cussedness

That is not going to change just because the treasury benches have displayed unnecessary cussedness and lack of tact.

Set this afternoon's meeting in its true context and Bees could be forgiven for finally running out of cussedness.

Draws against Leeds and Manchester United in their last two Premiership matches confirm the sheer cussedness of Jim Smith's men and this will be no easy ride for the Reds.

But it is this singleminded cussedness which produces the best from Wiggins (above), who loves solitude and the quiet life so much he admits "there is something of the hermit in me."

It is perhaps the realisation that the cards are stacked against India and not an innate cussedness that there should be no engagement of Pakistan which makes them apprehensive about raising the expectations from the foreign secretary level talks.

Instead, through sheer cussedness, the openside hauled two assailants to within a stride of the posts and the dam hadn't just sprung one leak, gaps were appearing from one touchline to the next.

His 78 over the course of nearly five hours was a display of cussedness that helped England to drag their weary bodies over the line and deny South Africa a series-levelling win.

There was bravery in defeat to Harlequins, cussedness in the win over Plymouth Albion, desperation against London Welsh and a whole host of characteristics in the draw at Sedgley Park last weekend.

Of course, Chelsea have an extra level that their opponents could only admire, but last night they didn't have as much desire as Everton, or sheer defiant cussedness. And they did have a huge slice of luck to grab the winner.

But does he have Atherton's famed cussedness as a batsman, that admirable refusal to buckle in the most testing circumstances?

He couldn't master the knack of chiselling out runs by sheer cussedness and grit.

But issuing Coffey with a year's ban and a pounds 900 fine, Judge Michael Kay QC accused him of "sheer cussedness".

And as retirement, injury and his own cussedness elevated him up the ranks at Gloucester the arrangement became more permanent as he was offered his first full-time contract.

Ironically, an inherited illness made him a natural candidate for early doors but, through sheer cussedness, he has survived.

I quite accept that my reservations probably just indicate a bit of cussedness on my part -and they do not prevent my wishing Henley-in-Arden Drama Society all it wishes itself in staging the Warwickshire premiere of Fly Me to the Moon from April 14-17