Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend as India survive to take unassailable Test lead, Scotland outmuscle England in Six Nations, a fairytale finish for Venniker and more!
YOU CAN’T BEAT TEST CRICKET
It’s all over inside four days of the fourth Test in Ranchi, a scenario that didn’t seem likely on the first session of day one. With a pitch that was expected to deteriorate, England won the toss and elected to bat. As you do in India. But they found themselves 112 for 5 inside 25 overs and even day three looked a long way away.
However, Joe Root (122) led a brilliant England response and they closed at an intimidating 353. They then had India 177-7. Now it was India’s turn to rally. Wicketkeeper Dhrut Juvel struck 90 and India got to 307 all out, a first-innings deficit of 46. England stretched that lead to 156 with six wickets remaining and in a strong position.
Then it happened. They lost those last six wickets for 35 runs, which left India needing 192 runs to win to take an unassailable 3-1 series lead. They got to 99-1, more than halfway there. That became 99-2, 100-3, 102-4, 120-5. Squeaky bum time. However, an unbroken 72 sixth-wicket partnership saw India over the line in the session between lunch and tea.
Fantastic victory for Team India in the 4th Test in Ranchi, securing the Test series against England. Our bowlers capitalized on favorable conditions, with @ashwinravi99 delivering a classy performance, securing a 6-wicket haul in the match. @imjadeja was clinical in the first… pic.twitter.com/7l8Pih9V1K
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) February 26, 2024
VAN DER MERWE GLADDENS SCOTS HEARTS
Ireland kept their Six Nations Grand Slam hopes alive, while France were fortunate to come away with a 13-13 home draw against Italy, the visitors hitting the post with an injury-time penalty denying them a famous win. But in Scotland, they’re still toasting their bulldozing winger Duhan van der Merwe.
The brother of Bulls hooker Akker scored another three tries, making it 26 in 37 games for the Scots as they beat fierce rivals England 30-21. Duhan is now still 28, a giant of a wing at 1.98m and 106kg. He represented SA Schools, Tuks in the Varsity Cup, the Blitzboks Sevens and the Bulls in 2016 before going overseas.
There he spent three years in Edinburgh and became a Scot by residency. Since then, he has left international defenders everywhere being trampled by the rampaging man with thunder thighs. Now, here’s a question: If Van der Merwe remained a South African, would he make the Springbok starting XV? Imagine him on one wing and Cheslin Kolbe on the other. Sigh.
The hilarious thing about Duhan van der Merwe is how ridiculously un-Scottish he is. The name. The accent. And physically, there isn’t a Scottish man that looks like him. But quite frankly, I don’t care. He scored hat-trick of tries against England, so he’s a Scottish hero. pic.twitter.com/qgtStrRyTk
— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) February 24, 2024
DERBY WINNER NOW 7/1 FOR HWB JULY
Green With Envy shortened from 16/1 to 7/1 for the Hollywoodbets Durban July following another impressive victory, this time in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m at Kenilworth. It was definitely an eye-catching performance.
However, the July? I’m not convinced the Cape three-year-old form is the strongest in the country. However, Green With Envy is definitely the best classic distance three-year-old in the region. The Cape Guineas was won by Snow Pilot, who then ran ninth in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate also over a mile.
Red Palace, the Guineas runner-up, hasn’t won in her subsequent two starts and even the Justin Snaith-trained Hluhluwe has finished unplaced in his next two starts. Sure, it’s ante-post, but See It Again for me at 5/1 remains the benchmark.
Super win from GREEN WITH ENVY in the SPLASHOUT CAPE DERBY!
— caperacing (@caperacing1) February 26, 2024
How good was that?#caperacing#desintationcaperacing
@splashout_print pic.twitter.com/b7DP55VFrN
VENNIKER FLIES THE SOUTH AFRICAN FLAG
While on the racing theme, Rachel Venniker’s win in the final leg of the International Jockey Challenge in Saudi Arabia was the stuff of fairytales. The young South African recently told me that her sights are set on winning her first Grade 1 (the pinnacle of the sport) and she’s going about it the right way.
Her ride on Cliffs Of Fury was elite and she showed she belongs on the world stage. Instead of Taylor Swift adorning the walls of young South African girls everywhere, Venniker is an inspirational role model. Personally, I’d like to see her ride See It Again in this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, where she could land that first Gr1 success.
#KZNBed #KZNWinner!!
— KZNBreeders (@KZNBreeders) February 26, 2024
We are super proud of our KZN and South African jockey, Rachel Venniker on her fantastic win aboard Cliffs Of Fury on Friday night in the International Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia -https://t.co/rmhlsVTVX3@sportingpost @GoldCircleRacin
MEXICO CITY LIVES UP TO FIGHT NIGHT
There was plenty of action in and out of the octagon at UFC’s Fight Night in Mexico City. A mass brawl broke out in the stands and cell phone footage shows one fan knocking out another brawling spectator with a clean left hook, moments after using the same left hook to floor another fan. Hope Dana White was watching?
The safest place was perhaps inside the cage, where the two Mexican headline acts both lost in upsets. Flyweight Brandon Royval avenged a previous loss to Brandon Morena by winning a split decision after five rounds, while Brian Ortega also reversed a previous defeat to featherweight Yair Rodriguez.
“I’m a f*****g gangster,” Royval said after his win, in what is now common expletive-filled post-fight interviews. “I’m the realest one in this flyweight division. I hear (Alexandre) Pantoja’s in the building. Let’s run that s**t back.”
What's next for @BrandonRoyval?
— UFC (@ufc) February 25, 2024
Is a rematch with Alex Pantoja next? #UFCMexico pic.twitter.com/ajIlul1EB7
MIXED FORTUNES FOR LIVERPOOL, UNITED
Congratulations to Liverpool, commiserations to Manchester United. The two best-supported clubs in England had contrasting weekends. Liverpool, the EPL leaders, picked up another piece of silverware under Jurgen Klopp when they beat Chelsea 1-0 in the dying embers of extra-time in the Carabao Cup final.
Despite Manchester City winning, Liverpool are still one point ahead at the top, with 12 games to go. However, Manchester United’s indifferent season continued when they lost 2-1 at home. Manager Erik ten Hag was defiant afterwards, saying: “We’re headed in the right direction”. Down in sixth place, 16 points off the top … Ten Hag’s assessment won’t have gone down well with the United faithful.
Pure joy on the pitch, in the stands and on the bench! 🙌#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/9XYuvgXJXI
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 26, 2024
SA SEVENS TEAMS VANISH IN VANCOUVER
Not long ago the Blitzboks were the toast of South Africa, dominating the World Sevens circuit. And they started 2024 with a bang, taking the Dubai leg in style. Things have gone wrong since then and in the Vancouver leg, they finished ninth.
They actually started well, beating New Zealand 21-12, but then lost to Great Britain 17-12 and to Ireland 22-10, which saw them unable to make the knockout stages. They rebounded with wins over Canada (20-14) and Australia 24-17 to place ninth.
The SA women lost all their five matches, to Ireland, NZ, Brazil, Japan and Great Britain to finish bottom of the 12 teams.
Few highlights for #Blitzboks on second day of @CanadaSevens.
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) February 25, 2024
More here: https://t.co/dgjA6LtRTx#PoweredbyUnity pic.twitter.com/vjIWXVGssp
