1) Some red ball magic as Pathé delivers the goods in superlative fashion here in a piece on how cricket balls were handmade in 1956, a lovely colour film that includes the classic voiceover and the sight of cricket balls quite literally being popped in the oven. Perfick. And as an accompaniment, it’s hard not to be caught up in this moment as a fan captures New Zealand’s World Cup semi-final victory from the stands.
2) Contender for goal of the year? Birtalan Botond hits an outrageous volley – a backheel-scorpion crossover – for Bekescsaba against Gyirmot in the Hungarian second division, more individual genius on offer in slo-mo from Marco Fabián for Chivas against Toluca in Mexico and then, for the full team experience, sit back and wallow in four full minutes of superlative skills courtesy of Barcelona.
3) More to luxuriate in here, another chance to enjoy Martin Guptill’s 237 not out from 163 balls last week against West Indies. He has form with the bat, here’s a 127m six at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, one biffed into the car park at Eden Park and here putting spectators in danger at the Georgie Pie Super Smash in 2014, clouting 84 from 65 balls. He’s no mug in the field either as Kevin Pietersen has discovered, and here with this cracking catch against South Africa before this spot of turning a six into a wicket.
4) Still in New Zealand, but with a less familiar sport, here is when they played Newcastle four times during the summer of 1985. Newcastle won three (2-1, 4-0 and 3-2) but at the Basin Cricket Ground, Wellington, the home side managed a 2-2 draw despite Peter Beardsley’s best efforts, as seen in this rather lovely mono footage, watch out for kids swarming behind the goal and going bonkers when NZ win a penalty.
5) In the hole!
6) Finishing with a fail. How does Dominik Stroh-Engel miss this sitter for Darmstadt? Still in Germany Vincenzo Grifo attempts worst dive ever for Frankfurt (from their perspective strictly speaking not quite a fail, as he did win a penalty). Then there is an offside decision and a half in the A-League before a catalogue of disasters ends with Lee Grant going all punch-drunk on his own line.
Our favourites from last week’s blog
1) One of the best goal you will see this week is this corker from the Greece local amateur league. One-touch, two, BOOM!
2) The Panenka penalty fail (or derivations thereof) remains eternally popular it seems. Here’s one from keeper Mickaël Landreau helping Nantes lose the Coupe de Ligue final against Sochaux in 2004; Leo Messi getting cocky and a yellow card; Yann Kermorgant missing for Leicester against Cardiff in the 2010 Championship play-off semi-final second leg and, even better, is this fan’s song lamenting the fail: “a season of hope and of dreams, pulled apart at the seams” indeed. Finally, Gary Lineker has this strike to equal the England goal-scoring record when he inexplicably departs from his usual script against Brazil in 1992.
3) Man on in-line skates attaches scooter engine to his backside and two men in wingsuits enjoy the proximity of mountains. That is all.
4) Like Judge Dredd’s Lawmaster bike? Here’s a bigger version – 30ft long and 14 tons. It crushes cars.
5) Skater Sergio Yuppie, inventor of the layback or “Sergio Slide” makes it happen going downhill on a board while interspersed with shots of muscle cars and then, brilliantly, he makes sparks come out of his head.
6) Try not to smile at this. Pro-surfer Corey Lopez takes his daughter Alana out for a spin on daddy’s board. But when there are no waves for surfing? No problem for these jet boards on the Colorado river.
Spotters’ badges: pextaballa, Matt Cast, RobBarwick, fmgazette, TheCedarRoom, BlackCaeser.
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