In India: This is the
last weekend of regular play before the playoffs begin in IPL, India Premier
League Cricket. Saturday, the Rajasthan
Royals take on Royal Challengers Bangalore, potentially for a place in the
play-offs. Later, the Sunrisers
Hyderabad will be pitted against Kolkata Knight Riders, which also has playoff
meaning. Hyderabad have already reached
the qualification round, as they are at the top of the standings.
Unless they are creamed by Kolkata, they will
remain at the top of the table, with Chennai second. Kolkata are in third place and are, indeed, formidable opponents.
Either of the Royals could best Kolkata in the standings, depending on
the outcome. On Sunday, Mumbai visit the
basement team, Delhi with an NRR superior to even Bangalore's (0.384). Of
course, Bangalore could either reduce the NRR gap or even overtake Mumbai in
this regard depending on how big their margin of victory over Rajasthan is
likely to be.
In the English Premier League, Manchester United have a chance
to salvage the season, and their reputation, whilst meeting Chelsea. United’s FA Cup rivalry with Chelsea is a
mostly modern affair. The pair meet at Wembley Stadium in the cup final on
Saturday, the third time they have done so since 1994. Historically, they have clashed 14 times in
the competition, with United winning eight of those games and losing only four.
Nine of those encounters have come since that 1994 final, which United triumphed
4-0.
United came from behind with goals in besting Tottenham
Hotspur in the semifinals to win 2-1. The
semi-final was the first time United has beaten Spurs in London in five
attempts. United, who have won 12 FA
Cups and will match Arsenal’s record 13 wins if they triumph, will be hoping
for a similar change in fortune against a team which has also found it easy to
beat them in England’s capital in recent years.
In the USA, in Baltimore Maryland, the Preakness Stakes will be run at the Pimlico Race track this afternoon. The Preakness was first run in 1873, and is the second of the Triple Crown, run two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks before the Belmont. It is always run on the third Saturday of May. The course is 9.5 Furlongs, or 1 3/16 miles (1900m). Justify, which won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, is a favorite.
