THE more things change the more they stay the same. Boro have a new management team but they will again find that recovering from a poor start can be a long haul.

A sending off and a booking for Ugo Ehiogu sounds familiar, as does Sunderland's Kevin Phillips being touted for England. Not to mention Newcastle leaking goals and Arsenal v Leeds resembling a reenactment of the Alamo.

Then, of course, there's England winning a Test when the Ashes have already been lost. And recalling Phil Tufnell for the final Test at the Oval.

It was certainly a magnificent innings at Headingley by Mark Butcher, who must now have cemented his place even in a full-strength England team, from which Michael Atherton is about to retire.

He had been cast aside because of technical deficiencies, but worked on them with his dad, Alan, the Surrey second team coach, and injuries forced his recall because there is no-one better.

The new Wisden website has rated Butcher's 173 not out as the eighth best innings by an Englishman in Test history.

Whether the computer which worked this out took account of the state of the series I don't know. But it seems unlikely.

Adam Gilchrist's declaration initially prompted the suspicion that a certain Mr Gupta might have been on the phone.

What is certain is that Australia would not have given England a sniff had the series still been alive. There was an arrogance about their declaration which suggested they didn't think England were remotely capable of making the runs. So, from that point of view, is was good to stuff it up 'em.

But, Butcher apart, let's not get carried away. What we can be grateful for is that Australia were prepared to do something for the sake of the game, ensuring a thrilling fifth day at Headingley to compensate for the two-day farce last season.

IT seems that a radio station rang Alan Mullery, the first footballer to be sent off playing for England back in 1968, and congratulated him on his England recall. They apparently thought they were ringing Alan Mullally.

So when Leicestershire's Jimmy Ormond was called up, did 1970s pop star Jimmy Osmond receive a call? The question is does the Long Haired Lover From Liverpool swing it both ways?

IT'S been a tough start for professional referees, especially Teesside's Jeff Winter. After booking five West Ham players at Liverpool on Saturday, he was lumbered with trying to keep the peace between Leeds and Arsenal.

Perhaps he should have had two trained Rottweillers for his assistants and a truncheon instead of a pack of red and yellow cards.

Leeds weren't the only team to have two men sent off this week as it also happened to Spurs at Everton. Professional referees alone will not instil greater discipline. The idea is that they should make fewer mistakes, although Lee Bowyer clearly thought Winter got it wrong in sending him off.

As there are plenty of people who think Bowyer is lucky to be allowed on a football field you would have thought he might tread a little more warily.

If his reaction is mentioned in Winter's report, a disrepute charge is likely. Hopefully Bowyer will be given a lengthy ban to remind him that he is not above the law.

THANK goodness for Des Lynam. Saturday at 7pm can still be viewed as light entertainment with Des in charge of The Premiership.

When Terry Venables took us to the Prozone, Lynam observed: "Not to be confused with what Terry may be on."

He later offered: "We're going to look at the league table. I don't know why it's only the first day."

As four clubs had not played a game, he did have a point, although I dare say the Bolton Evening News might have given the table an extremely large display.

THE England cricketers are due to go to Zimbabwe at the end of September for five one-day internationals which are viewed as a vital part of their preparations for the next World Cup.

Should they go? Of course they should, as long as there is no threat to their safety.

Although they are starting to produce a few black players, around 95 per cent of Zimbabweans have no interest in cricket, and while it might seem a good idea to make a political point to Robert Mugabe it wouldn't make a jot of difference to the fate of white farmers if England stayed away.

Published: 25/08/2001