Doggs & Englishmen

The England team aren't the only visitors to Melbourne this week - which means a busy time for Bizzle Arthur.

We all need a hero... and Melbourne has many to choose from

So the England World Cup campaign moves on to Melbourne with the game against Australia at the Telstra Dome on Sunday. That's one of highlights of what is going to be a fantastic and, shall we say, varied, week of entertainment in the Victorian capital. The World Cup game is obviously the main attraction for the England supporters over here but no doubt many of them will head down to Flemington Park for the horse racing because it's Melbourne Cup time. The four-day festival of racing begins on Saturday with Derby Day and carries on for three more days, the main attraction being the Melbourne Cup itself. That's when Australia comes to a halt and then wakes up the next day with a blinding hangover because it's a famously boozy event. The Melbourne Cup Carnival is also a big fashion occasion - it's estimated that around 47,000 hats are bought just for the big race day and this year, in these times of financial strife, the look will be for simple elegance. Although another Aussie fashion commentator reckons it'll be elegant simplicity. Either way, Stevo should be look the part. But, as well as the England v Australia game and the horses, there are plenty of other attractions in Melbourne over the next few days.

Showdown

On Friday night there's another big sporting event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when Australia take on Ireland in the second International Rules Challenge. It's a showdown between Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football and Australia are out for revenge having been beaten 44-45 by the Irish in the first game last week. So that's the English and the Irish in town - and the Welsh are here too. OK, so they somehow managed not to qualify for the World Cup, Scotland edging them out in the qualifying stages, but a big noise from Wales will be performing in Melbourne this week. And I mean big noise. You thought she was lost in France (or is it Portugal?) but here she is, belting out those 80's hits in Melbourne. That's right mate, she was number one in 1983 with Total Eclipse of the Heart and, crikey mate, she's still going strong - it's Swansea songbird Bonnie Tyler! Bonnie is on tour in Australia at the moment and is doing two nights in the city before moving on to the Gold Coast and then to Sydney. Spookily, that mirrors our itinerary. Do we have a Bonnie Tyler fan in our midst? And we'll be holding out for an England hero - or a team of heroes - at the Telstra Dome on Sunday night. Because we're hoping it's a heartache that the Aussies will be suffering after our boys have taken them apart faster than the speed of night.

Doggfather

So that's a tough act for Cordozar Calvin Broadus Junior to follow. That's right, no sooner has Bonnie left town than Snoop Dogg jets in to join the fun. Whoever was organising his tour itinerary didn't do their homework because his gig at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday clashes with the big match at the Telstra Dome. Probably be a bit of 'parental advisory-type' language when the Dogg finds out. But while the Doggfather is doing his stuff the old rivals will be going to head and here's hoping JP and his crew finish as top doggs in Melbourne on Sunday night. So, as you can see, it's going to be a wild and varied few days here in Melbourne - and I haven't even mentioned the Wangaratta Jazz Festival...