Just about sums up a quite extraordinary sporting weekend.  A case of all action, some action and no action at all.   I`ll follow the rest of the world first by saying what a fantastic achievement it was by Emma Raducanu to win the US Open tennis grand slam title.  I see she was born in Canada but moved to the UK when she was two years old but despite claims from our Canadian friends that the final was between two Canadians, here in the UK we are claiming Emma as one of our own.  

And here in Kent we are claiming that she is a Kentish maid, albeit denying the fact that the bit of Kent she comes from is now within the London Borough of Bromley.   Great stuff though, Emma - very well done.  (I wonder if a bandwagon is revving up in Downing Street as bookmakers are opening books on how long before our Emma, a-la Blair knighting Ferguson, becomes Dame Emma?)

From that high we had the unedifying spectacle of no action at all in the fifth Test Match between England and India at Old Trafford which was called off, ostensibly due to panic in the Indian camp following a Covid outbreak among their non-playing group.   I just wondered whether that might have been a cunning plan to avoid playing the game which would have seen an England win levelling the series and sharing the points in the World Test Championship. 

 But perhaps that is unfair when the reality seems to be an acknowledgement that the power in the game now clearly resides with those players who seem more concerned to fulfil their lucrative IPL contracts than pay respectful homage to the traditions of the game.  Not a good look though - and as for playing the `deciding game` next summer, forget it, just award the game to England, call the series squared and move on.

In other news, a mixture of highs, lows and indifferences in the world of football. In a sense, Southampton`s neighbourly diplomatic friendly 0-0 draw at home to West Ham mirrored Emma being the first British woman tennis player to win a Grand Slam in 44 years.   Before Saturday`s encounter the Saints had gone 24 games without managing to keep a clean sheet - it just felt like 44 years.  

Another high was Brechin City`s 3-1 win away at Nairn County which keeps them on track for a swift return to the Scottish League Two and Maidstone United`s 2-2 draw with Concord Rangers (me neither) extended their  unbeaten run and kept them second in the table, whilst my other neighbour`s Gillingham secured a creditable 1-1 draw away at Burton Albion.  

But that was it really - a succession of dismal failures by the plucky minnows I also follow saw Truro City lose 1-0 at home to Beaconsfield Town;  Fort William lose 10-3 against high flying Inverurie Loco Works; and Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC (SG&TBPFC) lose 6-2 away at AFC Torridgeside - a nice day out at Great Torrington though.

So in summary it looks like two wins (Emma and Brechin City;) three draws (Saints, Gillingham and Maidstone;)  three defeats and one non-event.   Well, sport is supposed to be about highs and lows, to be fair.  Try again next week.