Cape Town set to sizzle with hot hockey action
THE Cape Town stage of the South Africa women’s hockey team’s 2013 campaign will see Western Cape fans treated to four weeks of Test matches this month and next.
A four-match series against Belgium kicks off on Monday at Central Hockey Club, Vygieskraal, at 5.30 pm.
It will be followed by the World League round two competition from January 21 and the Investec Challenge, which will include 2012 Olympic gold medallists Holland.
Iconic SA players Marsha Marescia and Pietie Coetzee will be aiming for memorable milestones. Marescia, the SA captain,is on the brink of the magical 300-Test match mark, while world record goalscorer Coetzee, at 248 goals in 250 Test matches, has yet another remarkable achievement in sight.
“The recent renewal of the team sponsorship with Investec allows us to build on the base of the past two years,” said SA head coach Giles Bonnet.
“It affords us the opportunity to implement the key learnings from London 2012 and to focus our energies and impetus in an intense 12-month period aimed at increasing the team’s high performance, with select specialists and service providers to leverage the quantum leap we need to make.”
The SA team assembled in Cape Town yesterday and Bonnet is looking to qualify for the semifinals of the World League in Europe in June by finishing in the top two of World League round two, and to implement a focused high-performance strategy within the next six months.
One-off internationals against Australia, Holland and London 2012 bronze medallists England (Great Britain) are lined up at the end of this month before the Investec Challenge which takes place from February 4 to 10.
“It has been a while since the national women’s team has performed in Cape Town and we intend to play an aggressive brand of direct hockey with an emphasis on pressure and speed that is sure to please Western Cape fans,” said Bonnet. Sunfoil Series, Day 1 of 4 Cape Cobras v Lions, Newlands Cape Cobras First Innings 224 (61.4 overs) (S van Zyl 44, R Levi 43, D Vilas 43; Z de Bruyn 5-39, Imran Tahir 2-14). Lions First innings 78/1 (30 ov) Titans v Knights, Benoni Titans First Innings 321/7 (96 ov) (H Davids 92, P Malan 65, G van Buuren 47no; D du Preez 3-37)
GOLF
European Tour- Volvo Golf Champions, Durban First round (par 72, SA unless stated) 65 – Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 68 – Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen 69 – Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Thomas Björn (Den), Paul Lawrie (Sco), Jamie Donaldson (Wal), Scott Jamieson (Sco), Richie Ramsay (Sco), Danny Willett (Eng) 70 - Padraig Harrington (Irl), Shane Lowry (Irl), Francesco Molinari (Ita), Robert Rock (Eng) 72 – Retief Goosen
TENNIS
WTA Hobart International, Australia Quarter-finals: Elena Vesnina (Rus) bt Jarmila Gajdosova (Aus) 6-3 6-2, *9 Mona Barthel (Ger) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (Bul) 6-3 6-3, *8 Sloane Stephens (US) bt Lauren Davis (US) 6-3 4-6 7-5, Kirsten Flipkens (Bel) bt Monica Niculescu (Rom) 2-6 6-4 6-0. Sydney International Women’s semi-finals: *1 Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) bt *4 Li Na (Chn) 6-3 6-4, Dominika Cibulkova (Svk) bt *2 Angelique Kerber (Ger) 6-2 4-6 6-3. Men’s quarter-finals: Julien Benneteau (Fra) bt Ryan Harrison (US) 6-4 6-2, Kevin Anderson (SA) bt Denis Istomin (Uzb) 6-4 6-3, Bernard Tomic (Aus) bt Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 6-2. Australian Open qualifying Women’s first round: Chanel Simmonds (SA) bt Junri Namigata (Jpn) 7-6(5) 3-6 6-4.