Michael Owen has hailed Steven Gerrard as “the perfect footballer” as England conclude their countdown to the World Cup finals with this week’s friendly internationals against Hungary and Jamaica at Old Trafford. Red-top interest in what passes these days for a footballer’s private life seems to have diminished; Arsenal have come close to becoming champions of Europe, Campbell heading an excellent goal in the final; and, granted the desired time on the grass, he has avoided further injury and earned his place in the England squad for a sixth successive tournament.. On the long walkway from the dressing rooms to the team bus Sol Campbell, an unused substitute, is talking for the first time about a traumatic couple of months since walking out on his team-mates during a home defeat by West Ham, and the possible effect on his World Cup prospects. Although affecting an optimistic air, he admits to needing matches and speaks darkly of “people who have their own hidden agendas, who want to play their games”, and of “continual lies and talking crap”

Seven weeks on, the mood has lightened.

In that period, England have won 17 and drawn eight, but how much easier it might have been.. Early April in Turin, and Arsenal have just eliminated Juventus in a Champions’ League quarter-final. Nine at Lord’s have been followed by three (so far) at Edgbaston

There has never been anything like it Actually, there has. Indeed, in the previous 30 matches before this Test, coinciding with England’s golden run, the team have become dropping experts. Paul Nixon ended on 71 not out and the former Test player Hylton Ackerman scored 64.Somerset’s England bowler Ian Blackwell has a shoulder injury needing surgery and is likely to miss the rest of the season.. So far in this international summer there seem to have been England drops galore.

However, the youthful bowling of Oliver Newby and Thomas Smith worked wonders, with the pair picking up two wickets each, to leave Nottinghamshire reeling on 72 for 4 from 28 overs. The promising Smith bats left-handed but bowls medium-pacers with his right hand and this is his first year as a professional.The Second Division match at Taunton between Somerset and Leicester also ended in a draw. The result meant that Middlesex remain bottom of the table and an embattled John Emburey, their director of cricket, fears the worst. “We have got to play more positive cricket – it is no good sitting back,” he said.At Old Trafford, Nottinghamshire saw off the challenge of Lancashire to register a draw despite conceding a first-innings deficit of 55 runs.

However, time and the weather, were not on Warne’s side and the game ended in a draw.Middlesex’s First Division match against Warwickshire was abandoned after only 18 overs were bowled. He then declared when Hampshire reached 176 for 6, after John Crawley had scored an uncharacteristic, not to mention hectic, 83 not out off 80 balls This left Kent needing 225 win from a minimum of 48 overs. Game on.
After 17 overs Kent were 55 for 3 with Robert Key bowled by a leg-spinner – Warne again. The home captain started by finishing off Kent’s first innings for 223, despite an unbeaten 61 from the South African Andrew Hall, ending up with bowling figures of 4for 38. As most first-class matches around the country lurched towards inevitable rain-affected draws, Shane Warne bucked this trend by turning a sure-fire stalemate into a thriller – one more akin to North by Northwest than The Da Vinci Code – and in the process proved again just what a special and truly entertaining cricketer he is. When the rain finally permitted play yesterday some six hours late it was felt that Sri Lanka might swiftly crumble if England could gain early wickets..

Twice now England have had their hands round the tourists’ throat only to caress it at the first sign of resistance. Despite Sri Lanka’s intermittently obliging efforts to co-operate, the comfortable scenario has stubbornly refused to emerge. Yesterday, as the level of expectation fell, all they could think of was a rhythmic chant of his name, but it was the only one that excited them.. The general consensus about the first Test series of the summer was that England would win with plenty to spare. This suggestion is expected to appear in the next volume of Poppycock of Our Time.