Live Sport on TV this weekend – October 21st & 22nd
Saturday
Football
Premier League
Liverpool v Everton – TNT Sports 1 – 12.30
Everton have had a mini revival with wins over Brentford and Bournemouth, but still languish at 16th in the League. Liverpool had a bit of a hiccup with an unlucky loss to Spurs and a hard-fought draw with Brighton. Expect the Reds to bounce back with a win in the 209th Merseyside League derby.
Chelsea v Arsenal – Sky Sports Premier League – 17.30
Chelsea have been improving (they couldn’t have got any worse with all the talent at their disposal), but will it be enough to see off Arsenal who have been buoyed up by their victory two weeks ago against Man City. Chelsea, despite their success, don’t seem to have found a settled side whereas Arsenal have. The main question is whether Bukayo Saka and William Saliba will be fit enough to face Chelsea as they both missed their respective country’s international games. Even without those two Arsenal should be too strong for their London rivals – one nil to the Arsenal.
Cricket
World Cup
England v South Africa – Mumbai – Sky Sports Cricket – 09.30
England are playing South Africa twice today in World Cups, cricket and rugby. Not sure that’s ever happened before and the result may be the same in both matches, England to lose. England have had a disastrous start to their Cricket World Cup losing two of their three opening matches and particularly their embarrassing loss to Afghanistan. South Africa were going along well until their embarrassing loss to the Netherlands. So both teams need a reset. Both England’s batting and bowling have been under par with the exception of Dawid Malan. Johnny Bairstow, Joe Root and Jos Buttler have all misfired and the bowling has also been rather underwhelming. Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram have batted well and the South African bowling has looked more incisive than England’s. So England to lose the first leg.
Rugby Union
World Cup – Semi-final – Paris – England v South Africa – ITV1 – 20.00
How have England managed to be the last man standing of the Northern Hemisphere challenge for the 2023 Rugby World Cup? Luck of the draw, that’s how, With all the better teams on the other side of the draw, the whole tournament has had a very unbalanced look and what should have been the semi-finals, Ireland v New Zealand and France v South Africa, were last week’s quarter finals. South Africa beat England last November at Twickenham and famously in the last World Cup final in Yokohama and should do so in Paris. The Springboks were immensely impressive against France last weekend and their huge pack with the back row of Duane Vermeulen, Steph Du Toit and Siya Kolisi plus Kwagga Smith dominant in the second half. Faf de Klerk is a fantastic sub and it was his rip from the final maul that sealed the games. You can’t blame England who have beaten every team put in front of them as they should have done. England’s only chance will be to play with the speed that they showed in their semi-final against the All Blacks in the last World Cup. But even then can they keep up over 80 minutes? I doubt it – South Africa to win and put England out of their misery.
Horse Racing
Ascot – Champions Day – Frankie’s Farewell – ITV1 – 13.00 to 16.00
This is Frankie Dettori’s last day riding (so he says) in England and at Ascot where he famously won his Magnificent Seven in 1996. He has chances in all five Group races, Trawlerman in the first, Kinross in the second, Free Wind in the third, Chaldean in the fourth and Derby second King of Steel in the fifth. I think his best chance is with Kinross, but he could prove me wrong and go out on with Frankie’s Fabulous Five – nothing is impossible with Dettori.
Long Distance Cup – 13.15
Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios will be favourite on the back of an unbeaten season last year, including winning the Gold Cup and the Prix du Cadran at Longhamp in very soft going. He has only had one run this year in the Irish St Leger last month and finished second. This year’s Prix du Cadran winner Trueshan, who has won the last three runnings of this race, is his main opposition. Take Hollie Doyle and Alan King to make it a four timer.
Sprint Stakes – 13.50
Kinross won this race last year under Dettori and is favourite to repeat his performance and is Frankie’s best chance of a last Ascot winner. Mill Stream has won on the soft before and could be the one to upset the odds.
Fillies and Mares Stakes – 14.25
Dettori is on another favourite in Free Wind who had a disappointing run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Jackie Oh ran a far better race in Paris when second in the Prix de l’Opera and is the selection here. Running Lion may be the best of the Gosdens’s runners.
Queen Elizabeth Stakes – 15.05
Paddington’s all-conquering season came to an abrupt halt at York when third to Mostahdaf and Nashwa. Tahiyra, second in the 2,000 Guineas, has remained unbeaten since then and if she can handle the ground, then she is the one to beat.
Champion Stakes – 15.45
Last year’s winner, Bay Bridge, is in the field after a good run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over a trip, The French horse Horizon Dore is favourite followed by Frankie’s mount King of Steel, but I think Mostahdaf who won the International at York will round off a very successful season for Shadwell and emulate his sire Frankel who won this race in 2012.
Sunday
Cricket
World Cup
India v New Zealand – Dharamsala – Sky Sports Cricket – 09.30
This might well be the final in November with both teams unbeaten so far in the tournament. New Zealand demolished England in their first match and India at home have looked imperious in all their matches. Both teams currently head the table as the only unbeaten ones, something which has to change today. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have all been batting superbly, backing up the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Jadeja. All the New Zealand batsmen have shown form with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra hitting centuries against England and Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham and Kane Williamson also contributing. Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santer have led the bowling attack. An even game in prospect, but India with home advantage and a noisy crowd to win and cement their favouritism to win the World Cup.
