Zimbabwe shattered the record for the highest total in T20 cricket on Wednesday when they ran up 344 for 4 against Gambia in the men’s T20 World Cup Africa sub-regional qualifier tournament. Sikandar Raza spearheaded the effort with a century – Zimbabwe’s first one ever in the format – off just 33 balls. He eventually finished unbeaten on 133, with 15 sixes. His team-mates hit 12 more to set that record as well. Until now, Nepal had been the holders of the highest total (314) and the most sixes hit in an innings (26). Gambia in return were bundled out for 54 as Zimbabwe also posted the biggest-ever win (in terms of runs) in T20s.The Ruaraka Sports Club Ground in Nairobi witnessed history on Wednesday with Zimbabwe showing great intent right from the first ball they faced. They brought up fifty in 3.2 overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani brought his up quicker, in just 13 balls. The team hundred was up before the powerplay was done and from there on it was an exercise of how far they could send the ball into the stands. There were 57 boundaries in the innings overall – which is also a T20 record – with four Zimbabwe batters contributing fifty-plus scores – another record. Brian Bennett made 50 of 26 and Clive Mandande got to 53 off 17 by hitting the final ball of the innings for six.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Raza, though, was the star of the show. He came into bat at the end of the seventh over, after the fielding restrictions had been relaxed, but it made no difference. He struck the third ball he faced for six and went on a run-scoring spree that made him the owner of the second-fastest century in T20I cricket. His 33-ball effort equalled Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s, for Namibia against Nepal in February 2024.Related
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Gambia, which is the smallest country in continental Africa, located to the west, could do very little to stop the run flow. Musa Jorbateh conceded the most runs by a bowler in a T20, his four overs going for 93. He was one of five bowlers to go for over 50 runs or more in their spell. The team is still looking for its first win in the Africa sub-regional qualifier so far, having given walkovers to their opponents Rwanda and Seychelles in the first two games, while Zimbabwe have already picked up four from four.
Leeds United are back in the big time, and deservedly so, shaking off their Wembley heartbreak to secure the Championship title last time out – reaching 100 points in the process.
Another year in the second tier may suggest that Daniel Farke’s side are now better prepared to make the step up to the Premier League, although is that really the case?
The team that came so close in 2024 was blessed with the dazzling duo of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, for instance, the former having contributed 16 assists in total that season, while the latter man registered 21 goals for the Yorkshire side.
With both men having since flown the nest, question marks remain surrounding Farke’s current attacking crop. Indeed, Brenden Aaronson provided just four goal involvements during his previous Premier League stint, with Daniel James registering one fewer while on loan at Fulham during that 2022/23 campaign.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkebefore the match
Those prior woes don’t necessarily mean that Leeds’ attacking unit will flounder again next term, although it is evident that more firepower is needed before the window is out. As it is, reports appear to suggest that the Elland Road side are working to find a solution to that problem.
Latest on Leeds' search for a forward
The Whites have so far only bolstered their attacking ranks with the free transfer addition of Wolfsburg’s Lukas Nmecha, albeit with reports earlier this week outlining that contact had been made regarding a move for Juventus’ £12m utility man, Timothy Weah.
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Whether the United States international ends up at Elland Road remains to be seen, however, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano outlining that Ligue 1 side Marseille are also engaging in talks amid a potential move for the 25-year-old.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, French outlet Foot Mercato have noted that Leeds are among a quintet of clubs who are keen on signing Borussia Monchengladbach forward, Franck Honorat, with Farke and co said to be showing ‘strong interest’ in the Frenchman.
As per the report, the likes of Nice and Freiburg are also keeping a close eye on the 28-year-old, while both Valencia and Stade Rennais are also said to have entered the frame, with Honorat previously lining up for Brest in Ligue 1.
Valued at £11m by Football Transfers, the experienced talent has spent the last two seasons in Germany, although a fresh start could be on the horizon. Might it be worth Leeds taking a punt?
Why Honorat could be Farke's new Rutter
The signing of an exciting and versatile French talent from the Bundesliga – ring any bells?
Of course, Leeds forked out a club-record fee of £35.5m to prise the aforementioned Rutter from Hoffenheim in January 2023, with the former France U21 international shaking off a quiet first six months in Yorkshire to emerge as a real shining light under Farke’s watch.
In all, the 23-year-old registered 26 goals and assists in just 66 games prior to his £40m switch to Brighton last summer, having been the creative hub in the side in 2023/24, having created 22 ‘big chances’ in total in the second tier.
While at 28, Honorat isn’t exactly a ‘prospect’, he has been described as “one to watch” this summer by journalist Santi Aouna, having showcased his own creative flair for Gladbach in recent seasons.
Indeed, in just 56 games for the German side, the in-demand forward – who, like Rutter, can operate centrally or on the flanks – has already registered 22 assists, alongside chipping in with ten goals, having been a revelation since his 2023 switch from France.
Honorat’s Bundesliga record – 23/24 and 24/25
Stat (*per game)
23/24
24/25
Games (starts)
32 (28)
19 (18)
Goals
3
4
Assists
9
7
Big chances created
19
12
Key passes*
2.8
2.7
Pass accuracy*
74%
76%
Successful dribbles*
0.7
0.6
Total duels won*
2.4
2.3
Possession lost*
15.1
13.3
Stats via Sofascore
As for last term, in particular, Honorat notably provided seven assists and created 12 ‘big chances’ in the Bundesliga, having boasted a stellar average of 2.7 key passes per game from his 19 appearances. For comparison, Rutter averaged 1.9 in that regard during 2023/24.
Had it not been for injury, the Gladbach man could well have even improved upon that return of goal involvements, albeit while still standing out as an exceptional ball carrier, after ranking in the top 15% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga for progressive carries per 90.
That is a trait that is no doubt shared with his compatriot, with Rutter’s dribbling prowess evidenced by the fact that he ranked in the top 4% of his peers for successful take-ons per 90 in 2023/24.
Like Rutter, Honorat may not exactly be a household name at present, but he could prove to be Farke’s next playmaking magician at Elland Road, if a deal can be struck.
Yes, competition for his signature is fierce, but that can only be a good sign…
Better signing than Krstovic: Leeds considering bid for £21m striker
Leeds are considering a move for a star who would be even better than Nikola Krstovic.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta could now look to hijack Liverpool’s move for a “world-class” star, who is valued at £85m, according to a report.
Gary Neville urges Arteta to sign new striker
Teams have been successful without out-and-out strikers in the past, with Gary Neville highlighting Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City pre-Erling Haaland as examples, but the Sky Sports pundit has urged Mikel Arteta to sign a new centre-forward this summer.
Neville said: “To not have a recognised striker in the squad: Kai Havertz is half a striker, Gabriel Jesus is half a striker – they can play there. But they do need one or two other forwards who can really be people who can play and lead that line.”
It certainly appears as though Arteta plans to finally pull the trigger on a new striker, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres among the most talked-about potential targets, fresh off the back of impressive campaigns.
Player
Benjamin Sesko
Viktor Gyokeres
League appearances
33
33
Goals
13
39
However, according to a report from BILD (via Sport Witness), Berta is now considering alternative options, given that progress is slow, and a Liverpool target has now entered the frame.
The striker in question is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with the report stating Berta could now look to hijack their Premier League rivals’ deal for the 23-year-old, but a deal is likely to be on the expensive side.
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The German club are thought to be holding out for a fee of £85m, which means a deal for the Frenchman would be more costly than Sesko or Gyokeres. Consequently, the former Paris Saint-Germain man is unlikely to be viewed as a priority target.
"World-class" Ekitike could be ideal Sesko alternative
It has previously been revealed that Sesko is Arteta’s preferred striker target, but there are signs that Ekitike could be an ideal alternative option, given the level of his performances in the Bundesliga last season.
The 23-year-old outperformed the Slovenian in front of goal, finding the back of the net 15 times, while also registering eight assists, leading to him being dubbed as “world-class” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The Frankfurt star is also just one year older than Sesko, meaning he could be a long-term solution for Arsenal in attack, while Gyokeres is considerably older than the Bundesliga duo, having recently turned 27.
The only thing that may deter Arsenal from making a move is Ekitike’s huge price tag, with a fee of £85m far too high for a striker yet to prove himself at the top level over a consistent period, but he could be a solid signing if Frankfurt lower their demands.
Matthew Breetzke 94 in vain as home side get home in shortened chase
ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2024Derbyshire 123 for 3 (Donald 68) beat Northamptonshire 193 for 8 (Breetzke 94, Dupavillon 3-43) by 24 runs (DLS method) A brilliant innings from Aneurin Donald gave Derbyshire Falcons a 24 run win over Northants Steelbacks under Duckworth Lewis Stern in the North Group match at Derby.Donald smashed eight sixes in a 26-ball 68, equalling his own record for Derbyshire’s fastest T20 fifty, to put Falcons ahead of the run rate on 123 for 3 after 11 overs when a violent thunderstorm ended the game.Matthew Breetzke batted superbly to score a T20 best 94 from 54 balls, sharing a stand of 81 with Sikandar Raza, as Steelbacks reached 193 for 8.Rain left Falcons with a revised target of 187 from 19 overs but Donald’s demolition shredded the bowling before David Lloyd (33), and Cam Fletcher kept the home side ahead of the game before the heavens opened.Steelbacks scored only six from the first two overs which included a maiden from Daryn Dupavillon before Breetzke took three fours from Pat Brown.Ricardo Vasconcelos was dropped at cover by Samit Patel off Brown but it did not prove costly as the opener was comprehensively yorked in the fourth over by DuPavillion.Breetzke was finding his range and pulled Zak Chappell into the car park before David Willey dished out the same treatment to Dupavillon. But Dupavillon had the last word by getting Willey to miscue a drive low to mid-off as Steelbacks ended the powerplay on 55 for 2.After a brief stoppage for a sharp shower, Breetzke and Ravi Bopara worked the ball around without taking risks and had put on 48 from 36 balls when Falcons made a big breakthrough.Bopara tried to launch Mitch Wagstaff over the midwicket boundary only for Ross Whiteley to take a well judged catch just inside the ropes.But Breetzke and Raza trod on the accelerator to plunder 79 in five overs as the ball disappeared to all parts. After Breetzke reached 50 from 36 balls, he pulled Brown for six and dispatched Ross Whiteley for another maximum before Raza launched Chappell over the ropes.Breetzke passed his previous highest T20 score of 80 by taking three consecutive fours off Dupavillon before a yorker ended a thrilling innings.Brown and Chappell dragged it back by conceding only 11 from the last two overs in which Steelbacks lost four wickets trying to push towards 200.Falcons needed a fast start and Donald delivered, driving Willey straight for six and pulling and driving Ben Sanderson for two more as they raced to 50 in the fifth over.Donald pulled Raphy Weatherall into the home dugout and smashed a Saif Zaib full toss for six before he launched a no-ball over deep midwicket to reach 50 from 19 balls.He hammered two more off Freddie Heldreich before holing out to long-off in the seventh over but he had done exactly what the situation demanded.Bopara had Wayne Madsen caught behind and Patel was caught at deep square but the Falcons had done enough by the time torrential rain ended the contest.
Looking to ensure that their wait for silverware is far less than the years before winning this season’s FA Cup, Crystal Palace are now reportedly intensifying talks to sign an 18-year-old prospect who is already making waves.
Crystal Palace set to celebrate FA Cup in style
After upsetting the odds to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, Crystal Palace have confirmed that they will be enjoying an open-top bus parade through south London this Monday.
The Eagles released a message to the fans to reveal the celebrations that are planned, saying on the official club website: “It’s the day you’ve long been waiting for: Palace’s open-top bus parade will transport your FA Cup winning heroes, and the historic trophy itself, down the SE25 streets starting at the top of Whitehorse Lane from 12:45.
“The parade route will see the bus start at the top of Whitehorse Lane, turning into Park Road and then down Holmesdale Road; this is expected to last approximately 45 minutes. Be there to bring the noise, and celebrate with Oliver Glasner’s outstanding Eagles as they show off our legendary prize.”
Crystal Palace's Joel Ward and MarcGuehicelebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
For many, they will deem Palace’s victory a once-in-a-lifetime moment, but Steve Parish and the rest of those at Selhurst Park will be desperate to make sure that such celebrations become more than just a rarity. And Glasner will be a big part of that.
The job that the Austrian has completed in south London deserves immense praise, but he may just be getting started. Crystal Palace are now a Europa League club and have the chance to create more moments of history with Glasner at the helm.
With European football to offer too, Palace could beat Premier League rivals Fulham to the arrival of an impressive 18-year-old midfielder this summer.
Crystal Palace intensify talks to sign Bongeli
According to Africa Foot, as relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace are now set to intensify talks to sign Faveurdi Bongeli from TP Mazembe this summer. The 18-year-old midfielder is reportedly already making waves and has attracted the interest of the Eagles alongside Fulham and German Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach.
With plenty of competition for his signature, it’s no surprise that Palace have seemingly stepped up their efforts to win the race for Bongeli’s signature. Though still a teenager, the Palace target has already been making his mark on senior football, starting three of Mazembe’s five CAF Champions League games and winning once.
Crystal Palace jostling to sign "complete" midfielder in deal worth £30m
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Despite that, it must be said that he still has a long way to go before he is capable of breaking into Glasner’s Palace midfield. Whether those in south London will be willing to take a chance on an unproven young player remains to be seen, in what could be a frustrating blow for Bongeli.
A player with plenty of potential, even despite his lack of experience, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Palace decide to give rivals a free run at a young star. Bongeli, meanwhile, could have the most important decision of his career to make in the coming months.
Manchester United could now be offered the chance to sign a “strong” Juventus star in exchange for selling striker Rasmus Hojlund, according to a recent report.
Amorim determined to keep key man at United
United are all set to play the second leg of their Europa League semi-final tie against Athletic Bilbao, knowing they are in a very good position to seal their place in the final. Leading up to United’s biggest game of the season, there has been talk about Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal wanting to sign talisman and captain Bruno Fernandes.
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Al-Hilal are said to be prepared to pay a British record transfer fee and also pay the Portugal international more than £1 million a week to get him out of Old Trafford. However, that may not be an easy task for the Saudi team, as Ruben Amorim has once again confirmed that he wants Bruno to stay at the club, as he is “one of the top players in the world”.
Amorim said in his pre-match Bilbao press conference: “Our idea didn’t change. We want to keep the best players – and Bruno is clearly one of the top players in the world. We want Bruno here.
“It is easy to understand [his importance] – not just because of the numbers but the way he plays and the importance he has during his five years here.
“It’s normal; a lot of clubs want a player like Bruno. He is a leader, and he’s the captain, so he’s really important. He is a top player; we need top players.”
Man Utd could be offered £135k-p/w star in exchange for Hojlund
While Amorim makes it clear he wants Fernandes to stay, he may be open to the idea of letting other players leave, in particular Hojlund, and the Red Devils could now be offered an intriguing player swap. According to Tuttosport, Juventus could be prepared to offer Douglas Luiz to Man United in exchange for Hojlund.
The report states that the Serie A giants are leading the race to sign Hojlund this summer and have taken steps to move towards a deal. There is talk that Dušan Vlahović, who Juventus are open to selling this summer, could be a part of a deal for Hojlund, but it also mentions that Luiz is an ‘important card to play’ in the negotiations for the United striker.
Luiz, who has been dubbed “strong” by Aston Villa sporting director Monchi, only joined Juve in the summer but has struggled to nail down a regular starting spot, featuring in just 17 Serie A games and mostly from the bench. Despite being under contract until 2029, Juventus may look to use Luiz in a deal for Hojlund to bring United’s price down.
Apps
17
Starts
3
Minutes per game
30
Touches per game
29.4
Passes per game (accuracy)
21.2 (90%)
Key passes per game
0.9
Tackles per game
0.7
Balls recovered per game
1.7
Hojlund, who earns £85,000 a week at Old Trafford, has struggled in front of goal all season for United, and it could be that the Red Devils do move him on, so it allows them to bring in a suitable replacement. However, it is unclear if the Premier League side would be interested in doing a deal which sees them sign a new midfielder in Luiz, who earns a staggering £135,000 a week at Juventus despite barely making an impact. If there is going to be a player swap, United may want a striker for a striker instead of a new midfielder.
Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly in talks with Napoli ahead of a January exit from Manchester United.
Across his last four games, manager Ruben Amorim has won 10 points from an available 12, stringing together a run of three wins and a draw. The former Sporting boss has seemingly, after over a year in charge, found some consistency in his first team.
This could prove crucial for Amorim, who has found himself under varying amounts of pressure since moving from Sporting to Old Trafford in November 2024. In becoming more sure of his first team, though, the Portuguese has limited the minutes of Kobbie Mainoo.
A product of the club’s prestigious youth academy, Mainoo has played just 138 minutes in seven Premier League appearances this season. As a result, rumours have started to circulate about his future and now, reports in Italy have suggested that a move to Serie A could be on the cards.
Amorim wants Mainoo to stay amid Serie A talks
As per Football Italia, Napoli have “been in contact with the agent” of Kobbie Mainoo and that “interest in a loan deal is mutual” between the player and club. Reportedly, the defending Serie A champions are looking for midfield depth following an injury suffered by Kevin De Bruyne.
Depth is made all the more imperative given that Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa will be absent during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations and Napoli have retained the interest that they seemed to have in Mainoo back in the summer transfer window.
Despite keen interest from Antonio Conte’s side, it would seem that Amorim hopes that Mainoo remains in Manchester, though it has also been reported that a move to Italy is “more likely” and something that has reached the “advanced talks” stage of negotiation.
Though Amorim may want Mainoo to stay, it is understandable as to why the midfielder wants more first-team football, especially with a World Cup coming up next year. With Napoli’s current absentees, Mainoo would certainly receive minutes at the club.
Not only that, but Napoli’s status as a Champions League club may only make the move more alluring to Mainoo. It remains to be seen, though, whether the England international departs in the next transfer window.
Exciting update on young Man Utd defender's first team chances
Adam Wharton's agent has admitted the Crystal Palace star wants to play in the Champions League one day amid links with a big-money move. Manchester United are among the teams who have been credited with interest in the 21-year-old but for now, he remains an Eagles player. But his representative, James Featherstone, has hinted the midfielder's future lies away from Selhurst Park.
Palace to 'dig heels in' over Wharton
After an impressive 18 months or so at Palace, Wharton has been linked with eye-catching transfer moves in 2026. The former Blackburn Rovers star is very highly rated at the Croydon outfit and if they are to part company with a player who has three-and-a-half years left on his contract, it will be for a huge fee. Palace co-owner Steve Parish is well aware that his club, who are playing in the Conference League this term, have an in-demand player but they will do all they can to keep him.
He said in October: "Look, I think Adam at some point will want to play, either in the Champions League with us, if we could make that happen, or probably with another club. He’s an extraordinary talent. I think right now, and I can’t speak for Adam, but I think he’s focused on his time at Crystal Palace. He had a broken season last season with the groin issues that he had, which a lot of young players get. This season he’s completely focused on putting the games in, getting in the England squad, being a regular for us. I think he’s very committed to the club. I mean, if Manchester United want Adam Wharton, that’s nothing surprising really. The fact of the matter is he’s got a long contract to run. There’s no pressure on us to do it and I don’t think there’s any real pressure from the player either."
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Wharton downplays Man Utd links
Although United, one of the world's biggest clubs, are said to be keen on Wharton, he himself does not seem to be too enamoured with Ruben Amorim's team – who are not in Europe this season and are below Palace in the Premier League table.
Indeed, he said last month: "I don't really look into it or think too much about it. There are always rumours floating about on social media. Is it true? Is it not? You tell me. My friends, my family, my brothers, everyone will message me and be like, 'Is it true this club's interested?' I'm like, 'Thanks for telling me because I didn't know.' I don't know who's spreading it or who at United is looking at it. I see it and I'm like, 'OK', and then I carry on with my day. United, the big teams, they're all linked to 10, 20 different players. If I'm one of 20, then it's nothing special, so it doesn't really mean too much. I speak with my agent about planning ahead and possibilities. But at the end of the day, it is who's interested and who's willing to try and get you and if that becomes the case? You can speak about it, but you've got to represent that on the pitch and prove that you deserve it."
Wharton on the move?
After achieving his goals of playing in the Premier League and becoming an England international, Wharton has his sights set on his next goal – the Champions League. According to his agent Featherstone, the midfielder is craving Europe's elite competition next.
"When he was at Blackburn we sat down and spoke about shooting for the stars and playing for England," his agent told . "So how do you get there? Personally I think to play for England you have to play Champions League, to play in the Champions League you have got to play for one of the top teams in one of the top leagues. That jump to a Champions League team, I think you can get lost. The plan below that was to play for a Premier League team. We have got a plan. He is 21. I have to check myself to remember that every now and then. It doesn’t have to be achieved yesterday, today or this moment. He has got his in-game, in-season targets and goals. He has got to do his bit and the rest will look after itself in a very structured, calm way to ultimately add value and maximise his ability."
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What comes next for Wharton?
The England ace will hope to help his Palace side, who sit sixth in the Premier League, to all three points when they visit London neighbours Fulham in the English top-flight on Sunday afternoon. If results go their way, they could rise to fourth in the table, whereas the Cottagers could jump two places to 13th with a win.
In a format that isn’t their top priority right now, they showed enough and more evidence that they can go toe to toe with the very best
Firdose Moonda30-Nov-2025Well, that was fun.South Africa, at 11 for 3 in the fifth over, should never have been in with a chance of chasing 350. But Matthew Breetzke, who has the joint-most fifties (six) in his first 10 ODIs and Marco Jansen, who is enjoying the tour of his life, with bat more than ball, kept them in the contest. Still, South Africa, after losing Breetzke and Jansen in the same Kuldeep Yadav over and who were at 228 for 7 in the 34th, should not have come within three hits of the second-highest successful chase against India.That they did will remind them of two things: they are building the muscle memory of not knowing when they are beaten and that coach Shukri Conrad’s partiality to allrounders is proving to be a good policy, especially in the lower order. That they didn’t finish the job won’t bother them too much, not because South Africa aren’t interested in a slice of history but because of cricket’s three formats, ODIs are the lowest on South Africa’s priority list right now.They have just come off an intense and successful start to the World Test Championship title defence in Pakistan and India and there is a T20 World Cup less than three months away. The Tests were crucial to underlining their credentials and the five T20Is that follow in December will be vital to their preparation for the tournament. ODIs are just ODIs for now.Related
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These matches will be chalked up as experiments on the road to the home World Cup in 2027, which is important to them but too far away to be too important right now. So while losing is not ideal, and Conrad’s predecessor Rob Walter came under pressure for a poor bilateral record albeit in similar circumstances, South Africa will see this series as a process of information-gathering and already they have some good stuff.Chiefly, that in Jansen they not only have a destructive new-ball bowler but also a confident lower middle-order batter. Those words have been chosen carefully. Jansen is a proper batter, not just a finisher and he has shown that over the last week. After his career-best 93 in the Guwahati Test, Jansen followed up with a 39-ball 70 in this match which included the fastest fifty for a South African in India in men’s ODIs, off 26 balls.After he timed a drive off a Harshit Rana yorker gone slightly wrong, Jansen brought out his full range of sweeps: conventional, reverse and slog off four balls from Kuldeep and then iced the cake with his range hitting down the ground. Exactly half of his runs were scored in the ‘v’ and he only scored five runs behind square demonstrating his traditional strength. The 97-run sixth-wicket stand he shared with Breetzke came at a run rate of 8.43, and set South Africa up to push for the win.Then it was over to Corbin Bosch to try and get them there. With a Test hundred to his name, Bosch has the ability and he has now also shown it in white-ball cricket. He is particularly strong against the short ball and on the cut and marshalled the tail well to give himself maximum opportunity to pull off something amazing. No one will blame him for South Africa falling short with Aiden Markram laying the blame on the top three’s inability to deal with the swinging ball and who “have to come up with a solution in the next game.”Whether all three will or should play the next game is a question that forms part of a wider discussion over how South Africa have stacked their squad. Even without Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out of this match through illness, South Africa’s top five includes four batters – Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and Breetzke – who have all opened more in List A cricket than they have batted anywhere else. The fifth, Markram, is not a regular opener but is playing in that position and South Africa need to relook at the combination.Marco Jansen struck several meaty blows•Associated PressSpecifically, they have to get de Kock in the top two, because that is where he is at his best. De Kock has opened the batting in 175 out of the 200 List A matches he has played and has scored all 22 of his ODI centuries as an opener. Who should he displace? Markram, who must move down to No. 4 for the same reason de Kock must be promoted. In 84 ODIs, Markram has batted 43 times at No. 4, averages 42.91 and has all three of his centuries in that position. He has opened the batting 24 times, including at the start of his career (which proved a mistake), with an average in the 30s and four fifties. Conrad’s rationale behind promoting Markram, at least in T20Is, is that it allows for bigger hitters in the middle order. The same does not need to apply to ODIs.It may also be that there is a hesitance to have two left-hand batters in the top two – and all of de Kock, Rickelton and de Zorzi are left-handed – so de Kock should open with Bavuma, with one of Rickelton or de Zorzi at No. 3, Markram at No. 4 and Breetzke at No. 5. On form, de Zorzi gets in ahead of Rickelton at this stage.That’s unfortunate for Rickelton, who has also been dropped from the T20 squad following de Kock’s return, but with no half-centuries since his century against Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy in February, it is probably the right call. It would also mean South Africa have their Dewald Brevis and Jansen at Nos. 6 and 7 respectively, which seems to be the right spot for both of them. With Bosch, Nandre Burger and the return of Keshav Maharaj and eventually Kagiso Rabada (out of the series with a rib niggle), South Africa have the makings of their strongest XI.Ultimately, that’s what they’re using these matches to try and find. If they’re able to produce some entertaining cricket along the way – and bag some wins – that’s a bonus they’ll gladly accept.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is under “serious” pressure as a result of his comments following the 4-1 defeat against Arsenal in the North London derby.
Tottenham were the underdogs heading to the Emirates Stadium, and a defeat was always going to be the most likely outcome, but Frank was left unhappy with the overall performance, so much so that he issued an apology to fans after the match.
The Dane said: “Very difficult afternoon. Bad performance. It’s extremely painful to stand here after that game. We can only apologise to the fans for not performing better. I was very confident we could be competitive today. We weren’t.”
The 52-year-old also tried to put things into perspective by reminding fans that Spurs are still a work in progress, having amassed just 38 points in the Premier League during the 2024-25 campaign.
However, it would be fair to say those comments haven’t gone down too well, with an insider now claiming the manager is playing a risky game by speaking out like that in the press…
Frank under serious pressure after post-Arsenal comments
Football Insider’s well-connected Mick Brown told the outlet: “At some stage, he has got to take some accountability and he can’t keep avoiding the issues and pushing the blame on to what happened last season. That’s happened now, it’s done, and the focus should be on what they’re doing now.”
Brown also added: “The thing is, that’s only going to add to the pressure on him, and he won’t want to alienate the fans because when that happens things can only get worse.
“Obviously, after a game like that, serious questions are going to be asked but I still think there’s time for him to turn things around, he just needs to focus on the here and now.”
As Spurs are currently sitting just three points off the top four, Frank should be given more time to put things right, but things undoubtedly have to improve, off the back of what Jamie O’Hara branded a “disgusting” defeat.
It was not the first time the north Londoners have seriously struggled to create chances this season either, recording an xG of just 0.05, the fourth-lowest since records began in the Premier League, against Chelsea earlier this month.
After the trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Tottenham will be looking to pick up just their second home league win of the season against Fulham on Saturday, with Frank hopefully implementing a much more expansive style of play.
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