No problem with any county side having an overseas pro if they're the rules. Had some great overseas players down the years. I'd be a bit irritated if he played for England not being English though. Even as a South African who plays in New Zealand probably still makes him as eligible to play for England as some of the blokes we have.

Neil Wagner, take a bow! 11 wickets on debut going some. Weather forecast decent surely we'll knock off 85. All the pundits seem to have Lancs nailed on for relegation but if Middlesex stayed up in 2014 with four wins and seven draws. Last year, Hampshire survive with four wins and six draws. Hopefully see this out and one win down 3 to go. Across the hills Yarkshire had hants 128-5 who at stumps were 450-8. So not only did hants avoid the follow on but should take it to a draw.

If someone has 2 foreign parents who decided to live here and subsequently may have picked up an accent along the way that doesn't make them English in the same way if I moved to China it wouldn't make me Chinese. You'll not convince me they should be playing I won't convince you so let's leave it at that.

What is it you're taking issue with here the word offended or the fact England are playing foreign born players a lot of whom don't have an English parents either. If it's the latter: Trott, pitersen, Strauss, Compton, Morgan, stokes, keiswetter, prior, ambrose, Jordan, owais shah, Nasser Hussain just a few of the recent ones off top of my head. Before those Allan lamb, robin smith, caddick, etc. Some great players who have done great things for us to be sure so when if comes to capping dubiously English people yes I think we are one of the worst. Where does it stop oh that kholi looks like a decent player for India bung him a bit of cash give him a passport and by the way fella you're playing in the ashes next week.

Ha. Kp did say was open to playing for South Africa when becomes eligible 2018. But wouldn't like to throw petrol on that situation seems to get folk all revved up on here. In general we do appear to be in the mercenary age of international sport where just because you're born in a country, to parents both born in that same country and even grew up in that same country you can still represent whoever you bloody well want so long as been there on holiday once or twice. Not doing so bad at the moment but England are one of the worst offenders. I even heard the other day that Ben stokes (who I assumed to paraphrase that Spurs song is one of our own) is in fact New Zealand born, to New Zealand parents and only came here when he was 10 ish.

Shocking news. Shame for him and English cricket. The top order starting to look a bit weak because struggling for an opener, no 3 and now a no 5. Cook ? ? Root ? Stokes Bairstow Hales, Compton, lyth, Robson, carberry at various points all looked poor. Ali and ballance hit and miss. Lees untested. Jason roy and bell Drummond prob not up to it yet. Maybe Buttler could slot in at 5 instead of Taylor.

Incredible I didn't know that. Knew Faldo was last one when Norman had his own melt down but assumed over years someone like tony jacklin or even earlier would have picked one up along the way. Must admit I was very much routing for Westwood as wouldn't begrudge him a major but failing that any Englishman will do. The masters is the only American major well tournament I can watch as for some reason they have managed to all but cut out those ludicrous "in the hole" "you da man" and general whooping which is rife everywhere else whether it's a putt, chip, drive on a par 5...

Am I missing something with Joshua vs Martin. Joshua is 1/6 Martin is 9/2. I enjoy the boxing watch it quite a bit and certainly wouldn't consider myself knowledgable in any way but Martin is the heavyweight belt holder, unbeaten, fought better opponents inc that unbeaten Ukrainian to win the belt and confident to make his first defence in the challengers back yard. Joshua on the other hand for all he's the hottest prospect in town and someone I think the British public will really get behind but he's fought no one of note. Plus all the pundit talk at the time of Joshua getting a shot at the IBF was it was a year too early for him. Suddenly he's prolific odds on favourite. I really want him to win but half tempted to stick some cash on Martin at those odds

That's put the tin lid on a terrible weekend for sport. What's worse is after giving us no hope at half time they made me believe but still managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

Pretty rubbish start. Turning into a disastrous sporting weekend

It's crazy the distance some of these lower league clubs have to travel. It's controversial but I'd reduce the prem to 16 teams (stops international players tired excuses), reduce championship to 20 teams to stop sat, tue, sat, tue nonsense, same with league one then have a 20 team division 4 north and south. So have 5 professional smaller leagues. With the surplus teams losing from each league plus teams making up nos from conference which is pretty much professional anyway. South coast to Carlisle and reverse is stupid.

I went on yesterday to get my live football fix. Good crack in truth. Gave Nolan who was playing for orient bit of pain and their keeper who played for the dingles some stick. In our group 8 of us went 4 rovers fans, 2 pne fans, a Leeds fan and a noblot fan. Oddly we were on the concourse such as it is talking to a few Geordies who also picked a random game and travelled down. So out of the 2,700 not sure how many extras on a usual gate were actually Stanley fans.

That was a hell of a run chase. Typical England though they really put the spectators through the ringer. Impossible chase somehow amazingly got to 1 run from 6 cue 2 wickets down and a dot ball before finally limping over the line

Thoroughly enjoyed the game yesterday. Hideously expensive weekend with ticket/train best part of £170 plus booze on top but for all England pressed the panic button it went some way to righting the wrongs of September. Thought the atmosphere was good as well to say people were telling me beforehand it's poor at twickenham with 80,000 of the prawn sandwich brigade. Itoje looks like the real deal very impressed by him. That ref Joubert (who shafted Scotland) not looking to making himself popular on these isles. I couldn't understand his decisions he sin binned Dan Cole presumably for collapsing the maul when usually the penalty is sufficient punishment. Then the Welsh player is found guilty of gouging which as well as overturning the penalty usually brings a minimum of a sin bin but likely a red and gets nothing. I may be being biased but it seems every ref England get in almost every game seems to want the oppo to win. Alls well that ends well I suppose but now to end the 13 year wait for the grand slam.

Off to twickenham next Saturday with the lads curtesy of a mate who was able to get 5 tickets. I've seen England in Paris (that nut crushing game 2 yrs ago), Murrayfield and millennium stadium but never on home soil. A win and it all but guarantees the championship barring a heavy defeat in Paris assuming France even beat Scotland on Sunday. Every year in past 4 we've managed to bottle it when it counts. Last year losing to Ireland having done the "hard work" of beating the Welsh in Cardiff. In 2014 in Paris with that last minute Gael Fickou try handing crown to Ireland. In 2013 totally capitulating in Cardiff. In 2012 again losing at home to Wales. I need to see some sort of high profile sports win after the debacle of yesterday. So time to stop this 6 nations losing one crucial game trend especially vs Welsh at home.

They'll never lose the chip on their shoulder when it comes to England whether it's rugby, football, politics, anything. They're not alone either I think in the 6 nations every team sees England as their main rival even Italy/France. With the jocks I suspect if you said you'll lose heavily vs Ireland, Wales, France and Italy finish bottom but beat England narrowly most would take it. In a way I admire Scotland for effort pretty much over last 20-30 years they've lacked skill in all team sports but still somehow manage to compete. If England could punch above their weight like Scotland sure would be multiple World Cup winners. I do genuinely enjoy being "hated" by the lesser nations but what does bug me is when the scots, Welsh and Irish are patriotic they are seen as wonderful and passionate. When English are patriotic we're lazily dismissed as being racist and almost frowned upon.

Gutted I chose to go Ewood and missed that. Great win though.

3 of my mates are out there. Very jealous. Sadly I couldn't afford it as also went to Antigua/Grenada test in April. For all that was a great crack can't help but thinking if I was only doing one tour this was the one to pick. Sure they've bought the rovers st Georges flag so I'll look out for it when hit boundaries

Enjoyed last nights offerings. Joshua pushed further than anyone else has managed. Eubank Jr vs O'Sullivan was pretty brutal with O'Sullivan taking some serious punishment. There was upsets for Mitchell and Campbell and bellew vs the polish fella was a closely fought fight. Then switched over to the ufc and the bloke Aldo who hadn't lost in 10 years was put down in 13 seconds.

Some pretty decent fights tonight with Anthony Joshua v Dillian Whyte Chris Eubank Jr v Gary O'Sullivan Kevin Mitchell v Ismael Barroso Tony Bellew v Mateusz Masternak Yvan Mendy beat Luke Campbell Dereck Chisora beat Jakov Gospic Paulie Malignaggi beat Antonio Moscatiello Then later on bt sports 2 Aldo vs mcgregor in ufc. Lost a bet with lad at work when fury won done a double or quits as he thinks Whyte will win. I'm pretty confident Joshua will spark him out but I was pretty confident fury would lose so who knows.

I'm stunned. But fury deserved it. Don't like the man but his batman, watermelon, singing antics have been entertaining. Klitschko has dominated a very poor era making the heavyweight division tedious but now with deontay wilder and Joshua in the wings could be an exiting time.

Groves lost on points on split decision. Knocked down in the first round. Close fight probably deserved to lose just about but he wasn't happy at all and will probably want a rematch like always. Think that's his last world title shot now unless degale gives him a go. Perhaps he was just another British hype job all along.

Jack vs groves tonight/tomorrow on box nation I think I may put my TV addons streaming box to use which may involve getting up at 3am or whenever it is due to be on. Wasn't impressed by groves conduct outside the ring when he fought froch or degale but suppose it's was all a ploy to get under their skin or to dupe simpletons like me into believing there's genuine hatred. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope another world title comes to these shores. Then groves vs degale rematch for a world title will be a decent fight. Also will see if Joshua progresses or is taken past a few rounds.

Over the years I've watched a decent amount of cricket at all the main "ashes venues" and I would say in particular edgbaston, old Trafford and headingley are the most feisty ie north of Watford. Lords tends to be almost exclusively full of what Roy Keane would describe as the prawn sandwich brigade. And for all its a bit of fun the fact all loses have come in the south and doing well in the north this time round what bugs me is the lockdown lords and the oval have on cricket. Fair dos lords is its home but it's almost as though oval also is guaranteed any game they want and the rest fight over the scraps.

Operation win ashes matches in the north still on. Now to complete the job this Sunday.