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They have won the first four games so easily that South Africa might now be thinking whether they can really read that much into these results against Sri Lanka. So weak has their opposition been that it is hardly the pre-World Cup priming that South Africa would have yearned for. Only occasionally have Sri Lanka put South Africa under pressure with the ball, while Sri Lanka’s batting has been consistently brittle – no more so than on Wednesday, when only a No. 9’s 78 prevented them from crashing to a truly embarrassing score.So what can the hosts gain from this deadest of rubbers? South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks, who could get one final chance at the top of the order, needs some big runs to assert his World Cup case (although it is possible that ship has already sailed, given his scores of 1, 29, 4 and 8 so far in the series). Aiden Markram needs a decent score to back up his monstrous domestic form as well, in order to suggest to the selectors he has what it takes to cut it mentally in top-flight limited-overs cricket. Dale Steyn could do with some wickets, while JP Duminy will be hoping to produce a performance of significance as he farewells his home ground in this format.Sri Lanka, as ever, are searching for a victory. Any victory. Their coach may be on the brink of being sacked. Their captain’s job could also be on the line. And seven ODIs into 2019, they are yet to win a match, which means they stand at serious risk of going into the World Cup without having won a single match this year.
South Africa WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri LankaLLLLL
Not quite as fast as Kagiso Rabada, nor nearly as decorated as Steyn, Lungi Ngidi is quietly putting together the beginnings of an excellent career. He had just returned from injury, but is the top fast-bowling wicket-taker in the series, with seven wickets at an average of 17.28. He will face tougher opponents in future, but in 17 matches so far, he has 33 wickets at an average of 21.81.Can Lasith Malinga raise himself and his team out of this funk? He has been outspoken about the batsmen not taking the opportunities afforded to them through the course of this series, but has himself, at times, been lackadaisical – both in the field, and with the bat in hand. On Wednesday, he failed to slide his bat in, and got himself run-out by a direct hit. There is no doubt that he is one of the smartest cricketers to ever play for Sri Lanka, but it takes more than strategy to lead a team – particularly one that has been struggling in recent years.
South Africa may play the same XI that won the Port Elizabeth ODI.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiSri Lanka might stick with Priyamal Perera in the middle order, despite his having been dismissed for a golden duck on debut. However, they may also think about bringing Angelo Perera into the side.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Oshada Fernando, 4 Kusal Mendis (wk), 5 Priyamal Perera, 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt), 11 Kasun Rajitha
The weather is expected to be good in Cape Town, with temperatures in the mid-20s. This surface is expected to be a little on the slower side, with not a lot of assistance expected for the bowlers. The last two ODIs in Cape Town have yielded first-innings totals in excess of 300.
There was no famous farewell at Galle but Rangana Herath was happy it was “the right time” for him to retire from international competition
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2018
Rangana Herath was chaired around the outfield•Getty Images
Rangana Herath finished his final Test sliding on his front in one last effort to make his ground. It was not quite enough – his run-out capping a 211-run defeat for Sri Lanka – but although there was no famous farewell at Galle, his favourite venue, Herath was happy it was “the right time” for him to retire from international competition.”As always, losing is not a good result but this is part of the game,” he said. “We [wanted to] have played much better cricket, as we used to play. Hopefully the guys will come back strongly for the second and third.Herath had taken Test cricket series-by-series for about two years now, but it was the realisation that he had not been fit enough to play a three-Test series right through over the past 18 months that prompted his decision to retire after the first Test. For several years he has been nursing knee injuries, and had also picked up a back complaint more recently.”It’s an emotional situation, but all in all everybody has to take a decision at the right time. I’m thankful for all those years that I have played, all the people behind me, especially team-mates, Sri Lanka Cricket, I must thank every single person who’s behind me.”It’s been a privilege and honour to play for my country, because in Sri Lanka we have 22 million people, so very few get the opportunity to play for Sri Lanka, so that’s a remarkable achievement and honour for any player.”Herath finished with 433 Test wickets, the most by a left-arm bowler, putting him eighth on the all-time list. He waspresented with a plaque from his team-mates, as well as a shirt and a trophy, and a coin to commemorate being the first slow left-armer to 400 Test wickets.Although he has hung up his boots for Sri Lanka, Herath is still planning to turn out for his club in domestic cricket – once he has worked out arrangements with his employer, Sampath Bank, of course.Asked if he would miss it, he said: “Of course, playing cricket, yes. I wish to play some first-class cricket, but we’ll see how it goes in the coming months. Firstly I need to go back to where I work and have a bit of a chat, but I wish to play more cricket, not full time.”I’m so proud for Sri Lanka, especially playing for this team, with the people, we get to know each other. The game has given me a lot so I have a lot of respect for the game.”His captain, Dinesh Chandimal, finished the game nursing a grade 1 groin strain that could make him a doubt for the Pallekele Test, where Sri Lanka will also have to contemplate how to re-balance the side in the absence of Herath.”It’s a very hard day for us, we all know how much Rangana has done for the team and Sri Lanka cricket,” Chandimal said. “It’s a very emotional day today and we wish him a really good future. We’ll have to say sorry to him, we couldn’t give him a good farewell in his last game.”Rangana was a really big part of our test team. He has done so much for the team, especially when it comes to off the field, when we have a problem we go to him. He gives good advice, a tremendous man and one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever seen.”Despite a heavy defeat, one that saw England end a two-year run without a victory in away Tests, Herath was confident that Sri Lanka had the capacity to hit back. “I’m 100% confident in the talent we have,” he said. “If you take the recent past, against South Africa and Australia, we have had a very good winning mindset, so we need to get that back.”
Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant, one of MLB's best and most recognizable pitchers, died Tuesday, the league announced.
Another giant of the game, MLB Hall of Famer and longtime Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, took to X (formerly Twitter) later Tuesday to pay his respects to Tiant with a heartfelt message.
"We may have taken the World Series in 1975 but Luis Tiant shut us out in Game 1 and threw another complete game victory in Game 4," Bench wrote. "He meant so much to the Red Sox organization, baseball certainly lost another icon. My condolences to his family and the Boston fans."
Bench, a two-time MVP and World Series champion, twice faced the then-34-year-old Tiant in the thrilling 1975 World Series that went a full seven games. And twice the Red Sox ace baffled Cincinnati's Great Eight, a lineup that featured three Hall of Famers in Bench, Joe. Morgan and Tony Perez, and another in the late Pete Rose, who surely would have been elected if not for his lifetime ban from baseball due to gambling.
Tiant started three games in the '75 World Series, winning a pair while allowing 10 earned runs in 25 innings pitched. And Bench, despite being the victor in the series, didn't want people to forget just how good "El Tiante" was on the game's biggest stage.
Celtic are now reportedly plotting a 2026 move to sign a Manchester City ace, who Pep Guardiola called “world-class”.
There’s a lot of work for Wilfried Nancy to do in the transfer window and that work may well include signing a new goalkeeper next summer. As things stand, current No.1 Kasper Schmeichel is set to leave Celtic as a free agent at the end of his contract next summer, handing the Bhoys the task of finding a replacement.
The former Leicester City man has been an excellent servant since replacing Joe Hart in 2024, but looks destined to bow out of Scotland at 39 years old.
Celtic star with 'high ceiling' could be biggest winner of Nancy's arrival
This promising young Celtic talent could be the biggest winner of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival at the club.
By
Dan Emery
6 days ago
Celtic may also have no choice but to target attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, amid reports that Daizen Maeda could leave the club. The Japan international has plenty of admirers in the Premier League and could yet deal the Bhoys an undeniable blow this winter.
Speaking about the January transfer window and potential additions after arriving, new manager Nancy told reporters: “Each organisation, the idea is to improve.
“I’m going to have to assess the team. I know them as a team because I’ve watched many games. Now it’s about knowing them as a person. After that we’ll see what is the best for the team. I like to take my time. I know that I don’t have a lot of time.
“It’s not a secret I want to play in a certain way. Proactivity, try to put [pressure] on the opposition, try to attack the ball as soon as possible and after that also be disgusting to play against when we defend – because we’re going to have moments when we’ve got to suffer.”
With that said, it could be a busy 2026 for those at Celtic Park and one that includes the arrival of Man City’s Stefan Ortega, according to reports.
According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Celtic are now plotting a move to sign Ortega when his current Man City contract expires next summer. The 33-year-old could come straight in for Schmeichel as the Bhoys turn to English football for yet another shot-stopper.
Whilst Ortega has dropped down the pecking order at the Etihad, Guardiola hasn’t held back from praising the experienced goalkeeper in the past – telling reporters just last year: “Ortega is a world-class goalkeeper. An exceptional, exceptional goalkeeper.”
For Celtic, the move makes perfect sense. Their move for Hart worked out for all involved, so too did their move for Schmeichel. Now, it looks like they’re ready to follow the blueprint by signing Ortega.
After reporting the news, O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Ortega would be a good fit, you would think, especially if he does become a free agent in the summer.
“He’s basically just fallen totally out of favour at Man City, with Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford ahead of him, and Marcus Bettinelli has been travelling with the squad.
“If Celtic are looking a new goalkeeper come the summer when Schmeichel’s contract is up, Ortega could be a really good pick up on a free transfer.
The Multan Sultans batter talks about his preference for batting in the top order, and how, despite a series of injuries, he couldn’t bring himself to give up cricket
Interview by Umar Farooq24-Jun-2021Since the start of 2020, Sohaib Maqsood has the highest T20 strike rate among Pakistan batters and is ninth on the global list (among those with a minimum of 500 runs and 20 innings). It has been a period of transformation for the 34-year-old middle-order batter who was striking at 125.79 previously.Ahead of playing the 2021 PSL final for the Multan Sultans against Peshawar Zalmi, Maqsood, the third-highest run scorer in the tournament, spoke about how he developed his game after his career nearly ended in 2016.Multan Sultans are playing the PSL final for the first time. How has the journey been for everyone in the camp?
The best part about Andy Flower’s coaching style is that he never allows negativity to come close to the team. Otherwise, with the sort of performances we gave in Karachi [losing four out of five games], it would have been very easy for any coach to come and shout [at the players], but he doesn’t work like that.When we came here to Abu Dhabi, 90% of our team thought we are here to play a few games and go back. But credit to him and our skipper [Mohammad Rizwan]. He [Flower] calls us champions even when we lose games. He calls us champions in training sessions, in the dressing room. Sometimes we used to laugh, saying we are more losers than champions, but he had that self-belief.After one victory here, we started to get our belief back and take one game at a time. We never thought we will end up in the top two. Not only did we make it to the qualifier, but it was remarkable how we won it so comfortably.I think in the final, the pressure will be more on Zalmi than us. They are playing their fourth final and they have lost the final twice already. It’s a kind of pressure to not lose a third final in a row.This PSL season, the Multan Sultans went from losing four of their first five games to winning five of their next six to qualify for their first final•Fareed Khan/Associated PressWhat have you done to evolve your white-ball game in the last year?
I have been consistent in domestic cricket for the last two years, but the turnaround came only in the PSL for a reason. I always said that I am a top-order batsman but I never got an opportunity in the PSL to bat higher until this [second] leg in Abu Dhabi. I was playing at Nos. 5 and 6 or sometimes at four. Even in the first leg, in Karachi, I was playing at Nos. 4 or 5, so my performance was irregular.In Abu Dhabi I got to bat at No. 3 and all I did was to bat exactly as I do in domestic cricket. At the same time, form also matters. There is hard work behind [my performances] and it came with my entire focus on white-ball cricket, so it’s paying off well.Who did you have to persuade to make you play at No. 3?
I didn’t convince anyone and I didn’t talk to the captain or management. Shahid [Afridi] ).You have had your fair share of injuries. How are you working to keep yourself fit?
I have suffered nearly every injury other than to my knee. In 2011 I had a ligament rupture in the ankle. I couldn’t play for almost two years. I also had a long history of a back injury. But the worst came when I was at the peak of my career, at the end of 2014, when I picked up a wrist injury that broke the hamate bone in my hand. It was a career-threatening injury. I played the 2015 World Cup with the injury and had surgery after. I feel that injury set my career back the most.How did you bounce back from it?
My family and friends know there was a time when I might have quit cricket. I had other career opportunities as I have a good educational background, but cricket was something I thought I could not live without, so I had to push myself. It was actually not about playing for Pakistan. It was [just] about playing cricket.I know if I am not playing cricket, I might not enjoy anything in life. If I had left cricket because of the injuries and was working in some other profession, I’d still be playing club cricket at least, because it’s my life and I can’t live without it.Did you come close to quitting elite cricket?
I can’t complain about the lack of opportunities in my career, either with the national team or in domestic cricket – I always got a chance. Even in the PSL, despite bad performances, I was still selected for the next edition. Obviously there were a few good performances to back my selection.It was just injuries that made me think of quitting. You can’t do much about injuries, especially when you pick them up when you are doing well. In Under-19, I was a star and then my back injury made me sit out for nearly one and half years. That was frustrating. The injuries were hindering my progress and every step forward I took, I was coming backwards all over again.You know cricketers in Pakistan mostly come from lower-middle-class families. It’s rare that they come from the elite class. So it’s very important for a cricketer to have some [alternative] career when you are 20-22 in case anything goes wrong in your cricketing career. With this mind, I thought I should go to England to study or work.With Mohammad Irfan (left) at the 2015 World Cup. “If I could have taken care of my fitness, my international career would have been a lot better than it is”•Fiona Goodall/AFP/Getty ImagesAt some point, after recovering from my wrist injury, I felt helpless. My game was changed and I wasn’t the player I used to be. No power, no shots, and I felt embarrassed playing cricket because I was not able to do the things I wanted to. Then I thought I should do something else, but there was a voice in my head that I can’t do anything else, so I just had to carry on and keep believing.I learned some hard lessons. In fact, I would like to tell every young player that I wish I can go back and train harder and look after myself better as far as my fitness is concerned. If I could have taken care of my fitness, my international career would have been a lot better than it is.Were you the type of player who relied on natural ability instead of focusing on your fitness?
When I was around 17, I was not a natural athlete. I was a chubby kid and never a quick runner either. Sometimes a player will tell me that when they were 16, they used to fly [around the field], but I can’t say that. When I was 17, I was 110kgs. But when you are over 30, you have to take care of your body. If you can’t train, you can’t play. I still give myself some credit, because with so many career-threatening injuries and surgeries, I still had belief.You are totally right that I used to believe in my natural ability more than hard work. I believed I was naturally blessed, and despite the laziness and avoiding training, I still carried on playing and had a reasonable career.Do you have any ambitions of playing for Pakistan again?
Obviously, if you are playing cricket, your dream is to play for the country. I am 34 now but I still think I can contribute in the T20 format. There are a couple of World Cups coming up in a year and a half. I am in good form and have the belief that if the opportunity comes my way, I will grab it. I know there are a few people who whine about not being selected, but I am not that kind of a guy.I think if people are doing well in the national team, that also needs to be considered. I know whenever I score runs, people start talking about putting me in the team to fill in the No. 5 or 6 spots, but I am afraid if I play [in those positions], I won’t be able to deliver much. I know you have to bat for your country wherever you are asked to, but I believe if I bat in the top order, that’s where I can do better for the country.
Borussia Dortmund chief Sebastian Kehl has denied contact with Bayern Munich over a possible transfer for winger Jamie Gittens.
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Dortmund deny talks with Bayern over GittensKehl says no contact with Die RotenChelsea still interested in €60m wingerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Reports have emerged suggesting Bayern are interested in signing Jamie Gittens from Dortmund. However, BVB sporting director Kehl denied having any contact with his Bayern counterpart Max Eberl over the winger. Meanwhile, Chelsea remain keen but haven’t matched the €60 million (£50m/$69m) asking price.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With the Club World Cup ongoing, Dortmund are trying to avoid distractions around key players like Gittens. The 20-year-old has attracted attention from Europe’s top clubs due to his rapid development, but the Bundesliga side are unwilling to sell unless their valuation is met.
WHAT SEBASTIAN KEHL SAID
"I'm not currently in contact with Max Eberl, but otherwise we have a very good relationship. Nevertheless, there's nothing to say on the subject at the moment." Kehl told reporters in Fort Lauderdale, brushing aside Bayern speculation.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
Chelsea may return with an improved offer for Gittens, while the Bavarians' interest remains unconfirmed. For now, Dortmund will focus on their Club World Cup campaign before making any transfer decisions.
A bite-size breakdown of the key action from day one of the first Test in Brisbane
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2017The (expected) early blow
Having won the toss, Joe Root was never likely to do anything other than opt to bat – despite sweaty skies in Brisbane. There was nothing as calamitous about England’s start as Steve Harmison’s wide in 2006-07 or Andrew Strauss’ third-ball duck four years later, but it still did not take long for Australia to strike. In his second over, Mitchell Starc got rid of England’s most-experienced batsman, Alastair Cook drawn into nicking to slip. Cue the first bout of night-time nerves: “It was just starting to look like the quietest start to a Gabba Test since 1998-99 … but instead, it’s taken just 16 balls for Australia to make their mark!”The (unexpected) counter
A major focus during the build-up had been on England’s 5-0 whitewashing in 2013-14 and the supposed “scars” that Australia would look to open up. An early score of 2 for 1 (or 1 for 2) hinted at trouble to come, but the promised onslaught from Australia’s fire-breathing quicks failed to materialise. Mark Stoneman and James Vince went into the Test billed as Poms to the slaughter, yet the pair of Ashes debutants made themselves at home at the “Gabbatoir” while adding a 125-run stand for the second wicket. That was better than England’s highest partnership during the 2013-14 series.The watery intervention
Pat Cummins fired a warning shot for the series when he dragged Root across his crease before swinging the ball back to trap him plumb in front (via the help of a review). He called it “the dream wicket” and, coming less than 10 overs from the close, it prevented England from taking the day. But Australia might have enjoyed more success with the old, reversing ball if Vince had not hit it into a puddle beyond the boundary rope shortly after tea. The umpires initially refused to change the ball but eventually did so after its condition deteriorated further – enabling Cummins to strike.The stat
Vince, whose technique was considered by some to be too fragile to succeed at No. 3, enjoyed a control percentage of 92% against pace bowling during his Test-best 83.ESPNcricinfo LtdQuote of the day”If he didn’t know who we were before the game, he probably does now. Reading comments like that gives you the motivation to go out there and make a statement.”What’s next?
Australia had just armed themselves with the new ball when the umpires decided to call a halt due to bad light, having lost their first review (which will no longer be topped up) over a failed lbw appeal against Dawid Malan. That fresh Kookaburra will still be only three deliveries old when Starc resumes in the morning – play will begin half an hour early to make up lost time – with Australia looking to rattle England’s lower order out quickly. That was one of the major advantages they enjoyed over the tourists in 2013-14; Malan, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow will be the batsmen charged with preventing a repeat.
Chandimal’s sprint to 10 Test centuries, the end of Mathews’ century drought, and other statistical highlights from the third day of the third Tet
Bharath Seervi04-Dec-2017476- Balls faced by Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal during their 181-run stand for the fourth wicket. It’s the longest partnership between a visiting pair in India in the last five years, and the second-longest stand for Sri Lanka against India. Overall, this is the longest partnership for any pair at the Kotla, trumping the 433 balls Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman faced together against Australia in 2008-09.10- Centuries for Dinesh Chandimal in 80 Test innings: the fastest Sri Lankan to the landmark. The previous quickest was Thilan Samaraweera, who notched up 10 centuries in 82 innings. Kumar Sangakkara took 101 innings for the same.2- Number of Sri Lanka captains to score a century in India. Before Chandimal, only Sangakkara had done so, at the Brabourne Stadium in 2009-10. Chandimal is the first visiting captain in over 30 years to score a century at Feroz Shah Kotla, after Viv Richards in 1987-88.36- Number of innings without a century for Mathews before the one in this Test. Mathews averaged only 27.80 in those 36 innings with six fifties. His last ton was also against India, when they visited Sri Lanka in 2015. Between 2014 and 2015, Mathews hit six centuries in 42 innings.1981- The last instance of two centurions in the same innings for an opposition side at the Kotla. Geoff Boycott and Chris Tavare each made centuries for England then. Chandimal and Mathews’ centuries make it the fifth such instance at the Kotla. This is only the second occasion of Sri Lanka having two centurions in an innings in India.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3- Partnerships to have lasted 400 or more balls for Sri Lanka in the last five years; Chandimal has been involved in all three. He partnered Karunaratne against West Indies in Galle in 2015, and with Dhananjaya de Silva against Australia in Colombo (SSC) last year. The last such partnership, before these three, came in 2011.3- Number of times Chandimal has played innings of 300 or more balls in Tests this year – the highest. Steven Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara and Dimuth Karunaratne have played two such long innings.2009- Last instance of Sri Lanka’s Nos. 4 and 5 both scoring centuries in the same innings, as Chandimal and Mathews did in this match. Mahela Jayawardene and Samaraweera had done it in Galle then.