Yahoo Finance Crucible classics, Matthew Hayden catches and a vaccinated vaulter
1) Nostalgia aplenty in this weekend’s Premier League fixtures. West Ham play Newcastle nearly 35 years to the day since John Lyall’s Hammers walloped them, three different goalies and all, 8-1. Spurs visit Everton, whom they thrashed 4-1 on the opening day of the 1984-85 season – Everton went on to win the title – and by whom they were thrashed 4-1 in the semi-finals of the 1994-95 FA Cup. Leeds host Liverpool, a fixture that yielded the famous ruck between Billy Bremner and Kevin Keegan during the 1974 Charity Shield and which was settled, in August 1995, by Tony Yeboah’s thunder-expletive.
2) The world snooker championship begins on Monday, so let’s relive Alex Higgins’ unbelievable 69 break from his semi-final against Jimmy White in 1982 and his 135 to clinch the title. Here’s frame 24 of the 1992 final between Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White, featuring the former’s famous broon, part one and part two; and Ronnie O’Sullivan’s frankly revolting 92 against Ali Carter in the 2012 final. In this year’s qualifiers, Louis Heathcote produced this piece of wizardry:
3) Matthew Hayden could catch. Here’s he is getting rid of Paul Jarvis at Lord’s in 1993; Boeta Dippenaar at the MCG in 2001; Andrew Hall at Cape Town in 2006; and for balance, here’s Paul Collingwood taking a screamer to see Hayden away at Bristol in 2005.
3) Phoenix From The Flames, the highlight of Baddiel and Skinner’s Fantasy Football League, saw players recreate their best (and worst) moments in the park football style. Here’s Archie Gemmill with a Trainspotting tribute, Geoff Hurst in his back garden, George Best next to a lake, a deadpan Bryan Robson, a confused-looking Ronald Koeman … and poor old Steve Morrow.
4) Poor Karen Bardsley had an absolute shocker on Tuesday night – you can almost hear the Jaws music as she dwells on the ball while Nichelle Prince races in. While we’re here, a classic goalkeeping error from Bobby Mimms, playing for QPR against Spurs in April 1988 – and a more recent moment to forget for Roy Carroll. And here’s “one of the best own goals I’ve ever seen” by Coleraine’s Josh Carson.
5) Last Saturday Shannon Courtenay won the WBA version of the world bantamweight title, beating Ebanie Bridges in a slugfest for the ages. Enjoy the full fight here or the highlights here – you will not be disappointed – and Courtenay’s emotional post-fight reaction.
6) Teenager Anthony Neuer, AKA the Ginger Assassin, made ten-pin bowling history with a televised 7-10 split this week – the biggest viral moment in the sport since Pete Weber got all fired up back in 2012.
Our favourites from below the line last week
1) Rockford Speedway’s World Famous Figure 8 Trailer Race.
2) Jannik Sinner v Hubert Hurkacz in the Miami Open final.
3) Illinois gymnast Evan Mainivong pulls off a brilliant vault then celebrates by raising aloft his vaccine card:
.@evanmanivong ties his career-high with a 14.750!
We're not sure what was on that card either...😅#Illini 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/jAEcd0L1ub— Illinois M Gym (@IlliniMGym) March 22, 2021
4) Tommy Raudonikis, the Australian rugby league player, died last week. Here’s the inside story of his famous “cattle dog” call.
5) The story of LW Wright, the DB Cooper of NASCAR.
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