Everything began brilliantly for England... and Wales. Everything ended brilliantly for England... and Wales. Everything in between was poor. Poor batting, poor bowling, poor shot selection, poor tactics, poor England.

Australia let England believe that 435 was a competitive total in the first innings, before coming down on them like a tonne of bricks. Six-hundred and seventy-four for six. It sounds a lot longer in written rather than numerical form. It seemed a lot lot longer watching it ball by ball.

Australia lost key pace bowler Brett Lee before the game began, injured with a side-strain, shame. England won the toss, and appeared to make the right decision selecting two spinners for the bunson-burner (turner) of a pitch, they also batted first and made over 400. A typical score for batting first. Australia then made nearly 700 and only lost just over half there total wickets. It was painful. The Australia first innings was the key innings, the Aussies have the stronger batting line-up and before the game everyone believed (apart from the Aussies) that England had the stronger bowling attack. The baggy greens soon put pay to that myth, although the pitch played a huge part, offering no serious threat to anyone. It also highlighted the weakness of England's batting, poor decisions-poor concentration-poor batting, everything the Australians were not.

It looked like the game was going to be a comfortable victory for Australia heading into the second session on day five. England were rocking on 70-5 before lunch and when Flintoff and the main hero of the day - Paul Collingwood - came out to bat, all the commentators agreed it was just a matter of time before the game would end, another collapse, another loss from the jaws of safety, another example of England buckling under the pressure. Paul Collingwood wasn't listening. He batted, and batted, and batted. Not in the traditional sense of batting. Not to score runs. Not twenty20. Not swing-six, swing-four, swing-miss-out. But block-leave-block-block-leave-block. Everything that was required. Boring you might say? Not for a real cricket fan. It was tense and towards the end of the match, was bringing a cheer from every ball. Especially when Monty and Jimmy Anderson (both bowlers - not batters - usually) were blocking away towards the end. Huge cheers. Every ball. No runs, no wickets, no appeals, just blocks or leaves, but still huge cheers. Brilliant. They survived. England got away with a draw. It will feel like a win to every player. On we go to Lords, the home of cricket, it will take some beating to better the show put on, in Cardiff, the home of Welsh cricket.

Note: The hype and over-reaction to Kevin Pietersen's shot is ridiculous. All the England batsmen got starts and got out. They all played bad shots. They all played badly. On commentary, Michael Holding gave a fantstic explanation of what the greatest modern batsmen used to do (Viv Richards) before batting. He used to watch the first few overs - decide his plans for different shots he could and could not play against different bowlers - then go and relax. Simple but hugely effective. And brilliant advice for the England team. Monty and Jimmy had plans. They blocked. KP should have had a plan not to sweep Hauritz when the ball was six foot outside off stump. But to suggest - like some columists - that England should drop the best batsmen they have, is just as stupid as the shot itself.

LLANDUDNO TOWN vs ELEMENTS CEFN DRUIDS: Match Abandoned

There was a little drama if you heard Tudno Sport this week when Llandudno met Elements Cefn Druids at Maesddu Park. Both teams had a goal disallowed (Druids with a hand ball into the net, Tudno were ruled offside) while Lee Thomas fired a great long-range effort, only to hit the right edge of the crossbar. Druids' dominated the possession with Tudno taking a rather more progressive approach to the game (though it must be said they were very good on the break).

Unfortunately, the football took a back step when Joe Morgan was tackled to the ground and left with agonising back spasms and a heavy nose bleed. Within moments of the incident, joint manager Grant Montgomery told us that the time it would take to lift Morgan to the ambulance meant the match would be declared void (the game had been goalless with 15 minutes to go). Morgan is now at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan. The latest word tonight is that his condition is thankfully improving.

Of course, best recovery wishes to Joe from all the team at Tudno FM's sports unit.
The next scheduled match is at home to Trafford on Saturday 25th July (1pm kick off), followed by Hollingwood on 1st August and Llanwrst on 8th August (both 2:30pm k.o.)

Real Madrid have still not given up in their pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, with the coach of the Spanish club Manuel Pellegrini insisting: "We are interested."
Full story: The Sun

And in a cheeky move for the Spanish international, Real have decreased their offer for the player by £3m to £22m.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Chelsea will hold intensive talks with captain John Terry as they fear the centre-back is ready to quit to join Manchester City.
Full story: Daily Mirror

However, the Blues will not increase England skipper Terry's wages in an attempt to keep him at Stamford Bridge.
Full story: Daily Mail

Carlos Tevez will complete a £25m move to Manchester City on Monday. The Argentine striker's move will leave Chelsea disappointed.
Full story: Daily Mail

Manchester United are moving closer to signing 20-year-old Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa from Gremio.
Full story: The Times

Aston Villa look set to sign Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing for £12m this week, raising questions over the future of Ashley Young at Villa Park. Striker Young is wanted by Tottenham, but they could lose out to Manchester United or Chelsea.
Full story: Daily Mail

Villa may also be set to lose defender Zat Knight, with Wolves ready to join Bolton in a battle to sign him.
Full story: Daily Mail

Hull have inquired about Cardiff striker Ross McCormack after missing out on Fraizer Campbell, Michael Owen and Marc-Antoine Fortune. (The Times)

Portsmouth are interested in signing Tottenham right-back Pascal Chimbonda and are ready to pay £2.5m for him. (Daily Mail)

Hull are hoping to hijack Ipswich's £3m move for Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy.
Full story: Daily Mail

Sunderland have made an increased bid of just under £6m for Wigan midfielder Lee Catermole, having had an initial bid of £4m turned down.
Full story: Daily Star

Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson has been told there is no way he will be allowed to leave to join Chelsea. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is set to switch his sights from Manchester City defender Richard Dunne to Tottenham centre-back Michael Dawson.
Full story: The Sun

Liverpool's young French midfielder Damien Plessis is wanted on loan by Cardiff - as a potential replacement for Joe Ledley, who has been linked to Everton, Hull and Stoke. (Daily Mirrror)

Hearts winger Andrew Driver is wanted by FC Twente manager Steve McClaren but the ex-England boss faces competition for the player's signature from Burnley. (The Sun)

Tottenham want to sign Sheffield United full-back Kyle Walker - but they would allow him to stay with the Blades for the next year to continue his development. (Daily Mirror)

Celtic have told English Premier League clubs that goalkeeper Artur Boruc is not for sale. (The Sun)

Nottingham Forest have tabled a £1.6m bid for Coventry defender Danny Fox. (Various)

Sunderland have been linked with Saint Etienne defender Efstathios Tavlaridis, who failed to break into Arsenal's first team back in 2001. (The Times)

Hearts have beaten Aberdeen to the signature of Motherwell's out-of-contract midfielder Stephen Hughes. (Daily Express)

Sunderland have completed the deal of former Hull City and Spurs loanee, and Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell.

They have paid an initial £3.5 million, though that could eventually rise to a cool six million.

The player has signed on a four-year deal.

npower Test Match Series: England v Australia

08-07-2009 at Cardiff, Day 4 of 5

Close

England won the toss and decided to bat

England 1st Innings
435 all out (106.5 overs)
England 2nd Innings
20 for 2 (7.0 overs)

Australia 1st Innings
674 for 6 (181.0 overs)

Six riders have now pulled out, leaving 174 men to start stage nine on Sunday, a 160.5km trek from St Gaudens to Tarbes - the last day of this year's Tour in the Pyrenees.

Stage eight result:

1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa/ Caisse d'Epargne) 4 hours 31 minutes 50 seconds
2. Sandy Casar (Fra/Francaise des Jeux) "
3. Mikel Astarloza (Spa/Euskaltel) "
4. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus/AG2R) + 3secs
5. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne ) + 1min 54 secs
6. Christophe Riblon (Fra/AG2R ) "
7. Peter Velits (Slo/Milram) "
8. Sebastien Minard (Fra/Cofidis ) "
9. Jeremy Roy (Fra/Francaise des Jeux ) "
10. Thomas Voeckler (Fra/Bbox-Bouygues ) "

Selected others:

24. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) "
38. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) "
53. David Millar (GB/Garmin) "
97. Charlie Wegelius (GB/Silence) + 14mins 14secs
113. Mark Cavendish (GB/Columbia) + 23mins 02secs

Overall standings:

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) 30 hours 18 minutes 16 seconds
2. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 6secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) + 8
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) + 39
5. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) + 46

Selected others:

16. Carlos Sastre (Spa/Cervelo) + 2minutes 52secs
77. David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 27mins 18 secs
96. Charlie Wegelius (GB/Silence) + 34mins 6secs
131. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) + 49mins 31secs

Rhyl finished up the pre-season campaign before their Champions League tie as comfortable winners at Colwyn Bay last night, though it did take a bit of perserverence before the Lillywhites could get into a lead.

They did offer the first major shot on goal 17 minutes in via Mark Connolly's header at the back post, rebounding from Luke Holden's cross but that was cleared off the line from Danny Jarrett. The Seagulls jumped into the lead five minutes on as a collision between Martyn Naylor and goalie Lee Kendall led to striker Lee Davey flicking home into the net - the chance set up by a through ball from Steve Aspinall.

It was Rhyl's game possession-wise but the Bay defence was proving particularly solid until their equaliser seven minutes into the second half - Greg Strong passed to captain George Horan from Naylor's throw and the header into the top corner proved powerful. Colwyn's Farai Jackson continued to show strength as keeper but it couldn't last - Luke Holden converted from Naylor's cross at the 76th minute and Matty Williams saw off the Seagulls six minutes later. Final score from Llanelian Road - Rhyl 3 Colwyn Bay 1.

But coming back to Rhyl for a moment - their opponents Partizan Belgrade played their last friendly before travelling to Wales last Tuesday night, beating Macedonian side Rabotnicki 2-1. 'Positives prevailed' screamed the headline on their website, albeit in slightly misspelt English.

Young midfielder Radosav Petrovic responded to a poor clearance into the five yard box and headed in for the lead just after the half hour. Brazillian forward Cleo headed in directly from a corner just before half time to make it 2-0 Partizan with Vandeir de Oliviera sending in a nice consolation shot for Rabotnicki 20 minutes into the second half - at which point, aggression and agility was lacking from Partizan with a dependency of subs eating up so much time for play.

Nonetheless, Partizan shall arrive for a short stay in Chester tomorrow, two days before Belle Vue hosts Champions League football for only the second time in its history