I just saw the following and can't resist posting it

Cricket Australia must reveal what grade of sandpaper was used. Even 'Fine' may have caused structural damage when stuffed down Bancroft's undies. Anything coarser and I fear for the lad......being Aussies I suspect they used Extra Coarse.........

Sandpaper was used. Now why should any cricketer be carrying sandpaper during a match when a first time ever discussion on ball tampering just happens to crop up over a cup of tea during a break? Stinks to high heaven. Smith and Bancroft also come across as compulsive liars and Bancroft not the young innocent rookie being portrayed by some media. Warners international career with Oz is finished but there's always the book and film trail to come. Warner will not go quietly.....

Disagree. Most would not have seen it as a penalty in the first place....like the Ref, the Italians, the Commentators and may I say most viewers, on first view pre microscope. As @BlackburnEnd75 alludes contact is not an automatic penalty, or should not be. However VAR puts the onfield official under tremendous pressure to find something now that his original decision has been openly questioned. VAR is a can of worms.

It would be unlikely to be given as a penalty in a non-VAR game or even debated or considered one. T did however slightly pull the player back causing the Italian to fall/ dive causing the foot collision. Only apparent on micro analysis, well if that is reviewed it should be also the case for all player contacts, which is plain stupid. Ox was pushed over from behind when he fell at speed earlier in the pen area. If that had been reviewed a pen must have been given. The WC will be a farce and it will be interesting to see against which nations reviews are made.

It was soft.

VAR at the WC will be a fiasco. I'm assuming that the WC will have Refs from all over the place. Will a Ref from Nepal or anywhere for that matter be experienced in VAR. Ok maybe they will get an intro..But in match play? There could be 100s of pens awarded if tonights is an example. The game is changing so much, I don't think I like it anymore.

Rajastan Royals of IPL 2018 considering replacing Smith. Can't have a poor cheater who's been caught in the act in that paragon of virtue and honesty known as the IPL.

Smith was quick to finger the 'leadership group' and remove himself from sole responsibilty or explain why a rookie batsman was chosen to do the deed. Peer pressure on Bancroft I suspect. I listened to Adam Gilchrist and he has never heard of such a group. Starc and Hazelwood say they knew nothing about it. What a can of worms is about to be opened. Should be a lot of fun to follow. I do believe that the Australian cricket public are a decent bunch who are themselves tired of the antics of Smith, Warner and some others in that team. I think Smith is in for one big shock.

Surely just Perth having a laugh. That Ad can't be real....can it?......it made me chuckle for sure

The EFL are a members only club of which OC is a member. EFL rules allow for retrospective action, namely banning OC, the EFL chose not to. When Blackpool were in the PL Scudamore told OC he could not be their majority shareholder. OC said that he would comply but didn't, Scudamore, without checking, assumed he had. Now OC is desperately trying to blacken Belokon by saying he has lied to fans about having the Club's best interests at heart, whilst actually trying to sell the Club, Hotel and training ground to Belokon at a price that suits only OC. It is an interesting story to follow, as is the rape of West Ham.

Great read. Jimmy was right about the GBH charge though , Glenn Keeley super-hero

If England are going to play long hoof, hopeful header to fast sprinter to exploit rookie fullback then play Rasford. If not then play Sterling.

Agreed. I would have no problem if Government pulled England from Russia 2018. However in retaliation I feel we are still capable of effective covert action and not a Russian feck up like Salisbury. Meanwhile there is something fitting in our corrupt FA going to a corrupt state for a competition run by a corrupt FIFA. They deserve each other. English fans must behave very well. They will be targeted.

Agreed. Irresponsible, immature and/or penny short of a £.

He needs to change the songs he tries to sing to whilst driving. Needs motivational fast heavy rock not poncy crap. You are what you listen to.

No. I will not stay awake for any late, Asia time, kickoffs, either. If England, miraculously, do well I will go all plastic.

Para 1 - what?? Para 2 - competitive game time..... No need to respond. I am off to chat with a brickwall.

We do NOT have any fixture pile up. None whatsoever. He should have given youth a chance in this game so whatever the result was it would have no impact on the first team. How simple is that!

Complete BUNKUM. That is what Mowbray turned it into as far as Rovers are concerned. He shows no respect for any Cup competition. He may as well have had them jog around Brockhall and save embarassing themselves in a competive match. Well he just better get us promoted.

Was this the one known as the Lancashire Manx Cup for a while, with the winners playing pre-season in the Isle of Man Football Festival?

Inexcusable. I hope Mowbray was there to witness it and apologised to the usual youth squad/management for ruining their Cup run. Mowbray appears to have no regard for any Cup competitions.

LOL. I got one of those too today. I regard it as a badge of honour

Please, enlighten me. Wigan and Shrews have positions only they can lose, however stats are manipulated.

£180 million plus the cost of a new stadium to replace their Health & Safety abomination. Its got feck up written all over it. Meanwhile the Burnley board deny these reports. Finally I wish Big Sam and Everton a successful day.