O Vasco vive a expectativa de sacramentar o acesso na Série B já na próxima quinta-feira, contra o Sampaio Corrêa, em São Januário. O Cruz-Maltino é o 3º colocado, com 59 pontos, cinco de diferença para o Ituano, que é o 5º colocado, faltando duas rodadas para o fim da competição. As equipes se enfrentam na última rodada, em Itu, mas o desejo dos vascaínos é de que esse jogo sirva apenas para cumprir tabela.
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As chances disso acontecer são enormes, tendo em vista que o Vasco garante o acesso até mesmo com uma derrota. Neste cenário, o Ituano (5º – 54 pontos) teria que empatar com o Londrina (6º – 53 pontos), no Estádio do Café, enquanto o Sport (7º – 53 pontos) não poderia vencer o Operário, em Recife. Vale lembrar que a Ilha do Retiro está interditada e o Leão jogará sem a presença do seu torcedor nesta partida.
Em caso de empate com o Sampaio Corrêa, o Vasco chegaria a 60 pontos, matematicamente não seria mais alcançado por Londrina e Sport (ambos com 53 pontos) e conquistaria a classificação para a Série A com a ausência de vitória do Ituano (54 pontos).
+ FAÇA A SIMULAÇÃO DAS ÚLTIMAS RODADAS DA SÉRIE B
Já com uma vitória, o Vasco chegaria aos 62 pontos, garantiria matematicamente o acesso, independentemente dos resultados de seus perseguidores. De acordo com o site Info Bola, o Cruz-Maltino possui 98% de chances de obter o acesso, contra 5% do Ituano, e 1% de Londrina e Sport.
Essa disparidade se explica pelo número de vitórias do Vasco em relação aos adversários, 16 contra 14. Esse é o primeiro critério de desempate da Série B. Sport e Londrina teriam que contar com o saldo de gols, mas ambos possuem apenas 2, contra 12 do Cruz-Maltino. Portanto teriam que vencer os dois jogos, tirar uma grande diferença de saldo e torcer para que o Vasco não some pontos.
AMEAÇA REAL
O Ituano tem mais chances de acesso porque tem o confronto direto com o Vasco, que lhe daria a possibilidade de ultrapassá-lo, em casa, no Novelli Júnior, na última rodada. Para isso acontecer, terá que vencer o Londrina e torcer por uma derrota do Cruz-Maltino para o Sampaio Corrêa. Neste cenário, as equipes se enfrentariam com uma diferença de apenas dois pontos.
Caso o Vasco empate com o Sampaio Corrêa, o Ituano segue precisando vencer o Londrina, mas vai chegar na última rodada dependendo do saldo de gols. O Ituano tem 7 gols de saldo, cinco a menos que o Cruz-Maltino.
Vale destacar que na pior das hipóteses, o Vasco ainda poderia obter o acesso. Para isso acontecer, o Bahia não poderia somar pontos. O Tricolor de Aço é o 4º colocado com 58 pontos e enfrenta o Guarani (casa) e CRB (fora).
ACESSO SEM ENTRAR EM CAMPO?
O Sport deve ser julgado nesta semana pelo STJD pela invasão dos torcedores na Ilha do Retiro, no empate em 1 a 1 com o Vasco. Por causa da confusão, o Leão corre o risco de ser declarado o perdedor, o que daria ao Cruz-Maltino mais dois pontos e, consequentemente, o acesso matemático.
Western Australia’s pacers took all ten wickets with McAndrew’s fifty taking the visitors close to 200
Tristan Lavalette15-Nov-2023
Aaron Hardie took 3 for 11 in 8.5 overs•Getty Images
Left-arm quick Joel Paris tormented South Australia again as Western Australia’s pace attack relished a livelier WACA surface on day one of the Sheffield Shield.After South Australia were bowled out for 192, openers Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman survived a difficult period in the last hour. Bancroft, the leading run-scorer this Shield season, was dropped by Ben Manenti at second slip on nine off seamer Brendan Doggett to cap a grim day for the Redbacks.Having starred with 11 wickets during WA’s recent 200-run victory at the Adelaide Oval, Paris was unplayable at times and finished with 3 for 32 from 16 overs.He has taken 16 wickets at an average of 12.31 since returning from a hamstring injury sustained during Australia A’s contest with New Zealand A in August.The 30-year-old Paris, who played two ODIs against India in 2016, has had a history of injury problems and is often overlooked amid WA’s star-studded quicks, but looms as an intriguing prospect for the national selectors.”My main focus is playing continuous cricket. I feel like guys who play really good, consistent domestic cricket for a number of years are always a chance [of higher honours],” Paris said.After their remarkable three-run victory over Queensland, South Australia entered with confidence and faced a WA team looking to rebound from a nightmare Sydney trip where they were thrashed by NSW in the Shield and Marsh Cup.South Australia were out to erase the painful memories of an innings defeat in the corresponding fixture from 12 months ago when their batters crumbled on a hostile WACA surface.WA’s opening home Shield matches this season against Victoria and Tasmania had been played on sluggish surfaces with the renowned pace-bowling ground feeling the effects of Australian rules football being played on it during the off-season.The pitch during the drawn Tasmania match was particularly lifeless with WA officials displeased with it. Unsurprisingly, a grassy and hard surface was rolled out for this fixture and beaming WA skipper Whiteman, who lambasted the surface after the Tasmania match, had no hesitation to bowl first.Amid sunny and warm conditions, it almost felt like the WACA of lore with Paris bowling a back of length and the ball moved menacingly off the surface.Paris threatened on almost every delivery and was adamant he had opener Henry Hunt caught at short leg in the third over. He was left frustrated when his raucous appeal was turned down, but Paris’ disappointment was short-lived as he trapped Hunt lbw on the next ball.Hunt, who last summer had been seen as a Test prospect, had hoped to build on his century against Queensland after a slow start to the season.The Redbacks slid further when Daniel Drew edged a pitched-up delivery from seamer Aaron Hardie to Bancroft in the first of his five catches at second slip.South Australia were in danger of succumbing to Paris, whose first spell yielded 1 for 8 from six overs. But opener Jake Carder and Nathan McSweeney withstood the onslaught as the Redbacks crawled to lunch at 56 for 2.Speedster Lance Morris, who unleashed deliveries nudging 145 kmh before lunch, was rewarded for a terrific spell after the break with a spectacular delivery to knock the top of McSweeney’s off-stump.Paris dismissed Jake Lehmann with Bancroft again taking a sharp chance at second slip before Hardie and seamer Charles Stobo took over.Only a rapid unbeaten half-century from Nathan McAndrew defied WA’s attack as he totally dominated the 44-run last-wicket partnership with Jordan Buckingham, but South Australia have much work to do on day two.The teams are playing for the Rod Marsh Cup, which was unveiled before the day’s play. WA cricket legend Marsh, a combative wicketkeeper-batter who played 96 Tests for Australia from 1970-1984, was the director and coach of the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide after his playing career. He died, aged 74, in March 2022.
Former New Zealand coach takes over from Azhar Mahmood as the franchise eyes a third PSL title
Danyal Rasool08-Nov-2023Islamabad United have appointed former New Zealand coach and Royal Challengers Bangalore director Mike Hesson as their head coach. United praised Hesson’s “exceptional track record in international cricket and a reputation for strategic leadership”, and said he would bring “unparalleled excellence and experience” to the team.United were the PSL’s most successful side initially, winning two of the first three titles with the late Dean Jones as head coach. Since his passing, United have switched between several coaches, including Misbah-ul-Haq, Johan Botha, and most recently Azhar Mahmood, though a third PSL title has proved elusive; they are the only side not to have reached the final since 2018. The 2016 and 2018 champions are understood to have been in discussions for some time, with United targeting Hesson as their first choice.”Mike is very strategic and analytical on his approach, has proven skills of creating new and modern ways of playing – something his NZ stint demonstrates – and is a great people-manager,” United owner Ali Naqvi told ESPNcricinfo. “These are all the attributes ISLU has focussed on as a team from season one. In some ways he is a perfect fit. This is a big endorsement on the brand and quality of cricket played at PSL and how United is viewed by global cricket professionals.”In an official statement, Naqvi said he was “thrilled to bring in a globally accomplished and premier name like Hesson to Islamabad United. His rich history in coaching and his exceptional work with New Zealand and RCB make him the ideal choice to lead our team. Hesson’s coaching philosophy aligns closely with the values and ambitions of Islamabad United, and we are confident that his expertise will take our team to new heights.”Hesson said he had heard plenty about the quality of the PSL and was excited to experience it for himself. “I am delighted to be a part of Islamabad United,” Hesson said. “The professional, modern, and (mindful) approach associated with the franchise resonates strongly with me. I am also impressed with United’s strategy built around the principle of 4 Es – Excellence, Empowerment, Education and Environment. I look forward to working with the talented players and staff to build a successful team and deliver exciting cricket to the fans.”Hesson, 49, was appointed head coach of New Zealand in 2012, enjoying a highly successful six years in the position with the national side. Under Hesson, New Zealand became a dominant force at home and reached their first World Cup final in 2015, when they lost to Australia.He was appointed director of cricket for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL in 2019, before they parted ways earlier this year.PSL 2024 is scheduled to start in February and will run till around mid-March.
Echoes of the past abound in re-run of 1999 and 2007 semi-finals, with South Africa sweating on Temba Bavuma’s fitness
Andrew Miller15-Nov-20231:55
Cummins: Recent record against SA ‘doesn’t count for too much’
Big picture: Baggage handlers Can you feel the ghosts in the machine yet? Creeping out of the nooks and crannies of Eden Gardens, the most perfect venue imaginable for a contest that can barely move for historical baggage. It’s Australia versus South Africa in a World Cup semi-final. And if the mere thought of what’s to come hasn’t got your spine tingling in anticipation, then you’re surely dead inside.Forget everything you think you know about form and fortune, and the fallacy that the best team will always win on the day. Embrace instead a scenario in which every twitch of South Africa’s muscle memory (because, let’s face it, this is all about them) will feel as though it is attached to invisible strings, dragging their efforts backwards through space and time … through 2015, through 2007, through 2003. Through 1999 and 1992 … and back into the formless void from whence all of their World Cup agonies first sprung.It’s grotesquely unfair. It is history written as premonition. It’s a thousand “I told you sos” chanting in unison at the inevitable moment when South Africa’s dream of World Cup glory dies another ugly and undignified death. But make no mistake, that’s the baggage that Temba Bavuma’s team will be obliged to drag with them to the middle on Thursday. In this contest, of all contests, they don’t get the luxury of tuning out the doubts and the doubters.Related
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For facing them down will be cricket’s most storied champions, Australia, the acid test that every contender seems obliged to pass if they hope to lay claim to the crown. With five titles to their name, and just four knockout losses in 18 such matches since the very first semi-final in 1975, Australia’s presence on these occasions comes almost to them as a birthright.Since 1992, no team has won a World Cup without eliminating them first – and even Pakistan’s group-stage victory that year proved to be a de facto quarter-final. Sri Lanka denied them in the 1996 final, before India and England dethroned them in 2011 and 2019 respectively. Come through this one and, notwithstanding India’s runaway form in the other side of the draw, South Africa will be entitled to believe that their name is on the trophy.That is not to say that South Africa should be considered rank outsiders, far from it. Uniquely among Australia’s opponents across the entire history of ODI cricket, they boast a positive win-loss record (55 to 50), which includes 15 victories in their last 18 meetings and a group-stage thumping in Lucknow, only last month.They won seven of their nine group games here (the same as their opponents) and racked up four totals in excess of 350 – more than any other side, including a market-leading 428 for 5 against Sri Lanka in Delhi, which is also the highest score ever made at a World Cup. And, if they win the toss and bat first, they will be able to lean into a formula for batting dominance that no team – not even India – has yet surpassed.South Africa wait on Temba Bavuma as he attempts to prove his fitness•AFP/Getty ImagesThey’ve got form, they’ve got confidence … but they’ve also got history, as their opponents will be only too happy to remind them. Even South Africa’s happiest memories of Eden Gardens – from their redemptive tour in November 1991, when Clive Rice released doves into the Calcutta air to mark South Africa’s return from sporting isolation – seem to have been man-marked by Australian one-upmanship. Four years prior to that occasion, and almost to the day, Allan Border had been hoisted onto his team-mates’ shoulders and paraded across the same turf, after laying claim to the first of Australia’s five titles.What South Africa would give for their first … instead, their barren cabinet is feeling all the more sparse right now, in light of the knockout magnificence that took place in Paris only last month. Since their own return to the international stage, South Africa’s rugby team has endured none of the angst that has stalked their cricketers – winning four World Cups in eight since victory at the first attempt in 1995 – and in holding their nerve across three consecutive one-point wins in this year’s quarter, semi and final, they proved with unhelpful clarity just what it takes to show bottle in the clutch moments.As with so many other aspects of this unfeasibly vast occasion, the dream for South Africa is only ever a tick away from becoming a living nightmare. All things being equal, Bavuma, their first black cricket captain, is two matches away from emulating his rugby counterpart Siya Kolisi, and providing the Rainbow Nation with the most joyous photo pairing since Nelson Mandela embraced Francois Pienaar at Ellis Park.But Bavuma, already under scrutiny due to a fallow run of form, is labouring with a hamstring strain that, through no fault of his own, raises agonising echoes of South Africa’s subplot in the 2015 semi-final, when an unfit Vernon Philander was forced into the line-up ahead of the in-form Kyle Abbott. And as if that spectre of past failings wasn’t enough to have weighing on the players’ minds, it might also rain on Thursday … it’s all a bit too spooky if you ask me.Usual suspects: Australia prepare for another semi-final•ICC via Getty ImagesAt this point, it’s only polite to point out that there will, in fact, be two teams competing for progression to Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad, and such is Australia’s enduring quality on the world stage, it might not be sufficient for South Africa to simply vanquish their internal demons.From a stuttering start, with two losses on the bounce, Australia’s march to seven wins in a row has been ominous in the extreme. David Warner has unfurled his full stage presence as he enters the final weeks of his one-day career, producing a body of work that matches up even to the four-times centurion Quinton de Kock, while Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell’s top notes of destruction have secured Australia each of the two highest individual scores of the tournament, and the fastest century too – trumping the previous marks set by de Kock and Aiden Markram.They carry an air of entitlement into this contest that is surely worth a hundred-run start, not to mention the sure knowledge that, in each of their two previous semi-final clashes, in 1999 and 2007, they marched past their bereft opponents and all the way to glory. As if they didn’t know it already, South Africa need to produce the game of their lives on Thursday, and then some. It may seem cruel, but those are the rules of this particular engagement. And they were written long before many of these players were born.Form guideAustralia WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) South Africa WLWWWIn the spotlight: Heinrich Klaasen and Adam ZampaUntil it was trumped by the most extraordinary ODI innings of all time, it was hard to imagine how Heinrich Klaasen’s blistering century against England at the Wankhede could possibly be bettered in this tournament. Much like the Maxwell masterpiece that surpassed it in the wow stakes, Klaasen’s 109 from 67 balls was characterised by riotous hitting in the face of physical debilitation, with the air in Mumbai that day thick enough to “eat” as Joe Root evocatively put it after England’s agenda-setting rout.More important than the runs he scored, however, was the statement that Klaasen’s display made. He had come into the World Cup as the most talked-about batter in ODI cricket, particularly after the smackdown he laid on Australia in Centurion in the weeks leading up to the tournament. His 174 from 83 balls that day included – alongside David Miller – an eye-watering 173 in the final ten overs of the innings. That Mumbai innings, and his follow-up 90 from 49 against Bangladesh, was early evidence that South Africa’s build-steady-charge-hard style would not be cowed on the big stage. If his returns have tailed off a touch since, the threat he poses has not.It’s easy to forget now, amid the stellar returns that have come Adam Zampa’s way, that the Australia legspinner endured a deeply uncomfortable start to his campaign. After a wicketless opening match against India, he was belted for 70 runs in ten overs during South Africa’s group-stage victory in Lucknow, with the solitary scalp of Rassie van der Dussen coming in his 15th over of the tournament. Since then his returns have gone into overdrive – 21 further wickets in 61 subsequent overs across seven consecutive wins – with his superb control of line, length and variation making any attacking motive fraught with danger. Nevertheless, South Africa had his number once before. They’ll have to believe they can find it again.Team news: Labuschagne over Stoinis, SA wait on BavumaNeither Marnus Labuschagne nor Marcus Stoinis made it to the middle in Australia’s crushing victory over Bangladesh in their final group game, but only one of them will feature in Kolkata, given the inevitable return of the game-changing Maxwell. The explosive success of their batting in recent outings means that Labuschagne’s Test tempo should be trusted to do a job, and offer ballast to the middle order alongside Steve Smith, thereby freeing up the men around them to keep blazing as they’ve seen fit.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Josh Inglis (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodLungi Ngidi will hope to be passed fit•AFP/Getty ImagesA decision will be made on Bavuma prior to the toss, as he sweats on a hamstring strain that has quietly overshadowed his team’s entire build-up. Reeza Hendricks is a very capable understudy, of course, and made 85 against England when Bavuma was once again absent, but the optics of the captain’s potential absence from a World Cup semi-final transcend the nitty-gritty of mere sporting matters. The team’s equilibrium is not helped by similar concerns surrounding Lungi Ngidi, who twice failed to complete his overs against India and Afghanistan while struggling with an ankle issue. He has been passed fit, but could yet make way for Gerald Coetzee, with Tabraiz Shamsi seemingly inked in for what is expected to be a turning pitch, alongside Keshav Maharaj, whose ascension to the ICC’s No. 1 ranking is a pre-match vote of confidence. Andile Phehlukwayo is also in contention, potentially in place of Marco Jansen, whose devastating impact when on song has been offset by two notably off-days against Sri Lanka and India, in which he was twice taken for more than 90 runs.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt)/Reeza Hendricks, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen/Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Lungi Ngidi/Gerald Coetzee, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiPitch and conditionsAnother black-soil surface at Eden Gardens promises turn for the spinners and sluggish but true bounce for the quicks, if the events of England’s group-stage win over Pakistan are anything to go by. The X-factor on this occasion could be the weather, with rain potentially entering the equation, depending on which app you use for your radar. There is, at least, a reserve day, so South Africa should be spared some of the permutation-based agonies that have chequered their World Cup history. “We’ll turn up expecting to play a 50-over match tomorrow,” Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain, said. “If that shifts on us, we can adjust as needed. It feels like it hasn’t really rained here for the last couple of months, so to see the weather looking like that for two days is not ideal.”Stats and triviaAustralia and South Africa have played each other on seven previous occasions at World Cups, and their recent is, on the face of it, an even split. Three wins each and one infamous tie, at Edgbaston in 1999. However, in their two World Cup knockout encounters, the semi-finals in 1999 and 2007, Australia have come through on each occasion, and gone on to lift the trophy each time. In their overall head-to-head in ODIs, South Africa have a slight edge – with 55 wins to Australia’s 50, including their very first meeting at the 1992 World Cup, and 15 wins in their last 18 meetings, dating back to September 2016. Maxwell needs 108 runs to reach 4000 in ODIs, while Warner needs 104 to reach 7000. With 22 wickets to date, Zampa needs six more in a maximum of two games to set a new record for a single World Cup, beating the 27 that his team-mate Mitchell Starc claimed in 2019.Quotes”It’s hard to speak on their behalf, but I do know each World Cup, it does seem to be the story that South Africa haven’t quite achieved, obviously, what they set out to do.” “There’s a sense of calmness within the team and obviously the normal level of anxiety that you would expect of going into the game tomorrow. But I think we’ll take a lot of confidence with our performances up until this point. But yeah, I don’t think I’ll be going around giving guys hugs.”
O atacante Róger Guedes foi eleito o craque da 33ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Em votação popular, promovida pelo perfil oficial da competição, o camisa 10 do Corinthians teve 47,2% dos votos, batendo o goleiro Fernando Miguel, do Fortaleza, o lateral-esquerdo Luan Cândido, do Red Bull Bragantino, e o meia Gustavo Scarpa, do Palmeiras.
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+Confira detalhes da terceira camisa e a nova linha do Corinthians em alusão ao Mundial do Japão
Guedes foi o autor do gol da vitória corintiana por 1 a 0 sobre o Santos, no último sábado (22), em plena Vila Belmiro.
Além disso, Róger esteve presente na seleção da rodada, que também contou com as presenças do zagueiro Robert Renan, do volante Fausto Vera e do técnico Vítor Pereira como representantes corintianos.
Outro atleta do Timão que teve menção nas votações foi o meia Ramiro, que entrou no segundo tempo do clássico contra o Peixe, no último fim de semana, e deu a assistência para o gol de Róger Guedes. Ramiro foi eleito a ‘aposta da rodada’, superando o lateral Vanderlan, do Palmeiras, o meia Hyoran, do Bragantino, e o atacante Matheus França, do Flamengo.
The ICC board approved new rules that bar transgender cricketers from playing women’s internationals
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2023
Danielle McGahey’s international career, till date, has spanned six T20Is•Getty Images
After a key change to ICC’s gender eligibility requirements that banned transgender players from participating in women’s internationals, Danielle McGahey, the first transgender woman to play internationals, has acknowledged “with a very heavy heart” that her international career for Canada “is over”.”Following the ICC’s decision this morning, it is with a very heavy heart that I must say that my international cricketing career is over,” McGahey posted on Instagram. “As quickly as it began, it must now end.”The ICC board on Tuesday approved the new rules by which any player who has transitioned from male to female and has been through any form of male puberty will not be allowed to participate in women’s international cricket, regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.Related
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“It is based on the following principles (in order of priority), protection of the integrity of the women’s game, safety, fairness and inclusion,” the ICC said in a statement. “The regulations will be reviewed within two years.” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice added: “Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players.”Originally from Australia, McGahey, 29, moved to Canada in 2020 and underwent a male-to-female medical transition in 2021. In September this year, she played for Canada in the Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier that acts as the pathway for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.”While I hold my opinions on the ICC’s decision, they are irrelevant,” McGahey wrote. “What matters is the message being sent to millions of trans women today, a message saying that we don’t belong. I promise I will not stop fighting for equality for us in our sport, we deserve the right to play cricket at the highest level, we are not a threat to the integrity or safety of the sport.”McGahey played six T20Is and scored 118 runs at an average of 19.66 and a strike rate of 95.93.
Dean Elgar’s decision to retire from Test cricket was the result of detailed discussions with red-ball coach Shukri Conrad, who was full of praise for the player who was removed as captain when Conrad took over.While the reasons Elgar has chosen to end his international career after the New Year’s Test against India have not been explicitly stated, it is understood Elgar was not part of Conrad’s longer-term plans in a scant Test schedule. But Conrad said the calendar was only partly responsible for Elgar’s decision.”The fact that we haven’t got much Test cricket is part of the reason we arrived at the decision we arrived at,” Conrad said in Centurion, where South Africa will take on India from Boxing Day. “Ideally, we would like to play more Test cricket because the more Test cricket we play, the more opportunity we’ve got to blood cricketers for the future. If we have fewer Tests, that means I’ve got very little opportunity to blood young cricketers. Sometimes we arrive at decisions like Dean’s now because of a lack of cricket and a lack of opportunity to blood young players.”South Africa have only played two Tests in 2023 but will play 10 (one against India, two in New Zealand, two in West Indies, two in Bangladesh, two against Sri Lanka at home and the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan) in 2024, so Elgar would have had plenty of opportunity to continue, should he have wanted to. In all likelihood, he would have been asked to captain South Africa again in New Zealand as Temba Bavuma (and most of the other first-choice XI) will be occupied with the SA20. Instead, Elgar decided to bow out at home, where Conrad said the team hopes to give him “the perfect send-off,” in recognition of how he has symbolised the South African way.Related
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“Dean epitomises what a South African cricketer and almost what a South African person is about: resilience, dog fight, pride in performance and that ability to never back down,” Conrad said. “Those are all the elements that Dean has brought to his extensive international and first-class career and to all the sides he has played in. Hopefully if some of the young bucks that are going to be stepping up into those big shoes, half of the characteristics and the qualities that Dean had, then we will be in a good space.”Some of the younger players include the likes of Tony de Zorzi, who is expected to open the batting in New Zealand and who was the leading run-scorer in South Africa’s ODI series against India, David Bedingham, who has abandoned ambitions to play for England and returned home, and Tristan Stubbs. This group of players are seen as distinctly different from the Elgar generation, who built their reputations on being intimidating and aggressive, as Conrad described above.Asked if those qualities will be lost with Elgar’s retirement, Conrad had no doubt that will not be the case while also clarifying Elgar’s persona was as not as combatant as it may seem. “Nice guys can be resilient as well. You don’t have to be a knob to be resilient. The characteristics we display when we are on the field, that needs to speak to what being South African looks like,” Conrad said. “And Dean is a great guy. There is a lot of stuff being bandied about about his and my relationship and that’s great for media hype but we are going to keep the core values of what a South African cricket team is about. And Dean epitomises that. The Tony’s and some of the nicest people in the world will always embody that and that’s something we are going to continuously strive towards.”Some of what has been written in the media has come from sources who revealed Elgar and Conrad’s relationship is not as good as Conrad made it sound. But he revealed the pair were in talks about Elgar’s future and reached a conclusion together. “The conversation and the decision and the outcomes have been exactly how Dean and I discussed it,” he said. “It is absolutely no surprise to me that we are at the place where Dean has decided to retire against India. I am very comfortable and thrilled to have Dean available for this series. It’s a massive series for us as a team. It’s a huge series for Dean. And It is going to be quite an emotional one. Hopefully we can give him the perfect send-off as well.”Both Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada are available for selection for the first Test against India•ICC via Getty
Rabada, Ngidi on track for selection
Lungi Ngidi was withdrawn from the T20Is against India with an ankle sprain and Kagiso Rabada missed the domestic four-day game he was due to play because of a bruised heel but both remain in South Africa’s Test squad and are available for the starting XI. Ngidi has not played a red-ball game for a year and Rabada last bowled in a Test in March but Conrad played down their readiness for the two Tests.”I’ve always been a firm believer in best when fresh,” he said. “They’ll be fresh, they’ll be firing. It’s like riding a bicycle for a lot of them. The ideal would have been for them to get some mileage in the legs in the four-day game. But life happens. We’ve got to find a way from there. I am not in the least bit concerned that they will be undercooked in any way. Both KG and Lungi are still in the squad and up for selection.”South Africa will hold a full training session on Sunday and optional nets on Christmas Day before the series starts on Tuesday.
The Arsenal star believes Thursday's opposition should be talked about more – and they certainly will be if they beat the holders to reach the semis
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England are certainly feeling better now about their European Championship title defence, having got over the concerning defeat to France which kicked their tournament off. Thumping wins over the Netherlands and Wales, with 10 goals scored across the two results, have the Lionesses heading into the quarter-finals with plenty of confidence, epitomised by Ella Toone’s message to Sweden. “I think they should be scared,” she said on , asked about Thursday’s opponents.
But cross over to the other side and the feeling is similar. Peter Gerhardsson’s team won all three of their group stage matches, battered Germany and conceded just once to win Group C and set up a rematch of their Euro 2022 semi-final. Three years ago, England convincingly won that meeting by a 4-0 scoreline but, in the words of Chelsea winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, something feels “different” this time. “Maybe we've always been a bit of an underdog, but winning 4-1 against Germany still says a lot,” she said. “I definitely think that teams are starting to realise that we're not the underdogs and maybe they don't want to play us.”
After so many near misses, so many close calls and some seriously heartbreaking moments, might this finally be the year that this incredible generation of Swedish talent delivers that first major title? They have every right to believe.
Getty ImagesAlways a factor
For years, Sweden have been as safe a bet as it comes to make the final stages of these big events. Since 2016, they’ve reached the semi-finals in six of their last seven major tournaments, with the only miss their quarter-final exit at Euro 2017. Under current head coach Peter Gerhardsson, it’s five semi-finals out of five, including two Olympic finals. They are always a factor when it comes to the business end of the biggest competitions.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesUnited as a group
At the heart of that consistent success is a talented and continuous group of players representing clubs of the highest stature. This is not a group that has changed much over the years, with there still seven names in Gerhardsson’s squad today that were part of the team that won Olympic silver in 2016. That’s quite a big number from an event that took place nine years ago and requires a smaller squad of 18 players, as opposed to 23.
Looking at Gerhardsson’s first squad at a major tournament, at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, there are 13 names that remain today – a number that would have been 14, but for goalkeeper Zecira Musovic expecting her first child. It’s no wonder England boss Sarina Wiegman described Sweden as “a team that is really together”.
As well as Gerhardsson’s eight-year tenure adding further familiarity, it feels like another reason for that chemistry is the lack of superstars in the squad. While many members of the squad represent elite clubs, there’s no big egos to manage, no global icons, just a group of extremely talented players with plenty of experience who have rarely, if ever, made headlines for disharmony within the group or raised suspicions that such a thing might exist.
Getty ImagesLast dances
That it might be the last time for the bulk of this group to get their hands on a major title, too, contributes another element to their Euro 2025 campaign. Sweden have the oldest squad, by average age, at this tournament, with only four players under the age of 26 and nine in their 30s. Vice-captain Linda Sembrant is 38, skipper Kosovare Asllani is 35, as is forward Sofia Jakobsson. All three have silver and bronze medals to their names from the last few years but, with it not certain that they will be around at the World Cup in 2027, they’d love to add a gold to the collection in Switzerland.
That Gerhardsson will leave his role as head coach this summer only adds to it. When former Australia boss Tony Gustavsson takes over, there could well be a few imposed changes on this squad too, as well as players maybe deciding it’s time to call it a day on the international front. Whatever happens, the core group of players who have made up this squad over the best part of the last decade is sure to have shrunk by the time the next tournament comes around.
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Getty ImagesStarting with a bang
Fortunately, there is reason to believe this could really be Sweden’s year, regardless of who’s ‘last dance’ it turns out to be. Gerhardsson’s side were fantastic in the group stages, quietly going about their business with wins over Denmark and Poland before really sending a message to the rest of the tournament with a 4-1 thumping of Germany.
Jennifer Falk appears to be relishing the opportunity to be Sweden’s No.1 at a major tournament for the first time, while Nathalie Bjorn is leading the defence imperiously to form the team’s solid foundations; Filippa Angeldahl and Kosovare Asllani, two of the best midfielders on show at Euro 2025, have been excellent on both sides of the ball in an energetic engine room; and that has helped set the attack up to thrive, with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd flying, Fridolina Rolfo back from injury and Stina Blackstenius full of confidence after her Champions League-winning strike.
“I have a really good feeling,” Rytting Kaneryd said, and understandably so, after the win over Germany. “You can see it in the squad, something different this year.”
Amad Diallo has given Sunderland's £20.5m deal for Brighton winger Simon Adingra his seal of approval on social media.
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Amad had successful loan spell on Wearside
United star and Adingra teammates for Ivory Coast
Former Seagull sixth Sunderland signing of summer
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Manchester United winger left a short but sweet reply to Sunderland's tweet announcing the deal, simply posting 'Wow'. Amad spent a successful season on loan with Sunderland in 2022-23, and is an international teammate with fellow Ivorian Adingra.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The deal for the 22-year-old is understood to be worth £18.5m up front with £2m in add-ons. Adingra has signed a five-year contract with the Black Cats.
DID YOU KNOW?
He is the Wearside club's sixth permanent signing of the summer. Most notably, the Black Cats made Enzo Le Fee's loan deal permanent in a £20m deal with Club Brugge, while midfielder Habib Diarra joined for a club record fee of £30 from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
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WHAT NEXT FOR AMAD AND ADINGRA?
Maybe Amad will be less effusive about the deal once Sunderland line up against United on the 4th October. Most pundits are giving the Black Cats little hope of remaining in the Premier League, but if they can get their new signings to gel, they may be able to surprise incumbent Premier League sides in the rapidly approaching season.
حقق منتخب المغرب الفوز على نظيره أنجولا، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم الأحد ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية للمحليين 2025، بهدفين مقابل لا شئ.
والتقى منتخب المغرب مع نظيره أنجولا، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين “شان” 2025.
طالع.. كينيا تفتتح مشوارها في كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين بفوز تاريخي على الكونغو الديمقراطية
وافتتح عماد رياحي، أهداف المباراة لصالح أسود أطلس في الدقيقة التاسعة والعشرين من الشوط الأول، قبل أن يسجل جواكيم بالانجا الهدف الثاني بالخطأ في مرماه في الدقيقة 81.
ورفع منتخب المغرب رصيده إلى 3 نقاط في صدارة المجموعة، بينما تجمد رصيد أنجولا عند صفر في المركز الأخير.
ويقع المنتخبان في المجموعة الأولى والتي تضم كلا من الكونغو الديمقراطية وكينيا. أهداف مباراة المغرب وأنجولا في كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين