ROBBIE NAIDOO

I ATTENDED the funeral of former KZN Cricket Union chairman and Proteas manager, SK Reddy, at the weekend.

It turned into a grand affair with several hundred people attending and many dignitaries, including both the CEO and chairman of the SA Cricket Union saying a few words.

Despite the grand send off, SK will long be remembered as a gentleman of sport.

I engaged him several times as a journalist and what was apparent, was that he put others first. He was selfless, humble and dedicated. This was in spite of the fact that he was a legendary sportsman.

He represented Natal High Schools at cricket, soccer and athletics, a feat hardly repeated till this day. He also played for Northern Natal in the prestigious Sam China Cup at the age of 18.

Former educationist, Vic Pillay, told an interesting story.

He said during his athletics days, one of SK’s staunch opponents in the 100m had trained hard in an attempt to defeat him. The day came and SK still won the race. The guy was upset. When he met Vic he said he was upset but was equally taken aback because SK was so humble in victory. This story epitomises the man.

Despite his mild manner, SK was politically astute. He was one of those activists who refused to compromise. He never stooped to collaborators and apartheid stooges and for this I respected him.

Hamba kahle, comrade. IF ANYTHING, I can best be described as ‘a Man United hater’. But in the last few months I honestly started feeling sorry for them. So when they pulled off this great victory against QPR on Sunday, one part of me felt good.

But another is fearful that they may rise from the ashes.

I hated Alex Ferguson but Louis van Gaal has the demeanour that few can reject and I wish him well. But that's Andy Sullivan's hole-inone at the KLM Open earned him a trip into space. as far as I go as far as United is concerned. One things for sure, they now have a team to compete with the money clubs, Man City and Chelsea.

With the playing fields level for the first time in years, it will make for a more balanced league. Unfortunately the other protagonists, Arsenal and Liverpool, are still heavily understaffed and may only perform in fits and starts.

One last warning for United revellers, though.

This league is not easy. Even Chelsea and City with their big guns get embarrassed at times.

Don’t get too comfortable. THE whole world is talking about Andy Sullivan’s magnificent hole in one on the 15th at the KLM Open in Holland on Sunday.

And they’re not talking about the shot but the fact that his prize is a trip into space, sponsored by a ‘space expedition’ company. He's won a 30minute flight, 60 miles into the air. But to be honest who wants a trip to space.

Who really cares if you go to space or not? I’d rather have a BMW sports car any day. But I tell you, the prize has got the sponsors a whole lot of publicity and well done to them. You may still find a few idiots who want to waste money on this egotistical pursuit. PEOPLE are asking me how I view this weekend’s Springbok loss to the All Blacks. All I can say is my coach told me when I was 13 “a miss is as good as a mile”.

We cannot continually pat ourselves on the back when we keep losing. Sure we came close but so did the Argentineans against us and so did the Aussies against the All Blacks.

But the All Blacks are still undefeated and heading for yet another Rugby Championship title. And it is going to be more difficult in the second outing because they generally get better after playing an opponent.

We should save all the backpatting for when we do what Holland did to Spain or Germany did to Brazil.

I want to end with the debate about who’s the best quick bowler in the world today.

It’s a strange argument because Jimmy Anderson is unquestionably the most unpredictable. When the ball hits the deck on a quick, seaming track, you never know which way it's gonna move. Then Aussie Mitchell Johnson is without a doubt the most dangerous.

Don’t get out the way and you may lose your head.

Then there’s Dale Steyn who bowls the best away swinger and seems to be the most effective of the lot on flat tracks. So who is it?

To me the answer rests in a single question. Which of the three is the guy most batsmen in the world would rather not bat to? And to me and I think the rest of the world that answer is clear – Mitchell Johnson.

Until next time, happy sporting. The Pentecostal Family Covenant Church of Phoenix held its Golf Day at the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course. Pictured from left are Nisha Singh, Priscilla Mohamed and Saras Singh with winners Genny Manickum and Paul David being presented with the Ranjith Singh floating trophy.

ALLIANCE GOLF CLUB Results for the 4BBB Stableford and semi-finals Doubles Match played at Royal Durban

Golf Club on Sunday. 1 Paddy and Levash Padayachee, 50 pts oco; 2 Vishnu Kistnasamy and Karesh Eshwar,

50 pts; 3 Rambo Maharaj and Yusuf Khan, 48 pts oco; 4 Kevin Ramlal and Shalen Mathura, 48 pts

Semi Final – Doubles Match play: Kevin Ramlal and Shalen Mathura bt Andy Saywerth and

Clive Munien; Kooban Naidoo and Vivek Rampersad bt Anwar Ismail and

Vikash Maharaj Next tournament will be played at Durban Country Club on Sunday, September 28. Contact Prakash Ramlal on

031 702 8078. CHATSWORTH GOLF CLUB

The next tournament is the Doubles Matchplay finals to be played at Durban Country Club

on Sunday. Contact Vinothan Govender on 074 777 5684 or 082 077

7543. CENTRAL DURBAN GOLF

CLUB Results for the President’s Cup played at Toti golf course on

Sunday. A Division: 1 Reggie Perumal, 43 pts; 2 Ronald Johnny, 40 pts; 3 Roy Perumal, 37 pts

B Division: 1 Tony Pillay, 42 pts; 2 Nicky Ramowtar, 41 pts; 3

Ravi Naidoo, 40 pts C Division: 1 Essa Shaik, 40 pts; 2 Logan Govender, 40 pts c/o; 3 Sunny Singh, 38 pts; 4

Dharam Singh; 37 pts Overall winner President’s

Cup: Reggie Perumal Next Tournament is the Inter Club Cup played at Princes Grant Golf Course on Sunday. Registration closes at 10am Call Pragie Reddy for bookings on 031 465 1212 or

074 114 0511

DURBAN GOLF CLUB Results for the Trophies and Engravers tournament played at Papwa Golf Course on Sunday, format 4BBB stableford 1 Chervern Hurriparsad and Suren Mohandass, 51 pts; 2 Brisco Nzama and Zuzu

Dlamini, 49 pts; 3 Clinton Francis and Elvis Moyana, 49 pts; 4 Ronnie Reddy and Ashley Timothy, 49 pts; 5 Pradip Popat and Rekha Popat,

48 pts; 6 Sam Valjee and Angie Valjee, 48 pts; 7 Ralph Munsamy and Krish Govender, 48 pts; 9 Wenzel Singh and Prem Singh,

48 pts; 10 P Dhabicharan and T Dhabicharan, 48 pts Next tournament will be a 4 ball multiplication and semi finals doubles matchplay on

Sunday at Papwa GC. EAST COAST GOLF CLUB The next game will be on Sunday, at Mount Edgecombe Country Club (Course 1) sponsored by Deena Govender. Tee

off is at 6:45am. Contact Seelan Pillay on 083 390 5068 or Trevor Naidu on

082 771 6023. FAIRWAYS GOLF CLUB Results for the CDS Friends for Life played at Kloof Country Club on Sunday - sponsored by Cyril Harker, Dan Govender and

Sagren Latchiah. 4BBB Stableford Results: 1 Devan Govender and Dino Naidoo; 2 Anthony Naicker and

Dharshan Pather; 3 Sagren Govender and Ernest Govender; 4 Lance Patel and Sivan Govender; 5 Krish Govender and Irvan Girdani Individual Stableford Results: 1 Sagren Govender; 2 Anthony Naicker; 3 Paddy Naidoo; 4 Dino Naidoo; 5 Anand Akaloo

The next tournament is the Valve Tec Pairs sponsored by Paddy and Dino Naidoo at Beachwood Country Club on

September 28. For Booking and enquires

please email fairways.golfclub@ymail or call

Rajen on 083 775 5953. GREATER DURBAN GOLF

CLUB Results for the Individual stableford played at Windsor Park

on Sunday 1 Alec Rampersadh, 38 pts; 2 Sathia Moonsamy, 35 pts; 3 Stanley Raju, 32 pts; 4 Krish

Naidoo, 32 pts; 5 Prem Ramruthan, 30 pts; 6

Alkesh Singh, 30 pts The next game will be played at Windsor Park on Sunday, format individual medal - tee off

at 8am Contact Robin Singh

0826640580 GENESIS GOLF CLUB Results for the Betterball Stableford Freddy Hyman Cup tournament played at Windsor

Park on Saturday. A Division: 1Preggie William, 36 pts; 2 Dean Kesvan, 34 pts;3

Rueben Isaacs 33 pts B Division: 1Nigel Govender, 34 pts; 2 Roy Peters 31 pts, 3

Mervan Duval, 30 pts.

PAPWA GOLF CLUB The club will play its next tournament at Windsor Park Golf Course on Saturday. Tee-off is at

7am.

SAINTS GOLF CLUB Results for the match played on Saturday at Amanzimtoti Golf Course, format Individual Stableford A Division: 1 Jerry Paapa, 40 pts; 2 Satish Donday, 34 pts; 3 Sydney Venkanna, 33 pts B Division: 1 Vernon Pillay, 32 pts; 2 Robbie Bishun, 27 pts;

3 John James, 26 pts C Division: 1 Seelan Govender, 34 pts; 2 Roy Naidu, 28 pts;

3 Anand Pillay, 27 pts The next Game is on September 27 at Wild Coast Country

Club.