Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 26 March 12:30 pm

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

# We begin with soccer: Bafana Bafana beat Benin 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to maintain their lead in Group C. Second-half goals from Lyle Foster and Jayden Adams were enough to give the visitors victory away from home. South Africa has now opened up a five-point lead at the top of Group C with 13 points from six games, with Rwanda and Benin both on eight points. Bafana coach Hugo Broos says his players proved they can grind out a result in difficult conditions.

# Cricket: South Africa’s Allahuddien Paleker and England’s Alex Wharf have been included in the International Cricket Council’s elite panel of umpires for 2025-2026. Paleker, who is the seventh South African umpire to feature on the panel, has been an on-field umpire in four Tests, 23 ODIs and 67 T20s in men’s international cricket, and 17 women’s international games. In 2024, he officiated the men’s T20 World Cup and the Under-19 men’s World Cup. Paleker says being named in the elite panel brings both pride and responsibility.

More cricket news: Brisbane’s iconic Gabba stadium will be demolished after the Olympic Games in the Australian city in 2032. This was announced as part of the plans for the event, which include three new stadiums in the inner city. The main venue that will host the athletics programme and the opening and closing ceremonies, will replace the Gabba. Queensland premier David Crisafulli says the aging stadium had been a wonderful venue for cricket since it opened in 1895, but now faces a string of challenges.

# Tennis: Six-time champion Novak Djokovic is through to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open for the eighth time. The Serb defeated Italian Lorenzo Musetti to set up a clash with American Sebastian Korda, who battled past Frenchman Gael Monfils. Italian Matteo Berrettini and American Taylor Fritz are also through to the last eight. In the women’s draw, Italian Jasmine Paolini defeated Poland’s Magda Linette to set up a semifinal clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

# And finally, horseracing: Racehorses in Britain will in future be tested for gene doping as part of an anti-doping programme. The British Horseracing Authority made the announcement after investing almost 50-million-rand in extensive research into detection methods. It says there is no evidence of the use of gene doping in racing, but it wants to protect the sport against future corruption risks. BBC Sports reports gene doping includes the use of genetic or cellular manipulation of DNA in an attempt to enhance athletic performance or aid recovery following exercise.

Stay tuned for more news………….