following year, jointly to myself and Graham Johnson of Kent, with whom we had tied the championship. On this second occasion, Ian Gould, just on the staff, spent the entire time trying to avoid HRH who, having recently made some coruscating public remarks about unemployment, was asking people what they "had on at the moment". "I didn't want to tell him I was on the rock-and-roll," said Gould.Above all though, winning that first title earned us respect and gave us self-esteem. No longer did we need to hear about the summer of 1947 and feel underachievers. The ghosts of the past were exorcised and if Somerset should win, then so will theirs. They are legendary in those parts but Viv and Beefy and Joel, and indeed Vic Marks, for all the one-day titles, never nailed for Somerset the one coveted most. People will remember this and dim the switch a little on the past. Marcus Trescothick is already a legend in the county but this would deify him. And who knows what success would be bred by success. Middlesex retained the title next season and enjoyed seasons of excellence thereafter. So it was with Essex and Notts and most recently Durham. A door may have been unlocked.County Championship Division OneCricketSomersetYorkshireNottinghamshireMike Selveyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Rory McIlroy admits regret over calling Ryder Cup 'an exhibition' event • 21-year-old preparing for Ryder Cup debut next week• Last year said the event was 'not that important to me'Rory McIlroy has admitted he regrets calling the Ryder Cup "an exhibition" last year, and says he is feeling nervous ahead of his debut at Celtic Manor next week.In May last year McIlroy said: "The Ryder Cup is a great spectacle but an exhibition at the end of the day and it should be there to be enjoyed. In the big scheme of things it's not that important to me."However, although he still puts success in majors and even the world championship higher on his list of career goals, McIlroy insists he has real respect for the competition."Next week is going to be fantastic. It's definitely not an exhibition, it's a great spectacle. I said exhibition last year when I was not focused on a team event."McIlroy, winner of four points out of five for Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in the Vivendi Trophy last September, added: "I sort of forgot how good it was. We won and it was great to share the win with 11 other guys."The 21-year-old admitted to nerves before he makes his debut, when he is being tipped to lead things off for Europe alongside his compatriot and close friend Graeme McDowell."Obviously it's my first experience [of a Ryder Cup] and one I'm going to try to enjoy. Hopefully the adrenaline will make me play well. I'm going to be very nervous over my first tee shot, but once you get that out of the way all you are thinking about is winning your match."Three of his victories at the Vivendi Trophy came with McDowell as his partner and all of them were achieved going out first. Asked about the likelihood of them being put together again he said: "I'm not sure. I will have a better sense when we get there [on Monday]."It worked well last year and I'd like to, but whatever Monty thinks I don't mind. I'm very close to 'GMac' and I think we would both love to partner each other. Hopefully we'll get a couple of games and try to make the most of it."McIlroy is one of six uncapped players, the most Europe have had since 1999, but he points out: "There's a lot of experience with Lee Westwood, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Ian Poulter and GMac's played one."Then you have the vice-captains [Sergio GarcÃa, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn] and obviously Monty. It's great to have people like that in and around the team."They will have a big role to play. I don't know how I am going to be in the team room, but I will definitely be listening to those guys. It's not like it's my first experience of a big event. I think we will be fine."McDowell, meanwhile, said McIlroy's view of the event would change with experience. "Rory is an extremely ambitious kid and he's all about major championships and WGCs. But I think he'll have a different respect for the Ryder Cup next weekend when he gets out there and feels it and understands it. Of course it's different from a major and a WGC – it's not an individual win – it's just something a bit special."Rory McIlroyRyder CupGolfguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Three arrested over Keothavong 'abuse' • Alleged incident took place in Barnstaple last night• British No3 writes on Twitter she is 'fuming and disgusted'Three men have been arrested by Devon police following allegations by the British tennis player Anne Keothavong that she was racially abused, according to the BBC.The former British No1 is due to play in a tournament in Barnstaple, which begins today.A police statement said: "Police can confirm that a 27-year-old woman from London has made an allegation of a racially aggravated incident."Three men aged 20, 23, 25 have been arrested for this offence and for a separate shoplifting incident. They remain in police custody waiting to be interviewed. Police investigations continue."Keothavong wrote on Twitter that she was "fuming and disgusted" by the alleged incident, adding: "I was on my own and completely outnumbered. Gave a statement to police, hoping CCTV will get them."The Hackney-born player is among five top-100 players set to compete in the seven-day tournament, which she won in 2008.Anne KeothavongTennisguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
No. 1 Crimson Tide falls 35-21 to South Carolina By PETE IACOBELLI 2010-10-10T03:16:48ZCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- After delivering South Carolina's biggest win ever, all coach Steve Spurrier could do was smile.... hosted.ap.org |
Michigan State stays unbeaten after rallying past Northwestern Kirk Cousins threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 8 Michigan State rallied from 17 points down to beat Northwestern 35-27 and remain ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |