Seven-time world formula-one champion Michael Schumacher leads the pack of sporting donors to victims of last week’s Asian tsunamis, giving a massive -million. ”The dawning of the new year has not been as joyful for us this year because of the catastrophe in Asia,” he said.
Britain’s Colin McRae, driving a Nissan, won the 381km timed section of the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally from Agadir to Smara in Morocco on Tuesday. McRae timed 3:37,14 for his second victory of the rally, 6,53 ahead of South African Giniel de Villiers, also driving a Nissan, and 7,18 ahead of German Jutta Kleinschmidt in a Volkswagen.
Former professional soccer player Mark Byrne has been appointed new Santos head coach until the end of the 2004/05 soccer season. He takes over from David Notoane, who was appointed the club’s caretaker coach when Boebie Solomons was dismissed three months ago.
Shaun Pollock grabbed the early wicket of Marcus Trescothick on the fourth morning of the third Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at Newlands on Wednesday to reinforce South Africa’s dominance over England. The visitors went to lunch on 23 for one wicket, still needing 478 runs for victory.
A hand surgeon confirmed on Wednesday that South African swing-bowler Charl Langeveldt has an uncomplicated fracture of the fifth metacarpal on his left hand. Langeveldt sustained the injury on Monday, when a delivery from England’s Andrew Flintoff struck him on the hand on the second day of the third Castle Lager/MTN Test match.
Two quick wickets before lunch from Nicky Boje had England all but down and out on the fifth and final day of the third Castle Lager/MTN Test at Newlands on Thursday. England went to lunch on 225 for eight — still needing 276 runs to win, but also needing to face two more sessions to survive.
In a surprise move Warriors wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher has taken over the captaincy of the Eastern Cape franchise team for the rest of the season and will lead the team against the Titans at Centurion in a four-day SuperSport match starting Thursday.
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After initially banning six provincial chairmen from party positions for six months for holding an unauthorised meeting, Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party on Monday extended the ban to five years. The move comes less than three months before parliamentary elections in the country.
South Africa is to send an 11-member team to observe the Palestinian presidential elections. ”It is hoped that South Africa’s participation in the election monitoring would contribute to ensuring the freeness and fairness of elections in Palestine,” says Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad.