Stepehn and Mark Waugh are cricket’s most famous twins but Sir Alec Bedser and Eric Bedser were the sport’s first most notable twins. Their identical nature (as opposed to the Waughs being fraternal twins) created so many amusing stories in their lifetime which the pair of them appeared to enjoy perpetuating. The classic one about the barber’s shop in Sydney during England’s Tour of Australia where Alec was Manager is priceless. Apparently Eric went to have his haircut and returned to The Sydney Cricket Ground to approval from Alec which then prompted him to request the name and place of the barber’s shop. When Alec walked in a couple of hours later and requested a ‘trim up’ the barber was astounded and said as much: ‘Strewth mate I’ve only just cut your hair!’. Alec retorted: ‘it’s a bit hot over here and grows very quickly!’

New Zealand has the Marshall twins (Hamish and James) whose identical nature made it difficult for commentators and teammates unless one knew them well and I also played with the Parsons twins (Kevin and Keith) during my Somerset career.

The Overtons hail from North Devon Cricket CLub at Instow. The club is most famous for its beautiful ground and its connection to the Shepherd family. The late David Shepherd was world famous as a Test match umpire and former Gloucestershire batsman in their glory days under Mike Procter. in the 1970′s.

I wonder if the Overtons can play with distinction for Somerset for years to come and add to the list of famopus cricketing twins. The omens would appear good, as both have considerable promise and from all accounts, excellent attitudes.

Somerset Cricket looks like enjoying a bright future if the twins blossom into top-class cricketers. The Waughs and the Bedsers may take some beating but the Parsons’ contribution to Somerset Cricket at all levels has been admirable, but could be suprassed by the newest members of cricket’s family of famous twins.

As Manchester United completed their victory over Sunderland and waited for confirmation that QPR had beaten Manchester City, they were shocked to learn that Man City had scored an equaliser at ‘The Etihad’. The fact that they were able to summon up another goal, only moments later, to secure victory and relegate Manchester United to runners-up spot. For drama, it competed with Manchester United’s European Cup win versus Bayern Munich in their Treble-winning season.

Such excitement and glorious uncertainty is what makes sport the incredible activity which consumes so many of us.

As the commentators say: ‘‘ You couldn’t make it up! ’’

What else in life can bring so many people together and create such live drama and focus for debate and narrative? I love sport, and feel blessed to have been introduced to its merit from such a young age… Thank you Dad..

Bairstow is the son of the late David Bairstow, the former Yorkshire and England wicket-keeper/batsman and Janet Bairstow, the cricket secretary at Yorkshire. He is fine young man who is a credit to both his parents. Additionally, he is a superb young cricketer, and a very fine all-round sportsman. I feel privileged to know him and delighted for him. As a cricketer, can there be a greater stage than to play one’s first Test for England at ‘The Home of Cricket’?

The injury problem experienced by Ravi Bopara has opened the door for another player to audition for the number six spot in England’s batting order and become a permanent selection following Paul Collingwood’s retirement, and Eoin Morgan’s inability to nail down a place after a year of opportunity.

Bairstow’s claims for recognition have included a couple of excellent seasons for Yorkshire and an outrageous ODI debut against India at Cardiff last summer when he single-handedly won a match with his clean-striking, after all had appeared lost following the top order’s inability to perform. His early-season form for Yorkshire in 2012 has added to his burgeoning reputation as one of the most exciting talents in world cricket. Two hundreds in a bowler-dominated first month and a superb half-century against West Indies for England Lions on Friday at Northampton have confirmed his potential.

I witnessed his innings this week, and was impressed with the quality of his strokeplay and how wide his bat appears when he plays forward. Graham Gooch’s batting made a similar impression on me during my playing career – his bat seemed as wide as the front door of 10 Downing Street! Additionally, Jonny’s wicket-keeping looks increasingly polished as a consequence of his diligent approach to his all-round game.

Genuine ‘All-Rounder’ status is bestowed upon few in the game, but it is a claim Jonny can make justifiably, and not only as a cricketer. He is a balanced, intelligent young man with a social personality, professional conscientiousness, and near-perfect manners. He is a former Leeds United schoolboy footballer and was an exceptional Rugby player at St Peter’s School in York. I can testify to the quality of his golf as he has featured in several London County Captains Days and impressed the likes of Bernard Gallacher and Simon Holmes with his swing, his temperament, and his natural ball-striking ability.
The likes of James Taylor, Michael Carberry and Nick Compton may feel deeply disappointed to have missed out but in the case of Carberry and Compton, if a spot in the first three was available maybe their case for selection would have been more compelling? For James Taylor, I believe his time will come. He is a gifted young batsman with an appetite for making big runs from a young age. More experience of 1st Division cricket, (and the need for consistent runs at this level), will help to round him as a batsman for the day when his Test career is more likely to commence.
Ravi Bopara may feel cursed, and is desperately unlucky to miss out again through injury after being unavailable for the last Test in Sri Lanka during the winter when a side strain meant Samit Patel got the nod at the last minute. However, time stands still for no man, and if Jonny Bairstow grasps his chance with both hands against the West Indies, he will be a certainty for selection against South Africa and a Test career could unfold beyond this summer for him.

‘Sir’ Geoffrey Boycott will be very proud too. Not only is he Yorkshire’s current President, but he is also a close friend of the Bairstow family ever since his days as a Yorkshire and England team-mate of David ‘Bluey’ Bairstow. His influence behind the scenes as an experienced hand to help guide Jonathan Bairstow from impressionable young schoolboy to ‘hard-nosed’ professional cricketer goes beyond words. ‘Sir’ Geoffrey and Martyn Moxon deserve great credit for the part they have played in overseeing the development of another Yorkshire cricketer to play for England. The old saying about cricket that when Yorkshire is strong, England is strong, seems to be coming true again. Despite their current status as a 2nd Division team after relegation in 2011, they will, in my opinion, be back challenging for the County Championship in their 150th year next season. They have some exceptional young cricketers and some very good men who are deeply committed to the future success of this world-famous sporting club.

I had the pleasure and privilege of sitting with Janet Bairstow through Jonny’s ODI debut in Cardiff. She was, understandably, both nervous and thrilled. She is a quality lady who has experienced some challenging times in her life, but has shown an admirable resilience and wonderful example of how successful a single parent can be in the face of adversity. Rebecca and Jonathan are a great credit to her.
This Thursday, at Lord’s, she will be bursting with pride again…. It is an emotion every parent will wish for her to experience…. Go Jonny go!!

Whatever the credentials of former West Ham, Portsmouth, and current Tottenham Hotspur Manager Harry Redknapp may have for consideration as Fabio Capello’s successor as National Team Manager, the most significant aspect of the new appointment for me is the principle of an Englishman as the cultural leader of the England team.

Behind this perspective, is my strongly-held view that if a nation is deficient in any aspect of performance in their national sport, it offers them an opportunity to develop people accordingly. I have no problem with overseas individuals contributing as employees, or consultants, to development programmes but at the sharp-end of performance, I believe that the indigenous population should be trusted to deliver (or otherwise) when it comes to international competition.

International competition should be what it says it is: one nation’s people playing against a team from another nation.

However much I admire Kevin Pietersen’s batting, or indeed that of Jonathon Trott, I firmly believe they should be competing for South Africa and not representing England. And despite my deep admiration for Andy Flower (both as a coach and as a human being) I think an English coach should be at the helm. If with all the resources the ECB has available, thaey arte unable to select an English coach then it is a poor reflection on its much-vaunted Coach Education programme.

Stuart Lancaster has been given an opportunity by the RFU to coach the England Rugby team and time will tell how successful he is in the role. However, the most important factor in any coach’s development is the opportunity to succeed. If an individual’s path is blocked by a global recruitment process, then how will a ‘local’ ever gain the requisite experience of coaching at the highest level?

We have a Dutchman (Charles van Commenee) in charge of British Athletics, a German Rowing coach, and a Russian in charge of the British Diving team.

I beleive that club sport is the platform for multi-national ownership, team management or player selection. It is what makes it special – a combination of diverse cultures and skills.

However, international sport should be a simpler process and it should be a reflection of the quality of management, administrative, medical, coaching and playing expertise of the country itself.

I recognise that some may think my perspective is too narrow and old-fashioned but if one cannot have strong principles and an ability to define things by contextualisation, then I believe one’s own world is poorer for it.

I trust that Roy Hodgson can be a success and that Stuart Lancaster can grow into his job as England Rugby Coach too.

A nation awaits with great expectation. As a proud Englishman, I wish them every success.

He was the cultural leader and espoused Barca’s values:
Solidarity, Respect, Honesty, Responsibility, Equality.
The philosophy of the Club and its’ style of play will not be affected by the resignation of the most successful coach in Europe because the values and ethos of Barcelona are embedded in its’ people.
Like all successful organisations, the succession planning is in place, and Guardiola’s assistant Tito Vilanova will assume the Head Coach’s role and responsibilities for next season. Vilanova is credited with having a sharp tactical mind and has been very close to Guardiola since the pair were together as young players at Barca’s famous La Masia Academy.

At his resignation press conference today, Guardiola said he intimated to both the Chairman and Director of Football at Barca of his intentions to consider the end of the road for him as Head Coach in 2012, but did not want to disrupt the season by making the announcement there and then. His desire to put the club first reveals his respect for the organisation which has been in his heart since he joined them as a young boy, before going on to be a successful player, captain, and ultimately a revered Head Coach.
He was a key member of Johann Cruyff’s legendary team which secured a European Cup triumph at Wembley in 1992 and the Spanish title La Liga in the same season. In 1993, he won three cups under the l;ate Sir Bobby Robson, and played a total of 479 matches over 12 seasons, winning 16 trophies. In his first year as Manager, Barca won the Treble which included The European Champions League Trophy and this led to further success when he became the first person to coach a team to win six trophies in a year in 2009. His Double-winning season in 2011 ensured another Champions League success when his team outplayed Manchester United at Wembley. Guardiola leaves as Barca’s most successful coach with 13 trophies accrued under his leadership.

Guardiola cited exhaustion, and a desire to take a break from football, as the reasons behind his decision. He also said that he believed four years is an eternity to be the coach of a top team.

The passion and energy required to make the role successful to ensure players continue to believe in their cultural leader make it almost impossible for the modern coach to stay on top of the challenge. Modern media demands and attention can create a high level of introspection, and the intrusion of the global audience can penetrate even the strongest of human veneers.

He is seeking rest, and wanting to get away from everything, because he feared it could go wrong if he continued. He did not want to put at risk everything which he and the team had built up over the past four magical years they had enjoyed together. Such selflessness is what makes good leaders great.

In the modern world which is lived at such a fast pace, it is admirable that one of sports’ Leaders in Life’ has taken a stand and put his wellbeing and family’s needs at the top of his priorities.
Like all the best leaders, they lead by quality personal example. I trust he enjoys the opportunity to reflect and grow some more. His contribution to sport and life deserves to be celebrated far and wide.

His journey through sport began as a professional footballer through to becoming a charity fund-raiser with his remarkable marathon exploits. Everything he has done in his career and life characterise the philosophy of ‘the man who refuses to be beaten’.
From keeping the ball out of his net as a professional goal-keeper, through dealing with a variety of disappointments on and off the field, plus the trauma of experiencing leukemia and making a full recovery, Lloyd has maintained his cheery demeanour throughout.
His latest extreme marathon exploit will see him running for the charity ‘Journeys Through Sport’ as part of his role as an ambassador for London County Cricket Club, whilst also raising money for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.
The route will take him through the City of London and around famous landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and The Tower of London from The Mall on May 27th through to June 2nd to co-incide with the celebration weekend for Her Majesty, The Queen.
He added: “I feel extremely honoured that my marathon proposal was accepted by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.
“This will be a unique event, raising money and awareness for a fabulous cause in tribute to such an inspirational and much loved Queen.”
Sir John Major, Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, said: “My fellow trustees and I wish Lloyd every success and the strength to persevere.”
Mr Scott, from east London, was appointed MBE in 2005 for his services to charity, which he joked should stand for “mad, bonkers and eccentric”. He has raised over £5m for different causes and has been selected to be an Olympic torchbearer for London 2012.
During the Olympics, the women’s marathons will be held on 5th August, while the men’s marathon will take place on 12th August.

The most famous race, on the course for the most famous sporting event, and running on behalf of the world’s most famous woman, (who has reigned over the Commonwealth for sixty years with such grace and dignity) is a wonderful combination for Lloyd to sign off his marathon fund-raising career as ‘the man in the Diving suit’.
After the marathon, Lloyd will spend much of the remainder of 2012 giving his time to young people at Special Events organised by the charity Journeys Through Sport, aimed at inspiring future generations to become ‘Leaders in Life’. The Talks and Bespoke Mentoring Programmes will be part of the broader opportunity for young people who want to learn more about the leadership required (and the emotional resilience necessary) to succeed in life, especially in the face of adversity.
Leadership by quality personal example is the most powerful message. ‘The Man who refuses to be Beaten’ is keen to empower others to believe in themselves, and live their dreams too..

Today, I walked with the The Great All-Rounder, raising money for Leukemia Research in the process. I was joined by two good friends, Michelle and George, and plenty of others who are passionate about supporting Sir Ian in his quest to increase the survival rate of blood cancer sufferers to as close to 100% as he possibly can. The progress made by Sir Ian and his altruistic friends over nearly three decades is remarkable. The money raised, which supports medical professionals to undergo the research work necessary to combat the disorders, is much-needed and Beefy’s powerful personality has done wonders for such a great cause.

Despite being a grand-father and moving towards his sixties, Beefy remains an awesome athletic specimen with a walking pace and a sense of purpose which confounds everyone who witnesses his incredible walks live.

Today was my debut on one of his nationwide walks. What an experience!
His eldest daughter Sarah, has taken on the responsibility for the organisation of the event and has done a superb job drumming up continued support. Beefy himself was ably supported by close friends and family as ever, while fellow sporting Knights of the Realm, Sir Nick Faldo and Sir Steve Redgrave were amongst the well-wishers, walking at a more gentle pace further back in the field.

Former Ryder Cup-winning Captain, Sam Torrance, amused us on the way round with a few quality lines and ‘gags’, while the Ice Cream van man from ‘Italy’ provided some welcome sustenance as the journey neared its’ end.

It was good to see some familiar faces such as Mark Nicholas, the former Hampshire Captain and current TV Presenter; Mark Austin of ITV and Dave ‘Rooster’ Roberts whose skills as a physio and confidante have kept Beefy on his feet for many a year, all playing their part in supporting one of England’s most remarkable characters.

Beefy’s Great British Walk has been another great success.

He really is one of our National Heroes who is rightly regarded as a ‘Great’ Briton. After his most recent exertions, I hope he can find the time to put his feet up, charge his glass, and raise a toast to himself and his friends.

I trust he will…