Sport England support for local cricket club

Sport England yesterday revealed that more than 1,300 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, part of its Olympic and Paralympic legacy program.

England player Chris Tremlett with members of HBBH CC last year.

Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club will receive £50,000 of National Lottery funding to build a new changing room block adjacent to the current pavilion, and to refurbish the existing building into a larger bar and recreation room. The project will allow the club to offer greatly improved sports facilities to members and to also use the refurbished pavilion for a wider range of non-cricket purposes. Meridian Girls Football Club will use the facility in the winter months and the successful bid was a result of close co-operation between the two clubs.

To celebrate the award, local people are being invited to free taster sessions at one of the regular training sessions for all ages. Please contact Head Coach Dave Hayward on 07866 763592 for details.

Sport England's Chair, Nick Bitel, said: "A year on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in North Kent. With investment now on offer from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in North Kent who play such a vital role in grassroots sport."

Club Chairman, John Underwood, said: “We are delighted that we now have the funds in place to further develop our facility. This project will allow us to improve the standard of cricket and football we offer in the local community”

Club Facilities Development Officer Colin Dix said “This is a key milestone in the development of our club. Our refurbishment programme is fundamental to our ongoing efforts to grow the club and to strengthen our playing membership for future”.

Local MP, Tracey Crouch, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Club has been awarded this funding to improve facilities. It will make a huge difference to the development of cricket in the area and support girls football during the winter. This is a really positive step forward for local sport”

Colin Dix and John Underwood speaking about their merger.

Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club is one of well over 300 projects across England receiving lottery investment from the fourth round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of more than 1,300 to benefit overall. Many more communities are now set to benefit from the hugely popular fund, after Sport England today announced that it was extending Inspired Facilities until 2017, with an additional £40 million of National Lottery funding to invest. Bids will be accepted for the next round of Inspired Facilities funding from the 21 October 2013, You can find out more at: www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities

Spence bids to defend title as British team prepare to take on the world

Britain’s Mhairi Spence gets the opportunity to defend her World Championship crown when she competes at the most important modern pentathlon competition since the London 2012 Olympics next month.

Spence won the title in Rome in May of last year and is today named in the GB team to contest the 2013 World Championships in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, from 21 to 27 August.

The 2012 championships were held earlier in the year than usual because of the Olympics, so Spence has had the privilege of reigning as world champion for just over 15 months.

“I was really proud to win the World Championships last year,” she said. “I finally achieved what I knew I could do. It’s nice when you know you’re the best in the world at something, not everyone gets to be a world champion.

“The World Championships have a big meaning for me, because it was also my first individual gold medal,” she added. “I don't think it puts any more pressure on me this time around though. I always go to competitions wanting to do the best I can and wanting to get on the podium.”

Spence, now ranked 10th in the world, is joined in the British team Kaohsiung by another 2012 World Championships individual medallist, Samantha Murray, currently ranked nine in the world.

Murray’s bronze last year was enough to secure her a place on the British team for the London 2012 Olympics, where she won the silver medal, Britain’s last medal of the Games.

Kate French and Freyja Prentice also feature in the GB women’s team for Kaohsiung. Prentice was the highest placed GB woman at this month’s European Championships finishing fourth at her first major competition back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury.

French finished 10th in the individual competition at the Europeans and partnered Spence and Murray to gold in the team event. She won another gold in the women’s relay with Murray and Katy Burke. Burke is non-travelling reserve for the women’s team for the World Championships.

Jamie Cooke, Britain’s 2011 world junior champion who won his first World Cup gold medal in Hungary in May, is confirmed for the men’s team along with double Olympian Sam Weale.

Joe Evans, the 19-year-old who won bronze at his first World Cup in the USA in February, has qualified for the team through the Pentathlon GB ranking list.  He will make his senior World Championships debut if he is fit and healthy after next week’s World Junior Championships in Szekesfehervar, Hungary.

Double Olympian Woodbridge will be assessed midway through the forthcoming two-week training camp at altitude at Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees to see if he has sufficiently recovered from injury to contest the championships.

Nineteen-year-old Sam Curry is non-travelling reserve.

The Britain train at the Pentathlon GB High Performance Centre at the University of Bath. The University today announced a strengthened partnership with Pentathlon GB. A separate release has been issued on this entitled Unique partnership strengthens University’s sporting reputation

GB athletes competing at the World Championships(Name – date of birth, from – lives)

Women

Kate French  - 11.02.91, Meopham, Gravesend - Bath
Samantha Murray – 25.09.90, Clitheroe, Lancashire - Bath
Freyja Prentice -  20.05.90 – Inverurie near Aberdeen - Bath
Mhairi Spence – 31.08.85, Farr, near Inverness - Bath

Non-travelling reserve
Katy Burke – 01.06,89, Cleveleys, near Blackpool - Bath

Men
Selected
Jamie Cooke  - 03.03.91, Cheltenham – Bath
Joe Evans *  - 05.09.93,  Whitchurch, Shropshire – Bath
Sam Weale – 09.02.82, East Coker near Yeovil, Somerset

*subject to being fit & healthy after World Junior Championships

Fitness to be assessed at Font Romeu
Nick Woodbridge – 01.07.86, Telford, Shropshire - Bath

Non-travelling reserve
Sam Curry – 03.09.93, Redhill - Bath

Women

Kate French  - 11.02.91, Meopham, Gravesend - Bath
Samantha Murray – 25.09.90, Clitheroe, Lancashire - Bath
Freyja Prentice -  20.05.90 – Inverurie near Aberdeen - Bath
Mhairi Spence – 31.08.85, Farr, near Inverness - Bath

Non-travelling reserve
Katy Burke – 01.06,89, Cleveleys, near Blackpool - Bath

Senior British medals in 2013World Cup 1: bronze – Joe Evans, Palm Springs, USA, February

World Cup 4: gold – Jamie Cooke, Budapest, Hungary, May
            bronze – Mhairi Spence, Budapest, Hungary, May

European Championships: gold – women’s team relay (Katy Burke, Kate French    & Samantha Murray) Drzonkow, Poland, July
            gold – women’s team (Kate French, Samantha Murray & Mhairi Spence) Drzonkow, Poland, July
                                                bronze – men’s team relay (Jamie Cooke, Sam Curry & Joe Evans) Drzonkow, Poland, July

2013 World Championships schedule
Wednesday 21 August: Women’s individual qualification
Thursday 22 August: Men’s individual qualification
Friday 23 August: Women’s individual & team final
Saturday 24 August: Women’s individual & team final
Sunday 25 August: Mixed relay
Monday 26 August: Women’s relay
Tuesday 27 August: Men’s relay

Pentathlon GB is the National Governing Body for the Olympic Sport of Modern Pentathlon. For further information please see www.pentathlongb.org <http://www.pentathlongb.org/> 
You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PentathlonGB <http://www.facebook.com/PentathlonGB> and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PentathlonGB <http://www.twitter.com/PentathlonGB> 
The modern pentathlon sees athletes tackle fencing, swimming, show jumping and a run/shoot all in one day.

Great Britain's women have collected an impressive haul of five modern pentathlon medals from the last four Olympic Games, with Steph Cook winning gold at Sydney 2000 and Kate Allenby bronze, Georgina Harland taking bronze at Athens in 2004, Heather Fell winning silver at Beijing in 2008 and Samantha Murray taking silver at London last year.

Medway Monday

Silent Sunday

3BT: I know what it is! Don’t tell me ...

You know when you hear a song and you can’t quite place what it’s called or who it’s by? That.

Paul Anka swings rock ...

Alexander Stewart turns blonde ...

re:jazz keep things movin' ...

I know, it's been awhile since I posted here and as you can see the blog has had another re-design! I actually really like this template and background, wishing I'd found them sooner now. Lots of stuff's been happening, England are number one cricketing test team in the world, the McLarens are keeping up in F1 - but it's moving to Sky next year, boo, so we'll forget all about it. C'est La Vie Bernie - you wanna be the biggest spectator sport in the world you gotta be on the station most of us watch - BBC. But then, you're probably veiwing on the way to the bank, so whatever.

Ashes Win for England, Whoop Whoop!

Not just retaining, mind, but a proper outright win in Australia for the first time in twenty-four years! That makes it three out of the last four series I believe - and Captain Andrew Strauss reckons they've yet to hit their peak!

The 3-1 victory was sealed in the final test by an innings and 83 runs slaughter; read all about it courtesy of those nice sports people at the BBC!

McLaren Watch!

A terrific 2nd and 3rd place in the final race in Abu Dhabi for Lewis and Jenson respectively wasn't enough to lift them into the top 3 overall, although it gave McLaren 2nd in the constructors championship. Vettel took the win (and will have the mickey taken out of him till the day he dies, for his emotional reaction!) and the title, as Alonso, unable to get past Petrov to mount a challenge, finished in 7th place on the day and 2nd in the championship. Mark Webber took 8th on the day, enough to secure 2nd place overall.

Final leadboard:
Sebastian 256; Fernando 252; Mark 242; Lewis 240; Jenson 214

Constructors:
Red Bull 498
McLaren 454
Ferrari 396

Watch the GP in 90 seconds!

McLaren Watch

It's all over for Jenson unfortunately, even with a storming 5th place finish from 11th on the grid, the 1-2-3 for Vettel, Webber and Alonso takes them out of his reach. Lewis was 4th but is also out, bar a miracle (but we know they can happen one in a million! I mean, there's always the first corner, right?) he'd have to win and the other three not finish to take the title.

A shame, but at least they were there or thereabouts. And we can't be greedy, can we? Let Mark Webber borrow it for a year. At least, given the choice from those three, I'd like to see Mark take it!

Leaderboard: Fernando 246, Mark 238, Seb 231, Lewis 222, Jenson 199

In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull are confirmed as the winners, with 469 points. McLaren currently second on 421, with Ferrari on 389.

See the race in 90 seconds!

McLaren Watch

A turnaround for the McLaren boys this week, as Lewis crashes out but Jenson purrs away at the start; unfortunately he's overtaken by Alonso during the pit stops but still finishes in second place - with damage to the car!

Luckily, the Red Bulls didn't take full advantage - see the race in 90 seconds here! It's still anyone's title:

Mark 187 points
Lewis 182
Fernando 165
Jenson 166
Sebastian 163

European Swimming Championships

Great Britain's swimmers returned from Hungary with their best ever medal haul from these championships - 18 in total!

There were 6 Golds:
Hannah Miley, 400m IM
Lizzie Simmonds, 200m backstroke
Fran Halsall, 100m freestyle
Gemma Spofforth, 100m backstroke
Rebecca Adlington, 400m freestyle
Womens 4x1 medley relay

6 Silvers:
Womens 4x100m freestyle relay
Gemma Spofforth, 200m backstroke
Lizzie Simmonds, 100m backstroke
Liam Tancock, 50m backstroke
Fran Halsall, 100m butterfly
Kate Haywood, 50m breaststroke

and 6 Bronze:
Liam Tancock, 100m backstroke
Womens 4x200m freestyle relay
Ellen Gandy, 200m butterfly
Fran Halsall, 50m freestyle
Joe Roebuck, 200m IM
Hannah Miley, 200m IM

For the day by day countdown and quotes, check out the BBC website here.

Sportsnight

Andy Murray followed his victory over Rafa Nadal to retain his Rogers Cup title in Toronto - with a win over Roger Federer.

A Gold and two Silvers in the World Field Archery championships, as Alan Wills headed a GB one-two in the recurve. And our paralympian archers have won 10 medals, including four golds at the Para-archery European championships in France.

In Equestrian, Emily Parker was a double champion, winning the individual title as well as GB taking the team title at the Young Rider European Championships. And there was a third place finish for Team GB in the Nations Cup series.

Celebrating Team GB's best European Athletics Championships ever!

The heady days of Split in 1990 have been eclipsed, with Team GB bringing home 19 medals from Barcelona and finishing third in the medal table, behind Russia and France.

Although we won 9 golds back in Spilt, the overall total is encouraging as we head towards London 2012, especially as some of our key athletes are currently sidelined by injury.

The six gold medallists are: Mo Farah (5,000m and 10,000m double); Phillips Idowu (Triple Jump); Andy Turner (110m hurdles); Jessica Ennis (Heptathlon); Dai Greene (400m hurdles);

There were silvers for: Chris Thompson (10,000m); Mark Lewis-Francis (100m); Michael Bingham (400m); Christian Malcolm (200m); Rhys Williams (40m hurdles); Michael Rimmer (800m); Mens 4x400m;

And bronze medals to: Martyn Bernard (High Jump); Martyn Rooney (400m); Perri Shakes-Drayton (400m hurdles); Jenny Meadows (800m); Womens 4x400m; Chris Tomlinson (Long Jump)

And here's what they said afterwards!

McLaren Watch

Ok, so, technically it's 2-0 to the Germans today, as Vettel won the European Grand Prix as well as his compatriots proving what we all knew in our hearts - the current England footballers are not as good as the industry would have us believe: The Golden whatevers? Who termed them that, their agents? Give 'em the Golden Boot is all I can say!

Anyway, Lewis survived an early scare to drive to second and Jenson was third, so they maintain their lead at the top of the driver standings, although Vettel has jumped up to third. Webber proved that Red Bull really do have wings - the re-tweeted joke doing the rounds, following his massive accident; how he walked away a testament to the toughness of these cars. Do check the on-board camera!

Lewis is on 127, Jenson 121, Vettel 115, Webber 103, Alonso on 98. McLaren still at the top on 248, Red Bull 218 and Ferrari a distant third on 165.

Why we won't win the football ...

... although, as an Englishwoman, it goes without saying I hope I'm proven wrong.

The distinct lack of heart within the team against Algeria, combined with Rooney's little tirade set me thinking as to why the national football team appear to suffer a lack of motivation. And I'm probably being mean, but I think it comes down to need.

English Premiership players enjoy an extraordinary lifestyle, with money and riches that far outstrip any of our other professional sportsmen and women, many of whom consistently deliver the results at World level: Our triathletes, rowers, swimmers, sailors, cyclists and so on - you know who they are if you're a regular reader of this blog. Even our rugby and cricket teams, vilified if they lose, have both delivered world titles in the past seven years - and seriously, who expects them to win every time out? Except the media, obviously. But the players know they have to deliver consistently or they're out, there's always someone new waiting to take their spot. Where's that strength in depth in football? It's the single biggest sport in this country isn't it? (Apart from fishing and martial arts I believe - and competitors in both deliver on the world stage).

So why? As I say, I think it's need: Individuals in the so-called "unfashionable" sports have to deliver and keep on delivering, to retain funding or attract sponsorship and to keep their place in the squad. Steve Redgrave, from my distant memory, didn't have regular sponsorship until after his third Olympic Gold. His third, for goodness sake! They have to deliver, again and again, to be able to compete at the same level. But our professional footballers don't need to, do they? They've got their £100k a week contract, irrespective of injury or loss of form and seem to retain their place in the national side even if suffering from both. Is there any strength in depth? (My teen son said he'll play for England for nothing, he can at least control the ball! Meiow!) Ian Botham said just pulling on the England shirt was motivation enough.

From being able to name the whole Ashes 2005 side, I'm struggling now to name any (just too busy to keep up, sorry lads!) Likewise the rugby team has changed majorly since the 2003 World victory. But the football team? I reeled off who the squad was likely to be and yet I take less notice of football than I do anything else. So does it come down to media pressure, building them all up so much it gives us false hopes or a management too scared to try anyone new? Everyone has an off day - but the whole team practically at the same time? Something seriously lacking, isn't there? Pride? Desire? Need? We'll see on Wednesday.

McLaren Watch

Wow - who'd a thought it! I mean, I did, when Lewis stormed to pole position yesterday, but when he lost the lead today and off went Webber again, I doubted! So I watched - and the boys brought home a one-two result again! Fab-u-lous!

Strategy and luck with regard to tyres played their part in a brilliant result for McLaren - a backmarker gave Jenson the opportunity for a cheeky little pass on Alonso - watch the highlights here. It sees the leaderboard with just 15 points now covering the top 4 drivers.

1. Lewis 109

2. Jenson 106

3. Mark Webber 103

4. Fernando Alonso 94


And at the head of the constructors table, McLaren extend their lead over Red Bull and Ferrari. And I'd tell you by how many points but neither the BBC website nor Teletext have updated the tables yet. I'm assuming Jake is too busy celebrating with McLaren ...

McLaren Watch

Yee-Haa! Another one-two for the boys in Turkey, this time Lewis taking his first win of the season – not that Jenson let him have it easy!

Even with the Red Bulls coming out ahead of the McLarens after the pit-stop, the speed of the silver cars continued to pile on the pressure until Vettel, overtaking his team-mate Webber, appeared to misjudge how far ahead he was and pulled across, banging his right rear tyre into Webber’s chassis. Or Webber didn’t move across like the team would have preferred. Or Vettel is an over-excited idiot. Or Webber is nuts. Only Christian Horner will ever know for sure!

Anyhoo, it meant that the McLaren boys went steaming ahead and would maintain position to the flag. Or not, as they resorted to giving the fans a real treat of actual racing, as in, wheel to wheel, swapping the lead-type racing – McLaren told them they needed to conserve fuel so they backed off, leaving Lewis ahead. Which seems fair, he qualified higher and stayed ahead in the race – perhaps they need prior agreement that the highest place qualifier or quickest on the day takes it, so we’re spared the anguish of them doing a Red Bull!

Leaderboard then: Webber on 93, Jenson back up to second on 88, Lewis a huge leap to third on 84. Alonso is in fourth on 79, as Vettel slips to fifth on 78. In the constructors, McLaren leapfrog Red Bull by a massive ...er, one point! 172 plays 171, with Ferrari in third on 146.

England Win 20/20 Cricket World Cup!

By slaughtering the Aussies, Oh, Yes! With 7 wickets and 3 overs remaining - our first one day title in 35 years! Kevin Pietersen *swoon* (and congratulations to him and Jessica on the birth of their baby son) won Player of the Tournament, with Craig Kieswetter Man of the Match.

Full details on the BBC Sport website.

McLaren Watch

Well it's all gone a bit t*ts up hasn't it, with Jenson out and Lewis finishing in 5th. I told you I shouldn't watch live, didn't I? I'm consoled myself with a Penguin.

So Jenson is dumped down to 4th in the championship, on 70 pts, below new championship leader Webber on 78 pts, same as team-mate Vettel in 2nd, but one more win puts him ahead. Alonso is on 73 in 3rd, Massa in 5th on 61 and Kubica given 6th ahead of Lewis, both on 59 pts.

Red Bull (156) and Ferrari (134) both leap frog McLaren (129) in the Constructors championship.

Sportsnight

In Boxing, John Murray added the European Flyweight title to his British belt.

Continuing the excellent gymnastic European Championships, Daniel Keating and Louis Smith took Gold and Silver in the Pommel Horse, with Beth Tweddle becoming double Gold medallist on the floor and uneven bars.

Three Golds and a Silver at the sailing World Cup, for windsurfer Bryony Shaw, 49ers Brotherton and Asquith and Paul Goodison in the Laser class; Charlotte Dobson with the silver in the Laser Radial.

Fencer Richard Kruse retains Copenhagen World Cup title; World Cup bronze for Chrystall Nicoll.

Karina Bryant and Euan Burton win bronze in the European Judo Championships.

McLaren Watch

I told you, didn't I - a one-two when I wasn't watching means I can't watch again now. But hubby getting up early meant two hours snore-free sleep for me that I simply had to take advantage of.

So, another good call for tyres saw Jenson nab victory in another rain hit race, while Lewis stormed through the field - even with 4 pit stops and a reprimand - in another fantastic drive to grab second place!

Jenson now leads the championship by 10 points from Nico Rosberg (still beating team-mate Michael Schumacher) 60 points to 50, with Lewis in 4th, tied on 49 pts with Alonso in 3rd, due to Alonso's one win.

McLaren are now clear leaders in the Constructors Championship, 109 points to Ferrari's 90.