Summary
It wasn’t a classic, by any stretch of the imagination, but it was certainly a more engaging second half. After a cagey opening Sydney FC’s midfield slowly began to exert it’s authority on the match, dominating possession, dictating tempo, but the final third opportunities were limited before the break.
Ola Toivonen’s class header just before the break set the game up for a fascinating second stanza, but as soon as Sydney got one, you just felt they’d run over the top of an undermanned Victory XI. Marco Kurz was voiceless through laryngitis, but his team up front were toothless. A returning Robbie Kruse still a long way short of the fitness he needs to give Toivonen the support he so desperately deserves.
They slump to eighth on the table, Victory - in what is starting to really feel like a club in trouble. Sydney FC conversely rise two second on the table, with the knowledge that rivals City slipped up away to Brisbane. A fair crowd in to take this one in. And they got their entertainment, eventually.
Thanks for your company today as we welcome back the W-League. Another full picnic of sports action for your Sunday!
Full-time: Sydney FC 2-1 Melbourne Victory
90 + 4 min: Victory in a good area, this could be one of their last chances to attack, but it ends with an aimless cross that evades anyone. Just about sums up their attacking threat tonight, Toivonen aside.
And there’s the whistle! It’s no classic, but the 51st Big Blue ends with a much-expected Sydney FC win. Even if it took them a while to get there.
Updated
90 + 2 min: A time-sapping sub as Barbarouses makes way for Buhagiar. Job done for the former Victory man who passed up the chance to play for his national team, New Zealand, this international window.
89 min: Five minutes added on is the word from the sideline, so Victory still a chance to pinch something here.
It’s a fast counter and it’s Barbarouses who feeds Brandon O’Neill inside the box - it’s a great ball, and the midfielder can’t quite dig the shot out of his feet. But what a save from Thomas! The Victory custodian flew off his line, and stood tall to block that effort.
86 min: Big chance! It’s Caceres who flashes a cross across the face after fine lead up play from Grant - but his ball just evades the outstretched legs of not one but two Sydney teammates.
They’re increasingly looking more likely for a third, the home side.
84 min: The danger is of course, that in trying to chase the game, Victory will increasingly leave themselves open at the back - at it’s Barbarouses who fires a stinging effort just past Thomas’ right-hand upright.
81 min: Now it’s the onus on Victory to force the play, which in truth, it’s hard to know where the spark might come from. We’re yet to see too much of Kruse, but there’s no question marks over his quality. Can they get the flying winger more into this contest?
78 min: Traore gets across well to deny a crossing opportunity, but he concedes a corner in front of the Sydney FC home supporters.
McGowan rises, but he can’t direct his header on target, and Kruse watches it harmlessly wide.
75 min: Migden Basha goes in the book for a tug-back on Barbarouses, and as suspected, it’s a first appearance of the 2019/20 a-League season for Zullo who comes on for the previously booked Retre.
72 min: And suddenly the Cove are back in full voice. Terrific frontrunners, it must be said. And it’s Marco Kurz’s turn to cut a forlorn figure on the touchline.
Goal! Sydney FC 2-1 Melbourne Victory (Barbarouses)
68 min: It’s Grant with the chest down, and who should pop up to knock that home at the second attempt - Kosta Barbarouses!
His first effort came back off the crossbar, but he made no mistake with the second, and in a matter of minutes, they’ve turned this around Sydney!
Remarkable stuff, you can’t script this. He’s lain dormant for most of this game, the former Victory man, like a serpent awaiting the summer rays, but he only needed one invitation.
67 min: Steve Corica also deciding to shuffle the pack, as Baumjohann makes way for former City player Anthony Caceres.
65 min: And despite him being one of the smallest men on the pitch, it’s Le Fondre with a thumping header from further out - but that one just sails over!
And Kurz has seen enough - the youngster Hope trots off, and it’s a first appearance in 2019/20 for Robbie Kruse. What an impact could the Socceroo star have?
Goal! Sydney FC 1-1 Melbourne Victory (Le Fondre)
62 min: And there is the equaliser! From the corner it’s Ryan McGowan who wins a first header, it flies sidewise to Le Fondre, and it’s the Englishman who deflects a second header past Thomas and the flailing Victory defenders on the line.
They’re back in it, Sydney - and all of a sudden, it feels like we might yet have more goals in this one!
60 min: And a first close up of Corica looking tense / pensive on the bench (tensive?) They’re still yet to register a shot on target, Sydney FC, with an hour gone.
And that said, it’s Ninkovic who finally gets an effort on target - as he draws a brilliant save from Thomas with a stinging left-foot strike. And they have a corner, Sydney.
W-League: Newcastle Jets 1-1 Melbourne City
And a big result coming through from Newcastle, where Craig Deans’ women have not just dragged one back, but they’ve denied a star-studded Melbourne City an opening round win.
Teigan Collister with a 67th minute equaliser. They had all the possession in the world, City - but they couldn’t do much with it. Shades of Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory in the A-League? Well done, Newcastle - a strong point, and let’s hope they can build on that.
53 min: Oh my! That was superb from Toivonen - it had dip, it had swerve, and it had Redmayne beaten in the Sydney FC goal - but it drifted just wide off the corner of the frame!
A lovely strike, but it’s close but no cigar.
52 min: And a second yellow of the contest, as Paulo Retre follows his teammate Alexander Baumjohann into the book. That could be an extra incentive to see a first start for the season off the bench for the returning Michael Zullo. Watch that space.
And now it’s Grant that’s upended Toivonen in a handy position, and the Big Swede lines one up from a very dangerous area. Imagine.
50 min: Brattan tries one from 35m out. It seemed a bit ambitious, but in fairness that wasn’t a million miles off the target. Still, they’ll be looking to fashion better openings than that, the home side.
48 min: So it’s onus on Sydney to come up with something. Victory will be more than content to sit deep, to look to counter and to try and secure the result late on as the game becomes more expansive.
Second half!
45 min: It’s a low-energy Steve Corica chatting to the Fox Sports commentary team at half-time. He keeps it pretty tight, but you can tell he’s tense about how things have gone so far.
Some HT musing from some of our favourite scribes across the A-League. Here’s NZ Herald / FoxSports commentator Jason Pine suggesting somebody’s perhaps carrying a side:
Ola Toivonen must have such a sore back. #SYDvMVC
— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) November 17, 2019
And the best crossover finance/A-League writer going around, the Australian’s John Stensholt:
Is the KurzBall strategy to play quite terribly, but score the winner from a rare chance at the other end? Could work, I suppose.
— John Stensholt (@JohnStensholt) November 17, 2019
I’m with John - I definitely think there’s been a bit of rope-a-dope about Kurz’s midweek protestations. Let’s see what arises in the second half.
Updated
And if you missed the earlier news out of the WBBL - firstly, what a finish to the game, and secondly, some concern over injury to one of the stars of the competition, Ellyse Perry. This from AAP:
Superstar Ellyse Perry has suffered an apparent shoulder injury as her Sydney Sixers lost a WBBL thriller to the Melbourne Renegades.
Perry stood up clutching her right shoulder in pain after tumbling while fielding on the Drummoyne Oval boundary, although she remained on the field.
Courtney Webb hit a six off the last ball to give the Renegades a two-run victory, as they chased down the Sixers’ total of 4-139 and rose to fourth on the ladder, one spot behind the Sixers.
Half-time: Sydney FC 0-1 Melbourne Victory
Well, there’s the whistle, and is that the breakthrough that could spark this contest?
They’ve not had a lot to hang their hat on, Victory - perhaps only two meaningful attacks all game, but they’ve got the lead. What can Sydney do to prise this contest open?
Updated
Goal! Sydney FC 0-1 Melbourne Victory (Toivonen)
43 min: Thomas in no hurry to restart things, he eventually pumps it long and finds Hope in a decent area. In fitting with the match so far perhaps, they recycle possession and play back.
Oh wow - they go wide again, and this time it’s a terrific cross in from Hope, and who’s lurking at the far post to nod it home? The Big Swede! Redmayne beaten from an acute angle - a terrific header, and do we have a football game now, ladies and gentlemen!
Updated
And if you joined us for GOALS, forgettaboutit.
But if you missed this from earlier, here’s a match report from Das Wunder von Redcliffe, where Robbie Fowler’s men did City like eleven Steve MacQueens, all on motorbikes:
39 min: Sydney look to release through Grant, but it’s Brown who tracks back to marshall the FC flying fullback. It’s an interesting one to watch - they do nominally have two left backs on the pitch, Victory: is that perhaps the best way to stop one of the best attacking threats in the league?
35 min: Sydney FC look to release Grant down the right with a terrific crossfield ball, but the Victory defence shuffles well to stifle the attack. He’s up against one of the best left backs in the league, in Adama Traore in truth.
A big chance for Le Fondre, who hits an effort on the pivot - and it’s only just wide! A fine, improvised strike from a player who knows where the goal is.
And a belated HT update from the W-League, where would you believe it, it’s Emily van Egmond who’s given her new side the lead against her home city town, Newcastle.
The Matildas’ midfielder splitting the teams with a goal in the 22nd minute. They’re still absolutely bossing the possession, over 3/4s of it enjoyed by City, but few clear cut chances created by either side.
30 min: Ninkovic looks to invite Brattan for a shot from range, but the Victory defence shuffles to prevent any clear line of sight on goal. Baumjohann looks to release Barbarouses down the right, but it’s just slightly overhit.
It’s just lacking, dare you say it, a bit of quality so far this contest.
27 min: Victory look to play out of pressure, but Traore’s pass just evades Toivonen. Sydney FC’s move then breaks down before Victory fail to break quickly - this pitch perhaps playing a factor as the pace comes off Josh Hope’s pass forward.
23 min: It’s a header for Toivonen - but it flies over! He grabs his head in despair, the big Swede. What a chance that was!
Brown was the man over the set piece, he faked to go short before firing into the mix, and Victory’s key man was able to find hald a yard of space, but he’s fired that 50cm over Redmayne’s crossbar. Big let off, Sydney FC.
22 min: Luke Brattan tries to thump one from deep, but Victory get bodies in the way to block the shot. A rare counter-attack opportunity for the visitors, and they’ve earned a corner. What can they make from this?
19 min: Sydney probing as Victory continue to drop deeper. McGowan with a decent cross that finds Le Fondre inside the box, but he’s shut down very quickly and he can’t get a clean shot away.
15 min: Sydney FC starting to infinitesimally wrest the balance of power in midfield, as they win another freekick from a handy area. This time Baumjohann goes deep and finds Grant past the back stick, but his header back across can’t pick out a teammate. Another half warning shot.
12 min: Early freekick in a promising area for the home side. It’s Baumjohann over it, after Donachie caught Barbarouses in what you’d have to say was a very soft foul.
The German pumps it into a useful area, but it’s cleared well by Victory with Ninkovic lurking.
10 min: A first shot in anger as Le Fondre lashes an effort from just outside the box. He connected well, but it was always flying high. Lawrence Thomas not tested, but his eyes would have lit up for a second or two when he saw that one arrowing his way.
7 min: Sydney FC now with it at the back. It’s a cagey start to this one - both sides content to size each other out. You’d expect that a little from Kurz’s under-manned team, but could the home side have shown a little more ambition early on?
4 min: The youngster Lauton has it down Victory’s right. He appears to be starting at right back in Roux’s absence. It’s so far been plenty of possession at the back for the visitors - Sydney appear relatively happy to sit off a little, and force their opponents to make the early running.
Kick-off!
1 min: It’s the big Swede Ola Toivonen who gets us underway, he plays back and Victory enjoy some early touches. And it’s Corey Brown playing ahead of Adama Traore down Victory’s left. So that’s one mystery solved.
Updated
We’re not too far away from kick-off at Jubilee Park, where having just endured a W-League game the pitch is not in complete tip-top state.
Big responsibility on the shoulders of Victory skipper Ola Toivonen you’d imagine, tonight. While for Sydney FC it’s a taste of the other shade of blue for former favourite Kosta Barbarouses. What price for a goal tonight?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this one - fire us a tweet or email to join the conversation.
Without further ado, here’s the team lists therefore:
Sydney FC are more or less how you’d imagine they’d line up, with Rhyan Grant returning from Socceroos duty to slot straight back in at right back. Michael Zullo returns from injury to the bench, while the pace of Trent Bugahiar could also be a late-game factor.
.@ALeague LINEUP | Here's how we shape up for the second clash of today's double header!
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) November 17, 2019
Unchanged from our win against the Jets with @MichaelZullo5 returning on the bench 👍#SydneyIsSkyBlue #WeAreChampions #BigBlue pic.twitter.com/s2tYyPquvi
Melbourne Victory have had to shuffle the pack, but there’s still enough about this XI to be competitive. Leigh Broxham could drop to CB in the absence of Thomas Deng you’d suggest, with Corey Brown filling in at right back for Storm Roux (away with NZ) or pushing Adama Traore further forward at left wing. Youngsters Lesiotis, Lauton and Hope get a huge opportunity to press their cases for future selection, while experienced visa signing Kiki Dobras will start from the bench.
A start for Brandon Lauton, while Robbie Kruse makes the bench. Today's starting XI presented by @MetriconHomes #MVFC #OurVictory pic.twitter.com/36g03DmJxG
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) November 17, 2019
Plenty of chat flying round about what kind of team Melbourne Victory might actually get on the pitch this week, given the ridiculous situation of it being an international weekend, with both Socceroos and Olyroos selections dragging players away.
Marco Kurz has raged publicly about this all week - a shame that the fixture was agreed upon by both clubs, so you’d imagine some tough conversations between coach and club hierarchy.
They’re also shorn a few players due to injury - the big news though is that star recruit Robbie Kruse is available for selection, and could make his second-stint Victory debut off the bench. Imagine how that could play out.
So - plenty more football to come, not least the very first Steve Corica v Marco Kurz, Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory A-League Big Blue.
And if you need a quick up-to-speed about how it’s been going for former Adelaide coach Kurz, here’s resident football historian David Squires with an entirely factually accurate summary:
And we’ve a third fixture underway in the W-League, it’s Newcastle hosting Melbourne City. 10 minutes in and it’s the visitors with all the ball - no surprises there given the star-studded quality of this City squad. And it will be an emotional return to Newcastle for star Matilda Emily van Egmond, lining up against her hometown side.
A-League: Brisbane Roar 4-3 Melbourne City
A miraculous comeback - heaven sent, you’d could say, as the man they call God, claims his first A-League win as a head coach. On the mat, and back up in the second half. They looked gone for all measure down 2-0, and then 3-1 - not just from the scoreline, but from the mentality on display. But there’s plenty of character in this squad - leaders like Tom Aldred and Roy O’Donovan driving this team in orange on, and the bushfire-ravaged fans of south east Queensland have been treated with a terrific escape tonight.
W-League: Sydney FC 3-0 Melbourne Victory
An emphatic result in the opening round “Big Blue” between last season’s premiers and champions, and it’s the Emily Gielnik and Christine Nairn-less Victory that were on the wrong end of this one. A late goal from Indigenous rising star Shadeene Evans adding the cherry on top in added time, as Sydney FC send an stark message to the league. You come at the Queens, you’d best not miss.
W-League: Canberra United 2-0 Perth Glory
It’s a win at home to start the W-League season in the capital, as the former powerhouses of the early competition consign a Sam Kerr-less Perth Glory to a first up loss, thanks to an early brace to US import Simone Charley.
Perth huffed and puffed but couldn’t mount too much of a challenge offensively. Could be a tough rebuilding season for the gals from the West. Watch this space.
NBL: Sydney Kings 92-87 Illawarra Hawks
And a record result trickling in from the NBL - here’s the report from our colleagues at AAP:
The biggest crowd in NBL history has watched Sydney survive a third-quarter explosion from LaMelo Ball to claim a 92-87 victory over Illawarra.
The 17,513 at Qudos Bank Arena in the harbour city on Sunday surpassed the record of 17,143 set in 1999 at a double-header at the same venue.
This time, fans flocked to watch the league-leading Kings take on a last-placed Hawks side boasting a projected NBA No 1 draft pick in Ball.
The 18-year-old had a quiet first half but erupted in the third period by either scoring or assisting on 15 points of a 20-10 run that gave Illawarra the lead.
Ball eventually finished with 16 points on 7-19 shooting, including 1-5 from distance to go with eight rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers.
But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Kings maintaining top spot on the table, and remain the only team unbeaten at home this season.
A-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 4-3 Melbourne City (O’Donovan) - 83’
No mistake from Roy the Boy, to the delight of the home fans. And having not scored in eons - it’s the Roar with a hat-trick hero of their own, albeit with plenty of help from the spot (and VAR).
Denis Genreau the man deemed to have infringed - the ball did appear to strike his out-raised hand, but it was only up because he was about to get smacked in the face. Is that self-defence? Is at an unnatural position? What is love? More questions than answers, the clear-and-obvious VAR.
A-League: Brisbane Roar 3-3 Melbourne City - penalty!
Hello! Well, it would be a potential 7-goal thriller without a big fat paw-print of VAR all over the game - it’s the 83rd minute up at Redcliffe, and having improbably come back from 3-1 down, it could be the Roar about to take a 4-3 lead from the spot, after another contestable VAR-adjudged handball incident!
Kia ora, Terevist, Aloha! G’day to you and our international audience. Well, we’ve clearly timed this handover well - like a baton change for the clear Olympic favourites in a 4x100m final - what could go wrong?
Safe-hands Heinrich out, “comedy fingers” Parkin to take it home from here. Plenty of live action going on so we’ll settle in and get cracking. You’ve probably missed sixteen more goals from Roar v City just since I was typing this update.
Updated
Well folks, that is me for the day. More goals than a Google off-site. And this evening promises to be just as good. I can’t think of anyone better to bring you the action than my esteemed colleague, Richard Parkin. Knock ‘em dead, Parko (not literally)!
A-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 3-3 Melbourne City (O’Donovan) - 64’
Amadi-Holloway goes down in the box under a strong challenge, leaving the ref with no option but to award a penalty. Step up Roy O’Donovan, who curves his shot from right to left and past the keeper. And to make matters even more concerning for City, Jamie Maclaren has been substituted off for Denis Genreau. Am I stating the bleeding obvious to say it’s anyone’s game?
A-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 2-3 Melbourne City (Amadi-Holloway) - 60’
It’s becoming an outright goalfest in Redcliffe and the Roar just won’t lie down. This one wasn’t overly pretty, with Amadi-Holloway one of two Brisbane players scrambling to get on the end of Ingham’s headed cross. He manages to get something on the ball, forcing it over the line. And it is game on.
A-League: Goals! Brisbane Roar 1-3 Melbourne City (O’Donovan) - 50’ & (Maclaren) - 51’
For a fleeting moment, Brisbane were back in this game thanks to Roy O’Donovan’s strike in the 50th minute. But nobody is safe when Jamie Maclaren is in the opposing team. For some reason, the Roar defenders seem quite happy to give Maclaren space in the box and yet again he makes them pay, this time beating the keeper with a precise header from Cabrera’s cross. That’s a hat-trick for Maclaren and 14 goals in his past eight games for club and country. Andf there’s still over half an hour to go. The man is seeing them like beach balls.
Celebrations were short lived though, Maclaren’s already got his third. pic.twitter.com/Njx0l2FfV8
— FOX Sports Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) November 17, 2019
WBBL: Melbourne Renegades beat Sydney Sixers by two wickets
Wow. What a finish. Courtney Webb hit a boundary off the third-last delivery of the match to leave the Renegades needing seven runs to win, but the next-ball run-out of Carly Leeson looked to end their chances. Only a six (or an all-run five) off the last ball would win it for the Renegades. And what does Webb do? Hit a six. Astonishing.
COURTNEY. WEBB.
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) November 17, 2019
'Gades needed five to win, then she did THIS! 🔥@CommBank | #WBBL05 pic.twitter.com/lZH04ZJ40T
A little more here on the cricket story of the day, with Mitchell Starc - the man most likely to benefit from James Pattinson’s latest brush with cricket’s lawmakers - suggesting his fellow paceman might have to pull his head in. A bit.
“He’s that up-in-your-face fast bowler. It’s something that he thrives upon and it makes him bowl better and I hope he doesn’t have to shut up shop completely,” Starc said.
“But he has to be a little more careful of overstepping that line. There is a place for it, but perhaps in this day and age he’ll have to tone it back a bit.”
In case you’ve been in bed all day, under a rock or simply otherwise engaged, here’s the story:
W-League: HT: Sydney FC 2-0 Melbourne Victory
W-League: HT: Canberra United 2-0 Perth Glory
A-League: HT: Brisbane Roar 0-2 Melbourne City
A-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 0-2 Melbourne City (Maclaren) - 29’
Jamie Maclaren. Again. That’s now six goals across today’s three 4pm games and just the three individual scorers. Maclaren times his run nicely, connecting with Brillante’s cross and finishing the job with a glancing header. That’s now six goals in his past three A-League games and 13 goals in his past eight games for club and country. And it’s not even half-time yet. White hot.
Jamie Maclaren is a problem!
— FOX Sports Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) November 17, 2019
📺 Watch the #ALeague live on Fox Sports 505 NOW!
📝 and join the blog: https://t.co/ujnZYUyz03 pic.twitter.com/oBTVciMXU3
W-League: Goal! Sydney FC 2-0 Melbourne Victory (Siemsen) - 22’
Another W-League brace and we’re barely moments into the afternoon’s action. Remy Siemsen shows she has several strings to her bow, climbing into Caitlin Foord’s ball and heading past the Victory keeper.
Remy Siemsen is looking like a brand new player this season. two great goals, good movement off the ball. gorgeous assist by Foord for the second. #SYDvMVC #WLeague
— Samantha Lewis (@battledinosaur) November 17, 2019
W-League: Goals! Canberra United 2-0 Perth Glory (Charley) - 6’ & 11’
Canberra United, and more specifically Simone Charley, have started the new season in explosive fashion, the defender helping herself to two goals inside the opening 11 minutes.
Wow what a start from @CanberraUnited! 😍 I can tell you @SimoneCharley is already a fan favourite here down at McKellar! What a start to her time in Canberra! 💚💚💚 #WLeague #CBRvPER #GoGreen
— ShePlays Fantasy League (@sheplays_au) November 17, 2019
Brisbane Roar manager Robbie Fowler is blowing up deluxe in Redcliffe, first over a yellow card that wasn’t given and then over penalty that wasn’t. On the latter point, VAR said no dice. And Robbie should know better. VAR does not make mistakes. Period.
The way things are going Robbie Fowler will be back home in England with a couple of moths to spare & watch his beloved Liverpool win the league.#BRIvMCY #LFC
— Daniel (@Dulzii83) November 17, 2019
A-League: Goal! Brisbane Roar 0-1 Melbourne City (Maclaren) - 6’
Who else but that man Maclaren? The City marksman pounces on a searching through-ball from Cabrera and, given more space by Roar defenders than should be legal, takes a touch and makes no mistake.
First game back from injury AND against his former team, of course Jamie Maclaren scored the opening goal.
— FOX Sports Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) November 17, 2019
📺 Watch the #ALeague live on Fox Sports 505 NOW!
📝 and join the blog: https://t.co/ujnZYUyz03 pic.twitter.com/BjzVdjaL9X
W-League: Goal! Sydney FC 1-0 Melbourne Victory (Siemsen) - 4’
Before most fans had chance to return from the pop-up taco truck and claim their seats, Remy Siemsen chimes in with a sweet left-footed strike that finds its home in the bottom left corner.
4' GOAL! Remy Siemsen gives the home side the lead!#SYDvMVC #WLeague pic.twitter.com/9yg7g61mXZ
— Westfield W-League (@WLeague) November 17, 2019
And we are away with our three shotgun 4pm (EDT) games in the A-League and W-League.
W-League: Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
W-League: Canberra United v Perth Glory
A-League: Brisbane Roar v Melbourne City
Don’t know about you, but I don’t know where to look.
WBBL: Sydney Sixers 139-4 (20 overs) v Melbourne Renegades - Marizanne Kapp’s breezy 52 not out off 34 balls helped the Sixers post what looks a competitive total in Sydney. Both Lea Tahuhu and Molly Strano took two wickets for the Renegades, the former removing Alyssa Healy for a rare single-figure score. Ellyse Perry (37 off 45) and Ashleigh Gardner (36 off 26) were other key contributors for the Sixers.
A roller-coaster of an innings.
— Renegades WBBL (@RenegadesWBBL) November 17, 2019
We had our moments.
So did the Sixers.
The target: 140 🎯 #GETONRED pic.twitter.com/g9aUtdW2kP
Am I alone in thinking this whole Colin Kaepernick circus is a bit of a, um, circus?
Issac Luke breaking his own news here. Goodbye, Warriors. Hello, Dragons.
St George Dragons
— issac luke (@issacluke_14) November 17, 2019
On way ✊🏽
WBBL: Brisbane Heat beat Perth Scorchers by eight wickets
Brisbane Heat’s WBBL title defence has shifted into overdrive as Jess Jonassen and Beth Mooney inspired them to a clinical eight-wicket defeat of Perth Scorchers at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.
Jonassen starred with bat (32 not out) and ball (4-23) while Mooney (60 not out) continued her magical run at the top of the order to steer the ladder-leading Heat past the Scorchers’ modest 8-112 with 23 deliveries to spare on Sunday.
Mooney, the tournament’s top run-scorer (523 at 87.17), held firm as Maddy Green and Sammy-Jo Johnson both departed in the power play to plunder her sixth half-century of a golden summer.
She found a valuable ally in allrounder Jonassen and the pair put on an unbroken 79 for the third wicket to make easy work of the run chase, securing Brisbane’s fifth-straight victory. *
* With lashings of thanks to AAP
We’ll never know if James Pattinson would have nosed out Mitchell Starc for a spot in Australia’s XI for the first Test against Pakistan, not after he was today rubbed out for one match after a code of conduct breach in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield loss to Queensland. James has become quite the offender, this being a third breach in his past six Shield games. Players at the MCG are understood to have dismissed Pattinson’s slur against a Queensland player as banter between mates, but Tim Paine’s words make for very interesting reading. Check it all out below.
Preamble
Afternoon, sports fans. There’s no point attempting to dress it up any other way - today is complete, utter, total festival of football. Yes, there’s some WBBL doing the rounds and a certain cricket story that will be discussed and debated ad nauseam in the lead-up to the first Test against Pakistan, but this fine Sunday is dominated by domestic football. There are three W-League games, two A-League games and all of this is highlighted by a Big Blue double-header at Kogarah, which from personal experience I can say is a ripper of a place to watch football (or any sport, for that matter). Fans in attendance at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium will also be treated to the sublime skills of my second-born son, who’ll be doing his darnedest to find the back of the net in a small-sided game at half-time of the A-League game between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory. It’s a lovely day, it’ll be close to a sellout and the Kogarah playing surface will be like a billiard table. But he’ll likely think little of it. Youth is wasted on the young.
