The Harmison question.

Firstly, sorry but this is going to be a purely cricket entry, I just need to voice my opinion on the Internet.
Steve Harmison, is he or is he not a good bowler? Well, whenever he leaves his treasured northern home for more than a week he complains about it, how he needs to get back to his northern chums, his northern family and his northern north, this does cause some problems. He is generally inconsistent and very irrational, I'm not just talking about how he bowls here, more like how after the dismal Ashes 2006 campaign he decided to retire from the shorter form of the game because...Yes that's right, he was missing the north. Now his bowling, for after all he is primarily a bowler, I can't help but feel that nearly all his wickets are luck....Kasporizch getting out to him at Edgbaston when he really gloved it, Warne walking across his stumps etc...That said, he is VERY unlucky, his height allows him to get great bounce from a surface, unfortunately the England selectors fail to see this and pick him on very flat dull wickets like the one in Sri Lanka and Jamaica then start yelling at him when he bowls 10 overs for 1000000 runs.

In the video below Harmison is about to bowl the first ball in the most eagerly anticipated Ashes series ever.


It was very wide.

Then again, we see him trying to kill the Australian captain in an earlier Ashes series.


Unfortunately for this country, there isn't really anyone else...Maybe Sidebottom if his back ever gets better. So really that's my conclusion, we continue to hope that he has another of his RANDOM flashes of brilliance and just trudge through the bad times as well as any England fan can.

Tom,

Call Of Duty 5 review

I did mean to go out and play some cricket today, but the weather has decided to intervene, wouldn't it be great if Britain could just replace New Zealand or something...Yes because that's going to happen.

ANYWAY, I went out and bought Call of Duty 5 on ps2, I hear it's a lot better on PS3/360, you get to fight in Stalingrad, there's a Nazi zombie bonus mission, all this they shove on the better consoles to try and persuade me to buy them, they did that long ago, what Sony and Microsoft still don't realise is I don't have £200.

I've completed about 4 levels and it's.......It's OK, so far I've just been fighting the Japanese in various weird islands, trust me the islands are very odd, it's nearly always raining and the sky tends to be red. It's a bit tedious all this Jap killing, I'm surprised the whole America V Japan campaign hasn't been incorporated in earlier Call of Duty's seeing as Americans tend to go on about it so much. But hey, Activision has finally given way and I'm fighting suicidal Japanese infantry, THEY ARE INSANE!!!!! Earlier, me and my fellow American chums had to deal with about twenty Japs running at us screaming, they were dealt with, but what the hell??????

The back of the box does assure me that we'll move on from Japan eventually, it says something about Bastogne which is quite cool as 2 Band of Brothers episodes are set in Bastogne.

As far as graphics are concerned, it's good, better than COD3 but still a little sketchy, no ps2 game seems to be able to code fire graphics without it looking ridiculous, but hey ho this is probably another plot of Sony's to lure me into going out begging on the streets for money so I can buy a ps3 ad marvel at it's shiny looking fire graphics.

When it comes to all round explosions everywhere, COD style CRAZINESS, it excels, I'm constantly being thrown of my feet (not me, the character I play in the game) and having to avoid random falling palm trees, which disappointingly have no coconuts I can either eat or lob back at the enemy.

That's all for this pretty dull entry,

Tom,

P.S: Just got to the level where you play as the British, WHY ARE THEY ALL NORTHERN???

I hate overtype.

Why do I care so much about something I don't care about?...Can't even make sense in English, God help me when it comes to French tomorrow. My whole 'I don't care,' front is starting to wear now, I actually do care, just want a C damn it, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm just going to believe what E and Brother Sebery told me, it will be fine, thank you E by the way, you actually are the best. Thank you also Brother Sebery, I'm afraid your not the BEST, but you are the greatest religious fanatic I've met.

Once this oral is out the way, I'd better make a start on learning some lines for Drama, ok all my lines. I'm not sure anyone else has, the crazy girl who plays the main character certainly hasn't/won't.
Quick word on the Apprentice, all the candidates are insane (in a bad way, a really bad way), it's amusing yeah, but I'd hate to have work alongside some of them. Especially the geordie who doesn't speak recongisable English.

TIME FOR ME TO FLY...Well not fly, that'd be kinda cool if I could, but no, time to speak French.

Tom,

P.S: FOUND A SOLUTION TO OVERTYPE..Press insert.

HELLO...Bit of an odd title, but as this entry proves, in an odd mood and I never seem to say hello to any readers who may exist.

GOD I HATE SMALL TALK. Sorry, just got back from the hairdressers where this insane woman with scissors (bad combination already) just talked to me about the most random of stuff, well it wasn't particularly random, she didn't just trail off into a lecture about Dunkirk or the theory of relativity, just asked me how my day was, like she cared, and just enquired into my life and education in general, grrrrr. Then to top it all off she showed me the back of my hair, why????? (I seem to remember Michael Mcintyre doing quite a funny stand up routine about the whole 'back of the hair' thing on mock the week, worth a search).

This is all on the tail end of a bit of a meh day, I blame this morning, everything went wrong when I decided to just be brave and break routine for once, try something new...I ate breakfast after having a shower as opposed to before, yeah I know, I'm insane.
EVERYONE but me and a handful of other idiots who cant draw seemed to have an art exam, despite the fact there was about 10 people in our English class we still had to do an entire exam paper, there wasn't even anything interesting going on outside today, just this pompous fat crow who was laughing at me for about forty minutes.

Before the mental health institute arrives to whisk me away, I'll just use this space to yell: APPRENTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom,

Monday again.

Alan Tyers who writes this light hearted comical article in the Wisden Cricketer magazine turns out has his very own space on the Internet. I've just read this little piece in which he writes from the perspective of the England woman's cricket captain who have just won the world cup (they actually have) and are being congratulated by email from their male counterparts, it's pretty damn amusing:
'There was no message from Ian Bell, which was a bit of a shame because a few of the girls quite like him. They say they want to mother him. Or beat him up; he divides opinion. And nothing from Ryan, either – also disappointing, as he’d promised to send some haircare tips. Apparently he was just typing them in when he felt his back go and he had to have a lie down on the floor for a few days.
Still, it was a nice gesture. I am sure we can learn from the men’s team. Nothing springs to mind right away, exactly, but still.'

IN OTHER NEWS....Actually there isn't much other news, the bad weather seems to have returned which is a bit annoying, though as I write this the sun seems to be breaking through. I've felt really weird all day, ill this morning then when I got home I was really hungry, made myself a bacon and mushroom sandwich, crazy. Hmmm....Oh I discovered one of my friends is actually a compulsive liar, another is just a religious nutter.

I smell cake...I actually do.

Tom,

P.S: APPRENTICE IS ON SOON....'I'm incredibly ambitious. If I don't go far down this route I shall go far down another route.' HA.
P.S.S: http://www.wisdencricketer.com/blog/?p=505 If anyone cares.

O dear...ANOTHER pecuilar Sunday.

Need to write this blog, then have a shave before Lost starts...I know, the daily testing trials of my life. I'm guessing we can expect Jack to do something annoying in about twenty minutes, so 'A list of the various things Jack did/didn't do in Lost to annoy me' is set to make a comeback.
My French is still quite merde but I have actually managed to learn my chosen topic today, I say chosen topic, this was the one I was least scared by.

Had a rather good day, played some garden cricket, wrote some more to my book, listened to music and eat a suprising amount of apples, well only three, but that still seems like quite a lot to me.

Enough of this random blahness, it just doesn't make compelling reading.

Tom,

BLARG

'Next month's Indian Premier League will be held outside the country after organisers failed to secure government approval for the matches to go ahead.
The tournament, which runs from 10 April to 24 May, clashes with the upcoming Indian general election, prompting fears over security.
England, South Africa and Dubai are all potential alternative hosts.' - BBC NEWS.

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the INDIAN premier league not the English premier league, just cancel the whole thing, it's far too money and media based and just a farce. Oh and another thing, Dubai????? When have Dubai ever played cricket?

For those who are reading this and couldn't care less about the IPL, I may do another entry later on today, need to work now...

Tom,

The joy of wasting time.

I got up at a stupidly early time today, stupidly early for a Saturday that is, because of course work days involving me being tortured every morning with having to fall out of bed at half 7 and trying to remember what day it is. Anyway, reason behind this morning's early awakening was because I intended to catch a bus to Cirencester, I did catch that bus by the way...If anyone cares. Was planning to buy Cricket Captain 2008 from Game, I was £1 short and rather annoyed. Plus the stupid bus driver took an age to work his equally stupid computer to understand that I wanted a return ticket, I do rather hate Northleach but I'd still like to return.

The afternoon consisted of me and H writing the script for and making a film about two Americans called Noah and Zach, I won't say anymore because it'd just scare whoever happens to be reading this, it'll be on Youtube soon anyway.

I should be doing something constructive like learning how to pronounce basic words in French, however I've taken a break from the cricket game me and my brother are playing on the playstation to write this, I presume he's bowled out the remaining batsman....No he hasn't.

Had better go,

Tom,

Feeling Good - Muse...(rather good song)

Just going to make this brief today. Despite some frustrating complications concerning Drama and my French oral getting nearer and nearer, I'm in a really good mood and the weather has been great today, hope it continues through to the weekend....Might venture out to Cheltenham or just laze around with my cat, yeah I'm cool.

Tom,

P.S: ENGLAND ARE WINNING....WTF?!?!?!

WOW! I CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET ON MY PHONE!

Isn't that just amazing?!?!? (referring to the title here). I can now browse cricket scores or....browse cricket scores with my phone! My respect for these tiny little communication devices has grown hugely since I acquired one at Christmas, not only can I talk with the outside world and take various amusing pictures, I can now go on the internet, incredible.

Moving swiftly on from that explosion of discovery and excitement, I had a English lit exam today which I think went ok, better than yesterday's one anyway. Maths mock tomorrow though which I'm dreading, oh and my French teacher is dragging me in at lunch time again because unless it involves chicken (poulet) I actually can't construct basic sentences, I know, I'm an idiot.

I think England may be playing tomorrow, but I can't remember...Yes it is tomorrow, goodo. Just going to use this space to voice my opinion on various counties signing Australian players, yeah I suppose they do get quite a bit of nice practise before the Ashes, but it really isn't that much of a problem, I for one encourage more international players in the county set up, plus I'd like to see Marcus North play for Hampshire, so...Shut up Giles Clarke/Geoff Miller/ECB in general.

Going to go and revise some maths and then find something amusing to watch on tv.

Tom,

Goebbels, flashbacks and sunshine

So much work...Literature poetry exam tomorrow and Thursday, maths exam on Friday, French oral next week...I think it's next week, might be week after next, it's soon anyway, I'm scared.
I have a feeling my birthday will just be shrouded by more exams and Miss Grover yelling something about Goebbels at me, at least Himmler is vaguely interesting, Goebbels is just a twat who made posters.
Probably shouldn't complain, after all it's the same for everyone my age if not worse. And I do get an extended holiday to recover, though my mother wants me to get a job, I refuse, what's wrong with being self employed? Selling felt tips on ebay etc...

Ah I was amused earlier by a friend who I shall just refer to as 'Desmond' who started claiming he had just had a flashback. Though my amusement was then destroyed by a friend of mine who seemed rather upset over something, which is odd for him, he's usually hugging everyone and speaking the name of the lord to cheer everyone else up. Odd day.

Work and England's DISASTROUS West Indies campaign aside, I am rather happy with life which is cool, super girlfriend, a family who provide me with cake, the chance to score a century, Lost...Wait no, Lost isn't good....SUNSHINE, yes there has been rather good weather recently, hoorah!

Now time to return to Gillian Clarke and her God awful poetry,

Tom,

P.S: MY CAT IS SNORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another slightly odd Sunday

Today I watched Gladiator. Which just turned out to be a film about a bunch of Romans beating each other up intertwined with an evil political plot to overthrow the Emperor and reinstate the Empire as a Republic ruled by the senate, it wasn't great.
I also watched a Band of Brothers episode and ate a pasty, despite this wasting of time and pasty eating, I have actually surprised myself by completing quite a lot of work, if I've done that work well is a different matter. Still got a load of source analysis questions though......URG NE FURG.

Now I intend to write some more to my book and at half five watch England try and beat the West Indies at a twenty20 game without Paul Collingwood, can hardly wait.

GOODBYE PEOPLE!

Tom,

Blah blah blah.

Finally got around to watching ALL the dvd extras on Band of Brothers, it's taken me quite a while and has just sort of completely mushed up my brain. Not good.
Despite History being one of my favourite subjects and by far my best I found it most frustrating today. We spend far too much time learning how to answer exam questions than actual history, though I did learn that Hitler married Eva Braun on the 29th April (my birthday), cheery I know. Plus, my stupid teacher has decided to scrap learning about the Cold War and just focus on Nazi Germany for the exam, about 8 more weeks of revising Hitler's terror state...God help me.
On a positive note, it's been confirmed to me I can dress up as a French man for my oral and I've finished another chapter in my book.

Now I might go and read or do something vaguely relaxing which doesn't involve staring at screens, my head is starting to complain.

Tom,

P.S: Friday 13th tomorrow....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Not that I believe in that crap.....God will save me, so a friend of the Lord informed me earlier anyway.
P.S.S: Just watched the Comic Relief Apprentice thingy, Jack Dee is a legend.

Monty's pain

I know I have made two posts featuring Monty Panesar and I apologise for that, I just love this photo, it sums up everything playing for England must involve. Pure frustration and a lot of screaming.
Just got back from a dinner out which was nice as my family hardly ever seems to do that, the seats were very uncomfortable though. Both E's and my father's birthday today, so happy birthday to them (E might read this, God knows why my Dad would...But hello Dad if you do find this on the internet somehow, you still owe me £2.)

Urg...I have actually ruined a friend's life through Lost, he even told me earlier if I started demanding money for borrowing the dvd's (it has crossed my mind), he'd pay...What have I done?

ENOUGH OF THIS RANDOM NONSENSE

Tom,

Monty's return

Good to see Monty's still a fucking nutter. I've brought down the list of things Jack did/didn't do to annoy me in the most recent episode of Lost simply because he wasn't in the episode, because he's a twat.
Will finish up here as I should be writing about something to do with the Nazis (history work, I don't just do that for the hell of it).

Tom,

I found my iPod.

Had a rather net long session today, where I was AMAZING. I was by far the quickest bowler, getting one ball to bounce at around neck height, batting wasn't all that bad either. Anyway, after that I went to Bourton for an exteneded net practise, my body is rather sore, will have to spend Sunday sitting around not doing much, then again the vast majority of my Sunday's are like that.

My script in Drama is crap, the character I'm playing is a complete nutter, there's one section where I just rant for quite a good deal of time about how the Lord Jehova will rescue us from the sinners in his magic ark, it's insane.
The Apprentice is back soon!!! Ah, love that show. The Comic Relief special looks rather good, Jack Dee's a candidate which should be amusing.

Clearly running out of thing's to say,

Tom,

P.S: JUST FOUND MY IPOD!

Scared of phones.

WOW!!!!! I just watched an amazing film, Phone Booth. I recorded it from a couple of nights ago and have just watched it, it's all about this guy who's a bit of a twat who answers this ringing phone booth in New York. Unfortunately for him, there's a psychotic sniper at the other end who orders him around and stuff, the sniper is rather evil but he was kind of a good guy, got the main character to confess to his wife about an affair, he just decided to set the main character right in quite a sick fashion. It really is a very good film, questions if the sniper is really there or not (he is there as he demonstrated when he shot a chair) but has left me terrified of answering phones.

An ok day today, I finished my animated finale in ICT which I'm rather pleased about and managed to write another chapter to my book. In other exciting news, I've decided I like Ian Bell, seeing as Shah has replaced him and just done fuck all, I actually miss Ian Bell's endless forward defense and his weird spider like ability to leap around and stop cricket balls from getting to the boundary. I feel for the poor Sri Lankans though, the fact that cricketers and just innocent people in general are used in an attack on the government sickens me.

Now I feel like placing ICE CREAM stands all over my theme park on Roller coaster Tycoon 3.....

Tom,