Writing for the Sake of Writing: Manchester United Going to Rome!

I can’t believe our luck!

FC Porto? The weakest team still involved in the Champions League?

Sir Alex must have been saying his prayers regularly.

This makes the path to the finals so much easier!

If United do go through, which I quite fancy them to, the team will be up against either Villarreal, who are not having the best of times in the La Liga at the moment, or Arsenal, the more dangerous of the two.  Arsenal is easily an opponent which would make for a helluva clash in the semi-finals, but still a match-up for which United would have to start as favourites.

In the other quarterfinals, it’s Chelsea against Liverpool and Barcelona against Bayern Munich.  I just have a feeling whoever wins between Bayern and Barca will be go through to the finals. Barcelona are favourites, and I don’t see them losing to Liverpool or Chelsea if they go past Bayern.

If Bayern go through, they will certainly be buoyed by a victory over cup favourites, not to mention arguably the most dangerous team in terms of strike force in the world!

The all-England quarterfinal is going to be tricky though. No straightforward favourite for me, though I’d dare put my money on Chelsea, who under Guus Hiddink are finally performing to full potential.

But then again, with Liverpool you never know.

I wasn’t that surprised that United got the Porto draw, to be entirely honest. Everything today was going for me ever since Sachin Tendulkar smashed his 42nd ton against New Zealand. It was quite painful, getting up at 3.21 am and all, but it was time well spent, watching Tendlya race from 70 to 160 in no time, only to fall to a peculiar shot. Anyone interested can catch the wicket-taker bragging away gleefully on Cricinfo.com!

It’s a good match actually—but only if you are an Indian, though!

75 for three and you would think the Kiwis are going to fold up tomorrow, handing India the first Test latest by lunch on the fourth day. Right now, even an innings victory is possible for India, but that is not enough to wake me up early tomorrow. I’ve had my share of early morning for a lifetime already. And to think there are two Tests yet to go! The only thing that is going to keep me going is probably a few more tons by the Little Master. Would be peach, I tell ya!

The Proteas aren’t having a bad time either. Ashwell Prince getting a ton opening—not his favourite position—against Australia says a thing or two about the quality of Australia’s new ball bowling arsenal. Not too flattering. Jacques Kallis also notched up a century before close of play, promises to be a cracker tomorrow.

We are spoilt for choice as cricket fans, what with two amazing Test matches going on simultaneously, and in different time zones, allowing us to see both of them without having to sacrifice one or the other! Blessed!

And in case you belong to the Stanford-clan, the ‘Tests-are-too-boring-for-me’ clan that is, you can always catch up on the ODI series in the Caribbean.

At the time of writing, the West Indians are 28 for one after eight overs, in reply to England’s 270 for seven. Chris Gayle the man out. Should go down to the wire, this one.

In other news, the new ‘points’ system in Formula One, which declared the championship would be awarded to the driver with the most wins, and not most points, is as good as scrapped now.

So obviously, I don’t have to eat my words now. At least not for another season.

That’l be the end of aimless rambling part three, I guess. I’m definitely getting better…