Chelsea To Reward Mourinho With Contract Extension

Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are ready to close to agreeing on a new contact that will keep the Premier League‘s best manager at Stamford Bridge until 2019.

Mourinho’s current deal expires in two years but after winning the Barclays Premier League title at the weekend, the Special One will be rewarded with a two-year extension.

Mourinho is the highest paid manager in the Premier League, and can expect to be handed improved terms on the current £12.5 million he earns per year under the terms of his current deal.

Since his return to London from Real Madrid in 2013, Mourinho has always insisted he no longer felt the urge to hop from club to club to prove his ability and chase personal ambitions.

From the moment he came back, he claimed this was a different project, and gave the impression he was out to build a Chelsea dynasty to compete with what Sir Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United.

Mourinho, who has won eight league titles in four different countries, says it is ‘impossible’ for him to match Sir Alex’s 13 Premier League wins but he is determined to achieve more at Stamford Bridge and continue to build a team which can better compete in Europe.

‘I’m here to stay,’ he said, earlier this year. ‘I belong to Chelsea and Chelsea belong to me. I gave a lot to Chelsea in the past but they also gave a lot to me. This is a different professional relationship. My next move will be if and when Chelsea decides it is time.’

Contracts don’t mean as much as they once did, because Mourinho knows that if he does not win a trophy next season he will be fired. That being said, it makes sense for Chelsea to lock up Mouinho for two more years as he is one of the best managers in the world. Source - soccer tickets online

Pacman To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

Manny Pacquiao is expected to undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, according to reports in the media.

Pacquiao, who lost the ‘fight of the century’ by unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather last Saturday, claimed that he had entered the fight with the injury to his right shoulder.

The tear has been describe as serious by Dr Neal ElAttrache and will mean that Pacquiao could be out between nine and 12 months.

“We have an MRI scan that confirms he has a rotator cuff tear. He has a significant tear,” ElAttrache of the Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic told ESPN.

ElAttrache has operated on a number of high profile sportsmen including: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

There is no confirmation on a date for the surgery yet.

Kaplan: Bulls Were Lucky 2nd Try Was Awarded

The Bulls were lucky to have been awarded their second try against the Lions in Saturday’s Super Rugby match in Pretoria, said former South African test referee, Jonathan Kaplan.

Kaplan explained that the try scored by scrumhalf Piet van Zyl in the 10th minute was preceded by a forward pass from No 8 Arno Botha to centre Jan Serfontein.

Kaplan wrote on his website, www.ratetheref.co.za:  “The Bulls’ second try should never have been as there was a clear forward pass in the build-up. It should have been picked up by the officials, and it wasn’t. The difference in score in the end was two points, but that’s not really the point. The Bulls were probably the better outfit on the day, but this is professional sport and we need to be looking for solutions to these issues, not running for cover and hoping the dust settles quickly after each weekend.”

The Bulls beat the Lions 35-33.

Africa's Richest Man Wants To Buy Arsenal

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote claims he still harbors hopes of one day buying Arsenal.

The Nigerian has an estimated fortune of $15 billion (£10.4billion) and is reported to have wanted to buy into the Gunners when former director Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith was selling her shares in 2010.

Arsenal's current majority shareholder is American tycoon Stan Kroenke, who remains committed to the Barclays Premier League club for the long-term. Uzbek magnate Alisher Usmanov controls around 30 per cent and has also expressed no desire to offload any of his stock.

Nevertheless Dangote, whose business interests include sugar, flour and oil, remains keen to become part of the Emirates Stadium club sometime in the future.

Speaking to Bloomberg, he said: "I still hope, one day at the right price, that I will buy the team.

"I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won't want to resist. I know my strategy."

Dangote, though, added no imminent bid was in the pipeline.

"We have 16billion dollars-worth of investments in the next few years. Right now I want to take my own business to a certain level. Once I finish on that trajectory, then maybe," he said.

Arsenal beat Hull 3-1 on Monday night to give themselves a good chance to finish second behind Premier League champions Chelsea, and will face Aston Villa in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30.

Dangote, however, suggested Arsene Wenger's side should be achieving more.

He added: "(Wenger) needs to change his style a bit. They need new direction."

Juventus Vs Real Madrid Preview: All Stats

Juventus are UEFA Champions League semi-finalists for the first time since the 2002-03 season where they beat Real Madrid only to lose the final on penalties to AC Milan after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid are looking to become the first team to defend the Champions League in its current format, since AC Milan back in 1990 when the competition was then known as the European Cup.

These two teams are both amongst the top six sides in European Cup and Champions League history to reach the final four.

Team News

Juventus

The Italian side have one notable injury in that Paul Pogba is out of the first leg and only questionable whether he will return to play at the Santiago Bernabéu next week.

Likewise, defender Martín Cáceres may return for the second leg but won’t feature in the first.

Kwadwo Asamoah’s season is over with a knee injury.

Real Madrid

Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the first leg with a knee injury. Javier Hernández and Jesé are the two strikers included the squad by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Luka Modrić is also injured and Sami Khedira has not been named in the squad for the first leg, meaning the defending champions are short in defensive midfield options. Sergio Ramos played alongside Toni Kroos in a 4-4-2 formation at the weekend.

Predicted Lineups


Juventus play with a 4-3-1-2 formation that includes former Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra. Once again they have the best defensive record in Italy, conceding only 19 goals in their 34 Serie A games this season. They have kept clean sheets in their last three Champions League matches too. Paul Pogba’s absence should see Roberto Pereya start in midfield, with Andrea Pirlo creating chances from deep. Carlos Tevez is their top scorer in Europe this season.


Carlo Ancelotti started with a 4-4-2 at the weekend due to absences in midfield. The only change we’ve made from Saturday’s game is to start Gareth Bale over Javier Hernández. With Sergio Ramos lining up in midfield, this is his strongest back four and arguably his strongest XI with the absentees. Chicharito will probably start if the Italian goes for a 4-2-3-1 formation, flanked by Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale.

Key Matchups

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Stephen Lichtsteiner
Juventus’ right-back enjoys getting forward but we expect the Switzerland international to spend a lot of time in his own half over both legs to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s coming off a hat-trick from the weekend, although those goals were all scored in and around the six-yard box where you’d expect the Juventus centre-backs will be dealing with him. When he pulls out wide, Lichtsteiner cannot afford to let the Portuguese international have space in and around the penalty area on his lethal right foot. He’ll be supported often by Marcelo bombing on from left-back.

Gareth Bale vs Patrice Evra
Whilst the world record transfer signing hasn’t had too much love from his own supporters this season, Gareth Bale is a match winner. He provided a delicious cross from which Ronaldo scored Madrid’s third in their 3-2 win at the weekend, and is a threat at both creating and scoring goals. Patrice Evra will need to be careful in not getting too far forward from left-back because Bale has pace and is a great dribbler to cause danger to the Juventus defence. The French international could struggle when Bale cuts inside.

Carlos Tevez vs Pepe
Real Madrid conceded two goals at the weekend and Iker Casillas had to thwart a number of attacks late on at the weekend. The defending champions still don’t look the best at the back so the likes of Calos Tevez and former-Madrid player Álvaro Morata should see some sights on goal in this match if that trend continues. The Argenine is supported by the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Roberto Pereya creating chances in midfield.

Key Stats

16 – These two sides have on 16 occasions previously in this competition, with Real Madrid leading the way with eight wins to Juventus’ seven, and only one draw between them.

22% – Carlo Ancelotti has won only five of his previous 23 matches as a manager versus Juventus (D12, L6).

54 – Juventus have lost only one of their last 54 competitive matches at home (45W, 8D). That was to Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia back in March.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Can Liverpool Beat Manchester United To Champions League Spot?

As we approach the final few games of the season, there are several prizes left to play for. The title race may be done and dusted, but the relegation scrap is still well and truly on. There is only one point between Aston Villa in 14th and Sunderland in 18th, and the fight for survival is set to go right down to the wire.

Until recent weeks, the fight for the top 4 Champions League places looked like being more or less over. Arsenal and Manchester United both hit some very good form and cemented their places, along with Chelsea and Manchester City, over whom there has hardly been any doubts. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, just like they have in the last few seasons, messed it up when it mattered most and looked to be out of it.

With 4 games to go though, everything has changed. Brendan Rodgers’ side are well and truly back in it after yesterday’s results. United have hit rock bottom when it comes to form, as a run of three successive losses means that they are just 4 points ahead of Liverpool in 5th. Their latest failure, a 1-0 loss at home against West Bromwich Albion, has put things in real doubt. They were on a 6-match winning streak till a fortnight ago when they lost 1-0 away at Stamford Bridge, before putting in one of the worst performances of their season in a 3-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.

Liverpool, on the other hand, aren’t in promising forms themselves, as they needed a late winner from Steven Gerrard to beat bottom club Queens Park Rangers at Anfield. Just like the Red Devils, their dazzling start to 2015 has been followed by a run of indifferent results.

Manchester City were challenging for the title in 2014, but have shown mid-table form since the turn of the year. They seemed to be losing their grip on their Champions League spot, but with a 6 point-lead and a game in hand, they should limp through.

The Remaining Fixtures

A look at the remaining games for Manchester United and Liverpool shows a similar kind of run-in for both sides. Louis Van Gaal’s men travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace next weekend, before hosting the most in-form team in the league, Arsenal. They end their campaign with another tricky assignment, away at Hull City. The Tigers are on a good run of late but in a hell of a fight at the bottom, and may need a victory to stay up on the final day. On current form, there isn’t a single game where one can confidently say that United will win.

Brendan Rodgers’ side, on the other hand, go to Stamford Bridge next week to face Chelsea, who will most probably be Champions by then. This is followed by a straightforward-looking home game against Crystal Palace. Their final game in a tough one, as they travel to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City.

Neither side has an easy game, but United’s opponents have much more to play for than Liverpool’s. Crystal Palace’s season is more or less done, as they have all but secured survival. Arsenal are looking to finish as high as possible, while Hull, as stated earlier, are hanging on for their lives.

Even though Liverpool’s games look tough on paper, they will want to get something from all of them. Chelsea will be up for the game against the Reds, but if they have sealed the deal by then, there will be a party atmosphere at the Bridge which Liverpool can use to their advantage. Stoke are in 10th and hardly have any motivation to go the extra mile in their final home game of the season.

The 4-point lead that United currently hold though will be vital. Overturning this deficit will need Liverpool to take at least 7 points out of their remaining 3 games, while hoping United’s drop continues.

In all likeliness, Van Gaal’s men look good to just about scrape through and seal a return to the Champions League. But they will know that they have got out of jail, as a slightly better showing by either Liverpool of Spurs would have seen them drop out. In the end, Chelsea and Arsenal are probably the only two teams happy with their Premier League seasons. Everyone else at the top has under-achieved. The managers have it all to do in the transfer window to make sure that Jose Mourinho doesn’t establish his dominance for several years to come.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Vodacom Super Rugby SA Conference Review

The Vodacom Bulls are back at the top of the South African Conference, taking over from the DHL Stormers who came up short in Bloemfontein on an exhilarating Saturday of Vodacom Super Rugby.

The weekend started on a disappointing note for the Cell C Sharks in Dunedin though. After a solid start for the visitors, the Highlanders turned on the heat and eventually beat the Durbanites by 48-15 in their opening tour match Down Under.

Saturday saw two cracking local derbies, both won by the home teams.

First up, the Toyota Cheetahs caused a minor upset when they won their third successive home game against the DHL Stormers in Bloemfontein, by 25-17.

The home team outscored the visitors by three tries to two and thoroughly deserved their fourth win of the season. It was also only the third time in 14 matches that the DHL Stormers could not score any log points against the Toyota Cheetahs.

The final match of the weekend was a proper humdinger in Pretoria, where the Vodacom Bulls beat their neighbours, the Emirates Lions, by 35-33. A total of seven tries were scored as both sides went hammer and tongs against each other for the full 80 minutes.

Highlanders 48 (24) Cell C Sharks 15 (10)

The Cell C Sharks started their tour of Australasia on a losing note when they were beaten 48-15 by a determined Highlanders side at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday morning.

Thirty minutes into this fixture, the scores were still level at 10-10, each side having scored a try with Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira burrowing his way over for the visitors.

But two tries late in the first half gave the home side a 14-point gap at the break. The Highlanders capitalised on this lead in the second half with some great skills coupled with too many mistakes by the Cell C Sharks as they crossed for four more tries.

The KwaZulu-Natalians got a second try when Bismarck du Plessis went over with less than 10 minutes to go on the clock, but by then it was game over in the deep south of New Zealand.

Scorers:

Highlanders – Tries: Gareth Evans, Waisake Naholo, Patrick Osborne, Mark Reddish, Aaron Smith, Brendon Edmonds, Elliot Dixon. Conversions: Lima Sopoaga (5). Penalty: Sopoaga.

Cell C Sharks – Tries: Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis. Conversion: Fred Zeilinga. Penalty goal: Zeilinga.

Toyota Cheetahs 25 (18) DHL Stormers 17 (10)

The Toyota Cheetahs scored a memorable 25-17 victory over the DHL Stormers at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon, capping off a fine showing by outscoring the Capetonians by three tries to two.

It was a typically tough South African derby and the result was in the balance until Clayton Blommetjies cut through the DHL Stormers’ defence in the 70th minute to put his side up by eight points.

Shortly before that, DHL Stormers replacement flyhalf Kurt Coleman missed two penalty attempts, which could’ve seen the match pan out differently. He also pulled wide an attempt at the death which cost his side a valuable bonus-point.

In the end the Toyota Cheetahs deserved this win. They started the match strongly and led 18-3 after 25 minutes thanks to tries by Michael van der Spuy and Rayno Benjamin, and Joe Pietersen’s boot. The DHL Stormers closed the gap to only eight points when Dillyn Leyds went over for a converted try.

With just over 20 minutes to go, it was 18-17 thanks to a converted try by DHL Stormers captain Duane Vermeulen, but 15 minutes later Blommetjies sealed the win for the home side.

Scorers:

Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Michael van der Spuy, Rayno Benjamin, Clayton Blommetjies. Conversions: Joe Pietersen (2). Penalty goals: Pietersen (2).

DHL Stormers – Tries: Dillyn Leyds, Duane Vermeulen: Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis, Kurt Coleman. Penalty goal: Catrakilis.

Vodacom Bulls 35 (25) Emirates Lions 33 (13)

The Vodacom Bulls had to withstand a superb second-half fight-back by the Emirates Lions, but in the end the men from Pretoria had enough in the tank as they won this nail-biting Jukskei derby by 35-33 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening.

The home team scored three tries in first half, two of them going to Piet van Zyl in the first 10 minutes. The Vodacom Bulls started like a house on fire and almost had their fourth try in the bag before the break.

But the Emirates Lions had different plans after the break and came out firing in the second half. The visitors, whose first try was scored by Faf de Klerk, played great rugby and turned the half-time deficit into a one-point lead (26-25) within 15 minutes of the break.

The home team took back the lead thanks to a converted try by Pierre Spies, while Handré Pollard’s third penalty goal increased the Vodacom Bulls’ lead to nine points with five minutes left.

Yet again the Emirates Lions fought back, this time through a great converted try by Jaco Kriel, but in the end it wasn’t enough as the Vodacom Bulls, buoyed by a very strong defensive performance and solid work in the line-outs, outlasted their neighbours, who played with their usual attacking freedom built on a very strong scrum.

Scorers:

Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Piet van Zyl (2), JJ Engelbrecht, Pierre Spies. Conversions: Handré Pollard (3). Penalty goals: Pollard (3).

Emirates Lions – Tries: Faf de Klerk, Jacques van Rooyen, Jaco Kriel. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (3). Penalty goals: Jantjies (4).

Other results – Round 12:

Brumbies 10 Waratahs 13
Blues 41 Force 24
Hurricanes 29 Crusaders 23
Rebels 16 Chiefs 15

Mayweather Beats Pacquiao In Fight Of The Century

Floyd Mayweather has won the highly anticipated superfight against Manny Pacquiao in a points decision at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Mayweather took his unblemished record to 48-0 adding the Filipino great's World Boxing Organisation title to his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns.

Mayweather managed to keep Pacquiao at bay through much of the welterweight world title right, exploiting his longer reach and height to frustrate the Filipino.

Pacman Set To Profit Large After Mayweather Bout

As the world awaits the ‘Fight of the Century’, Manny Pacquiao (36) will certainly be smiling all the way to the bank after Saturday’s fight against Floyd Mayweather (38).

Forbes reports that the battle between the currently undefeated Mayweather and the Filipino national will see Pacquiao joining the ranks of athletes such as Tiger Woods, Lebron James and Roger Federer who earned at least $425 million (R5 billion) during their careers.

Pacquiao’s boxing career earnings, including endorsements, are set to increase to $400 million (R4,7 billion).

The fight, which has taken almost six years to organise is not only the most-anticipated fight in the world, but will give both boxers the biggest payouts of their careers.

Mayweather is expected to receive at least $150 million (R1,7 billion), while Pacquiao, who has received support from former world champion Muhammad Ali is expected to pocket at least $100 million (R1,1 billion) from the fight.

The fight is also predicted to become the most popular pay-per-view fight in the history of sport, according to the Daily Mail.

While Mayweather’s fight with Canelo Alvarez in 2013 was said to be the richest boxing fight in history, generating $200 million (R2,3 billion), this fight is predicted to exceed that figure. It’s expected to generate about $300 million (R3,5 billion).

Viewers in the US will pay R1 065 to watch the fight, while British viewers will be charged £19,99 (R364, 34).

Arriving in Las Vegas this week, the fighters were welcomed by thousands of fans. The BBC reports that Pacquiao told his fans: “Don’t get nervous. I’m the one fighting, so relax. I’m very excited and my confidence is one hundred percent.

“Any time I am the underdog, I like that. It means my killer instinct and focus is fully there. This is the moment I believe he will experience his first loss.”

Out of 47 matches, with 26 knockouts, Mayweather, who is nicknamed ‘Money Mayweather’ has never lost a fight, while Pacquiao aka ‘Pacman’ has had 57 wins with 37 knockouts, two draws and five losses.

The match will take place on Saturday 2 May at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas.

Sources: Forbes, Daily Mail, Telegraph, BBC

Can Floyd Weather The Pacman Storm?

The two greatest fighters of our generation. Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather. Floyd Mayweather - Manny Pacquiao. Slice it whichever way you want, on Sunday morning the questions surrounding this great rivalry will finally be put to bed. Six long years after the initial outcry to get these welterweight (147lbs) champions to square off, boxing fans have finally received their wish. Rewind a few months and on-again-off-again negotiations over the past few years had left the boxing world with flailing hope that the biggest question mark over both careers would ever be resolved. The time for resolution has come, at last.

Both fighters have been considered the mythical “pound-for-pound” boxing king at various times in their careers. Pacquiao’s unprecedented, hellacious and all-action rise to win world championships in eight weight classes would serve as a counter to the masterful displays by the supremely talented Mayweather. Facing off against common opponents Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto only fuelled the fires of public imagination of how a fight between the two would play out.

The aptly dubbed Fight of the Century sees TV networks HBO and Showtime come together for only the second time. At $100 a pop and three million Pay-Per-View buys, you can do the math. The PPV, live gate and sponsorships are expected to bring in north of $400 million with the fighters guaranteed to divide more than half of that amount. Of course when the numbers (and egos) are that big neither team wanted come off as the ‘B-side’ in the negotiation. Pacquiao’s camp did however give in to a number of Mayweather’s demands. Here’s a few:

Venue and Date choice.
Drug testing protocol.
60-40 purse split.
The event is billed Mayweather – Pacquiao, not Pacquiao – Mayweather.
Mayweather can choose his corner of the ring.
Mayweather walks to the ring last.
Mayweather is announced last in the ring.

Pacquiao, for his part, managed to see the lighter side of taking the backseat in the negotiation. With a cheeky schoolboy smile he said recently, “That's how we treat everyone in our Death Row. We give all they want before the execution.”



It’s difficult to believe Mayweather was or is scared of Manny Pacquiao. But what Floyd fears above anything is losing his beloved zero. Floyd’s known for years that stylistically Manny Pacquiao has been the biggest threat to his unbeaten record. He’s sold his boxing image on his undefeated record. To risk that, would be to risk his paydays. Forget glory, legacy and facing the best, for Floyd, “If it makes dollars, it makes sense.” Earning $40million against opponents he knew he would beat meant there was no need to step into the ring with Manny Pacquiao. It’s not that he didn’t believe he could beat Pacquiao; the risk has never been worth it until now. In contrast, Pacquiao has taken on much bigger opponents and shown plenty of heart.

Mayweather (W47-L0-D0, 26 KOs), was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to a boxing family with his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. and uncles Roger and Jeff professional boxers. His early years saw his father in jail and while his uncle Roger and mother struggled with substance abuse, Floyd Jr. was raised by his grandmother and the steely figures in the boxing gym. It’s easy to see why he’s always seen the world as his enemy.



Pacquiao (W57-L5-D2, 38 KOs) grew up as a street child in General Santos City, Philippines selling donuts and cigarettes to make a living to support his family. Eventually, the financial lure of prize fighting in Manila presented an opportunity to escape his reality. In his first few fights, a teenage Manny Pacquiao was so scrawny and undernourished that he snuck weights into his pockets to make the minimum weight.

Fast forward through the in-ring success and the parallels in their childhood difficulties couldn’t be further away from their current realities.



It’s difficult to like Mayweather as a man. Floyd and his Money Team entourage are loud, egotistical, brash, cocky, arrogant and hypocritical. Yes, part of that persona is him selling and promoting his fight but part of it is really him. Racism, bigotry and sexism have never been far away from Floyd. Add in the jail time he’s served for domestic violence against his former girlfriend and the villain role in the ring isn’t too far divorced from reality. I, for one, have been waiting for someone to shut him up and give him a dose of some much-needed humility. It’s why we watch him. We watch him to see him get beat.

Manny, on the other hand, is gracious, humble and always smiling. His fame has even seen him take a seat in the Filipino Parliament as a congressman as he aims to help people who live in the same abject poverty in which he grew up. It’s difficult to not root for him. So how do these legends stack up in the ring?



The Pacman’s strengths have always been his speed and ability to create awkward angles, allowing him to land punches. His lateral movement combined with the “in-out” volume punching style has meant he’s never been shy to trade punches, at times to his detriment. Mayweather, in contrast, is a purist. Defensive skill and speed abound but are not complemented by an all-action, fan-friendly style. Rather, he picks his spots usually with single, precise punches. Floyd has never had to go for broke knowing he has been trailing on the scorecards.  The truth is no fighter, apart from maybe Jose Luis Castillo, has had the tools, skill and desire to push him for twelve complete rounds.

Despite his three-year age advantage at 36, Pacquiao’s been in more fights and his aggressive style and nature has seen him put more wear and tear on his body. Floyd, a defensive genius, hasn’t taken the punishment typical for a fighter his age. In recent fights however, the undefeated star has shown some signs that his legs are not what they once were. Despite handily outpointing Argentine Marcos Maidana in both their first bout and rematch in 2014, Mayweather took more punishment in those fights than we’ve come to expect. Pacquiao’s legendary trainer Freddie Roach was quick to pick up on this, “I don't think he moves like he used to. His legs aren't what they were - that's the first thing to go with a fighter.”

Pacquiao’s last fight was a complete shutout over undefeated Chris Algieri in which he scored six knockdowns against the tall American. Despite a convincing win Pacquiao was caught rather easily with a number of straight rights. The straight right is Mayweather’s best punch.

My breakdown of the key areas shows that there’s little to choose between the two:




It may be easy to pick Mayweather because at his core he’s a counter-puncher and Manny has been in trouble against counter punchers. But Pacquiao is too good offensively to not land. If Manny can overwhelm him and apply pressure for twelve rounds, he can win the decision. Will it be the volume punching of Pacquiao or the precision punching of Mayweather that the judges prefer? A knockout either way is unlikely given the lack of KOs in their recent fights but certainly remains a possibility. The safest bet would be a Mayweather decision at 13/20 but Pacquiao at 4/1 is much better value for a decision win. If pushed for a single bet to make, the only one I can tip with any degree of certainty is Over 10.5 Rounds at 2/7. The return isn’t great but I’m convinced this fight is going the distance.

Rivalries define the sport. The great heavyweights of the ‘70s in Ali, Frazier and Foreman are still revered today. The Fabulous Four of the ‘80s, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran produced the most competitive era in the sport as they traded defeats and victories in epic encounters. Pacquiao and Mayweather have without doubt been the two standout icons of this generation.  But in every rivalry and era, one fighter emerges as the greatest. Ali the greatest heavyweight, Sugar Ray Leonard as the best of the Fabulous Four. On Sunday morning one man from this generation will join the greats. - Hollywoodbets.net

Bafana's Rantie And Bournemouth On Verge Of EPL Qualification

South Africa has had its fair share of superstars plying their trade in the English Premiership. Talented individuals such as former Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Quinton Fortune, Aaron Mokoena, Benni McCarthy and Shaun Bartlett all left an indelible mark in a league described as the worlds best.

Another local gem is about to be unleashed.

AFC Bournemouth all but secured their promotion to England’s top-flight on Monday night following their emphatic 3-0 home over Bolton Wanderers, meaning South African striker Tokelo Rantie could feature in the Premier League next season.

The Cherries win all but cemented second spot in the Championship, with third placed Middlesbrough needing to overcome a goal difference of 19 to overhaul them with just one match left in the season.

Bournemouth will join Watford as the two automatically-promoted sides to the Premier League for next season. It however remains to be seen whether or not the club will retain the services of Bafana Bafana forward Tokelo Rantie, who was not in the squad in Monday night’s victory.

The 24-year-old, who was the club’s record signing two years ago, has only played a bit-part role this season, scoring twice in 12 League matches. Rantie still has another two years left on his contract with the club, after signing an initial four-year deal when he joined in 2013.

Nedbank Cup Final: Its Ajax vs Sundowns

So we all know that the UEFA Champions League semi finals will pit four European heavyweights in the mould of my personal favourites Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Back home things are looking interesting. Hey, Kaizer Chiefs once again ruled the roost by clinching the Absa Premier League title.

And as if thats not enough to cap off a fine football weekend, two thrilling Nedbank Cup semi finals also lived up to expectations. Drama on Saturday and sheer sweat on Sunday.

That said, Its all down to the last two in the Nedbank Cup after Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns booked their tickets to the final this past weekend.

On Saturday evening, SuperSport United were left wondering what hit them when a spirited Ajax outfit showed their class by coming from behind to claim victory in the final stages of the match.

Thuso Phala gave Matsatsantsa the lead just before half-time, but the Urban Warriors would leave it late to stage a comeback as Mosa Lebusa and Tashreeq Morris struck in the final five minutes to clinch victory.

Mamelodi Sundowns were made to work for their place in the final during their 1-0 win over Vasco de Gama at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.

A Mzikayise Mashaba long-range thunderbolt was the difference between the sides in the end but, in truth, Vasco were the much better side over the 90 minutes.

The National First Division outfit gave their much-favoured Premiership opponents a good run for their money but were ultimately unable to make their dominance pay before Sundowns snuck the winner in the 60th minute.

Preview: Espanyol vs Barcelona, Arsenal vs Chelsea

La Liga BBVA: Espanyol vs Barcelona

This Saturday, the all-powerful Barcelona will travel to Cornella El-Prat to measure forces with their neighbours and rivals of Espanyol for round 33 of the Spanish Liga BBVA.

Will Barcelona continue their winning streak?

Last Saturday, Barcelona had to dig very deep in order to overcome a well organized and hard working Valencia side at Camp Nou. A goal in the first minute of the match by Luis Suarez and another in the dying moments of the second-half was the best Barcelona managed to do to defeat a Valencia team which failed to convert a penalty kick during the early moments of the match.

After the break, the Catalan appeared to be fairly more confident and controlled the match the best they could until Leo Messi made his glorious walk towards the second goal just a few seconds before the final whistle.

To increase the team’s motivation levels, Barça granted another solid over Paris SG on Tuesday and booked their place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona won 5-1 on aggregate.

The upcoming clash against Espanyol will certainly be far from easy and Barcelona cannot afford any more slipups as the one from Sanchez Pizjuan against Sevilla if they want to maintain their advantage at the top of the table.

As for Espanyol, it is fair to say that the Blanquiazules have been having an overall good season so far. Their manager, Sergio Gonzalez, has been doing a very good job with the players he has at his disposal and the team is currently on a six match roll without a single defeat.

After defeating Athletic Bilbao two weeks ago at Cornella El-Prat, Espanyol failed to get anything better than a draw against the relegation-threatened Levante last weekend.

The match against their neighbours and rivals will definitely not be easy for the Periquitos, but they will surely do everything within their reach to cause Luis Enrique’s men a major upset.

My Verdict: Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona. FIXED ODDS BETTING : Take Barcelona to win to nil


Barclays Premiership: Arsenal vs Chelsea

There will be no London love lost on Sunday when an extremely motivated Arsenal entertain a surging Chelsea outfit at the Emirates Stadium in round 34 of the English Premier League.

Who will win the London derby?

After an excellent league run, Arsenal sealed their berth in the FA Cup final last weekend by defeating boogey Championship side Reading in extra-time. It was an extremely nerve wrecking match for the Gunners but the usual assasin, Alexis Sanchez, managed to find a way to overcome the opponents’ defence line on two different occasions.

As for the EPL, Arsenal are currently on an excellent streak. The last time they lost a league match was back in February at White Hart Lane at the hands of an extremely inspired Tottenham. That particular downfall and the defeat against AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League were truly an eye-opener for Arsene Wenger’s men who have won their last nine official matches.

This weekend’s clash against their city neighbours and rivals Chelsea will be a good test to this refurbished Arsenal and it will be interesting to see if they can, in a way, delay the Blues hypothetical EPL title celebrations for a few more weeks.

As for Chelsea, it is fair to say that the team has been affected by the somehow premature elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Paris SG in London last month. Regardless of that knock, José Mourinho’s boys continued their winning streak in the English Premier League and they are currently on a fairly motivating row of four consecutive wins. Last weekend, the Blues showed Manchester United that having more ball possession and plenty of chances to score doesn’t mean anything these days. With some mere 30% ball possession percentage, Chelsea overcame the Red Devils 1-0 thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard and put an abrupt end to United’s recent positive streak.

The clash against Arsenal might become one of the most important matches of the season for the Blues, since, if they manage to win it, they will build up a comfortable 13 point advantage over their neighbours and rivals and they will certainly secure the 2014-15 English Premier League title.

My Verdict: Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea. FIXED ODDS BETTING : Take Arsenal to win

South Africa To Host Africa's First Ever NBA Match

The National Basketball Association (NBA), the world’s biggest basketball brand, has announced that it will host its first game in Africa on the 1st of August 2015 at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The game will see ‘Team Africa’ play against ‘Team World’. Team Africa will be made up of African basketball players and others with African heritage, while Team World will be largely comprised of players from the rest of the world.

The event marks a peak of NBA’s forays into Africa, having held 12 editions of Basketball without Borders (BWB) Africa tournaments. The tournament is a global basketball development programme that has positively impacted the game on the continent. The NBA contingent will also participate in other activities with communities in South Africa.

Two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng, born in South Sudan and currently playing for Miami Heat, has been selected to captain Team Africa. Deng describes the event as important for Africa and also said being part of it makes him feel honoured.  “I am extremely proud to be a part of the NBA’s first game in Africa,” said Deng. “Coming from South Sudan and having participated in the Basketball without Borders Africa camps in Johannesburg previously, I am truly honoured to be part of this historic event.”

NBA first opened an African office in Johannesburg in 2010 and has remained active on the continent with a range of programmes such as NBA Care. The game will broadcast live on pay TV channel, SuperSport. - Ventures

SuperRugby: Two South African Derbies This Weekend

Johannesburg and Cape Town will be the focus points in South Africa on Saturday afternoon for two local Vodacom Super Rugby derbies which could have a massive influence on the final standings in less than two months’ time.

The claws will be out at Emirates Airline Park when two former partners, the Emirates Lions and Toyota Cheetahs, clash for the 12th time since the demise of the Cats franchise after the 2005 season.

The home team is on a four-match win-streak and a win on Saturday will be their best-ever run of results as a franchise and to achieve that, the Emirates Lions will have to record their seventh win over the Toyota Cheetahs.

All eyes will then move to Cape Town for the second North/South derby of 2015, between the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls – currently the two pace-setters in the South African Conference.

It will in all likelihood be a typically tough local derby yet again – the last time any of these two teams scored a try-scoring bonus point against the other, was almost five years ago, in 2010.

The Cell C Sharks have a bye and will leave on their Australasian tour this weekend. - SARU

Africa T20 Cricket Cup Launched

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA (CSA) today launched the 16-team Africa T20 Cup which will be the African curtain-raiser to the 2015-16 season.

Zimbabwe, Kenya and Namibia have accepted invitations to compete in the event with the other participants being the 12 CSA Affiliates as well as Associate Member, KZN Inland.

The tournament will be a World Cup-style competition, consisting of four pools of four teams each with the winners of each pool advancing to the semi-finals and eventually to the final.

Easterns (Sahara Willowmoore Park), North West (Senwes Park), Griquas (Diamond Oval) and Free State (Mangaung Oval) will be the venues for the four pool matches and some of these venues will also host the semi-final and final depending on which teams advance and based on an assessment of the quality of venue hosting during the pool stages.

The tournament will run from September 4 to October 4.

All Franchise players will play for the province at which they are contracted although a limit of four has been placed on the number to be fielded at the same time. This limit would not include the contracted Protea  players who are restricted to one in the starting XI. In addition, all teams will be required to field at least two under-21 players.

Transformation targets will be the same as that which applies for the CSA semi-professional competitions (six players of colour and three black Africans).

“This tournament is an exciting new concept for our cricket,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “It should provide impetus at the start of a season with exciting and competitive playing opportunities plus revenue generating potential for each team.

“We are keen to lead the way in developing an Africa-wide competition.

“With international Twenty20 matches to follow against England and Australia later in the season, this tournament will provide an early start for players to stake a claim in next year’s ICC World Twenty20 squad.

“A key differentiator is for each team to include two under-21 players which will give rising stars the chance to play with our fully fledged professionals. It is an important factor in developing talent that emerging players can learn from the best.

“I am delighted that SuperSport will be providing live and full coverage of 10 playing days, including the semi-finals and final, and thank them once again for their fantastic support of South African cricket,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

CSA has also announced the appointment of Makhaya Ntini as the Africa T20 Cup Ambassador.

“I am both delighted and honoured to be invited to fulfil this role,” Ntini said. “The development of African cricket is something that is very close to my heart and I welcome this important initiative.”

Schalk Burger's Miraculous Return To International Rugby Earns Him A Laureus

South African rugby star Schalk Burger received an emotional reception at the Laureus World Sports Awards at the Shanghai Grand Theatre as he accepted the Comeback of the Year Award.

Burger had a cyst next to his spinal cord and went into hospital for treatment, but developedlife-threatening meningitis and was taken to intensive care. Miraculously, he battled for his life and returned to the sport he loves to win his place back in the Springboks rugby team.

Reflecting upon the most serious stage in his time in intensive care, Burger said: “I remember the day where my wife phoned and everyone said, listen, this is probably it, it’s time to say goodbye. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

“It was super scary if you think back now.  But when you’re going through the middle of this and there’s no time to think really, there’s no time to think about consequences; it was pretty much just me versus something.”

Burger, also a Laureus Ambassador, transferred his ferocious competitiveness from the rugby pitch to the intensive care unit and with the grit and determination he has been known for throughout his career, he overcame his illness in miraculous style.

He recalled: “The odds weren’t on my side, as I gather.  It’s probably one that I shouldn’t have come out being as normal as I am.  But for me, through a bit of luck and I think through a bit of stubbornness, I was able to pull through.”

Not only did the 31-year-old pull through and pull on the Springbok jersey once again, he was a key member of the squad to play Australia and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship. Then he was named man of the match in the November victory over England at Twickenham, in which he scored the decisive third try.

Laureus World Sports Academy Member and All Blacks rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick said: “The story of Schalk’s recovery is amazing. He not only survived such a serious illness, but in a relatively short time he was back in the Springboks team and winning matches for them. What a great tribute to his fighting spirit. All he needs now to complete this remarkable comeback is to have a wonderful World Cup later this year.”

Former Springboks captain Morné du Plessis, who was also manager of the 1995 World Cup winning team, said: “I have known Schalk and his family for many years and I know that there were very real concerns for his wellbeing during his illness. It really was a great relief for his family, friends and supporters  to just see him well again, not even to think at that stage that he would make a miraculous comeback and be back to his best on the rugby pitch.”

The Laureus World Sports Awards were unveiled at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. In other categories, Serbia’s  won his second Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award after another brilliant 12 months which featured a second Wimbledon victory, while Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba was named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year after breaking three world records in different events in two weeks. She was only the third ever person to achieve that feat in different events, along with athletic giants Jesse Owens and Usain Bolt.

The  was named Laureus World Team of the Year after becoming the first European side to win the FIFA World Cup in South America, while there was a double success for the United States with wheelchair racer winning the Laureus Disability Award and  receiving the Laureus Action Sports Award after his record-breaking freefall from the edge of space.

Australia’s  was named winner of the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after a brilliant rookie season in which he won three Formula One Grand Prix for Red Bull.



The Awards were announced in seven categories. The full list of winners is:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Novak Djokovic

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Genzebe Dibaba

Laureus World Team of the Year: Germany Men’s Football Team

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Daniel Ricciardo

Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Schalk Burger

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Tatyana McFadden

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Alan Eustace

There were three additional Awards: theLaureus Spirit of Sport Award was presented to Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming, the  retired tennis star Li Naand the Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to the worldwide skateboard programme Skateistan.

During the event, it was also announced that Yao Ming and Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar had been elected the newest members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

SuperSport And CSA Sign Renewal Deal

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today confirmed a renewal deal with broadcast partner, SuperSport International, that will see the channel remain on board as the PAY TV Rights Holder for Sub-Saharan Africa for another six years.

The agreement comes into effect on 01 May 2015 and will continue until 30 April 2021.

SuperSport will also remain the Host Broadcaster for all home international matches during this period.

In addition, the broadcaster will play a key role in promoting Domestic and Franchise cricket with an undertaking to cover a minimum of 60% of the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge and Momentum One-Day Cup matches.

"We know SuperSport is a world leader and this really excites us as we tie up another landmark deal for Cricket South Africa," commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

"A solid broadcast agreement is essential to promote the game at all levels and I am happy that we will continue to have SuperSport as one of our key partners. We also appreciate their willingness to provide SABC with the live feed so that we can enjoy Free-To-Air broadcast.

"The past year has seen the strategic relationship between CSA, the Proteas and SuperSport grow exponentially and we look forward to build on this to ensure we produce world class content. It was SuperSport that brought us those wonderful pictures of the Castle Lager Test Team becoming the number one team in the world and we hope to share more of these memories with SuperSport in the future," added Lorgat.

Brandon Foot, Acting Chief Executive of SuperSport, was delighted by the renewal. "We have forged a strong alliance with Cricket South Africa and look forward to continued growth in both the game and television viewership. There is a great appetite for cricket and we hope to play a role in bringing the game closer to supporters."

Your Weekend Sports Preview

Sports lovers are in for a treat this weekend. We have SuperRugby, the Barclays Premiership, MotoGP, La Liga, the Masters and more rugby.

Here are some of the biggest sporting events to watch this weekend on DStv's SuperSport.

Golf: The Masters

So of course the second day of the 79th Masters Tournament, like the first, was all about the phenomenal Jordan Spieth. His 66 was arguably better than Thursday’s 64, a little more controlled, a little less hectic and reliant on the odd lucky bounce. The young man’s a genius. And most likely this year’s champion. But there are enough big names hovering around in case of any dramatic slip. You never know in golf. You just never know. Join the action today and tomorrow to witness the spectacular.

-14: Spieth
-9: Hoffman
-7: Rose, D Johnson, Casey
-6: Mickelson
-5: Els
-4: Na, Streelman, Haas, Moore
-3: Cabrera, Oosthuizen, O’Meara, Day, Scott, Matsuyama, Schwartzel
-2: Woods, Garcia, Willett, Henley, Blixt, Reed, B Watson, McIlroy

Verdict: I think Spieth will win if he manages to maintain his composure.

La Liga: Sevilla vs Barcelona

A hyper moralized Barcelona will travel to Andalusia to measure forces with Sevilla at the emblematic Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for round 31 of the Spanish Liga BBVA.

Will Sevilla be able to put an end on Barça’s winning streak?

Barcelona continued with their fantastic streak when they hosted Almeria last Wednesday. Luis Enrique’s boys sealed their 24th win of the season thanks to another excellent performance by the erratic Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, who scored twice against the Andalusian team at Camp Nou. Barça’s Asturian manager implemented some changes in the team’s lineup against Almeria by giving some more playing time to young players, such as the centre back Marc Bartra and the talented deep-lying playmaker Sergi Roberto.

The unpredictable home defeat against Málaga in the end of February was an excellent eye opener for the Catalan team, who from that moment on embarked on a fantastic streak of seven consecutive wins for La Liga and two for the UEFA Champions League.

Verdict: Barcelona appear very strong and might just snatch it. Sevilla will aim for at least a point.

Barclays Premiership: Manchester United vs Manchester City

A motivated Manchester United will measure forces with their neighbours and rivals, Manchester City, at the emblematic Old Trafford for round 32 of the English Premier League.

Will City be able to return to winning ways against such a highly motivated United on Sunday?

The current EPL champions, Manchester City, have not yet managed to find a way to get back on tracks and keep collecting unimpressive results as we enter into the season’s final countdown. After an easy home win over a ten-men West Brom almost three weeks ago, the Citizens have once again been defeated last Monday’s night at Selhurst Park by a mighty Crystal Palace, who in the end were the fair winners of the match. A goal from Glenn Murray in the first-half and another one at the expenses of Jason Puncheon from a superbly placed free-kick right after the break, proved to be enough to impose the sixth defeat of the season to a deeply fragilized Manchester City, which has dropped to the 4th place of the table after their recent unimpressive results.

The defeats against Barcelona and the respective elimination from the UEFA Champions League had a major impact on the team and, if to that we add the EPL’s setbacks against Liverpool, Burnley and Crystal Palace, one can say that Manchester City are free falling and have very slim chances of recovering from such poor streak.

Their upcoming match at Old Trafford will surely be a very complicated one and, in case of defeat, the Citizens will eventually say goodbye to the second place of the EPL table for good.

Verdict: Manchester United will pile more misery on Pellegrini.

Lions vs Sharks

The Lions have been a shining light in a so-far dire Super Rugby campaign for the   South African sides. With four runs on the trot, including a record-equalling three away wins and a last-gasp victory over trans-Jukskei rivals the Bulls, the men in red have built up a fine head of steam. They should feel confident of beating the Sharks at the Emirates Airline Park (Ellis Park) and give their home fans something to cheer about at last.

Johann Ackermann’s team has shown a resilience under talismanic skipper Warren Whitely that was sorely lacking in seasons past and their miserly defence has seen them get past more fancied opponents. A place in the playoffs beckons for the ninth-placed Lions if they can maintain their run and pivots Marnitz Boshoff and Elton Jantjies stay injury-free.

The Sharks find themselves on the opposite end of the form spectrum as they are coming off a humiliating 52-10 loss to the Crusaders at King’s Park in Durban. Loose forward Jean Deysel was red-carded for kneeing in that game, continuing a worrying penchant for indiscipline that has been a hallmark of the Sharks’ season so far. They were lucky to escape with the points against the Chiefs two weeks ago when both captain Bismarck du Plessis and centre Frans Steyn were sent off for infractions.

With all three stalwarts suspended for the next few games, new head coach Gary Gold faces an uphill battle. As it stands, the Sharks are two places ahead of the Lions in seventh and remain in contention for a playoff spot. To do that, they will have to rein in their emotions and plug the holes in their defence.

Verdict: Lions are usually at their best when playing at home and i dont see the Sharks upsetting them.

IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

The reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, kicked off the ongoing Indian Premier League 2015 positively by beating Mumbai Indians by a margin of seven wickets. The latter managed 168 for the loss of three wickets in the allotted twenty overs and the former smashed 3-170 with nine balls remaining. Royal Challengers Bangalore held the seventh spot in the previous tournament by grasping just five matches out of 14, lost nine and attained 10 points. They will be playing their opening game of the event against KKR.

Players to watch

Gautam Gambhir tasted his maiden fifty of the event for KKR vs. MI as Suryakumar Yadav and Manish Pandey contributed 46 and 40 runs. Robin Uthappa, is capable of scoring brisky runs whereas Shakib Al Hasan and Andre Russell are tremendous all-rounders. Morne Morkel, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine and Umesh Yadav bowled superbly in the last match.

AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle were the star performers in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 while Rilee Rossouw has improved in the shortest versions of the game. Nic Maddinson, Dinesh Karthik, S Badrinath, Mandeep Singh, Vijay Zol and Yogesh Takawale are useful batsmen of RCB. The formidable bowling unit will be looked after by Mitchell Starc, Adam Milne, Harsh Patel, Sarfraz Khan, Iqbal Abdulla, Darren Sammy, Ashok Dinda, Abu Nechim, Varun Aaron and Sean Abbott.

Verdict: RCB will walk away victorious, but inly if they manage to fully utilise their arsenal.

Morne Morkel Gets First Wicket Of IPL 2015

Click, click, bang...

The 2015 Indian Premier League has gotten off to a flying start for Kolkata Knight Riders and Protea seamer Morne Morkel at Eden Gardens after he captured the first wicket of the tournament.

Coming in to bowl the second over of the game, Morkel slanted the ball across Mumbai Indian's Aaron Finch, who attemped a pull while leaning forward - he top edged, and Yadav held onto a steepler at deep fine-leg.

The experience of brilliance is not something that taxes us very often in our regular lives; the occasional snaffle of a seat on public transport, a bodily function here and there, a forgotten drunken non-insight. Good old us.

Sport, on the other hand, provides precisely that with alarming regularity, intimidatingly, depressingly, wondrously better than us and all that we are. And this is precisely the beauty of the IPL: artificial, disruptive and avaricious, brilliant, brilliant and expletive brilliant.

The unforeseeable skill and power of the batting, the cunning, zestful, crafty bowling, the battle between the two, the athleticism in the field, the nous and invention of the captains, vicarious pleasure in the pleasure of the players, the thumping, pulsing vim of the crowd; all of cricket is here and all of sport is here.

All the best to the Protea Fire players in the IPL.