Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 31 May 12:30 pm

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

# We start with cricket: Proteas captain Aiden Markram says the core group of players in the current national squad can go on to lift more trophies over the next few years. The Proteas aim to secure the nation’s first major global senior title at the T20 World Cup starting in the West Indies and the United States tomorrow. South Africa has won only two of their last 13 T20 Internationals. Markram has acknowledged for them to win the World Cup would take an all-round effort.

# Rugby: The Springbok Sevens completed their preparations for the final tournament of the series, the Grand Final, played in Madrid this weekend. All eight teams will complete their pool games today and tomorrow, with the top two sides from each pool progressing to Sunday’s semifinals. Blitzbok coach Philip Snyman says the team needs to return to their proven ability of winning all six matches at a tournament:

More rugby news: The next season of the United Rugby Championship will kick off locally with two derbies. The Stormers will welcome the Bulls to Cape Town on the 21st of September, while the Sharks and the Lions will do battle in Durban. There will also be a return of the popular coastal encounters in December, with the Stormers playing the Lions and the Sharks, while the Bulls will travel to KwaZulu-Natal to meet the Sharks. The final will take place on the 14th of June next year.

# Athletics: South Africa’s Akani Simbine stormed to a resounding win in the men’s 100-metres at the Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway. He clocked in a season’s best of 9.94-seconds to beat Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who finished third. Another South African, Prudence Sekgodiso, won the women’s 800-metres in a time of one-minute-58.66-seconds ahead of Natoya Goule-Toppin of Jamaica.

# And finally, tennis: The organisers of the French Open have put a ban on spectators drinking alcohol on pavilions to prevent unruly behaviour. This follows after Belgian David Goffin was booed following his victory over local player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Monday, and world number one Iga Swiatek asking the crowd to be silent during rallies yesterday. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo says chair umpires will also be stricter towards spectators.

Stay tuned for more news………….