Big day here tomorrow.
Scotland are in town.
For my fellow enthusiasts I’m reprinting the report from today’s daily read. It will / should give you …
a) An insight in our approach to the game, and
b) Perhaps a different perspective from whatever sports reporters are scribbling in your neck of the woods or
C) For those with no rugby reporting in their local press whatsoever a reminder that there’s a game on!
On the day that the 2014 football world cup kicks off across the Atlantic in Brasil our local hacks have decided to publish a (in their opinion) damning report card on the “shambles” FIFA left behind right here in the Eastern Cape back in 2010
Well, it aint my opinion.
I love our new stadium.
I use the ‘new’ roads and those upgraded (widened and resurfaced) on a daily basis.
The upgrade to our little airport and it’s infrastructure was long overdue.
And as for the cost to the city? I couldn’t care less, those who think that the money spent on maintaining the stadium (R13.2 million) would have been spent on welfare , housing or other developments, think again. It just meant less Mercs and overseas junkets for the elected few.
In 6 months of Super Rugby over 300,000 people attended the stadium to support / watch our E.P. Kings, that R13.2m equates to less than R50 per supporter! Not to mention the huge support when the Boks and World 7’s play here.
Less money in the ratepayers pot to be stolen and squandered.
My mates and I still reckon that those 30 days in 2010 were perhaps one of the best months of our lives!
I’ve reprinted the article for those interested in what the damning report had to say … Continue reading “FIFA legacy in tatters”
And for a change it is a series!
Three games, the first here today (12.30 gmt), followed by games in …
Durban on Wednesday (16.00gmt)
… and up in Pretoria on Friday (16.00 gmt)
The T20 world cup starts next week (March 16) in Bangladesh, so the importance of this series is not to be underestimated. Form players have to be found, combinations (bowling & batting) established, team tactics planned and executed but more on that closer to the time.
This week is all about what is described as “The Fierce Rivalry”
For those enthralled by the recent Proteas / Aussie test series the Proteas side will look distinctly familiar. Of the selected 16 man squad 9 players represented South Africa in the recent 3 tests.
However, familiar faces are few and far between in the Aussie camp, of the 16 names I see on the squad published for this week I only recognise 3 from the test squad! Horses for courses I suppose?
I mentioned on the Newlands test post that I wasn’t sure if I would be going to watch this one, guess what? Continue reading “Sa v Oz – The T20 series”
Got our tickets yesterday.
You know, the ones just above the tunnel on the half way line, with the royalty lounge bar and restaurant just 10 steps away, that’s right, those ones, but what a performance, let me explain …
While having a coffee yesterday at my local coffee shop this chap arrived doing his daily rounds. He has an accomplice who was rather camera shy.
I probably see them every day and thought a picture would be a suitable entry for the current photo competition
A public holiday here yesterday, an annual celebration of the anniversary of those elections back in 1994.
Here’s Google’s doodle, can’t find any white faces 😦
Yesterday’s ODI was devoted to breast cancer awareness and boy did they do a good job.
Lonwabo Tsotsobe is congratulated by teammates after the dismissal of Pakistan’s Nasir Jamshed
There is an article in today’s Business Day informing us that South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority plans to investigate historical allegations of mass rape by members of ZANU-PF during the build up tp Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections. Although Zimbabwe has not done so, South Africa has ratified the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court. As such, the NPA has been ordered by a high court here in SA to investigate what amounts to ‘crimes against humanity’. Continue reading “Politicisation of Crime”
The first test of the three match series started on Friday, February 1st, Graeme Smith’s 32nd birthday. It also marked the 100th time that ‘Biff’ had captained a test team, (99 SA, 1 world XI) what a remarkable achievement!
Other captains noted for their longevity in the job include Border (93), Fleming (80), Ponting (77), Lloyd (74)
Smith won the toss and decided to bat, it’s never easy on the first day up at The Wanderers, Protea’s wickets fell at regular intervals but I was buoyed by a comment from Andrew Samson that an average first innings score up there was ‘only’ 260. Average is rarely good enough but I was reasonably satisfied with our 253 at the end of the day.
Who could possibly have predicted yesterday morning’s carnage Pakistan 49 all out! Just slightly better than NZ’s 45 last month and Oz’s 47 in Cape Town (Nov 2011.)
S.A. ended the day on 207/3, a lead of 411.
A bit more batting practice for our middle order today, improve those averages, get some time at the crease, build confidences where necessary and then unleash Steyn, Philander, Morkel and (perhaps) Kallis.
Play resumes at 10:30 our time (08:30gmt)
Boadicea's Chariot 
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