Mike Ashley: The most deluded man in Football

Astounded. That is the word that most Football followers would use on a day like today. News of Mike Ashley's incredible decision to sack Chris Hughton from his position as Newcastle manager has left most people shocked and many angry.

Hughton, aged 51, was given the news of his dismissal following his sides 3-1 loss away to West Brom at the weekend. Currently positioned in 11th, Newcastle and Ashley will now begin the search for his replacment to supposedly stop the club from falling back into the Championship.

It seems that the owner has missed some of Hughton's achievements as manager of the club so I will list them here in an factual manner:

2009/2010 Season

Appointed permanent manager of Newcastle United Football Club

Championship Manager of the Month: August, September, November and April

Newcastle complete promotion in April 2010 and finish 1st in the league.

Newcastle unbeaten at home (including cup competitions) for the 2009-2010 season.

Newcastle lose only 4 games out of 46 in the Championship

2010-2011

Newcastle return to the Premier League

Newcastle complete wins over Aston Villa, Arsenal (at the Emirates), West Ham and Everton in the league.

Newcastle beat Sunderland 5-1 in the Tyne-Wear Derby

Newcastle draw with Chelsea in the league.

Newcastle beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup (at Stamford Bridge) before being knocked out by Arsenal

When Hughton is sacked, Newcastle sit 11th in the Premier League ahead of Liverpool.

These are the facts, now I will have my say.

Not only did Chris Hughton return United to the Premier League at the first time of asking, he did it in record time, he did it with the same 'hopeless' group of players that were relegated and he did it in an incredibly short space of time.

Following promotion, Hughton wasn't given outrageous investment (only signing Tiote, Ben Arfa who is injured and Campbell and Gosling on free transfers) and for the most part kept the same squad that were successful in the Championship

To then have Newcastle mid-table in their first season back in the top-flight, along with wins over Arsenal and the thrashing of Sunderland at home, is an outstanding achievement and has been completely overlooked by the short-sighted and deluded Ashley.

Hughton, has been instrumental in resurrecting the careers of Kevin Nolan and Jose Enrique, developing Andy Carroll to a point where he has been selected for England and introducing the talented young Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul.

Hughton hasn't been given a huge transfer kitty, he didn't inherit many 'Premier League' standard footballers and yet he was able to completely turn the side round.

If Newcastle honestly believe that sacking Hughton is a positive step in fighting for survival then they are incredibly mistaken. The irony is that their chances of survival have just dipped quite considerably following Hughton's dismissal.

Unless Mike Ashley has Jose Mourinho or Pepe Guardiola's signature already down on paper, then this represents the strangest and most ridiculous footballing decision from recent memory.

Preview: Adelaide Test Match

The last two days at the Gabba has taught us a lot. England have proved their Test Match grit whilst Australia have shown us that they are confused; not just in their selections but in their plans and strategies.

The fightback from the England top order, helped in part by a rapidly flattening pitch, showed that they won't be overrawed by the occasion and it also exposed the frailty of the Australian bowling attack.

Alarmingly for Ricky Pointing, only Peter Siddle was able to find any sort of rhythm when Australia took to the field. Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Doherty all struggled to bowl consistently in the right areas and were unable to create pressure on an England side fighting to save the Test Match.

So to Adelaide....

England are likely to remain with the same side. Some have suggested that Ajmal Shazad might have come into the team because of his dangerous ability when reverse swing comes into play, but it would be very harsh to displace any of the current seamers who all showed some promise in Brisbane.

On the other hand, Australia have got problems. In the batting ranks Clarke, despite being passed fit, looked very uncomfortable at the Gabba and should not be playing in the second Test Match. North looks completely out of nick and is only saved by his more than useful part-time off-spin.

What's so disconcerting for the Australian fans, selectors, coaching staff, players, nation etc... is not the batting, but the bowling. Johnson was abysmal, completely shot of confidence and will be replaced by Bollinger. Hilfenhaus bowled poorly, looks ineffective on Australian surfaces but his new ball bowling could be his saving grace. If not, then Ryan Harris will come into the side but there are question marks over whether his knees can withstand five days of intense cricket. Finally, in the spin department the selectors had a shocker in Brisbane. There was absolutely no justification from Xavier Doherty's performance to suggest that he should have played instead of Nathan Hauritz. Doherty tried hard and did extract some turn, but failed to bowl a consistent line and length throughout and released any pressure built on the England batsman. Hauritz, harshly treated, should return immediately.

Here are my selections for Adelaide:

Australia

Shane Watson
Simon Katich
Ricky Pointing
Michael Clarke (Only because i don't really see an alternative)
Michael Hussey
Marcus North (Only because i don't really see an alternative)
Brad Haddin
Nathan Hauritz
Ben Hilfenhaus
Doug Bollinger
Peter Siddle

Woah that is a long old tail....

England

Andrew Strauss
Alastair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Ian Bell
Matt Prior
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
James Anderson
Steven Finn

Prediction: If England win the toss, they win the match. If Australia win the toss, a bore draw.

First Test Match Ratings - England

And here are England,

Andrew Strauss - Excellent hundred in the second innings paved over the first innings failure. Looked very comfortable and led the second innings fightback with real leadership. Will take heart going to Adelaide, both form his batting and his side's determination.

8

Alastair Cook - Question marks over Cook? No chance. A record breaking performance for the Essex man, with a gutsy half century in the first innings and an outstanding show of concentration, determination and skill in the second for his double-century. Man of the Match

10

Jonathan Trott - Loose in the first innings, Trott scored a positive hundred in the second off the back of the platform set by the opening pair. Will be one of the key figures during this series and his ability to get under the skin of the hosts makes him one of England's most valuable assets.

8

Kevin Pietersen - Will be seriously disappointed that he didn't go on and get a big score after reaching 40 on the first day. Another loose shot from Kevin undoes all the hard work and question marks still hang over his form. Still think he'll be England's main man in this series and his ability to turn a match on its head in the space of two hours still makes him Australia's prize wicket.

6

Paul Collingwood - Collingwood will be delighted to get to Adelaide, the scene of his Ashes double hundred, after having a Test Match that is best forgotten. Australia will target his weakness driving on the offside throughout this series and it will be up to the Durham man to counter and grind out results as we know he can. Took a couple of sharp slip catches and his back-up bowling is invaluable.

4

Ian Bell - Far and away England's best batsman in the first innings, Bell would have surely gone on to complete his ton if it wasn't for batting with the tail. Looked fluent on front and back foot, Bell looks comfortable in his lower middle order role and seems to have got over his Ashes demons. Really impressive display.

7

Matt Prior - Loose shot in his only innings was softened by the fact that it was his first ball. The Australians are afraid of Prior and so they should be. Aggressive cricketer, who has sorted out his 'keeping deficiences and kept well in this game. Will be a real dangerman, especially as the pitches get faster.

5

Stuart Broad - Bowled well without much luck in the first innings. Perhaps didn't quite work out the right length on this pitch and every England fan is desperate to see the young pace bowler repeat 'that spell' from the Oval just over a year ago. Still he'll be very useful as the series goes on and the Australian's are genuinely wary of not only his talent, but also his competitive nature. At the end of an awe-inspiring Siddle hat-trick with the bat.

6

Graeme Swann - Didn't have his finest game in the Test Match Arena. Australia put alot of pressure on Swann, and in particular Hussey used his feet to great effect. Swann over compensated by dropping too short and he'll be looking to find his best form going into Adelaide. Write him off at your peril.

4

James Anderson - Bowled one of the least lucky spells that I've ever witnessed with the second new ball in Australia's first innings. Despite Finn's impressive figures the Burnley paceman was England's best bowler and answered some of the worries about his style of bowling in Australia. Excellent control throughout the game and if he continues in this vein of form he should pick up a few more scalps.

8

Steven Finn - Ended up with very good figures from the first innings showing that perserverance pays off. Mopped up the tail nicely which will give him confidence going into Adelaide. Not quite sure he bowled as well as his figures suggest but he'll only get better as he gets used to the Ashes experience and the pitches get harder and quicker. Much more to come from Finn

7

First Test Match Ratings - Australia

Here are my thoughts on each individual player...

Australia

Shane Watson - Will be disappointed not to have gone on in the first innings after gaining a good start. Batted well in the second innings despite the game being dead and he's likely to be a thorn in England's side throughout the series. I have a feeling Swann will be the man to pick up Watson the most because of his tendency to go very hard against the spinners. Picked up the wicket of the Trott in the first innings and bowled well in parts throughout the match.

7

Simon Katich - A very impressive stay at the crease on the second day. Obdurate in defence and punchy in attack, Katich survived an outstanding spell of new ball bowling from Anderson to lay a platform for his middle order to plunder on a flatter pitch. Out for very little in the second innings but by that time the game was over and Katich will be pleased with his performance in this match.

8

Ricky Pointing - Strangled down the legside by Anderson, the captain's dismissal will do nothing to quieten the doubters about his once - outstanding back foot play. Positive in the second innings and got hist just reward on a flat pitch with an unbeaten 40. What will be most worrying for Pointing are his captaincy, which was bereft of ideas, and the lack of penetration from his bowling attack.

5

Michael Clarke - Clarke's painstaking 10 from 50 balls in the first innings was so far away from his usual fluency that it was clear something wasn't quite right. A dodgy back, no appetite for the short stuff and a host of hungry young Australian batsman mean that the vice-captain's position is seriously under threat for Adelaide. Oh and he dropped a sitter. One to forget.

3

Michael Hussey - Hussey at his best is a sight to behold and this was just that. With Australia teetering on the brink of collapse, 'Mr Cricket' counter attacked with a sparkling hundred that will typify his danger to the England team. Proved the critics wrong and showed that the Australian middle order has still got some fight left in it. Simply Outstanding.

9

Marcus North - The weakest link (along with an injury stricken Clarke) in the Australian top seven, North is under fire after another sub - standard performance. Cheaply dismissed in the first innings and in a bad run of form if it wasn't for his bowling I would happily award him a 0 for his contribution to the match. Ironically he picked up the hosts only wicket in England's second innings.

3

Brad Haddin - Another sticking it to the critics, Haddin's hundred in this match has gone along way in silencing the doubters. Mixed some typical flashy strokeplay with patient defence, highlighting his threat in the series. Not much to write about his glovework. Overall, a very good Test Match.

9

Mitchell Johnson - Wicketless for the first time in his Test Match career, Johnson had an absolute stinker. Clueless with the ball, he continually sprayed the ball from one side of the wicket to the other. He built no pressure on any England batsman and provided a valuable source of easy runs. He got a duck, dropped a sitter and looks like the least confident cricketer in Australia. Prime candidate to be dropped for Doug Bollinger.

1

Xavier Doherty - Thrown in at the deep end and completely out of his depth the left arm spinner actually bowled okay in parts and certainly turned the ball sharply on a pitch that wasn't particularly conducive to spin. However, he was a bit too easy to accumulate from for the England batters and he's not really got much of a future as a Test Match cricketer. Should have picked the more experienced Hauritz.

5

Ben Hilfenhaus - Hilfenhaus will be generally disappointed in his performance. Caused problems with the new ball in both innings and his ability to swing the ball will be invaluable throughout the series, but far too often he bowled short on a pitch that was crying out for the bowler to pitch it up. For a bowler who prides himself on control and discipline it was a very uncharacteristic display.

4

Peter Siddle - The stand out performer in the Australian bowling attack, Siddle's electrifying hat-trick on the first day was the moment of the match and will be remembered by all who witnessed it for a very long time. He got to grips with conditions better than any other bowler in the match and proved that he was deserved of his selection.

8

Strauss and Cook expose Australian frailties

Day Four at the Gabba has seen England recover from their first innings deficit in considerable style, finishing the day in Brisbane on 309-1.

Centuries for England Captain Andrew Strauss and his opening partner Alastair Cook provided the mainstay of the tourists fightback, whilst Jonathan Trott was able to chip in with a positive half - century once the skipper had departed.

Australia, devoid of ideas and lacking in any real penetration, were put to the sword by the impressive threesome throughout the day and will now find it hard to respond with the second new ball already taken.

The match looks destined for a draw, with England the happier of the two sides, and further pressure will now be felt by Ricky Pointing, regarding his captaincy, going into the rest of the series.

England started the day looking to negotiate the dangerous new ball and begin to whittle down Australia's first innings lead. Strauss and Cook were relatively untroubled throughout the morning and were able to feast upon a succession of short pitched bowling from the Australian trio of Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Strauss became the first of the pair to reach fifty, before Cook followed shortly afterwards and the pair batted serenely going into the interval. Very little had troubled the openers and the inexperience of Xavier Doherty, who bowled a mixture over overpitched and short deliveries, was becoming more prominent by the over.

But, it was Doherty who produced the only clear cut chance of the morning session when he had Strauss miss-hitting a flighted delivery straight to Mitchell Johnson at mid - off, who inexplicably dropped the chance.

The dropped catch summed up Johnson's match, who has bowled poorly throughout and looks miles away from the form that saw him become the world's best bowler in 2009.

After lunch Strauss would go on to complete his 19th Test century with consumate ease as Australia's attack began to fold rapidly. The England skipper was delighted to correct his first innings duck and and was fully deserved of the acclaim from all corners of the ground.

And, it was met with an air of disbelief when Strauss was stumped by Brad Haddin off the part time bowling of Marcus North for an outstanding 110, leaving the score 188-1. His wicket brought Jonathan Trott, another with a first innings failure, to the crease who immediately went about his business in a positive manner.

At the other end, Cook was accumulating through a mixture of nudges and nurdles, and it wasn't long after the tea interval when he brought up his hundred with a trademark cut off Siddle. The Essex opener's century had taken 204 balls and had been one of great character and application.

The pair continued to punish a tired Australian outfit and even a second new ball could not stem the flow, as Trott eased his way to fifty just shy of the close of play.

It had been England's day from start to finish and when Cook and Trott walked off at about quarter to seven they had built a lead of 88.

England fightback curtailed as Hussey dominates

An intriguing second day's play at the Gabba has seen Australia reach 220-5 in their first innings reply. Mike Hussey's excellent unbeaten 81 proved the backbone to Australia's recovery after earlier England had battled to reduce their opponents to 143-5 in the afternoon session.

England began the day in search of early wickets with the new ball, but the home side's pair of Shane Watson and Simon Katich seemed relatively untroubled by a pace attack struggling to find the length that Peter Siddle had been able to exploit on day one.

The opener's batted serenely through the first session, with only a couple of troubling moments, until half an hour before lunch when James Anderson induced Watson into edging a good length delivery to Andrew Strauss at first slip, leaving the score 78-1.

Despite England being unable to unsettle Australia's captain Ricky Pointing before lunch, the wicket of Watson was a timely one and provided much needed impetus for the visitors who came out firing after the interval.

Within four overs of the afternoon session England had picked up a further two wickets, with Anderson snaffling an unlucky Pointing in his first over after lunch and Steven Finn managing to dislodge the seemingly immovable Katich, for an impressive 50, with an outstanding caught and bowled.

All of a sudden momemtum swung England's way and with Michael Clarke looking particularly scratchy, as well as unfit, Andrew Strauss's side sniffed an opportunity to rip out the Australian middle order.

Clarke was the first to go, caught behind off the bowling of Finn, for a laboured 9 off 50 deliveries and then Graeme Swann got in on the action, having an under-fire Marcus North caught at first slip by Paul Collingwood to leave the Australians teetering at 143-5.

But, any hopes that England might be able to run through the Australian line-up soon evaporated as Hussey and the wicket-keeper Brad Haddin got together and began to rebuild the home side's total.

Hussey, in particular, was fluent as he cut and pulled the ball very firmly against both Swann and the English trio of seamers. He passed 50 with ease and despite Haddin playing and missing on a number of occasions, the pair were able to push the Australian total along at a decent rate.

And, just as England looked to provide fresh impetus to their efforts by taking the new ball they were thwarted by bad light and then a tropical storm, leaving Australia just 40 in arrears of their first innings score.

Player of the Day: Mike Hussey

'Mr Cricket' was simply outstanding today. Aggressive against an out-of-sorts Swann and measured in his approach to the English pace attack, he paced his innings perfectly and has wrestled back control of the Test Match for his side.

Siddle inspires Australia as England falter

An oustanding spell of fast bowling from Peter Siddle has seen Australia gain the upper hand on the First Day of the 2010-11 Ashes series in Brisbane.

England, after winning the toss and electing to bat, collapsed after tea from 197-4 to 260 all out thanks mainly to Siddle who became only the fifth Australian of all time to achieve a hat-trick in Ashes cricket.

The Victorian picked up the wickets of Alastair Cook, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad in consecutive balls to add to his other victims, the middle order pair Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood and the dangerous tailender Graeme Swann, leaving England well below par on a docile pitch.

Australia, in reply, were able to negotiate the remaining overs of the evening session and end the day's play 25-0, only 235 runs behind.

Andrew Strauss set the tone for a disappointing day when he cut the third ball of the day from Ben Hilfenhaus straight to the grateful Mike Hussey at Gully. And despite a number of the top order getting starts, the England batsman were more than guilty of indecision and a looseness to their strokeplay. Even the seemingly unflappable Jonathan Trott gave his wicket away relatively cheaply in an uncharacteristic show of early aggression.

Aside from Cook and the impressive Ian Bell who scored 67 and 76 respectively, no English batsman passed fifty and the lack of application on the first day of such an important series was alarming to say the least.

The performance of the England line up is even more disappointing considering the lack of penetration from the Australian attack, Siddle apart, and Strauss and his men will look to put things right in the Second Innings.

England go into Day Two looking for inspiration from their pace trio, James Anderson, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad alongside the world's best spin bowler, Graeme Swann. And, if they can pick up wickets early with the new ball then we're in for an intriguing Test Match.