Alex Massie

He'd been ill for some time, so the news that Bill McLaren, the "Voice of Rugby" has died is sad but neither surprising nor shocking. For nearly half a century, from his debut in 1953 until 2002, his voice dominated the game. No other rugby commentator came close. Nor, in this multi-channel age, will any again. The voice - a mild Hawick burr - was only part of what made McLaren so distinctive. McLaren's commentary combined great colour with precision. He gave viewers a sense of the drama of the game and relished the physical confrontation that lies at the heart of rugby and without which it is, if not nothing, then a much-reduced game. He was a trusted, kindly guide who taught many of us much of what we know about the game. Above all, there was a rare warmth about Bill's commentary.

Commenting on Sarah Palin here, regular correspondent Snowman does us all a favour by distilling Palinism to its essence: Tell me, if you will, what is it that irks you that much? If she is that of a comedian, why does she make you madder than the dogs, ha? You reckon the great unwashed of America have to told by the likes of you what to think of her? Why? Do you possess the capacity to tell us how to rate politicians, how to think, how to live our lives? Isn’t ‘hopeandchange’ equally glib? Glibness happens to be the trademark of any political rhetoric, it’s the art of talking a lot without saying very much of any substance.

Strauss: caught Amla, bowled Steyn 0 Photo:Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images. Andrew Strauss might wish that he'd lost the toss at the Wanderers this morning since, as it turned out and despite a stripey pitch, South Africa would also have batted first. Strauss may have been dismissed by the first ball of the test but he's in pretty good company: the first man to succumb to the opening ball of a test match was Archie MacLaren, done in by Arthur Coningham at Melbourne in 1894. Despite being skittled for just 75, England won the match by 94 runs... Strauss's dismissal today was the 28th time that a batsman has succumbed to the first ball of the match.

Because everything is a market opportunity, here's a perfect gift for any friend going to the World Cup this summer. Adding team colours is a particularly nice touch. Apparently this is a genuine product and at least 35 vests were sold the first day they became available. So rush now before they sell-out... Disclaimer: I actually think the World Cup will probably go off pretty well and that fears of crime, while understandable, are likely to be exagerrated somewhat.

Not the Black Shorts but Anjem Choudary and the Black Tunics. As always, Wodehouse is our trusty guide: The trouble with you, Spode, is that just because you have succeeded in inducing a handful of half-wits to disfigure the London scene by going about in black shorts, you think you're someone. You hear them shouting "Heil, Spode!" and you imagine it is the Voice of the People. That is where you make your bloomer. What the Voice of the People is saying is: "Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags! Did you ever in your puff see such a perfect perisher?" The other important thing to remember is that I rather think the voices of the vast, vast majority of British muslims are bundled up with the Voice of the People here.