Gary Lemke looks back at the weekend’s sporting action which saw Australian clinch the Cricket World Cup, the Hollywoodbets Sharks pick up another URC defeat and more!
AUSTRALIA SAVE BEST FOR LAST
At some stage the law of averages was about to step in and say, “remember me”. After winning 11 matches in a row, India arrived at the Cricket World Cup final where the hosts were favourites to beat Australia. Ah, Australia. The five-time world champions and one of only two countries – the other being West Indies – to progress through a World Cup unbeaten. And this 2023 version was the 13th staging. The law of averages says not too many teams lift the trophy after an unbeaten campaign. Australia had lost two matches earlier – to South Africa and India – but settled the score with the Proteas in the semi-final, but saved the best for last in the final. They were superb with bat, ball and in the field and India were never ahead in the game. Travis Head was man of the match on the basis of a stunning catch to dismiss the free-flowing Rohit Sharma, before he produced an exceptional batting display, 137 runs off 120 balls. Virat Kohli, rightly, was named man of the tournament. Little consolation to King Kohli and country.
There's barely any more space in Australia's ICC trophy cabinet 🇦🇺🔥#INDvAUS #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/Vl3ok3HKAi
— Sport360° (@Sport360) November 20, 2023
F1 GAMBLED, AND WON IN VEGAS
There was glitz, there was glamour, there was chaos, there were spills, thrills. And finally, in the Las Vegas dessert on a steamy Saturday night, Max Verstappen won the inaugural Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix. The result itself almost seems a footnote to the occasion and continued the incredible streak of Verstappen this season. More importantly, this was a (rare) Saturday night local time which introduced F1 to the streets of Vegas, the famous strip where anything can, and does happen. Elvis is still around to marry you and your heartthrob that you met in the casino only hours earlier if the mood takes you. The decision to take the F1 show to Vegas was always going to be a roll of the dice. The F1 authorities gambled – and they won. Vegas has set itself up as a permanent fixture on the annual F1 calendar.
F1 Las Vegas circuit from 20,000ft 😎✈️
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) November 19, 2023
📷 JoeyF1_ pic.twitter.com/ZTl2wzWTAA
WHERE’S CONSISTENCY IN EVERTON’S PENALTY?
I was as surprised as you were to hear of Everton’s 10-point English Premier League deduction for breaching financial rules, which now drops them to 19th on the table and into the relegation zone. They are there with a record of played 12, won 4, drawn 2 and lost 6, which had left them in a safe-looking 14th before the decision. I spoke with two former International greats for their countries at the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at the Lost City over the weekend and I won’t reveal their names just yet. Both branded the decision a disgrace, both questioning “what about Manchester City”, who are being investigated for more than 100 breaches of FFP rules. However, if this is to be the way forward, there will be plenty of chairmen in the EPL who will be shifting uncomfortably in their seats today.
‘Big Six’ told to pay more to football pyramid as Everton row inflames tensions
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) November 19, 2023
✍️ @ben_rumsby, @Tom_Morgs & @SamWallaceTel#TelegraphFootball
DURBAN FANS SHOW SUPPORT FOR BAFANA
Perhaps the most interesting statistic from Bafana Bafana’s 2-1 win over Benin in their 2021 World Cup qualifier was that the crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium swelled to an official 15,000. That’s a sizeable turnout for the national football side, especially against minnows like Benin, and perhaps was a temporary offshoot from the Springboks’ recent World Cup campaign. However, it also suggests that fans will flock to follow a winning team. They have arrived in Rwanda for their next match on Tuesday, and a win there – never easy away in Africa – will set them up nicely to start winning back the fans. It’s about time.
"We lost three games in two and half years – a team like that deserve to be supported."
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) November 19, 2023
Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos says the fans at Moses Mabhida played a crucial role in their win over Benin and hopes home support continues like that. https://t.co/GoX9YL7DHN
SHARKS SWIMMING IN TROUBLE WATERS
What is going on at the Hollywoodbet Sharks? Another defeat – five in five games – left them rooted to the bottom of the United Rugby Championship table. This time it was a one-point reversal to Connacht. As a note, it shows the difference in reaction when a team wins games by one point (Springboks) and loses them by a point (Sharks). In times of trouble, there’s always a call for calmness and to not panic. However, that’s always a public image displayed. Behind the scenes there will be plenty of discussion going around. I spoke to a former Springbok at the Gary Player Invitational at the weekend as well, and his opinion was that there are cracks in the SA rugby structure, despite back-to-back World Cups. “The Boks are so strong, but to continue that success we need our franchises to dominate. They aren’t doing that,” he warned.
News24 | Desperate Sharks desperately unlucky as they go down again in winless URC start https://t.co/nmKsRnAED5
— News24 🇿🇦 (@News24) November 18, 2023
