Sporting life goes on for those who play behind closed doors

The coronavirus cancellations are coming thick and fast – the Faroe Island Darts Trophy is the latest much-mourned casualty – but the sporting world hasn’t stopped spinning entirely.

Black Friday saw an axe taken to major sports events all across the globe and granted there isn’t an awful lot of meaningful action left to stimulate the punting juices.

Indeed, much of what is left will doubtless have been called off by the time you’ve finished reading this article while pretty much anything standing after that will be eerily played out in front of no or very few spectators.

The Aussies and New Zealand cricketers had a taste of playing international cricket at an empty SCG on Thursday and they’ll be back out for part two of their one-day series at the same ground ON Saturday night.

Nearly all football cards of significance in Western Europe have been cleared, though there are still top-flight coupons to be studied in the likes of Russia, Ukraine and Serbia.

And Istanbul’s Super Lig rivals Galatasaray and Besiktas have had more practice than most at playing behind closed doors so they probably won’t be overly daunted by the absence of fans when they clash at the Turk Telekom Stadium.

And contestants at the UFC Brasilia in Las Vegas will still be able to happily batter the living daylights out of each other, although they’ll be doing so in silence, with no baying fans admitted.

Several snooker players have chosen to swerve this weekend’s Gibraltar Open but even though fans won’t be watching Judd Trump and pals you can be sure there will still be the traditional hold-up or two due to phones going off.

British club basketball and netball have resisted calls to cancel. The BBL’s fixture tonight sees Bristol take on Glasgow while the Netball Superleague double-header pits Severn Stars against Wasps and Surrey Storm against Manchester.

There are matched being played in the volleyball leagues of Serbia, Poland and Brazil while German biathlon ace Denise Herrmann goes off the 7-10 favourite for the 10km pursuit at Kontiolahti.

But it’ll take more than a virus to stop the darting world’s stars toeing the oche. Today (and tomorrow) they are at the Barnsley Metrodome for a pair of Players Championship events.

And don’t be shedding too many tears for those Faroese arrowsmiths who have been denied a board to throw at today. Their competition has been rearranged for October.

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