Hallam's Journal

I think it is worth underlining just how excited I am about Kimi Räikkönen's participation in this weekend's Rally Finland. Through the trees and over the jumps, with one of the world's best codrivers (Kaj Lindstrom) shouting at him the whole way through. Kaj is very impressed with Kimi's skills, and thinks they could do quite well. I think we'll have to wait and see how he does with the jumps and blind crests. There are a hell of a lot of them, and the drivers have to get them all right - get the line and speed spot on and be on the gas at the exact right moment or they'll end up in the ditch, up a tree, or with broken suspension.

Here is a photo of his Kiminess with Dave TV presenter (and general good egg) Neil Cole, post interview this morning. Interview will be on the WRC programme on Dave at 6 this Sunday.

Kimi is well up for it and I think it's looking more and more like he will come right over to the rally side. I bet Heikki is sulking awfully about the fact that Kimi is allowed to go rallying and he isn't.

In other Rally Finland news, Jari-Matti Latvala has promised to try very hard to be good. Or, on second reading, has said that he thinks he may be capable of being good. Which isn't the same thing. Quite sweet that he was surprised to be allowed to keep his job. I wonder, would someone less sweet-natured and adorable have gotten the boot? Seriously, it may have been a factor (I doubt the claims that he pays to drive. I do think that not wanting to lose him to another team was a factor in Papa Wilson's decision to keep him on for next year, though).

I shall be following the rally and the Edgbaston test throughout the weekend, with one browser window for wrc.com and one for cricinfo.com. Shame Birmingham is underwater today, so no play possible (thus far, but I bloody doubt the pitch will dry out by five-ish or whenever). It'll probably be a draw, but who knows.

EDITED TO ADD LINK TO SHORT Q&A ON wrc.com and also to say, well, play is going to start at Edgbaston at five after all. We have to try to take advantage of any chink in the Australian armour, and we must absolutely not be tempted into any kind of overconfidence. It'll still be a bloody draw, though.

So, Sir Allen Stanford is a wrongun, eh? You don't surprise me.

I bet all and sundry are regretting getting into bed with him. Sir Vivian Richards, the WICB and the ECB to name but three. Sir Viv must be as bitter as aloes right now.

Have the various boards and the West Indian players who won their million dollars each, actually seen the money?

Well now. Kevin Pietersen resigned, Peter Moores gone too.

We really have got ourselves in a right mess, haven't we?

I have to say, if I had to get 387 runs to save my life, and I could choose anyone in the world to go out in the middle and make those runs; I would pick Virender Sehwag. He hits anything and hits it anywhere. Just beautiful to watch. The bat moves beautifully, the shots are picked with precision. Incredible.

Finally we got him out but oh my what an innings for the man.

What about Pádraig Harrington, eh?
Two majors on the bounce, first European to do that since the 1930s I think, or maybe ever.

He's suddenly become one of the best golfers in the world. Not just a European contender any more. It's that "knowing how to win" thing, I think. Once you've won something big, you know that you can do it, and the uncertainty is removed. What Pádraig has done in this year's Open and now in the US PGA tournament is to make sure that in the final two rounds he keeps on going steadily and carefully in order to keep in touch, to be always there or thereabouts up with the leaders - even if he's had a not so good round on the first couple of days. Far too often, European golfers in majors have a tendency to make a mistake and then lose their footing, instead of regrouping and carrying on - or instead of that, going too hard for maximum attack, which is how you end up in trouble. To watch the precision and self-control of Harrington as a golfer now is quite something. Reminds me of Nick Faldo.

Again, I'd have quite liked to see Sergio Garcia win it, but he made a mistake on the 16th that cost him. And you just can't begrudge Harrington winning like that with such a superb, precise, error-free round.


We just need another 90 odd runs to beat South Africa, all ten wickets remaining. Not bad. Keep on in there.

Once again, two wickets justlikethat.

Michael Vaughan: TURMOIL.

Aggers and chums are saying that Vaughan probably didn't touch it, looking at Sky's Hotspot, and the snickometer is pending...

Ladies and gentlemen, after a period Away, a period in which a lacklustre and confused Kevin Pietersen was to be heard mumbling some sub-"Lion King" bobbins about "the cycle of life" ... I am pleased to announce the return, in full health and vigour, of Kevin Pietersen's Immense Ego!

He has "invented a new shot", a reverse handed slog-sweep effort. Should it be outlawed, as it is a left handed shot against a field set for a right hander? No, saith the Kev, because "To be honest, if you're playing right-handed you shouldn't even have the ability to hit left-handers for six like I do, so no, it's not a problem".

Welcome home, Kevin Pietersen's Immense Ego. We've missed you.

Well done the Jimmy Anderson, eh?

NZ have won the toss and put us in to bat.
Right.
Let's see what's the crack with their all-new cheaty techno-trousers, then.