1) After playing superbly to finish runner-up in the UK Open, Luca Brecel continued his rich vein of form by thrashing John Higgins in the final of the Scottish Open. He features in this roundup of the best shots of the competition, but what will stick in the memory is this brilliant no-look black when clearing up for the final time.
The no-look black to secure your first title for over three years. Pure class.@BetVictor | #ScottishOpen pic.twitter.com/pSgCgbBbw0
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) December 13, 2021
2) In a similar vein, there’s never a bad time to enjoy Adrian Lewis’ no-look 180, and here’s an equally good one from Gerwyn Price.
3) “Violence” and “table tennis” aren’t words one often sees in the same sentence, but here’s some table tennis violence – in a kids’ match, along with various other table-tennis tantrums.
4) Thirty-five years ago this week, Dennis Bergkamp made his Ajax debut aged just 17. Also in the team were Danny Blind, Frank Rijkaard, Aron Winter, John Bosman and others, and they beat Roda 2-0. Here are the highlights of the game, here’s a beautiful Bergkamp goal from 1989 against Den Bosch, here’s one against Vitesse from the former Arsenal man, here’s another against Vitesse from 1993, here he is sending the Feyenoord keeper for some fries and mayonnaise, also in 1993, here’s one at PSV in 1993 and here’s a Bergkamp at Ajax compilation.
5) The Ashes are now in full swing, so here’s Allan Border on Australia’s 1993 tour, offering Craig McDermott some friendly advice, here’s his first press conference as Australia captain, and here he is taking a blinding catch to dismiss New Zealand’s John Reid. And while we’re on a cricketing tip, here’s Shaun Pollock ripping one through Rahul Dravid’s famously flimsy defences and here’s a compilation of Abdul Qadir googlies.
6) And to finish, let’s enjoy some Roy Keane on John Delaney.
Our favourites from below the line last week
1) Ronnie O’Sullivan in fine 147 form.
2) Larry Bird v Bill Laimbeer.
4) South Korea celebrity five-a-side.
6) Johnny Most, the host with the … errrr … most.
Spotters’ badges: denothemeno, germit, whobroughtoranges, Tony06, budhudnut.
Next week, it’s our review of 2021, alternative or not. Please send in your favourite clips of the past 12 months. Here are some to start you off …
