Trescothick splits!?

[El Gordo]

Henman was a really good tennis player, and I wouldn't say otherwise. By English standards, he was fantastically good. But I genuinely never had any expectation of him winning Wimbledon.

I was thinking about this some more while roasting my nuts in the kitchen just now. It struck me that I'm not that big a cricket fan, nor a big tennis fan, and I reckon that makes a difference.

Sure, I like to watch the Wimbledon finals, and exciting cricket finishes. I love to see a run chase. The 20:20 match I saw at Headingley a couple of years ago (Yorks v Lancs) was by far the most enjoyable cricket I've ever seen live, perhaps with the exception of seeing Botham hit 40-odd in around 20 minutes at Old Trafford against India in about 1982. But in general, I'm afraid I find cricket pretty dull, and I think because I'm not that bothered about it, I'm more realistic about our chances.

I like football and athletics and (most) rugby, and curiously, I'm always more optimistic about English/British chances in the big competitions for these sports -- and more upset when we lose. A coincidence? Well, I suspect not. Something to do with more emotional buy-in perhaps. People I know who dislike football seemed to be scathing about England's chances in Germany, while I was really convinced we could do it.

Or take tomorrow -- I'll be watching (on TV) my team play away from home at the runaway league leaders, Cardiff. A neutral would be convinced that Cardiff will win handsomely. I'll watch the game with so much anxious hope that I'll actually be optimistic about our chances. If we're two-nil down at half time, I'll still be optimistic! It's enthusiasm triumphing over rational judgement.

Anyway, I don't want to upset anyone with my views, and I don't want to be thought of as negative. In fact, I can't stand negativity. It would be great to see England retain the Ashes, and I hope that they do, but frankly, I don't expect it to happen. Sorry!