Orlando Pirates were held to a deflating 0-0 draw by bottom Premier Soccer League club Black Leopards after the heavens opened up at Johannesburg Stadium shortly before the kick-off on Saturday night. An uninspiring display against a team who had lost their last six games has left the Buccaneers seven points behind log leaders Ajax Cape Town.
On the day Jonny Wilkinson set a world points record, the England flyhalf was upstaged by opposite number Chris Paterson in Scotland’s upset 15-9 victory at Murrayfield on Saturday. Paterson, a metronome-like place kicker, is on a remarkable run of 30 successful penalties and conversions in a row dating back to the 2007 World Cup.
South African Kevin Anderson reached the final of the ATP hard-court tournament in Las Vegas on Saturday with a straight-sets victory over American Robby Ginepri. Anderson, ranked 175th in the world, defeated Ginepri 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to advance and will next take on another American Sam Querrey.
Rafa Benitez hailed a ”perfect” victory over Newcastle, which sees Liverpool travel to Inter Milan in the Champions League highly confident of finishing the job they started at Anfield three weeks ago. Another inspirational Fernando Torres performance propelled Benitez’s side to a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday.
English football’s big guns were shot down in flames on Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup quarterfinals in two of the famous old competition’s most remarkable upsets. Between them Chelsea and United have won four of the last five Premier League titles and boast some of the world’s finest players.
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena, South Africa’s best long and triple jumper of all time, gave himself a fine 22nd birthday present in Valencia on Saturday when he won South Africa’s third-ever gold medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships with a jump of 8,08m.
New Zealand thrashed England by 189 runs in the first cricket Test on Sunday when England’s second innings disintegrated after Kyle Mills ripped through the top order. Set a tempting target of 300 to win in 81 overs, England were all out for 110 with 26 overs and a full session of play remaining.
Flanker Keegan Daniel scored a 16-second try to give the Sharks a perfect start en route to a 22-17 triumph over the Auckland Blues in a Super 14 thriller on Saturday. Daniel dotted down again as the home team took a 19-3 half-time advantage and then withstood fierce second-half pressure.
Malaysians awoke on Sunday to the biggest sea-change in politics in almost 40 years, with opposition Islamists and reformists winning control of five states and giving the government a wake-up call. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s multiracial National Front coalition won just a simple majority in Parliament, and his future as leader is in doubt.
Eskom has increased coal stockpiles at power stations, the utility said on Saturday. Spokesperson Brian Dames said of the five power stations with the lowest stockpile days, only one remained below the desired level. Eskom announced that it aimed to secure 45-million tons of coal over two years to combat crippling coal shortages.