Category Uncategorized

Only 69 runs required for victory but history dictates South Africans will remain nervous to the last

Andrew Miller13-Jun-20253:39

Steyn: SA on the brink of a ‘fantastic achievement’

No team in world cricket, and arguably the whole of sport, has a more brutal relationship with the finishing line than South Africa.It’s cruel, but essential, to state this up front, much as Shukri Conrad, their impressively phlegmatic head coach, did when – with their place in the World Test Championship final up for grabs – they slipped to 19 for 3, chasing 148, against Pakistan in December.”Do you want to be remembered as chokers?” was the gist of Conrad’s message, as the cricket world – more engaged with this contest than could ever have been possible without the WTC’s over-arching narrative – began to snipe from the shadows in the prescribed manner.The players duly got their act together and hauled themselves over the line by two wickets, in what Conrad later coined “Camel classic”, in reference to the nerve-settling smoke break he’d had with a handful of his players.Related

South Africa had to make 'big call' on whether Bavuma should retire hurt

Smith's finger injury compounds Australia's woe

Markram and Bavuma put South Africa in sight of glory

SA hope Markram's knock can be match-defining

If that Pakistan run-chase was a moment to savour, it is nothing compared to the euphoria that South Africa now know is within their reach, after a day of batting dominance at Lord’s that might have been beyond their most fevered hopes and desires. And yet, even now, they dare not make eye contact with the prospect, lest the whole edifice comes crashing down.Speaking at the close of play on day three, for instance, Ashwell Prince, South Africa’s batting coach, was asked about the magnitude of Temba Bavuma’s performance – on one leg for most of his unbeaten 65, while carrying one of the most unconscionable burdens in world sport, as he extended his unbroken third-wicket stand with Aiden Markram to 143.Prince started to respond with the sincerity that his captain’s heroics deserved, but checked himself mid-flow: “Maybe I should answer that question after the game.”And so, there can – and will – be no counting of chickens as South Africa’s day of destiny dawns at Lord’s on Saturday. Least of all against an Australia that are not simply the defending WTC champions, but – as their proud record in world finals can attest – as habitually certain of their ability to win from any situation as South Africa tend to be consumed by fatalism.”The messaging has been the same throughout,” Prince said. “Make them believe that they can do it, and then just step out the way and allow them to go and do it.”One of the things we said before the run-chase is: ‘the game will finish when it finishes’,” he said. “Whether that is tomorrow at lunchtime or whatever, the end of the match will take care of itself. For us, the most important thing is to remain in the moment. And from a batting point of view, that means play one ball at a time.”3:33

Prince: This team’s greatest strength is its unity

The calm within South Africa’s dressing room, Prince added, was a testament to Conrad’s unflustered approach to his role.”Shukri must get a lot of credit for that,” he said. “As soon as Aiden and Temba came up the stairs [after the third day], the first thing he said was, ‘guys, do the same as you do every night’. Don’t change a thing. Tomorrow morning, come and do the same warm-ups that you do every day. We obviously understand the magnitude of the situation and what’s at stake, but just stay calm and take it in your stride.”Just stay calm… it’s easier said than done, given what South Africa know of their fractured big-match psyche, but moreover what they know everyone else knows of it.Not that the team will be allowing the thoughts to fly so far ahead of the process, but it’s safe to assume that the ICC is already preparing its big-match montage to accompany South Africa’s winning moment… just as was the case in the last World Cup final to be staged at Lord’s, back in 2019.On that occasion, the tape memorably froze in the split-second before Jos Buttler whipped off the bails for the title-sealing run-out… and the ghosts of England’s many and miserable failures flooded into the picture. But, on this occasion, will it even be possible to exorcise so many all at once?2:56

Hayden lauds Bavuma’s ‘champion effort’

For there’s been a horror story for every format and every generation since South Africa’s readmission, up to and including their agonising loss to India – 30 runs needed from 30 balls – in their first T20 World Cup final appearance in Barbados last year.For the current scenario, however, there’s an even more on-the-nose shortcoming – arguably the founding father of the chokers tag. In Bridgetown once again, in South Africa’s very first Test match back in the fold, Kepler Wessels and Peter Kirsten had carried their side to 122 for 2, chasing 201 for victory, against a West Indies pace attack led by Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.A rest day intervened – and premature celebrations were had. But, upon the resumption, those 79 runs were never remotely challenged, as South Africa’s remaining eight wickets were culled for just 25 runs. Against an attack featuring Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon – and in light of their first-innings collapse of 5 for 12 – history is primed to repeat itself if there’s even the slightest dropping of the guard.”There’s no desire to get ahead of ourselves,” Daniel Vettori, Australia’s assistant coach, said. “I think it’s one wicket, that’s the starting point. I don’t think there’ll be any thinking around how to get eight dismissals. It’ll be simply about getting one and seeing what can happen from there.”Perhaps this fatalism really does all come from the outside now. Prince acknowledged there was a bit of low-key superstition at play while South Africa’s crucial stand was growing – everyone staying seated then rushing to the bathroom at drinks, or when Bavuma’s hamstring required treatment – but overall, he insisted the pursuit of positives was the defining aspect of their day. Even during the frustrating morning session, while Starc and Hazlewood were adding 58 for the tenth wicket.2:23

Day 3 review: Markram’s knock could be career-defining

“I think there were signs, starting yesterday evening, when you’re sitting and watching the game, that all those type of things might be positive for us,” Prince said. “There was a little bit of frustration, obviously, with the ball dropping short of the cordon all the time. But if you reverse that when we bat, it’s a little sign that something might be in our favour. The stats suggest that day three might be the best for batting, and their Nos. 9, 10 and 11 were pretty comfortable against a pretty good bowling attack.”Whether the cricket can now take care of itself, only the fourth day’s events can tell. And yet, South Africa already know they have given a good account of themselves, through the brilliance of Kagiso Rabada’s nine wickets, and the indomitability of their senior batting pair. Regardless of the final act, they have arguably already shown that the ends justify the means, when it comes to their scrutinised route to this showpiece occasion.”There was no talk about proving anybody wrong,” Prince said. “Obviously there was a lot of talk about our route to the final, and who we played against, and people have their opinions about that. I can promise you now, we’d love to play against everybody more often, especially if there’s some big-money series that we can also make some money [from].”But the important thing, from Shukri’s point of view, is to make the players aware of how good they are, and if you take them lightly, you might come short. I’m sure Australia wouldn’t have approached the game in that manner. But perhaps the rest of the world, watching the final or predicting what’s going to happen in the final, might have had that opinion.”

In a contest cut to 26 overs by rain, India couldn’t recover from early trouble against the new ball

Tristan Lavalette19-Oct-2025

Josh Hazlewood struck early to remove Rohit Sharma•Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh spoiled counterpart Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy debut after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggled in their much-anticipated comeback to international cricket.On a damp day at Optus Stadium, the series-opening ODI was reduced to 26 overs per side with India making 136 for 9, after a series of rain delays frustrated the crowd of 42,423, having slumped to 45 for 4 against impressive new-ball bowling, particularly from Josh Hazlewood.The weather did improve later in the day as Marsh’s unbeaten 46 off 52 balls powered Australia past their revised target of 131 runs in the 22nd over. ODI debutant Matt Renshaw finished 21 not out – almost nine years after he made his Test debut.Related

'I hide' – Renshaw blocks out Ashes speculation

India's ODI gameplan tested in pacy Perth

The wait for 'Ro-Ko' is over and it's okay to be a bit emotional about it

Marsh laughs off Ashes question as serious India task awaits

Shubman Gill: A big honour for me to lead such legends

There was an expectation that Marsh and fellow opener Travis Head would come out aggressively, but batting was not easy in seaming conditions under lights. Head’s recent patchy form continued after slashing left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh straight to deep third, raising India’s hopes.Marsh played against type initially, scoring just a couple of singles off his first nine deliveries, until muscling Arshdeep for six over the leg-side. With his eye in, he took the aerial route to good effect and was in total command apart from copping a blow to the helmet from a Mohammed Siraj short ball.It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Australia with Matt Short unable to make the most of his chance at No. 3, tamely succumbing on 8 to left-arm spinner Axar Patel who was the standout performer for India with a strong allround effort.Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe did grab his opportunity with a rollicking 37 from 29 balls in his return to the ODI team after four years having earlier performed well with the gloves.It was a disappointing ODI return for India since their Champions Trophy triumph in March. Their batting order was not helped by numerous rain delays as the covers were used for the first time at Optus Stadium since the ground opened in 2018.During the brief passages of play, their top order struggled to handle the back of a length bowling from Australia’s trio of quicks. Much to the disappointment of the many fans wearing blue shirts in the terraces, Rohit made a scratchy 8 while Kohli fared even worse after falling for an eight-ball duck.Josh Philippe made a good impression on his return to the side•Getty ImagesHazlewood utilised the bouncy conditions to menacing effect, bowling 35 dot balls in his brilliant spell of 2 for 20 from seven overs. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who was required to operate at the death with Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc bowled out, and ODI debutant Mitchell Owen also claimed two wickets.With menacing clouds forming above, a rarity for cricket games in usually sun-baked Perth, Marsh had no hesitation to bowl despite very little grass on the surface.Kohli has particularly fond memories of Optus Stadium having produced one of his greatest Test tons on the ground in 2018 and he also made his final Test century there last year.Having shown no signs of rust during India’s net session ahead of the match, Kohli was pinned down by the accuracy of Hazlewood and Starc, who suckered him into a drive to catch the outside edge that was brilliantly caught at backward point by Cooper Connolly.In likely his last game in Perth, Kohli received a standing ovation from some fans on his way to the sheds as India slumped further after Rohit had earlier been deceived by Hazlewood’s sharp bounce and nicked to second slip.KL Rahul top-scored for India amid the rain•Getty ImagesA lean looking Rohit had showed off his fitness with a quick single to get off the mark. However, other than a gorgeous straight drive, he looked sluggish much like his struggles in recent days in the nets.The pressure fell on Gill and hopes were high that he could replicate his outstanding start to his Test captaincy, which has yielded five tons from 13 innings.Less than a week after leading India in their Test win over West Indies, Gill showed trademark class to punch a boundary down the ground off Hazlewood before having to fight hard against probing new ball bowling.Having seen off Starc, Gill’s debut captaincy knock ended with a whimper on 10 after he tickled down the leg side to gift Nathan Ellis a first ball wicket.India were probably relieved by the persistent drizzle and for the first time since 1983 an ODI in Perth was shortened due to rain.During a brief resumption, Shreyas Iyer gloved a well-directed short delivery from Hazlewood to the alert Philippe to leave India 45 for 4.Further rain delays truncated the overs as Axar and KL Rahul on resumption had no choice but to stand and deliver. The pro-India crowd, muted for much of the day, suddenly came alive until Axar holed out to hand Kuhnemann his first wicket on home soil.Despite consecutive sixes from Rahul, India fell away at the back end other than a very late flourish from Nitish Reddy in his ODI debut but it proved not nearly enough.

Mic'd Up: The former UNC stalwart knows college soccer is as crazy as ever, and figuring out who might win the NCAA Tournament is a frightening prospect.

College soccer is increasingly hard to predict. At least, that's what Kacey White thinks. This is a changing sport, full of competition, with more jeopardy than ever. Conference realignment has packed some of the biggest divisions in the U.S. The constant churn of players, movement into the pros, and alternative pathways have made the thing that was once the crux of American women's soccer just a little more chaotic.

White covers it for ESPN+. She also loves it. Players get better, she argues.

"Everything about this part of the game and development is about understanding competition and knowing that you have to bring your best every day. A lot of times, you'll see where, whether it's in youth soccer, college soccer, or professional soccer, if you don't have those moments to show resilience, or have those moments where there's adversity that sets in, you don't know how to deal with that," she tells GOAL. 

Never is that clearer than in the ACC. White's beloved UNC won the national championship last year. This season, a repeat would be a major upset. 

"There's always been a lot of parity, but it seems to get tighter and tighter every year. A team like North Carolina doesn't have a lot of numbers that they use in their substitutions, and they have a very young roster, so they finished just outside the top six [in the ACC]," she adds. 

The next steps are trickier to figure out, too. The abolishment of the NWSL draft means players have a bit more freedom to move. Change is afoot at all levels. White thinks players just have more options.

"I just see it as different. I think there's not necessarily a waiting game now to go through the draft for players that may have accelerated growth and they would like to go to the professional game for whatever reason is personal to them. You just don't have to wait till that moment," she says. 

As for NCAA tournament predictions? Who knows. White is just here for the ride. She knows, after playing for UNC, representing the USWNT, and spending six years as a professional, that making any sort of projection is a fool's errand. Still, she's backing Stanford to win it all.

White talks the ACC, college drafts, conference realignment, and who might just win it all in the latest edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL taps into the perspective of analysts, announcers, and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad. 

• Getty Images
  

  ON UNC

  GOAL: First of all, what has happened to UNC? They were convincing winners last year and are struggling this season…

  WHITE: Well, I think it speaks to just the parity that's in the ACC. We've seen that for years, even 10-20 years ago, there's always been a lot of parity, but it seems to get tighter and tighter every year. A team like North Carolina doesn't have a lot of numbers that they use in their substitutions, and they have a very young roster, so they finished just outside the top six. But I think we have other teams like that, too. Wake Forest was in the finals last year with North Carolina, and they're in ninth place in the ACC. And for me, it's not so much a drop off of those schools. It just speaks to the incredibly competitive environment that the ACC has year in and year out, and there are such fine margins that separate teams.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  ON THE COMPETITION IN THE ACC

  GOAL: Has conference realignment shifted things? Is it more competitive now?

  WHITE: I think it has, and especially when you look at the ACC, when you add Stanford and Cal into it, to programs that have always been at the top of the college game, and are very well thought of. Especially Stanford, having won titles, and you add that into the mix that already existed in the ACC, it becomes incredibly competitive. And we are seeing that in other conferences as well. But with a conference like this that tends to get many teams, sometimes double digit teams, into the NCAA tournament, you've now added two more to the mix, and it just really muddies the water, but in a great way.

  GOAL: So you vouch for chaos? The more hectic, the better?

  WHITE: I do. I believe everything about this part of the game and development is about understanding competition and knowing that you have to bring your best every day. A lot of times, you'll see where, whether it's in youth soccer, college soccer, or professional soccer, if you don't have those moments to show resilience, or have those moments where there's adversity that sets in, you don't know how to deal with that. And so I think, for these conferences getting stronger, that they're able to face each other earlier, and it prepares them for down the road, not only from a program perspective, but individual players, too. 

• Imagn/GOAL
  

  ON THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF COLLEGE SOCCER

  GOAL: We've seen a lot of change in women's college soccer over the last few years. Would you say that the pipeline to pro is easier? Is it more difficult? Because obviously, you don't have a draft anymore, how do you see that as a changing landscape?

  WHITE: I just see it as different. I think there's not necessarily a waiting game now to go through the draft for players that may have accelerated growth and they would like to go to the professional game for whatever reason is personal to them. You just don't have to wait till that moment. But I just think it's different. I don't think it's necessarily a better or worse thing, just a different landscape that players are now navigating.

  GOAL: So was the draft maybe holding players back a little, by extension?

  WHITE: I don't know if I can necessarily put a direct answer to that, because it's such an individual decision. You can't necessarily make a universal statement that affects all players on whether the draft is better or not, or whether it not being there has done that. I think it's just very personal.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• NCAA Soccer
  

  ON WHO WINS THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

  GOAL: To round it off, give me your college cup picks. And then, if you had to tentatively say, "I don't know, but I'd vouch for *insert team", who are you going with? 

  WHITE: Okay, so let's go with this. I do believe that the ACC will have a minimum of two teams in the College Cup. We saw four teams last year. I do think the ACC will get two in. And I will say this, not because it's at the forefront of my mind, but the way that Stanford played in the first half of the ACC semifinal, I didn't think any team could stop them. But if I had to say right now, I would say, of all the games that I've seen and what I've watched this season, I would go with Stanford.

  GOAL: So, at least two ACC teams and Stanford to win it?

  WHITE: That gives you a little bit of wiggle room!

It was a typical Bruno Fernandes display on Sunday afternoon, with the Manchester United skipper shaking off a stodgy first-half display to ultimately prove the difference-maker yet again for Ruben Amorim’s side.

In that opening 45 at Selhurst Park, both Fernandes and his ageing midfield partner Casemiro were given the run around by Crystal Palace’s boy wonder, Adam Wharton, with United heading in at the break having once again seen their midfield unit woefully exposed.

Fast forward to just past the hour mark, however, and the visitors had completed a creditable comeback, with the captain first teeing up Joshua Zirkzee – à la Anthony Martial in the March 2020 Manchester Derby – before then reacting swiftly to lay the ball for Mason Mount to dispatch what proved to be the winner.

Now fourth on the all-time list for Premier League assists for the Old Trafford side with 56, ahead of Paul Scholes, the 31-year-old remains United’s beloved maverick.

But for how much longer will he be the main man still?

Latest on Man Utd's search for a midfielder

Having been refreshingly open about his discussions with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer, Fernandes suggested that no further talks would take place over his future until after next summer’s World Cup, with his existing deal set to expire in 2027.

Amorim has already suggested that the Portuguese playmaker may have to adjust to more “rotation” next season, should the club return to European competition, while reports this season have even suggested that INEOS could look to cash in on the club’s number eight to fund a midfield rebuild.

In any case, depth and competition is certainly needed in the centre of park heading into 2026, with the likes of Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson all deemed to be leading targets.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Equally, however, reports in Spain are even suggesting that United have lodged a bid of around €80m (£70m) for Real Madrid sensation, Federico Valverde, with the Red Devils said to have taken the ‘first step’ toward trying to seal that marquee move.

As to be expected, the LaLiga giants won’t allow their Uruguayan star to depart on the cheap, with the report outlining that Xavi Alonso’s side are likely to demand in excess of €100m (£88m) if they are to even consider sanctioning a sale.

United will then have to up their bid if a deal is to be struck, with Valverde’s existing deal set to run until 2029, although this is certainly a pursuit worth continuing.

How Valverde compares to Bruno Fernandes

If Amorim – and INEOS – is to persist with this much-discussed 3-4-2-1 set-up, then acquiring a figure like Valverde might just be the perfect solution, with the 27-year-old lauded as the “most complete player in football” not too long ago by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

That assessment is certainly warranted considering the versatility that the Montevideo-born talent has showcased in recent times, having frequently flitted between operating in central midfield or at right-back for Los Blancos.

Like Fernandes – who has missed just three games through injury or illness since joining United, as per Transfermarkt – one of Valverde’s key strengths is that he’s “always available”, in the words of Ancelotti, while willing to perform to his best no matter the position he is deployed.

While not a natural creator or playmaker like Fernandes, the one-time Penarol man does still boast four assists in LaLiga this term, only just behind the United skipper’s return of five in the Premier League.

As indicated below, Valverde’s all-round quality can be evidenced in his superior record with regard to pass completion and duels won, in particular, while he is also far less erratic in possession, losing the ball less than half as many times per game as Fernandes.

Equally too, the Madrid man’s physical superiority can be seen in how little he is dribbled past per game in LaLiga, whereas Fernandes – seemingly unsuited to a deep-lying role – is regularly outpaced or outmuscled by his opposite number.

What also sets him apart from Fernandes is his proven, consistent quality at Champions League level, winning the competition on two occasions to date, alongside his three Spanish titles and various other domestic or continental honours.

He may not rank as the outright best midfielder in the world right now, but he seemingly warrants his status as among the top ten – arguably even above Fernandes.

Now approaching almost 350 games for his current side, the 71-cap international is about as proven as they come, while at 27, he would still be an asset for the long-term, were he to arrive in Manchester.

Of course, Fernandes – as was evident at the weekend – is still a majestic, creative genius, but for this system and for this current iteration of the Premier League, Valverde would surely represent the perfect midfield upgrade.

Anderson upgrade: Man Utd set to bid for "the best English CM since Scholes"

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for a new midfielder in the January transfer window.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 2, 2025

Smith and Brook went into trance mode and reintroduced a third result to the match when it seemed like England were out of it

Sidharth Monga04-Jul-2025

Jamie Smith was at his attacking best•ECB via Getty Images

Bazball never sounds more like a cult than when Jeetan Patel speaks about it. The press pack half-expected him to say, “we have got them where we wanted” in the press conference at the end of day two. The scores were India 587 vs England 77 for 3.Jeetan is self-aware, give that to him. He acknowledged “you keep laughing at me”. One of the lines Jeetan said might as well be a mantra for a cult: “That was yesterday; today is today; tomorrow will be another day.”The problem with cults usually is that while they can offer light and solace to those needing something to hold on to, their experiments, so to speak, aren’t backed by independent evidence. They need certain, erm, conditions for the believers to find nirvana.Related

• Smith's a keeper, as epic innings goes where England predecessors could not

• Siraj six-for hands India huge lead despite Smith and Brook hundreds

• Smith hails belief to 'do what you feel is right in the moment'

Bazball’s conditions are flat pitches and the recently quick-to-go-soft Dukes balls. Not just flat pitches, but ones that don’t deteriorate, ones that result in progressively increasing averages over the innings of Tests in the Bazball era in England. There is no moisture left because typically on moist pitches the hard Dukes balls leave indentations, which result in uneven bounce over the course of a Test.Even so, at 84 for 5, Mohammed Siraj on a hat-trick in the second over of the day, England 503 behind India, was the ultimate test of this mad belief. England have had their bad days in this era, but they have never been so far behind so early in the game. In comes Jamie Smith, a “made” wicketkeeper, playing ahead of accomplished ones, selected for Bazballing reasons, to face the hat-trick ball. And he smashes it for four through mid-off.In a sensational assault on India in the rest of the session, Smith and Harry Brook reintroduced the third result to the match when it had seemed England were out of it. The fans in the Hollies Stand sang Oasis and “Sweet Caroline”, but the cricket was in keeping with the land of the birth of heavy metal. By two guys who look like they have never contemplated long hair let alone anything as rebellious as heavy metal.To watch that session was to just continuously head-bang for two hours. It was just believers in a trance. They really seemed like they were in a trance. Brook said they didn’t discuss any plans or match state. They just watched ball and hit ball. Brook might have fumbled his lines a little, but Smith went at a strike rate of bazillions with a control percentage of 90-plus.0:59

Brook: Was definitely hungry to get a hundred today

India played their part. They banged on the drums. The ball had gone soft, and they were willing to buy a wicket. Prasidh Krishna was sacrificed for the plan. He bowled two good overs of line and length, drawing an edge that flew through the sparsely populated slips, drew a rare miss from Smith, and then all of a sudden, he started to bang the ball into the middle of the pitch.Two fielders on the hook, Smith went in front of square. Another man went out, and he went over them. Another fielder back, and he went in front of mid-on. Then over mid-on. Not long ago, Bazball was killing Test cricket with lifeless pitches, but now it was reviving it with sensational batting.India had so many runs in the bag they didn’t need to bowl for control, but what do you do with opponents that keep coming at you and don’t seem to care about the match situation or the result? That fear of getting out is the bedrock of batting; it is what makes risk management necessary. No matter the pitches, Bazball is disrupting that fear.In the lunch break, though, India decided to use that bank of runs to their advantage and go hunting only with the second new ball. ODI fields and possibly tiring batters resulted in a slower session following which India struck back just as gloriously with the second new ball, but that one session of mad belief did leave them shaken.Just as well that the new ball created enough jeopardy to restore some balance for those not in on the cult. It still doesn’t seem to matter to the believers, though. There is a second innings to come as well.

After the tight finish at Lord’s, where do the two teams stand in the lead up to the last two Tests of what has been a riveting series?

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2025