Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 31 October 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# First up is cricket: Proteas captain Aiden Markram enforced the follow-on after a 416-run first-innings lead in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram. The hosts resumed on 38 for four on the third morning after South Africa declared on 575 for six yesterday. Kagiso Rabada quickly added three wickets to his two from yesterday, and Keshav Maharaj took another before Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam frustrated the bowlers with a 103-run ninth-wicket partnership. Bangladesh was eventually bowled out for 159. A short while ago, the score was 78 for seven.

# Hockey: South African national men’s coach, Cheslyn Gie, has resigned. Under his leadership, the team won the inaugural FIH Nations Cup in Potchefstroom and qualified for the Paris Olympics, where they finished ninth. SA Hockey interim CEO Shaune Baaitjies says Gie’s commitment has driven the men’s programme forward, and his impact will be felt for years to come. Baaitjies adds that Gie’s influence has set a new benchmark for the team’s success.

# Rugby: Nompumelelo Mathe and Leigh Fortuin are in line to make their Springbok Women’s Sevens debuts at the Africa Women’s Sevens tournament in Ghana next weekend. The top three teams at the end of the tournament will qualify for the World Rugby Challenger Series. South Africa will face Burkina Faso in their opening match, before taking on Zimbabwe and Tunisia in Pool A. Head coach Renfred Dazel says Mathe and Fortuin made big impressions since they joined the training camp:

More rugby news: English prop Joe Marler has drawn the ire of All Blacks supporters by calling for the binning of the historical Haka. England faces New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. Marler calls the traditional Maori war dance dating from 1905 ridiculous, saying it’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. The Springboks said during this year’s Rugby Championship Tests against the All Blacks that they always respect the Haka. England has won just eight of their 45 Tests against the All Blacks.

# And finally, soccer: European governing body Uefa promised over 19-billion-rand to develop the women’s game on the continent over the next six years. The money will come from competition revenue and investment. Uefa says it will go to clubs, national teams, senior and youth competitions with the goal to have five-thousand professional players and six professional leagues by 2030. Reuters reports managing director for women’s soccer, Nadine Kessler, as saying the women’s game has become a sport for the masses, attracting an ever-growing and diverse fan base.

Stay tuned for more news………….