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You don’t have to ignore the stereotypes, but you can see how South Africa have done things differently this time, and that brings with it hope of a plot twist

Firdose Moonda26-Jun-20241:08

Morkel: ‘Nervy finishes building nice character for South Africa’

If you’re a discerning follower of South African cricket, you’re either frustrated or bored with the narrative that your team can’t or won’t win a World Cup, because they don’t know how to deal with the pressure. You may recognise that even though it’s a stereotype that’s stuck for a reason, it’s also too easy to haul out for mass-readership, and lacks in critical analysis. And you will know, and even admit, that although there has definitely been some choking in the past, there have also been times when they have just been outplayed, or erred in selection, or failed to adapt to conditions, or just had rotten luck.You would have hoped – no, you would have believed – each time would be different. And you have reason to, because South Africa’s tournament-play record is excellent. They have won 75 out of 111 matches in group stages or preliminary rounds, which equates to just more than two-thirds of the matches they have played. India, who have two ODIs and one T20 World Cup to their name, have won 85 out of 124 matches, which is roughly the same victory percentage. Only Australia, with 90 out of 126 wins (71%) have done better.While you already know South Africa fall short in knockouts, but just in case you need a reminder of how short: they have won one of ten – the 2015 ODI World Cup quarterfinal. That record is worse than any team that has played more than one knockout match. And South Africa, the men, have never got to a World Cup final.Related

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If World Cups were played like leagues – competitions without finals – South Africa might have won many. But they are not. So they are about consistency, but equally about an alchemical combination of form meeting fortune.Which is what seems to be happening to South Africa at this event.They have got a perfect record – seven out of seven – but could have lost six of those.Netherlands, Bangladesh, Nepal, USA, England and West Indies all pushed South Africa to breaking point, and each time they found a way. David Miller carried the chase against Netherlands, Ottneil Baartman bowled a clutch penultimate over against Bangladesh, Quinton de Kock’s game awareness and a random deflection provided victory via a run-out against Nepal, Kagiso Rabada’s death-bowling maturity kept USA at bay, and Marco Jansen held his nerve with ball against England and bat against West Indies. There have been different match-winners in different match situations and, seemingly, a sprinkling of magic that has never before scattered itself so generously on South Africa.Seven times now, a cricket-loving nation has collectively held its breath, expecting the worst. And all seven times, they have been able to exhale and celebrate. This is uncharted territory, and who knows where it may lead?2:10

Shamsi hits back at ‘ridiculous’ critics

Those who ascribe sentiment to superstition will look at things like the fact that Aiden Markram captained the South Africa men’s Under-19 side to the World Cup win ten years ago – which was also the last time South Africa made a T20 World Cup semi-final – and see some element of destiny in the fact that it’s Markram again. Others will view the win over Netherlands after two losses to them in the last two global tournaments as the sign that things will change. Or that the rain delay that lasted 75 minutes in what was a virtual quarter-final against West Indies earlier this week was a case of weather gods aligning on South Africa’s side.All that adds to the flavour and folklore of our sport, but none of it is fact.What is, is that South Africa have done things their own way this time. From coach Rob Walter selecting a squad by himself – his prerogative as the only selector – to Markram making left-field decisions that surprised even Walter.Walter has walked a tightrope, between angering politicians with a squad that only included one black African player and embarrassing his employers by forcing them to admit transformation had not worked as hoped, and trusting his gut. Essentially, all of that was down to one decision: the inclusion of Anrich Nortje ahead of Lungi Ngidi despite his long absence through injury and expensive returns at the IPL. Walter backed Nortje’s pace and has been proved right, mainly because of Nortje’s ability to change that pace.Aiden Markram is an understated captain off the field and an alpha competitor on it•ICC via Getty ImagesMarkram is an understated captain off the field and an alpha competitor on it. His catches to dismiss Mahmudullah and Harry Brook, both at stages where the game was about to be taken away from South Africa, gave no numerical value on the scoreboard but are worth their weight in wins. And they were no flukes. Markram has been taking stunners all year. In the SA20, Markram has 14 catches, the joint-highest across two tournaments, which includes a one-handed wonder in the qualifier to dismiss JJ Smuts this year.Though he is not scoring the runs he would want, his captaincy has made up for that. His tactics in the West Indies game was one of the best examples of flexible thinking displayed by a South African leader because: he bowled 12 overs of spin (never done before at a T20 World Cup by a South African team), and he did that before he introduced Kagiso Rabada, in the 18th over, the latest Rabada has ever bowled his first over in a T20 game.Those two examples show that Markram is willing to do what South Africans have historically not been able to, and move away from a bull-headed belief in pace despite conditions. Of course, he is only able to do that because of the quality of the spinners at his disposal and, in particular, the reliability of Keshav Maharaj. Though Maharaj doesn’t have South Africa’s best economy rate or their most wickets, it is difficult to think of an XI without him because of his ability to control stages of the game. Maharaj seldom makes the headlines but he is always part of the story and allows the rest of the attack to play around him.If there is an area where South Africa could come undone, it’s in the batting. Their top three have been inconsistent and the middle order has only shown glimpses of the reputation they came into the tournament with. But all that has to be caveated. South Africa played three of their four group matches in New York, where batting was so difficult that Walter is willing to discard those returns when he assesses his players and chooses his semi-final team. Walter said that specifically in reference to the form of Reeza Hendricks, the lowest run-scorer in the top six. Which indicates he will keep his place. “Reeza has been one of the standout T20 batters in our line-up for a while now. And he deserves the opportunity to make a few errors, but still feel trusted in our line-up.”2:02

‘SA’s batters need to take more responsibility’

The turn of phrase is both cute and crucial. T20 cricket is about allowing players the freedom to take risks without constantly being in fear of losing their place. That is not typically the South African way. This is a country where taking a chance, in life and in sport, can have serious consequences. Walter’s challenge has been to create a space for creativity while building a scaffolding of support so his players can try things and sometimes fail while still being part of his plans. So far, he has succeeded. His next challenge is to replicate that in an environment of expectation that has usually suffocated South Africa: a semi-final.What may work for him is that Afghanistan are a team they would have been happy to play if offered the choice. South Africa will see Afghanistan as a less intimidating prospect than Australia, for example. But they will also need to guard against that kind of thinking.Though Afghanistan’s batting may not seem like they can stand up to express pace and bounce, South Africa have done so much work to show that they are about more than that that they shouldn’t fall into the trap of playing to stereotypes. That also means their batting should not be spooked by Afghanistan’s spin. That would be too convenient a way to end a tournament that seems filled with new beginnings. South Africa will have to remind themselves that they have played in a most un-South African of ways and could script perhaps the most un-South African of endings. And that is the kind of plot twist their discerning fans want.

Kent’s Old Father Time heads for Lord’s after latest display of unfinished business

Cameron Ponsonby30-Aug-2022It was the best of times. It was the worst of times, as Kent won a thriller at the Ageas Bowl thanks to an phenomenal all-round performance by a young upstart named Darren Stevens.It is by now a legal requirement that any game involving Stevens must carry him front and centre of each and every event. A living example of one of those ancient conventions that are somehow still part of our legislation. You must never walk cows down a street, gamble in a library or let Darren “Stevo” Stevens have a quiet game.In the Royal London Cup semi-final at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday, Stevens was the most economical of the Kent bowlers with 10 overs for 45, before striking an audacious 84 not out off 65 balls to take his side to a three-wicket win and Kent’s first one-day final since 2018.It is sometimes difficult to understand whether you should spend your life in awe of Stevens or with a sense of pity. Because of his age (46 years and 122 days at time of writing), he is at times revered to the point of ridicule. Old Father Time who’s existing in the age of Twitter. Still cutting a dash, still doing his thing and still doing it far better than many that have followed him to cricket’s altar. This will be his fourth List A final (the first of his three previous defeats was in 2001), but his second county final in consecutive seasons, after a starring role in Kent’s Blast triumph last year.But then, as much as we may try to put a straight face on it and simply admire a player for the abilities he holds now while removing them from any context, it’s also impossible to do so, given just how much of an anomaly he is within the game.He is 46 years old, for God’s sake. For the first seven years of his life it wasn’t even a legal requirement to wear a seatbelt. He’s old enough to be half of his team’s dad. And given his legend around Kent, you wouldn’t be surprised to find out if he actually was.His ability and his evergreen versatility go hand-in-hand. With the ball, he was the wily old pro who sent down all ten of his overs in a row and put a stranglehold on an innings that was otherwise threatening to balloon out of control. But then with the bat, he played as “modern” an innings as you’re ever likely to see.Related

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He cut, he carved, he drove and he swept. Arriving at the crease with, in effect, five wickets in hand due to an injury to Alex Blake, and with 135 still to win off 19 overs, he marshalled the chase without any fuss or hysterics, even as he lost partners at the other end. But if Stevens conducted the process with serenity, he conducted his celebrations with anything but. The fist pumps were big, the cheers from the Kent balcony even bigger, the hugs with the family the best. I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t walk your cows down here, Stevo’s in town.And, as if to add an extra layer of flavour to the performance and some extra gusto to the celebrations, all this played out against the backdrop of Kent having announced that Stevens would be released at the end of the year. We have been here before. In 2019, Kent called time on his Canterbury tale before a battery of double-centuries and five-wicket hauls forced them to change their mind. In this competition, Stevens averages 113.5.Stevens’ farewell tour has now been going on longer than The Who’s. But whilst it may seem outlandish that he does wish to continue at his age, it is also incredibly simple.He does so because he enjoys it. Nothing more, nothing less. And why stop if that’s the case? Players speak all the time of when you know, you know. The body hurts that bit more and the excitement of heading to training no longer gets you out of bed in the morning. It’s over.And just as they know, so does Stevens. It’s just that where they knew they wished to stop, he knows he wishes to carry on. Thank you, Tokyo, this has been a once in a lifetime experience. I can’t wait to see you all again next year.

Why everyone’s favourite second team got that way

Dustin Silgardo20-Mar-2020The Black Caps have always enjoyed the support of neutrals by default, due to their mostly being underdogs, but there’s something about this current team that has expanded affinity into adoration. It won’t be long before they’re so good, they’ll turn the corner and become feared and resented, but until then, here’s our best guess at why this team has gained such a global fan base.They punch way above their weight
New Zealand’s population is just 4.8 million, less than that of London or Sydney, or of most major cities in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh. Cricket isn’t even the most popular sport in the country, so for every million young kids in India trying to be the next Virat Kohli, there are probably about a thousand in New Zealand trying to be the next Kane Williamson. Heck, there are probably more young kids in India trying to be the next Williamson than in New Zealand. Still, New Zealand have reached the semi-finals or finals of World Cups ten times. Their current side is No. 2 in the world in Tests, and their women’s team is in the top four of the ODI and T20I rankings.“The New Zealand way”
Even Virat Kohli, a man capable of turning the nonchalant mike drop into a gesture of anger cracks a smile when talking about playing New Zealand. “You can’t think of revenge while playing them because they’re too nice,” he said before India’s tour there earlier this year.In 2014, New Zealand had to continue playing a Test match against Pakistan 24 hours after the tragic death of Phil Hughes. The generation before had adopted an aggressive, “Australian” approach; New Zealand of 2014 played that Test against Pakistan without even celebrating their wickets. None of the pressures and emotions normally associated with the game were on show, and they realised it was possible to play cricket just for the game’s sake and that that could actually be enjoyable.This has become the New Zealand way: to play attacking, enjoyable cricket without the nastiness that is sometimes seen as a necessary accompaniment. In a post-Sandpapergate world, you find many teams, including the Australians, talk about wanting to play more like New Zealand.Grace under fire? Check. The goodest sports? Check•Getty ImagesNo team is more Zen about cruel defeat
“It is what it is” has become the phlegmatic refrain New Zealand’s cricketers repeat after tough losses. But sometimes “it” is not just what it is; sometimes “it” absolutely sucks. Such as when you lose a World Cup final due to an umpiring error and an illogical rule. After said final, New Zealand’s players did not complain or moan – or even shed too many tears. “It is a game of cricket, isn’t it?” Williamson said . Some players even found it in them to crack a joke.

Kids, don’t take up sport. Take up baking or something. Die at 60 really fat and happy.

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 15, 2019

Eight months later, New Zealand found themselves losing two Super Overs in a row to India, but Williamson called them “good fun”. You’d be tempted to chastise New Zealand for accepting defeat too easily had they not come back and thrashed India in the ODIs and Tests that followed.Kane Williamson
He really does deserve his own entry in this list. Williamson is now so popular, some of his early fans are disappointed he’s not just their cult hero anymore. Plenty has been written about him, but to sum it up: he is a batsman who has made patience, technique and finesse a recipe for success across formats in an age of aggression, power and outrageous innovation; he is a captain other captains can’t stop gushing over; and he is a man so down to earth, nigh every fan who has met him has a story of his approachability to tell. And he has a great beard.Kane you feel the love tonight?•AFPTheir uncelebrated heroes
Does New Zealand’s growing fan base mean they are losing some of their hipster appeal? Fear not. Here are BJ Watling and Neil Wagner. Watling has made a career out of getting tough, unflashy runs, often to rescue New Zealand, and he has played more Test matches (62), scored more runs (3226 at 40.32), and effected more dismissals (240) than any wicketkeeper since his debut in December 2009. How many teams of the decade did he get into?Wagner is a workhorse who is willing to wait till all the other seamers, including the gentle medium-pacer Colin de Grandhomme, use up the new ball before he runs in for nine-plus over spells where he bangs the ball into the pitch. And how: he has 206 Test wickets at an average of 26.60, better than those of Southee and Boult.Few are funnier on social media
A few months ago ESPNcricinfo started running a feature called the Buzz, to feature the best social media banter from cricketers. Recently we’ve been considering changing the name to “Jimmy Neesham’s Timeline”.Just take a look at some of his tweets. Here he is, bullying the brothers McCullum:

You can't hashtag with a space ffs you're too old for this https://t.co/77qDgzGmLu

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) October 31, 2015

Good to see grandpa finally figured out how to upload a photo https://t.co/Sxmb4WO3dA pic.twitter.com/xJOhWaAoOK

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) September 10, 2019

And it’s not just Neesham who’s entertaining. Playing for a small, laidback country means New Zealand cricketers’ social media pages actually read like the diaries of real people and not like PR releases. Oh, and all of them seem to have pets.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe committed two defensive errors during the team's 7-5 win over the Rays on Tuesday. Volpe has now made 15 errors this season, which is tied for the most in MLB.

Though Volpe's home run and two hits were crucial in the Yankees' win, he gave the Rays another chance with a poor throw to first base during the ninth inning. The 2023 Gold Glove winner has not played up to his previous defensive standard, and been a key part of the Yankees' overall struggles this season, a major concern as the team looks to return to the World Series in October.

Despite Volpe's woes, Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not planning to bench Volpe or sit him as a mental reset.

"Clearly, he's gone through some struggles here and in some key moments not made some plays," Boone said Wednesday. "I think Anthony's super tough, and I think he's wired for this. We think of slumps or struggles more offensively, it happens with even really good players on that side of the ball."

Boone continued, "My message to him is, 'You're really good at this.' And that's reality. He's a Gold Glove player, he makes plays that people can't make. He's a playmaker out there. He's made some mistakes on some balls that he needs to nail down, but it happens to guys at different points of their career. I believe his mental toughness and his wiring will get him through this, and we'lI all work right there with him to get through it too. I believe his best days are in front of him this year and beyond."

Volpe remains determined as well to turn around his performance defensively. “I’ve never really experienced something like this,” Volpe said Tuesday. “But I’ve got really good guys around me. I know what I’m capable of. It’s obviously frustrating, but it’s not discouraging. I know the standard I have for myself. I’m going to keep pushing until I prove it to myself every day."

Eighteen years ago, Delhi had to choose between two local players. They did not choose Kohli and the rest is history

Matt Roller26-Apr-20252:23

Will it be another happy homecoming for Kohli in Delhi?

When Virat Kohli walks out of the away team dressing room in the pavilion that bears his name at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, it will be tempting to wonder what might have been. As the IPL turns 18, Kohli remains the only player to have represented the same franchise in every single season – but it is not the team based in his hometown.It remains the biggest missed opportunity in IPL history. In February 2008, two months before the league’s launch, Delhi Daredevils (as they were then known) were lining up local players for their first squad. “In the mandatory under-22 category, we have identified Virat Kohli, Pradeep Sangwan and Tanmay Srivastava,” TA Sekhar, their head of cricket operations, said at the time.The move made perfect sense: Kohli was the India Under-19 captain, born and raised in Delhi, and had already represented the state team in the Ranji Trophy and in white-ball cricket. And yet, one month later, Kohli was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the inaugural IPL season. He has never left, and has declared that he never will.The chain of events started with a frenzied backdrop as the league hurried towards its launch. “Everything was done with an unhealthy rush,” recalls Charu Sharma, who was appointed chief executive of RCB by owner Vijay Mallya in early 2008. “The juggernaut started in late 2007… To get a league of this magnitude up and running in three-and-a-half months was just ridiculous.”Related

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Five ‘icon’ players were signed before the initial auction in mid-February, after which teams began to approach unsigned players directly. Franchises were told to sign a minimum of four Under-22 players, and a minimum of four from their local ‘catchment area’, prompting a race for the best young talent – including India’s Under-19s.Sharma reached out to Karnataka’s Manish Pandey, who fit both criteria for RCB, and asked him to commit to the franchise in writing. “It wasn’t a contract, just a two-liner to say, ‘It’s OK by me’ because we wanted to make it legitimate,'” Sharma says. “Manish said, ‘Thank you so much, I’m very happy,’ but a day or so later, I still hadn’t heard from him. I said, ‘What’s going on?'”Pandey was with India’s squad at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, and agents had caught wind of an opportunity. “He told me that agents had landed from India and were running around the hotel, promising people all sorts of things,” Sharma explains. “The boys were being pestered by these agents saying, ‘Sign with me, I’ll get you a better deal.’ It was quite disturbing.”Sharma escalated the matter to Mallya and his fellow CEOs at other franchises. The BCCI soon issued a diktat that, for the duration of the World Cup, the Under-19 players were strictly off-limits. In the meantime, a new system was proposed: they would be selected via a draft at a second, smaller player auction in mid-March, with each team picking up two players.The mechanism was straightforward: each team would have two picks in a double-draft, with the first team drawn at random picking first and 16th, the second team picking second and 15th, and so on. Salaries were capped at US$30,000 for the Under-19s – or $50,000 for those who, like Kohli, had already played for their state teams in the Ranji Trophy.Virat Kohli is playing his 18th IPL season for RCB•Associated Press”Lo and behold, the first name to come out of the bag was Delhi Daredevils,” Sharma says. “There was a collective groan, with everyone thinking, ‘OK, Kohli is gone.’ He was captain of the team, the best player, and he was from Delhi. And to everyone’s surprise, they got into a huddle, and after a few moments, they said, ‘We’ll take the left-arm seamer: Pradeep Sangwan.'”The decision had cricketing logic: the Daredevils squad was already stacked with batting. In the first auction, they had signed Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Manoj Tiwary; in the interim, they had recruited Shikhar Dhawan and Mithun Manhas among their ‘catchment’ players.Sangwan, another Delhi boy, was considered a star in the making. “He was touted as one of the next big things for India,” recalls Abhinav Mukund, who was part of the India Under-19 World Cup squad. “India was going through a left-arm pace obsession at that point with Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. He bowled really well throughout that tournament, and had some pace too.”Sehwag, the Daredevils ‘icon’ player, was an advocate for Sangwan’s selection. They both grew up in the same western suburb, Najafgarh, and Sehwag had played a role in Sangwan’s call-up to Delhi’s state teams in 2007. Sekhar, the franchise’s head of cricket operations, had also played a prominent role in his development, working with him at the MRF Academy.When RCB had the second pick, they had no hesitation at all. “We took about a quarter of a quarter of a quarter-second, and said, ‘Virat Kohli, thank you,'” Sharma says, laughing. “I don’t think anybody knew that he would become a big global superstar, but he was certainly showing all the signs of being the best Under-19 player in India.”Even as he was fast-tracked into India’s national set-up, Kohli was not an immediate success at RCB. Across the first three IPL seasons, he averaged 21.75 and scored only two half-centuries, primarily batting at No. 5 or 6; it came as something of a surprise when he was the franchise’s only retention ahead of the 2011 mega-auction. But the fact remains that no other team since has ever had the opportunity to sign Kohli; it is unlikely they ever will.”I’ve been approached many times to come into the auction,” he told an RCB podcast in 2022. “[But] what this franchise has given me in terms of opportunity in the first three years, and believed in me, that is the most special thing.” Kohli has been retained for 17 consecutive seasons, and declared when quitting the captaincy in 2021 that he would be an RCB player “until my retirement”.Sangwan, meanwhile, started well at Delhi: in 2009, he took 15 wickets as the Daredevils finished top of the table in South Africa. But as Kohli soared, he never kicked on as intended: he struggled to get a game when he joined Kolkata Knight Riders, and served an 18-month ban in 2013-14 after testing positive for a banned steroid. Now 34, he has not played a professional game in 15 months.Kohli’s standing in Delhi is as strong as ever, no matter his association with a rival IPL franchise: when he made an improbable return to their Ranji Trophy side in January, crowds estimated at more than 10,000 came to watch. Sunday will be his first RCB game in the city since 2023, with both teams chasing a win which will boost their chances of a top-two finish.But in that regard, at least, Sangwan has the upper hand. For all that Delhi’s decision to sign him ahead of Kohli is remembered as the IPL’s greatest recruitment blunder, Sangwan has been part of two title-winning squads: at KKR in 2012, and with Gujarat Titans a decade later. Kohli, RCB and DC are all still on the hunt for their first IPL trophy.

The New York Yankees will be without closing pitcher Luke Weaver for at least four to six weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday while he was warming up for the game vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported.

Weaver underwent an MRI on Monday, which determined that he would need to be placed on the injured list. A return timeline for Weaver will be figured out on Tuesday.

The closer was supposed to enter Sunday's game in the ninth inning vs. the Dodgers, but he "felt something" in his hamstring, so the Yankees brought in Tim Hill instead.

In 24 game appearances this season so far, Weaver has produced a 1.05 ERA through 25.2 innings pitched. He's thrown 24 strikeouts and walked seven batters, while he's had 11 hits and three runs scored on him.

Weaver isn't the only player the Yankees who ended up injured on Sunday. Left fielder Jasson Dominguez exited the game with a left thumb contusion after attempting to steal second base. His status is questionable at this time.

Returning quicks close out soggy win after Markram, Brevis and Ferreira cameos

Firdose Moonda10-Sep-2025Don’t read too much into it, but South Africa took the lead in the three-match T20I series against England after winning a game initially reduced to nine overs a side by batting for 7.5 and then defending an adjusted five-over target.Wet conditions in Cardiff stalked the match throughout as play began two hours and 20 minutes after the scheduled 6.30pm start, and was then interrupted with seven balls remaining in South Africa’s innings.South Africa were on track for a total over 100 thanks to a top-score of 28 from captain Aiden Markram, who sold for R14 million (US$800,000 approx.) at Tuesday’s SA20 auction and hit two fours and two sixes in the 14 balls he faced. Markam shared in a 32-run second-wicket stand with Lhuan-dre Pretorius before Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira put on 36 off 15 balls to form the spine of a competitive total.A heavy burst of rain ended South Africa’s innings prematurely and England were set a reduced target of 69 of 30 balls. With a required run rate of 13.8 an over, their task was always going to be tough but losing Phil Salt and Harry Brook for ducks made it even more difficult. Jos Buttler returned to the top of the order and scored 25 off 11 but needed support against South Africa’s top seamers to challenge for the result to go England’s way.Wood proves his worthEngland made a late change to include left-arm seamer Luke Wood in their XI in place of Jofra Archer, who was wrapped in cotton wool in wet conditions. Wood seized his opportunity: his second ball, and first to the left-handed Ryan Rickelton, swung away, Rickelton drove with no footwork and edged to Buttler for a golden duck.Luke Wood claimed Ryan Rickelton for a first-ball duck•AFP/Getty ImagesMarkram hit Wood over mid-off for the innings’ first boundary later in that over, then back over his head for six and over mid-on for four at the start of his second over but Wood came back well. Pretorius tried to hit over the leg side but miscued towards mid-off where Brook dived forward to take a stunning catch and Wood ended with 2 for 22.Brevis justifies the big bucksAfter breaking the SA20 pay record and selling for R16.5 million (approx US$944,000) a little over 24 hours ago, Brevis is expected to produce big things and he delivered. When Liam Dawson was brought on in the fifth over, Brevis played the no-look six first up and then smashed a low full toss into the sightscreen for six more. He is a strong player of spin and dispatched Adil Rashid too, over midwicket for his third six.But when Sam Curran was brought on, to bowl his first international spell of the year, he foxed Brevis with an ultra-slow slower ball that Brevis played too early and edged to third. Still, his cameo in partnership with Ferreira showed off his quality – and the reason Pretoria Capitals were willing to splash the cash.Dewald Brevis drills a six down the ground•AFP/Getty ImagesWelcome back, South Africa’s strike bowlersThe wisdom of picking Kagiso Rabada, who sat out the ODIs in both England and Australia with ankle inflammation and will have a big role to play in upcoming tours to Pakistan and India, and Marco Jansen, who has not played for almost three months, could have been questioned but both seemed keen to be back.Rabada’s first ball back was full to Phil Salt, who picked out Kwena Maphaka at deep backward square with precision. Rabada barely had time to celebrate his early strike before Buttler hit his fourth and fifth balls, both pace-off, for four and then six to close out the over strongly.Jansen beat Jacob Bethell to start but was then dispatched over midwicket for six before he had him caught at cover. After Brook missed a coupe, Jansen then found extra bounce to beat his uppercut and ended with a slower ball. He bowled a second over, mixed up his pace well and ended with the wicket of Buttler, caught off the inside edge, to end the game as a contest.South Africa were without Lungi Ngidi, ruled out of the series with a hamstring strain sustained at training on Tuesday, and Keshav Maharaj, who tweaked his groin during the warm-ups. Nandre Burger will replace Ngidi – who is due to fly home on Thursday – and will join up with the squad ahead of Friday’s second T20I in Manchester.

Legspinning allrounder takes 2 for 14 then belts 45 not out against abject Originals

ECB Media19-Aug-2025David Willey and Rehan Ahmed spearheaded a superb display from Trent Rockets as they made short work of Manchester Originals and moved level on points with Oval Invincibles at the top of the table.Willey, the Rockets’ captain, was in inspired form at Trent Bridge, bowling 20 of the first 30 deliveries in the Originals’ innings and returning figures of 3 for 11, his best in the Hundred, as the visitors made just 98 for 8 from their 100 balls.Ben McKinney was Willey’s first victim, trapped lbw for a duck, before dangerman Jos Buttler and Rachin Ravindra nicked behind to consecutive deliveries from the left-armer as the Originals slipped to 26 for 3.Rehan claimed the key wicket of Heinrich Klaasen when the South African holed out to Sam Hain at long-on for 9 and two stunning catches in the space of two deliveries reduced the visitors to 51 for 6: Joe Root taking a screamer off Sam Cook to send Matty Hurst on his way and Rehan picked up his second when George Linde judged a boundary catch to perfection to dismiss captain Phil Salt for 19.David Willey celebrates trapping Ben McKinney lbw•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty ImagesIt took a late-order cameo from Lewis Gregory, who struck two sixes in his unbeaten 33 from 21 against his old side, to give the total some kind of respectability but it never looked like being enough against a Rockets outfit that is firing on all cylinders.Sonny Baker, called up to England’s white-ball squads on Friday, made an early breakthrough when he had Root caught behind, and Ravindra trapped Tom Banton lbw on the reverse-sweep to leave the Rockets 22 for 2 but Rehan showed off his silky strokeplay in making an unbeaten 45 from 35.Max Holden fell to Josh Tongue via a one-handed grab from Salt but Rehan and Tom Moores (22 not out) ensured a comprehensive win, the hosts reaching their target with 26 balls to spare to register a fourth win in five and leave them behind the Invincibles on net run-rate. Those two teams play against one another on Thursday night at The Oval.”We talked about intent a lot at the start of the competition and Rehan epitomises that,” Willey said. “He’s a tricky one to bowl at. You’re not quite sure what he’s going to do. When it comes off like it did tonight he can take the game away from the opposition.”

أبدى أحمد عبد الرؤوف، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، حزنه بعد خسارة بطولة كأس السوبر المصري أمام الأهلي، ووجّه التهنئة للمنافس بعد الفوز باللقب.

وتوج النادي الأهلي ببطولة السوبر المصري على حساب الزمالك، بهدفين دون رد، في المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين على ملعب آل نهيان.

طالع..أول تعليق من زيزو بعد التتويج مع الأهلي بـ كأس السوبر المصري أمام الزمالك

وقال عبد الرؤوف في المؤتمر الصحفي عقب المباراة: “الحمد لله على كل شيء، كنا نتمنى تحقيق الفوز وإسعاد الجماهير، وأبارك للنادي الأهلي على تحقيق اللقب”.

وأضاف: “دخلنا أجواء المباراة في وقت متأخر، وكانت إصابة محمد إسماعيل وبعض اللاعبين مشكلة بالنسبة لنا، كما أن خوان بيزيرا كان من المقرر أن يخوض شوطًا واحدًا فقط، ولكن من سوء الحظ أن الفريق استقبل هدفًا في توقيت صعب قبل نهاية الشوط الأول”.

وتابع المدير الفني للزمالك: “أحمد شريف لم نكن نخطط لمشاركته لوقت طويل بسبب عودته من الإصابة، وهدف الأهلي تحدثنا عنه كثيرًا لأنهم نفذوه أكثر من مرة، ولكن في النهاية الحمد لله على كل حال، وأكثر ما أحزنني هو عدم قدرتنا على إسعاد جمهور الزمالك”.

وأشار عبد الرؤوف إلى أنه يعمل ضمن منظومة متكاملة داخل النادي، قائلًا: “أي أمور أطلبها من المدير الرياضي لن تكون على الملأ، نحن نعمل في ظروف صعبة جدًا، والإصابات زادت الأمور تعقيدًا، لكن حاولنا قدر الإمكان الحفاظ على روح المنافسة بين اللاعبين”.

واختتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “نسعى لأن نكون أفضل خلال الفترة المقبلة، ومباريات السوبر ليست نهاية المشوار، ولا يزال أمامنا طريق طويل في الدوري وننافس بقوة فيه”.

Thomas Tuchel insists there is no problem with Jude Bellingham but warned nobody is guaranteed a place in the England squad after taking the eye-catching decision to omit the Real Madrid star.

England squad announced for Wales and Latvia matches

The back-to-back Euros runners-up face Wales in a Wembley friendly next Thursday before continuing World Cup qualification away to Latvia on Tuesday.

Bellingham missed September’s camp after undergoing shoulder surgery and has since played four matches for Real Madrid, yet there was no place in Tuchel’s 24-man squad for October’s doubleheader.

Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were others overlooked for a call-up, but the 22-year-old was the headline omission two days on from being crowned 2024-25 England men’s senior player of the year.

“I understand your focus on Jude of course,” Tuchel said of a player he would later say is one of the world’s best midfielders and makes his side stronger.

“First of all, he is a very special player and for special players there can always be special rules. I get this.

“But for this camp we decided that we stick with our straightforward decision to invite the same team. That applies also then for Jude. He deserves always to be in camp.

“I think there is an extra layer on top of it, the situation that he has not gathered full rhythm yet at Real Madrid.

“He is back in the team. He hasn’t finished one full match until now. He has only started one match, so he is at the moment in the period where he gets his rhythm, where he gets back to full strength.

“There is this extra layer into the decision, but the decision stayed for this camp.”

Asked if Bellingham was fit enough to be called up, Tuchel said: “Yes, and he wanted to be called up. We had a phone call. There was no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm.

“He hasn’t finished one complete match, like I said, and on top of it we stayed with our decision to go with the same squad.”

Tuchel has not worked with Bellingham since the England boss apologised for saying in a June interview that his mother finds some of the midfielder’s on-field antics “repulsive”.

The German coach also stressed how good the mood was in the September meet-up, leading the manager to say that “one has nothing to do with the other”.

No problem between me and Bellingham, says Tuchel

Put to Tuchel that some people would think is there a problem between him Bellingham, he said: “No.

“There is also no problem between me and Phil Foden, there is no problem between me and Jack Grealish. Very special players. Phil is back to influencing games, deciding games for Manchester City. Jack is very close to being the best version of himself – a very special player, a very special character.

“There is no problem at all and there is no personal problem in the nomination.”

Bukayo Saka is the only fresh face in October’s squad, replacing injured Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke. Tino Livramento also drops out with a knee injury of his own.

Tuchel insists players have the chance to get back in the squad and acknowledges there are “players out who deserve to be with us”.

He added: “100 per cent there are no guarantees. If we say the competition is on, then the competition is on.

“We cannot say that like for 80 per cent of the squad the competition is on but for 20 per cent it is not on. It’s on. The competition is on. The team did very, very well and deserve to be in camp again.”