David Kelly

The Rat at Anick not far from Hexham is very highly rated too. Been once for Sunday lunch which was very good. Went on the curry train years ago and while it was canny enough it certainly wasn't fancy or romantic. Warm bottles of Becks was all that we got on the train itself. Mind this was before I was married so you must be talking a good 15 year ago. Their other restaurant next to As You Like It is very good.

Doesn't Jennings bat at 3 for Durham (previously) and now Lancashire? Maybe he would be a better bet at 3 and then Burns opening as he does for his county. That still leaves us with someone else to bring in like. We might need to try and convert someone like Bairstow. Of course then you risk knocking the game of someone who has been doing well where he was. Or do we go for someone with plenty of experience like Joe Denly while we wait for someone like Hameed to come back into form?

Aye it seems obvious the first class game here is set up so poorly for helping to develop batsmen. Mind you, I think there's not a great amount of top order batsmen kicking about around the world at the moment. The Indians do well at home but have all struggled here apart from the one knock for Pujara. Warner and Bancroft didn't exactly score boat loads in the Ashes. Markram was doing well for South Africa but was pretty ordinary at Durham (admittedly at the start of the season when the pitches were awful for batsmen. Curran is currently 43rd ranked test batsman in the world!

Think that sums up exactly what I thought of it. The Paul Whitehouse section was the high point for me but I didn't think they pulled off the ending really. Still enjoyed it though.

His form for England hasn't been great for a while, with just the two double centuries and a load of low scores in between, so I don't think it's too much of a surprise. Certainly glad to see a player who has done what he has for England walking instead of being pushed. First thought is it's going to be a nightmare replacing him but as things stand, there's not that much to replace in his recent form. I guess it gives Jennings a bit of a reprieve as I don't imagine the selectors will want to chance both openers for the winter. Looking at this seasons averages Burns looks like he's the obvious choice to come in. Beyond him there's not many players in either division who look like they're knocking down the door to get into the squad.

Is there any point in the League Cup any more? Even lower division teams are resting players. I feel sorry for supporters of any team who travel to away games so see their reserves ambling around the pitch not looking like they give a fuck. Teams just don't seem to interested in being involved these days, they just don't want the extra games. Is it not now just time to do away with it? It might help maintain/get back some of the prestige of the FA Cup.

I can't believe Rafa's tactics were for Diame to fail to pass a ball to a team mate all game any more than they were for Kenedy to do the same against Cardiff. Had those players managed to play their usual game, I'm sure that the look of both games would have been much different and the tactic's wouldn't have been called into question as much. Sometimes players have stinking games (especially players who you are bringing in on the cheap) that can undermine any tactics. I thought Fernandez had a very good debut.

Would Colback be eligible to play given that he's on loan from us? You can't in Premier league games but I don't know if that rule extends to the cups. Not that I care if he plays or not mind.

The biggest shock about the thing is that he's only 32!

Not a massive surprise that Stokes is back into the team at Curran's expense. It's a bit of a shame because the option of a left armer was pretty good imo. But in terms of ability you can't really argue with Stokes and Woakes getting the nod. I see Durham have signed Bancroft for next season with Latham expected to be playing for NZ in the world cup.

Sounds like he was fairly calm in the press conference. Saying he wants to stay still which even if we all assume there's no chance he'll do that while Ashley is in charge, it's better for us for the season.

Can't say I'm remotely arsed about this Marlon Santos, never heard of him before yesterday and what I've heard isn't very impressive. Fernandez would be an ok addition to the squad so I'd be fairly happy with him. You'd hope with Rondon and Muto we've improved our striking options over last season but it's definitely disappointing that we've not improved the team anywhere else. I still think we're lacking creativity but I suppose we created quite a bit last season but just missed a lot of chances. If those two new strikers can put more of them away we should be ok for another assault on mid table.

Aye I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before. He's barely bowled for Durham before that either. Another win last night and they're top of the North group and looking very good for qualification. Wouldn't have expected this after the dreadful one day competition.

We probably were offering him a zero hour contract.

Superb win for Durham against Lancs last night in the T20. Probably need just one more win out of the last four to get a quarter final place.

Newcastle United director of football, Joe Kinnear, said: "This is a hugely exciting development for Newcastle United. We have one of football's great stadiums and we are delighted to now be announcing plans for a training complex which will rival any in Europe. "Top players and top teams need top training and medical facilities. Our current training ground has served the Club very well but the new complex will give us all of the ingredients that we need to continue maintaining and enhancing the performance of elite footballers. "It will also be an added attraction when we are looking to recruit players." Given that we basically aren't bothered about recruitment or having top players, then Ashley is quite right that it's fit for his purposes. G

Given that I'm fairly late to the cricket party, I think that's probably the best test match I've seen. While I don't think it would have effected the overall result, Stokes has shown just how much we missed him in the Ashes.

Curran's certainly got us a lot more into the game than I thought we were going to be. But yes I think we're going to regret a few things come the end of it.

Of course he doesn't deserve to die. He's a bad boss and terrible football club owner but that doesn't make some one deserve to die. That being said I'd personally be more than happy to see him buggered death with a nuclear powered dildo.

Hopefully you keep your prediction run going. But I don't see it this time. I'll be amazed if we manage a lead of 150 and Kohli could well get that on his own.

Not the way Curran is blitzing through their top order.

Rafas comments after the game aren’t good at all. He sounds completely at the end of his tether now.

I see the Chronicle are going along with the line that we're getting paid in instalments for him as we are with Sissoko, Gini and god knows who else. Apart from the fact that they seem to be ignoring all the money we should be receiving for TV and prize money etc they also fail to point out that if other teams are buying players off us in that way, surely we can do the same? If we can't there's something seriously wrong with whoever is doing our negotiations. Ahh I think I've just spotted the problem....

Well at least there'll be no need to ask where the Mitro money went.

Castle Rock seems pretty good after the first three episodes.