Lies, Damn Lies and CCTV

David Beckham and Steven Gerrard. Two players lauded for their honesty and commitment on the field; for both club and country. These are not the players who come to mind when thinking about the conniving, dishonest side of football – usually associated with the ‘Jonny Foreigner’ likes of Cristiano Ronaldo or Didier Drogba. Those who saw Gerrard’s penalty win against Athletico Madrid, in last season’s Champions League, along with LA Galaxy fans, may wish to differ but the general perception remains one of integrity. Yet like so many who take the apparent high road both have shown themselves to ‘believe the myth’ and thus proved they are as fallible as any cheating diver.

Beckham has claimed that he wanted to “shake one of the guy’s hands” after calling an LA Galaxy fan out of the crowd. When the supporter, who was saying things that “wasn’t very nice”, accepted Beckham’s invitation and jumped from the stand, Beckham began to scale an advertising hoarding. Now exactly what Beckham would have done had he reached the fan we will never know since security stepped in well before the pair clashed, however it is fairly safe to assume, given the body language, neither man had hand shakes on his mind. If that was Beckham’s true intention why did he attempt the jump the advertising hoarding?

I have no problem with Beckham confronting, and taking issue, with someone who has been shouting obsenities at him – it is the bare faced lying to the general public afterwards which galls me. Just as the fan should have the stomach to stand by his statements, so Beckham should stand by his actions. At the very least he should not insult the intelligence of fans by fabricating such a ridiculous story about his intentions when calling the man down from the stand.

Now we get to the murkier issue of Steven Gerrard. He has been cleared of affray at Liverpool Crown Court today, even though there is clear CCTV footage of the Liverpool captain confronting then punching another man in a Southport bar. In court Gerrard stated that he was acting in self defence as he punched Marcus McGee three times without receiving a single blow himself.  Gerrard’s co-defendant, who initially began the assault, elbowing Mr. McGee in the head, pleaded guilty to affray and is awaiting sentencing. In total six of Gerrard’s companions, including two Accrington Stanley players, are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to either affray or threatening behavior.

The disparity in the treatment between the superstar and his friends is striking. There is clear video evidence showing Steven Gerrard punching Marcus McGee yet he has been completely exonerated of any wrong doing! This is a legal issue more than anything else yet the point still stand that a superstar footballer can make as unbelievable a statement as he likes and yet he will be taken seriously.

Just as it is highly unlikely Beckham wanted to shake the hand of an abusive fan, it is equally as unlikely that after the first or second punch – or whilst being held back by friends – Gerrard believed he was defending himself. Yet both told the public these stories, and both, to some extent, were taken seriously.

That is not to say that these are generally violent or uncharitable men. On the contrary they are two of the most admirable footballers when it comes to helping others from their very privileged positions. Yet just because they have been charitable in other areas it should not grant them a ‘get out of jail free card’ when they slip up. There is a  lack of humility, of honesty, in these players.  Even with cameras documenting their actions both men are arrogant enough they feel they can re-write history with the most bizarre interpretations of the footage.

Fans should not expect players to be saints. They should however expect them to be able to admit a mistake, or at the very least not lie about it. To use the Football Association’s buzz word of last season, respect is what is lacking in the mindset of some professional sportsmen – to officials, referees and, in the worst cases to the fans who pay their wages.

Toronto Blue Jays v Chicago White Socks – live!

Starting Line-Ups: Blue Jays - Marco Scutaro, Aaron Hill, Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, Adam Lind, Jose Bautista, Lyle Overbay, Raul Chavez, Travis Snider. White Socks – Scott Podsednik, Chris Getz, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerk, Jim Thome, Alexei Ramirez, A.J. Pierzynski, Josh Fields, Brent Lillibridge. Starting Pitchers – Robert Ray[TOR], Bartolo Colon [CHI]

Toronto win 2-1, Robert Ray(W) Scott Linebrink(L). The home side deserved the win but left it late scoring twice in the eighth. Chicago can consider themselves unlucky to lose it so late but some indifferent pitching and only three hits can have no complaints. You feel Toronto could have been punished for not taking their chances against a better side than Chicago. With 11 hits in the game they probably should have scored more than two. Ray, Wells, Bautista and Scutaro all played important parts in getting Toronto to 25-14 but for timing his hits – and since Ray gets credit for the whole win anyway – my man of the match is Adam Lind.

Top ninth: 2-1 Toronto. Linebrink threw 30 pitches and gave up two runs in his first innings. If this is an omen for closers Robert Ray’s replacment Scott Downs should be nervous. Jayson Nix, replacing Lillibridge flies out without incident. Podsednik follows him to the dugout with a ground out. Wilson Betemit replaces Chris Getz and quickly goes 3-0. A ground ball Betemit is collected by Lyle Overbay and given back to Downs covering at first. Downs takes the save and Toronto – and Robert Ray – take the win.

Bottom eighth: Scott Linebrink replaces Thornton and Rios flies out on his first pitch. Vernon Wells knocks his second out to left centre field for a single though. Lind fouls off a couple of good looking pitches before Wells steals second. Lind is reading his pitches well letting two close pitches go for balls, full count. SCORE! Lind fouls off two more but then drives the run in with his tenth pitch of the at-bat. It drops into right field and bouces off the wall for the double and Vernon Wells score the tying run. Linebrink is throwing some poor stuff as the catcher is unable to hang onto a low fast ball, letting Lind get to third. SCORE! Bautista gets the single to put the Jays ahead for the first time. Another stolen base this time Bautista beats Pierzynski’s throw to take second. Toronto deserve to be ahead as Chicago have not done nearly enough to defend or increase their lead. Overbay is lucky not to be call on a check swing before grounding out. Bautista is up to third. Linebrink throws another wild pitch but the catcher, Pierzynsk, is able to hold on this time. 30 pitches thrown by Linebrink last innings

Top eighth: Chicago can consider themselves lucky to still be one ahead. The White Socks offense continues not to bother the rookie Ray as Ramierez, Pierzynski and Fields are retired in order.

Bottom seventh: Toronto are running out of time to capitalise on good situations. The bats have looked good but need underline this with a score while men are on base. Overbay gets to a full count having been 3-1 then strikes out. Chavez goes 1-0 before getting his second hit of the game, a single to right field. I emphasis again the need to capitalize. Kevin Millar comes in to replace Travis Snider and goes down swinging in four balls. The hot bat of Scutaro is next up. He breaks his bat but gets the single as it drops into left field. Matt Thornton came in to replace Dotel a moment ago as John McDonald replaces Chavez on second base. Aaron Hill nearly gets a line drive down left field but it just goes foul. Incidentally Hills broken bat nearly cartwheeled into McDonald as he approached third. Toronto are retired as Hill strikes out. The Blue Jays do not have the ruthless streak to capitalise on their good situations at the moment.

Top seventh: Ray gives up only his third hit after Dye flies out to Vernon Wells. Jim Thome gives up the ground ball for the Toronto double play and an end to the innings. Ray has pitched a good game but on the other hand the Chicago bats have not looked particularly dangerous.

Bottom sixth: Octavio Dotel comes in to replace Bartolo Colon. The out going pitcher gave up five hits but no runs. Dotel makes a statement with his first pitch making Rios lean back out of the way of a high pitch. Rios grounds out to Ramirez. Vernon Wells gets the Blue Jays sixth hit with a single ground ball to centre field. With Lind at the plate Wells steals his 16th base of the season. He was halfway to second before catcherPierzynski had the ball in his glove. Lind breaks his bat trying to drive to right field but Wells moves up to third. Dotel is in danger of putting himself in a difficult situation early going to 3-0. Dotel gets back to a full count but the third strike looked like a terrible call by the umpire. The computer agrees calling the pitch high. Bautista did not like the call either – started walking to first before being called back

Top sixth: Robert Ray will want to continue his third major league start in the way it has gone so far. He gives up his second hit to Josh Fields on a 2-2 count, having been 0-2 ahead. Lillibridge tries to bunt but misses and Fields is nearly tagged at first. Fields is out on a sacrafice bunt four pitches later though. Fields moves up to second. Podsednik drives out to the warning track but Snider takes the catch. Getz is the next man up and he fires the ball off the mound with Ray diving out the way – but still putting a glove out – Scutaro picks the ball up behind second base and fires it in to first for the innings ending out. Still 1-0 White Socks

Bottom fifth: Colon walked Overbay in his last a bat and quickly falls behind 2-0 but gets it to full count before Overbay flies out. Chavez is the next man up and gets a single on a line drive up the centre. The 21year old Travis Snider comes up with a lethal looking swing that pounds a foul, he is struck out reaching across the plate. Scutaro gets a long double into the corner of right field. Chavez tries to get the tying run but is waved back after going round third. The less than graceful scrambles manages to scramble back to third as the throw reaches home plate. Aaron Hill come up to the plate with two men on base but knocks his first pitch to Lillibridge to end the innings.

Top fifth: Jim Thome, the only player Robert Ray has given up a hit to so far, is struck out with a high fast ball. Bautista fires his throw across the diamond to catch Ramirez at first before Pierzynski flies out the Snider. That is the seventh batter retired in a row for Ray. Toronto just needs to start doing some damage on offence. The White socks pitching has been unspectacular so far…

Bottom fourth: Rios longs good swing knocking a ball deep but foul before getting good contact on a ground out to Ramirez. This apparently is the first lead the White Socks have had in Toronto since June 2007. Colon gives his second walk to Vernon Wells so perhaps the stats will catch up with the Illinois side. It is not happening so far as Lind lines out to Jermain Dye. Bautista gives Colon his first strike out to end the innings and Toronto leave a man stranded for the fourth consecutive inning

Top fourth: Vernon Wells kills a potentially dangerous hit, reading it quickly and getting back early to make the easy catch. Ray is starting to bed in well. His accuracy is pretty good now. Dye lofts one out to shallow left field for Snider to catch. Another one-two-three innings. This time Ray earned it with a good pick-up and throw to first to get Konerk out

Bottom third: Snider grounds out. Some more dumb running from Toronto tries to force a double into a triple. These two teams look pretty even – possibly Toronto look slightly better – just several stupid plays and errors are giving Chicago the initiative. Aaron Hills ends the inning with a ground out

Top third: Ray has a good inning returning Fields, Lillinbridge and Podsednik in five pitches. No strike outs as yet though

Bottom Second: Lind fouls and is caught. Bautista gets what should be a long single  but he tried for second and is tagged out after a good throw from Podsednik. Colon has his first walk giving Overbay first. Toronto can not build on this as Chavez grounds out

Top Second: Thome falls behind 1-2 but fights back and gets a base hit single. It has been tied up it all areas now. After a high, wide miss from Ray, Chavez goes to the mound for a chat “You see that plate? Yeah that’s right just over that.” Toronto nearly get the double play. Thome is gone but Ramirez is too quick and gets into first. Underlining the speed he has to burn Ramirez looks eager to steal. Chavez nearly catches him running on a strike though. Ramirez has run on three fouls now. Each time Scutaro watches him dive towards him laughing. Ramierz’s base running eventually results in the end of the inning as a Podsednik foul ball is caught and returned to first. 0-1 Chicago

Bottom First: Short stop Scutaro falls gives up a strike before Hill quickly follows him back to the dugout in similar fashion. Rios gives Toronto a lead (in hits anyway) knocking the ball over the second baseman, making it comfortably to first. Wells grounds to Fields and Rios is out at second to end the innings. So far I do not blame the Jays fans for staying away

Top First: Ray starts out with three consecutive balls, a strike, before finally walking Podsednik. Getz grounds out but Podsednik moves to second. The few Jays fans in attendance are watching Ray struggle to find his location. SCORE! Podsednik steals third but Chavez’s throw escapes Bautista and the Socks take a one nothing lead. Dye is retired with a strike. The Socks go in with a lead but without a hit

Preview: So as I am sat here with my sardines on toast, waiting for tonight’s game to start, I wonder to myself whether or not this is a false dawn for the Jays. The series defeat to the Yankees was a blow. It demonstrated they still need depth. Halladay showed Toronto are capable of showing up the Bombers but Jesse Carlson and Scott Richmond showed there maybe limits on how consistently they can do this. The White Socks were knocked around in the 8-3 loss to Toronto last night but will expect a stiffer defence with Bartolo Colon on the mound. The pitching Robert Ray maybe also be of concern to Jays fans

Halladay dominates Yankees as Jays win by four

Roy Halladay proved himself to be the master over the apprentice when coming up against former team mate AJ Burnett last night. The 32year old allowed just 5 hits and one run as he pitched an entire game for the 41st time in his career, giving the Toronto offence the chance to capitalise with a 5-1 win. Blue Jays’ coach Citon Gaston paid tribute to his pitcher – and the battle with Burnett – after the game.

“Good pitchers get up for it. They step forward, and Doc tonight stepped-up, and was as good as he has been all year… He has has some great performances this year but this one was best.”

“He[Burnett] pitched a good game too. It was a good battle out there. It was a game that I think all of us enjoyed watching, especially us since we were on the winning side of it, but both guys pitched a great game.”

The Yankees are a crowd puller in most ball-parks anyway but the added spice of the return of Burnett brought out over 43,000 fans to Rogers Centre. Something not regularly seen since the clubs glory years in the early 1990’s, when Toronto took successive World Series in 92/93. Jays outfielder for both of those championships, Gatson commented that it “does seem like old times”. Certainly Jays fans will be hoping their club can sustain their current form – and league position – to bring back the glory years.

The Canadian side certainly looked the part while their opponents struggled to get a grip on the game. Bottom of the second and Burnett walked Adam Lind before third baseman Alex Rodriguez dropped a low, bouncing, ball leaving two on and one out. The Yankees escaped with a fly out from Lyle Overbay and a ground ball out at second off of Rod Barajas. The cracks were there for all to see though and it only took the Jays until the fourth to exploit them.

Halladay retired the top of the Yankees’ order without incident before Alex Rios came up to the plate for Toronto. His drive over the out-field and to the wall got him a comfortable double. Burnett looked shaken and he walked the next to batters leaving the bases full for Scott Rolen. The Jays’ third baseman made no mistake getting Rios and Vernon Wells home with a line drive to left-field. The Yankees’ looked to have limited the damage, Burnett striking out Overbay, before inducing a sacrifice fly from Barajas. Melky Cabrera caught and returned the ball the plate with time to spare only for New York catcher Kevin Cash to lose the ball and allow Lind to score.

With Halladay in the mood this lead was virtually unassailable. Using just 45pitches to get through the first 5innings had the Toronto field been having an off day – which they were not – it would have made no difference. The ball was in play so little. Meanwhile Burnett was looking distinctly average, allowing bat and ball to make contact far too much. The pick of the Yankees’ defensive play came in the bottom of the third with Cabrera’s spinning pick-up and throw allowing a smooth double play. Jays on the other hand were unspectacular but incredibly solid. Overbay killing several potential plays with quick hands at first base.

It was a Jonny Damon double over Overbay’s head which allowed New York to put their solitary point on the board. Halladay then struck out Mark Teixeira but Rodriguez hit a ground ball into deep left field, allowing Damon to get home. There was no sign of the anxiety which beset Burnett when he conceded however, the veteran pitcher striking out Nick Swisher in four balls. If anything from this point Toronto looked even more assured.

Halladay’s emphatic response after giving up the run was followed by retiring the Yankees’ in order at the top of the eighth. Burnett on the other hand continued to struggle with a costly bottom eighth. Aaron Hill got the games first, and only, home run to seal the win, before Burnett walked Rios. The Jays’ capitalised with a man on base. Rolen’s ground ball to centre field driving Rios home. At this point Jose Veras came in to pitch the rest of the game for the Yankees’, completing a miserable return to Ontario for AJ Burnett.

In truth it was not just Burnett who looked poor against the Blue Jays. The New York side were beaten on every level of the game. Sharper in the field and ruthless on offence Toronto can take a lot of confidence from this victory and feel that this is a point from which to push on. Currently the team with the most wins in baseball at 23-12m, this is exactly the kind of solid, all round performance needed to sustain that position.

The comprehensive nature of the victory has got to consern the New York Yankees, who spent big during the close season – $82.5million on Burnett alone – only to continue to struggle. Now15-17 it is not a crisis yet but the big names have got to start performing soon in order to avoid an embarrasinly average season for the Yankees’.

The series with the Blue Jays v Yankees continues tonight 2300GMT

Rajasthan Royals v Deccan Chargers – live!

Deccan Chargers win by 53 runs. A comfortable victory takes the Chargers up to third. They owe much of their victory to Dwayne Smith who was responsible for the competative nature of their total. The Royals finished 113  all out, with Rohit Sharma the pick of the Deccan bowlers with figures of 3 wickets for 12 runs. In truth the Royals were poor and failed to start putting any runs on the board. To complete a really bad day at the office Shane Warne maybe out for the rest of the competion with a hamstring injury. Man of the match Dwayne Smith

20th: We are into the formality of the final over and the irritatingly energetic dancers are still going. Wicket! Patel is run out third ball and it is all over. The Royals were terrible between the stumps so an appropriate way to finish

19th: The shots have really dried up now as both sides know the result. Both look happy to cruise to the end. Half-hearted LBW appeal on the final ball but was never out, 110-9

18th: Four runs from the over takes the Royals to 105-9

17th: 98-8 with 69 required from 24 balls. Warne has been roundly beaten today. Ineffectual with the ball, ill advised with the bat and making some strange decisions as captain – his persistence with the spinners being his worst mistake. Wicket! Singh starts rapping things up now bowling Trivedi to take the ninth wicket. The Rajasthan Royals made their century this over but continued to slip towards a now inevitable defeat.This result will take the Deccan Chargers above the Royals into third – the fourth slot being the last play-off place

16th: Wicket! Morkel caught Ravi Teja off Sharma’s bowling. He caught the shot sweetly enough, in the middle of the bat, but it was not hit high enough. In the end straight down Teja’s neck. Warne (finally) comes out to the crease. Too little too late I think. He has actually brought a runner out with him. Apparently he has a hamstring tweak. Wicket! Warne with a baseball swing gets himself a golden duck. Warne needed to come out swinging to reach the 15rpo required, just with more bat-ball contact, alot more…

15th: 86-6 and I do know why Warne has not put himself into bat. Morkel is doing alright in the few balls he has faced but Raut was a lamb to the slaughter. Neither of the batmen in now look like getting near the 14.9rpo required to win. Having said that the last ball is knocked by Morkel for four

14th: 85 required to win. Wicket! Asnodkar is the man gone as he an Jadeja hesitate over the second run and both end up stranded. Poor communication whilst running and an easy run out. Raut is the man in. Wicket! Raut swings over the ball and is bowled after just two deliveries. New man Morkel gets off the mark with a single to finish the over.

13th: 78-4 and this game should be in the bag for the Deccan Chargers. Smith restricts the Royals to just four from the over.

12th: Wicket! Yosuf Pathan is caught by Dwayne Smith trying to knock six over the bowler 74-4. Ravindra Jadeja comes in. Dwayne Smith gives Gilchrist the chance to stump Jadeja with a quick throw but the Australian can not hold onto the ball as he takes the bails off.

11th: So with the run rate now at 10.8po we restart. This is Rajasthan’s last real batting partnership so they will require a big score quickly if they are to have any chance of winning this. Symonds is keeping Pathan and Asnodkar cramped up. Asnodkar is getting frustrated now. He hits a shot straight out to Suman but he makes a terrible error letting the ball go through his hands and for six.

Tenth: Symonds gets a big call turned down. It hit the pad right in front of the stumps and Hawkeye says it is out. Not given. 59-3 at the strategic break with Vaas getting 2 wickets for 14 runs. Not too shabby eh?

Ninth: Symonds is getting some swing out there and it is putting the batsmen under pressure without really threatening wickets. Rajasthan at last struggle to 50 with the close of that over 51-3

Eighth: Rajasthan are getting runs but could easily have lost wickets with some lofted shots. Wicket! Ojha is run out with a great throw straight onto the stumps from Teja. The wicket was coming and now the Royal are in some real trouble the run rate is over 10 now

Seventh: Symonds just misses Ojha’s off stump as the batsman swings through thin air. Next ball is knocked high but carries far enough not to be caught and Rajasthan get two. Over finishes 35-3. The Royals are starting to build a total but they will need a few more boundaries to reach the 166 target

Sixth: A very lucky four off Vaas’ bowling as an Ojha inside edge nicks past the wicket and carries on down the ground. Royal finish over 30-2, at this stage in their inning the Chargers were 42-2

Fifth: 20-2 and the Royals look to to be in trouble. Naman Ojha comes in and gets 5 from the over.

Fourth: Carseldine stops Vaas mid run-up, presumably distracted by something behind the bowler. Two balls later Vaas is knocked for four possibly the bowler was a little unsettled. Gilchrist puts down a possible catch but it looked like the ball only hit Carseldine’s thigh. Wicket! Carseldine is dismissed bizarely. There is an appeal for a caught edge turned down but at the same time the batman steps out from his crease and is stumped by Gilchrist anyway.

Third: 8-1 after an excellent over from Vaas – Singh has something to live up to. Asnodkar gets a lucky four as the ball comes of the top of his bat in the air but finds a gap to roll to the boundry. Royals are 14-1 after three overs

Second: Wicket! Vaas takes Smith’s wicket first ball LBW. Smith can not believe it but the delivery was straight down the middle – Hawkeye calls it going too high but from the umpires point of view it was out. The last ball of the over is nearly caught but it drops short – Asnodkar definitely edged but it did not quite carry.

Rajasthan Royals first over: Rudra Pratap Singh to open the bowling attack against Graeme Smith and Swapnil Asnodkar. The bowler is going well giving away just one right until the last ball which Asnodkar flicks to leg side for four.

20th: Pathan is given the responsibility of bowling the final over. Smith get 3 and Teja knocks 5 before Smith goes looking for a big six and is caught by Raut. Deccan Chargers finish 166-7. Solid total effectivly built by Dwayne Smith with 47. Symonds looked to be the early threat but effectivly sheilded Smith as he got himself in. Rajasthan will require an average of 8.35 an over. It is doable but only if Warne’s side are on top of their game.

19th: Wicket! Smith looks comfortable dealing with Warne’s spin smashing the Australian out of the park with his second ball. But Rao does not; he attempts to drive for six down the ground but does not catch it and is caught. Chargers finish the over 156-6 with Dwaraka Ravi Teja coming in.

18th: 130-5. Smith has brought 150 well within range with some much more assured batting. A big six from Smith and clever chip for four from Venugopal Rao were the pick of the shots as the over goes for 18.

17th: Wicket! 37 from 28 balls for the Vaas Smith partnership before Vaas is caught for 20 off Pathan. Smith is starting to get going with a 6 off fifth ball of the over.

16th: Current run rate is 7.2. If they are to post an imposing total Smith and Vaas must push on…NOW! A mix up on the fifth nearly sees Smith stumped but he ends the over with a 6

15th: Now Gibbs is encouraging a patient approach…just as Vaas gets his first boundary with a big 6. The reverse psychology of the pitch side report I gue. 108-4

14th: Herschelle Gibbs wants the Chargers to attack but the shots they are playing do not replicate this intent. Without the impetus of Symonds Deccan have stalled some what – there has not been a boundry since his wicket fell. The over goes for 6, Chargers 95-4

13th: Pathan has a couple of chances with Dwayne Smith continuing to live dangerously with a close-but-not-quite LBW shout and a big swing and miss on the last ball. 

12th: Wicket! Symonds is straight bowled by Jadeja for 30. The Australian never picked up the bowl and Rajasthan have taken a crucial wicket. Vaas comes in. Smith is reckless with his slicing the ball in the air just past past the fielder. Over ends 86-4

11th: Shane Warne goes for five his next over but does not look like taking a wicket.

Tenth: Wicket! Sharma is stumped for nine. Naman Ojha had the simple task of whipping off the bails as Sharma reached for a ball that just was not there. Dwayne Smith comes in, Deccan 70-3. Syomonds continues to drive the Chargers attack with a four off the last ball of the over. 77-3 as the teams go for a strategic timeout. The match is fast becoming Warne v Symonds. The batman is causing the most damage to the Royal on 27 so far.

Ninth: Warne comes back in to attack Symonds having given away 12 on his previous over. Symonds does not look like showing any mercy to his compatriot taking ten from the over. The bowler had half a chance with his fifth ball but Symonds was well within his crease as the bails were taken off.

Eighth: Jadeja to Sharma to started the eighth over with the Chargers 54-2. Symonds looks confident moving around his crease comfortably.

Seventh: Rajasthan captain Shane Warne is knocked about abit by new man Andrew Symonds as the over goes for 12

Sixth: Trivedi comes in for his first over and is knocked for four and on his second ball. A short slow delivery was begging to be hit. Raut made a good diving attempt to stop it at the rope but was not enough. Another four on the fourth ball is pulled for four before Suman is caught. Lee Carseldine does well to take it with the sun right in his eyes. 42-2 at the end of the over.

Fifth: Morkel with some good pressure bowling nearly gets Suman to chop onto his own wicket. the over goes for four.

Fourth: Wicket! Gilchrist is given LBW for 10. The replay shows him to be a little unlucky as the ball pitches outside the line on the way to the wicket. Rohit Sharma comes in. Surman gets the games first 6 off Pathan to end the over 28-1

Third: Suman gets a lucky four to take The Chargers to 15 for no loss. It was a genuine edge but he went at it so far went for four. The over finishes 19 for no loss.

Second: Patel bowls well as the over only goes for three.

First Over:At bit of an LBW shout on Glichrist but the umpire correctly calls it as going too high. An average over for Morkel with a wide on his second ball. The over goes for 8 with no loss.

It is live Indian Premier League action from Kiberly, South Africa. Adam Gilchrist and Tirumalasetti Suman open the batting after they lose the toss and are put into bat. Shane Warne sends Morne Morkel out to attack his former Australia team mate in the first over.

Button wins Spanish Grand Prix while Hamilton’s woes continue

Jenson Button made it four wins from five races with what ended up being a comfortable victory in Barcelona. The Briton started from pole but lost position to team mate Rubens Barrichello on the first lap.

A change in team strategy at Brawn – moving Button to two-stops rather than the three which Barrichello remained on – allowed Button to take a lead which he never looked like relinquishing.  After the race Brawn team principle, Ross Brawn,  said the change was intended to defend Button’s second place and build a buffer between Barrichello and the chasing pack; not win Button the race. Barrichello must have his suspicions of favouritism but for now is blaming his drop to second place on bad luck and poor tires.

Behind the Brawn one-two came Mark Webber’s Red Bull. Possibly the fastest cars on the day the Red Bull’s of Webber and Vettel were both held up by a much improved Felipe Massa. After being passed by Webber, Massa clung onto fourth doggedly until the 64th lap, only to finish sixth after a fuel mix up left him without the revs to fight off Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton’s difficult season looks like continuing after finishing pointless in 9th. It has been a big culture shock for the golden boy of the past two seasons. He again criticised the car after the race but held back in attacking his team directly. It is difficult to feel too much sympathy for the defending champion – especially after the lying scandal in Australia.

There is a growing feeling that Hamilton is not taking enough responsibility for McLaren’s poor start to the season. Coming straight into one of the top teams in Formula One when most young drivers must battle for years further down the grid has perhaps given Hamilton an artificial view on how easy it is to win. And there is something of sour grapes about his current moaning.

You can not help but feel that justice is being done with Button – perennial struggler with Honda – coming out from Hamilton’s shadow and triumphing, whilst Hamilton pays for his prior success now. It will be interesting to see which driver comes out on top in the long run.

Final Classification