Patience and Perseverance:

From Hillsborough to Flushing Meadows the sporting lesson of the week is that patience and perseverance can eventually pay dividends. 

Andy Murray’s career has long been successful, but after a series of Grand Slam near misses he remained associated with plucky failure. 

Yet after a Wimbledon final defeat which seemingly underlined his shortcomings, he realised that he was slowly edging closer and refused to be disheartened.

His run since has been remarkable: Olympic gold and revenge on Roger Federer before a thrilling US Open victory over another of his great rivals.

Murray’s success is testament to never giving up, of dedicating everything to a cause, and of always believing in yourself and your game.

Cyclist Jonathan Tiernan-Locke took a similarly long road to success but unlike Murray he was confined to the back roads in a journey marked by obscurity and misfortune. 

After turning professional in 2003, he contended with Epstein-Barr virus, injury after a collision with a horse, and the financial bankruptcy and breakup of his team. But his patience paid off when he won the Tour of Britain and he will most likely gain a 2013 contract with Team Sky.

The Olympics and Paralympics – where success can come only every four years – provided many more examples.  After missing Beijing through injury, Jessica Ennis had a long wait for redemption, while rower Katherine Grainger won gold at the fourth attempt after silver at three consecutive Games.

Blind perseverance does not determine success. Changes often have to be made: take Mo Farah’s move to America, or Murray’s appointment of Ivan Lendl.

More wholesale changes can also be necessary: the ECB’s preference for the freshness of Root and Compton over serial offender Kevin Pietersen is one possible, yet unproven example.

But in the modern world change can be too common and the case of Arsenal and Man United, where faith in personnel has caused success over the last decade and the last week, is a poignant reminder to Tottenham and Liverpool fans intolerant of any setback.

For the latter the result of the Hillsborough Inquiry is a final testament to the importance of patience after a 23-year wait for vindication.

The verdict by no means makes up for the tragedy but it shows that for Liverpool - as for Tiernan-Locke, Murray and many others – a lifetime of struggle can end in success. 

A sporting summer which keeps on giving...

After an Olympics of such scintillating brilliance that even its bitterest sceptics became engrossed, we were faced with a sobering return to normality.

Yet no sooner had we comprehended that Rhythmic Gymnastics was no more, or that Bargain Hunt was back over Handball, then the next event had started and the summer was back in motion.

We have since seen another superb sporting month, full of thrills and spills, scandal and success, and here are eight of its finest moments...

KP: We needed something to temper our faith in the Olympian spirit, and after an almost unnoticed 149 at Headingley, Pietersen provided exactly that when sending South Africans derogatory texts about his teammates.  A spoof Twitter account claimed that while there is no ‘I’ in team there are five in individual brilliance, and this epitomises a player long renowned for dressing room division. This time he has gone too far, but as England lose their captain and number one ranking before the toughest of sub-continent tours, can they survive without their controversial talisman?

Lance: Pietersen has ruffled feathers on MCC balconies, but after abandoning his fight against doping charges, the Lance Armstrong scandal is global. The US Anti-Doping Agency crusade does appear a vendetta, and to rely on the evidence of serial cheats Hamilton and Landis is flaky at best. Yet it was always inconceivable that Lance could have dominated clean in such a notorious era, and whatever the eventual outcome his legacy will always be stained.

Transfers: In football it is money which rules the roost. Yet any apathy about the beautiful game was dispelled with the excitement of Robin Van Persie’s move to Old Trafford. Then came the rituals of deadline day: day off, up at 9 with Lap-Top, I-Phone and Skysportsnews at the ready to hear who Preston had poached from Wycombe and who Liverpool had failed to spend £35million on. Being an Arsenal fan on this day is like being in detention when everyone else is playing, but after a day of failure Liverpool were there alongside them.

Action: Some of those who did move – Hazard, Cazorla, Michu and RVP - have been the stars so far. Goalkeeping howlers and more Anfield disappointment have been among other highlights, while the Hodgson era began properly with a romp in Moldova.  With domestic cricket and Rugby League nearing closure, Rugby Union also got underway with a thrilling Twickenham fight-back for Harlequins, in a season focussed towards next summer’s Lions tour.

Round Two: For those who cannot be satisfied by anything other than a Stratford sport-fest the Paralympics were the perfect tonic. With a thrilling opening ceremony followed by great sport in the pool, the velodrome and the track, history was repeating itself, and the fact that the heroes were blind long jumpers, armless archers and legless cyclists made it only more exciting. With its many classifications the Games can be confusing but the action – epitomised by the sprinting duels of Oscar Pistorius and the unbridled anger of Jody Cundy – was top-level professional sport.

Success: The British bandwagon rolled on unabated. After four titles apiece, Sarah Storey and David Weir (wolf) were the stars, with Symonds, Peacock, Christianson and others close behind.  Elsewhere Rory McIlroy’s triumph at the USPGA was another forgotten win but his form there and subsequently was magnificent, while the return of Formula One after the summer recess has provided more Union flag waving after victories for Button and now Hamilton - despite growing cracks within McLaren.

Fame: But if Olympic nostalgia has been too great, then it has not been hard to find its heroes. Most have being doing the customary chat shows, interviews and appearances as they enjoy their time in the spotlight, while others have been wing-walking, having twins, or becoming Britain’s foremost celebrity couple. Some have been finishing their seasons’, be it at the Tour of Britain, or the Diamond League – where Aries Merritt’s hurdles world record dared to steal the limelight.

 Priorities: Other Team GB stars have had greater targets. Ben Ainslie has netted two Americas Cup wins; Chris Froome came fourth in the Tour of Spain – one race too far in a mountain-dominated event as much for the purists as the Tour de France was for the Brits.  Over in New York it was thrills and spills for Laura Robson and her mixed doubles partner in a typically disorganised US Open. From his agonising SW19 final defeat via the Olympics to New York, Andy Murray has been a constant presence this summer and if he is to beat Djokovic tonight it will be a crowning glory.

We have never seen such a great summer of sport before, and with Twenty20 and Ryder Cup action still to come, we are never likely to again.

Today’s parade reminded us of those great champions, but there are so many others as well, and if you are wondering why I haven’t written about them since March, well – I have been too busy watching it all...

European woes...but still the most entertaining?

In a week of drama, shocks and excitement the Premier League has proved yet again that it is the most exciting in world football.

At the top, Sir Alex got the title-challenger mind games going have by lambasting Patrick Viera’s criticism of Paul Scholes before simultaneously attacking the return of Carlos Tevez.

Ferguson and his team thrive in this situation, and despite Tevez and Samir Nasri’s midweek heroics against Chelsea, the title-race is now United’s to lose.

Considering their much publicised injuries and insufficiencies it is amazing that they contending at all, and the genius of Ferguson and his generals Scholes and Giggs must be applauded once again.

Arsenal’s recent recovery has also been astounding, and after another fine week they are moving clear of their London rivals. RVP remains the star, but the return of the first-choice back five has also been key.

With Peter Crouch’s wonder-strike and QPR’s wonder-comeback, it was a week of thrills.

But Bolton’s ‘fab’ win over Blackburn was the most heart-warming, as they showed Muamba-like fight to triumph and cut Wolves adrift at the bottom of the table.

It was a pity that the Old Firm match was not played with the same derby spirit, and despite the brilliance of Barcelona’s record scorer Messi, even La Liga does not have the same unpredictability and excitement as the Prem.   

Speaking of excitement, with the Six Nations over Rugby focus turned to Hong Kong, as perennial Seven’s stars Fiji beat England on way to victory, while on these shores Wales boss Warren Gatland was approached for the Lions job.

With England’s latest Test series approaching, spot fixing was back dominating the cricket agenda after a series of interviews with Pakistan’s Mohammed Amir. On the field Afghanistan continued their rise by reaching their second successive Twenty20 World Cup.

Underdogs also succeeded in Formula One, where Ferrari and Fernando Alonso prospered in wet Malaysia ahead of rising star Sergio Perez.

But in Golf it was a week for the veteran as Tiger Woods showed ominous pre-Masters form by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

In the UK it was a week of charity, and in Rugby League Leeds marked Sport Relief by dyeing their hair pink before being comprehensively beaten by St Helens.

The issue of whether appearance affects performance has been a prominent one this week with the revealing of Britain’s Olympic kit.

But it is not what you wear, but what you do in it which matters, and our performances continue to encourage. After much criticism in 2012, Tom Daley has won three World Cup medals this week, as he chases China’s brilliant world-leader Qui Bo.

And the hierarchical battle between our top female cyclists continued as Lizzie Armistead won in Belgium to put more pressure on Beijing champion Nicole Cooke for the sole team-leader spot.

The Olympics, like the Premier League, is a physical and mental struggle towards perfection.

 After his sad death this week, Darts’ Jocky Wilson belonged to a vastly different culture. Yet he remained a great entertainer, and it is important to remember that thrills and excitement are also key aspects of modern sport.  

Records, comebacks and slams...but ultimately tragedy

There were doses of triumph, failure and controversy this week, but the halcyon world of sporting drama was put firmly into the shade by events at White Hart Lane.

Fabrice Muamba’s is one of the fittest players in the most physically demanding of disciplines, but was not immune from a condition which is all the more worrying in modern sport.

Once dubbed the ‘black Robbie Savage’, his fitness, intelligence and humility is deserving of far greater accolades than that, and the determination he has shown in hospital displays that perfectly.

He is a modern, cultured footballer and this, together with the unity and respect shown by the nation’s fans, are both positive aspects of the game so often overlooked by the media.

Football is a community and although it takes catastrophe to unite it, the spontaneous reactions of players and fans must be applauded.

Rugby had its own tragedy this week with the death of Merv ‘the Swerve’ Davies, and it was a fitting testimony that his Welsh team reacted by securing their third Grand Slam in 8 years.

With a series of typically thumping tackles, Dan Lydiate has been the player of the tournament, and in a side blessed with leaders all over the pitch, even an injury to skipper Sam Warburton made no difference.

The standard of the tournament as a whole was not that high. Ireland’s deficiencies in the pack were brutally exposed, France were typically erratic, while Scotland were lacklustre and  deserving of the wooden spoon.

But for England it was a season of real progress. They have new stars in Robshaw, Morgan and Farrell, and old ones reborn in Tom Croft.

And in a way, they were just a Scott Williams wonder-try away from a Grand-Slam.

We should not get carried away, but Stuart Lancaster has surely done enough to merit the full time job, and replacing him would only upset the unity he has created.

It Welsh Rugby now represents efficiency and physicality more than ingenuity, Wales’ foremost football team’s attacking prowess has drawn comparisons with Barcelona after Swansea’s demolition of Fulham.

But England’s European woes continued as both Manchester clubs exited the Europa League, with Joe Hart’s last minute attempt failing to disguise a dismal campaign from both.

On the bureaucratic side, Premier League Chairman Dave Richards has fermented further diplomatic embarrassment, with a series of remarks defending our heritage and drinking culture before falling unceremoniously into a duck pond.

His criticism of FIFA may have foundation, but considering he is no more elected and accountable than Sepp Blatter, he is in no position to talk.

With all the furore surrounding the exit of A V-B, it is ironic that Chelsea are our sole representatives left in Europe. But with old campaigners Lampard, Terry and Drogba to the fore, it was a spirited and deserved win over Napoli, and even Fernando Torres has since found the net.  

In other sports however our success is more widespread.

Jenson Button got his 2012 campaign off to a perfect start by holding off a Red Bull fightback to triumph in Melbourne.

And after becoming the third Brit to win across the pond in in successive weeks, Luke Donald reclaimed Golf’s world number one ranking.

There were contrasting fortunes for some of sports greats. Roger Federer won in Indian Wells after earlier exits for Murray and Djokovic, but Ian Thorpe comprehensively failed in his Olympic quest at the Aussie trials.

At Cheltenham there was agonising failure for Kauto Star, but glory for AP McCoy, who brilliantly rode Synchronised to victory to claim his first Gold Cup win.

But the final word must go to the ‘little master’ as Sachin Tendulkar finally netted his hundredth international hundred, against Bangladesh.

Success and Failure is what we think about most in sport, and while the case of Fabrice Muamba shows there is much more to it than that, where would we be without the brilliance of McCoy, Federer and Tendulkar?

The good, the bad and the ugly: a week of sporting contrast...

After a week that had done much to show the positives of our nation, it was shameful to see two boxers disgrace themselves so appallingly in Berlin.

With tripod swinging and bottle smashing to add to his gang-rape, severed heads and toe breaking related misdemeanors, David Haye is an idiot who should no longer be taken seriously.

Derek Chisora is even worse. Planned or not, the weigh in slap was shocking and more akin to a street fighting gangster than a patriot.  

The water-spitting incident was repulsive, and in the press conference whatever Haye’s role, it was Chisora who instigated the ‘brawl’ and repeatedly threatened to shoot and burn his rival.

And was he even joking?

The sad thing was that in the ring he had performed well, drawing boxing if not manly respect from the Klitschko’s as he displayed the durability of a future champion.

But with arrest and jail now a possibility, he may never get the chance, and would he deserve it?

His behaviour, that of an out of control lunatic, contrasted so sharply with the courteous, gentlemanly and intelligent conduct of the two Klitschko’s - true champions throughout.

A disgrace to his sport and country, Chisora would be more at home in the fake, soap-orientated world of WWE Wrestling.

Yet the weekend also illustrated what is good about British sport, as 32.754 seconds of Friday night team sprinting prowess, began 2012 Olympic fever five months early.

 Pendleton and Varnish's world record started the ‘cycle’, but Sir Chris Hoy followed suit, as the real McCoy found his best form since Beijing in taking two individual titles.

Up in Birmingham our much criticised track and field team were performing almost as well. British Records for Mo Farah and Shara Proctor, a world leading hurdles exhibition from Jess Ennis, and a host of other fine efforts from the likes of jumpers Bleasdale and Grabarz.

Both squads must and can find further improvement. But both are very much on track for 2012 and 4^th place on the medals table is an impressively realistic aim.

Cricket has also mounted a notable recovery. Nothing should detract from the disappointment of the test series but the comeback has been strong.

The bowling and field restrictions limiting Pakistan’s spinners have been influential, but Cook and now Pietersen have shown that true class is permanent, while the form of speedster Steve Finn certainly merits test inclusion.

Football has endured a seemingly quieter week, but the return of Carlos “I was treated like a dog but on 250k a week’ Tevez has created further tension.

Financial woes affecting Rangers and Portsmouth are disturbing, while the ever-rising player versus coach row at Chelsea is threatening to erupt.

Chelsea have problems but the plight of London rivals Arsenal is even worse.

After their San Siro obliteration midweek, their tame 2-0 defeat at Sunderland was arguably even worse.

No trophies for another year, and while the fiscally prudent board must be blamed, the coach and players, some of whom are just not good enough, are also guilty.

Robin Van Persie is a man who carries 10 mugs but no cups, but will he or Arsene Wenger remain for next season?

In a Six-Nations rest week, Harlequins, Gloucester and Leicester enjoyed narrow Premiership wins, as Jim Mallinder and Wayne Smith were the latest names to rule themselves out in the battle for England coach.

A comeback win for Roger Federer in Rotterdam, and a 51 ball 117 for South African debutant Richard Levi were other highlights.

And ‘Linsanity’ is sweeping America after Taiwanese-born rookie Jeremy Lin appeared from nowhere to lead the New York Knicks towards the NBA title.

Lin is Basketball’s new star, but let’s hope the golden approach of Hoy is his destiny rather than the thuggish stupidity of Chisora...

An Italian abandoning a sinking ship? Another contentious week of football...

Despite the ‘Kick it out’ campaign, racism has dominated the 2012 football agenda, with an Old Trafford showdown and the England manager its latest victims.

Capello may be our statistically most successful boss ever, but it is tournaments which count, and after the shambles of South Africa, he has left the team in dire straits ahead of this summer’s Euro’s.

He may blame the FA for their lack of consultation, but while some sympathy can be felt, John Terry is certainly not a justifiable cause to defend.

And with Capello out the country and speaking such little English, how were the FA meant to get in contact in the first place?

Since his tax-evasion clearance, Harry Redknapp has risen to saint-like proportions in the media, but doubts remain over his validity for the role.

Is wheeler-dealer, cockney geezer ‘Arry really appropriate, and is his club record really good enough?

Yet as Capello illustrates managerial statistics can lie and there seems no one better, let alone available, for the role.

And the role of manager’s must further be questioned after that farcical Liverpool v United showdown.

Yes, Suarez was stupid to not shake Evra’s hand, and his approach underlines the egotistical arrogance of the modern footballer.

But Evra has no right to take the moral high-ground. He reacted to Suarez’s gesture after withdrawing his own hand and his post-match celebration was disgraceful.

And speaking of hypocrisy, while Dalgleish’s reaction was bizarre, what right does Ferguson have to claim Suarez must be sold? Did he do the same when the ‘shit kicked the fan’ in 1995, or when Rio Ferdinand missed a drugs test?

It needed something special to prove football can still be a force for good, but Zambia’s thrilling African Nations Cup win, and Barcelona’s shock 2-3 reverse at Osasuna went some way to doing that.

And after more sterling displays, Paul Scholes and Thierry Henry show that for some player’s utter class is permanent on and off the pitch.

With dwarf-gate a distant memory, the RFU can view the FA debacle with a glimmer of satisfaction after the Lancaster revolution trundled rather than rumbled on in snowy Rome.

The team remains error-prone and over-reliant on Charlie Hodgson’s intercepting, but with young stars Farrell and Barritt among the highlights, things are looking up.

England’s cause should be helped further by the rearrangement of the France v Ireland showdown, but it is clear Wales are the team to beat after their second half dismantling of hapless Scotland.  

The week’s undisputed sporting hero however is tennis’ Dan Evans, who produced two unexpected and sensational victories in Britain’s nail-biting triumph over Slovakia.

With Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins becoming a world-class doubles pair and Andy Murray to return, a strong team is in the making, and with Fed Cup success and strong juniors British Tennis could be entering a golden period. You heard it here first...

Some of 2012’s biggest prospects also started this career-defining year in fine fettle, with double gold for Jess Ennis at the UK Indoor Champs in Sheffield, a world-leading pool showing from Becky Adlington, and two stage wins for Mark Cavendish in Qatar.

What our cricketers would do for such success. But they did finally win this week against, well, England, as they prepare for a typically drawn out ODI Series.

The long overdue suspension of Alberto Contador is another symbolic move against the cycling drugs war, but suspicions do remain over other stars, including Lance Armstrong, who came 2^nd on his Ironman triathlon debut in Panama.

Cycling, like British Tennis and Rugby is battling well to re-emerge from the doldrums, and after this week’s shameful shenanigans it could be football which slips far below.

What new twists lie in wait next week?

Drama in cricket, rugby, football...and BUCS Cross Country... in another eventful sporting week.

Sport has that wonderful ability to inspire a multitude of emotions, but it was ultimately football’s political histrionics which stole the limelight this week.

After John Terry’s FA imposed removal as England Captain Fabio Capello’s decision to criticise it on Italian TV was reckless, brazen and unprofessional.

While he might have seen it as a brave attempt to defend a player yet to be convicted, it is a matter which transcends legal grounds, and Terry’s removal was the correct decision. .

 With assault, adultery, and parking in a disabled space among his proven misdemeanours, he is unfitting of a role which is largely ambassadorial in nature.

The Capello-FA divide must either be repaired or ruptured immediately and no more members of that failed generation, such as Gerrard or Rooney, should be made Captain.

As Rugby has shown, tough times require fresh starts and the battle should be between inspirational scandal-free figures such as Joe Hart or Scott Parker.  

That Rugby Lancaster/Robshaw regime got off to a solid if unspectacular start as England intercepted their way to Six Nations victory over Scotland.

A win at Murrayfield can never be taken lightly, but the fact remains that a better team would have opened-up shaky English defence, and much improvement is needed.

France showed glimpses of their best form, but it was George North inspired Wales who impressed most, as they edged out Ireland despite the absence of much of their first-choice pack.

Wales continued their autumnal form, but 2011 seems a different age for England’s cricketers as they sunk to a miserable 3-0 defeat in Dubai.

Credit must go to the Pakistanis, who led by spin-sensation Saeed Ajmal, have a well balanced and vastly improved team.

Yet the tourist’s batsman lost the series as much as Pakistan won it. Serious questions must be asked of our top order, and new faces including Nottinghamshire’s James Taylor must be considered.

England must recover from adversity as all great sports teams do, but with tours to Sri Lanka and India on the way, 2012 could prove a nightmarish year.

The team lacks the ability to succeed when times are hard, that great strength shown by old Australian sides and also currently by Manchester United.

Goalkeeping and midfield woes remain, but after a stunning Stamford Bridge comeback, United could well defend their title come April. 

Screening the match before the Super Bowl was a great marketing coup for the Premier League and with over 111 million US viewers the popularity of the annual NFL extravaganza is astounding.  

Manning’s Giants ultimately edged Brady’s Patriots, but it was a thrilling, rollercoaster of a match putting Ireland v Wales, and Chelsea v Man U in the shade.

And once you get beyond the sheer American-ness of ad-breaks, patriotism and obscure stats, the game’s aura, professionalism and skill is something all of our sports could learn.

Much could also be gleaned from our sporting women as our Hockey and Judy Murray-led tennis teams thrived in the Champions Trophy and Fed Cup.

And despite a fall for Mo Farah in Boston, teenage endurance running is in fine fettle.

Birmingham Uni’s Jonny Hay sprinted to BUCS XC glory in snowy Cardiff before Stroud’s Tom Curr ran an indoor 4-minute mile in the US.

But it is tragedy with which we must end, as the death of Muhammad Ali’s old coach Angelo Dundee was followed by the news that Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Yuvraj has been a great player in the international and county game and we must all hope that he will recover like United, Wales and the Giants, and not like Indian or English cricket teams.  

11 hours in 3 days...Is Djokovic the greatest sportsman of all?

After collapses comebacks and great wins 2012 is already proving a defining year of sport, with a pulsating Aussie Open Final the obvious highlight.

The Wimbledon final of ’08 was the benchmark, but after six-hours of physical, technical and mental majesty this one was even better.  

Nadal is an enigma, a rampaging Majorcan matador whose recovery from 0-40 in the fourth set was world defining,

But unfortunately for him Djokovic belongs to a different world and it took super-human willpower for Nadal to even get close. After seven consecutive final defeats will he ever get a better chance?

The Serb matched the Spaniard mentally while out-serving and out-muscling him physically - a phenomenal competitor, athlete and man.

For those reasons Andy Murray should be mightily proud of his semi-final showing. The Lendl affect is already apparent and in many ways Murray’s tennis was closer to Djokovic’s than Nadal’s was.

The mental gap remains but it is closing, and that elusive Grand Slam will eventually come.

These matches were great adverts for the five set game and despite the greater variety of contenders after Azarenka’s triumph the Women’s game is struggling to compete.

After Djokovic’s heroics, Piers Morgan chose the occasion to lambast Footballers for struggling to play two matches in a week. Cheap shot it may have been but he does have a point...

England’s cricketers could also learn from these champions after a series ending defeat in Abu Dhabi.

Geoffrey Boycott called it “a load of rubbish”, yet while the Yorkshire-man speaks a lot of tosh this summery was bang on. Let’s hope he fulfils his promise to sell all three of his houses after England’s loss...

We all feigned anxiety before England’s sub-continent test but deep down thought that the boys would pull through. How wrong we were.

Strauss, Bell, Pietersen and Morgan (who must surely be dropped?) play spin with the deftness of Gordon Brown and are simply unsuited to these conditions, while even Graham Swann is struggling to back up his world-leading credentials.

And with grizzled warriors Ponting and Clarke back in form the Ashes next year suddenly look far less enticing...

Liverpool will also be approaching the future more positively after Cup wins over both halves of Manchester. League glory might be a long way off but a great knock-out team they remain.

It as a sad incitement on the current game that racism allegations at Anfield appeared inevitable, but with posted bullets and hand-shake refusals galore, events at Loftus Road lowered the bar further.

After his admission that he he cannot spell and writes like a two year old, Harry Redknapp restored some much needed 'pride' to the national game.

What does it matter when he has the brains to win a football match, I hear you cry. But is this man really capable of the demands of the nation’s second highest profile job?

England and Arsenal’s woes continued with Jack Wiltshire’s latest setback, while Alan Smith’s big loan move to MK Dons did little to excite the transfer damp squid.

It was also domestic-cup weekend end in Rugby, and League convert Joel Tomkins debuted with a brace of tries in Saracens 41-14 romp over Worcester.

And track star Mo Farah also thrived in unfamiliar territory as he won a thrilling race at the Kelvin Hall in a rare outing over 1,500m.

Farah is everywhere in the press in recent weeks, and his tale of dedication, maturity and attention to detail is of a sporting champion in the Djokoviccian mould.

Olympic sport success came also in Sailing and Hockey where Britain fought back to draw 2-2 with Olympic Champions Netherlands.

And in Golf Britain are as strong as ever as unheralded Robert Rock held off both Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to win in Abu Dhabi, on the same day as 14 year old Lydia Ko won on the women’s tour.

It was another week of great sporting drama but, ahead of what could be a great career; Ko must look at Djokovic, Nadal and Farah for inspiration and not those feckless flops in Cricket and Football...

A wake up call for England...and for London football

After the Dubai debacle it has been an eye-opening week for English cricket.

Time will tell if it was a one-off setback or a more serious reality check, and while the former category seems more likely, the tourists were resoundingly outplayed by a resurgent Pakistan.

Despite the poor crowds it was another good advert for test cricket. The top sides are continuing to knock each other over for fun, and the game needs a strong Pakistani side.

The success of Saeed Akmal begs the question of Monty Panesar’s inclusion but it was England’s batting display which caused their defeat. Kevin Pietersen has received most of this criticism but all the top six were guilty.

 A reaction similar to those great recent Ashes recoveries at the Oval and the MCG is now required.

But in football the title recovery of London’s finest now seems beyond hope after a super-Sunday of Mancunian majesty.

Sky’s ‘day of payback’ came to nothing, and while Spurs and Arsenal can each count themselves unlucky they ultimately fell shot against sides with superior ability to win a big match.

As ever it was Ballotelli who made the headlines and, accidental or not, his stamp on Scott Parker fully deserved a ban.

And In a week where Marcos Baghdatis broke 6 racquets in 25 seconds and Thomas Berdych refused to shake hands with a beaten opponent, Ballotelli-itis appears to have engulfed tennis as well.

In beating another entertainer in Frenchman Michael Llodra, Murray underlined the futility of serve-volleying in the modern game, but his rivals woes have been exaggerated after Nadal, Federer and Djokovic all romped through the early rounds.

How much must English club Rugby envy such serene progress? Saracens join Cardiff and Edinburgh  in the Heineken Cup quarters, but Harlequins missed out after an awful 9-8 reverse to Connacht.

And it seemed worrying that while Chris Robshaw has been all but confirmed as England captain, he should be guilty of picking a scrum over a penalty in the game’s final moments.

British struggles have continued in other traditional sports, as after a Dutchman won the BDO World darts, Aussie Neil Robertson won the Masters Snooker.

Muhammad Ali has turned 70, but he has not been the only newsworthy sporting legend after a clash between past and present icons of the oval-balled game.

Pele’s dismissal of the credentials of the young whippersnapper Messi seem harsh, but he does have a point about the Argentinean’s international record, with the Olympics remaining Messi’s only accolade. Like with the state of England’s cricketers, time will provide the best answer.

Considering Olympic football, it is great to see that out of 191 players asked, only seven have turned down the chance to don the GB kit, and Beckham, Giggs, Bale and Ramsey are all likely inclusions.

Olympic action continues to hot up as heartbreak for Britons Rhythmic Gymnasts has been balanced by success elsewhere.

The athletics season has really got going this week as first Holly Bleasdale went second in the all-time indoor Pole Vault rankings with a stunning 4.87 clearance, 16cm above her old British Record.

Robbie Grabarz also got in on the jump success, clearing a world leading 2.34m. After five high jumpers lost their funding last year 2012 success always appeared inevitable.

And there has been more drama for distance legend Kenenisa Bekele after he was one of 35 Ethiopians banned from the national team after failing to attend a training camp.

His threats to change nationality are unlikely as athlete power, along with common sense, will surely prevail, but 2012 has been a frustrating year so far for Bekele, and for his nation who are struggling to keep up with imperious Kenyans.

LOCOG will not want Bekele to miss their London shindig. But a bomb scare would be an even more nightmarish occurrence. And while danger was thankfully avoided, a bomb scare was exactly what happened at the Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck, where an unexploded World War Two mine was discovered close to the action.

Just another bizarre occurrence in the world of sport...

The Olympics can bring glory...but also pain, misery and failure

The sight of Britain’s Rhythmic Gymnasts falling agonisingly short in their Olympic quest is a poignant reminder that golden dreams can often end in misery.

Beyond recollections of recent glory lie memories of Shanaze Reade crashing out of the BMX, Frankie Gavin failing to make his Boxing weight limit and of course, Paula Radcliffe weeping by the roadside in Athens.

The Olympics can be the low-point as well the hallmark of a great career.

But while these names at least had the platform to achieve greatness, the anonymous failure of not even qualifying for London is an even more nightmarish scenario.

Boxing flyweight Khalid Yafai has won European and Commonwealth medals and reached the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Champs, but was still edged out in the qualification stakes by Welsh rival Andrew Selby.

In Taekwondo Michael Harvey is a World bronze medallist, but in a sport where a nation can compete in just two of the four divisions, his weight category has also been overlooked for selection.

Both men could have excelled in London but will be reduced to armchair spectators wondering what might have been.

Worst of all, Sailors Ed Wright and Giles Scott have won the last two World titles in the Finn Class but will both miss out in the selection battle due to the presence of superstar Ben Ainslie. 

Ainslie suffered a controversial World Championship disqualification, but after a dominant 2011 his choice cannot be disputed. Yet it remains outrageous that some sort of wildcard cannot be provided for two global champions.

Similar dilemmas exist for China in Table-tennis, Russia in Wrestling and Kenya in the Marathon.

In Rhythmic Gymnastics Britain are far from powerhouses, and have never before qualified for the Group event. But after relying on parental support six unfunded teenagers came a knotted ribbon away from doing exactly that.

They ultimately missed the British Gymnastics defined benchmark by 0.273 points, and despite bettering that mark the following day their dreams are over and, in a sport where adulthood effectively means retirement, are unlikely ever to be fulfilled.

Even qualification is no determinant of participation.

As of yet the worst injury suffered by Team GB has been to eventer William Fox-Pitt’s horse, Cool Mountain, but others will happen.

 Portuguese Triple-Jumper Nelson Evora is already ruled out and someone will inevitably inherit the agony of Jessica Ennis, one of Beijing’s injured absentees.

To these athletes, the Olympics are far more than a ‘friendly games.’ It is a way of life in a career where failure will often mean financial as well as emotional ruin.

After last year’s death of Marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru, another example of the Olympics dark side has been illustrated by Irish runner Martin Fagan, after he admitted taking the banned substance EPO.

Fagan is a cheat and that cannot be condoned, but his cheating was a consequence of depression and despondence with an ailing career.

Running had become simply a battle for survival, and after a spiral of injury and underachievement it had lost any sense of fun or enjoyment. As any readers of David Miller’s Racing through the Dark would find familiar, drugs became the next step - the final way to guarantee success.

In 2012 the Olympic can and will bring glory and glamour, but they will also bring despondence and despair.

Its oldest creed may be that “it’s not the winning but the taking part.” But to a world class athlete that is a purely mythical thought, and especially so for our many contenders who will fail to even “take part”  in the first place.

Corruption, Comebacks...and Ballotelli: another week of sporting drama

With Essex’s Mervyn Westfield the latest villain, Cricket’s dark side has re-emerged this week as the English county game loses its immunity.

There is irony surely that spot-fixing has returned to the limelight the week before an England/Pakistan tour, but it is clear that there is a blight endemic throughout the cricketing world.

Westfield has been stupid and will rightly be disciplined but there are surely many others in these shores and beyond who have yet gone unpunished.

The climate is one of corruption but also one of enthralling test cricket, and nothing should detract from what should be an absorbing series.

With two warm-up wins safely secured England are favourites and deservedly so, but Pakistan are unbeaten in five series and should not be underestimated.

England’s big selection quandary concerns their fourth bowler in the wake of Tim Bresnan’s injury.

Monty Panesar would be an aggressive and brave yet desirable choice, but his selection is highly unlikely given England’s ambivalence towards a second spinner. And given the strength of their seam resources, who could blame them?

Rugby has also seen its fair share of selection decisions this week and England have opted for youth and inexperience, as they finally shed ties with any remaining members of the 2003 World Cup brigade.

After spearheading Harlequins charge towards the Heineken Cup quarters, Nick Easter is one who can count himself unfortunate to have been omitted, but a new generation has emerged on and off the pitch and England’s back line in particular looks very exciting.

But in Football the re-emergence of grizzled veterans has been the order of the week as Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes each found the net on their respective returns from the wilderness.

Their recalls still bear the hallmarks of desperation, but the goals signified that blend of romance which only sport can bring, and it is worth stating that unlike these two great stars, neither Torres nor Carroll have scored in 2012.

This season’s only constant is its volatility, and while City’s stutter continued against Liverpool, Tottenham’s midweek rise (which was greeted by overdue eruptions of media excitement) was muted by a dogged display by Wolves.

Yet after their absurd decision to relocate to a 25,000 capacity cauldron of misery, Darlington’s impending extinction shows that a predictable reality will in certain areas always reign supreme.

We are two weeks into 2012 and already we have a tennis grand slam upon us. After qualifying success for James Ward and Laura Robson, It was great to see six Britons in the main draw down under, even if five of them lost on Day One.

Rather predictably one lone Scot is left to plough the British furrow, and if he is to reach his third Australian final on the trot, Murray will probably have to beat Novak Djokovic in the last four. That remains unlikely, but with the Murray/Lendl partnership now fully blooming it would be foolish to write him off...

LOCOG have experienced more problems as their ticketing system continues to malfunction, but Britons male gymnasts will be in attendance next summer as they vaulted and pommel-horsed their way to spectacular test event success.

With more attention than ever going to these summer stars, Britain’s winter competitors have struggled for publicity in recent times.

But the season is warming up well metaphorically if not climatically, and Shelly Rudman has returned to the top of our female Skeleton standings with a World Cup win in Koenigssee.  

The Premier League is surely football’s most exciting, but the NFL is sports biggest franchise and in the first week of playoff action the 49ers edged the Saints in a mesmerising encounter, as the lead changed three times in the last four minutes.

And an unprecedented year of sporting action looks set to get even bigger as the Mayweather v Pacquiao fight moves closer. Prize money and prison sentences are small matters still unresolved but a Mayday showdown is likely after some remarkable Twitter exchanges.

Yet the jury remains out over whether social media is a good addition to the world of sport, as Rugby’s Rory Lamont became the latest miscreant after he bizarrely labelled Barrack Obama as a “whore” online.

Thankfully we still have Mario Ballotelli for harmless sporting entertainment, and after another week of money-throwing spontaneity he is becoming more endearing than ever. Saving Darlington Town must surely be his next move...

'Not a care in the world:' more Rugby problems in another week of drama

With new instances of racism, sexism, corruption and alcoholism this week, the sporting scandal-ometer has rolled on unabated into 2012.

It would take no genius to speculate that another England Rugby player might be responsible for drink related antics, and after two offences in a month Danny Care has duly obliged.

 It is good to see Stuart Lancaster adopt a tougher line than his predecessors but the problem clearly lies far deeper than one careless scrum half.

The Amir Khan 'defeat or not a defeat’ saga has taken a new twist with the emergence of a shadowy and unknown scoreboard-tampering intruder. If the allegations are true it speaks dividends for the sports integrity, but sympathy must be felt for Lamont Peterson whose greatest victory could now be overturned.

WBC President Jose Sulaiman has damaged the sport’s integrity further, by responding to the convenient postponement of Floyd Mayweather’s jail sentence by proclaiming that “Beating a lady is not nice, but it is not a major sin or crime.”

It looks like the Sepp Blatter school of sporting governance is attracting new students.

And after another week of racism allegations, football certainly has no right to take the moral high ground. They may not share a sentence vary often but Oldham’s Tom Adeyemi and Barcelona’s Dani Alves are the latest victims of appalling terrace chanting.

Factor in Frank Lampard’s escape for being too nice, Joey Barton’s punishment for being too nasty and Wayne Rooney latest rupture with Sir Alex, than the oval-balled game really has been as scandalous as ever.

Yet while it must be the most overused cliché in the history of sport, but the “romance and magic” of the Cup was there again this weekend as Swindon knocked out Wigan before a scintillating Manchester derby.

Considering City’s first half woes, it would be foolish to read too much into the final result, yet in the second-half Mancini’s team’s resilience was admirable. 

Despite avoiding a third straight defeat, problems still remain for United, and the resurrection of a 37 year old to partner a 38 year old in midfield hardly seems the answer.

Speaking of nostalgia Chris Ashton, him of those halcyon swallow-diving days of English success, returned to prominence as his Northampton side overpowered league leaders Harlequins to add further spice to the Premiership title race.

With youngsters such as Farrell, Morgan and Robshaw at the helm, the Six Nations should be a fresh start for England, and the defending champions cannot be discounted from the title race.

The end of the international break is upon us in Cricket as well as Rugby, and it is remarkable that even with Tremlett and Bresnan out, Graham Onions can still not return to the team.

James Pattinson is another who would struggle for selection, but since he abandoned the blue cap for the baggy green, he’s done pretty well, as along with triple-centurion Michael Clarke he helped the Aussies to another triumphant win over the Indians, who are as bad on the road as England Rugby would be on the wagon.

With his new coach in tow Andy Murray started another career defining season well, with a comfortable victory in Brisbane. If only he could do that at a Grand Slam...

And in what could be a famous year for Britons on the water, Sailor Brian Thompson helped break the record for the globe’s fastest circumnavigation, while in Darts that other err, great feat of human endurance, Adrian Lewis won his 2^nd world title at Ally Pally.

Yet the weeks biggest shock came at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, where the king of distance running Kenenisa Bekele finished just 11^th over 3km, beaten by no less than five Britons including 19 year old runner-up Jonny Hay.

It certainly begs the question of whether such a lacklustre performance merits appearance money, but write off the Ethiopian at your peril. When he needs to be running well he invariably does so and Bekele v Farah remains one of the most appetising showdowns of 2012. 

From World Cups to Wimbledon via Sexism and Sepp: 11 Sporting Highlights of 2011:

2012 is now alive and well, and after a week of Premier League unpredictability, controversy involving an English Rugby player, and domination from Djokovic, it seems as if nothing has changed. But lest we forget, 2011 was a fantastic year for sport, and here are 11 of its greatest features:

1: DOMINATION: In a fashion totally at odds to that of the continental currency, two Europeans enjoyed years of crushing domination. Sebastian Vettel obliterated his rivals with a, well, drive-away victory. 11 wins, 15 poles, and hegemony so extensive that the season’s most exciting moments were the battles between the various also-rans. In tennis Novak Djokovic’s triumph was less expected but almost more magnificent due to the calibre of opposition he swept aside. Three Grand Slam titles and two pulsating semi-finals against Roger Federer were among the highlights. What odds on Hamilton and Murray doing the same?

2. POLITICAL WRANGLING: It has been a year of anguish for sports various governing bodies. The RFU has led the way with its World Cup debacle, and dossier leaking, player-protecting, ball-tampering antics. FIFA and its ever-autocratic leader Sepp Blatter has not been far behind. 2011 began with Qatar being awarded the world cup, and ended with Blatter’s bizarre views on racism, with a catalogue of electoral incompetence in between. When also considering the various dramas in US sport, plus scheduling controversies within the ICC and ATP, then sporting misdemeanour really has matched that of the wider world.

3. SCANDAL At a lower level scandal has also been rife. Football had Ryan Giggs not so well gagged disreputability, the sexism of Sky’s Andy Grey and Richard Keys, and then racism from Messrs Suarez and Terry, and its defence by Blatter. Elsewhere we saw a trackside punch-up between two athletics team-mates, and a very public breakup between Tiger Woods and his caddy. Yet worst of all there was the moronic behaviour of England’s Rugby finest as they lurched from one catastrophe to the next. With dwarf-gate, ferry-gate, maid-gate and a generous barrelling of beer-gate, we had it all.

4. BALLOTELLI. And lest we forget this man deserves a whole chapter to himself. After embroiling in training ground fights, dart-throwing antics, and a bizarre back heal in front of an open goal, the Italian enhanced his already notorious reputation. Yet another side to his personality has emerged. Yes he set off fireworks in his bathroom, but he also helped a bullied school boy and gave away money on the street. His question of ‘why always me’ is simple. He is young and has an unbridled capacity for attention. But he is also a talented if precocious player. An idiot yes, but an increasingly loveable one and if nothing else ‘Ladotelli’ has added humour to the Premier League.

5. STRUGGLING OLYMPIC STARS. The ultimate test will be next year, but Beijing’s two greatest heroes both showed glimpses of fragility in 2011. OK, save one false start, Usain Bolt was unbeaten, and he still won two World Championship titles. But the emergence of Yohan Blake is certainly a threat and next year should be thrilling. Michael Phelps now has a formidable rival, not in Ian Thorpe, but in teammate Ryan Lochte, who won five World gold’s to Phelps’ four, including both of their head to heads. British stars were not immune to these tremors either. Sir Chris Hoy and Victorian Pendleton both lost World Titles, while Sailing supreme Ben Ainslie did likewise albeit only after confrontation and disqualification.

6. BRITISH SUCCESS however, remained plentiful and particularly in endurance events. Kerry-Anne Payne and Becky Adlington ensured a golden swimming double, the latter after a thrilling duel with Danish rival Lotte Friis. In Triathlon, Alistair Brownlee and Helen Jenkins became World Champions in Olympic disciplines, while Chrissie Wellington was one of numerous other global winners. Mo Farah’s stunning ascent to stardom saw three British Records before gold and silver in Daegu, while Mark Cavendish was simply magnificent throughout the year. A Tour de France green jersey and a World Championsip gold were his greatest accolades as he won Sports Personality with a whopping 49% of the vote.

7. GOLFING GREATNESS from various British stars. Like the buses, after no Major winners since 1999 two came along at once. Rory McIlroy recovered from the low of the Masters to triumph in the PGA before Darren Clarke crowned his career by winning the Open. After five victories Luke Donald also became the first player to top money lists both sides of the Atlantic, with, with Donald, Lee Westwood and McIlroy completing an all British 1-2-3 in the rankings. Add to that a thrilling Solheim Cup win for Europe and the emergence of young star Lauren Taylor and it really was a stunning year.

8. TEST CRICKET cannot be left out as well. By January 1^st we had already retained the Ashes but we subsequently won down-under for the first time in 24 years with a crushing Sydney victory. A 4-0 thrashing of World Champs India (including Sachin ’99 hundreds’ Tendulkar) was to follow as England topped the World Test standings. Cook, Bell and Pietersen are among the best batsman, while Swann and any number of seamers far-and away the best bowlers, with keeper Matt Prior completing a supreme line-up. The 50 over format remains elusive, but it is Test cricket which remains the games pinnacle and England are its clear leaders.

9. ANTIPODEAN RENNOVATION. After the low of Sydney Australia slowly recovered to beat India, while Casey Stoner, Sally Pierson and their Four Nations winning Rugby League team have added some gloss. Yet it is New Zealand who should be really happy after finally winning their first World Cup since 1987. They may have been largely outplayed in the final against the French but they won, and they won with a fourth choice fly-half, while also staging a tournament which was attractive, successful and welcoming.

10. TRAGEDY is unfortunately a given in life and sport, but 2011 did have more than its fair share. The death of Gary Speed baffled and bemused and was a tremendous loss to football and to Wales, with whom he promised so much. The motorcycle deaths of Dan Wheldon and Mario Simoncello were tragic and beg questions over the safety of motor sport, while the demise of Olympic Marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru brings a stark reminder of the perils of fame and fortune. The deaths of Ballestrios, Socrates, Cooper and others lacked the tragedy but not the sadness. Long may they all be remembered.

11. PREMIER LEAGUE: But we must end on a high. And despite national inconsistency and Champions League failure the top flight has been only too exciting in 2011, with last season ending in the most pulsating relegation battle ever. This campaign has seen the emergence of a Manchester civil war. City have the better team on paper, as their 6-1 thrashing at Old Trafford showed. United however have the managerial genius of Sir Alex barely dimmed after 25 years at the helm. Both ended 2011 with losses and the reminder that in the Premier League, the unexpected must always be expected.

More of the same we hope in 2012.