WHAT’S HOT WHAT’S NOT
HOT WEST INDIES
WHAT a joy to see a cricketing giant rediscover its love for the longer game and what a shame England’s series in the Caribbean comprised just three Tests. Joe Root’s players were magnificent in St Lucia and a five-game series would now have been nicely poised at 2-1 to the hosts. Instead we now get five one-day internationals which will not be quite the same.
MICK HARFORD
THE former Chelsea and Wimbledon striker is 60 now and walking on a replacement knee, but his Luton Town team are standing tall at the top of League One. Harford has been confirmed as manager for the rest of the season after taking over when Nathan Jones left for Stoke. Luton have won five in a row under Harford.
THE RFL
THE good people of rugby league make some odd decisions but here is one that should be noted by other sports. A strict time limit has been set on how long a team are allowed to set a scrum or take a drop out restart. Infringement is punishable by penalty and the move has shortened matches considerably. Football, in particular, should take a look.
NOT ASHLEY YOUNG
The drop-off at the side of the Old Trafford pitch has always felt like an accident waiting to happen, which made Young’s shoulder charge on Angel di Maria even more ill-advised than it appeared. Di Maria’s injuries could have been catastrophic and it was hard not to feel Young should have been more careful. The Manchester United player should certainly have been sent off.
LUCAS TORREIRA
THE young Arsenal midfielder was labelled the new Patrick Vieira after some impressive early season games but as Unai Emery’s team has grown inconsistent so has he. Torreira, 23, is talented and his best form will surely return but currently his less-heralded midfield partner Matteo Guendouzi looks the better bet.
MATT KUCHAR
THE American has been criticised for only paying his stand-in caddie David Ortiz $5,000 of his $1.2m winner’s purse at the Mayakoba Golf Classic last November. The fuss is understandable but the fact remains that the fee was agreed between the two men at the start of the week’s play. Had Kuchar finished dead last in the event he would have earned only $14,112 which would have made a 33 per cent cut to his caddie look very generous indeed.