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The current World Cup in India has seen plenty of promising performances, and even more compelling characters, emerge from the less established nations

Jack Sheldon25-Feb-2013The history of women’s cricket can be traced back to a quintessentially English occasion – a contest between the villages of Bramley and Hambledon near Guildford in Surrey. A match report published in the said: “The girls bowled, batted, ran and [took] catches as well as most men could.” It may come as a surprise to recent converts that this match took place in 1745, nearly 103 years before the birth of WG Grace.The journey of women’s cricket has not always been smooth since then. Although women beat the men to staging a World Cup, England’s players were demeaningly forced to wear restrictive skirts until as recently as 1997. The international game was monopolised by the traditional powerhouses of England, Australia and New Zealand, who between them shared all of the silverware ever awarded. India were competitive at times, without ever winning a trophy. Those outside this clique often looked short of class.This was true till as recently as the 2009 World Cup, when none of the lesser teams were even close to causing an upset. However, times have changed quickly. The current World Cup in India has seen plenty of promising performances, and even more compelling characters, emerge from the less established nations.It is worth dwelling on Sri Lanka’s efforts. The team was not formed until 1997 and, despite quickly overtaking Ireland and the Netherlands, had not beaten any of the top four teams in 30 matches before this tournament. In 2009, they finished last after being bowled out for 75 by South Africa in the seventh place play-off. Just four years later, in this edition of the World Cup, they smashed their highest ODI total and pulled off the highest-ever run chase in the Women’s World Cup against two of the tournament’s favourite sides.Apart from the one game in which they were ‘Dottined’ by West Indies, there is little reason to believe that Sri Lanka cannot reach the final. Dottined? That is a reference to Deandra Dottin, dubbed the ‘female Chris Gayle’. Many male cricketers would love to call on her hitting ability, which is second to none in the women’s game. But she is not West Indies’ brightest star. That title belongs to Stafanie Taylor who, at 21, has already scored four ODI centuries, taken 70 wickets and won the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award. Like Sri Lanka, West Indies were unheralded until recently. But they are now a genuine threat to any international outfit.There is a strong correlation between the introduction of de-facto, full-time contracts and the evident improvement in the teams benefitting from them. In Sri Lanka, modest contracts, linked to the military, were launched in 2011 and players now receive a match fee. This allows them to focus on cricket virtually full-time, without having to worry about bringing money in through other means. This also holds true for the West Indies, where key players are on annual retainers. Although Pakistan are yet to enjoy real success, they now have more contracted players than any other nation and were able to post their highest World Cup total, in the match against India.Top teams, too, have begun receiving remuneration in recent years. Until 2005, Claire Taylor, one of England’s greatest batsmen of all time, had to supplement her cricket career with a job in the I.T. sector. It is an indicator of the pace of progress that even those boards that were traditionally accused of apathy towards the women’s game are making a sizeable investment in the sport.But why has it taken so long? I’d argue that the absence of media coverage hindered women’s cricket for a long time. The 2009 event was the first World Cup to receive a global telecast; in contrast with tennis, where the Wimbledon ladies’ singles final has been televised for decades. The presence of cameras has allowed fans and, perhaps just as importantly, administrators around the world to challenge their prejudices about the women’s game. There has been a substantial increase in coverage in newspapers, magazines and online sites. As a result, success and failure are increasingly visible and those responsible for the development of the game can no longer afford to be an embarrassment.The ongoing World Cup has already been the most competitive women’s international cricket tournament of all time and, with the continuing improvements in funding, exposure and facilities, one can expect the game to spread globally. If there is one thing the tournament has proved, it is that women around the cricketing world can bowl, bat and take catches just as well as most men.

Need some perspective after a jaw-unhinging day at Newlands?

Andy Zaltzman25-Feb-2013In the 2015 previous Test matches that have adorned the history of the universe, few, if any, passages of play can have matched the barking-mad cricketing melodrama that unfolded in the 2016th in Cape Town on Wednesday. On a lively but scarcely fire-breathing wicket, mayhem reigned as the moving ball and the DRS ran amok like a porcelain-loving bull in a well-stocked china shop.Australia, from a position of total dominance, lost, in quick succession: a few early wickets; their marbles; and control of the game. Haddin, in particular, seemed to be spooked by the scoreboard (which read an admittedly alarming 18 for 5), and forget the match situation, which was, effectively, 206 for 5. Philander and Morkel took full advantage, and the game was not so much turned on its head as flipped into an impromptu quadruple somersault, before staggering groggily to its feet, muttering: “Who am I and what am I doing here?”Australia had history and an immortal entry in the annals of sporting ineptitude within their grasp – at 21 for 9 after 11.4 overs, they were within one more inept waft of registering the lowest-ever completed Test innings (New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1954-55), and the shortest-ever completed Test innings (South Africa’s 12.3 overs at Edgbaston in 1924). Siddle and Lyon stapled a small fig leaf of dignity to Australia’s obvious embarrassment with a last-wicket stand of 26, and History mopped its brow and toddled off. But it did not leave empty-handed. Here then, is a multiple-choice quiz about the unforgettable day two of the Newlands Test. Each question has multiple answers. Do not attempt if you are (a) an Australian batsman, or (b) an Australian of nervous disposition.1. What did Nathan Lyon do on Thursday that no other human being has ever done?(a) He walked out to bat in a Test match with his team at 21 for 9. The previous worst score facing a No. 11 was 25 for 9, when Lyon’s baggy green predecessor Tom McKibbin marched to the wicket at The Oval in 1896 thinking, “Oh dear. This is a disappointing score. I bet no other Australian will ever come to the wicket with a worse score than this on the board.” He smote a defiant 16 before being caught, taking Australia’s score up to 44 all out, leaving Hugh Trumble chuntering into his moustache at the non-striker’s end that he had taken 12 for 89 in the match and still been on the wrong end of a shoeing.(b) He broke the 300-mph barrier on a unicycle. Unicycling has been introduced to the Australian training regime by their new coaches, as a means of improving balance and self-confidence. Lyon took a morning pedal up to the top of Table Mountain, lost his balance whilst looking for a yeti, and careered down to Newlands at breakneck speed.(c) He became the eighth No. 11 to top-score in a Test innings.(d) He walked on the moon.ANSWERS: (a) and (c). (b) has not been ratified by the World Unicycling Federation, as it took place outside of official competition.2. What do WG Grace and Philip Hughes have in common?(a) Both men are no longer as effective as Test Match batsmen as they once were.(b) Both have been played by Hollywood actor Val Kilmer in films.(c) They have each taken part in one of the only two Tests ever played in which 23 batsmen have been dismissed in single figures in the first three innings of the match – Hughes at Newlands this week, Grace in the Lord’s Test of 1888.(d) Both have featured prominently in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s dreams in the past week.ANSWERS: (a), (c) and (d).3. What has Australia as a nation experienced three times in the last 16 months?(a) An infestation of pterodactyls.(b) It has watched in gaping-mouthed astonishment as its once-mighty cricket team has been bowled out for under 100, on three separate occasions – 88 all out against Pakistan in Leeds in July 2010, the Boxing Day MCG abomination against England (98 all out), and now 47 at Newlands. Three times in 12 Tests. They had posted a two-figure score just once in their previous 277 Tests over 25 years. They had not been skittled for under 100 three times in two years since 1887 and 1888 – when they had to regroup and take the positives after eight different sub-100 totals. In six matches. It is fair to say that Australian batsmanship improved thereafter.(c) A creeping sensation that Silvio Berlusconi’s behaviour might not be entirely prime ministerial.(d) It has seen its cricket team win a Test match – in their previous four series, they won three, drew three and lost six. The previous time they won three or fewer games in a run of 12 Tests was between December 1987 and June 1989. At which point, they ground England into a fine pulp, kick-starting a decade and a half of unremitting Ashes dominance. Is this all part of Cricket Australia’s masterplan?ANSWERS: (b) and (d).4. Why might Vernon Philander and Shane Watson have spent Thursday night discussing plans for a massive 30-foot-high commemorative bronze statue of themselves to be erected on the concourse at Newlands?(a) Because they had just overheard Peter Siddle and Morne Morkel discussing erecting a 29-foot-high commemorative bronze statue of themselves on the concourse in Centurion.(b) Because they had just become the first pair of bowlers from opposite sides to take five-wicket hauls for fewer than 20 runs in the same Test.(c) Because 18 wickets had fallen in 23 overs of Test cricket, and they had been the principal agents of batting doom – both took five wickets in 20 balls. Eighteen wickets tumbled for 68 in 138 balls. Think about that. Have you thought about that? What do you think about that? This included 16 for 44 in 115, as South Africa lost their last seven wickets for 23 (their lowest such total since their first Test after readmission in 1991-92), and Australia lost their first nine for 21 (unprecedented at least since before the dinosaurs were still at the crease). Holy smokes. The apocalypse is coming. No doubt. Look at the Eurozone. Then look at the scorecard from Newlands. Then look at Alastair Cook’s Test average over the last 12 months. There is no other conclusion to draw.(d) Because, during the tea interval, they discovered a method of converting the noise of lbw appeals into electricity, thus solving all the world’s energy problems, and rightly believe that their breakthrough should be recognised in artistic form.ANSWERS: (b) and (c)5. Before the Newlands Test, what had happened only twice since the First World War?(a) Another World War.(b) Both teams had been dismissed for under 100 in the same Test. It happened when India and New Zealand went head-to-head in a loser-loses-all collapse-off in Hamilton in 2002-03, and when South Africa and Australia span each other silly in Durban in 1949-50, and it has happened in Cape Town this week.(c) A member of the Bush family had won a US Presidential election.(d) Australia had lost a Test Match after taking a first-innings lead of 188 – their Newlands lead after skittling South Africa for 96. Those two occasions are quite highly regarded matches – Headingley 1981 and Kolkata 2000-01. If Australia lose this match, it will be the eighth highest first-innings lead to have resulted in defeat (excluding the Hansie Cronje’s Magic Jacket match in 1999-2000, when the middle two innings were forfeited and England technically won after conceding a 248-run lead).(e) A Test team had lost eight wickets for 10 runs or fewer. Australia collapsed like a narcoleptic house of cards on a bobsled going down the Spanish Steps in Rome as they subsided from 11 for 1 to 21 for 9. Only twice before had eight wickets fallen for as few runs in a Test, and both times New Zealand were the untriumphant team involved – when Saqlain and Sami carved them up in Auckland in 2000-01 (121 for 2 became 131 all out); and when, on the first day of post-war Test cricket, in Wellington in 1945-46, the Kiwis celebrated the return of peace by slumping from 37 for 2 to 42 all out. They followed this up by losing 6 for 6 during their second innings, and Australia, so appalled that such ineptitude should be allowed on a cricket pitch, did not play another Test against New Zealand for almost three decades. Will they be hoist by their own petard?ANSWERS: (b), (d) and (e). And (c). And (a). If you count the international dispute over the UDRS as a World War. Which you should not.Here endeth the quiz.What a day. I think cricket needs a cup of tea and a sit-down. For mercifully different reasons than it needed a cup of tea and a sit-down last week after the spot-fixing trial. The third day may provide yet more twists, and after the excellent Test matches in Zimbabwe and India, these crazy Cape Town capers have been a further reminder that cricket is generally far more enjoyable when it is being played and watched on the pitch rather than in a courtroom.

A half-century from Jason Roy and a thrilling cameo from the returning Umar Akmal were the other highlights in a chase of 200

Danyal Rasool12-Feb-2022In what might have been the game of the tournament, Islamabad United somehow contrived to lose a humdinger of a high-scoring contest to Quetta Gladiators with three balls to spare. It wasn’t so much a team performance by Quetta as a collection of individual gems, and the masterpiece they produced saw Quetta finish with 203 for 5, overhauling Islamabad United’s 199 in the final over.There was the beautiful brutality of Jason Roy’s ball-striking, and a sensational 8-ball 23 from a returning Umar Akmal. Threading through them was a complicated yet ultimately triumphal half-century from the embattled Gladiators skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, who sealed the win with a couple of final-over boundaries and bought himself – and his side – valuable breathing room in this competition.The 20 overs of the chase were like an epic in themselves, with the passages of play so distinct from each other they were like self-contained episodes. The first segment saw Roy pick up where he’d left off against Lahore Qalandars, treating Islamabad’s bowlers with the same disdain. An early reprieve came when Mohammad Wasim spilled a sitter at cow corner, with Roy immediately punishing Hasan Ali – whose horror run in the PSL continues – with three successive fours to finish off the over.Faheem Ashraf and Liam Dawson were treated with the same contempt, and it wasn’t until Shadab Khan cleaned up the England batter for 54 off 27 on the reverse sweep that Islamabad got a foot in the door. Unlike against Lahore, Quetta still needed a further 112 runs to get without Roy, and while the task had been made easier, they didn’t quite possess batters of the same destructive calibre to keep up the carnage.For the next few overs, James Vince and Sarfaraz Ahmed plodded along seemingly oblivious to the requirements of the target as the asking rate soared. Sarfaraz in particular struggled for rhythm; it wasn’t until his 22nd delivery that he hit his first boundary. Once Shadab – who had another productive day with the ball – struck to remove Vince and then, crucially, Iftikhar Ahmed, the Gladiators needed 61 more off 27.Jason Roy smashed 54 off 26 before being bowled attempting to reverse-sweep Shadab Khan•AFP/Getty Images

A cameo for the ages followed from Umar Akmal – remember him? – playing his first PSL game since the 2019 final. It lasted just eight balls, but in that time he struck three gigantic sixes, a yorker somehow scooped over long-on the shot of the night. When the whirlwind came to an end, the Gladiators needed just nine off seven.Sarfaraz, who from the other end had also found his rhythm, was the perfect man to shepherd them across the finish line, sealing the win – and getting to an unbeaten half-century – with panache, a couple of sweetly-timed boundaries either side of the pitch capping the memorable win.Much earlier on, when Islamabad were put in to bat, their innings went, well, as you’d expect Islamabad innings to go. They went hard early on, and when they lost wickets, they went even harder. Alex Hales was in sumptuous touch, taking just 32 balls to get to his 50 and finishing with 62 off 38. It was Shahid Afridi who got him out, and Afridi was one of the highlights of an electric night. Three wickets fell in his final over, one a run-out, and he inflicted another run-out with a direct hit himself as Islamabad collapsed from 100 for 1 to 109 for 6. By now, Afridi had figures of 4-0-27-2, and United were in danger of folding cheaply.But they simply kept coming at Quetta. Tonight’s lower-order saviour was Faheem, whose T20 batting pedigree had almost been forgotten. A terrific 29-ball 55 capitalised on the Gladiators losing some of their bowling discipline, and even then, there was time enough for Mohammad Wasim to smash the last two balls of the innings for six to help get Islamabad to 199, a total that had been almost inconceivable when Asif Ali had been as the sixth man out for Islamabad.It looked as if they had got out of jail. But Roy, Umar Akmal, and in the end, Sarfaraz, proved reliable gatekeepers after all.

Robert Lewandowski became only the second Barcelona player to score 16 goals in his first 16 league games on Saturday, matching Lionel Messi.

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• Lewandowski scored against Betis
• Barca drew 2-2
• Messi feat matched by Poland star

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Poland international netted the opening goal of the game against Betis on Saturday, as he tapped home from close range. Barca would go on to draw the game 2-2 in disappointing circumstances, as they conceded an injury-time equaliser to Assane Diao, but Lewandowski has matched a record in the process, as he became the first player since Messi to score 16 goals in his first 16 league appearances of the season.

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  Lewandowski has been in remarkable form this season and has also scored seven goals in five Champions League outings. His run of form in La Liga saw him net seven times in three games in October, scoring back-to-back braces against Sevilla and Real Madrid after a hat-trick against Alaves. In 18/19, when Messi scored 16 in 16, he ended the season with 36 league goals.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi ended the 18/19 season with over 50 goals in all competitions, as Barcelona won La Liga and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. It remains to be seen if Barca can replicate that this season, or go one step further in Europe.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek in an intriguing tie. They then face Leganes as they try to get back to winning ways in La Liga.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil is leaving no stone unturned in his goal to take the club into the top half of the Premier League next season.

If it weren’t for a late-season collapse during 2023/24, they might have achieved that goal. It was an encouraging start by the former Bournemouth manager, however, and the onus is for him to improve the Old Gold next term.

Having made a few signings so far this summer, will he bring in another couple of players to bolster his squad before the transfer window closes?

Wolves could move for Colombian sensation

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey last week, the Molineux outfit have been offered the chance to sign James Rodriguez, who ended his recent spell with São Paulo by tearing up his contract.

Having shone at the most recent Copa América tournament, Rodriguez should have no shortage of offers, especially in Europe.

Could O’Neil tempt the former Real Madrid playmaker into moving to the Premier League, as he would be a wonderful signing.

Why James Rodriguez would be a perfect signing for Matheus Cunha

Last season saw Matheus Cunha emerge as one of O’Neil’s key players at the Old Gold, scoring 14 goals while chipping in with eight assists, becoming their top goalscorer in the process.

There is no doubt he can get even better next season, especially if there is someone like Rodriguez playing just behind him, creating plenty of chances for the Brazilian to slot away on a regular basis.

The 33-year-old didn’t exactly enjoy the best spell in Brazil, scoring just twice in 22 matches for São Paulo, but he did enjoy a decent stint at Olympiacos in Greece during the 2022/23 season.

The attacking midfielder rolled back the years in the Greek top flight, scoring five and grabbing five assists in just 17 games, showing that he can still shine in Europe if given the chance.

Despite his club form not being the best, he shone for Colombia at the 2024 Copa América as they reached their first final since 2001.

Colombia may not have won the competition, but Rodriguez was certainly one of the finest performers throughout the tournament.

Across six matches, Rodriguez scored once while registering an impressive six assists, showcasing his attacking talents in the USA.

Not only that, but the former Real Madrid gem also created five big chances, averaged 3.3 key passes per game and averaged 1.3 shots per game, giving Colombia the best chance for success.

He was hailed as a “superstar” by journalist Nico Cantor following his exploits at the Copa América, while his former manager Carlo Ancelotti dubbed the midfielder as “fantastic” during his spell with Everton.

Rodriguez may be coming towards the end of his career, but his displays for his country this summer certainly prove that he has the ability to make a difference.

Cunha may find himself with the chance to score more than 20 goals should the Colombian join the Old Gold this summer, and it would signal a major statement of intent by O’Neil.

More creative than Ait-Nouri: Wolves explore move for £3m Neto replacement

Gary O’Neil is targeting another teenage signing after Pedro Lima…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 24, 2024

The visitors have been hampered by a new problem in this series – a lack of consistency in the middle order – and although Faf du Plessis’ outstanding start to Test cricket has offered some solace there remain plenty of issues

Firdose Moonda at the WACA30-Nov-2012Limp middle-orders used to infect South Africa’s limited-overs teams. It was the reason they failed at the 2011 World Cup and many a tournament before that, but it was not a disease that spread to the longer format. There a mixture of dynamism and dependability existed. Both those are qualities that are absent in it on this tour of Australia.Of the five innings South Africa have batted in so far, the middle order has let them down every time. In Brisbane they lost 4 for 52 in the first innings and 3 for 63 in the second. In Adelaide, the collapse was more dramatic when five wickets tumbled for 17 runs on the third day.The six overs after lunch in Perth saw three wickets fall as Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar were all dismissed for the addition of only 12 runs. It is this folding that will seem the most glaring because it resulted in a below-par score despite the later recovery.The inability to minimise risk is the root cause for the wobbles illustrated by two of the three dismissals in Perth. Amla was run-out after answering a de Villiers call that should have been more circumspect. De Villiers himself was on the receiving end of a good ball that swung away late to find his edge but then Elgar’s inexperience showed in his short selection. He played an unnecessary pull after being primed by a series of pitched up deliveries from Mitchell Johnson.Jacques Rudolph, who was dropped for this match, was guilty of exactly the same thing in the previous two Tests. His could not blame it on inexperience, though, but a technical flaw. Rudolph played Nathan Lyon in the air in both Brisbane and Adelaide to further underline his vulnerability against offspin and he was left out of the XI to play the deciding Test.Rudolph’s average in his last eight innings was 26.87 and he was an obvious weak link. Because of that South Africa have needed seven batsmen, not to lengthen the line-up as they would have us believe but to recover. In Faf du Plessis they have found an able Mr Fix It. He has the temperament and confidence of someone whose Test career is much older but even his patch-up job on the opening day here could not harden the soft middle order.Just a year ago, South Africa had players who could act as solidifying agents. With de Villiers at No.5 with Ashwell Prince at No.6 there was a combination which could be both sensational and stable. Neither are around anymore: Prince literally so and de Villiers not as we knew him.Prince was dropped after the Boxing Day Test last year, even though he scored a half-century the match before that. He was retained on national contract but has been given no indication that he will play for his country again.De Villiers has become a shadow of the batsman he once was. Although his resilience remains as both his innings in Adelaide showed, his flamboyance has gone. Despite his insistence to the contrary, becoming the full time wicketkeeper has affected his batting and he has not scored a half-century in nine innings since taking over the role.On most occasions he has managed a start but been unable to convert and it appeared to be a problem with patience. Adelaide debunked that myth. He batted for over four hours and faced 220 balls for his 33. His forward defensive made more appearances in that innings that it has done in the ten before them and it was as unbreakable as the wall he had erected around his state of mind.Du Plessis said de Villiers was so defensive in his approach it took even him by surprise. When he joined his school-friend and team-mate at the crease, he hoped they could stay positive at first but de Villiers turned down singles they would normally have run for fun. They both knew they could not present even a sliver of an opening to Australia and de Villiers took that instruction very seriously. As a result, the pair “blocked balls we could have hit for a few,” as du Plessis later said.De Villiers emerged out of that innings with proof that he had the stamina to bat for a long period and that he was able to do that without presenting the chances he had before. Not even a week has passed since that day and de Villiers has reverted back to the player who chased a short and wide Peter Siddle delivery in Brisbane.His running out of Amla and subsequent succumbing to a ball he could have got behind, albeit it a good one, left South Africa facing a paltry first innings total. While Elgar also contributed to that, he cannot be judged yet. To walk in on debut with the team in trouble is difficult. Although he had du Plessis to draw inspiration from, his duck, notable for being the first by a South Africa Test debutant since 1998, will not close his door. A player of the experience and calibre of de Villiers though, should have taken more responsibility.That could be what the South Africa middle order currently lacks most: someone to front up. With a top four that carries the heavyweight credentials of Graeme Smith, the form of Alviro Petersen who has scored three hundreds and two fifties this year and the aura of Amla and Jacques Kallis, it is easy for the rest to think they won’t have much to do.But they will and they need to be properly equipped for that. For as long as de Villiers continues to don the gloves the decision between six and seven batsmen remains unresolved, as does the identity of those players, which is far from the ideal position for solidity.

Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee had the perfect response to Ruben Amorim going 'ballistic' at him during the 4-0 win over Everton.

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• Amorim goes 'ballistic' at Zirkzee
• Striker responds with two goals
• Man Utd thump Everton 4-0

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Zirkzee was handed a starting spot in United's team for Sunday's clash with Everton at Old Trafford but the Dutchman was reportedly on the receiving end of head coach Amorim's ire early on. According to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the 39-year-old went 'ballistic' at Zirkzee for not pressing the opposition well enough in the first half. But the 23-year-old went on to score either side of the break in the 4-0 victory, which was an ideal response to the criticism.

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  Zirkzee swapped Bologna for United for £36 million ($46m, €42.5m) over the summer but prior to the Everton game, the move had not gone to plan. The Netherlands international had scored just one goal in 18 appearances for the Red Devils, leading to January exit links and some at United questioning if they had made a mistake signing him. But this double against the Toffees could do wonders for his confidence.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Zirkzee, who was a late call-up to the Dutch squad for this summer's European Championships, scored 12 goals and bagged seven assists for Bologna last season but his slow start this term led some pundits to believe he was not a good fit for United.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Zirkzee will hope for more game time, ahead of fellow striker Rasmus Hojlund, when ninth-placed United travel to second-positioned Arsenal at the Emirates in a crunch Premier League encounter on Wednesday night.

Zubayr Hamza has been called up as his replacement in the 17-member squad for the two-match series

Firdose Moonda02-Feb-2022Keegan Petersen has been ruled out of South Africa’s Test tour of New Zealand because of Covid-19, and has been replaced by Zubayr Hamza.A CSA statement on Wednesday morning said that Petersen “is well and asymptomatic”, and that the board’s medical team “will keep in close contact with him to ensure his physical and mental well-being”.South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar indicated that one of Sarel Erwee or Hamza would replace Petersen in the XI. That meant Ryan Rickelton, who has scored three centuries in his last five first-class innings, might not have made the grade yet.Related

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• Rickelton's 102* helps Lions hold on to top spot

“It’s unfortunate that KP is going to miss out on this trip. I would love to have seen him build on what he started in the India series,” Elgar said in a press interaction. “Sarel Erwee has been the back-up for quite some time. He has had a few series where he has been carrying drinks and has been brilliant for us off the field. I’ve like to think he is the one guy that comes in.”In saying that, Zubayr is another option for us. We’ll have to see what the best option is for us. It’s another opportunity for someone to come in and make a play for the team and try and give the selectors a little headache. It’s pretty clear cut that Sarel and Hamza are the two guys pushing for that No. 3 spot.”Petersen, 28, was the batting star of South Africa’s recent 2-1 home Test series win over India, topping the run charts with 276 runs from six innings at an average of 46.00. Though he failed to get to three figures in any of the innings – the 82 in the final Test is his career best so far – Petersen has slotted in as South Africa’s preferred one-drop in the longest format in recent times, and currently has an average of 35.55 from five Tests.Hamza hasn’t turned out for South Africa since his only ODI appearance, back in November 2021 against Netherlands in Centurion, when he scored 56 from 79 balls from No. 3. Hamza, 26, has also played five Tests, scoring 181 runs at an average of 18.10.Sarel Erwee could well pip Zubayr Hamza to a place in the final XI•Cricket South Africa

The 17-member squad for the two-Test series includes Simon Harmer. The offspinner last played for South Africa in 2015 and signed a Kolpak deal with Essex in 2017, and has now been picked as back-up spinner to Keshav Maharaj in place of George Linde, who was unavailable because of his upcoming wedding. Prenelan Subrayen, the other spinner who has recently been around the squad, was not considered because of a groin injury.Lutho Sipamla, the seamer, has also been recalled, and he completes a seven-man strong fast-bowling line-up that has Kagiso Rabada, who was rested for the ODIs against India, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Duanne Olivier and allrounder Wiaan Mulder. Sisanda Magala, who was in the Test squad for the India series, has been left out.Anrich Nortje, who missed the India Tests with a hip injury, continues to be out of action.As for the travelling management team, South Africa A team coach Malibongwe Maketa and physiotherapist Brent Martin will join the squad, replacing Rivash Gobind and Craig Govender, who have been granted leave.Updated squad: Dean Elgar (capt), Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Lutho Sipamla, Glenton Stuurman, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne (wk).

It might sound like trite at this point, but Fabrizio Romano has moved to mollify Liverpool fans with claims that FSG are stirring up a transfer sauce somewhere in the background of another gripping summer window.

This effectively just corroborates comments made by sporting director Richard Hughes during Arne Slot's first press conference as head coach, stressing that the emphasis is on working with the current crop. Signings, it was said, will be made, but later down the line, probably in August.

Jurgen Klopp bowed out with a Carabao Cup and a third-place Premier League finish last term, restoring the Reds' Champions League pedigree and enforcing sweeping midfield changes after his long-standing engine room malfunctioned, sapped and having run its course.

Liverpool are well stocked across the field, with a cascade of academy talent stretching tendrils into the first team too. However, one or two improvements must surely be made to close down Manchester City and Arsenal, and indeed fight for the prize in Europe's elite continental competition.

Liverpool interested in wide options

There's hope that FSG will move to strengthen Liverpool's senior set-up with an exciting new attacking option, and according to Football Insider, that man could be Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, with the Anfield side among the favourites to sign the talent.

Eze was excellent last season and is also being targetted by Tottenham Hotspur, but after the Eagles sold Michael Olise to Bayern Munich for roughly £50m, signing the 26-year-old won't be easy.

Still, the England international is understood to have a £60m release clause in his contract – now, Liverpool just need to lodge an official bid.

Why Slot wants Eberechi Eze

Eze signed for Palace from Queens Park Rangers in 2020, completing a transfer rising to £20m after dazzling in the second tier. Fleet-footed and an adept dribbler, Eze has since sharpened his striking skills to a fine point, praised as a "Champions League player" by pundit Danny Murphy.

Murphy also claimed that the Englishman is "on a different planet", though inserted the caveat that he's not always fit – something that has inhibited Eze throughout his four years at Selhurst Park.

He has only reached 30 top-flight starts once in a single campaign, having completed his fourth year with Palace, but the sheer level of his quality suggests that he would be worth every penny.

Look, for example, at how his efforts in the Premier League last season compare to the performances of Luis Diaz. Off the bat, it can be noted that Eze is more progressive, potent and powerful in his displays.

Even creativity, which Diaz appears to have pipped Eze in, boils down to circumstance. Eze created more big chances and placed key passes into his teammates' paths with greater regularity, though was let down by poor finishing and decision-making.

Of course, though, Eze's glowing attacking traits is his finishing, so clinical, so effective. This is corroborated by FBref's statistical analysis, marking him as one of the Premier League's deadliest of his position last season.

Indeed, ranking among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers in 2023/24 for goal scored and shot-creating actions, the top 5% for shots taken and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, Eze is on the way to becoming a "superstar" – as has been said by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Who knows, he might prove to swiftly surpass Liverpool's Colombian flanker and prove to be Anfield's finest left winger since the days of Sadio Mane.

Why Eze would be Liverpool's best LW since Sadio Mane

Firstly, this is not to discredit Diaz, who was tireless and tenacious down the flank last season, breathtaking in his dribbling feats at times and invariably determined to aid the team.

But the Colombian has faced criticisms revolving around his output. 13 goals and five assists across 54 appearances is not the dazzling tally that befits his lofty talents.

It's certainly not the tally that Mane would put up each season. The Senegalese winger is one of Liverpool's most iconic figures in modern history, forming a crucial part of Klopp's deadly frontline.

He was sold to Bayern Munich in 2022 but still bagged 23 goals and four assists across all competitions during his final year as a Red, ever incisive in front of goal.

His movement, intelligence and fluidity across the frontline have established him as one of the Premier League's finest forwards of all time, described as "world-class" by Klopp and adored by the Liverpool masses.

He was at his barnstorming best during that final term, an all-encompassing, fear-inducing forward. He ranked among the top 7% of positional peers in the Premier League for goals scored, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

Truly, Diaz has not fallen short by failing to emulate Mane to the same degree – there are scant few forwards littered across the last decade of European football who would have been able to do as such. But indeed, Diaz's underlying numbers are not as impressive as Eze's, who would stand an excellent chance of making his mark on Liverpool's left flank and bringing some newfound attacking impetus to Slot's outfit.

Liverpool, indeed, were plagued by poor finishing last year, with wayward shooting at the crux of the late-season wobble that ruined title aspirations across three competitions. Still, having created the most big chances in the Premier League with 102, Eze would enter the right zone to continue his free-scoring success.

Liverpool need to add an ingredient or two to their unit under Slot, and Eze could be the perfect man for the job – the second coming of an unforgettable 'superstar'.

Liverpool targeting £30m ace who'd be their most creative CM since Coutinho

He’d be an interesting addition to Arne Slot’s budding project.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 21, 2024

While the contest has been much more balanced in recent years, Australia’s extraordinary dominance between 1993 and 2006 had much to do with the presence of Shane Warne

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan05-Nov-2012In recent years, Australia-South Africa Tests have been the most enthralling contests with the teams splitting the last eight matches 4-4. Perhaps the best feature of the match-up is the relatively low percentage of draws (15.62% since 1993). With both countries producing result-oriented pitches and the teams playing aggressive cricket, a stalemate has been virtually out of question. In the last 20 Test matches played between the teams since the start of 2000, only one match has been drawn. Taking advantage of the transition Australia were going through in 2008, South Africa won their first series against Australia 2-1 with victories in Perth and Melbourne. Australia, however, hit right back winning the return series in South Africa 2-1. The previous series between the two teams (in 2011), which was restricted to just two Tests, ended 1-1 with Australia chasing a record 310 in Johannesburg after their inexplicable collapse in the first Test in Cape Town.Australia well ahead overall
South Africa’s recent display in England has seen them rise to the top of the Test rankings once again. Remarkably, their last series defeat outside home came in 2006. However, they have failed to dominate Australia similarly despite Australia’s form dropping considerably in the last four years. While the teams are locked 4-4 in their last three series, Australia have held the whip in home and away series between 1993 and 2006. The teams drew their first two series 1-1 with South Africa sneaking a stunning five-run win in Sydney (1994) defending a target of 117. Australia followed up an outstanding performance in South Africa (1997), where they went on to win the series 2-1, with a 1-0 win at home later in the year. The highlights of the series in South Africa included the record 385-run stand between Greg Blewett (214) and Steve Waugh (160) in Johannesburg and Mark Waugh’s brilliant 116 that enabled Australia chase down a tough target of 270 in Port Elizabeth. Between then and 2006, it was one-way traffic with Australia bossing each of the four subsequent series.In 2001-02, Steve Waugh’s team triumphed 3-0 at home and 2-1 in South Africa. The series in South Africa was dominated by Adam Gilchrist who scored 473 runs in the three Tests including 204 and 138 in the first two Tests. Ricky Ponting was in top form in the 2005 series in Australia as he led the team to a 2-0 win with two centuries in his 100th Test in Sydney as Australia overhauled the 287-run target with ease. The world-beating Australian outfit followed this up with a 3-0 whitewash in South Africa. Australia’s 10-1 record in the period 2000-2006 is comparable to their dominant run against South Africa in the years before the Second World War when they won 18 and lost just one of 24 matches. South Africa, however, proved to be a far tougher unit in the 1950s and 1960s winning 10 and losing 11 matches. South Africa’s finest moment came in their final series before the ban (in 1969-70) when Ali Bacher led a star-studded team to a 4-0 whitewash of Bill Lawry’s Australian team. Overall though, Australia are well ahead on the head-to-head front and boast a win-loss ratio of 2.52 (48 wins and 19 losses). Although the draw percentage across the 85 Tests is low (21.17%), it is still higher than the corresponding number since South Africa’s readmission (15.62%).

The Warne factor
Both Australia and South Africa have traditionally fielded top-quality pace attacks and the stats prove the same. South Africa’s bowlers have picked up more wickets in Australia (181) but have been far more expensive averaging 37.04 compared to Australia’s 31.66. In South Africa too, Australia’s pace bowlers have done better picking up 195 wickets at 28.78 while South Africa’s fast bowlers have managed 221 wickets at 33.04. South Africa’s pace bowlers have picked up more five-fors in Australia but have been upstaged in this regard in home Tests. The biggest difference between the two teams in the period since South Africa’s return has been the presence of Shane Warne in the Australian team. Warne, the most successful bowler against South Africa, with 130 wickets dominated the contests picking up seven five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. He was equally prolific in home and away Tests though five of his seven five-fors came in Australia. South Africa’s biggest problem over the years has been the lack of a match-winning spinner. The gulf in the quality of spinners is reflected clearly in the bowling stats. While Australia average 31.18 and 26.13 in Australia and South Africa respectively, the corresponding averages are 48.92 and 41.00 for South Africa. While Australian spinners have contributed nearly 36% of the wickets (only wickets taken by pace and spin bowlers), the South African spinners are way behind contributing just 17.28% of the total wickets.

Australia’s dominance near total
Since South Africa’s readmission, the two teams have played each other in 11 series with Australia hosting five and South Africa six. Australia have by far been the better team winning seven of the 11 series, drawing three and losing just one (in 2008-09). In the 1990s, the teams were more evenly matched with Australia managing two series wins to go with series draws home and away (in 1994). Australia’s dominance started with their away series win in 1997 (2-1) when they won the first two Tests by an innings and two wickets respectively. Six of the next seven series (2001-2011) have proved to be decisive with the only draw coming in the last series played in 2011. Australia won four successive series between 2001 and 2006 by margins of 3-0, 2-1, 2-0 and 3-1 before their run was brought to a halt in the 2008-09 series in Australia. The average difference (difference between batting and bowling averages) is a clear reflector of the grip Australia have had. Australia have an overall average difference of 6.86 (7.80 in home Tests and 6.10 in away Tests). The lower average differences for Australia (home 5.89 and away 4.70) in the 1990s point to closer contests in the decade. However, since 2000, when Australia lead the head-to-head tally 14-5, the corresponding numbers (9.00 and 6.81) are far higher.

Australia, who hold a 19-8 advantage in Tests played since South Africa’s readmission, have an even distribution of wins batting first (nine) and second (ten). South Africa’s story, however, is vastly different. They have won six Tests batting first but just two when they have had to bowl first. When these stats are analysed deeper, they reveal some interesting results. Australia have lost twice at home batting first with both the defeats coming in the 2008-09 series. They have an even win-loss record (4-4) when they have batted first in South Africa. South Africa, on the other hand, have won a Test each in Australia and South Africa batting first. However, they have suffered seven of their ten defeats (batting first) in home Tests. Australia have achieved wins by a margin of 150 or more runs on five occasions (three at home and two away) and triumphed by an innings three times including the second-biggest win in terms of runs (innings and 360-runs) in Johannesburg in 2002. South Africa beat Australia by an innings for the first time in the home series in 2009 after the visitors had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Australia-South Africa matches has been the high number of 250-plus chases. Australia have done so five times overall (four in away Tests) and chased 300-plus targets on two occasions in Cape Town (2002) and Johannesburg (2011). South Africa, who successfully chased 335 in the third Test in Durban in 2002, won the first Test of the 2008-09 series in Perth by chasing a record 414.

Middle-order batting boosts Australia
Ponting, one of only three batsmen to score over 2000 runs against South Africa, has eight centuries in 23 Tests against them. He and Matthew Hayden aggregated over 1000 runs at 87.38 with four century stands in matches against South Africa. The Hayden-Justin Langer pair has also been among the most successful with 1030 runs at 57.22 (three century stands). For South Africa, the AB de Villiers-Jacques Kallis pair has been the most prolific averaging 95.71 with four century stands. Australia have comfortably outperformed South Africa in terms of the first and second-wicket partnership stats and extend the dominance to the middle-order stands too. For the third and fourth wickets, Australia average 39.75 and 44.69 while the corresponding numbers for South Africa are 35.34 and 41.10 respectively. The average third-wicket stand for both teams in Australia has not been high with South Africa in particular struggling (average of 26.14). South Africa’s woes against Warne are reflected in the middle/lower-order partnership stats. While Australia average 43.71 and 35.94 for the fifth and sixth wickets, South Africa have failed to stitch together too many useful partnerships and have corresponding averages of just 28.48 and 22.61. On more than one occasion, Australia have wriggled out of a hole with the help of some gritty lower-order stands. Against South Africa in the 2005 Boxing Day Test, Michael Hussey and Glenn McGrath added a crucial 107 for the last wicket to rescue Australia from a score of 248/9 and paved the way for Australia’s 184-run win. Twice in Johannesburg (2006 and 2011), Australia’s lower-order shared vital partnerships and enabled the visitors to chase down targets of 292 and 310.

Surprisingly, this is the first time that Australia and South Africa will face off in a Test in Brisbane. The teams have played five Tests each in Melbourne and Sydney with Australia holding a 2-1 and 4-1 record at the venues. Along with Sydney, Johannesburg and Cape Town have been venues that have yielded results in every match. Adelaide, the venue for the second Test, has witnessed the highest batting average in the first innings (52.77) in Australia-South Africa matches. However, as has usually been the case with the venue, the average in the subsequent three innings drops remarkably. In the previous Test between the two teams in Cape Town, South Africa and Australia were bowled out for 96 and 47 before the hosts comfortably chased down the 235-run target. While the average in the first innings at the venue is just 25.96, the fourth-innings average is a high 63.08. Batting has also eased up in the final innings in Durban Tests (average 41.95) as compared to the first three innings. The first, second and fourth innings in Melbourne and Sydney have been more or less similar. However, while the third-innings average drops to 26.06 in Melbourne, it is a much higher 48.73 at the SCG. Pace bowlers have dominated the wickets tally at all venues picking up more than 100 wickets in Johannesburg, Melbourne and Cape Town. Spinners have played a major role in Sydney, where they have picked up nearly 40% of the wickets (bowler wickets only).