England lose 6 for 23

Well, you wouldn't expect anything less given the fact it's England. Had it been Australia, it may've raised a few more eyebrows and been celebrated by the national tabloids. Instead, the hero of yesterday Eoin Morgan* and partner, Lord Paul Collingwood, lost their wickets and sparked a collapse of the tail. Swann ran a ball watching Prior out. Then a brooding Swann, given out LBW,  glared at Tony Hill, who had a pretty good morning. Jimmy gifted his wicket to the jubliant Asif by leaving a pretty decent delivery. Happy birthday to you Mr. Anderson. And finally, Broad got bowled. At least, I think it was him. It might've been Finn.

Normally, England's tail is pretty good. This is when the top order has failed, for example Cardiff and Headingley in 2009. And South Africa. And various other places across the globe. Anyway, from 331-4, England were all out for 354. At least this didn't happen yesterday, when we were 118-4. 

The ball appears to be moving around at Trent Bridge today. The pitch looks good for spin and has variable bounce. So over to you Anderson, Finn, Broad and Swann. Pakistan's batting is inconsistent to say the least and England's fielding should be superior. Hopefully England can get themselves back into a decent position. Either way, after the very, very high-scoring draw out in Colombo between Sri Lanka and India, this Test match should really whet the appetite. 

*Congratulations to Eoin Morgan by the way. That was a superb innings and yeah, he may be Irish but the man is too talented to be playing minor country and county cricket. He deserves a chance against the world's best and on the international stage.

End of Season Report

This blog is a tiny bit late. I have six very important exams coming up, so writing this on a Saturday night is a nice break from revision. So, Ipswich Town's season ended up being plain old nothingness. Even the papers couldn't be arsed with us. The national press were bored of Roy Keane, with the 3-0 defeat on the last day of the season conjuring up very little.

I have never witnessed such dire football across an entire season. In the odd match, yes (Southampton 2008/2009, Rotherham many moons ago) but from start to finish? Bleurgh. Yes, there were bright spots. That run after Christmas was very enjoyable. But apart from that, nothing really sticks out. We drew 20 games. Try and pick out your highlights from that.

So now we move on into late May, waiting for the pre-season fixtures to come out and the movement to begin in the transfer market. I heard that Stoke were impressed by Jon Walters' performance on the last day of the season. Well, someone had to be. By his standards, he's had a shocking season. But then, he was at his peak a couple of seasons ago and we held onto him thinking he was the key link in the side. We're not going to get Colback, but he faded out towards the end. In Norris and Leadbitter we have two similar players.

What needs to happen is the squad needs to be trimmed. Get rid of the rot. Even if you signed them last year. Try and get rid of them. Dress them up, make them look pretty. Tell lies. I don't care. Just make the squad smaller so there's a higher chance of selecting the same team next season. You know, a settled side, where they don't feel as though one bad game will mean a good two months on the sidelines.

The rot, in my eyes, does not include the Wrights. Yes, Richard Wright is knocking on a bit, but he seems far more stable than Brian Murphy. I don't know why Keane dropped Arran Lee-Barrett. He really helped out in the good times in December. Murphy may have a good kick, but most of the time it goes in an unintentional direction. And David Wright. I don't care if you go to Norwich. I won't boo you. You don't deserve it because you've given me some very happy memories over the years, like scoring the equaliser in my first away East Anglian derby. You've been treated like crap by Keane. So has Stead. I would love Stead to come back but at the moment he appears in the wilderness.

Having watched a rather exciting play-off final, it left me wondering. Why can't we play like those guys? Why do we have such a one dimensional outlook? We played well in the first half against Forest, yet in the second got trounced. Because Forest changed their game plan. We did not. 

I'm not one for calling for the manager's head. But if we start off where we left off again then it's going to be a long old season next time. June 17th the fixture list comes out. August 31st the transfer window closes. It's going to be a long summer, made even longer by the rumblings in South Africa...

Ah yes, the World Cup. Where the nation becomes insane and stories of foreigners hating the English flag/shirts begin to crop up to fuel xenophobia and make national pride soar into the unbelievable. "LOOK. I'M WEARING AN ENGLAND SHIRT" - Congratulations. Let me go express my joy with a sarcastic cheer. Everywhere you turn there's a flag of St George. They're sold in every supermarket, given in deals with tabloids and will probably be handed out on street corners should England do well. If not, you can probably pick one up at your local recycling plant when the inevitable crushing disappointment hits the country.

I highly doubt England will do well. But then I'm biased. I'm not a big fan of the national team and I'm very much a club before country person. This is because I'm
a) more Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish blooded than I am English
b) not a big fan of the majority of the footballers that play for England. 

I'm happy to support the England cricketers. (Congratulations to them by the way. Top effort. Unnervingly good, but superb. I haven't had time to create an 'I'm overjoyed by this' blog, but will probably do something mid-July when the moaning about how none of the team are actually English comes to a peak) This is because they can be related to, you can talk to them easily and they seem like genuinely nice people. Out of the two England captains, Andrew Strauss and Rio Ferdinand, Strauss seems the type of bloke you'd like to have a beer with whilst discussing fine literature and laughing at some intricate joke. Of course, these are just terrible stereotypes. And probably make me sound like a crazed stalker.

So when June 11th comes round and the World Cup begins, I shall be watching, but as a neutral. I feel excited, like I was for Euro 2008, for the reasons of football. I have no idea who will win. I don't really care who wins. It's in South Africa, which is brilliant. Yes, it still has strong racial tension, but football can bring a nation together. It does in England. Non-football fans suddenly know who's playing in goal, what a winger is and why Wayne Rooney's left foot is so important. Ah, what a wonderful time it will be. All those expectations that will be dashed as soon as England kick off against the USA.

I have enjoyed all these adverts getting behind England though. They're a load of rubbish (yeah, Wayne Rooney's totally going to live in a caravan), but very funny. That Carlsberg advert, with "probably the best team talk in the world" gives me goosebumps. Especially the bit where they say, "For Bobby".

Anyway. This season saw a superb rant by a frustrated QPR fan. And I echo many of his sentiments (apart from the female journalists jibes. Cheers mate. Thanks for encouraging my dreams).
So, inspired by the QPR fan, here is what has made me angry over this season as an Ipswich fan enduring a torrid season. And what has made me begin to wonder whether I am falling out of love with the national game:
I hate Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Alan Shearer, Steve Claridge and every other ex-footballer who thinks they know everything about the game.
I hate how every single national newspaper were humping Newcastle's leg for the entire season and forgot that there were other teams in the Football League.
I hate the fact that Leeds seem to think that they're brilliant, despite the fact they finished second and were pretty close to cocking everything up. Again. 
I hate how Leeds fans will enjoy the previous statement.
I hate the fact the Football League has decided to make the gap between enternally Championship sides and yo-yo sides even bigger due to parachute payments.
I hate the New Wembley. 
I hate that the seats around the tunnel are always empty apart from at England games.
I hate that the press kick up a fuss about the pitch when a team they didn't expect to win wins. Blackpool and Cardiff got on with it. Millwall, Swindon, Rotherham and Dagenham and Redbridge will all get on with it. Man up.
I hate owners that think just because they're putting money into the club they have every right to run it. No. You don't support the bloody team, you pretend you do. 
I hate that you have to have money to be successful.
I hate that only limited numbers of people know what our club's owner looks like.
I hate that some Ipswich fans think we should keep Roy Keane as manager because he's famous.
I hate that some Ipswich fans think that being a family club isn't good. So you want scenes like at Luton? Good one.
I hate that flares are coming into British football. I'm sorry, when you hear a 5 year old on the phone to their father in the terraces saying, "I was scared for you dad", you know that something isn't right.
I hate how over-hyped the Big Four are. However, I have loved the demise of Liverpool this season.
I hate how over-hyped the last day of the Premiership was and yet Sky Sports didn't give a shite about League One, which was actually entertaining and had a higher chance of something unlikely happening. 
In fact, I hate how the Premiership is over-hyped every single season. "It'll be exciting this season. Honest. GET SKY SPORTS!"
I hate Clive Tyldesley.
I hate Peter Drury.
I hate ITV football coverage.
I hate seeing kids at Portman Road wearing Chelsea, Manchester United or Inter Milan hats, shirts or whatever else. You're at Portman Road. You're here to watch Ipswich Town. We may be crap, but at least you have the chance to watch us. 
I hate that Norwich have done well this season. (I'm bitter. Leave me alone)
I hate Robbie Cowling and his unbearable self-promotion. 
I hate the fact I don't have a season ticket anymore.
I hate that I haven't seen Ipswich win away since January 2009.
I hate the fact we're going to finish bottom half of the table again next season. Or worse.

But most of all, I hate that football has made me into a cynical, miserable and pessimistic 18 year old. Then again, I wouldn't have that any other way.
 

The end of an era as I kiss my season ticket and Ipswich Town's season goodbye. 

Miserable weather, miserable game, miserable season. 

Ah, that's better. 

A Tale of Two Halves - Match Report: Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town

Date: 10th April 2010
Result: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Ipswich Town
Scorer for Town: N/A. Because they couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo.

"It was the best of first halves, it was the painfully inadequate and poor of second halves" - Yes, 'A Tale of Two Cities' would start like that if it was about football. Only it'd probably have a Suffolk accent, because that's what Dickens did.


Anyway. After much umming and ahhing I finally managed to persuade my mum that going to Forest would be a worthwhile experience. So on Thursday after pressing redial on the phone for the Ipswich ticket office, we got the tickets. Yay! Well. Not so yay. I haven't seen Ipswich Town win on the road since January 2009. In fact, of the 27 away games I have seen Ipswich Town play, I have witnessed four, yes, four victories. I know it's better than some people, but still, I think I'm cursed. I'll digress because this stuff isn't important.


We arrived in Nottingham at 12:30ish. I've been there before but to go to Trent Bridge and watch England get stuffed by India and Australia (I really should've seen the signs...) I made the mistake of wearing the red away shirt, so I had three kids shout, "YOU REDS!" at me, which made me cough "Ipswich fan" into my hands. I'm a comedy genius. (Tumble weed)

The City Ground (far left) and Trent Bridge (far right) on a lovely day in Nottingham

Onto the match. And the first big surprise of the afternoon was the fact Keane named an unchanged side. Keane's a big fan of chopping and changing. Fair enough if we're playing a similar team to Derby, but we weren't. We were playing a team in the top six with big scary defenders, fast midfielders, strong strikers and Robert Earnshaw. The problems were evident in our side as soon as we kicked off.


The wing, once again, was non-existent. There seemed to be a diamond formation. In the centre circle. Jon Walters looked like he didn't have a clue, Colback's been off form recently and Leadbitter ran around like a headless chicken. Only David Norris seemed to be doing alright, and he was playing in front of the centre backs. Apparently.


However, overall, the first half was pretty decent. It was end to end and Ipswich had a few chances. With Forest blazing shots past the post and over the bar, when the referee blew his half time whistle, we had a right to be caustiously optimistic for the second half because we were getting forward, we were defending well and Forest kept on losing the ball. Who knows, a point like we got against Swansea could be on here!


Half time: 0-0


All cautious optimism was lost in the 47th minute. Rob "Alien" Earnshaw had a shot, Chambers stuck a leg out and we were 1-0 down. It was a very unfortunate goal and it just knocked the confidence of the boys in blue. 


Then, a few minutes later, Damien Delaney was tackled and lay on the ground. It didn't look good, and he hopped off (I mean it, he hopped) to the side and then sat on the ground looking absolutely gutted. Him and Delaney have formed a crucial partnership and have almost certainly helped with the resurrection since the early part of the season. Turns out it could be ligament damage to his ankle, so that's him out for the rest of the season (only three games, I know, I know). Keane decided to put on Tommy Smith rather than David Wright, in a move that was possibly trying to justify us recalling him from the Bees...

Billy Davies had changed tactics at half time, meanwhile Keane had kept it the same. Forest were now punishing us down the wing and beginning to find their shooting range and it was no surprise when the second was put in. Town couldn't string two passes together, Daryl Murphy looked knackered and Connor Wickham was being outmuscled. Any chances we did have were flung over the bar, with Jon Walters being the main culprit. In the 76th minute, the inevitable happened. Robert Earnshaw scored. It was like the Barnsley game where we'd been tormenting Jon Macken, they always score when we start teasing them. 


Whilst I expected us to lose, I didn't anticipate the capitulation in the second half. The way we were firing over the cross bar made me feel like I was watching a rugby game. The die hard away fans over my shoulder and a few rows back were singing, "We only came for the piss up!" and "We're only here for the Hooters!" and it seemed as though the team were as well.


The major concerns from this match were:

• Jack Colback. What's happened to you man? Just because Keane loves you doesn't mean you have to stop playing!
• Jon Walters. A name that has appeared in my concern list all too often this season. I shan't repeat myself again.
• The lack of Counago. Yeah, OK, he's not the best away. And he sometimes won't try. But I'd rather have him than Healy, because Pabs has scored more than once for us. 
• Delaney's injury. I hope it's not too serious because him and McAuley have been ace since the dire start. 
• And finally, the wings. Again. In the words of drunken Delia, "Where are you? Let's be 'aving you!" Because that's where we're getting punished by better teams. And that's where we really, really need to improve. (As well as various other areas, but shush)

Food for Thought for Keane & Co as Pilgrims Set Sail with Three Points.

I witnessed one of those games again at Portman Road. You know the ones, where your team thinks, "Hey, these guys are in the bottom two, therefore by power of deduction they must be completely and utterly useless. We don't have to turn up! Easy night all round!"

Once again we lost to a team below us, which is an all too familiar tale around these parts. I don't know what happens. We play really well against teams above us and them BAM! Relegation threatened side comes to Portman Road and picks up three easy points. Which we hand to them on a plate. Don't we Delaney? 

To be perfectly frank it had been coming. Ever since the Cardiff game where we won 2-0, the edginess has been back and that feeling of invincibility seems to have returned. We are not good enough to go down. Yes, we have a good team on paper, but unfortunately Roy Keane seems to take the piece of paper which the good team is written on, rip it up and chuck it in a hat with at least 20 other names. He then proceeds to blindfold himself and pick eleven names out. The rest have to fight it out for a place on the bench. 

However, last night, Roy Keane went against tradition and decided rather than making four changes, he'd stick with the same team. Carlos 'What's a winger?' Edwards, the clearly knackered David Norris, Jack Colback and Jon 'Seriously, give him a break' Walters were our missing midfield. Every time I have seen Carlos Edwards play this season, he always, always, always comes into the centre of midfield. Yesterday it provided sod all help to Shane O'Connor, who kept making runs but had nobody in front of him because Edwards was chasing after Norris. Edwards, you've been put in a position. STAY THERE. You've lost your pace, you're not going to go and break through the middle of a pretty solid midfield. Use your skill and KEEP ON THE WING. O'Connor will help you, like David Wright tries to help Jon Walters when he can actually keep the ball. Which isn't very often at the moment. 

This feels a rant I've had before. In fact, I know I've had this rant before. Back in November. So, here is what I said back in November:

1. Jon Walters - Something's up. He's not been playing as well as we know he can. Is he injured? I doubt it. Does he need a rest? I would probably say yes. He may be a big player for us, but at the moment, he's not playing well. He's far better on the right wing, and yet, I think, Carlos Edwards plays in this position. Which leads me onto my second problem...

Oh wow, deja vu! Four months on and he's still not right. It turned out he did have an injury and it doesn't surprise me at all if he has another one. Even he must admit this season has been a very, very poor one for him. My personal opinion on the captaincy in football is that it means nothing, the coach is shouting at you on the side line. However, other people's views are a lot different and they feel as though the captaincy may have become a burden to him.

2. The midfield - As always. Grant Leadbitter, the poor sod, really has no idea what he's got into. He's by far the best player on the pitch and yet he was stuck next to Liam Trotter for most of the start of the season. Carlos Edwards, on the right, goes too far into the middle, leaving the entire right wing exposed. Poor Liam Rosenior! Oh David Norris and Luciano Civelli, curse your knobbly knees!

I really am becoming repetitive! Well, in this blog post Carlos Edwards is on the left. However, the fact is, Carlos Edwards seems to prefer playing in the middle. He marks the player that a central midfielder should be marking, whilst he should be jogging about outside the box to the right or left of the goal, waiting to fire a shot way over the bar or a cross to the other corner flag. Come on, watch Jaime Peters. He'll give it a crack! 

Another thing, now that Norris is back, him and Leadbitter in the middle did look good on paper (there's that phrase again), but they are just two similar players, both going in hard and getting the ball but then not really picking out the right pass. Leadbitter is more likely to pass it about once he has the ball, but whether he notices David Wright or Shane O'Connor on the wing making a decent run is an entirely different matter...

3. The defence - If only they learnt to defend for over 90 minutes. We'd be mid-table and laughing right now. But no. Instead, what happens? Last minute equalisers against Sheffield United and Watford. Last minute winner against Barnsley. Injuries have not helped. Nor has Gareth McAuley deciding to play like an idiot again. He's got better now. He's remembered how to play.

OK, I will concede that the defence has got much, much better in recent months. Last night was the first time we'd conceded at home for six hours (or something). The defence is settled. Ish. It helps that the two central defenders haven't changed, although after last night I'm expecting Tommy Smith to appear again. 

 4. Roy Keane - PLEASE KEEP THE SAME BLOODY LINE-UP FOR CONSECUTIVE GAMES AT LEAST ONCE THIS SEASON. I don't care if Pablo runs over your dog or David Wright tells you your beard looks like tiny hamsters are gnawing at your face, don't drop players who have played well for ones who are clearly crap. Pablo is an invaluable player. He holds the ball up. If the chance comes to him, he will always try and tap it in. To me, we appointed Roy Keane to try and attract the big news media. To make Ipswich Town more famous. Boy, did that happen. But for all the wrong reasons. Now the media vultures circle above Keane's head waiting for the next outburst to write about.  

Well, I've had my wish a couple of times this season. But when he probably shouldn't be keeping the same team! After the Scunthorpe game he should've kept the same line up. We lost 2-1 to Watford. A settled side is key, but we just haven't had that. And I think that explains why we're in this position. Oh, and with regards to the media vultures? They seem to have lost interest. Which is wonderful as we can go back to being Ipswich Town. Although I still seethe whenever I see 'Roy Keane's Ipswich Town' in the papers. 

5. Finally, how I miss Gio. But he's not going to come back. Evidently, the problems were there before Magilton got sacked.

 I've stopped pining for Gio, as have many other Town fans. Finally. But yes, the problems were there before Magilton got sacked and I get the feeling that Keane's making them worse. When Norwich went down last season all they did was bring in loanee after loanee. This season they have a settled side with home grown talent and look where they are. Colback, Murphy and thankfully, Healy will have to go back up the A1 to Sunderland and try to get their place back in Steve Bruce's starting XI. That's not stability! We have Priskin and Stead to come back in the summer, meaning that our strike force is going to be an ageing Spaniard, a 17 year old, a Hungarian who loves being off side and our joint top goal scorer with the mighty total of six. 

I really hope last night was only a blip, but I think it has been building. The Barnsley performance in the second half was absolutely woeful and we were gifted the win by their goalkeeper's rash decision.

Our run in does not fill me with hope. We begin with Swansea away this weekend, then a resurgent Reading on 3rd April. Derby away on Easter Monday. Forest 10th April. Doncaster home, 17th April. Then the biggy. Newcastle away, 24th April. Whilst I expect a drubbing, I sincerely hope we play a bit better than we did back in September. Once again I expect an emotional game, and because I've witnessed Ipswich on the road seven times (four losses, three draws) I've been able to get a priority ticket, which I have taken advantage of today. After last night's showing, I'm even more barmy than I thought I was... We finish on May 2nd, my last home game as a season ticket holder for a few years, with Sheffield United. From this run in, I'm really not expecting much. Especially if we play like we did yesterday.

Ah well, if we go down and I get into Lancaster, at least I'll be close to Carlisle... Or Blackpool and Preston, of course!

Whoever thinks Test cricket is dead...

Watch England. Just watch England bat for a draw. You know there'll be excitement, maybe even tears. There'll be a run rate of less than 2, but my word, is it worth it in the end.

Paul Collingwood does it again. Many raised eyebrows when he got an MBE in 2005. To be honest, he warrants that now. He's dug England out of more holes recently than games Pablo has played since that miss against Bristol City.

Ian Bell, now there's something that nobody expected. Ian Bell faced 200+ balls today, and got 70-odd. Yeah, he got out, but so did Colly here and in Cardiff. But they're still the heroes.

And the tailenders, Graeme Swann and Graham Onions. Even Stuart Broad. It's nice for England to actually have a tail that'll give you confidence, that you know won't buckle and continue where the batsmen have left off.

What is it about England and the last hour? They never do things easily, do they? And that's why Test cricket isn't dead. Because England have given their all here, at Newlands and back at Centurion, to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat.

Here's to Colly, Bell, Swanny and Onions. I'm having a J2O and a lie down. Bring on Jo'burg.

Top 5 Worst Sporting Moments I've Seen This Year

The second part of my blog about 2009 sporting moments that I've sat (or stood) in a stadium and watched.

So here they are. The worst sporting moment that I have witnessed in this great 2009. 

5. England vs Australia - 15th September

It wasn't exactly a bad match, over 600 runs were scored, but it was the way England lost. I saw Ricky Ponting score a century. No matter what I say about him, he's a bloody good player, and I won't have many opportunities to see such a great player again. He hit a superb six off of Ryan Sidebottom.
Anyway, it's in my top 5 because the next day was my 18th birthday. Not the best present, as England went 5-0 down. Ha. 

4. Middlesbrough 3-1 Ipswich - 12th September

As you probably know, Ipswich didn't start the 2009/10 season very well. This was my second away match of the season, and boy, what a long old journey that was. We had to spend an hour at a petrol station waiting for the police that never came. When we finally got to the stadium, our team didn't even turn up. The way our defence just laid down and died as Aliadiere skipped through and scored two second half goals to crush our crowd. Walters scored a penalty in the dying seconds of a match to nab a consolation. 

3. Ipswich 1-3 Doncaster - 11th April
This match was one of those forgetable matches of the Jim Magilton era. Unfortunately, I remember it because I was sat in the stand watching, slowly getting more and more seething as Ipswich just laid down and died to a team of Where's Wally look-a-likes. This match was only a month after the capitulation to Southampton which, incidentally, is number 2.


2. Ipswich 0-3 Southampton - 3rd March
We were just crap. If a person who knew nothing about the Football League had been in the ground that night, they would've thought that we were the relegation candidates, not the spirited Southampton side that licked their lips at such a hapless and dire performance. And another team that did that is my number one...

 1. Ipswich 0-4 Newcastle - 26th September
We were bloody awful, on the day that the North Stand was renamed the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, and Sir Bobby's wife and children were in the ground. I'm fairly sure everyone in the ground didn't want the spineless and awful performance that my football team gave. Within a crazy five minutes, we were 3-0 down and Kevin Nolan was on a hat-trick. I can't even remember if we had a shot that game. If we did, it was probably off target.  It was very much a match of men against boys. Or toddlers.


Happy New Year. Here's to Ipswich Town, Essex and England in 2010!

Top 5 Best Sporting Moments I've Seen This Year

Inspired by a blog I found on BBC Sport, I've been left thinking about what sport I've witnessed this year. It's been quite a lot. It's mainly involved Ipswich Town, Essex and England, but it's been quite a lot.
So, here are my top 5: 

5. Essex vs Middlesex - June 22nd 2009
I've been to a lot of Twenty20 matches over the year, but this one stands out because it was the first one I went to by myself. It was a good match, Essex won by 8 wickets. Mark Pettini played really well and got 80 not out.

Another stand out match is Essex vs Sussex in the Pro40. Hashim Amla scored a century and was well supported by James Foster. Essex lost. But Amla rules.

4. Chelsea vs Ipswich - January 24th 2009

OK, so we lost this one 3-1, but I've never left a match feeling so proud to be a Tractor Girl. It was a good day out, with us taking over 6000 fans down to Stamford Bridge. And the fact is, we scored. We scored at Stamford Bridge against one of the best teams in the country, a team that contained Frank Lampard and others. Thank you Alex Bruce, thank you for giving us a little bit of hope before a footballing lesson was taught to us. 

3. Middlesex vs Essex - 12th August 2009

I've been to Lords before, I went for a tour back in 2006 and got to sit in the England dressing room. And stood next to the Ashes. But this time, I was at Lords to watch cricket. It wasn't the greatest day for Essex, as they fell to 32-4, with Cook and Bopara showing just why they were in the England team. It was a good day out though, I got a bit lost (being a country girl from a small village in a rural county like Suffolk, then being dumped in a massive city like London. Well, it's not surprising to say the least), so I followed the pictures of Andrew Strauss and co. It tipped it down at the end of the day, but James Foster and Matt Walker combined well to get Essex out of a huge hole. 

2. England Women vs Australia Women - 30th June 2009
England Women had a phenomenal 2009. They won the World Cup, the Twenty20 World Cup and retained the Ashes, again. And yet they didn't win Team of the Year at the Sports Personality Awards. But that's a rant for another day. So, when I heard that they were going to be down at Chelmsford, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Unfortunately, school was in the way, so I only managed to see the last few overs of the England innings. But still, this was a superb day out, and it made me smile to see so many females at a county ground. 

And to top it all off, both sides stayed behind afterwards and chatted to eager fans. Each one of the England women's team had a picture with pink fluorescent sunglasses on for some lads nearby. They were very down to earth people, plus, I got to meet a Wisden Cricketer of the Year. How likely is that to happen again? I've seen Shiv Chanderpaul down at Essex, I've also come very close to meeting my hero, Matthew Hoggard. But I've not been able to talk to them and stand next to them! Bloody brilliant that. 

And finally. 

1. Ipswich 3-2 Norwich - 19th April 2009

I'm an Ipswich fan. What else did you expect?