Talking Sport: England cricketers get sharp reminder

Being shot out for 103 last Sunday was a sharp reminder to England that the Australians aren’t as bad as we thought and Mitchell Johnson can still bowl a bit.

It’s a good job the pitch was ‘flat and lifeless’ otherwise there’s no saying what would have happened.

Critics were left split between wanting batting changes for Edgbaston next week and saying don’t panic and leave well alone. Imagine that in football.

Any decision will be criticised but the rest of the series looks set to be lively.

The run out of Ben Stokes was ridiculous. He ignored the basic of running his bat in and jumped over the crease so was in the air as the throw hit the stumps. When I was nobbut a lad, you got a clip round the ear for that.

The BBC have lost most major sports to other broadcasters and it’s hard to feel sympathy after the ridiculous decision on Monday to ignore what became the last day of the Open golf until nearly two o’clock.

After the howling gales on Saturday, Sunday’s mild conditions made it tedious as birdie after birdie was recorded.

Although trying to play on Saturday morning in the high wind was farcical, it’s occasionally nice to see the stars struggle when the weather is playing tricks rather than glorified pitch and putt.

One puzzle. On Thursday evening when many of golf’s biggest names were in action, the stands were almost deserted. Had they all gone for tea and fried chocolate?

You certainly can’t ignore tennis hero Andy Murray as he steered Britain to the Davis Cup semi-finals.

Hey up, there’s now talk of Britain winning the Cup as ‘only’ Australia, Belgium and Argentina are left.

That’s how we talked after the first Test so calm down, even though it’s nice to have success after some dreadful years.

Whisper it quietly but Dewsbury seek a hat-trick of RL wins over Batley at Tetley’s Stadium on Sunday. The Bulldogs badly need victory, not only for pride but to ease relegation worries.

A problem for the Rams is they had a little matter of a trip to runaway leaders Leigh on Wednesday which could mean a few tired limbs.

Talking of which and Hanging Heaton second team are considering a change in Bradford League rules so players can claim runs for years.

Holidays etc meant a player shortage and Dave Lawrence, out of retirement for the 20th time, felt muscles he’d forgotten about after keeping wicket, while Andrew Hunt battled his way to a first ball duck. He might get a Test place.

With Peter Byrne defying Father Time, runs for years would have brought a substantial total.

As it was, a good game at Bennett Lane last weekend produced more than 600 runs with Heaton edged out by Woodlands.