Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend where Arsenal and the ominous Manchester City maintained their title pursuit in the Premier League, as the batters continue to dominate in the IPL.
ARSENAL, CITY KEEP WINNING MOMENTUM
That bang, bang, bang you heard were the final nails going into Liverpool’s coffin as their English Premier League title challenge all but mathematically came to an end with a 2-2 draw with West Ham. Arsenal meanwhile kept their hopes alive with a 3-2 win over Tottenham, after cruising at 3-0 up. With Man City also winning, Arsenal lead the table by one point, although they’ve played one game more than the champions. Arsenal’s last three games are against Bournemouth, Man United and Everton. City must play Wolves, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham. At the other end of the table, Sheffield United took their goals conceded to 97, an EPL record – and they still have three games to go!
MORE WINNERS AS FOURIE MARCHES ON
Jockey Richard Fourie is now 60 winners away from a record that has stood for 25 years. Another nine winners from Friday to Sunday took his season’s tally to 274, and Hollywoodbets had put up a R1-million prize before the season started to any jockey who could break Anthony Delpech’s South African record. It’s been a remarkable display from Fourie this season and he still has got three months in which to get to the magical 335 number. On Saturday at Turffontein he booted home four of trainer Sean Tarry’s five winners, suggesting the pair could be well worth following in the looming KZN season.
Congratulations to Blue Sky Thoroughbreds who bred the winner Disting in the 1st race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday afternoon.
— KZNBreeders (@KZNBreeders) April 29, 2024
She won in style thanks to the "red hot" @richardfourie for trainer Glen Kotzen and a delighted owner Mrs Viv Burgess and family. pic.twitter.com/LXhDmPeldx
BINDER’S KTM SPLITS DUCATI DOMINATION
Francesco Bangaia took advantage of an “unforced error” by MotoGP championship leader – and race leader of the Spanish MotoGP at the time, Jorge Martin – to lead home another Ducati-dominated event at the Circuito de Jerez. The first non-Ducati powered bike across the line was the KTM of South Africa’s Brad Binder, who was seven seconds off the pace. Binder remains sixth on the overall championship standings, with Martin, whose crash ended his race, still holding a healthy advantage.
A proper head-in-hands moment for @BradBinder_33 😱
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 26, 2024
He's currently 9th with just a few minutes to go! 🤞#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/JHCtHAA1QP
OOSTHUIZEN AND BURMESTER COUNT THE CASH
Louis Oosthuizen picked up a cool $ 2.25 million for finishing second in the latest LIV Golf Series event, which was held in Adelaide and won by Brendan Steele. In fact, the South Africans, representing their Stingers team, all cashed in at the 54-hole event, Oosthuizen’s close mate Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester both banked $920,000 for finishing in a tie for third. The Stingers lost the first-ever LIV team playoff when they were beaten by the Cameron Smith-captained Ripper GC. Burmester has earned some $7m so far this season, while Oosthuizen is just shy of $6m
Louis Oosthuizen on fire today finishing 2nd at LIV Golf Adelaide 🇦🇺 ⛳️ #LIVGolf #StingerGC #golf pic.twitter.com/TxjMrmHaBu
— Stinger GC (@stingergc_) April 28, 2024
NORMAL SERVICE RESUMES IN URC
The Bulls and Stormers put the inexplicable defeats of a week earlier behind them when they bounced back with convincing wins in the latest round of the United Rugby Championship. The Bulls surged to a 61-24 win over the Ospreys, while the Stormers put 30 points of daylight between themselves and Leinster, who didn’t send their best side across. However, those so vocal at the Bulls doing exactly the same thing in their Investec Champions Cup defeat to Northampton, were strangely silent over a Leinster unit sent to SA woefully under-strength. When the dust settled, the Bulls and Stormers found themselves in 4th and 5th in the 16-team table, with the Lions 11th and the Sharks 13th.
KOHLI, KLAASEN LEAD THE RUN FRENZY
The domination of the batters in the Indian Premier League is laid bare when one notes the most number of wickets taken by the top bowlers. Harshal Patel, of the Punjab Kings, is one of three players with 14 wickets, but they’ve come off nine matches. When it comes to the batters, Virat Kohli has smashed 500 at an average of 71.42, while Heinrich Klaasen has clubbed 28 sixes. It makes trying to bet on a match a lottery, but as of today, we are into game 47 of 74. The Rajasthan Royals are still 18/10 favourites, with KKR at 4/12 and our dartboard-throw choice, Chennai Super Kings, shortening to 5/1 after the weekend.
Virat Kohli hypes his mates more than anyone in cricket. 😄👌
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 28, 2024
- Will Jacks, The hero....!!! pic.twitter.com/0JSPh3V2Lk
