There is such thing as bad publicity

Yes I know the test match is into it's second day but stuff that, rugby league takes top billing on Fridays. Ok? Good.

Saints remain top of the Super League after larruping Castleford Tigers 68-12 at something called the GPW Recruitment Stadium. Knowsley Road to you and I. I don't approve of one-sided shellackings in Super League. It makes the competition look bad, and it won't be long before some smug Australian broadcaster is denouncing our game and comparing it to a game of tag on the school field. Nevertheless Castleford deserve it.

They've gone way down in my estimation since they got involved in the whole Dwain Chambers sideshow. It's no wonder rugby league struggles to expand when it's clubs insist on dragging it's name through the brown stuff in their desperation for a little publicity. Irish writer and dramatist Brendan Behan said there was no such thing as bad publicity. He was wrong.


Meanwhile Sky Sports were busy covering Warrington's 32-28 squeak past Bradford Bulls. It was a game which featured more errors than Richard Branson's English O'Level paper, but was no less exciting for that. The highlight of Sky's coverage was surely the comical argument between Phil Clarke and former Warrington coach Paul Cullen, guesting as a summariser for the first time since leaving the Wolves. Cullen dismissed Clarke's claims that Warrington are poor defensively (they have conceded 20 or more points in something like 11 consecutive outings), arguing that their inability to keep hold of the ball in attack puts too much pressure on them in defence.

Clarke retorted by suggesting that Warrington do not do any more defending than any other side, and the two continued to raise their spat at regular intervals during the game. Stevo weighed in by shouting 'DROP GOAL' loudly, despite the fact that no attempt at a 'one-pointer' had been made or was even in anyone's mind. It was pure Partridge.

Leeds Rhinos beat Huddersfield Giants 46-8 to stay in touch with Saints, but it is the super mighty ones who still lead the way on points difference.

And so to Lords, where England batted the living shit out of South Africa for a second day running. Resuming on 309-3, England moved on to 593-8 declared before putting South Africa in to bat for a rain-curtailed session which only comprised just over three overs. Earlier, Kevin Pietersen had thrashed his way to 153 before being caught behind by Mark Boucher off the bowling of Morne Morkel, while Ian Bell prompted the declaration when he was caught and bowled by Paul Harris on 199. Seconds earlier, Sky's comedy commentator David Lloyd reminded us that no England batsmen had ever got out on 199.

Stuart Broad was also in the runs, making 76 before being clean bowled by Harris. Paul Collingwood's position in the side must be under threat after he was (wrongly) given out caught at short leg by Hashim Amla off Harris also, while Tim Ambrose's poor form continued as he was caught by Graeme Smith off Morkel for just 4.

Kim Kirchen still leads the Tour de France by six seconds from Australia's Cadel Evans, that after Spain's Luis-Leon Sanchez claims victory in a rather hilly stage seven. Another Spaniard, Manuel Beltran, shows a keen respect for the traditions of the race by testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO.

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo causes outrage by backing the insane comments of Sepp Blatter from yesterday, and Peter Crouch finally seals an £11million switch from Liverpool to Portsmouth. Thank God.