The Blog
Everything from match reports and cricket commentary to camping tales and general ramblings. Welcome to Batty's world.
70 posts published
It's tight, but the Boks could squeak it by 4 points.
Nienaber and Erasmus playing chess. Reinach and Libbok at halfback. Faf and Pollard on the bench. Run France ragged early, bring the experience on late. That's the game plan. France have won 28 of their last 34 but Scotland just beat them 25-21. Boks should take this by four. Holding thumbs.
Proteas bowlers join the party.
Ngidi, Jansen, Rabada, Maharaj - they all came good when it mattered. Australia reduced to 50-3 after 10 overs. That's suffocation. That's fear. The bowlers finally created it. Shamsi got his first World Cup wickets. This is what South Africa needed to hear. Batting alone won't win tournaments - bow
Batsmen or Bust for the Proteas!
Batsmen are world-class. Bowlers are the worry. Ngidi averaging 36 over two years. Coetzee going for 7.55 an over. Jansen 9-plus. Phehlukwayo averaging 37 with an economy of 6.5. Nortje and Magala injured. Lizaad Williams played one ODI in 2021 - conceded 62 in 8 overs. The seam attack is thin. Very
Can the Proteas stop choking?
Thirty-one years. Six World Cups. Zero finals. South Africa's the ultimate heartbreak story. 1992 - rain reduces it to one ball needed off one delivery. 1999 - Allan Donald run out needing one run. 2015 - Grant Elliott smashes it over long-on. 2019 - they didn't even make the knockouts. The "Choker"
Top 6 key to Proteas World Cup glory.
Sydney 1992. Johannesburg 1999. Tied. Run out. Heartbreak. Four more semi-final exits. South Africa's been knocking on the door for three decades. This World Cup - India, October 5th - feels like their moment. A top six built for subcontinental cricket. Spin's not a problem. Batting depth is there.
It's go time! Premier League is back for 2023/24
City's the favourite but behind them it's a proper dog-fight. Arsenal spent big on Rice, Timber and Havertz. United look stronger under ten Hag with Onana, Mount and Hojlund. Liverpool's front line is lethal - Salah, Gakpo, Jota, Nunez, Diaz. Newcastle won't break top four this year. Top four's wide
Ysbeertjie 2023 - A Boys Weekend Away.
Twenty blokes. Middle of winter. West Coast. No families. Just camping, fires, meat on coals and cold beer. Ysbeertjie was born from a mad idea - escape the chaos of family life by heading into the cold. I only knew one guy going in but left with 20 new mates. Malkoppan campsite, mud everywhere, 4x4
Relegation Battle Royale.
Three teams. One spot left. Leeds need to beat Spurs AND hope Leicester lose to West Ham AND Everton lose to Bournemouth. Leicester must beat West Ham and hope others slip up. Everton? They've got it in their own hands. One of these three is going down on Sunday. Drama incoming.
Title challenge gone but we can still smile!
City taught Arsenal a hard lesson. Title's gone. But this squad's second-youngest in the league. First title challenge in six years. That's progress. Defense needs work. Midfield needs depth. Wings need freshening. But next season? The title race is wide open and Arsenal will be right there.