more aggressive," Harrell said after the first two inni

It all got a bit lippy during Englands final Test against Pakistan at The Oval a few days ago. Alex Hales pulled a much-shown face that wouldnt have been out of place in the pre-school sandpit, and predictably perhaps, given their enforcer-like swagger, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson weighed in with their two hapennies worth soon enough.Like those of many fast bowlers, Broads and Andersons emotions run fairly close to the surface. No one smells the slow bleed of self-belief like the pair, and this, in part, is what makes them so dangerous as second- and third-spell stalkers. To get self-righteous about the occasional indiscretion seems hypocritical, because it forgets that radioactivity is hot-wired into their DNA. They can resonate in no other way - and wouldnt be the cricketers they are without it.When he was coach of South Africa, Mickey Arthur used to talk with an amiable yet slightly puzzled air about Dale Steyns red mist. It was a strange and quixotic beast, liable to descend without warning and disappear over the horizon just as quickly. One of the notable features of South Africas slide down the Test rankings in recent months has not only been the absence of the visibly tiring Steyn but the almost complete lack of mongrel in their approach to the game. Where is the snarl? The calculated nastiness? The occasional fumes of anger?Hopefully Steyn plays in the first Test against New Zealand in Durban and, in so doing, brings the mist along with him. Kingsmead was where he cried off against England last summer and there is an argument to be made for the fact that his departure initiated the selection merry-go-round (Hardus Viljoen at the Wanderers?) that ultimately led to South Africa losing the series.Given the recent backstory, Kingsmead is a good place for new beginnings, and theres a pleasing symmetry to watching Steyn restart a Test career that he has long insisted isnt over, in Durban.Steyn likes playing against New Zealand. He was too young and callow a player when he made his debut alongside AB de Villiers against England in Port Elizabeth in 2004, bowling 16 no-balls, but by 2007 had forced his way back into contention. Who should he encounter but New Zealand, slicing through them like a hot knife through a rack of braaied ribs. In two Tests, at the Wanderers and Centurion, late that year, Steyn took 20 wickets against New Zealand, helping bundle the second to a three-day conclusion as the visitors were bowled out for 188 and 136.One of the few players to face Steyn with anything approaching confidence that November was Stephen Fleming, then in the twilight of his distinguished career. Fleming scored the only fifty of either New Zealand innings in Centurion but it was ultimately small change. Bowling his awayswing at pace and picking up a host of bowleds and leg- befores, Steyn was the man. New Zealand blinked first and the second Test - and therefore the abbreviated series - was over before it had ever really begun.Fleming knew a thing or two about the dark arts of intimidation. It was he who launched a premeditated verbal attack on a young Graeme Smith when South Africa toured New Zealand in 2004. Brendon McCallum did much the same to Jacques Kallis at Eden Park towards the end of the ODI series, and the South Africans were badly rattled. Whether Steyn initiates the verbals or whether it comes from someone else, it would give fans all over the country heart to see some aggro from the home side. Without it you begin to wonder about their pride.Steyn might not be the bowler of old, having to cannily ration his energies, but he knows a bit about lip. Perhaps the time has come for him to sledge from the front?News from the South African camp these past few weeks has been about culture workshops and that old chestnut beginning with the letter t - transformation. This is all well and good but you rather feel that transformation is a red herring, a convenient mask for other things. South Africa need, rather, to discover their inner sledge, the hard competitor that made someone like Brian McMillan and Pat Symcox such mean performers.The impression for some time now has been that South African cricket has lost its way. Finding their inner mongrel would go some way to restoring everyones leaking confidence. Cheap Sharks Jerseys . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Custom Sharks Jersey China . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. http://www.customsharksjersey.com/custom-evander-kane-jersey-large-73v.html .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Cheap Custom Sharks Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale Custom Sharks Shirts . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Luis Mendoza finally figured out what he needs to do to succeed at home. Mendoza pitched four-hit ball in matching zeros with Lucas Harrell for seven innings Sunday before Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer each had run-scoring singles off reliever Hector Ambriz in the eighth to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 2-0 win over the Houston Astros for their fifth straight win. Mendoza was winless with an 8.05 ERA in his first four home starts this season but was at ease on the mound Sunday. "Mendy threw a tremendous game," Hosmer said. "He really had his sinker working and was pounding strikes and playing great defence behind him. Moose (Mike Moustakas) made a lot of great plays behind him." The Royals bullpen has not allowed a run in 17 2-3 innings in the past six games. Royals manager Ned Yost had no doubt Kansas City had the upper hand if the outcome would be determined by the relievers. "Mendy was throwing great and still was at 90 pitches, but was fixing to come around for the fourth time to the top of that order," Yost said. "And Im sitting there thinking Ive got (Aaron) Crow, (Greg) Holland, (Kelvin) Herrera, (Tim) Collins, Hoch (Luke Hochevar) and (J.C.) Gutierrez, who threw two easy innings last night, plus Bruce Chen. Im fully stocked. It doesnt matter how long this game goes, Ive got enough pitching to wait it out." Crow (2-1) worked a scoreless eighth to earn a victory that gave the Royals their longest winning streak since taking seven in a row form Sept. 10-17, 2011. With one out in the eighth, Chris Getz singled and stole second off reliever Amrbiz (1-3). Gordon, who was 1 for 18 on this homestand, singled to centre for the first run. Gordon moved to third on centre fielder Trevor Crowes errant throw home and scored on Hosmers single. Greg Holland pitched a spotless ninth for his 12th save in 14 opportunities. Harrell, who has won only once since April 29, was held the Royals to two singles in seven scoreless innings. "He was outstanding," Astros manager Bo Porter said. ";Even early on when he walked a couple of guys he made good pitches to get out of innings.dddddddddddd He did a tremendous job going seven innings against a pretty good-hitting lineup." The Astros got only one runner past first base in the first six innings. Ronny Cedeno doubled to start the third and advanced to third base on a groundout, but was stranded there. Mendoza, who entered 0-2 with an 8.05 ERA in four home starts, retired 12 in a row after Cedenos double. Harrell, who had won only one of his previous seven starts, retired 13 in a row from the second inning until Perezs single in the sixth. But he was quickly erased when Billy Butler grounded into a double play. Perez also singled in the first, when the Royals loaded the bases with two outs on walks to Butler and Mike Moustakas walked in the first to load the bases with two outs. Harrell got out of the jam by retiring David Lough with a fielders choice grounder. Harrell allowed just one runner -- Jeff Francoeur, who walked to leadoff the second -- after the first inning. Harrell threw 51 pitches -- only 26 strikes -- in the first two innings, but needed just 48 pitches for the next five innings. "I was more aggressive," Harrell said after the first two innings. "I started pounding the zone and using my sinker more to get ahead. And then I threw some really good curveballs." The Astros opened the seventh with singles from Carlos Pena and J.D. Martinez, but failed to score. NOTES: Royals SS Alcides Escobar, who is mired in a .191 slump with a .221 slugging percentage in his past 32 games, was given Sunday off after playing in the first 59 games. ... Astros OF Brandon Barnes, who left the game Saturday with left hamstring tightness, did not play Sunday. ... It was Kansas State day at Kauffman Stadium with Wildcats shooting guard Will Spradling and linebacker Tre Walker throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. ...The Royals host AL Central-leading Detroit for a three-game series with RHPs Doug Fister and Jeremy Guthrie the probable starters for Monday. ' ' '