LIKE A PHOENIX OUT OF THE ASHES
Let’s get the elephant out of the room first, shall we? I’m sure much of this magazine will be dedicated to Australia’s incredible Ashes victory against the English, so you won’t need me to add more to it. Long story short, England were annihilated, and deservedly so. It is a performance we should be ashamed of, and one that will sting for many years to come. Although I will say this: there has never been a better time for some of England’s new stars to take over. Players like Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell and Stuart Broad stepped up under the new regime at the time, and succeeded. Now it’s time for a new generation of Englishmen to make that change. Similarly, so many of these rampant Australian players are on the wrong side of thirty. New players will come in, inevitably fuelled by this majestic win. The doors are wide open, boys.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. The majority of you reading – and writing – this fine magazine are sitting in sunny Australia right now. Sandy beaches, barbecues and Karl Kennedy – you’re having a wonderful time. I, on the other hand, am sitting in old London town. It’s cold and dark and rainy here. Our Christmases were spent praying that the clouds will clear and we’re now patiently waiting for July, when Spring MIGHT just rear its head. What am I doing here, you say? How have I managed to hijack this tiny corner of Sports Report? I’m here to bring you the sports news that you want, but from a slightly different perspective, from the eyes of a Pom sitting ten thousand miles away. So without further ado:
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By Jafar Iqbal