Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 4 December 12:30 pm

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

# First up is cricket: The Proteas Women take on England in the first of three one-day matches in Kimberley this afternoon after the visitors made a clean sweep in the three-match T20 series. The next two matches will take the teams to Durban on Sunday, and Potchefstroom next Wednesday. The women will then play a one-off Test in Bloemfontein, starting on the 15th of this month. England is currently second in the ODI world rankings behind Australia. The Proteas are in fourth position behind India.

# Motorsport: Formula One’s governing body the FIA is planning to change rules to limit the ways its leadership can be held accountable. Changes would mean that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the president of the Senate, Carmelo Sanz de Barros, will oversee any ethics complaints, rather than the Senate itself. Earlier this year, Ben Sulayem was accused of interfering with the outcome of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and he told FIA officials not to certify the Las Vegas circuit for last year’s race. Both claims were dismissed.

Meanwhile, female fans are driving a surge in support for Formula One in the Middle East, according to data published by Nielsen Sports. Women are also the fastest growing demographic globally. Four races take place in the Gulf every year, including this coming weekend’s final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. The figures show female fans’ interest in the sport increased by 11-persent in Saudi Arabia since a year ago, with the biggest growth in the age bracket 50- to 69. Forty-one-percent of F1 fans are female.

# Golf: Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods says he is unsure if he will return to action anytime soon. The former world number one has only made eleven competitive starts since his car crash in February 2021 and missed the cut in three of the four majors this season. He underwent surgery in September to alleviate back spasms and pain. Forty-eight-year-old Woods, who is hosting the Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas this week, says he is not tournament-sharp yet:

# And finally, tennis: Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and American Taylor Fritz are the first players to confirm their participation in next year’s Laver Cup. They faced off in this year’s deciding singles match, when Alcaraz clinched the encounter for Team Europe. Fritz, playing for Team World, hopes to turn the tables when the men’s team competition is being held in San Francisco in the US next year. Andre Agassi then takes over from John McEnroe as World’s team captain, while Yannick Noah will succeed Björn Borg as Europe’s captain.

Stay tuned for more news………….