SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: England are sinking fast, well done Fulham for beating the bores, Froome's spectacular win was just what cycling didn't need

That’s the inevitability of pushing the best form of the sport into the margins, as the ECB have managed with their, unsuccessful so far, pursuit of white ball glory. Believing England would come good again at home in May just because they have Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad always looked fanciful after a horrible winter tour under a clueless captain and a disinterested coach.

But pass a lot of the blame onto the decision-making hierarchy who insist the County Championship is played on wickets that don’t encourage spin or pace, so the counties can make their cash in the middle of the summer from an overlong slogging contest.

And how predictable England have turned to South Africa to rescue their dismal start to the summer. Latest call-up Keaton Jennings skippered South Africa at under 19 level which should rule him out of selection for another country at a stroke.

BEATING THE BORES

There’s a cynical side to Fulham as their systematic fouling of the one Aston Villa player with any attacking quality, Jack Grealish, showed in the Championship play-off final. In fact the Londoners owed plenty to useless officials failing to spot a disgusting stamp on Grealish in the first half, but it was still very much a victory for passing, attractive football over a negative, boring approach and we should all be grateful for that. Villa couldn’t possibly score a goal like the one Tom Cairney netted for Fulham at Wembley.

A SPECIAL RIDE WAS UNWANTED

Chris Froome coming from way off the pace to win another major cycling event in spectacular style is just what that ‘sport’ didn’t need.

More attention now falls on a failed drugs test which is taking far too long to clear up.

If it goes the wrong way for Froome this ugly sport will have been tainted further.