[theo_luddite]

England won at Lords but it was getting close to squeaky Bumrah time, taking all afternoon and a few of overs after tea to remove the last two. That final wicket was cruel. Don't recall one spinning back onto the wicket like that before. I think he could have swiped it away as no fielder had touched it. I don't think he could believe what happened anyway.

---

.... and Simon Yates wins Stage 10 of Le Tour plus Ben Healy (Ire), who also won Stage 6, takes the Yellow Jersey. Healy is now 29s in front of Pogačar. He'll still be in front after tomorrow's day off. Do they all take a ride in the bateau to the chateau for some gateaux on their day off, or go for a leisurely ride in the hills?

[theo_luddite]

First day done and dusted and the 2nd day is already underway at The Open in Port Rush. Johnny English took the lead on the 1st day, Mr. Bean will be proud. There were actually 5 on 4 under including real Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick. The only points of the weekend are available on Sunday when we find who gets to hoist The Claret Jug.

The Lionesses and the Swedes gave a masterclass in penalty taking last night. 14 penalties and only 5 scored between them after a 2-2 draw. A masterclass in how not to take them. England play Italy, who beat Norway at the death on Wednesday night, in the first semi next Tuesday. We'll know the other semi-finalists by bed time on Saturday.

Le Tour is now in the Pair'o'Knees and after crashing on Wednesday, Pogačar got back on his horse, sorry, bike and won Stage 12 to take 1st place by 2'10" from Vingegaard, making him 3'31" in front overall all and to also go joint 1st in the King of the Mountains classification on 27 points with Martinez. Not sure how they share that jersey out or if they have a half'n'half yellow and red & white polka dot jersey either. On top of that he's 2nd in the sprints (green jersey) from Milan, but a good 50 points behind. lemaclad is already prediciting this is Pog's Tour to lose now with just over a week to go. https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthrea...#pid285056

The Lions face The Wallabies in the 1st Test on Saturday morning as the sun goes over the 11'o'clock yardarm for us but well into winetime in Brisbane (8pm).

[theo_luddite]

Points - well, a point. Scottie Sheffler won The Open at a canter, giving jjamez his first point in months, months I tell ya to move him back level with Snoots. Ya can't keep a good man down. Johnny English, after his first day heroics, went hiding in the rough in his camouflage plus fours and hunkered down in the bunkers for a couple of days before coming back for a 2nd place finish on Sunday. When asked for a quote, Edmund Blackadder said golf could bore the legs off a village idiot. With that, Sky went back to the studio for an update on how dry the paint was on the studio walls.

More penalties in Euro 2025, but as it invloved Germany , they obviously scored most of them. Well, certainly more than France, who despite having a one player advantage from around 15 minutes, played nothing like they did against England all those months (sorry) days ago.

So Ingerland play Italy on Tuesday and Spain play Germany on Wedneday.

The Lions won the first test in Brisbane, plenty of room for that to play out.

The way Pog's going in Le Tour he could end up with 3 of the 4 jerseys available. The only one he's too old for is the best young'un, the white one. Currently contested between 3rd place in the GC by Lipowitz (Germany) and 4th place Onley (Jockland). They are about to move on from The Pair'o'Knees to L'Alps but have another day off to go for a Spa day with t'other half, or do whatever bikies do on their days off. lemaclad will no doubt keep us informed. https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthrea...#pid285137

[theo_luddite]

Greetings from 5 hours away on t'other side o't' pond.

It's time I sorted my breakfast out while you're maybe thinking of that lunch-time latté or a cheeky pint.

On the menu this weekend, England and India are well into their 4th day of the 4th Test and England are certainly in a position where they can't lose, shirley?

Another sport that's not on free to air over here, The Lions appear to be behind the Wallabies at half time.

Le Tour comes to it's traditional competitive end today with Pog so far in front, Vingegaard needs punctures and Pogs tyres to fall off never mind snookers to catch him. Tomorrow is generally ceremonial apart from the final sprints.

Le Tour Femmes also starts to grind it's cogs and chains today.

The F1 guys are in Belgium and I missed the sprint race this morning but apparently more points to Crash for coming home first with Piastri and Norris picking up the scraps. Qualy to follow.

Our Ladies are through to the Euro 2025 final but wouldn't it be nice if they turned up before the last few minutes this time? I was mid-Atlantic when they performed the latest come back from having one foot on the aircraft home's steps.

On this side of the pond, The Boys of Autumn (CFL) started in June. As it stands after 7 (ish) games, Saskatchewan are leading the Western Conference and Montreal the East, both on 10 points.

Now what aboot them Jays eh? After getting to the play-offs last season and basically not turning up, they traded most (but not all) of their big money earners, stuck with Head Coach/Manager (John Scheider) who was like, who's he when he got the job in 2022, and filled the roster with a pile of journeymen players who were mostly considered to be padding out their pension pots. They were tipped to finish bottom of the AL East. They set off at that kind of pace. Then they started to improve.

When I landed they were in a home stand (run of games) against big spending (because they can) Noo Yark Yankees. In 7 games over a couple of weeks they won 6 and lost 1 against them darned Yankees. Before taking the (cough) short road trip down to Detroit on Thursday they were level on 60 wins with Detroit and Houston. Detroit had only won 1 of their previous 8 games, well make it 10 now as Da Jays have won the first two and now lead the whole of the American League and are on a run of won 7 lost 3 and broke their record by winning 11 games on the bounce at home. Team spirit is through the roof, the stadium is selling out, so what were $10 tickets a few weeks ago are, er, now a tad more expensive, and the scorer of a home run gets to wear the Blue Jays Jacket and parade up and down the dugout. Echo's of Town under Wagner if ever I saw them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVF7jDI23V0

Could Town have one for scoring a penalty, or would it be moth eaten before we even get one, let alone score one?

Points are coming for Le Tour this weekend.

Happy weekend.

[Lord Snooty]

Lions have won, theo. 23-5 down they were. Won it 29-26.

[theo_luddite]

Thanks Snoots, I was going off The Lions Tour website at the time of writing and it could have taken me all of the 2nd half to do the post.

Meanwhile - lemaclad's latest missive. https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthrea...#pid285300

[theo_luddite]

After the weekend we now have a 4 way tie for the lead and better still, ritchie is back in the points again.

England defended the Euro 2025 trophy with another penalty shoot-out. They and thier hang-overs are due for a recepton at No. 10 this afternoon and an open top bus parade tomorrow. Well done ladies, and well done ritchie (and me) for predicting that one.

Tadej Pogačar took the honous in Le Tour and also the King of Mountains jesrsey. Van Eart won the final day sprint round Paris, Milan took the green jersey for moist point wth the young rider going to Lipowitz beating young jock Onley by a minute and twelve seconds. Lemaclads summary is linked here.

https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthrea...#pid285352

Pog's win meant that points are awarded to themaclad, SHEP, ritchie and me again.








Le Tour Femmes go underway on Saturday with Marianna Vos taking a tight finish on Saturday and Mavi Garcia taking Stage 2. Kim le Court Pienaar leads the overall classifiction on the same time as Vos as the 3rd stage is underway.

England and India completed what was always likely to be a draw at Old Trafford and go into the final Test at The Oval this week with England leading 2-1.

The F1 boys were in a rather damp Belgium, with the start delayed by well over an hour until they could see where they were going.
The race was won by Oscar Piastri, followed by Norris, Leclerc, Crash and Russell. Crash won the Sprint on Saturday from Piastri and Norris.

That leaves the top 6 in the drivers standings looking like this



The Lions won the 2nd Test on Saturday as Snoots pointed out above.

The Womens Open takes place in Welsh Wales this week, starting on Thursday.