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July can be a strange month.

In the UK, the forty day period beginning July 3 and ending August 11 is listed in The Old Farmer’s Almanac as the Dog Days.

They are believed to be an evil time ‘when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad and creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics and phrensies.’

Although that was written in 1813, it clearly still has some relevance today as a trawl down the schedule of July poker tournaments reveals some evidence of creatures becoming languid as there are far fewer events than in more pre-canine times.

It is therefore impressive to see that a player from the UK managed to place 8th in The Orleans Open, a $2,000 …

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That might be the only Test match he will ever play for England, but no matter: no-one will forget the name Darren Pattinson after the remarkable Second Test against South Africa.

With Ryan Sidebottom out injured, England needed a last-minute bowling replacement. Three of the men who blasted Australia apart to win the 2005 Ashes were fit, available and playing well; Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones. England’s selectors met and made their decision. They chose… none of the above, but Nottinghamshire’s Darren Pattinson. Pattinson, a man hardly anyone had heard of. A man raised and developed in Australia. And a man who had only previously played 11 first-class matches. Not good for a 29-year-old. Even skipper Michael Vaughan commented that …

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