Summary
And that’s where we’ll leave Sportswatch this Saturday. Apologies to our Western Australian readers (but hey, you’re used to the tyranny of time zones by now).
It was a day for under-pressure German coaches in the A-League. Marco Kurz sneaks away with a point against Wellington following a spiky 0-0 in Victoria. But his compatriot Markus Babbel could soon feel the heat in Perth.
A big win the W-League for Brisbane Roar, with Matildas star Hayley Raso bagging a brace in their 3-2 win over Adelaide.
And plenty more from golf, cricket and cycling. Thanks for your company - join us again tomorrow night!
A-League: Perth Glory 1-0 Western Sydney - half-time:
45 min: And plenty more imponderables for Markus Babbel and his men. They’re 45 minutes away from staring down the barrel of five straight losses. And it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, not too many coaches come back from results like that - especially given the backing the German has already had from his chairman.
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43 min: Perth still enjoying the lion’s share of possession. You wonder what the game plan can be from Babbel - given the temperature it’s not a game in which his men can press high or hard for long periods. Nor will lightning transition raids be the feature, you imagine.
Like Sydney FC v Mariners early, this feels just all very comfortable for the home side.
37 min: Another set piece and Mrcela rises well to send a header goalwards, but it evades both the target and a teammate.
They’re not short of tall timber the Glory - they may have lost Lowry and Spiranovic, but they still boast some commanding centre backs - always a set piece risk.
32 min: A lovely backheel from Castro, but he finds Franjic in an offside position unfortunately. Such consummate ability on the ball.
Perth dominating possession and chances - outside that first minute scare, they’ve not allowed the Wanderers much of a look thus far.
27 min: And a brief respite as we stop for the first of the additional drinks breaks, given the temperature out there.
So far, so good for Perth and Popovic - not that his animated instructions would suggest that.
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24 min: A test of character now for the Wanderers - Perth under Popovic aren’t a side that overcommits, but they’ve got plenty of outlets to hurt you - the pace of Ikonomidis, the guile of Castro for two.
Georgievski looks to spark something down the flanks, and he’s earned the visitors a corner.
Goal! Perth Glory 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers (Wuthrich)
18 min: Oh wow. It was a mad scramble from the corner - but it eventually goes through! Kilkenny with a well-worked corner, it’s flicked on nicely at the near post, before an acrobatic overhead from Fornaroli keeps the play alive. His effort finds Ikonomidis who clatters against the crossbar, but it falls kindly for the centre back! A first goal in the A-League, and a memorable one.
16 min: Baby Baccus with a shot for the visitors, but he can’t hook it round. Can’t blame him - he has already hit a match-winning screamer this season.
Fornaroli goes to ground after a tangle with Ziegler, he may have copped an inadvertent finger in the eye, the Uruguayan.
11 min: An early booking as Perth’s right-back Ivan Franjic goes into the book. He’s an important campaigner for Popovic, the former Socceroo, especially given his domestic pedigree as a serial winner, last season with the Glory, and famously, with Ange Postecoglou’s Roarcelona. He’ll have to watch his step here though.
6 min: Both sides feeling their way patiently into this one. A real opportunity for Perth to re-start their title defence. A win here and they jump to fifth, with several clubs scratching around in indifferent form lately. The Wanderers very much in that bracket.
Kick off! Perth Glory v Western Sydney Wanderers
1 min: And a very bright start for the visitors, who get Liam Reddy scrambling.
It’s an absolutely sweltering day in the West, the mercury’s still hovering around 37C, having topped 40C earlier in the day, so expect this one not to be played at breakneck speed.
So - to team news.
Here’s Perth:
Popovic names an unchanged Starting XI to tackle the Wanderers this evening.#PERvWSW #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/3yPMon4AmY
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) December 14, 2019
And Western Sydney:
Here's how we'll be lining up in Perth tonight!
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) December 14, 2019
📺 Catch the match live on @FOXFOOTBALL #WSW #PERvWSW pic.twitter.com/CzuIKFo4pl
No changes for Tony Popovic, but plenty of tinkering from Babbel, who shuffles nearly his entire back five. The big news, illness forcing the thus-far superb Daniel Lopar onto the bench.
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So - it’s been a mixed bag from the A-League triple header - and we’ve still got Perth v Wanderers to come!
We’ve had the good, the bad and the ugly - so what’s still to come?
The Wanderers have gone from top of the table to losing four on the spin. You’d have to say, a loss here and it gets sticky for Markus Babbel. Mind you, Tony Popovic’s Perth aren’t exactly firing.
If you missed it, here’s my column on them a week or so back:
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Full-time: Sydney FC 1-0 Central Coast Mariners
90 +2 min: Caceres and Van der Saag combine well to put through Barbarouses, but the throughball is just too heavy.
As the seconds trickle away we’ve time for one last corner, and the Mariners’ keeper Mark Birighitti comes up! He’s near it, but can’t get a decisive touch. And with the opposite goal begging, Redmayne hangs onto it, with his own fans baying to see him pump it long and into an empty net. But there’s the whistle.
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90 min: Four minutes added on is the verdict from the touchline. And as Mariners push, Sydney look to break in transition - but with no Baumjohann, Ninkovic or Le Fondre out there it’s not quite as ruthless as we’ve seen in recent weeks.
88 min: This is turning into on to forget for Sydney FC fans, their side have been woefully disinterested for large periods of this second half. And now they’ve conceded 70% of possession over the last 10 minutes, drawing the odd rare boo from their home supporters.
And finally a big chance - and it’s a huge save from Redmayne! He gets the big paw up to deny Gallifuoco’s thumping header. What a sequence.
And now he’s scampered off his line to clear ahead of De Silva.
84 min: It’s an A-League debut for Harry van der Saag, Sydney’s young right back.
And it’s fellow youngster Ruiz-Diaz who blazes an effort over for Mariners. They’re still all tip, no iceberg, the visitors.
And unfortunately, that’s been a story of their season - plenty of promise in buildup, but woefully short of firepower up front.
77 min: Trent Buhagiar comes on for Sydney FC, another former Mariners star, following Anthony Caceres onto the pitch in Sky Blue. His pace almost carves out an opening, but again Birighitti is attentive in the Mariners goal.
71 min: For all their industry, this game is drifting very comfortably away from the Mariners - it might be time for Stajcic to shuffle his pack.
In fairness it’s a very young bench - only Matt “Golden Elbows” Simon the obvious potential game changer, and it’s him and teenager Dylan Ruiz-Diaz comes on for the fitness-seeking duo of Duric and Jair.
63 min: Oh my! Almost a calamity from absolutely nothing! A routine back pass but Andrew Redmayne half fluffs his control, and he clears the ball as it rolls over his own goal-line. It had definitely passed the line, but not the whole of the ball.
Imagine if the Mariners had drawn level there! Innocuous stuff.
58 min: It’s hardly been the action-packed thriller of Victory v Phoenix, and dare you’d say, has nowhere near the niggle, but Mariners for their part are sticking fast to their guns.
A rare opportunity as Ninkovic fires over under pressure. Remarkably, they’ve fashioned only one shot on target tonight, and that was the goal. They’re not exactly coasting, the champions, but they’ve not exactly put the pedal to the floor.
Second half! Sydney FC 1-0 Central Coast
We’re back underway in Kogarah - what can Alen Stajcic’s men come up with? Mark Birighitti is called into early action as Barbarouses hares through on goal. Sharp goalkeeping.
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A quick around the grounds to see what’s happening elsewhere - and I can report for our NZ fans, a key breakthrough, and then a big let off.
Marnus gets 500 for the summer, but will he punish lax catching? Adam Collins is our eyes and ears there:
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A-League: Sydney FC 1-0 Central Coast - half-time
45 min: Ooh, a late chance for the Mariners, as Jair stooped to try and head home a cross that was just behind the Brazilian. And straight away Sydney almost score at the other end. That’s how they do you - just when you think you’re back in it, dangerzone. The Mariners survive on this occasion though, and it’s the home side nursing a narrow lead.
✋ HALF TIME @SydneyFC 1-0 @CCMariners
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) December 14, 2019
The early @KostaBarb7 goal is the difference at the break as @SydneyFC chase their sixth consecutive victory#SYDvCCM #ALeague pic.twitter.com/PG2Rm0O75Q
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NBL: Melbourne United 81-104 Sydney Kings
And a strong bounce-back in the NBL by the ladder-leaders after losses to the Wildcats and Taipans. Here’s Australian Associated Press’ executive summary:
United entered Saturday’s contest at Melbourne Arena, having won their past seven home games against the Kings, but the NBL frontrunners ended their drought with a dominant performance against their fierce interstate rivals.
United’s attack disappeared in the opening quarter and the Kings took full advantage, jumping ahead 31-18 before extending their lead to 16 points with a 9-0 run to close the first half.
Melbourne attempted a comeback in the second half but the visitors showed their championship favouritism as they thwarted every United charge to run out comfortable winners.
Kings point guard Casper Ware tormented his former club with a game-high 28 points, Didi Louzada added 14 and Jae’Sean Tate finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds, as Andrew Bogut earned his first win over United in his home town.
Melo Trimble (19 points) and Shawn Long (18) tried valiantly to keep Melbourne in the match but they received little support apart from Casey Prather (10).
33 min: Alex Baumjohann tries to pick out a teammate, but it’s well cut out by Rowles. What a revelation the German has been in his second season - his contribution has been Ninkovic-esque - a stark contrast to his unhappy time at Western Sydney last campaign.
And for our golfing aficionados to catch up on all the day’s President’s Cup action please scroll back down for my colleague Scott Heinrich’s excellent wrap of day three.
The standout story remains to be however unfolding off the greens, as Tiger Woods digs in to defend his beleaguered and under-performing player Patrick Reed:
22 min: For all they’ve gone behind early, the Mariners have made a fair fist of this, without necessarily creating any clear cut chances, mind. Steve Corica won’t mind. He’s not a “sit back and nurse your lead” type of coach, but he’ll happily try and rope-a-dope opposing teams, especially those chasing an early lead.
13 min: Mariners with some sustained possession, but Sydney happy to allow their visitors the ball at the back, before looking to spring on lightning transition, like they did so well during their 5-1 thumping of Brisbane last week.
Speaking of, if you missed the earlier news story some choice words from Roar coach Robbie Fowler who fair to say, took exception to a non-post-game-handshake salvo from Mark Rudan:
Goal! Sydney FC 1-0 Central Coast (Barbarouses) - 4’
Ach. Alen Stajcic has spent all week masterminding a game plan to upset the reigning champions. And it’s lasted all of 250 seconds.
An error by Jack Clisby at left back allows Rhyan Grant in behind - and he’s got two to choose from in the centre, but his cross is tucked home by Kosta Barbarouses!
A horrific start for the bottom-placed side. What a test of their character this will now be.
Kick off!
And here’s how they line up - firstly, Sydney FC:
LINEUP | Here’s how we shape up for tonight’s clash!
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) December 14, 2019
Unchanged from last week with Tilio on the bench 👍#SydneyIsSkyBlue #WeAreChampions #SYDvCCM pic.twitter.com/h8Uattg2Yw
And the Mariners:
Here's how we take to the field against the Sky Blues tonight! @TommyOar10 is out due to illness, while Jair makes his first start in Yellow & Navy. #CCMFC #SYDvCCM pic.twitter.com/EGuyWR6rRi
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) December 14, 2019
The hugely experienced Korean Kim takes the armband, while Jair - the former Newcastle Jets man - is handed a first start after winning a contract on trial.
So - let’s look ahead to the A-League second fixture - it’s Sydney FC hosting Central Coast Mariners. Top vs bottom. Free flowing v free falling. Goliath v David.
Which would all be a foregone conclusion if it wasn’t for these two clubs having a habit of throwing up tasty fixtures across the years.. what price for a John Aloisi era 4-3 tonight?
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W-League: Brisbane Roar 3-2 Adelaide United
A lively conclusion to a real thriller from Queensland. A double to Hayley Raso and a goal to youngster Indiah-Paige Riley has denied the Reds a share of the points, after Mary Fowler and Mallory Weber drew the visitors back from 2-0 down inside 12 minutes.
The home side just shaded possession and created more chances, but had to endure a nervy late showing, despite Raso’s 83rd minute winner. They notch back to back wins after starting the season with consecutive defeats - but it’s back to the drawing board for the hard-working Reds, who remain bottom, and pointless.
The headline act today is of course the Australia v New Zealand cricket Test - Geoff Lemon is our eyes and ears for that one, where Australia is just starting its second innings, after a Mitchell Starc 5-for handed them a healthy lead:
Thanks Scotty, and what a start to our triple header of A-League football tonight. That was a crucial game for Melbourne Victory’s season, where Marco Kurz’s tenure is on a wing and a prayer. If they’d lost that one it could have made for a very nervy derby against high-flying crosstown rivals, City.
For the Phoenix, coach Ufuk Talay will be hugely disappointed not have got all three points there. It’s another feather in his cap, the manner in which the visitors outplayed, out-competed, and mentally out-edged a spikey encounter. But they’ll need more in the final third if they’re to be a real force come finals time of the season.
There’s plenty of non-A-League action flying round too - I’ll get settled in my plump sofa chair and race round the grounds to bring you that as well - golf, cricket, W-League and more: that’s Sportwatch.
A-League: FT: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington
Proof that games of football don’t need goals to be compelling, absorbing, engaging and thoroughly entertaining. The action was fast, the quality high and the cards plentiful. Referee Stephen Lucas peeled off 11 cards - 10 yellow and one red - with Melbourne Victory attracting all but three of them. As for the result, it suits the Nix much more than the Victory, who need points in bundles of three rather than one. As for me, I’m done. Put a fork in me. Over to you, Richard Parkin.
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A-League: 90 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington There will be five minutes of added time. That should be enough for 20 or so yellow cards.
Make sure no one misses out ref #MVCvWEL pic.twitter.com/eCnQM3jYts
— The Ladies League (@LadiesALeague) December 14, 2019
A-League: 85 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington And now Devlin gets a yellow, Fomo clearly getting the better of him. I’ve never seen a 0-0 like it. It’s x-rated.
A-League: 81 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington It’s been high-octane stuff from the outset but if anything this match is picking up pace as the clock winds down. Referee Stephen Lucas has brandished more cards than he’ll send at Christmas (maybe, maybe not, but I couldn’t resist the pun) and that’s now 10 in total following an eight-minute period that saw five yellows. For reasons varying from dissent to bad tackles and anything in between, Nabbout, Sotirio, Toivonen, Broxham and Poulsen are now in the book. Interestingly, or perhaps not, eight of the 10 cards have been shown to Victory players.
Presidents Cup: Day 3
The stage is set for a grandstand finish to the 2019 Presidents Cup after an afternoon of high drama and twists and turns at Royal Melbourne.
Team USA finally won a session to reduce a four-point deficit to just two, but it was an extraordinary collapse from American superstars Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler that left golf fans gobsmacked and with the Internationals in sight of a shock first triumph since 1998.
Thomas and Fowler squandered a five-hole advantage with eight to play to square their foursomes match with Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer, who remains unbeaten on his Cup debut after the extraordinary comeback.
The priceless half point ensures the Internationals will carry the lead into Sunday’s deciding singles for the first time since last winning the cup 21 years ago, also at Royal Melbourne.
The Internationals’ 10-8 advantage leaves the heavily favoured and star-studded US outfit needing at least 7.5 points from the 12 possible from Sunday’s singles session to win the Cup for the eighth time in a row.
After seeing his team lose the morning fourball session 2.5 to 1.5 to trail 9-5 overall, US playing captain Tiger Woods was questioned for not picking himself in the foursomes.
When Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland beat Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen two and one, and Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay downed Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im by the same scoreline, Woods, though, was looking like a genius.
But suddenly, the Internationals have all the momentum after Joaquin Niemann and Byeong Hun An had also charged back from two down with five to play to rescue half a point against Kuchar and Tony Finau in the final match of the day.
- with thanks to AAP
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A-League: 59 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington Dobras red card! Dobras gets his marching orders after raising his right boot to clear a ball but collecting Devlin in the mouth on the way through. He was already on a yellow but that’s a straight red. The Victory players are apoplectic, and one does have to ask what else Dobras could do. You could argue that Devlin was simply in the way. Does seem harsh but regardless, the hosts are down to 10 men.
Kristijan Dobras sees red for the high leg.
— FOX Sports Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) December 14, 2019
Do you think it was worth it?
📺 Watch the #ALeague live on Fox Sports 505 NOW! pic.twitter.com/m5rXi5LEMs
W-League: HT: Brisbane Roar 2-1 Adelaide United An entertaining, open half of play comes to an end, with Fowler’s strike after 25 minutes halving Adelaide’s deficit.
HALF TIME STAT
— Beyond 90 (@Beyond90AU) December 14, 2019
Goals per half in the @WLeague this season:@brisbaneroar games: 2.14
All other games: 1.2
Value for money when you watch the team in orange!#BRIvADL #WLeague
A-League: 51 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington The half-time break has done little to calm these players. Dobras earns the fourth yellow of the match for his crass tackle from behind on Devlin, and moments later Wellington’s best chance of the game almost goes in as DeVere soars above the rest only for his header to crash onto the crossbar and down onto, not over, the goal line.
W-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 2-1 Adelaide United (Mary Fowler, 25’) We have no goals in the A-League but the scorer is being kept very busy in the W-League. And just when you were thinking, ‘How far the Roar?’, Adelaide strike back courtesy of Mary Fowler’s goal midway through the first half.
A-League: HT: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington No goals but plenty of action in a highly entertaining half of football at AAMI Park. The best chances of the half were owned mostly by Melbourne Victory, with two chances not taken late in the piece that on another day might have gone in. Firstly, Dobras shot low and hard from outside the box, beating the keeper but cannoning his shot into the post, before Toivonen sent a free kick from just outside the area wide to the left.
✋ HALF TIME
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) December 14, 2019
Chances at both ends but we go in at the break scoreless at @AAMIPark.#MVCvWEL #ALeague pic.twitter.com/iba6wLAUFa
W-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 2-0 Adelaide United (Hayley Raso, 12’) The Roar are all over Adelaide in these early exchanges and now it’s 2-0 to the home side after Hayley Raso’s quality strike.
⚽️ GOAL, @brisbaneroar 2-0 @AUFCWomen (12 mins)
— Westfield W-League (@WLeague) December 14, 2019
And the Roar go 2️⃣up thanks to Hayley Raso's great solo effort! All class! 🙏#BRIvADL #WLeague pic.twitter.com/5Ejxo0qrgJ
A-League: 34 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington More yellow than a Coldplay song at AAMI Park right now, with three cards shown in as many spiteful minutes. First, Donachie is cautioned for his slide tackle on Ball, then Steinmann goes in the book for rushing in and inflaming the situation. Something the referee mightn’t have seen was Donachie raising his hand and collecting Steinmann on the chops. You’d hope he didn’t see it, because if he did that’s a second yellow and thanks for coming right there. To round out an eventful little spell, Basha collects Davila with a poor challenge and gets his own yellow.
Classic example of poor refereeing causing the game to boil over.
— Josh Parish (@joshparish_) December 14, 2019
Lucas swallows his whistle, frustrations build, and now he's got a tougher task on his hands for the rest of the 90. #MVCvWEL #ALeague
W-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 1-0 Adelaide United (Indiah-Paige Riley, 4’) Brisbane draw first blood at Lions FC Stadium with Indiah-Paige Riley finding the back of the net in a game both sides will be desperately seeking three points.
Track Cycling World Cup update
Despite battling cancer, sprint star Matthew Glaetzer has continued to inspire his Australian teammates at the Brisbane World Cup track cycling round. At his final meet before undergoing treatment, the two-time world champion is aiming to be a medal threat after comfortably winning his heat and cruising into the Keirin second round on Saturday.
The 27-year-old is showing no sign of slowing down despite receiving health news that would stop many in their tracks. In his first event since being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Glaetzer won Keirin bronze at last weekend’s World Cup round in New Zealand.
Now barely a month after his health scare, he has staked an early medal claim at Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome with his impressive effort on Saturday.
“He is real eager to keep going. He doesn’t want to step away,” Glaetzer’s Australian star teammate Sam Welsford said. “It is motivating the rest of the team just the way he gives 100 per cent every day.”
Glaetzer will receive treatment after the Brisbane round but is still hopeful of contesting February’s world titles and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
- with thanks to AAP
A-League: 17 mins: Melbourne Victory 0-0 Wellington A fairly lively opening to this contest and it was very nearly 1-0 to the Victory after Toivonen wins a header, finds some space in the box and pulls the trigger ... only for Marinovic to effect a stunning one-hand save to his right.
We’re up, up, up and away in the A-League game between Melbourne Victory and Wellington. Do the Victory need a win here or what? It’s still early-ish days, but a loss here would be near catastrophic (in the context of their championship ambitions, obviously).
Here are the teams:
Melbourne Victory (4-2-3-1): Thomas (GK); Traore, Broxham, Donachie, Lesiotis; Poulsen, Basha; Kruse, Dobras, Nabbout; Toivonen. Subs: White (GK), Barnett, Brown, Lauton, Roux, Carrigan, Kamsoba.
Wellington (4-2-3-1): Marinovic (GK); Cacace, De Vere, Taylor, Payne; Steinmann, Devlin; Piscopo, Davila, Sotirio; Ball. Subs: Sail (GK), Hudson-Wihongi, Waine, Hooper, McCowatt, McGing.
And here’s more on that stoush between a fan and Patrick Reed’s caddie at the Presidents Cup today. What with this and the Fowler-Rudan blue, there’s quite a bit of acrimony doing the rounds today. Tasty!
Official statement to Fore Play from Patrick Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, on #PresidentsCup altercation with fan: pic.twitter.com/ZQXT0NxhJ7
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) December 14, 2019
Track Cycling World Cup update
Sidelined by brain surgery, Australian track cycling coach Tim Decker has still been able to make his presence felt at the Brisbane World Cup round. Confidence is sky high for Australia’s world champion team pursuit outfit ahead of the Tokyo Olympics after they overcame their mentor’s absence to claim World Cup gold at Anna Meares Velodrome.
Australia were reeling ahead of the three-day meet that concludes on Sunday when Decker underwent an operation to repair a brain bleed following an accident while riding his bike.
They were told the man who had guided both the men’s and women’s team pursuit outfits to stunning 2019 world title victories would be out of action until the New Year. The shock news came just five years after Decker first underwent brain surgery following another bike crash.
Decker may have been recovering in Adelaide but he still proved to be an inspiration at the Brisbane World Cup’s opening night on Friday, with both the men’s and women’s combinations toasting their mentor after striking gold.
“He’s one of the main cogs in our team. I know how much he was hurting not being here,” Australian women’s star Annette Edmondson said.
“We got a call from him just before the finals and we know he is with us every step of the way. We can’t wait for him to get back but it’s nice to know we can do it without him if we have to.”
The Australian men threatened to break their own world record in the first round heats before finishing almost four seconds ahead of New Zealand in the finals. And the Australian women gave their national record a nudge on their way to holding out the Kiwis in the gold medal race.
“We didn’t have our coach so we didn’t have any splits, so it was all about feel and knowing each other - that comes from years of training together,” Australian men’s star Sam Welsford said.
“We rely on Tim a lot so it was actually good for us to be self-reliant and focus on what we could do, trusting our ability and backing ourselves. But we can’t wait to have him back.”
- with thanks to AAP
RIP Sir Peter Snell. My, could this man run.
How about handshake-gate, eh? While it’s not quite on the Rooney-Vardy scale of stuff-your-face-with-popcorn-and-watch-it-all-unfold drama, it’s about as close as the A-League gets. In a nutshell, Mark Rudan and Robbie Fowler were slinging barbs left, right and centre after last night’s Roar-United A-Leagued game. Check out the story below. And don’t forget the popcorn.
Play is about to commence on day three of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth. And the big news is Josh Hazlewood is done for the match with that hamstring. Follow the play via our liveblog, which is now, um, live.
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Presidents Cup update - Patrick Reed’s caddie is having a shocker
Patrick Reed’s caddie Kessler Karain has been involved in an altercation with a fan after the Saturday morning session of the Presidents Cup.The American Golf Channel reported that Karain, who is Reed’s brother-in-law, got physical with a fan at Royal Melbourne.
The controversial US golfer is winless from his three matches and has been targeted by local fans since his arrival in Australia. Last week he was penalised for improving his lie in a bunker during a tournament, with Australian golfer Cameron Smith, who is on the International team, labelling him a cheat. Fellow Aussie Marc Leishman said the 2018 Masters champion had brought the taunts and criticism on himself.
The Golf Channel reported that tensions boiled over following the morning fourball competition.
“Reed was really hearing it from the fans and it got a little out of control there after the match and that’s where the altercation took place,” the Channel said.
On day one, Reed shouldered Smith, who was in the crowd, as he left a hole, with the Australian saying he wasn’t sure what prompted the bizarre action. A group of fans dressed up as Reed’s caddie on Saturday, but were stripped by security of toy clubs and a shovel.
- with thanks to AAP
.@SteveSandsGC reports of an altercation between Patrick Reed's caddie and a spectator after the four-ball match on Day 3. pic.twitter.com/OwzBNXxixB
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 14, 2019
Presidents Cup update - Patrick Reed is having a shocker
Tiger Woods’ unflinching faith in Patrick Reed is proving an unmitigated disaster, with golf’s most polarising personality suffering a third straight Presidents Cup defeat at Royal Melbourne.
Woods raised eyebrows even among American fans when he opted to pair up Reed with Webb Simpson again on Saturday, despite the duo being humbled in their opening two matches.
Heckled at every opportunity by fans following his cheating scandal last week in the Bahamas, Reed slumped to a crushing five-and-three fourball loss to Hideki Matsuyama and CT Pan as the Internationals extended their commanding lead to four points.
Reed was the only player not to win even a single hole.
- with thanks to AAP
Patrick Reed having some fun with the crowd. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/RFEz6kgaUQ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 13, 2019
Preamble
How hangs it, sports fans? Cracking day of sport in the offing if I do say so myself. The wonderment and glory of the Test summer continues in Perth (separate liveblog) but there’s a sight more than just the cricket to whet your appetite: day three of the Presidents Cup is ongoing, there are three A-league games and one W-League game today, plus a bit cycling in Brisbane (I say a bit, but in actual fact it’s the Track Cycling World Cup, so actually a lot). You know how it goes here: send me an email or a tweet if you’d like to get in touch.
