I agree Steve. We all need to know what is going on at our favourite clubs, because everyone who follows the game, be it a supporter, or a journalist among others is a stakeholder in the game, and we must know what is going on, and what may happen in the future as a result. You do an excellent job at doing this Steve! Keep it up!

8th paragraph, where I talk about the opposition working him out, which could mean targeting areas as you have mentioned Winston. I think I could have a whole article talking about his actual game and playing style, but that wouldn’t necessarily talk about the challenges he will face on the ATP World Tour.

While I think all of your selections are good and valid ones, I have a different best World Test XI for 2014.

My 2014 Test World XI

1. B. McCullum (c)
2. D. Warner
3. K. Sangakkara
4. Younis Khan
5. S. Smith
6. A. Mathews (vc)
7. MS. Dhoni (wk)
8. M. Johnson
9. D. Steyn
10. R. Herath
11. J. Anderson

What do you think?

There is less of a chance of losing early wickets if Smith bats at No.3 because he has a superior technique for the position, compared to anyone else.

I agree with you Sam in principle, but we have also got to remember that in a non-strike season, it is only the second time that this has happened. It would be very difficult to convince in NFL to change their rules, but I agree with you in principle.

I am still shocked by the decision by MS Dhoni to retire from Test match cricket, but what a Test career he had!

For a wicketkeeper-batsman, in 90 Test matches, he averaged 38.09 runs with the bat, scoring 4876 runs in his Test match career at a strike rate of 59.11 runs per 100 balls, and while that is not as quick a scoring rate as some batsman, this scoring rate is over 3.5 runs per over, and this is more than acceptable scoring rate. His batting style was different, but it was effective.

As a keeper, he had 256 catches and 38 stumpings at an average dismissals per innings of 1.771.

And as a captain, in 60 Test matches, which is a record as an Indian test captain, he won 27 times, lost 18 times, and drawn 15 times, at a winning rate of 45%.

He was a great player, a great leader, and someone that India may miss in Test match cricket in the years to come.

Did a quick search, and saw an image of what you are saying. I like your enthusiasm for Penrith and either upgrading Centrebet Stadium, or building a new stadium on that site. However, I think Blacktown is a better option as it is right between Penrith and Parramatta, and it will create more jobs in the west of Sydney. However, I think your idea is valid and a good one.

I think the reaction and outpouring of grief after his untimely and unexpected passing tells you the answer to your question. Absolutely yes. Absolutely yes. Phillip Hughes was a young batsman who would have developed into a great batsman for Australia, and probably would have finished his Test career with a batting average around that 45 to 50 mark. Such a shame and a regret that we will never get to find out.

Rest in Peace Phillip Hughes.

Weather for both Adelaide and Sydney is fine for both Friday and Saturday at this stage.

READ THE ARTICLE!

This is what I said, “As for Rosberg, if he is a coward, which I’m not saying that he is, well then he should be punished by the appropriate authority.” The appropriate authority may not necessarily be the FIA.

I wrote before this that, “However, the bigger question is, what are Mercedes going to do about this? I think they should drop him for one race for breaking team protocol, but that won’t happen as the bosses at Mercedes, Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe, don’t have the guts. Both of them have shown no guts in their leadership, and everyone knows that for success to happen, you must have a ‘no guts, no glory’ approach.”

Not once did I say the FIA in that part of the article.

And, I am not a fan of any particular driver.

Have you watched the footage? Can you give us your analysis of the incident?

What rubbish do I write? Name an article that I have written other this one that you think is rubbish, and I will explain the article to you.

Read the article. This is what I said, “I’m not sure what to think, but many people would think that his actions and conduct are as close to coward-like as you can get.”

“There would be good reason for him to be acting in this way, as his dad, 1982 Formula One World Champion Keke Rosberg, criticised seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher for his deliberate actions during qualifying at the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix, and (Nico) Rosberg may not want to reveal his actions to avoid feeling the wrath from his Rosberg senior.”

I later said that, “As for Rosberg, if he is a coward, which I’m not saying that he is, well then he should be punished by the appropriate authority. And, as we all should know, cowards will always lose in the end.”

I did not say that he was a coward as you seem to think I did, but the way that he has been thinking would make many people think that. I was just saying that.

READ THE ARTICLE!

Hello Chop,

On Thanasi Kokkinakis, I think he may need more time in order to get his body and physical condition in order, and I can tell you that I predict only one player will be in the Top 100 born in his year, which is 1996, and will be the youngest player in that Top 100.

On Kyrgios, I think players will work out how to bring him down because he generally directs his bad emotion at himself, and opponents will implement ways to allow this to eat at him, which thus brings his level down. So I think it will become important to work on that.

On Tomic, I think the perceived deficiency between the ears is because he is trying to work out the best way to use his tools to produce great results. Watch this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcvSJ7Nkx7g

I find it hard to believe that anyone in any sport/profession can lose their hunger, or desire to reach the top as you are saying or proposing. Rather, it is clouded because he is trying to find the best way to use his talent.

Great article! It is going to be interesting to see how Kyrgios handles the pressure of being the hunted as you say. I think that Kyrgios and Tomic are at different stages of their careers. Kyrgios as you say is basically where Tomic was back in 2011, while Tomic is basically in the repair shop, and has probably been there since Wimbledon in 2012.

Almost every player that comes onto the tour today will spend a reasonable period of time in the repair shop. This is due to the increased physicality of the game of tennis, largely dictated by the evolution and revolution of technology both on and off the court, added by the fact that there has been clear domination by at least three or four players who have been refined to such a level that has meant that the level of attainment is much greater than in the past.

For Tomic, he has been in the repair shop for about two years now, and why he has been there for a while is to process, fix, refine, and sort out his game. Tomic’s playing style can be for many people a complicated one to understand, but when you watch him, you can see a bag of wonderful skills that are just about world class in every way, but the picture of what he wants to do doesn’t click or fit together within the jig-saw puzzle. I think he is nearing the end of being in the repair shop, and it will be interesting to see where this invisible, yet real repair shop places him back on the rankings, or level of play of that particular ranking. His ranking at the start of Wimbledon 2012 was No.28. With the repair shop wanting to make a player better, they would want the ability to drop him in at a better ranking, slashing 28 in half. Tomic’s highest ranking during his time in the repair shop was No.39. So once he leaves the repair shop, his level of play will be consistently between a player ranked 14th to 39th in the world, which would mean he would get to a ranking somewhere between 14 and 39 in a reasonably short space of time. Then, it will be the hard work and dedication that has been criticised by many that will determine how much further he will go past 14.

For Kyrgios, his playing style is easier to understand for most people. He is an offensive baseliner, with the ability to play an all-court game, but better at the former, with big weapons, and an athletic build similar to Gael Monfils. He will probably have to visit the repair shop, but for not as long to correct deficiencies in his game.

The result I think will be that by the end of 2018, we will see both Kyrgios and Tomic inside the Top 5/10, and either winning Grand Slam titles or challenging for them at least.

They were a great team, and sometimes there are not too many words you can use to describe their brilliance.

At Wimbledon, anything is possible, especially when you consider the massive upsets of the last two years there. It could be a champion, a young gun, or a complete shock that wins at Wimbledon.

I hope not, but you are right that it is the next possible target for Fox. However, I believe Ten, Nine or Seven would throw absolutely everything, including the kitchen sink to keep or gain the rights to Formula 1. Ten has done a great job with F1, showing qualifying and the race of every round, LIVE. It would a tragedy if FTA Television lost the rights, either partly, or entirely. I don’t think FTA Television would ever let this happen.

I have watched plenty of motorsport in my young life, and the sport was already great before these new rules were introduced in terms of restarts. The last sentence of the article will answer your question about the cars, but what I would say is that V8 Supercars shouldn’t place their competitors at any unnecessary risk of injury via the changing of rules. I still maintain the view that the Whincup pit stop was a minor violation, which deserves to be met with a minor penalty.

It is a disgrace Ryan. Pietersen I feel is someone that England needs, in terms of the way they should go about the game. It is clear that England is a negative cricketing country that has negative people such as Ashley Giles and Andy Flower, who were negative cricketers in their playing careers, leading England into a dark black hole that they will never return from. Both combined are a poisonous, and extremely toxic tonic for English cricket, even more toxic than Mickey Arthur, and this has been going on for many years I feel.

First to the Top 100, Top 50, Top 20 and Top 10 relative to their age, and for each group ( 5 groups of 20) starting from the youngest to the oldest, they are assigned to a maximum rating they can get for each category, (Ranking, Age (Youngest to Oldest), Top 100, Top 50, Top 20, Top 10).

Here are my ratings distribution:

Group 1 (Youngest): Ranking: 0%, Age: 20%, Top 100: 20%, Top 50: 20%, Top 20: 20%, Top 10: 20%.
Group 2 (2nd Youngest): Ranking: 20%, Age: 20%, Top 100: 15%, Top 50: 15%, Top 20: 15%, Top 10: 15%.
Group 3: Ranking: 40%, Age: 20%, Top 100: 10%, Top 50: 10%, Top 20: 10%, Top 10: 10%.
Group 4: Ranking: 60%, Age: 20%, Top 100: 5%, Top 50: 5%, Top 20: 5%, Top 10: 5%.
Group 5 (Oldest): Ranking 80%, Age: 20%, Top 100: 0%, Top 50: 0%, Top 20: 0%, Top 10: 0%.

All of these ratings are up to the end of 2013, so it doesn’t include events of 2014 so far. Players who haven’t achieved Top 50, Top 20 and/or Top 10 will receive percentage points after those players who have, have been assigned percentage points. This will be based on the age criteria.

He is not the only one. Admitting mistakes, or faults should boost your character.

I would assume that it would be like you for example having laser surgery to correct your eyesight so that you could see much better. Therefore, I would like to think it would make him much more faster, much more agile, and more importantly much more harder to beat. The layoff is expected to be as much as 12 weeks, so assuming he is having the surgery in the next day or so, he will be probably aiming to comeback on either the week of April 14 or April 21. April 14 is the week of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, where he has tended to base himself while playing in Europe, so he could possibly be given a wildcard into that event, since historically many players tend to skip this event. In any case, I expect him to be a way better player than he was before. The other younger players on tour may in time regret yesterday.

I would give Tomic a chance of possibly defeating Nadal. The Sydney final against Del Potro will give us a clue as to whether he can realistically beat or challenge Nadal. The balls and courts are a little quicker this year than in previous years, and I thought I heard Hewitt say on RF and Friends that the speed of the courts on Rod Laver Arena are similar to Sydney, so advantage to Tomic. I also think the match-up of styles will suit Tomic, and the only meeting they have had was back in 2011 at the Australian Open, where Nadal won 6-2, 7-5, 6-3, but Tomic was leading in that second set, and giving Nadal a lot of trouble, so Tomic can definitely compete with him. Nadal, although winning the title in Qatar, the scorelines in some matches against players who I consider average wasn’t that convincing for a player who has been dominant on hard courts since his return from injury. Nadal will also be very nervous considering that he hasn’t played here since 2012, against an opponent who could give him trouble, his form is potentially questionable, and don’t forget that his knees could play up at any time. I also think that it is time for a younger player to defeat a player of Nadal’s stature, because the upsets last year were done by seasoned/journeymen players. It is possible that a higher power above IBM has influenced sub-consciously and selected Tomic to do it. It could happen. It could be destiny.