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Fast bowler will conclude 17-year career against same opponents where it began

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2024Tim Southee, New Zealand’s legendary seam bowler, has announced that he will retire from Test cricket on his home ground in Hamilton next month, at the conclusion of England’s tour of New Zealand.Southee, 35, has claimed 385 Test wickets in 104 appearances to date, second among New Zealanders behind Sir Richard Hadlee (431), and is set to bring his career full circle, having debuted against England as a 19-year-old in Napier in March 2008. He will, however, make himself available for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June if New Zealand qualify.He recently played a key role in New Zealand’s historic 3-0 series win in India, the first by a visiting team since 2012-13. Though he claimed just three wickets across the first two Tests, these included India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, as they were bowled out for 46 in the series opener, and their top-scorer, Sarfaraz Khan, for 150 to the second innings.Southee had handed the Test captaincy over to Tom Latham prior to that series, and has yet to decide whether he wants to continue his white-ball career into New Zealand’s post-Christmas tour to Sri Lanka.”Representing New Zealand was all I ever dreamed of growing up,” Southee said in his retirement announcement. “To play for the Black Caps for 18 years has been the greatest honour and privilege, but the time feels right to now step away from the game that has given so much to me.”Test cricket holds a special place in my heart, so to be able to play such a big series against the same opponent my Test career began against all those years ago, and on three grounds that are incredibly special to me, seems the perfect way to end my time in the Black Cap.Getty ImagesIn a storied career, Southee will be remembered as New Zealand’s most prolific bowler in international cricket, with 770 wickets across formats to date, ahead of Daniel Vettori (696). No other bowler in international cricket has matched his feat of reaching 300 Test wickets, 200 ODI wickets and 100 T20I wickets.His career-best performance of 7 for 33 came in the ODI format, a famous display against England at Wellington in the 2015 World Cup, which helped to propel his side to the first of two consecutive appearances in the World Cup final. And though New Zealand missed out on both occasions, agonisingly so in 2019, Southee was instrumental in their long-awaited slice of ICC silverware. At Southampton in June 2021, he claimed second-innings figures of 4 for 48 in their World Test Championship final victory over India.He will also be remembered for his improbable batting prowess, with a total of 93 Test sixes to date – second only to Brendon McCullum among New Zealanders, and by a distance the highest ratio of sixes for any player with more than 2000 Test runs to his name. Nine of those came in his maiden Test in 2008, when he struck 77 not out in the fourth innings, still his highest score in Tests.”I’ll always be so grateful to my family, friends, coaches, our fans and everyone involved in the game who has supported me and my career over the years,” he added. “It’s been an amazing ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.”Gary Stead, the New Zealand head coach, said: “Tim’s durability and resilience has been outstanding. He’s an incredibly tough competitor who gets himself up for big occasions and is rarely injured. Tim cares deeply about the team, its reputation and performances, and he will be missed within the Black Caps environment. He now deserves some time with his family and I’m sure he will reflect very positively in years to come about his impact and achievements in the game.”Southee indicated he would remain available for domestic and franchise cricket.

Whilst their striker search develops following news that Alexander Isak wants to leave, Newcastle United and PIF have reportedly been offered the chance to sign a Premier League rival instead of Benjamin Sesko.

Newcastle "working" on Sesko deal

The Magpies have sprung into action following Isak’s bombshell and have instantly turned their focus towards Sesko. The RB Leipzig ace has attracted the interest of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool this summer, but now Newcastle have emerged in search of a blockbuster move of their own.

According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, those at St James’ Park are now “working” on personal terms with the talented striker and are set to submit an opening bid to Leipzig, who are open to a summer sale.

Although reports have suggested that Leipzig will demand as much as £67m to sell the 22-year-old ahead of next season, money will be no issue for Newcastle if Isak departs for a deal which could be a staggering worth £150m.

It certainly makes sense that Newcastle have turned straight towards Sesko too. The Serbian has been on the rise for a couple of seasons now and once again showed plenty of his potential in the Bundesliga last time out.

Minutes

2,380

2,756

Goals

13

23

Assists

5

6

Expected Goals

10

20.3

There will be concerns that Sesko managed just 13 Bundesliga goals last time out, but it’s key to point out that both he and Isak outperformed their expected total by three goals. Based on that figure, the Serbian certainly has the potential to improve his numbers if chance creation around him is improved.

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The Magpies have instantly turned towards potential replacements.

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Alas, with how this summer has gone for the Magpies, having alternative options lined up certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea and one Premier League rival may find himself on that shortlist.

PIF offered chance to sign Jackson

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, PIF have now been offered the chance to sign Nicolas Jackson for Newcastle this summer. The forward’s agent has offered his signature around the Premier League to the likes of Manchester United, Aston Villa and now Newcastle as he looks to ensure that his client receives his desired game time.

After Chelsea signed both Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, that game time is unlikely to arrive at Stamford Bridge – allowing Newcastle to come swooping in should they please this summer.

Dubbed “fantastic” by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, Newcastle’s backline paid witness to Jackson’s ability first-hand last season when he scored in a 2-1 victory over the Magpies.

It goes without saying that Jackson must work on his consistency after scoring 13 goals in all competitions last season, but he could yet find that by swapping Chelsea for Newcastle this summer.

Arsenal’s pre-season is on the horizon, and technical director Andrea Berta is now pushing forward to complete Mikel Arteta’s squad well ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Smart signings have been made in central midfielder Christian Norgaard (pending the completion of his medical) and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who will be expected to play back-up to David Raya between the sticks.

Furthermore, Martin Zubimendi’s arrival will add genuine star quality to the middle of the park, the Real Sociedad maestro coveted by many of Europe’s top outfits in recent years due to his intelligent, deep-lying midfield performances.

However, we’re yet to see Arteta welcome some new forwards to the fold. Heading into the summer market, this would have unanimously have been agreed to be the Gunners’ chief objective.

It hasn’t happened yet, but expect a flurry of movement in the coming weeks.

Arsenal's offensive transfer plans

Arsenal’s centre-forwards shortlist is comprised of four parts: Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins, Alexander Isak.

The latter’s exorbitant price tag likely puts him out of reach, but the English giants desperately need a new number nine, and it’s likely one of the four will arrive at the Emirates soon.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

Sesko and Gyokeres are the frontrunners, with it revealed by David Ornstein on Sunday that the Swede “only wants” Arsenal now that Sporting and the Gunners are locked in advanced talks concerning a move.

However, Arteta is set on signing more than just a new frontman as he looks to bring silverware back to Arsenal next season, five years on from the club’s last triumph.

Chelsea’s Noni Madueke has emerged as a top target for the club. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that contacts between the clubs are set to take place for the versatile winger, with personal terms having seemingly been agreed.

However, there’s another Premier League star on the cards in north London who’s been riding the crest of a wave of late.

Arsenal pushing to sign Premier League star

As per Football Transfers, Arsenal are internally weighing up an official bid for Crystal Palace hero Eberechi Eze, who scored the winning goal as his side defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.

The Londoners are felt to have taken their curiosity up a notch after cooling their interest in Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, and Eze has a £68m release clause that the Eagles expect to be met.

Kay has revealed that the 26-year-old “wants to join Arsenal”, his close friendship with Bukayo Saka factoring in. Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the England international.

Why Arsenal want Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace have been a mainstay in the Premier League since achieving promotion in 2013. For over a decade, they have been regarded as an entertaining and stable club, but Eze turned them into something greater with his driven finish against City at Wembley.

Five years earlier, he joined from the Championship’s Queens Park Rangers in a deal worth £19.5m. The maverick’s rise has been an incredible thing, having now bloomed into the “superstar” that analyst Ben Mattinson had crowned him as over a year ago.

An electric attacking midfielder with a tendency to drift over to the left, Eze could prove to be Arsenal’s own version of Florian Wirtz, with the German sensation joining Liverpool in a British-record £116m deal this summer.

Wirtz’s remarkable blend of vision, intelligence and technical quality make him a one-of-a-kind playmaker, and while he’s not a carbon copy, Eze has the skill set to mirror that of the Premier League champions’ new talisman.

The data certainly suggests the Three Lions man could bring his own firebrand style to the Emirates. As per FBref, Eze ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across the 2024/25 English top-flight season for shots taken, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for ball recoveries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

In this way, we can observe that the Palace star, ever-improving, could be a “magician” – as he has been dubbed by pundit Micah Richards – of similar proportions for Arteta’s title-chasing side.

Eberechi Eze’s Crystal Palace by Season (all comps)

Season

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

43 (40)

14

11

23/24

31 (26)

11

6

22/23

40 (30)

10

4

21/22

19 (7)

1

1

20/21

36 (31)

3

6

Data via Transfermarkt

In a similar vein, Wirtz, 22, has been described as a “genius” in the past by his former Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who had drawn notice to his Mesut Ozil-esque qualities.

But it’s not just the Liverpool star’s ability on the ball, his faculty for a fleet-footed surge or a thunderous strike, but his physicality too.

Luckily, Eze would bring similar athletic abilities to Arteta’s door, having averaged 4.8 successful duels, 1.1 tackles and four ball recoveries per Premier League match last term, as per Sofascore.

Given the existing options in Arsenal’s first team, it feels like Eze could be a game-changer, someone arriving with fresh ideas and a different style of quality to open up a dimension that was lacking last term.

It’s easy to blame the club’s issues across the 2024/25 campaign on the lack of a focal frontman, but the £100k-per-week Palace star could have made a world of difference too.

There’s an early sense that the Premier League title, sure to be tighter next year, will be determined, or at least influenced, by moments of magic, players of unique ability who can drive their side toward an extra three points here or a rousing draw at the most ominous enemy ground there.

In any case, Arsenal fans have plenty to look forward to next season. If Berta can oversee the signing of Eze along with a first-rate central striker and maybe another left winger too, there’s every chance Arteta could lead the Gunners to glory.

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Arsenal are interested in signing a new centre-forward this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 4, 2025

With Martin Zubimendi already on the way, Arsenal have also now reportedly held positive talks to sign a defensive target over Liverpool who’s worth more than £40m.

Arsenal complete paperwork for Martin Zubimendi deal

A year on from deciding to stay at Real Sociedad instead of joining Liverpool, Zubimendi is finally set to become a Premier League player. But it’s Arsenal who have reason to celebrate. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have now completed all the paperwork and the Spaniard will become an Arsenal player for a fee around the €65m (£58m) mark.

Zubimendi could yet have the task of replacing Thomas Partey in Mikel Arteta’s side. The latter is yet to sign a new deal at the club and remains on course to depart as a free agent at the start of next month.

As replacements go, it’s clear to see why Arsenal have turned towards Zubimendi as speculation continues to grow about Partey’s future. The talented 26-year-old would slot straight in.

Minutes

2,962

2,797

Progressive Passes

195

185

Tackles Won

37

53

Ball Recoveries

140

138

Zubimendi’s best work undoubtedly comes in possession and Arteta’s system should provide him with the perfect platform to showcase that ability in the Premier League.

After agreeing a deal to sign the midfielder, however, Arsenal are not done there. They’re looking to deal Liverpool a blow with a focus on signing a defensive addition ahead of the Premier League champions this summer.

Arsenal hold positive talks to sign Jorrel Hato

According to reports relayed by Football Transfers, Arsenal have now held positive talks to sign Jorrel Hato from Ajax this summer. The Dutchman has also attracted the interest of Liverpool, but the Gunners are now hoping to steal a march on their rivals.

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The deal won’t come cheap, though. Reports are suggesting that Ajax are demanding as much as €50m (£42m) to sell their 19-year-old left-back in the coming months. Alas, it must be said that price tag becomes understandable when assessing just how talented Hato already is at such a young age.

Among those full of praise for the Ajax teenager, scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Hato a player with “immense quality” and a “fantatsic mix of complete full-back, playmaking full-back, and ball-playing centre-back” in traits that tick all of Arsenal’s boxes.

As the chaos of the transfer window continues, those in North London should do everything to ensure that they beat Liverpool to Hato’s signature this summer.

Chelsea have done it. Enzo Maresca’s side have won the UEFA Conference League, beating Spanish outfit Real Betis 4-1 in Poland.

The Blues have made history in winning the title, becoming the first side to have won all three major European titles currently on offer, a historic achievement for the club.

In terms of the game, it got off to the worst start possible for Chelsea. Their LaLiga opponents took the lead just nine minutes into the clash, with left winger Abdessamad Ezzalzouli firing a well-struck effort into the bottom right corner past goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

It took Chelsea until the 65th minute to equalise. Cole Palmer set Enzo Fernandez up with a teasing ball. The Argentine midfielder ran onto his cross and headed home into the bottom left corner to score a crucial goal for his side.

From there, the floodgates opened. First, Nicolas Jackson struck, once again set up by the irresistible Palmer. Second-half substitute Jadon Sancho soon got in on the act to make it 3-1. His strike was sublime, bending a shot from the left-hand corner of the penalty area into the top right corner of the Betis goal.

Moises Caicedo’s strike from distance capped off the night for Chelsea, who were unstoppable once they got into their groove. One of the stars of the show was the scorer of the second goal, Jackson.

Jackson’s performance vs. Betis

When his side needed him most, Blues striker Jackson came up clutch with the goal which won them another European title. It was a hard-working night’s work for the Senegal international, who ran the channels diligently and looked to link up play all night long.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His goal, which saw Chelsea take the lead in the game, was a smart finish. The 23-year-old miscued his effort, surely meaning to head Palmer’s cross home, instead bouncing the ball past Adrian off his chest. However, the run was clever, darting into the six-yard box to put the ball in the back of the net.

Jackson’s performance earned him a 7/10 rating from Standard journalist Malik Ouzia. He explained that, whilst the striker did take a ‘hideous touch’ when attempting to seal the deal late on, he ‘repaid the “debt” he owed his team-mates’ with his crucial strike, having missed the final two league games of the season through suspension.

It was certainly an impressive performance from Jackson, stepping up in a European final when his side needed to. However, he was perhaps overshadowed by another of his teammates.

The Chelsea player who outperformed Jackson

Just over 13 years ago, Chelsea legend Didier Drogba inspired his side to a heroic Champions League final comeback against Bayern Munich. He scored an 88th-minute header at the Allianz Arena, before sinking their opponents with the winning penalty in the shootout, to deliver Chelsea the Champions League.

Well, little more than a decade later, Palmer has just put in a performance worthy of rivalling Drogba’s iconic effort. His two assists breathed life into a flat Chelsea side, putting them into a title-winning position.

Those contributions will be remembered for the next decade, just like Drogba’s have been. His first assist was a delicate cross to Fernandez, who rose highest to nod home an inch-perfect cross.

The second was magical, teasing the Betis defenders, twisting on the spot before turning into space and delivering another perfect cross for Jackson to convert.

It was not just the assists that were exceptional from Palmer, but his overall performance. As the stats on Sofascore show, he ranked highly for several metrics on the night.

For example, no player completed more dribbles than his four, nor did they create as many as his two big chances.

Ground duels won

5/8

1st

Dribbles completed

4/6

1st

Assists

2

1st

Big chances created

2

1st

Key passes

2

3rd

Passes completed

32/38

7th

The Chelsea number 20 was so good, he earned himself a 9/10 for his efforts from Ouzia. The journalist was full of praise for Palmer, describing him as a ‘genius’ following the former Manchester City man’s two moments of magic.

So, the Blues have another European title to their name, and with it, another memorable performance from a genuine superstar. Perhaps Chelsea have found their new version of the legendary striker.

Palmer, player of the match, delivering a performance worthy of rivalling Drogba’s heroics 13 years ago. Sensational.

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Leeds United have reportedly made a £20m defender similar to Joe Rodon one of their top targets following a recent scouting mission.

Leeds reach 100 points and lift Championship title on final day

It was a final day to remember for Daniel Farke and his Leeds side after clinching the Championship title in stoppage time.

A Manor Solomon goal in the 91st minute ensured a come-from-behind victory for the Whites at Home Park and meant they’d finish the season on 100 points.

Talking after winning the title, Farke said: “Today I was allowed to have one or two tears in my eyes. After Wembley I had to be there for my players and give them some belief, it was a tough moment. For Ethan [Ampadu], Ilia [Gruev], Joe [Rodon] they were all in tears.

“I wanted to create something really special with them. To see them like little kids [after the title was won], enjoying themselves like they did at the age when they started playing football. In these moments you’re never thinking about money or contracts. To be a bit reminded how happy they are, like children, it’s one of the best moments you can have as a manager.”

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The Whites are in the hunt for attacking reinforcements.

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Now, the club’s attention behind the scenes at Elland Road will be on the summer, looking to bolster the current squad ahead of their Premier League return. Adam Underwood has been promoted to the role of sporting director having been at the club for more than 10 years, and it could be a crucial first transfer window with him at the helm.

Solomon has been linked with a permanent move to Leeds, whereas a raid on Celtic for the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Nicolas Kuhn has also been mooted.

Additions at the back and in attack look likely, and now, a new defensive option has emerged on Underwood’s radar.

Leeds eyeing bid to sign £20m defender Leonardo Balerdi

According to reports from The Sun, relayed by MOT Leeds News, Leeds have recently sent scouts to watch Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi.

The Whites have now made Balerdi one of their top targets, and the Argentine is open to a move to England. It is added that Marseille would demand a £20m fee for their defender over the coming months.

Balerdi signed for Marseille from Borussia Dortmund back in 2021 and is now the captain of the Ligue 1 side having made more than 160 appearances for his current employers.

Passes attempted

99th percentile

97th percentile

Passes completed

99th percentile

98th percentile

Passes into final third

93rd percentile

94th percentile

Capped six times by Argentina, Balerdi has impressed on the ball over the last 12 months. As per FBref, he has ranked in the top 1% of centre-backs when it comes to passes attempted and top 3% for successful passes per 90, whereas the Marseille man is also in the top 1% for successful take-ons.

Balerdi is similar Rodon as the Leeds star ranks in the top 3% for passes attempted and top 2% for successful passes, and by the looks of things, he could be partnering the Wales international at the back next season.

This season could have been catastrophic for Manchester City, but they’re now very much on course to salvage the campaign.

On Wednesday night, even without the sidelined Erling Haaland, the Sky Blues swatted aside Leicester at the Etihad, thanks to first-half goals from Jack Grealish and then Omar Marmoush.

This victory propelled Pep Guardiola’s team up to fourth, ahead of a fascinating Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Citizens could also bookend a generally miserable season with silverware, through to the FA Cup semi-finals for a seventh successive season, set to face high-fliers Nottingham Forest at Wembley in three and a half week’s time.

As Man City rebuild, and Guardiola continues to rejig his team, has he found his new Raheem Sterling?

Raheem Sterling's Manchester City career

As outlined by David Mercer of Sky News, Sterling has spent his entire career ‘in the spotlight’ with ‘newspaper controversies’ often overshadowing his sporting talent.

This was certainly the case when he made the £49m move from Liverpool to Manchester City in 2015, with former Manchester United defender Paul Parker labeling him ‘overpriced’, claiming Man City paid ‘a lot of money’ for a player who hadn’t ‘really done anything that’s worthy of that price’.

Well, fair to say, Sterling did justify his price tag in sky blue, scoring 131 goals and providing 73 assists in 339 appearances for the club, winning four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five EFL Cups.

Guardiola labeled him ‘so important’ to their success, while Vincent Kompany believed, at his peak, Sterling was ‘one of the best wingers in the world’. His form at Chelsea and now Arsenal subsequently show Man City were vindicated to sell him for £47.5m when they did.

Now, can Man City’s current mercurial talent, who exists under a similar level of media scrutiny, rediscover his best form and become a key figure for Guardiola once again?

Man City's new Raheem Sterling

By opening the scoring against Leicester on Wednesday, Jack Grealish ended his 473-day wait for a Premier League goal, dedicating it to his younger brother Keelan, who tragically died exactly 25 years ago to the day.

On Wednesday, Guardiola chose to deploy Grealish as the central playmaker, handing him his first Premier League start since Christmas, a decision that was certainly vindicated.

The England international certainly made a strong case to start as the number ten in Sunday’s Manchester derby too, considering both Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne continue to misfire, notably reduced to a role among the subs.

Minutes played

90

Goals

1

Assists

0

Touches

68

Accurate passes

51/55 (93%)

Shots

2

Key passes

2

Duels won

1/9

Fouls won

1

By his own admission, Grealish has not been at his best this season, but he still has plenty to offer between now and the end of the campaign.

Similar to Sterling, Grealish exists under intense media scrutiny, which John Nicholson of Football365 describes as ‘grotesque’ and hyperbolic stupidity in pursuit of content’.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The most recent example of this came just last month when the Daily Mail ran a story about Grealish spending an evening in a pub in Newcastle, supposedly ‘stumbling’ out in the early hours of the morning.

Back on the pitch, Gareth Southgate described Grealish as “fantastic”, so let’s compare his campaign to those of the aforementioned Foden and De Bruyne, attempting to decipher who Guardiola should start going forward.

Appearances

28

31

39

Minutes

1,430

1,698

2,674

Goals

3

4

10

Assists

5

7

6

Chances created

51

54

70

Take-on success %

41.2%

37.5%

40%

Shot-creating actions per 90

5.56

6

4.66

Pass completion %

87.8%

75.9%

84.8%

Touches per 90

37

60

51

As the table outlines, Grealish comes out on top when it comes to dribbling and pass completion, with Foden registering the best statistics overall, albeit he’s played 1,200 more minutes than his compatriot and 1,000 more than De Bruyne.

So, while none of the trio have been at their best, Grealish might just be the man in form, suggesting their ‘new Sterling’ should start at Old Trafford this weekend.

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And together, they showed their team now turns up when the pressure’s on

Firdose Moonda29-Oct-20258:30

‘This is the knock Wovlaardt will be remembered for’

Laura Wolvaardt looked like she was forcing a smile as she raised her bat to her first World Cup century, and 10th overall in ODIs. It may have been because, at 200 for 5 in the 40th over, there was still work to be done, but it’s more likely because that’s just who she is. Focused. Clinical. As she says, someone who “likes my statistics and overthinks about cricket”, but needs to “enjoy the good moments a bit more.” Others would say someone who is ice cold.Marizanne Kapp has played more ODIs for South Africa than anyone else and in five World Cups but her tears still flow at the national anthem like she is hearing it for the first time. In fact, she even cried two days before this match because she had “one of the worst net sessions in the last 10 years of my career.” Take that same softie and put a ball in her hand and something changes. She steams in, swings it, smashes stumps. Pure fire.Together they were the perfect combination as South Africa simmered and boiled before they froze England on their way to their first World Cup final. The temperatures have been a talking point throughout this World Cup and South Africa’s semi-final one was perfect.Forget everything that came before, because South Africa did. Semi-final losses in 2017 and 2022 to the same team they would play today? Irrelevant. Most of the players from those matches are not here, there’s a different coaching set-up, things have changed. Sixty-nine all out just 26 days ago, against the same opponents and on the same ground? Also irrelevant. Blow-outs happen and another happened just four days ago against Australia. As the saying goes, it’s not how you start… A bilateral record of 36 losses in 47 previous meetings with England including only one win in their last eight? The most irrelevant of all because South Africa are now a team that can turn up when the pressure’s on.They have reached their third successive women’s final and fifth successive final across all formats and genders (T20 World Cup finals for both men and women in 2024, Under-19 Women’s World Cup final and World Test Championship final in 2025), and they’ve managed it because their big players step up in big moments. No bigger than Wolvaardt, their leading ODI run-scorer and, and Kapp, the world’s leading seam-bowling allrounder.It’s fair to say neither was dominating the World Cup conversation before this match. Though Wolvaardt had scored three crucial half-centuries in the group stage, she hadn’t grabbed the headlines like finisher Nadine de Klerk. This year, she had been overshadowed by her opening partner Tazmin Brits, who had scored five hundreds and had been, in Wolvaardt’s words, “carrying me”.Two extremes come together to achieve just the right temperature for a semi-final•ICC via Getty ImagesBrits has been all or nothing at this tournament, and today she tried to find the middle ground. She also quickly realised that Wolvaardt was having the better day. “I didn’t want to block up Wolfie, because she was seeing the ball really nicely,” Brits said afterwards, explaining the out-of-character reverse sweep she played that resulted in her being bowled by Sophie Ecclestone. “But I know if Wolf and I come off, that’s what sets the team up for 280.”Wolvaardt was batting breezily, with her first fifty coming off 52 balls, but when Brits was dismissed and then South Africa lost three wickets for three runs, she had to be more cautious. Her next fifty took 63 balls and it seemed she was going too slowly, but she had a plan. “The main goal was to get to 40 overs,” Wolvaardt said. “Once we got to 40, I felt my job was done for the day.”By then, she also had a hundred, the only one by a captain in a World Cup knockout game. She decided she’d set things up for the finishers Chloe Tryon and de Klerk, and “just try and whack, almost like a free hit.”The whacking brought her another 69 runs in 28 balls, including four sixes. She had only hit 13 in her ODI career up to then. Her plundering of runs over the on side showed off a whole new side to her game: not just leg-side play for the owner of the world’s most drooled-over cover drive, but power-hitting leg-side play. She took down Linsey Smith, South Africa’s nemesis from 69 all out, in an over that cost 20 in a full-circle moment for her team.Wolvaardt is now the leading run-scorer at this World Cup, and this innings could be as defining for her as Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171* against Australia in Derby was in 2017. It is career-defining whatever happens in the final, but it will be a once-in-a-generation-feat if it ends up being the innings that set South Africa up for the trophy.Ultimately, that is what they want to gift players like Kapp who, though she hasn’t said it, is probably playing her last ODI World Cup. Before this tournament, Kapp told ESPNcricinfo that she didn’t think her career would be complete without a major trophy. “I almost feel like it doesn’t matter what you have achieved over your career, if you don’t have a World Cup, it’s just not the same,” she said before leaving for the tournament in September. “I’m scared that I might retire the day I win a World Cup. It would just be absolutely amazing.”The off-side strokeplay was gorgeous as always, but Wolvaardt showed she could go the other way too•ICC/Getty ImagesAnd she has taken them to the brink. Everyone will talk about Kapp’s figures of 5 for 20 and especially her opening over, and they should. The delivery that dismissed Amy Jones was a beauty. It nipped back in, found the bat-pad gap, and took out off and middle stumps. Kapp unleashed a near-vein-bursting celebration close to the pitch, where rage combined with unadulterated joy, before she composed herself to dismiss Heather Knight three balls later. That was the one that moved away, which Knight didn’t need to play at but inside-edged onto her stumps. South Africa had all but won the game then, and that may not even have been the most important hand Kapp played.Without her 33-ball 42, South Africa’s innings may not have had an injection of impetus at just the right moment. And who knows what might have happened had she not returned for a second spell and got rid of Nat Sciver-Brunt just as the England captain was starting to cause concern. Kapp’s last three incisions came in the space of seven balls, all caught behind. She should have had another but Sinalo Jafta could not hold onto a chance, diving to her right. In that spell, rather than movement, Kapp relied on discipline, just landing the ball from where it could kiss the edge, and ended up bagging her career-best figures when the team needed it most. That’s what makes this special for her.”To be honest, I probably haven’t had the best World Cup personally. So coming into this game, I knew I was due a good performance,” she said. “In past semi-finals I probably haven’t been at my best either, and have not contributed the way I should have. So I’m really happy that tonight I could make a difference in the result. It’s just the love of the sport. That’s why we play, because we just love cricket so much. And I absolutely love playing for South Africa.”That’s why Kapp has always carried the fire, and she may be teaching someone like Wolvaardt to thaw a little.A broad grin attached itself to the South Africa captain’s face at the end and it almost succeeded in hiding where her mind was already going. “We have experience from the last [T20] World Cup when we had that amazing game in the semi-final [against Australia] and that almost felt like too big of a high. We played our final before the final,” she said. “It will be really important to regroup after this and know we still have a big game against a good opposition.”Then, Wolvaardt caught herself. “I will enjoy tonight.” And Brits reminded her why.”There’s a lot of complications in our country but we made history today. There’s something that’s working.” Something as magical as ice on fire.

Who, what, where and everything else you need to know about IPL 2024

Ashish Pant19-Mar-2024

When does IPL 2024 begin and when is the final?

March 22 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai. The BCCI has only released the schedule for the first 21 matches till April 7. The schedule for the rest of the tournament will be released later. The final of IPL 2024 is expected to be held on May 26. Here is the schedule.

Any changes in the number of games held this season? What are the timings like?

The tournament like last year will have 70 league matches, with teams playing 14 matches each. The top four sides make it through to the playoffs, which will have a Qualifier 1, an Eliminator followed by Qualifier 2 and the final. The first game will start at 8.00pm IST due to the preceding opening ceremony. Otherwise, on days with only one game, play will commence at 7.30pm IST. On double-header days, matches will be played at 3.30pm IST and 7.30pm IST respectively.Related

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• IPL introduces Smart Replay System for quicker, more accurate reviews

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Who are the captains? Any changes from last season?

The biggest change in captaincy this year is Hardik Pandya moving back to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans replacing five-time IPL winning captain Rohit Sharma at the helm. With Hardik gone, Shubman Gill will lead Titans. Rishabh Pant, who resumes competitive cricket for the first time since the car accident in December 2002, will take back the Capitals captaincy reigns from David Warner who led last season. Sunrisers Hyderabad also have a new captain in Pat Cummins who replaces Aiden Markram. For KKR, Shreyas Iyer is back having missed IPL 2023 due to injury. He takes over the captaincy duties from Nitish Rana, who has been named vice-captain.

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are also around, yes?

Very much so. Dhoni is back with CSK, and he sprung a surprise by handing over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad a day before the start of the tournament. Kohli, who had taken a break from the recently concluded five-match Test series against England is also back for RCB.And where will the matches be played? Any new venues? The home venues for most of the teams remain unchanged.CSK – Chennai
RCB – Bengaluru
KKR – Kolkata
Mumbai – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Titans – Ahmedabad
Sunrisers – Uppal, Hyderabad
Lucknow Super Giants – Lucknow
Punjab Kings have, however, moved to a new stadium. They will play a chunk of their home games in Mullanpur with the venue set to make its IPL debut. They will also play two home games in Dharamsala. Delhi Capitals will meanwhile play their first two home games in Visakhapatnam before moving back to the venue in Delhi for the rest of the season.

Let’s go back to the auction: how did that go? Were there any major buys?

There were some record-shattering bids at the auctions. Sunrisers splurged INR 20.5 crore for Cummins as he became the most expensive buy ever at an IPL auction. That record was short-lived though with KKR minutes later pouching Mitchell Starc for INR 24.75 crore. Daryl Mitchell went to CSK for INR 14 crore, who also got Rachin Ravindra (INR 1.8 crore) and Sameer Rizvi (INR 8.4 crore). Punjab procured the services of Harshal Patel for INR 11.75 crore, while RCB paid INR 11.5 crore for Alzarri Joseph. Here’s what happened at the auction.Are there any new rules in place this season?This season will allow bowlers to deliver two bouncers in an over in a bid to create a more even contest between bat and ball. The Impact Player rule, which came into effect last year will remain in place. In addition, the IPL is set to introduce the Smart Replay System this season for quicker and more accurate reviews.Who are the big names missing this season?A host of English names. There is no Ben Stokes, Joe Root or Jofra Archer. England batter Jason Roy withdrew from the IPL ahead of the season and so did Harry Brook. Mark Wood also pulled out of his deal with LSG. There will be no Mohammed Shami also as he recovers from an ankle injury. Steven Smith and Josh Hazlewood went unsold in the auction. Here’s a list of unavailable players this season.What happened in the IPL 2023 final?CSK claimed their fifth IPL trophy beating Titans in a pulsating final that went into a third day because of rain and thunderstorms. With CSK needing 10 to win off the final two balls, Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four to bring the house down in Ahmedabad and take his side to glory. Relive the final here.

Brace yourself. These two top teams haven’t faced each other in an ODI since the 2017 World Cup

Vishal Dikshit21-Mar-2022Marizanne Kapp vs Alyssa Healy. Shabnim Ismail vs Rachael Haynes. And Meg Lanning against, well, the entire South African bowling attack. The only two unbeaten teams at the Women’s World Cup will go head-to-head on Tuesday, and it is worth looking at their journey to this point because it has been all sorts of compelling.Australia, not surprisingly, have marched into the semi-finals by stomping over all in their path. South Africa, meanwhile, have taken things to the very last over almost every game, and emerged victorious even against England, defending champions, and New Zealand, who have historically been much stronger than them.Related

• New Zealand vs South Africa – a Kapptivating contest

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Tuesday brings them face to face in an ODI for the first time in nearly five years and the winner may well be decided based on who prevails in the battle between Australia’s mighty batting line-up and South Africa’s feisty pace attack.Lanning’s team began the World Cup with a total of 310 against an experienced England side and they chased down a stiff 278 against India in their last game. They have scored three 250-plus totals in this tournament so far – more than any other team – and their batting average is a whopping 53.57, which is more than twice the next best, 26.11 by India. Don’t be surprised at all that their scoring rate is also the best.ESPNcricinfo LtdAll this, led by the balanced left-right opening pair of a patient Haynes and attacking Healy, followed by the domineering Lanning at No. 3. They also have the experience of Ellyse Perry at No. 4 and a finisher in Beth Mooney after that.”Obviously, our batting line-up is such an elite top four that I haven’t had to do too much of the heavy lifting, which has been nice,” Mooney said on the eve of the game. “But I also love the fact that I get to put my feet up and watch those girls go about their business and break the back of those run-chases really nicely. So to be able to contribute in the field is important to me as well. And thankfully Meg, Midge (Healy) and I have been doing okay behind the bat there.”Mooney, and Australia, are also aware of how well South Africa’s “world-class bowling attack” has performed in the last two weeks. A regular wicket-taker in Kapp and one of the fastest bowlers in Ismail make for arguably the most lethal new-ball pair in the world. They are also well complemented by the slightly slower but accurate Ayabonga Khaka, who has nailed numerous yorkers and helped bail South Africa out against Bangladesh, get the big wickets of Amy Satterthwaite and Sophie Devine against New Zealand, and lead the wicket-taking charts along with Kapp, Hayley Matthews and Lea Tahuhu.Marizanne Kapp has been a leader with both bat and ball for South Africa•Getty Images”Yeah, as a batting unit we spoke about coming up against Ismail and Kapp. They’re probably two form opening bowlers in the world at the moment,” Mooney said. “And we spoke about that against India as well with Jhulan Goswami and Meghna Singh so we know that the threat in most teams is up front and having to nullify that a lot.”We also have played a few games here at the Basin [Reserve] and understand that’s a pretty quick wicket, you know, taking our medicine, when we have to understand that the second those bowlers of that class miss their line and length a little bit, which isn’t that often, we have to cash in. So not a whole lot of changes for our batting unit.”As I said before, the girls have been doing an outstanding job up the top, breaking the back of those chases and getting us in positions where we can build a strong total to defend so I’m sure we’ll see more of the same tomorrow against some competitors in Kapp and Ismail.”South Africa’s pace attack has collected as many as 32 wickets in just four games so far, easily more than anyone else. And if that isn’t enough, they have the best average and economy rate as well.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen asked if she was excited about facing Kapp, her team-mate at Perth Scorchers, Mooney replied that she was “slightly scared as well. We’ve seen what she can do with the bat and the ball and how competitive she is and that fiery nature she brings to the contest so looking forward to coming up against her this game and hopefully we can keep her a little bit quiet. And then she has been in in the last couple of games, but she’s also shown she’s always the one that puts her hand up for South Africa. So as I said, hopefully we can keep her a little bit quiet and get on top of them early.”There is an air of the unknown about this game, given that the two teams have met just once since the 2017 World Cup – in a T20I – but the players themselves have spent so much time with each other at the WBBL that it may not be that big a factor.Apart from Mooney and Kapp in the Scorchers squad, Laura Wolvaardt was with Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown at Adelaide Strikers, and Mignon du Preez and Nicola Carey were together at Hobart Hurricanes.”Yeah, it’s a huge point that got raised in our meeting just before training,” Mooney said of not facing South Africa in the recent years. “Obviously, they have been on a bit of a run and played a lot of consistent cricket across those five years against you know, some world-class opponents as well. Unfortunately, we haven’t had too much of an opportunity to come up against them. They’ve shown they’ve got a world-class bowling attack as well as batters that can win the game for them, but we’re pretty, pretty confident with the intel we have both playing with them in WBBL, and playing against some of the girls in that team that have been around for a long period of time.Laura Wolvaardt said whatever they had seen of each other at the WBBL will work both ways for both teams.”I think it helps a lot,” she said. “It’s actually one of the sides that I guess we should be most prepared for because a lot of our girls have spent quite a lot of time playing against and in the same team as a lot of their players. But I guess it goes both ways. I guess we might know their games a bit better, but they might know ours a bit better as well, having spent some time over there. So I think it’s an advantage but I guess it gives them a bit of an advantage as well. So we’ll see what happens.”