They say the table never lies and with England sixth in both Test and One Day ranking lists, it is hard to disagree. They are in the 'second division' of cricketing nations, and with good reason.

England have had a terrible winter, book-ended by Stanford controversy, but their recent slump, exemplified by Test series defeat in West Indies, is simply the lowest point of a steady downward curve.

Things can surely not get any worse. England have been a team in denial for some time, but perhaps now, after the hardships of the last six months - Stanford, One Day hammering in India, defeat from a winning position in Chennai, Pietersen v. Moores, defeat in the Caribbean, Stanford again - is the time for optimism.

Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower look set to make a good leadership axis. This is not the only positive from the West Indies Test series, as ironically plenty of players emerged with their reputations enhanced. Others - Ian Bell, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Harmison - did the selectors a favour by proving their frailties.

Strauss knows what he is in charge of: a set of players with apparently decent records who often 'go missing' at vital periods. The bowling unit struggles to take 20 wickets, especially overseas and the batsmen only make big runs when the conditions are right.

England have won only four of their 13 Test series since the 2005 Ashes (two against New Zealand, one apiece against West Indies and Pakistan), but despite their recent poor form, planning for this summer's Ashes battle has steadier foundations than those laid before the last campaign in 2006/07.

Only the number three position remains unresolved in batting terms, with Michael Vaughan, Robert Key and Ravi Bopara all pressing valid claims. Vaughan to play in the first Test might just be opening Ashes bet of the year. The rest of the top order did everything that was asked of them in West Indies (barring Jamaica). Matt Prior showed he can bat at six.

Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and James Anderson did enough to secure their bowling places, which just leaves the third fourth seamer place unfilled, assuming Andrew Flintoff returns to full fitness.

Amjad Khan, Sajid Mahmood, Mark Davies and Tim Bresnan are all in with a chance, whilst Steve Harmison and even Matthew Hoggard could earn recalls with decent early county form.

England entered the 2005 Ashes on a wave of optimism. There is pessimism this time around, which is only right after a team that thinks it is better than it is gets a rude awakening. England are ready to start moving in the right direction after going the wrong way for four years.

2007/08 was the season that English clubs took charge of the Champions League. A Premier League team had featured in the three previous finals, but the dramatic showdown between Chelsea and Manchester United marked the beginning of an era of English dominance in Europe's showpiece competition.

Each of the Premiership 'big four' reached last year's quarter finals, with only Arsenal, by virtue of their narrow defeat to Liverpool, failing to reach the last four.

All have progressed to this year's last 16 with relative ease, and whilst four European giants stand in their way, the fact that the English team will start as favourite in each respective tie is indicative of the shift in power at the top level of European club football.

Teams from the same country have contested Champions League finals twice before (Real Madrid and Valencia in 1999/2000 and Milan and Juventus in 2002/03), but it is English teams who are likely to repeat the feat in the coming seasons. The similarity in records of the leading nations that has seen Spain, Italy and England produce 11 European Cup / Champions League winners is unlikely to remain over the coming years.

I expect Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United to all again reach the quarter finals and whilst the draw for the last eight might of course reduce the chances, an all English final is an attractive bet for anyone wanting to gamble on the Champions League.

Snooker hit the sports headlines this week and it was no surprise that this was due to the words and actions of Ronnie O'Sullivan. 'The Rocket' is never shy of giving the media a story, but his latest outburst, an attack on what he sees as the petty and unimaginative governing of snooker, was notable as it received widespread support.

O'Sullivan's fellow professionals are similarly unimpressed about receiving fines from the WPBSA for forfeiting frames they cannot win and entering overseas tournaments that are barely worth their while due to insufficient prize funds.

Some leading commentators were also quick to back 'the Rocket' and it is certainly true that snooker, widely deemed to be on the slide since its popularity peak in the mid-80s, needs its image to be carefully managed.

However, O'Sullivan's proposed cure, a PDO-darts style overhaul orchestrated by Simon Cowell and Barry Hearn, whilst recognising the need for outside promotion and sponsorship, will leave many snooker fans in despair.

Darts is suited to the frenzied crowd interaction, snooker is not. The 'let's get the boys on the baize' introduction bellowed by Rob Walker at each tournament already feels incongruous. Such a major image overhaul is a heavy price to pay to attract new interest.

This is the perennial headache for all sports administrators: how to develop the sport and generate a wider interest whilst at the same time retaining the core elements that appeal to the purists' tastes.

If snooker needs an equivalent of cricket's Twenty20, then so be it, but the core ranking events and BBC flagship tournaments need not be tinkered with - anyone who watched the nail-biting climax to last month's UK Championship final between Shaun Murphy and Marco Fu must have been enthralled.

It is the skill, drama and tension that that match showcased which should be promoted to attract a new generation of fans, not imaginary glitz and glamour.

However, snooker cannot stand still and its governors must be on their toes, especially if O'Sullivan retires and BBC coverage ceases - these much-rumoured changes to the sport would represent significant body blows to its mass appeal.

As for the current tournament, I have backed Ali Carter in the Master Snooker betting. One of the most improved players on the circuit, he should prevail against Peter Ebdon in his opener and is in the type of form to capitalise on O'Sullivan's distracted state of mind. 'The Rocket' was lucky to edge past Joe Perry with a brand new cue and as ever looks too short in the winner's market.

Until the logistics of a formatted World Test Championship are worked out, we have to rely on the ICC rankings for official recognition of the teams' hierarchy in the Test arena. Australia's place at the top of these rankings has been unquestioned since their inception, but India and South Africa's designs on the top spot have been gaining credence over the last 12 months.

The ranking system itself is not totally credible - few recognised the Proteas as the world's best One Day team when they briefly took top spot in the limited overs equivalent list last year - but there will be no argument if South Africa overtake the Aussies at the top of the Test rankings by securing the 3-0 series whitewash they require to do so. Any team winning by that scoreline downunder must be the best in the world, although it is not a cricket bet I will be rushing to make.

South Africa's drawn series in India and victory in England earlier in the year suggest they are indeed the team most likely to grab Australia's slipping crown, but it is India who have the most valid claims as current number one alternatives to the Aussies.

India's dominance of Australia in their recent 2-0 win, totally at odds with the titanic see-saw battles of the last decade, hinted at a shift in the balance of power at the top of the world game and acted as confirmation to many that Australia's transition phase forced by a flurry of star player retirements is to be a long-winded process.

If India do officially become the world's best, the way they cope with the departure of senior players is going to be key. Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly recently packed away their whites and Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman are likely to join them in retirement sooner rather than later.

Gary Kirsten's men seem well-placed to cope with these changes and have already made the first step in toppling Australia by removing the undefeatable aura that has surrounded the Baggy Greens for so long. Whether South Africa can take advantage is another matter.

It has been billed as 'Judgement Night', but the boxing action on 6^th December is more 'Redemption Night'. Enzo Maccarinelli, Amir Khan and Oscar de la Hoya all have points to prove at very different stages of their respective careers.

Maccarinelli was stunned by David Haye in their March showdown for the WBO World cruiserweight title and needs to show he is the best in the division now his fellow Brit has moved up to the heavyweight ranks.

The undefeated Jonathon Banks is now the top rated Cruiserweight and will provide a stern test for the Swansea fighter.

The devastating nature of the Haye defeat sent him into a nine month non-fight exile and a punishing training regime - motivation won't be a problem for Maccarinelli and he should be backed to secure his redemption in his attempt to regain a world title.

It is early days to talk about Khan needing redemption, but the hiding he took from Breidis Prescott in September means he is under serious pressure to perform.

Khan was no match for the hard-hitting Prescott and it is safe to assume that his advisors have picked a more suitable opponent in Oisin Fagan.

However, Khan needs not only to win, but win well in order to justify his jettisoning of Jorge Rubio in favour of Freddie Roach - whose main focus is inevitably his protégé Manny Pacquiao - and to prove he can still live up to the hype that has surrounded his early career.

The star attraction is of course de la Hoya - Pacquiao. The non-title Welterweight battle is derided by many as a money-spinning freak show (Pacquiao is moving up two weight classes in a seemingly uneven match-up) but it is undeniably interesting to see how a legend and the number one pound-for-pounder shape up in the same ring.

The Golden Boy is under more pressure. He has lost three of his last five world title bouts, with his controversial points win over Felix Sturm viewed as more of a victory for the myopic judges. He needs to win in order to secure another big payday against Ricky Hatton and it is a mistake to expect de la Hoya to go through the motions in the twilight of a glittering career.

However, Pacquiao is also eyeing Hatton and he will be similarly driven to end his year on a good note. His March meeting with Juan Manuel Márquez was perhaps the fight of the year and the world number one will not want his reputation tarnished by his decision to literally punch above his weight.

As a former de la Hoya trainer, Roach knows how to best get inside his defences and there is no one better in a toe-to-toe battle than the Filipino. He will be at peak physical condition to give himself the best possible chance and despite his size disadvantage punters looking for a boxing bet should not ignore this opportunity to back a quality fighter who starts as second favourite.

How quickly things can change. Tottenham Hotspur might still be bottom of the Premier League, but surely not for much longer. A mood of optimism pervades a team that was in freefall last week and those thinking of placing one of the unlikeliest football bets of the season, Spurs to be relegated, will have to reconsider.

Harry Redknapp's appointment as manager is a shrewd choice by Chairman Daniel Levy, although it also represents a tacit admission of failure of the continental system the man in charge persisted with.

That is not to say that a sporting director and coach structure cannot work in England, just that such a system relies on the right personnel, and in Damien Comolli and Juande Ramos, Tottenham had the wrong combination.

Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane might still have wanted to leave with Redknapp in charge - although they would surely have received more persuasion to stay - but their departure would not have resulted in the club starting the season short of firepower. The transfer policy is now clear, with 'wheeler dealer' Redknapp ready to prove that he can make astute signings with a big transfer fund.

However, it is wrong to blame Tottenham's terrible start solely on the departure of their two main goalscorers. Ramos was drained of enthusiasm by the end of his tenure, failing to motivate downcast players and chopping and changing the starting line-up seemingly without a clear plan.

This lack of managerial nous came as a surprise. Ramos arrived with a reputation of professionalism, revolutionising diets and training methods, but he rapidly lost his way. Failing to give established first teamers squad numbers and neglecting to properly research opponents hints at why he stood accused of 'losing the dressing room.'

No such problems for Redknapp, enthusiasm personified. The dressing room is behind him and with the announcements of strong financial results - Levy is right to draw attention to this in today's economic climate - and new ground plans, happy Harry's optimism is quickly spreading.

I don't usually find myself springing to the defence of Newcastle United. Maybe it's the carefully manufactured 'best fans in the country' tag or the pointless big club / small club debate they generate, but I am generally on the side of those who revel in their sequence of calamities.

However, I am suddenly in the camp who wants to see a halting of their slide and this is due to the appointment of Joe Kinnear as temporary manager.

The widespread mocking of the former Wimbledon manager is misplaced and any sort of Newcastle renaissance under his stewardship would be a surprise to most observers; there is a consensus that the Magpies will slip into freefall and find themselves in a relegation battle, compounding the problems caused by boardroom uncertainty.

This dire vision of Newcastle's future is insulting to Kinnear, who is effectively written off as a man out of his depth and out of touch with modern football, given the job because no one else wanted it.

Those accusations have a ring of truth about them, but do not mean that the temporary boss is doomed to failure.

Newcastle will at the very least benefit from the effects of 'new manager syndrome' - the intangible factor that lifts players' performances regardless of tactical changes or team selection. Their weekend clash with out of sorts Everton might see them start as the team with more confidence.

Kinnear's no-nonsense skills are known to involve straight talking, good man management and an ability to inspire players. Geordie fans love those qualities in their bosses don't they?

As an outsider not engulfed by the depressive mood that predecessor Chris Hughton exhibited, Kinnear should get a better response from a team that has a nucleus of players that was performing satisfactorily for the unfairly-sacked Sam Allardyce.

Whilst backing Kinnear to stay on as permanent manager might not be the best football bet of the week, neither is Newcastle to be bottom of the table at the end of November, a market in which they are currently second favourites.

It is a great shame that injury ruled Graeme Hick out of a farewell first class appearance against Middlesex at Kidderminster. His sore elbow is expected to also keep him out of Worcestershire's Pro40 play-off with Glamorgan and it is the inability to help his teammates retain division one status that will rankle with the Pears legend, not the missed opportunity for a high profile send-off.

Hick apparently needed persuading to announce his retirement before the season's close and it is easy to see why a man who shuns the limelight would prefer a low-key announcement in the winter. I for one am glad that he receives the deserved accolades during the season, when cricket is still on the back pages.

There are of course those who choose to dwell on his under-performing for England and those who patronise by referring to the unfair pressure, the exceptional attacks he face early in his career and the shoddy selection treatment meted out by the England management.

We should concentrate on the positives: the match-winning 83 against South Africa in the 1992 world cup semi final; the 409 one day runs in four innings against Sri Lanka and Australia in 1999; the Test 178 in Mumbai in 1993 when no one else reached 50.

These performances indeed hint at what he could have achieved in national colours, but we should not sigh at 'what could have been', as Hick himself is well past this stage. If he is content, then so should we be.

Hick is easy to like as a player. I never wanted anyone to succeed for England as much, before or since, and the platitudes offered by former colleagues seem more genuine than usual.

His legacy will be held more fondly held than those of other recent domestic run machines. He doesn't possess the selfishness of Boycott, the rebel tour controversies of Gooch or the burning bitterness of Ramprakash.

Hick is a cricket legend and his fallibility does not reduce his standing in my eyes nor in those of the New Road faithful. Anyone who finishes his career in the first class run scoring charts a place ahead of Len Hutton can be seen in no other way.

I reflected in my last boxing piece on how the sport was on the up in Britain. Plenty of fighters were enjoying success at world level and Amir Khan was the poster boy of UK boxing. Tipped for greatness since bursting onto the scene at the Athens Olympics, the Bolton man's route to the top now looks full of obstacles and neatly represents how things can change quickly.

However, we shouldn't be too disheartened. Joe Calzaghe has the chance to again prove his class stateside in his November showdown with Roy Jones Jr and we should share David Haye's own faith that he can take the bare heavyweight division by storm.

Ricky Hatton should claim some Las Vegas redemption in his meeting with Paulie Malignaggi and punters should consider a Hatton-Calzaghe double when consulting the boxing odds.  

There is also the British boxing team's success in Beijing to consider - Frankie Gavin's no-show not withstanding - but caution must be exercised when evaluating James DeGale's gold medal performance at the Olympics.

The middleweight known as 'Chunky' to his friends needs only to use Audley Harrison as a warning against complacency should he choose to go professional.

Harrison was so vocal in predicting a world title for himself that the public quickly lost faith during his succession of shambolic victories over soft opponents and meek collapses against anyone of note. Khan is in danger of going the same way.

How things have changed since my last post. A different format and a change of captain and things are looking up for England. I evaluate England's One Day success on www.laytheodds.com and wonder whether the current form is a sign of things to come.

England have suddenly become a good One Day team. It was not long ago that New Zealand's motley crew made them look every inch the sixth ranked team in the world that they were.

It is dangerous to predict a bright future for a team that has been so poor for so long, but a new captain and some changes in personnel have quickly helped transform England into a formidable unit. A 5-0 whitewash over South Africa was one of the summer's unlikeliest cricket bets, but it would now be a surprise if there was any other outcome.

A change in leadership often generates a short term improvement in performance, but there is every reason to think that Kevin Pietersen can oversee a successful era in England's ODI cricket. The return of Matt Prior, Steve Harmison and most importantly Andrew Flintoff has balanced the side and the first choice eleven is now full of batting and bowling.

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