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Daren Powell captured his first five-wicket haul to put West Indies on top © Getty Images

Daren Powell successfully grabbed the bowling spotlight from his troubled new-ball colleague Jermaine Lawson with a career-best performance that left Sri Lanka red-faced and under pressure after their third unconvincing batting performance against a side missing ten leading players. Local pre-match hopes that Sri Lanka would cruise to a 2-0 series win were quickly extinguished as they were bowled out for a pathetic 150 in 46.1 overs.However, Chaminda Vaas struck back almost immediately for Sri Lanka, taking 3 for 15 during a fine opening burst either side of the tea interval that left West Indies in tatters on 27 for 4. When Vaas trapped the shuffling Shivnarine Chanderpaul (13) lbw, their only Test class batsman, it looked like Sri Lanka could finish on top despite Daren Powell’s careeer best 5 for 25.Vaas’s removal from the attack, though, after a seven-over burst – a spell shortened by the hangover of his flu – gave them a chance to regroup. Sylvester Joseph (18), who was moved down into the middle order after the inclusion of Ryan Ramdass for a first Test cap, and Narsingh Deonarine frustrated Sri Lanka with a 48 run partnership. Marvan Atapattu was not helped by Muttiah Muralitharan’s unavailability: he was so weakened by flu that he sent down a succession of long hops in a two-over first spell.But Vaas, after a relatively unthreatening spell from Gayan Wijekoon, a bits-and-pieces allrounder that has so far failed to catch the eye with either bat or ball, returned to the attack. Sure enough, he broke through once more, needing just four balls to find the end of Joseph’s bat. Tillakaratne Dilshan hoovered up a sharp low catch at second slip (75 for 5).Deonarine (36 not out) and Denesh Ramdin (eight not out) kept Vaas at bay until the close, leaving West Indies with a sniff of first innings parity, now trailing by 58 runs.While Vaas starred in the evening, the first two sessions belonged to Powell and Tino Best. With Lawson looking a shadow of the bowler that took 8 for 102 in the first Test, unsurprisingly so considering the clouds over his bowling action, Powell and Best rose to the occasion after Chanderpaul gambled at the toss and bowled first on the brown, grassless pitch that offered the prospect of extravagant turn later in the game.Sanath Jayasuriya, one of five players who have been struggling with a flu virus in the lead-up to the game, started the slide, albeit blamelessly so because he was unfortunate to be given out caught behind by Simon Taufel. There was a noise as the ball zipped past a defensive bat, but television replays suggested this was from his bat hitting pad, not ball hitting bat (3 for 1).Sangakkara, though, had no-one to blame but himself for a wild, reckless slash outside his off-stump to a wide but good-length ball from Powell. The ball whistled into the slips where Runako Morton, moving fast and high to his right, guzzled a sharp catch. West Indies, for the third time in the series, were celebrating with a mixture of elation and surprise as Sri Lanka’s top order wobbled.Powell came agonisingly close to a third wicket, but Deonarine could not hold onto a relatively straightforward chance at short leg as Atapattu fended off a brutish delivery. But Atapattu (17) did not last much longer before Best, the great showman of the side, bowled him with an inswinger first up, a ball that zipped back through the gate and knocked back his off-stump (35 for 3).It got worse before it got better for Sri Lanka. Jayawardene, a batting hero in the second innings of the first Test, creamed one boundary but then edged to slip, a dismissal that prompted some excited gesticulations from a delighted and pumped-up Best. Sri Lanka were left wobbling on 42 for 4, once again embarrassed by experienced opponents.Fortunately for the hosts, Tillakaratne Dilshan was in fine form and determined to play positively. He unleashed a series of stylish strokes, taking 15 from one over by Best, to claw Sri Lanka back into a game that was already hinting at an early finish. Dilshan sped to 36 from 48 balls and was supported well by Thilan Samaraweera (37) who dropped anchor.But just when Dilshan and Samaweera looked to have pulled Sri Lanka back into the game, adding 56 in 76 balls, Chanderpaul turned back to Best. His first ball was carved over slip for four but his second was worked into the leg-side. Samaraweera set-off, hesitated, and then sent Dilshan back. Best sprinted to the ball and threw down the stumps on the turn to leave Dilshan millimetres short of his ground.Dilshan’s dismissal was crucial, opening up the tail. Chaminda Vaas, the new No 7, miscued a pull stroke and then Samaraweera and Gayan Wikekoon tried to eke their side out of the hole. But the afternoon drinks break and the return of the lively Powell hurried the innings to a close. Powell finished with 5 for 25 and Best 3 for 50.West Indies could not have made a worse and more amateurish start to their reply as Ramdass and Xavier Marshall were left eyeball-to-eyeball at the strikers end after a horrible communication breakdown. Ramdass’s ignominious start to his Test career was followed next ball by more self-destruction as Marshall drove a half-volley straight to mid off (9 for 2).After the break, Vaas continued to torment West Indies top order, some of whom resorted to batting three foot outside their crease to stop his lethal inswing. But Sri Lanka countered that by Kumar Sangakkara standing up to the stumps and, in truth, Vaas’s next two wickets owed less to swing than misjudgements as Morton shoulder arms and Chanderpaul shuffled right in front of his stumps.

Sri Lanka
Sanath Jayasuriya c Ramdin b Powell 2 (3 for 1)
Kumar Sangakkara c Morton b Powell 6 (17 for 2)
Marvan Atapattu b Best 17 (35 for 3)
Mahela Jayawardene c Morton b Best (42 for 4)
Tillakaratne Dilshan run out (Best) 36 (98 for 5)
Chaminda Vaas c Ramdass b Best 6 (107 for 6)
Thilan Samaraweera c Deonarine b Banks 37 (127 for 7)
Rangana Herath c Ramdin b Powell 1 (130 for 8)
Gayan Wijekoon c Ramdass b Powell 14 (143 for 9)
Lasith Malinga c Ramdin b Powell 0 (150 for 10)
West Indies
Ryan Ramdass run out (Lasith Malinga) 3 (9 for 1)
Xavier Marshall c Atapattu b Vaas 4 (9 for 2)
Runako Morton b Vaas 1 (12 for 3)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw Vaas 13 (27 for 4)
Sylvester Joseph c Dilshan b Vaas 18 (75 for 5)

Inzamam-ul-Haq: will his bowlers get their act together in the second Test?© AFP

Inzamam-ul-Haq has lashed out at Pakistan’s bowlers, after his team suffered a humilating defeat in the first Test at Multan. In a column that appeared in Mid Day, Inzamam claimed that the bowlers were far from “world-class” and that the “hype balloon” had finally burst after they got carted around on the first two days. “In my book, Imran Khan was world-class; so was Wasim Akram. In my book, Anil Kumble is world-class. On a dry, bald, flat wicket he got eight Pakistan wickets without match practice. My flock of pacers is nowhere near that class.”He went on: “You could trust Wasim and Imran to bowl out the opposition on any surface. They didn’t rely only on pace. They had lots of ammunition to suit every surface. The same cannot be said of my pace quartet, who have bowled well only under helpful conditions.”Inzamam was critical of the mental approach of the bowlers, and accused them of getting carried away. “The pre-series hype about our pace bowling versus India’s batting seems to have gone straight to their heads. They have forgotten how to bowl straight. Some former players have added to the hype by subscribing to this theory. When people like Imran say that our attack is world-class, everyone is bound to believe him. But right from the start of the one-day series, it is our bowlers who have let the side down.”But he ended on a hopeful note. “In Multan, the hype balloon finally burst and all the hot air has escaped. Hopefully, it will bring my pacers down to earth, and they will be able to pick themselves up and perform to their potential for a change.”

Auckland go to the top of the State Shield table with a four-wicket victory over Northern Districts that seemed against the odds when ND were 133 for two, when rain threatened to end the game and when more than seven an over were needed with eight overs to go.Victory was achieved thanks to a bludgeoned 30 from 16 balls from Aaron Barnes. It was the second time in as many games that the Auckland beneficiary has settled a close game in the final stages. He did so with 57 not out against Wellington at North Harbour Stadium last Wednesday.Barnes arrived at the crease with 50 needed from seven overs. He began by drilling a ball straight back at Ian Butler, who took rapid avoiding action. Twenty came from Joseph Yovich’s next over, including two sixes. Another followed off Scott Styris. Barnes was caught on the boundary by Styris off Butler having taken Auckland to the brink of victory.Despite the loss of two more wickets, Auckland’s win was inevitable.Put in by Brooke Walker, the story of the ND innings was a familiar one of middle-order collapse, though with the mitigating circumstances of four rain interruptions.After the early loss of Michael Parlane, bowled for one by a ball from Heath Davis that kept low, the top order built a solid foundation. James and Hamish Marshall put on 42 for the second wicket, then Hamish Marshall partnered Styris in an 84-run stand for the third wicket.Styris was bowled by Tama Canning from the last ball before the fourth, and longest, rain break. At 133 for three from 33 overs, ND were well-placed, but the loss of Matthew Hart first ball and Hamish Marshall for 52 meant that three wickets had been lost for four runs.Robbie Hart and Yovich patiently rebuilt the innings with a stand of 53 for the sixth wicket before wickets fell quickly at the end of the innings to leave ND with a final total of 202 for nine after 47 overs.Canning and Kyle Mills were the pick of the Auckland attack with three for 22 and three for 21 respectively. Both made good use of a pitch that offered movement with the bonus of sharp lift from the Members’ End. From the City End, the odd ball kept dangerously low.Auckland began their reply with the preservation of wickets the first priority, so as to minimise the target in the event of an early finish. Llorne Howell was fortunate to survive Butler’s first ball. Beaten by raw pace, he offered a chance that would have been swallowed by Parlane at square leg had an initial misjudgment not drawn the fielder in.Matt Horne retired hurt with an arm injury before he had scored, but this would not affect the calculations.With Tim McIntosh, Howell guided Auckland to 56 before he was caught at first slip by Matthew Hart off Styris at the second attempt.A heavy shower almost finished the game, but with both teams anxious to grab winning points play resumed with Auckland chasing a target of 155.At first Auckland found it difficult to rediscover their momentum. The required rate climbed to more than seven an over, though Lou Vincent was as busy as ever.Then Barnes arrived like a gunslinger from the Old West to give Auckland a third successive State Shield victory.Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell identified the preservation of early wickets as an important factor.”The key was that we were only one down when we got the revised target. With wickets in hand and a couple of boys that hit pretty well we always stood a chance,” he said.He felt that his team did well to get back into the game after a good start by ND.”We didn’t bowl as well as we could have early on. Heath Davis was injured with a hamstring twinge, so had to bowl his overs straight through. Canning did very well to pull them back in the middle of the innings,” he said.Auckland’s winning run is well-timed. “Once you have won a couple of close ones you get into good habits and get used to winning.”O’Donnell put a positive gloss on the absence of Andre Adams from their line-up.”We get him back for the next game, but we don’t have the New Zealand players for the semi-final or final anyway, so we have to adjust to that,” he told CricInfo.Northern Districts travel to Napier to face Central Districts in the last round. A win could still send them through to the knock-out phase, but they will be dependent on other results.Neither are Auckland home and hosed. They face a difficult trip to Jade Stadium to face Canterbury on Sunday, a challenge Mark O’Donnell relishes.”It’s fantastic,” he said. “It is a great opportunity to see how we will go against all their New Zealand players.”

ACC has full confidence in India’s visit to PakistanThe Asian Cricket Council has expressed its ‘fullest confidence’ that India will take part in the Asian Test Championship match against its neighbour scheduled to be played in Karachi in September this year. “We have no doubt the Indian tour to Pakistan this September will take place as scheduled and we are going ahead with the preparations for the grand event,” ACC general secretary Zakir Hussain Sayeed told PTI from Islamabad.Sayeed said “We are fairly certain about the visit as the Indian Government’s letter to the BCCI, which was shown to us at the ACC meeting clearly said India could play against Pakistan in all multilateral tournaments.” According to the schedule announced by the ACC, India is to play the Asian Test Championship match against Pakistan from September 13 to 17 in Karachi.Sahara Group bags cricket sponsorship rightsThe Sahara Group will sponsor the Indian cricket team for the next three years. They bagged the sponsorship rights by paying Rs. 100 crore and have also bought the rights to display the logo on the sleeves of the players, kit bags and track suits of the cricketers. The company can use up to six players to advertise their products, according to reports on Friday.Reports added that a formal announcement about the sponsorship rights will be made in Mumbai on Saturday. Sahara’s bid was 49 percent more than ITC Limited, the previous sponsors of Indian cricket, and the highest ever to be paid a sporting team in the sub-continent. The Indian Cricket Board has been on the look out for new sponsors following the withdrawal of ITC as a result of a Government ban on smoking advertisements.High Court refuses to grant stay on BCCI’s decisionThe Mumbai High Court on Friday refused to grant a stay on the application filed by the proprietor of Gayatri Arts, Shyam Dhumatkar. The ad interim order was delivered by Justice DK Deshmukh, who heard the application filed by Gayatri Arts, a Mumbai-based company, which had sought an injunction from it on the BCCI signing a contract with IMG-TWI or any other group.Dhumatkar claimed the three-year contract was awarded to his company which had made the highest bid of Rs 90 crore through a legal tender advertised by BCCI in a newspaper. On May 22, however, BCCI’s marketing committee held a second meeting in New Delhi where the contract awarded to Gayatri Arts was rescinded and instead awarded to IMG-TWI after open bidding and revelation of prices. However, the BCCI claimed that its communication to Gayatri Arts was not a confirmation letter of the contract but a mere ‘query’. Dhumatkar’s counsel Ashok Paranjpe said he would be challenging the ad interim order of thecourt.Star Sports to telecast India-Zimbabwe series liveStar Sports will telecast the India-Zimbabwe series live starting June 7. The first Test in Bulawayo is to be played from June 7 to 11. It will also telecast live the second Test to be played at Harare from June 15 to 19, a release from Star Sports said on Friday.The telecast timings are from 12.30 pm to 3 pm and 3.40 pm to 8.30 pm, it said and added that highlights of the day’s play will be telecast the following day from 6 am to 8 am.

Sunderland have been handed a huge transfer boost over young midfielder Daniel Neil…

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, the Black Cats will be able to keep hold of the Stadium of Light academy graduate if they win promotion this term.

The report claimed that Premier League quartet Leeds, Aston Villa, Wolves and Brighton are all keen on the 20-year-old and that he is likely to leave if the Wearside club remain in League One for another campaign.

Delight

This news will surely delight Sunderland supporters, as it gives hope that Neil may still be in their defence for 2022/23.

It suggests that the Black Cats faithful will not be fearing the worst if the club can to secure promotion this season. They would not need to worry about Neil departing in the summer ahead of a Championship campaign, leaving the club in the difficult position of needing to replace a key player whilst also trying to strengthen their squad.

This report will also leave fans buzzing, as it suggests that Neil is keen to have a crack with Sunderland in the Championship. The bright lights of the Premier League may prove too much for some to resist, and the midfielder turning down a top-flight move would show amazing loyalty to the club, and that should be respected in the modern game.

Former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson dubbed Neil a “young Paul Gascoigne” and his form in League One this season has been impressive. The 20-year-old has produced three goals and seven assists in 31 starts for the club, whilst creating 1.2 chances and making 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

He has caught the eye in a box-to-box midfield role, showcasing his ability to win the ball back whilst also having an impact on the game when in possession. Neil has the quality to change a game with his passing and shooting in the final third, and he still has plenty of time to develop and hone his skills even further over the next few years.

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This is why Sunderland supporters will surely be delighted to learn that he is set to stay if Alex Neil’s team can secure promotion, as it would be a huge boost to the club based on his form this season and his long-term potential. The Black Cats are currently sixth in the table and could make their way up to the second tier by winning the play-offs, keeping their gem of a midfielder in the process.

AND in other news – Left for £0, value soared 14,900%: Sunderland fumbled gem with a “wand of a left foot”… 

Hopes of survival continue to falter as defeat at Bradford pushed the Silkmen closer to the brink.

Barnet’s Friday night defeat had left the door open for Macclesfield to exit the relegation zone, but on current form the three point gap may as well be thirty. Confidence amongst the players and the fans is close to completely eroded.

The positives from the Crewe game were not built on and Horton did not even emerge for post-match interviews- keeping his players in the changing room long after the final whistle to pick apart the pieces of a dismal display. Of course it’s not over till it’s over, but it is looking increasingly likely that after fifteen seasons we will be back in non-league come August.

Traditionally this is the time for most teams to reflect back upon the season and nominate their player of the season. In our precarious position it is not the most pressing concern for Macclesfield fans and with the form over the last few months the question usually provokes a lot of votes for ‘nobody’. Even those willing to engage on slightly more detailed level will find their choices limited, not least by the fact that few players have stayed fit enough to have consistent runs in the team.

My personal choice would be Shaun Brisley. The (still) young defender has got his career firmly back on track and starting to fulfil the initial promise he showed when he broke into the first team. I was a bit concerned that we would struggle with Morgan unfit at the start of the season, but Brisley has really developed into a fine centre back.  Dominating at the back he spent the first half of the season alongside Nat Brown, forming the heart of one of the league’s meanest defences. A perfect candidate for player of the season. If only he hadn’t been loaned/sold to Peterborough in February.

Obviously some people have pointed the decision to allow such a key player to depart as one of the reasons for our current predicament. There is no doubt that Ben Futcher has not adequately compensated for the loss of quality at the back and if we could turn back the clock I’m sure we would all make a different choice – but how much choice we actually had in selling Brisley is up for debate.

It is one of the sad facts that a club of our size a means will always be vulnerable to losing our better players. It is as frustrating as it is necessary – with small crowds such profits are vital to our long-term existence. On the other hand it may also play a role in costing us our short-term league existence.

You could potentially make the case that the sales of Sinclair and Barnett should have put us in a position to refuse offers, but denying a player the chance to jump two divisions and vastly increase his wages is not necessarily constructive.  Also our financial strength is not as high as it might have been. Given the amount of players we have had to bring in – just look at the squad list on the back of a recent programme – a portion of this extra budget probably has probably been expended.

Perusing the alternatives for a vote will show that despite his early exit, only five players have made more starts for the Silkmen this season. Draper and Tomlinson are amongst the contenders, perhaps as a sign of how much we have missed them as much as what they have done on the pitch.

If results go against us it will seal our relegation on Saturday. If they don’t, you almost feel it will only be to prolong the torture. It will take a near miracle to save us now, there is still time for a miracle worker to step up and be remembered as the hero of the season. Still time, but only just.

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I’m sure Arsenal fans are getting bored with being reminded they haven’t won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup final, so I won’t harp on about Arsenal’s lack of success in recent years. Instead I’m going to suggest the main reason why Arsenal didn’t pick up one of the four trophies they were in contention for this season, was down to their defence. If Arsenal had a dominating and commanding centre back in the team last season I think they would have ended their trophy drought. Due to Thomas Vermaelen’s long term injury Arsenal were left with Johan Djourou, Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny to marshal the centre of defence and there’s not enough quality there for a team who had Championship aspirations.

Arsenal’s centre back trio were erratic all season long and although they did put in some solid performances there was a lack of consistency. Arsene Wenger looked to address the issue in January when he tried to tie up a move for Blackburn’s Christopher Samba. However Samba decided to stay at Ewood Park and signed a contract extension with the club. The Congolese powerhouse may have signed a new contract in February but he hasn’t ruled out a move in the summer and with Phil Jones’ imminent departure to Man United it could be enough to convince him to leave as well.

It appears that Wenger is aware of the defensive frailties in the heart of his defence and while I think he should have been more assertive in January, he looks set to put things right in the summer. Arsenal have been heavily linked with Samba and Gary Cahill in recent weeks and either would make a welcome addition to the defence. Both are quality tried and tested Premier League players which I think is of paramount importance as they won’t need time to adjust to the Premiership. I’m going to focus on Samba and why I think he would be an excellent signing for the Gunners and could make the difference next season.

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What Arsenal lacked last season, that Chelsea had with John Terry, Man United with Nemanja Vidic and Man City with Vincent Kompany, was a strong, powerful defender with determination, athleticism and leadership skills. Chris Samba is blessed with all of those attributes and he would add the steel that was missing in the Arsenal defence last season. A defensive pairing of Samba and Vermaelen looks a very tasty proposition on paper and would certainly rough up opposing centre forwards. Samba’s no nonsense defending and physical presence is a throwback to Martin Keown and Tony Adams who were so successful for Wenger in their time under the Frenchman. Adding this dimension that has been missing from Arsenal’s defence can only enhance the team’s ambitions of lifting a trophy once more.

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Arsenal  are blessed with talent all over the park and if they can hold onto Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas this summer, adding a quality defender such as Samba to the mix could be the missing piece of the puzzle. There will still be many fans who think the goalkeeping situation is also an area of concern and even if Arsenal shore up the defence with a signing like Samba, not buying a quality keeper could still leave a trophy out of reach. Regardless of how Wenger acts in terms of a goalkeeper, I think buying either Samba or Cahill would bolster his leaky defence and make Arsenal more of a force.

With the recent release of Nike’s new football boot, as worn by Cristiano Ronaldo, the Mercurial Vapor Superfly II Safari represents a garish fashion statement and one that many people will treat as farcical. The era of bright coloured football boots has been with us for some time now and has been more or less accepted within the game without cries of laughter and ridicule emanating from those watching. This new launch by Nike represents something new, an evolution you might say, in which boots will become emblazoned with patterns and individual designs. This development got me thinking about how football boots have progressed from a simple functioning design into the aesthetic conscious designs we observe today.

With the football boots players wear can be drawn a certain stereotype or categorization based on that player in light of the boots they’re wearing. I’m not saying it’s true for all circumstances, but on the whole you can determine that, for example, if a player is operating on the wing then they will wear a boot that’s lightweight such as Nike Mercurial Vapors or Adidas F50’s. A striker will be much the same as a winger, whether they put emphasis on dribbling or not will add some weight to which boots they wear. This also applies to central midfield players who will predominantly wear more robust boots, such as Adidas Predators or adiPures and Nike Total 90’s. If a central defender then traditionally in England you’d be expected to strap on a pair of Umbro boots, but in general defenders will opt for the ‘no-frills’ boots. Goalkeepers are a totally different type of mentality and can be extremely varied, largely due to their gloves being more crucial to their role.

Now I know I’ve made some quite all encompassing generalizations but it can be used and is done so by the majority of players. For when a player wants to portray an image of how they play, they must first refer to their own conception of themselves as a player and then seek which football boots compliment that conception. This process then expands onto the pitch where everyone will make some sort of assumption based on the image of the opposing player. Whether this assumption is confirmed or revised is based on how they play, but it comes to show how much of an image conscious sport football has become and even at grassroots with children wishing to emulate professionals by having their boots.

Players such as Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and David Villa wear Adidas F50’s, whereas players such as Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard wear Adidas Predators or adiPure’s. The Nike contingent is made up of players such as Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo to mention a few. These players help to cement the form of player that wears which boot as everyone else will wish to copy the player, reflecting their position and style of play.

I remember when football boots used to cost little more than £50 when I was younger and as I grew up I saw the expansion of boot ranges that consisted of three different levels of the same boot and each having a different price tag dependent upon the quality of the boot. The higher the price tag, the better the boot as the marketing would lead you to believe.

At present there are five different forms of the Nike Mercurial Vapor, each having their respective price, with the top level costing an extortionate £274.99. This development has occurred over some twenty odd years and shows no signs of abating, especially when the belief that certain boots will enhance your abilities and cause you to improve. They may give confidence but stating this candidly, improvement comes from training, dedication and the player themselves and not which safari spotted boots they wish to pose in.

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After being without an international appearance for over 17 months, on Saturday evening at the Britannia Stadium, with seemingly little danger on the horizon, Peter Crouch skillfully juggled the ball and unleashed a spectacular volley into the far corner of the net beyond a helpless Joe Hart, delivering a potent reminder exactly why he is still England’s no.1 target man.

New School Target Man

After watching the Stoke City striker ply his trade in the Premier League for around 9 years I think it can be universally accepted by most England fans that though he may be 6’7, Crouch is never going to be a Duncan Ferguson.  Crouch is never going to be that brutish, old-fashioned British centre-forward that roughs up centre-halves, bullies them into submission and bullets headers into the back of the net.  Crouch is more of a continental style target man, relying more on his technical ability than physical attributes.  This makes him a unique commodity amongst the strikers of his type, being the only English target man more comfortable with a ball played to his feet than towards his head.

Technical Ability

For years Crouch has been subject of the backhanded compliment “He’s got good feet……..For a big man” when the truth is he has good technique regardless of his stature and is one of the country’s most technically gifted strikers.  Crouch may not provide you with the same heading ability as Andy Carroll, or possess the strength of Bobby Zamora, but in terms of technical ability, Crouch is without doubt the stand out candidate of the three.

Reliabilty

Amidst the toil Carroll has experienced at Liverpool and the disjointed season of Bobby Zamora at QPR and Fulham, Stoke striker Crouch has shown he is much more than a steady Eddie.  Across the span of His career the fans of the clubs he has played for would largely vouch for him as a reliable, quality performer.  Throughout the rigours of a Premier League season and on those big European nights Crouch has shown his quality.  Crouch is also a seasoned England international boasting a goalscoring record of 22 goals in 42 games whilst Carroll and Zamora are still unknown quantities, finding their feet at international level, holding only 5 caps with 1 goal between them.  Whilst Crouch may not consistently secure a place is the starting 11, as an England manager when you have him in your team you know exactly what you will get.

Seb’s Verdict

Crouch’s contender for goal of the season on Saturday evening served as a timely reminder in the mind of every England fan and potential England manager that he is more talented than the unspectacular Bobby Zamora, more reliable than young pretender Andy Carroll and still England’s no.1 target man.

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Ray Parlour and Nigel Winterburn, English Premier League title winners with Arsenal, have called on Arsene Wenger to deliver next season.Frenchman Wenger led Arsenal to three league titles and four FA Cups in his first nine years at the club, but the team are now without a major trophy in their last six seasons.

Retired midfielder Parlour, who played in all three league championship victories under Wenger, defended his old manager’s record, speaking at the London Legends Cup on Sunday.

But the fans’ favourite also acknowledged the importance of improving on a poor return in recent years.

“In a way, when Arsene Wenger first came to the club the supporters got a bit spoiled as he continued the tradition of winning trophies,” Parlour said.

“But you also have to look at what else he’s brought to the club with a new training ground and the infrastructure for a new ground.”

“The last six years haven’t been great in terms of winning things so I think he’ll need to reassess things and bring some new players in over the summer.”

Winterburn was a member of Wenger’s first Premier League-winning team in 1998 and also collected the old First Division title with Arsenal back in 1989.

Formerly a left-back, he believes the time has come for Wenger to alter his long-term policy of relying on youth development.

“I think Arsene Wenger will change it in the summer and will bring in some new players,” Winterburn said.

“It’s a massive season for Arsenal next year and a big summer ahead.”

“I think he needs to bring some more players in and maybe let a few go. This is where the manager has to earn his money.”