I am happy to report that, just in time for winter…

Nando’s is back on the shelves at Park & Shop.

A trip to the shops here in Hung Hom turned out to be a happy one.  Ever the scout for South African products here in Hong Kong, I was delighted not only for the Nando’s but that Park & Shop is also still selling the Nederburg 2010 FIFA World Cup selection at a great price no less.

This is how Howzit-HongKong.com reported when the Nederburg 2010 range was first released in Hong Kong.

I stand to be corrected, but it could be selling for around $79 for 2 bottles.

I bought this baby two days before Christmas!

(Sheung Shui, Hon Kong 11:15 local time)

It’s a beautifully sunny final day here in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong and play is well underway for the final round of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open.

The first players (Ian Steel and David Gleeson) teed off at 07:55 this morning.

South Africa’s sole representative in the final round, Jbe Kruger (pictured below) will be on the first tee with Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti at 11:55 local time and we’ll try and bring you some (iPhone) footage of his first shot.

Check back here regularly for updates on the day’s play and other news.

(Sheung Shui, Hong Kong, 1pm local time)

Jbe Kruger teed off just over an hour ago and couldn’t have asked for a poorer start on the final day of the UBS Hong Kong Open.

His first tee shot hit the edge of the first bunker causing Kruger to card a double-bogey on the first hole of his day.

So far he’s made up for the nightmare start with birdies on the 2nd and 4th, returning him to where he started the day, on 10-under.

(Sheung Shui, Hong Kong 15:45 local time)

South Africa’s Jbe Kruger finished his final round of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open with a disappointing -6 par after finishing the 18th hole as he started the day, with a double-bogey on the 18th.

Carding a round of 74, Kruger finished his tournament 6 under par (274) while his playing partner, Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti finished with a more credible -10 (270).

At the time of writing, Englishman Ian Poulter is topping the leaderboard with -23.

Snapping at Poulter’s heels are Italy’s Matteo Manassero (-21) and England’s Simon Dyson (-21). Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is a distant -17 behind.

(Sheung Shui, Hong Kong 4:25pm local time)

Rory McIlroy’s challenge for a first-ever UBS Hong Kong Open just ended when he finished the tournament at -18, carding a 4th round of 67.

It certainly seems as if England’s Ian Poulter will be crowned the Champion as he’s currently leading at -23 with 2 holes to go.

(Sheung Shui, Hong Kong 5:30pm local time)

Ian Poulter was crowned as Champion of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open in front of a packed gallery on the 18th hole at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Sheung Shui.

A more detailed report will follow later…

(Friday, 19 November 2010, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong)

On a day when Hong Kong experienced earthquake tremors measuring 2.8 on the Richter Scale, Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter produced an earth-shattering second round 60 at the UBS Hong Kong Open to take a one stroke lead into the weekend.

The Englishman was in irresistible form as he conjured ten birdies en route to the 13 under par lead. Playing alongside Rory McIlroy, who was neck-and-neck with his Ryder Cup team-mate until a three-shot swing on the 18th hole, the dynamic duo treated the Fanling crowds to a golfing masterclass as they ripped it round the Hong Kong Golf Club.

McIlroy was one stroke ahead of Poulter on the 18th tee, but while McIlroy’s finish was a damp squib, making a double bogey six after finding the water, Poulter produced a sparkling birdie to post a 60 and take a one-shot lead over Anthony Kang.

McIlroy, who holed his seven iron approach for an eagle two on the ninth hole, is joined in a tie for third place on 11 under with former UBS Open champion Simon Dyson, while Race to Dubai contender Graeme McDowell finished the day on ten under alongside teen sensation Matteo Manassero, Jeev Milkha Singh, Anders Hansen and Thongchai Jaidee.

Rory McIlroy in action during the second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open (Pic: Getty Images)

But the day belonged to the imperious Poulter who was actually slightly disappointed after his round as he knew he will rarely have a better chance to shoot golf’s magic number of 59 no matter how much longer he plays the game.

“I do have mixed emotions,” admitted the World Number 14. “It’s one of those golf courses if you get off to a decent start, you feel as if you can shoot a low number and five under on the front nine was a great score.

“I had five birdies in a row from the 7th and then as soon as that happened, I kind of felt there’s plenty of chances coming for the 59. It was on alright. I mean, I hit a great putt at 17. I really wouldn’t have had it back again I thought it was in all the way but then a foot from the hole it stayed right on the grain. So I am happy, but slightly disappointed.

“Rory and I had a great battle today – the birdies around the middle of the course were good. Rory coming down the middle of 9 holes a 7 iron, which I thought was pretty cheeky, great shot that it was. And I managed to roll a 30 foot putt in on top of him which was nice.

“He then holes a nice 15 footer on the next and I kind of roll it in from three feet and then I hit it stiff on 11. So it was a good match. I knew he was going to play well today and I knew I had to go out there and shoot a low score obviously to stay in touch. I’m sure he’s a little disappointed to finish like that, but Rory is playing well and it’s going to be an exciting weekend.

“I did feel the earth move today – on the 14th tee. I wondered what it was as I was just about to put my ball on the tee peg and I did feel a little tremor.”

Ian Poulter in action during the second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open (Pic: Getty Images)

Some of the world’s leading golfers visited UBS headquarters in Hong Kong this afternoon to help tee off the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open.

The Media Launch was made just that more special by the Chinese Lion Dance Troupe who made sure that the media and players were reminded that this is indeed a Chinese event.

Appearing at today’s press launch were Ryder Cup stars, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, defending Hong Kong Open champion, Grégory Bourdy, PGA Tour star, the very colorful John Daly, and China’s top pro, Liang Wen-Chong.

The world-class field has the potential to make the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open one of the most competitive in the 52-year history of the event.

Any of a number of in-form players is in with a chance of lifting the trophy on Sunday afternoon, not least the plethora of erstwhile Ryder Cup teammates taking part.

McIlroy, McDowell and Poulter were all instrumental in achieving Europe’s momentous win, as was two-time Hong Kong Open champion, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who returns in search of his third Hong Kong title.

Defending champion Gregory Bourdy speaks at the media launch in Hong Kong (Pic: Mike Jansen)

All will be performing under the watchful eyes of their Ryder Cup team captain and vice captain, Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley, respectively – both of whom are also competing at Fanling.

Unfinished business

Rory McIlroy, in particular, will be looking to go one better than his two consecutive runner-up finishes in Hong Kong in 2008 and 2009.

“It’s fair to say that I have some unfinished business in Hong Kong. I won’t rest until I have the UBS Hong Kong Open title in my bag,” said Rory McIlroy before the Ryder Cup.

Standing in his way is US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell (pictured left below)

Buddies off the field, McDowell & McIlroy at today’s media launch (Pic: Mike Jansen)

“I have enjoyed the best season of my career this year. Winning the UBS Hong Kong Open would be the icing on the cake,” said McDowell.

However, needless to say, the player who (literally) stood out during today’s proceeding was the always colorful John Daly who attended the Media Launch with his partner in matching pants; his long, her’s skimpy.

Unfortunately for our readers we didn’t manage to get any pictures of the Missus in her outfit (yet!)

John Daly waits to be interviewed by NowSport (Pic: Mike Jansen)

The UBS Hong Kong Open 2010 takes place in Fanling from Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 November 2010.

Here are some images from today’s Media launch:

The weather is rather miserable on this side of the noodle-curtain with constant rain falling since daybreak.

The 2010 Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes starts tomorrow and so far, all indications are that the tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) will experience a wet day 1.

South Africa starts proceding tomorrow morning with a repeat of last year’s Final against hosts Hong Kong.  The team in red was denied their first-ever victory on home soil in the Final last year and are sure to come back with guns bats blazing.  The Hong Kongers return with mostly the same squad as 2009.

Along with left-arm spinner  and skipper Najeeb Amar, the others who made Hong Kong proud 12 months ago and will be returning are Munir Dar, Irfan Ahmed, Tanvir Afzaal and Hussain Butt. The two new faces in the squad are left-handed batsman Peter Wooden and teenage medium-pacer Aizaz Khan.

On the South African side David Wiese is the only returning player and will have to guide his teammates in a format not familiar to South Africans.  The SA side is:

Andrew Birch, Shane Burger, Shaheen Khan, Keshav Maharaj, Adrian McLaren, Godfrey Stevens and Dave Wiese, with  Lawrence Mahatlane as Manager.

South Africa’s schedule in the pool stages tomorrow is:

6 Nov (8:20 AM) Hong Kong v South Africa

6 Nov (11:20 AM) England v South Africa

6 Nov (2:20 PM) South Africa v Australia

The weather outlook for the following few days:

Please visit this page for up-to-the-minute reports from the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.  You can also add us on Twitter by following @HowzitHongKong

____________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday 6 November 2010: 9am

The first match of the day (South Africa vs. Hong Kong) scheduled for 08:20 has been delayed due to rain.

Right now, rain has actually stopped so played is scheduled to start at 10am.

The covers came on when the rain started. More pictures here

Saturday 6 November 2010: 09:35

South African has won the toss and will field when play starts at 10am

10:35: A fired-up Hong Kong set South Africa a target of 115 to win

10:45: The soft, constant drizzle seems to be intensifying as SA reaches 79/1 with 7 balls remaining.

Target: 36 from 7 balls

South Africa loses the match when they can only score 99 runs.

____________________________________________________________________________________

11:25am: The start of match 2 (Pakistan vs. New Zealand) has been suspended due to rain

____________________________________________________________________________________

14:25: The sparse crowd just cheered when the covers came off and the players started warming up

Next game: Pakistan vs. New Zealand

____________________________________________________________________________________

Update: Due to the rain delay, the length of the matches have been reduced to 4-overs per side

The next match, Pakistan vs. New Zealand will start at 3:30pm

The schedule for Day 1 will be:

Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand

India vs. Pakistan

Hong Kong vs. England

South Africa vs. Australia

____________________________________________________________________________________

News just in:

Organisers have decided to cancel the first game of the tournament played this morning between South Africa and Hong Kong.

Four matches are currently being played in the revised format of 4 overs per side:

Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand

India vs. Pakistan

Hong Kong vs. England

South Africa vs. Australia

The remainder of the original Pool matches (8 matches) will be played tomorrow, ahead of the knock-out rounds.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand

Pakistan beat India

Hong Kong beat England

South Africa beat Australia

____________________________________________________________________________________

Day 2 of the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes coming up tomorrow…

I spoke to James O’Connor at the DHL Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Fan Day last Sunday at So Kon Po.

“Mate, I just want to play. So, Robbie (Deans) if you’re out there…” the 20-year-old said a day after the Wallabies arrived in Hong Kong.

Hindsight being a perfect science, after Bledisloe Cup 4 has come and gone to Hong Kong we can but say: “And played you did, young man!”

And then some.

What a game the 26 210-strong crowd witnessed in Hong Kong on Saturday.

The Wallabies were trailing until the final seconds and facing a 4-0 series whitewash until man-of-the-moment James O’Connor converted his own injury-time try to secure the match for the Wallabies.

“I’ve been through that situation many times and I just went through my motions, my little triggers that I have been working on,” a jubilant O’Connor said after the final whistle. “It was just like every other kick.”

Tries by Quade Cooper and Adam Ashley-Cooper had put Australia in front but Jimmy Cowan and Corey Jane went over for the All Blacks to hand them a 17-12 lead at the break which was extended by Ma’a Nonu.

But a try by Wallaby winger Drew Mitchell kept Australia in touch before O’Connor’s heroics had the Australian fans roaring in delight.

“The way we went about it was the big thing, particularly James scoring the last try and scoring the last goal, which made us all a lot happier than the alternative,” Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom said.

A win in only the third trans-Tasman Test on neutral soil marks a huge boost for Australia as both sides embark on end-of-season European tours.

“The flight is a lot more pleasurable with a win than a loss,” said Aussie coach Robbie Deans.  “I guess what we got was a good response in the last 20 (minutes) which is an area we have been battling with. That was great. The boys persevered though there were occasions when they could have dropped their heads.”

After the game a disappointed All Blacks coach Graham Henry praised his opponents.

“The Wallabies played particularly well and they scored to win the game. They kept the ball and we gave away a few penalties which made it difficult for us,” he said.

“The Australians played some really good football and it was a great spectacle I would imagine.”

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw added: “I guess sometimes it comes down to one turnover… and they got the vital try at the end which was a little disappointing.”

Richie McCaw and the All Black management at the post-match conference (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Click on the PLAY button below to view our images (low res) from Bledisloe Cup 2010, Hong Kong:

Despite only arriving in the city this morning, the New Zealand All Blacks met their fans at the very first DHL Hong Kong 2010 Bledisloe Cup Fans Day.  Their Australian rivals who arrived yesterday also made time to pose for pictures and hand out autographs ahead of the third-ever Bledisloe Cup clash on neutral soil.

For both sides, the HK stopover will be match 1 of their respective end-of-year European Tours that come after an arduous domestic and international season of Super 14 and Tri-Nations tournaments.  Some of the players also played in the championship Sevens match of the Delhi Commonwealth Games only a few days ago, where New Zealand walked away with the Gold Medal and Australia won Silver.  

A busy week of practice sessions and media engagements await both teams for the rest of the week before they clash in the DHL Hong Kong 2010 Bledisloe Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday.

Word is that some 25 000 tickets have been sold thus far and while it means the Stadium may only be half-full come Saturday, the respective teams have promised nothing less than a test-match quality game.

“There is no such thing as a dead rubber between the All Blacks and Wallabies,” New Zealand coach Graham Henry reiterated in a tele-conference last week.

Fans who want to attend the match can still book their tickets at HKTicketing.

Kick-off is at 4:30pm

Here are some of the images I took at So Kon Po earlier today:

The Sri Lankan fans are always some of the more vocal around the stands at the Kowloon Cricket Club and they will probably be more so at the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes this year.

The reason?  The popular islanders will return with four players who have tasted victory in the tournament – captain Jeewantha Kulatunga, Indika de Saram, Kaushalya Weeraratne and Dilhara Lokuhettige – and are familiar with the needs of the abbreviated version of the game.

Kulatunga played a leading role in Sri Lanka’s memorable win over Shane Warne and his All Stars, which also include Brian Lara and Glenn McGrath, in the 2007 Cup final.

Kulatunga, who played for Wayamba in the Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa last month, will be looking forward to leading the experienced side to victory once again.

“It is good to see that Sri Lanka are returning with a team full of Hong Kong Sixes veterans which proves they are really serious about winning the Cup title again,” said captain Shahzada Saleem Ahmed, president of the Hong Kong Cricket Association.

The rest of the team comprises exciting all-rounders Chintaka Jayasinghe, Dilruwan Perera and Kosala Kulasekera. The team will be managed by Jerry Woutersz.

Sri Lanka are pooled with India, Pakistan and New Zealand in the preliminary Sobers Group.

The Bradman Group comprises defending champions South Africa, England, Australia and Hong Kong.

While the accompanying picture of a smiling Colin Montgomery is enough to make anyone who knows a little about international golf think that the headline (A Brilliant photo from Ryder Cup) is what this story is all about, sorry… it is not.

With the count-down to the 2010 Hong Kong Open in Fanling, Howzit-HongKong.com, in our other guise as BlitzBokke.com posted the following story today:

(BlitzBokke.com Monday 5 October 2010)

OK, OK… so the Ryder Cup is not rugby but as Peter De Villiers so famously said: “Rugby is (also) not ballet.”

Some time ago we raved about the brilliant rugby photography coming from the Republic, especially from the lenses of one Gerhard Steenkamp.

Given that ode to the rugby lens-men, today we were suitably impressed with what came out from the recently-concluded Ryder Cup in Wales. Especially this picture:

Ja but… some of you would argue, it’s just a photograph with a glitch. A spec of dust on the unfortunate lense of an unfortunate cameraman perhaps.

Not so.

Ask the cameraman in question, one Mark Pain who snapped all the Ryder Cup action for the Daily Mail. And then some.

Seconds after he activated his shutter for this picture, Tiger Woods’ ball (GOLF ball that is) hit his lens front and centre, Mister Venter!

Said Yahoo! today:

No, it’s not staged or Photoshopped. That’s really Tiger Woods hitting a golf ball straight at the camera.

How’d it happen? By mistake.

The cameraman, Mark Pain of the Daily Mail, was in the proper position on the 18th hole when Woods flat-out duffed his shot. The ball hit Pain’s camera and dropped to the ground. But unlike many instances when Woods and caddy Stevie Williams have taken issue with photographers, Tiger had nothing to say here. He knew he was in the wrong, not Pain.

While here at BlitzBokke.com HQ we appreciate the lengths at which sports photographers would go for THAT shot, all we could should about after seeing this pic was:

Who the hell was that bloke with the cigar and the Magnum mustache?!

England, the most-successful team at the Hong Kong Sixes, will return with a squad who knows “which way the wind blows” to mount another title-assault at the Kowloon Cricket Club next month.

The five-time Cup champions will return with three players who were part of last year’s squad – captain Rory Hamilton-Brown, Darren Stevens and Peter Trego – and is supremely confident they can go all the way at the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes on November 6-7.

“We have a core group of players who knows which way the wind blows in this tournament and I believe this experience will be key to a successful campaign,” said England manager James Whitaker.

Whitaker added: “The squad is made up of an exciting blend of experience and raw talent. We have a good mix of all-rounders, all of whom can do their bit which is crucial for this format of the game.”

Surrey captain Hamilton-Brown, 23, will lead the team packed with explosive batsmen. An off-spinner himself, Hamilton-brown can depend on a bowling attack largely made of accurate medium-pacers all of whom have been honed on the tough county circuit.

“While big-hitting is important, I think our bowling will be a strong point,” said Whitaker. “We have four fast and medium-fast bowlers, while Rory and Chris (Nash) can chip in with their off-spinners.”

Fans are looking forward to another exciting Hong Kong Cricket Sixes (Pic: Chingwai Li/Sixes FaceBook Group)

The only member of the team who doesn’t bowl is Jos Butler. The England Under-19 representative, who had a superb debut-season for Somerset this year, will be given the gloves.

England’s last taste of triumph came two years ago when a Dimitri Mascarenhas-led team defeated Australia in a thrilling Cup final. Both teams were tied at the end, but England nosed ahead having lost fewer wickets.

“I believe we have been the most successful team at the Hong Kong Sixes and our aim will be to improve on this record,” Whitaker added.

England is pooled in the preliminary round of the US$150,000 tournament with Australia, defending Champions South Africa and Hong Kong in the Bradman group. The Sobers group comprises India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

China will also make a debut appearance at the tournament, when its Asian Games-bound squad plays an exhibition game against a Hong Kong development team on the Sunday of the event.

The England side for the 2010  Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes:

Rory Hamilton-Brown (Surrey), Captain

Darren Stevens (Kent)

Chris Nash (Sussex)

Steven Croft (Lancashire)

Peter Trego (Somerset)

Jos Butler (Somerset)

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire)

James Whitaker (Manager)