Reached the total at a canter

West Indies opener Shai Hope blasted an unbeaten 42 off 24 balls while Nicholas Pooran clubbed 35 off just 13 deliveries to lay the foundation for the hosts’ victory at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

After the Proteas scored 108/4 off 13 overs, West Indies were left with a victory target of 116 under the Duckworth Lewis method.

The Caribbean side reached that total at a canter, finishing on 116/2 with 22 balls remaining.

A whopping 82 runs from the West Indies total came from boundaries, with nine sixes and seven fours.

Romario Shepherd was the man-of-the-match for West Indies after a tidy bowling spell that saw him finish with figures of 2-14 off two overs as South Africa’s innings stalled.

Sweet win for the West Indies squad

The victory was sweet for a West Indies squad who were eliminated from the T20 World Cup by the South Africans in June.

“To come and clean sweep the team which knocked us out of the World Cup was great,” Shepherd said.

West Indies skipper Roston Chase added: “We wanted to win the series 3-0. In a shortened game we want guys to go and play their natural game. The guys came out and played brilliantly.”

South Africa captain Aiden Markram, who chipped in with 20 off 12 balls in the Proteas’ total, said his team had room for improvement.

“Tough one today,” Markram said.

“Probably got the tougher of the conditions. That being said, we can improve as a team. It’s going to take a little bit of time; there’s a bit we can take from it but it’s never great to lose.”

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The Proteas went into the series without many of their top stars includin David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kagiso Rabada and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Proteas focused on learning

They suffered successive losses to open the series rendering the third match, taking place on Tuesday, a dead rubber.

Hendricks believes that it is important to learn lessons from the defeats and grow as a team.

“It’s great exposure for them in international cricket, with a few players getting opportunities,” Hendricks said.

“Now they can see what international cricket is about and some of them have put their hands up and contributed, so there are a lot of positives for those guys.

“From here they can only go from strength to strength and take the learnings from this series going forward.”

Losing their way

After a second loss at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium in Tarouba, skipper Aiden Markram said that his team will always show guts and a never-say-die attitude.

Markram was happy with the start provided by Hendricks and Ryan Rickleton but felt that the team lost their way in the middle overs.

“Somewhere in the middle overs [the balance shifted]. We did well in the powerplay, which is really nice to see compared to the other evening. [Williams] has been around for a while; proper competitor. It’s tough to put a finger on the learnings right now. One thing guaranteed with us is a never-say-die attitude.”

What’s next for the Proteas?

The Proteas round off their engagements in the Caribbean with the third T20I against the West Indies on Tuesday evening.

Following this series, the Proteas will head home before repairing to the UAE for a pair of white-ball series.

The Proteas will face Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series played in Sharjah between 18 and 22 September.

They will then face Ireland in two T20Is and three ODIs which will all be staged in Abu Dhabi.

The home summer begins with a World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka which gets underway on 27 November at Kingsmead in Durban.

Are efforts to build depth working for the Proteas?

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The cities of Dubai and Sharjah will host the ninth edition of the tournament that promises to inspire a new generation of fans across the globe.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Fixtures

The decision to move the tournament from Bangladesh to the UAE was taken by the ICC Board in the recent meeting held on August 20.

Ten teams will play 23 matches, over 18 action-packed days, at two venues in the UAE, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, as the world’s best battle it out for the ultimate prize in T20 cricket.

Group A includes six-time champions Australia, along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, and Scotland. Each team will also compete in four group matches, scheduled across the two venues. Both venues furthermore will have the added excitement of hosting three double-header matchdays each.

Bangladesh will take on Scotland in the opening game of the event in Sharjah with that game followed by Pakistan taking on Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka.

The 2023 runners up, South Africa, will play West Indies in their opening match of the T20 World Cup on 4 October in Dubai.

Defending champions and the most successful team in T20 World Cup history, Australia, will start their campaign on 5 October in Sharjah against Sri Lanka, while the highly anticipated fixture between India and Pakistan will take place in Dubai on 6 October.

Tournament format

The top two teams from each Group will play the second placed team from the opposite Group. Semi-final 1 will be held in Dubai on 17 October and Semi-final 2 in Sharjah on 18 October. If India advances to the Semi-finals, they will play in Semi-final 1.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup champions will be crowned at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 20 October.

Scotland and Sri Lanka qualified for the event via the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier that was staged in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.

Firstly, kicking off the excitement will be 10 warm-up matches from 28 September to 1 October, all taking place at the Sevens Stadium and the ICC Academy grounds in Dubai.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will maintain its hosting rights while partnering with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to ensure the successful delivery of the event.

Can the Proteas win the Women’s T20 World Cup?

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West Indies made 179 for six but the South Africans were well on their way to victory, reaching 129/3 with more than six overs remaining.

Day to remember for West Indies’ seamers

The Proteas then proceeded to lose their last seven wickets for just 20 runs in 35 balls, finally ending up bowled out for 149.

Reeza Hendricks made 44 off 18 balls in a positive start to the run chase, but it was a day to remember for West Indies’ seamers at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium.

Romario Shepherd took 3-15 from his four overs, claiming the key wickets of Hendricks and skipper Aiden Markram (19).

Fellow pacer Shamar Joseph took 3-31 as he did the damage to the lower order.

Shai Hope had set the home side on their way to a good total with his 41 from 22 balls while skipper Rovman Powell’s 35 and Sherfane Rutherford’s 29 saw them through the final overs.

Youthful team

Powell was pleased with the way his team had turned the game around after the strong start from the tourists.

“We put the pressure after the powerplay. Wickets would bring us back in the game. T20 cricket can change very fast,” he said.

Markram said his experimental and youthful team would learn from the loss and seek to put it right in Tuesday’s final game.

“It’s tough to put a finger on the learnings right now but one thing guaranteed with us is a never-say-die attitude,” he said.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Smith says that the ultimate format is close to his heart having led the Proteas to No 1 in the world in Test cricket.

He also captained South Africa in over 100 Tests and knows what it takes to be a success.

Test cricket needs to be protected

Firstly, Smith wants to see the Proteas performing well in Test cricket and keeping pace with the world powers.

“Test cricket is crucially important to me and my past career, having captained over 100 Tests and been No. 1 in the world. The legacy of seeing player going on to do well in Tests for South Africa is hugely important to me,” Smith told Betway.

Smith feels that the format will get harder for nations outside of England, India and Australia who have made big efforts to keep Test cricket at the heart of their game.

“It’s not only South Africa. For all countries outside of England, India and Australia, Test cricket is going to get harder and harder to facilitate with schedules, expenses and the way the money flows. The governing bodies need to think about how they protect six or seven nations in the Test group, because if it’s competitive, people will always want to watch. It’s an incredible format that keeps you enthralled for a number of days,” Smith added.

What we can control

Smith adds that building red-ball depth is something that South African cricket can control.

“You have got to think about what you can control.

“We aren’t involved in the decision making on Test cricket, but we can keep South African cricket strong by making sure there are 50 or 60 great cricketers that they can select from to keep the national team competitive in white ball and Test cricket,” Smith added.

West Indies a window into future of Test cricket

Smith feels that the West Indies provide a window into the future of the game especially when it comes to Tests.

“I think free agency in the West Indies is way ahead of everybody else,” Smith continued.

“With the nature of cricket in that country, a lot of players have been free agents, been attracted by the T20 opportunities, and outside of England, India and Australia it potentially highlights what your future may look like.

“What you get is you get a lot of young, energetic players playing Test cricket but the quality and the experience is not there to compete.

“Test cricket is the ultimate test of your mental and physical skills. There’s nowhere to hide.

“If you can’t play the short ball, you’re going to get exposed.

He also said: “It’s less entertainment, more a test of all your capabilities. Ultimately the challenge for the world game is to establish what that future looks like.”

Can Test cricket be preserved?

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Smith found bowlers, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj particularly impressive.

Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj star for Proteas

He feels the two experienced bowlers are pillars of this team.

“The highlight of South Africa’s Test series win over the West Indies was seeing two experienced campaigners perform well in Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj,” Smith told Betway.

“I think those two are key pillars for this team. The batting is currently the nervous point for South Africa, and it wasn’t flashy but there were enough positives in there to see progression from the batters. South Africa aren’t playing a lot of Test cricket, but it’s important that they keep building on the positive story after a really successful T20 World Cup.”

Learning from the Springboks

Smith believes that the Proteas can take a leaf out of the Springboks book when it comes to developing depth.

“There’s so much cricket that’s being played now, so I think it was a good decision for South Africa to rest a couple of players.

“With the amount of cricket being played, the players don’t have periods where they work on their body, their mind and their techniques. South African cricket took a decision over players like Marco Jansen where they decided he needed a block to get fitter, stronger, and to work on a few technical things in a bit of a training period.

“It’s a huge lesson learned from the Springboks. They’ve developed a huge talent base, and obviously they’ve got quality coming through.

“Rassie Erasmus’ unique ability is that he doesn’t always play the best team every week – he’s developed incredible squad depth where anyone can come in and produce at a certain level.

“That’s where Betway SA20 comes in, as well. We said from the start, if we can put 60 to 70 players on the global stage instead of only 12 to 15, you suddenly start to have a talent pool that challenges every week.

“From a coach’s perspective, they will have learned valuable lessons about the next tier of players and for the bigger series coming up, it’s important to have that knowledge.

“Although the West Indies aren’t seen as the strongest Test team in the world, any time you travel to someone else’s environment, it’s about adapting to a different style of cricket and winning away from home.

“That comes with elements of resilience, planning and ability to perform in someone else’s backyard. It was exciting to get another positive story and win.”

Are the Proteas on the right track?

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After being named captain of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, Amla kicked off the 2004–2005 South African domestic season by scoring four centuries in his first eight innings. His success at the domestic level paved the way for his selection to the Proteas at the age of 21, making him the first South African of Indian descent to represent the country in international cricket.

Hashim Amla is now a batting coach

Amla made his debut at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2004, but faced initial struggles, drawing criticism for his technique.

The former batter scored just 36 runs in the 2004 series against England. However, following dedicated work with the Dolphins, he silenced his critics in 2006 with a remarkable comeback, scoring 149 against New Zealand at Newlands, Cape Town, helping South Africa secure a match-saving draw.

Hashim Amla’s success earned him a national contract, and he became a mainstay in the Proteas’ Test batting lineup.

During the Proteas’ tour of England, the Durban-born ex-cricketer achieved the highest-ever Test score by a South African, notching the country’s first triple century with an unbeaten 311. He scored the triple century at The Oval in 2012, leading the Proteas to a resounding victory over England.

In August 2019, Amla announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket. Subsequently, in 2020, he retired from all forms of cricket and transitioned into coaching.

In 2023, Hashim Amla was appointed as the batting coach of the DP World Lions. The 41-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Gauteng franchise and will work with his former coach Russell Domingo.

Should Amla become the Proteas’ batting coach in the future?

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Meanwhile off-spinner Dane Piedt is up nine places to 66th after claiming two West Indies wickets in the second innings of the match.

Proteas and Windies bowlers make gains

Fast bowler Jayden Seales of the West Indies has moved up to a career-best 13th position in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings after finishing as the most successful bowler.

Seales, who finished with nine wickets in a 40-run loss that helped South Africa win the ICC World Test Championship series 1-0, has moved up 13 places to become the top-ranked Test bowler from the West Indies.

Spinners Jomel Warrican (52nd) and Gudakesh Motie (64th) have advanced two spots each while fast bowler Shamar Joseph has progressed 11 spots to 54th in other significant movements for the West Indies players in the bowling rankings.

Batters inch up the ICC Rankings

In the Test batting rankings, Proteas opener Aiden Markram and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne have gained after notching half-centuries in the second innings. Markram inched up two places to 21st while Verreynne has progressed from 62nd to 46th.

Former West Indies captain Jason Holder is up seven places to 60th position in the batting rankings following his knock of 54 not out in the first innings. He is also up two places to fifth in the list of all-rounders.

In the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, Scott Edwards of the Netherlands has moved up six places to 26th position after scores of 72 versus Canada and 65 versus the USA in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.

Aaron Jones of the USA (up 11 places to 56th) and Vikramjit Singh of the Netherlands (up nine places to 79th) are others to move up the batting rankings while Aryan Dutt of the Netherlands is up five places to 33rd.

In the ICC World Test Championship, South Africa are in fifth position with 38.89 percentage points after six matches while the West Indies are last in the nine-team championship with 18.52 after nine.

India lead the table with 68.52 percentage points after nine matches and Australia in second place with 62.50 after 12 outings. New Zealand and Sri Lanka are the other teams ahead of South Africa.

Are the ICC Rankings an accurate reflection of form?

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Thorpe, widely regarded as the outstanding England batsman of his generation, died aged 55 earlier this month after being hit by a train, with his wife Amanda confirming he had taken his own life having suffered from depression for several years.

Graham Thorpe was an England assistant coach

Before the first of a three-match series gets underway, the giant screens at Old Trafford will show a series of videos recalling Thorpe’s career.

There will also be a minute’s applause, with England wearing black armbands in Thorpe’s memory for the duration of the Test.

It will be the first time the side have publicly honoured Thorpe, who later became an England assistant coach, since his death sent shockwaves throughout the world of cricket.

For Pope, who has followed in Thorpe’s footsteps at both Surrey and England, and will be captaining his country for the first time in the absence of the injured Ben Stokes, it promises to be a particularly poignant occasion.

“We’ll have our black armbands on throughout the course of the game and there’ll be a tribute to him before the game,” he said during a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“It’s hurt a lot of people in that changing room. He was a great man. I probably had two or three years playing with him as a batting coach and, as a person, I really admired him.”

Loved

The 26-year-old Pope added: “I always remember him saying one thing to me which was, ‘Never let the runs you’re scoring define you as a person’. When you’re young, in a bit of a rut, that was exactly what I needed to hear.

“It shows for me what a people’s person he was. He was loved in the changing room. He’s such a sad loss to everyone, to the country, his family and the boys as well. He’s missed and we’ll honour him this week.”

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

This decision was made in the light of political instability within the country with fears that violence could erupt.

Women’s T20 World Cup moved due to political instability

The event, scheduled to take place from 3 to 20 October, will now be staged in Dubai and Sharjah.

The Proteas men’s team will await further advice over their prospective Test tour to Bangladesh.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event.

“I would like to thank the team at the BCB for exploring all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted in Bangladesh, but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn’t feasible. However, they will retain hosting rights. We look forward to taking an ICC global event to Bangladesh in the near future.

“I’d also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in to host on behalf of the BCB and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous offers of support, and we look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026.”

State of cricket

Ten teams will play 23 matches, over 18 action-packed days, at the two venues as the world’s best battle it out for the ultimate prize in T20 cricket.

Group A, features six time winners Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Qualifier 1.

Whilst Group B matches between the former hosts Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Qualifier 2.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay confirmed to the Board that he will not stand for a third term and will step down from the post when his current tenure finishes at the end of November. Barclay was appointed as the Independent ICC Chair in November 2020, before being re-elected in 2022.

Current directors are now required to put forward nominations for the next Chair by 27 August 2024 and if there is more than one candidate, an election will be held with the term of the new Chair commencing on 1 December 2024.

Can the Proteas win the Women’s T20 World Cup

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The second and final Test starts in Guyana on Thursday, with play beginning at 16:00 (SA time), and the visitors will be favourites to get across the line this time around.

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Meanwhile, white-ball head coach Rob Walter has named the 15-player squad for the upcoming three-match T20 International (T20I) series against the West Indies, which gets underway later this month in Trinidad and Tobago.

Dolphins all-rounder Jason Smith and DP World Lions fast bowler Kwena Maphaka have received their maiden call-ups to the national side.

The hard-hitting middle-order batter Smith, who scored 51 in the 2023/24 CSA T20 Challenge final against the Lions, amassed 291 runs at an average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 134.10 in the competition. His medium pace also adds an extra option in the bowling attack. 

The 18-year-old Maphaka, meanwhile, was part of the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2024 squad and played a pivotal role in the junior Proteas’ semi-final finish with his Player of the Tournament haul of 21 wickets at an average of 9.71. He also made his domestic T20 debut for the Lions and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League earlier this year. 

Lions spinner Nqaba Peter, who made his T20I debut against the West Indies in May, has been ruled out of the series as he is in the final phase of his recovery from a shoulder injury.

Commenting on the squad, Walter said: “Several players were not considered for this series due to either injury, being in a conditioning block that is related to workload management, or their participation in ongoing T20 leagues.

“This tour allows us to continue developing our player pool whilst maintaining the core of experienced players. It will also expose our emerging talent to quality international opposition, similar to the last time we played against the West Indies in May.

“We’re excited to have Jason [Smith] and Kwena [Maphaka] join the squad for this series. Jason’s recent performances have been impressive, and his ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds valuable depth to our line-up.

“Kwena has been identified as a player with significant potential, and this tour presents a great opportunity to include him in the Proteas environment and gain valuable international experience.”

South Africa T20I squad against West Indies

Aiden Markram (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Ottneil Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Nandre Burger (World Sports Betting Western Province), Donovan Ferreira (Momentum Multiply Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (DP World Lions), Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions), Patrick Kruger (Dafabet Warriors), Kwena Maphaka (DP World Lions), Wiaan Mulder (DP World Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions), Jason Smith (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tristan Stubbs (Dafabet Warriors), Rassie van der Dussen (DP World Lions) and Lizaad Williams (Momentum Multiply Titans).

T20I Series (all times local)

Friday, 23 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)

West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 

Sunday, 25 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)

West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 

Tuesday, 27 August at 15:00 (21:00 SAST)

West Indies vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

The 34-year-old has not featured for South Africa in the T20 since last year September and was also not part of the squad that reached the finals of the T20 World Cup in June. Having scored nearly 300 in his last four Test innings, Proteas veteran Temba Bavuma is looking sharper in red-ball cricket than he has ever been.

Bavuma said he was not surprised to be excluded from the T20 squad.

“It’s not a surprise that I’m not there, but me being in the T20 squad would’ve raised more eyebrows. It’s better that way that I’m not there. My focus now is on Test cricket and I’m going to try to play as best as I can in the format,” Bavuma said as per ESPN Cricinfo.

Temba Bavuma will once again lead the Proteas in the second Test against West Indies which starts on Thursday. The first Test match ended in a draw after rain interrupted three of the five days.

Having scored 171 against the Windies last year, Bavuma continued where he left off by scoring 86 in the first innings of the first Test. He was unfortunate not to get his third 100 of his career.

Temba Bavuma is still the captain of the Proteas’ Test and ODI squads

Although he no longer in the T20 team, the Langa-born batman is still the captain of the One Day International squad.

“There’s also 50-over cricket that’s coming in the next few months and the one thing that I can trust is that if I get going in Test and 50-over cricket, everything else will follow from there. It’s not a surprise that I’m not in the T20 squad,” said Bavuma.

Temba Bavuma and his men will look to win another series over West Indies as Proteas look to climb in the Test rankings.

Morkel will assist Cricket World Cup-winning Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir who took over as the team’s head coach last month.

The duo has previously worked together at the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Durban Super Giants in the SA20.

Morkel’s name was recommended by Gambhir, ESPN Cricinfo reported.

The 39-year-old, who was Pakistan’s bowling coach until last December, replaces former India fast bowler Paras Mhambrey.

Morne Morkel played 86 Tests for South Africa

Morkel, a strapping quickie, has 544 international wickets to his name.

While he was formidable across formats – South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup – Test cricket was his forte.

He picked up 309 matches in the 86 Tests he played during his 12-year-long career.

India will host Bangladesh in their next outing in September, followed by another home series against New Zealand.

Later in the year, the team will travel to Australia.

The 55-year-old took his own life, his wife Amanda revealed on Monday in an interview with The Times.

‘Traumatic injuries’

Thorpe died on the morning of August 4 having suffered “traumatic injuries” during the incident at Esher railway station, southwest of London, Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking was told.

The area coroner for Surrey, Simon Wickens, recorded Thorpe’s cause of death as one of multiple injuries during the short hearing.

The coroner offered his “sincere condolences” not just to Thorpe’s family, but to “all those touched by his life and career”.

A date for the full inquest will be fixed at a later time.

Thorpe’s death plunged the cricket world into mourning for the popular star.

He enjoyed an impressive England career as an elegant batsman from 1993 to 2005, before spending 12 years in various coaching roles.

But Thorpe was hospitalised in May 2022 and declared “seriously ill”.

Attempted suicide

Amanda Thorpe told The Times that the former Surrey batsman attempted suicide two years ago before taking his own life.

“Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better. He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life,” she said.

Amanda Thorpe added: “Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health.

“But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone.

Thorpe’s daughter Kitty, 22, said the family “are not ashamed” of talking about his death, adding: “There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma.”

The left-hander featured in 100 Test matches and 82 one-day internationals for England, scoring over 9 000 runs for his country, including 16 Test hundreds.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Aged just 55, Thorpe’s death in August plunged the cricket world into mourning for the popular star.

He enjoyed an impressive England career as an elegant batsman between 1993 and 2005, before spending 12 years in various coaching roles.

But Thorpe was hospitalised in May 2022 and declared “seriously ill”.

Graham Thorpe attempted suicide

Amanda Thorpe has now revealed in an interview with The Times that the former Surrey player attempted suicide two years ago before taking his own life earlier this month.

“Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better. He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life,” Amanda Thorpe told The Times.

“For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety. This led him to make a serious attempt on his life in May 2022, which resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit.”

Played 100 Test matches

The left-hander featured in 100 Test matches and 82 one-day internationals for England, scoring over 9 000 runs for his country, including 16 Test hundreds.

But he was unable to overcome his mental health battle despite the support of his family and doctors.

“Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe. We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work,” Amanda Thorpe said.

“Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health. But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone.”

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Ryan Rickelton returns to the team, while Tristan Stubbs – as expected – will bat at No 3. Keshav Maharaj will serve as the solitary spinner, while Wiaan Mulder will fulfil the all-rounder duties.

Proteas XI – Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

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Conrad on Monday said he would give Stubbs, who has just one Test cap, a “good run” in the No 3 position.

“Technique is obviously a big factor because you’re going to be facing the new ball the bulk of the time. And he’s quite an imposing character, a big, strong, strapping boy, and I quite like that. I like the fact that at the top of the order, there are quite imposing guys; guys that have got a good aura about them and strong body language.”

Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is set to play just his second Test since December 2022, at the expense of Nandre Burger, with Kagiso Rabada and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder the only other seamers.

“We’ve decided to go with our three seamers, as well as a spinner: KG [Rabada], Lungi and Wiaan Mulder as the the third seamer and Kesh as the main spinner,” said Proteas captain Temba Bavuma on Tuesday.

“We are confident in our bowling attack, there’s still experience there, guys like KG, Ngidi and Keshav. So, from an experience point of view, I don’t believe we have lost much.

“Obviously, from a pace point of view, that’s what those two guys [injured Gerald Coetzee and Anrich Nortje, who is not contracted to play Test cricket] give you.

“I think, with lack of pace, we definitely make it up with skill and experience. I don’t believe we have lost a great deal from that point of view, and we are confident in our bowling resources to be able to get 20 wickets in the game.”

The first Test match will start on Wednesday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. The Proteas will play their first Test match since going down 2-0 to New Zealand earlier in the year. Most of the squad members were not present during the last series having committed to the Betway SA20 competition.

Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad said he was happy with how his side played against West Indies Invitational XV.

“It was a good exercise,” he said. “It was a good wicket, if a bit flat, but the most important thing was to spend time out in the middle. We wanted to expose the bowlers who haven’t had a lot of mileage recently, while the bulk of the batters got to spend time in the middle as well.

“You could say we got everything that we wanted out of it. All in all, I’m really happy.”

Proteas and West Indies square off

The Proteas are expected to add to their batting lineup including the likes of Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham.

“Tristan is going to be backed there,” Conrad added as per The Citizen.

“He’s got the technique and the psyche to bat at three. I’m confident he’s going to come good. He’s a big, strong boy, he’s imposing and he’s got a strong aura … I’m going down this road with him, and I’m confident we’ll reap the rewards.”

What time does South Africa play West Indies?

The first Proteas’ Test match against the West Indies will start on Wednesday(7 August) at 16:00. With regular opener Dean Elgar having retired, South Africa will likely open the batting with Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi. Stubbs or Bedingham could occupy third with Captain Temba Bavuma playing at number four.

Thorpe won 100 Test caps between 1993 and 2005 and scored 16 centuries during a stellar England career and was regarded as one of the best batters of his generation.

Graham Thorpe spent 17 years at Surrey

In total he scored 6 744 Test runs for England at an average of 44.66 and also appeared in 82 one-day internationals.

Alongside his international exploits he enjoyed a 17-year spell with his county side Surrey.

After retiring in 2005, he transitioned into coaching, working with the England international teams in various roles between 2010 and 2022.

“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the ECB said in a statement.

“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.

“His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.

“Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.”

After leaving his role with England following defeat to Australia in the 2021-2022 Ashes series, Thorpe was appointed head coach of Afghanistan.

However, he did not take up the role after the Professional Cricketers’ Association revealed in May 2022 Thorpe had fallen seriously ill with an unclear diagnosis.

Tributes from stars past and present have poured in for a player that was often a shining light during a difficult time for the England Test side during the 1990s.

Scored 114 on Test debut

Graham Thorpe scored 114 on his debut against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993 and would go on to become a mainstay of the middle-order making a highest Test score of 200 not out against New Zealand in 2002.

“RIP Thorpey. Thanks for all the advice throughout my career, you were a great player and a brilliant team-mate,” former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on X.

“You have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend.”

Current England skipper Ben Stokes posted a photo of him wearing a jersey emblazoned with “Thorpe 564”, the latter’s Test cap number, with a series of heart emojis.

Graham Thorpe spent the entirety of his playing career at Surrey and chair Oli Slipper said the country had lost one of its “great sons”.

“Graham is one of the great sons of Surrey and there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through the gates of the Oval again,” Slipper said in a Surrey statement.

“He is a legend of Surrey and brought great pride to the Club wearing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions.

“He made outstanding contributions to the Club as a cricketer, and as a man, and he will be so sorely missed.”

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Ngidi felt that the hosts had put out a very good XI for the Proteas to limber up against and made it clear that a tough Test series awaits.

Proteas ready to adapt and thrive

Still, the Proteas remain confident of a strong performance in the forthcoming World Test Championship series.

“It is exactly what I was expecting, [there were] no surprises, they’re a good team,” Ngidi said from the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad.

“It is always competitive especially if teams are playing at home, they have the crowd behind them, but we are here to compete, they will put their best foot forward, and so will we,” Ngidi said after the match.

Test cricket’s challenges

Ngidi said that a big part of bowling in Test cricket is how quickly a bowler can find their line and length on any strip.

“Any conditions you come across [will require] you find a way,” Ngidi said.

“We didn’t know what to expect, it turned out on the slower side so we had to adapt our plans to what we had in front of us, we did pretty well and it is something we will look to do in the first Test as well,”

Ngidi made the most of being given the new ball in the second innings, snatching three scalps in just four overs.

His performance will give skipper Temba Bavuma something to think about when it comes to how to use his fast bowlers.

Proteas pace department

Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Nandre Burger look likely to make up a frontline pace trio for the first Test against the West Indies. Keshav Maharaj should slot in as the fourth specialist bowler while Wiaan Mulder will offer an additional seam option as an allrounder.

“I was told I would be taking the new ball, which changed things in the team for us to adapt to bowling at different stages in the innings,” Ngidi said.

“The ball seemed to be doing a bit more for me than in the first innings, so I tried to capitalise on that and use the conditions as best I could.

“In Test cricket, the ball is going to swing, so you learn from a young age how to try to control it. It’s about finding an area on the wicket to hit if it is swinging, and if not, then finding a different area to hit,” he said.

Should Lungi Ngidi take the new ball?

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The 47-year-old coach has played 66 Tests and 52 One Day Internationals for the Proteas during his nine years with the national team. He was more prolific in red-ball cricket, scoring over 3600 runs with an average of 42. Despite his success, Ashwell Prince has lived with the stigma of being called a quota player.

In an interview with Smash Sports, the former Cobras coach said he always felt he needed to prove a point as a non-white player.

“There was always a sort of feeling that you needed to prove that your people or non-white people in this country could play the game,” said Ashwell Prince

“The actual history of the sport runs deep in our communities uhm, yes back and I think sometimes there’s this perception that after unity in 1992, that’s when the sport was introduced to our communities. That’s not the case, our club(Gelvandale) has been there for a very long time. There are clubs in Cape Town that have been around for nearly 100 years.

Ashwell Prince became the Proteas’ first non-white captain in 2006

The former left-handed batsman became the first non-white captain to lead the Proteas in 2006 when he stood in for injured Graeme Smith. He said there was always a perception that he was in the team because of his skin colour.

“When it comes to talent, the man upstairs doesn’t say ‘actually, we will sprinkle a little bit of talent on you guys because you have that skin tone and we will sprinkle less of a talent because you have this skin tone’. No, talent is distributed equally,” Ashwell Prince added.

He made his Test debut against Australia in 2002 and said the journey felt lonely and confusing.

“A few games in, you get the sense that maybe that was a feeling underlining somewhere that other people would have been better options. You go through your career and quite often you get that feeling.”

“When you go out on the pitch, it’s a single-minded approach that you’re taking on because the only way I can prove to my teammate that I deserve to be here, the only way I can prove that Coloured people and Black can play this game at this level to this standard is required, is that I have to do the things that are acceptable for a number five or six batsman.”

Prince scored 11 Test 100s in 66 matches for SA

Ashwell Prince admitted that he never enjoyed his milestone as for him, it felt more of a survival playing for the Proteas.

“Sometimes when I look back at my career, I can definitely say that I didn’t enjoy[my accomplishments], he said. “Even the 100s, even the great moments, I didn’t celebrate as a sense of enjoyment but sense of relief.”

“I remember having the thought that ‘I cannot end my Test career with an average of 16 and a high score of 49’ because the general thought would be like ‘you were there because of colour’ and also, ‘we told you so’.It’s not your teammate that necessarily create this environment, it’s just that the country is coming from this place to another place.”

Kohli is by far the cricketer to demand the most in terms of sponsorships.

An icon of the game

Kohli was born into a middle-class Delhi family in November 1988 with his father Prem being a lawyer and his mother a housewife.

He is the third child of Prem and Saroj Kohli and reportedly took to cricket like a duck to water.

The young Kohli was obsessed with the game and it was that drive that would propel him to superstardom.

An event that would shape the persona that is Virat Kohli today was the sudden death of his father when he was just 18.

His mother has noted that from that point, it seemed that her son had matured overnight and had a seriousness and dedication to him that would prove life-changing.

Kohli was a successful junior player but there was no way anyone could predict the splash he would make in the game.

As of the end of April this year, Kohli has hit 80 centuries in international cricket.

He has not looked back since his surprise call-up for the 2008 Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan.

Redefining megastardom in cricket and India

India are no strangers to producing mega-star cricketers but somehow Virat Kohli has eclipsed all who have gone before in terms of stardom.

It helps that Kohli’s rise has coincided with the explosion of social media with the former India skipper being among the most-followed athletes in the world giving Cristiano Ronaldo and Lio Messi a run for their money.

He isn’t the team’s skipper anymore but remains one of their biggest stars.

For years Kohli has been at the heart of marketing for team India and for cricket in the country.

It helps that Kohli was blessed with smouldering good looks on top of his cricket talent. He is the game’s most marketable star by far.

Virat Kohli net worth 2024

According to multiple sources including Forbes and Sportico, Virat Kohli is the world’s richest cricketer with a staggering net worth of US$126 Million in this current year.

Kohli additionally has endorsement deals with Puma, MRF, Audi, Tissot, Toyota, Boost Drink, FasTrack, Nike, Red Chief Shoes, Manyavar, TVS, Fair and Lovely, Pepsi, and Flying Machine.

He has also worked with the government of India to produce public service announcements.

Makhaya Ntini was born and raised in a village called Mdingi, near East London. At the age of 15, he was first spotted by Border Cricket Board official Raymond Booi. Booi was impressed by the barefooted Makhaya and contacted his seniors to place the young player in a cricket festival in Queenstown.

A few years later, Ntini represented the South Africa Under-19 squad and later got a call-up to the senior side, becoming the first black player to represent the Proteas. From then on, the fast bowler spearheaded South Africa’s bowling attack together with Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald.

Makhaya Ntini is the third-highest wicket-taker for Proteas in Test cricket

Ntini was an unconventional right-arm bowler who usually bowled at the 140 km/h mark. In 2003, he became the first South African to take 10 wickets at Lord’s. His best performance, however, came when he took 13 wickets for 132 runs against the West Indies in the Port of Spain on 12 April 2005. This remains the most wickets taken by a South African cricketer in a Test match.

In 2011, Makhaya Ntini retired from international cricket at the age of 34. He ended his career with 390 Test wickets and 266 One Day International wickets.

Since retiring from cricket, Ntini has gone into coaching and commentary. In January 2016, he was appointed as the assistant coach of the Zimbabwean national cricket team. He later was elevated to head coach but resigned in 2018.

‘Mdingi Express’ took 10 wickets at Lord’s in 2003

Last year, Makhaya Ntini joined Morrisville Unity in the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket USA Masters T10. When he is not coaching, ‘Mdingi Express’ works as a commentator for SuperSport TV.

Bavuma was joined in exiting the franchise by Dawid Malan, Adam Rossington, Daniel Worral, Sarel Erwee, Brydon Carse and Ayabulela Gqamane.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape release Temba Bavuma

Bavuma hasn’t enjoyed the best recent form in the T20 format and although he remains a key player for the Proteas in Test and ODI cricket, his franchise opportunities seem to be dwindling.

The Proteas Test skipper played just one match for the Sunrisers in the 2024 campaign after just four matches for them as a late replacement in 2023.

The Eastern Cape franchise have recently announced the signings of Roelof van Der Merwe, Zak Crawley and Craig Overton for the upcoming 2025 campaign.

Crawley is hoping that T20 stints abroad will help him improve as a white-ball player as he aims to be a multi-format international.

The 26-year-old has previous T20 League experience with the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia, while he also lays claim to a century for Kent in the T20 Blast.

“I’ve always wanted to be a good white-ball player,” Crawley said recently.

“I’m trying to add a few other shots to my game, but I feel like it’s quite suited and I’ve gone well in T20 cricket in the past when I’ve had a run at it.

“I’m trying to add a bit more power to my game, I’m working hard in the nets trying a few different things to hopefully hit more and bigger sixes.”

Proteas star David Bedingham added

Another player making waves in the Test arena hoping to star for the Sunrisers is new arrival David Bedingham.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape have boosted their batting department with the arrival of Bedingham for Betway SA20 Season three.

Bedingham takes up Sunrisers’ Wildcard slot and has been in superb red-ball form recently in the English County Championship for Durham, where he is the competition’s leading run-scorer with 926 runs at an average of 71.23.

The 30-year-old has also been striking it sweetly in the shortest form with 225 runs at an average of 37.50 and an incredible strike-rate of 163.04 in the T20 Blast.

Bedingham will also provide the Sunrisers Eastern Cape with a back-up wicket-keeping option to Tristan Stubbs.

Overton was signed as a Wildcard for Season 2, but was forced to miss the entire competition due to injury.

The lanky fast bowler is an experienced T20 campaigner having been part of Somerset’s successful T20 Blast championship-winning squad last season.

He is also in good form, having recently delivered a Player of the Match performance with the ball for the Southern Brave, in England’s Hundred competition.

Should Temba Bavuma quit T20 cricket?

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The two teams have met on number of times during World Cups but never faced each other in a bilateral series. On Wednesday morning, Cricket South Africa (CSA) stated the series which is set to be played in the United Arab Emirates.

“CSA and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) are pleased to announce a historic three-match ODI series between the Proteas and Afghanistan.” The series will take place from 18 – 22 September in the United Arab Emirates, the statement added.

“The ODI series is the first-ever bilateral series between the two sides with all three matches set to be hosted at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Proteas have faced Afghanistan on two occasions in 50-over cricket during the last two World Cups in 2019 and 2023.
This series will mark their first encounter since South Africa defeated Afghanistan in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Trinidad and Tobago last month,” the statement concluded.

Proteas and Afghanistan to face off in UAE in September

CSA Chairman Lawson Naidoo said the association were excited to embark on this historic ODI series with Afghanistan.

“They have become a very competitive all-round team as evidenced by their recent performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and most recently at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This is a significant milestone in our cricketing relations, and we look forward to a competitive and entertaining series,” he said.

Before the Afghanistan series, the Proteas will play West Indies in the Caribbean.

Fixtures between the Proteas and Afghanistan:

Wednesday, 18 September
Afghanistan vs South Africa – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

Friday, 20 September
Afghanistan vs South Africa – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

Sunday, 22 September
Afghanistan vs South Africa – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

France won the toss and elected to bat.

Their innings of 269/9 was built around a top-score of 70 by Durrant who let his D&P bat do the talking, spending just 48 balls at the crease, scoring his runs at a strike rate of 145.83.

Durrant, now 17, lives in Putney in South West London and qualifies to play for France through his French mother.

His innings included nine fours and two well-struck sixes.

Sajad Stanikzay added 61 runs (82 balls), while opener Hussnain Afzal chipped in with 40 runs (55 balls).

Ahead of Isle of Man’s innings, Durrant was confident he and his team-mates would defend their total.

“It’s a good pitch for batting and we’ll have to bowl well to come out on top,” Durrant said.

“We have confidence in our bowling attack and as long as we field to our high standards, we are perhaps slight favourites,” Durrant added.

Durrant’s words proved true as France skittled their opponents for just 83 runs in 29.1 overs, winning the match by 186 runs.

Asked if he’d one day like to play for South Africa, Durrant responded: “I’m proud to represent France, but would love to also represent South Africa. Perhaps as an adult I will be selected to be a Protea.”

He went on to say that having met AB de Villiers and followed his career closely, ‘he’s always played with the number 17’.

He’s particularly pleased that he’ll have an ESPNcricinfo profile, trumping most of his club friends!

France and the Isle of Man, along with hosts Denmark, are three of the eight countries competing at this year’s Under-19 World Cup European Qualifiers. The others are Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Sweden and Belgium.

The qualifiers kicked off on Wednesday, 24 July and will conclude on Tuesday, 30 July.

HISTORY OF UNDER-19 WORLD CUP

The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is an international cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council contested by national under-19 teams and was first contested in 1988, now contested every two years. The second edition was not staged again until 1998. Since then, the World Cup has been held as a biennial event, organised by the ICC. The first edition of the tournament had only eight participants, but every subsequent edition has included 16 teams. South Africa has won the tournament once.

ABOUT THE EUROPEAN U19 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

In July this year three new countries will be given the opportunity to host an ICC event for the first time, with Italy, Germany and Denmark joining seasoned hosts Scotland and Guernsey in a packed summer of ICC pathway cricket in Europe in 2024. A record 30 countries will compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifiers, with three tournaments happening between June and August in Italy, Germany and Guernsey.

DENMARK HOST U19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP EUROPE DIVISION 2 QUALIFIER

In July, Denmark will also debut as hosts of an ICC pathway event with the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Europe Division 2 Qualifier. With games being played in the 50-over format and eight teams competing, the event will have four grounds in operation across Copenhagen to accommodate the action-packed schedule. A minimum of two teams will progress from this event to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Europe Qualifier taking place in the summer of 2025. The ultimate goal is to participate in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.

South Africa will return to the Caribbean to play a bilateral series against the West Indies that will involve two Tests and three T20Is.

When do the Proteas play again

The Test matches against the West Indies form part of the World Test Championship.

These engagements should be critical as both teams are a little bit off the pace in the WTC but still have a chance to get back into the race for the final in 2025.

South Africa are pencilled in for a tour to Bangladesh in October and November but that series looks likely to be bumped to later in the season.

A potential home T20I series against India has yet to be added to the schedule officially despite being announced in January.

Cricket South Africa have confirmed that the Proteas will also play a white-ball series against Ireland in the UAE, following about a month after the trip to the Caribbean.

The two Test series that the Proteas are set to play at home this summer are also part of the WTC.

Home summer starts against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will be the first opponents for the Proteas in their home summer when they play their first Test at Kingsmead in Durban from 27 November.

Another coastal Test follows at St George’s Park with the Proteas needing to make up points on the top sides in the WTC.

Pakistan arrive in December and will first play a three-match T20I series followed by three ODIs before the two Tests on Boxing Day and the New Year’s match in Cape Town.

Proteas fixtures 2024

Against the West Indies away

1st Test vs West Indies 7-11 August

2nd Test vs West Indies 15-19 August

1st T20I vs West Indies 23 August

2nd T20I vs West Indies 25 August

3rd T20I vs West Indies 27 August

Against Ireland in the UAE

1st T20I vs Ireland 27 September

2nd T20I vs Ireland 29 September

1st ODI vs Ireland 2 October

2nd ODI vs Ireland 4 October

3rd ODI vs Ireland 7 October

Against Sri Lanka at home

1st Test vs Sri Lanka 27 November – 1 December

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka 5-9 December

Against Pakistan at home

1st T20I vs Pakistan 10 December

2nd T20I vs Pakistan 13 December

3rd T20I vs Pakistan 14 December

1st ODI vs Pakistan 17 December

2nd ODI vs Pakistan 19 December

3rd ODI vs Pakistan 22 December

1st Test vs Pakistan 26-30 December

2nd Test vs Pakistan 3-7 January 2025

Can the Proteas win the World Test Championship

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A legend on the cricket field

Jonty Rhodes made his debut for South Africa in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. He quickly made a name for himself due to his strong fielding in the covers. According to Sportsmatik, many people consider Jonty Rhodes one of the best fielders of all times. Rhodes stood out for his fast-running speed as a right-handed batsman. His defensive fielding, especially, set him apart from the rest. So, it is no surprise that many people consider him a South African cricket legend.

Rhodes set a world record by taking five catches in a single match against the West Indies on 14 November 1993 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

During his cricket career, Rhodes played more than 200 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and more than 50 test matches.

Watch this video to see brilliant catches by Rhodes in the history of cricket:

Life after SA cricket

Rhodes retired from cricket after the 2003 Cricket World Cup and began working for Standard Bank as an account executive. During his time there, he was involved in the bank’s cricket sponsorship roles.

Afterwards, he moved to filling various coaching positions which took him from South Africa to India, Kenya, and even Sweden.

Where is Jonty Rhodes now?

Although Rhodes regularly returns to South Africa, he and his family interestingly settled in the picturesque seaside Indian state of Goa not too long ago.

Rhodes said in an interview that his family has made Goa their home and that ‘Goa is treating us too well. This is my home; wherever we are, we would like to contribute. Goa has given us a lot; now we will also want to give back’.

What is next for Jonty Rhodes?

The Times of India reported that Pro Cricket League (PCL), is set to launch its inaugural season this September-October in Delhi National Capital Region. This marks the first time a tournament of this format is being scheduled in Delhi, promising to bring a fresh wave of cricketing excitement to the region. As part of its grand debut, PCL has appointed Jonty Rhodes as brand ambassador of the league.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Pro Cricket League. This platform represents a harmonious blend of innovation and a profound passion for the game. By embracing these values, we aim to not only uphold the traditions that make cricket so special but also to propel it forward into new realms.”
Jonty Rhodes

Are you a fan of Jonty Rhodes?

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The runs given away by the 24-year-old Madande, enduring a tough debut after he was out for a duck on Thursday’s first day at Stormont, were more than Ireland’s 40-run first-innings lead as they made 250 in reply to Zimbabwe’s 210.

The byes were not entirely his fault as he had to deal with his bowlers sending several deliveries down the legside as well as late swing after the ball had passed the bat.

Zimbabwe in a strong position

One consolation for Madande was the record he surpassed was set by England’s Les Ames – widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen – who gave away 37 byes in Australia’s total of 327 in a Test at The Oval back in 1934.

Zimbabwe might still have led on first innings but for a last-wicket stand of 47 between Andy McBrine (28) and Matthew Humphreys (27 not out).

Joylord Gumbie and Prince Masvaure then batted out the final 15 minutes to leave Zimbabwe 12-0 in their second innings at stumps on a rain-marred second day of this one-off Test, a deficit of 28 runs.

Earlier, former Zimbabwe international Peter Moor top-scored for Ireland with 79.

It was the highest Test score by an Ireland opener in Tests, with Moor falling just four short of his best, which came when playing for Zimbabwe in 2018.

Zimbabwe’s Tanaka Chivanga (3-39) took his first three Test wickets in what is just his second match at this level, while fellow paceman Blessing Muzarabani also impressed with 3-53.

Brief scores, close on Day 2:

Zimbabwe 210 (P Masvaure 74, J Gumbie 49; A McBrine 3-37, B McCarthy 3-42) and 12-0 v Ireland 250 (P Moor 79; T Chivanga 3-59, B Muzarabani 3-53)

Match position: Zimbabwe are 28 runs behind with all 10 second-innings wickets standing

Piedt believes that his decision to quit social media has made him much happier.

Dane Piedt says quitting social media was the best thing

He also tries not to let other people’s opinions make an impact on his life.

Piedt feels that he has unlocked a great secret to enjoying himself on and off the park.

“Basically, I don’t give a f**k what people say about me any more,” he said in an interview with the Sunday Times.

“Being off social media also helped. In the past, as a young cricketer, you feed into what those keyboard warriors said about you and how you should bowl.

“However, having a young family gave me perspective on what life is about, and trying to show my young boy that his dad actually achieved something in my life.

“Having [the family] in New Zealand, doing what I did … it all ties in with maturity, that creates the perspective, and not caring what people say about me. It’s given me a lot of joy in the phase of life I’m in.”

Piedt will join the Proteas again for the Test tour of the West Indies.

PROTEAS FIXTURES 2024

AGAINST THE WEST INDIES AWAY

1st Test vs West Indies 7-11 August

2nd Test vs West Indies 15-19 August

1st T20I vs West Indies 23 August

2nd T20I vs West Indies 25 August

3rd T20I vs West Indies 27 August

AGAINST IRELAND IN THE UAE

1st T20I vs Ireland 27 September

2nd T20I vs Ireland 29 September

1st ODI vs Ireland 2 October

2nd ODI vs Ireland 4 October

3rd ODI vs Ireland 7 October

AGAINST SRI LANKA AT HOME

1st Test vs Sri Lanka 27 November – 1 December

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka 5-9 December

AGAINST PAKISTAN AT HOME

1st T20I vs Pakistan 10 December

2nd T20I vs Pakistan 13 December

3rd T20I vs Pakistan 14 December

1st ODI vs Pakistan 17 December

2nd ODI vs Pakistan 19 December

3rd ODI vs Pakistan 22 December

1st Test vs Pakistan 26-30 December

2nd Test vs Pakistan 3-7 January 2025

CAN THE PROTEAS WIN THE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP

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You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

The Proteas play the Windies in a two-Test match series followed by three T20 matches. A strong squad has been selected for the tour but Bavuma knows what challenge awaits the team in the Carribean. The Proteas last played a Test match in January, but the majority of the players were unavailable for the series.

“It’s a challenge that’s not necessarily unique to us and probably something that all the teams outside the big three face. It feels like we’re starting again and again as a team,” said Proteas captain Temba Bavima as per ESPNcricinfo.

“You can hear in terms of the conversations, there’s a lot of reminding ourselves of a philosophy, how we want to play and basically what our blueprint is to winning. It’s nothing that is unique to us as a South African team.”

Proteas redball captain Temba Bavuma excited to face West Indies

“The challenge is we’ve just got to make it work with what we have. We don’t use it as an excuse. I think there’s definitely a lot of excitement from the guys and we’d like to focus on that excitement more than all the other uncontrollable.”

Bavuma suffered an injury while fielding on the first day of the Boxing Day Test against India. The Proteas skipper was was later ruled out of the series with a hamstring strain. Although Temba Bavuma hasn’t featured for the Proteas this year, he played one SA20 match, two first-class games and in the CSA T20 Challenge.

“I’ve come out refreshed over the last couple of months of no cricket,” he said.

Proteas to play West Indies in two Tests

It’s largely been about being in the gym and doing my rehab. I’ve been under rehab for the last two and a half to three months,” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma added.

“Mentally, that’s been tough; physically, it’s also been tough but I am quite refreshed and quite excited to have the opportunity again to be out there with the boys.”

Uncapped quick Migael Pretorius, with the experience of 64 first-class games behind him, comes into the team as Coetzee’s replacement.

Gerald Coetzee out of West Indies Tests

Coetzee, signed to the Texas Super Kings, went back home so that Proteas’ medical staff could examine his damaged left side.

He was deemed unable to participate in the Test series, which gets underway on 7 August, according to Cricket South Africa’s confirmation on Thursday.

Pretorius was last selected to a Proteas team in March 2021 for a T20I series against Pakistan, however he did not receive a cap. He also received a national call-up in December 2020 for a Test series in Sri Lanka, but he hurt his shoulder and was unable to make his debut.

In 64 first-class games, Pretorius, 29, has 188 wickets at 27.50. He presently leads Somerset in this season’s English County Championship, with 23 wickets at an average of 39.43.

The Proteas begin the Test series at Port-of-Spain before going to Providence for the second Test. Three T20Is will follow.

Updated Proteas Test squad for West Indies tour

Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne, Migael Pretorius.

PROTEAS FIXTURES 2024

AGAINST THE WEST INDIES AWAY

1st Test vs West Indies 7-11 August

2nd Test vs West Indies 15-19 August

1st T20I vs West Indies 23 August

2nd T20I vs West Indies 25 August

3rd T20I vs West Indies 27 August

AGAINST IRELAND IN THE UAE

1st T20I vs Ireland 27 September

2nd T20I vs Ireland 29 September

1st ODI vs Ireland 2 October

2nd ODI vs Ireland 4 October

3rd ODI vs Ireland 7 October

AGAINST SRI LANKA AT HOME

1st Test vs Sri Lanka 27 November – 1 December

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka 5-9 December

AGAINST PAKISTAN AT HOME

1st T20I vs Pakistan 10 December

2nd T20I vs Pakistan 13 December

3rd T20I vs Pakistan 14 December

1st ODI vs Pakistan 17 December

2nd ODI vs Pakistan 19 December

3rd ODI vs Pakistan 22 December

1st Test vs Pakistan 26-30 December

2nd Test vs Pakistan 3-7 January 2025

CAN THE PROTEAS WIN THE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP

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The Eastern Cape-born former cricket broke into the cricket scene in 1998 and was seen as Allan Donald’s successor but quickly fizzled out. He only played 16 Tests and 21 ODIs for the national team between 1998 and 2004. The 47-year-old was devastating in red-ball cricket, taking 54 wickets in just 16 Test matches for the Proteas.

After getting dropped in 2004, Nantie Hayward never really rediscovered his form, which saw him force his way into the Proteas lineup. With the emergence of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the late 2000s, Nantie was unable to claw his way back into the national team.

Before getting into professional cricket, the former fast bowler was a baseball. He quickly switched to cricket in the mid-90s and fast-tracked into the system very fast. After getting dropped by the Proteas, Nantie Hayward mostly played his cricket in England before he retired from the game in 2012.

After quitting the game, the ex-Proteas star delved into the tyre business for a few years, According to Highway Mail publication. But soon he realised that he still loved cricket and coaching became his new calling.

Nantie Hayward coaching in Durban

“I have been in coaching for a long time, after my playing career,” Hayward told Highway Mail. The ex-Proteas man has been coaching for the past 12 years, having moved back to South Africa.

“I had a stint with Northwest Cricket as an amateur coach for two years. I thought that it would be better to do freelance stuff and not be connected to one provincial set-up.

Ex-Proteas fast bowler based in Durban

“I moved back to the Eastern Cape for a long time and worked with a few young boys, some of whom played the Under-19 World Cup.”

He has been based in Durban for the last three and a half years. “I do a lot of work with bowlers all over South Africa,” he said.

Nantie Hayward works as the director of Cricket at Northwood School where he moulds young cricketing talent to help them reach their full potential.

If France are successful, Durrant will represent the country at the Under-19 World Cup Finals to be jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2026.

The 15th edition of the Under-19 World Cup Finals were held earlier this year in South Africa.

The final was contested between Australia and India and saw Australia emerge victorious by 79 runs at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

It was Australia’s fourth ICC Under-19 World Cup victory.

Asked if he would rather play for South Africa, Tanguy Durrant responded: “I’m proud to represent France, but would love to also represent South Africa. Perhaps as an adult I will be selected to be a Protea.”

He went on to say that having met AB de Villiers and followed his career closely, ‘he’s always played with the number 17’.

He’s particularly pleased that he’ll have an ESPNcricinfo profile, trumping most of his club friends!

We look forward to following his progress in the qualifiers.

HISTORY OF UNDER-19 WORLD CUP

The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is an international cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council contested by national under-19 teams and was first contested in 1988, now contested every two years. The second edition was not staged again until 1998. Since then, the World Cup has been held as a biennial event, organised by the ICC. The first edition of the tournament had only eight participants, but every subsequent edition has included 16 teams. South Africa has won the tournament once.

ABOUT THE EUROPEAN U19 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

In July this year three new countries will be given the opportunity to host an ICC event for the first time, with Italy, Germany and Denmark joining seasoned hosts Scotland and Guernsey in a packed summer of ICC pathway cricket in Europe in 2024. A record 30 countries will compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifiers, with three tournaments happening between June and August in Italy, Germany and Guernsey.

DENMARK HOST U19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP EUROPE DIVISION 2 QUALIFIER

In July, Denmark will also debut as hosts of an ICC pathway event with the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Europe Division 2 Qualifier. With games being played in the 50-over format and eight teams competing, the event will have four grounds in operation across Copenhagen to accommodate the action-packed schedule. A minimum of two teams will progress from this event to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Europe Qualifier taking place in the summer of 2025. The ultimate goal is to participate in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.

Host: Denmark
Dates: 24-30 July 2024
Participating teams: Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Isle of Man, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium

Stubbs showed a dazzling array of shots in this season’s IPL and went on to star at the T20 World Cup.

How hockey helps Tristan Stubbs 

He says that he gets the technique from a base as a hockey player.

“I got the basics from hockey,” said Stubbs on the broadcast of the latest IPL match he was involved in. 

“I practise them a lot. The way I turn my hands for the spin and seem is like I’m holding a hockey stick. Both feet getting down low, I think definitely come from there [hockey].”

Stubbs played a key role in his side’s recent victory over high-flying Rajasthan Royals.

He gave them another big finish with his skilfull hitting.

Stubbs is showing that he can play rapid knocks under great pressure.

“We came here knowing we needed to win, and win the next two as well,” said Stubbs.

He had little time to get in but used the time at the crease to blast 41 off 20 balls.

“I came in and looked to give myself a few balls [to adjust], I was batting with Rish [Rishabh Pant] and when he went out we took a timeout. The plan was for me to keep knocking it around until the last three overs, and I saw there was an over where I could take it on, and I got my rhythm.

“I looked at the field and kind of got an idea of what was going to come. I just wanted to keep still and look towards the sight screen and react to wherever the ball comes from.”

Making waves

Stubbs has impressed former Proteas star Robin Peterson with his physical gifts and his clever cricket.

“Physically, he’s a big guy,” Peterson told ESPNcricinfo. “The thing which stands out about him is the ability to hit sixes, and his bat speed. It has just been about chatting how to manipulate the field – like play your reverse sweep, and get the sweeper a little finer. Then your extra-cover shot, your back-foot shot or you can play the spin off the front foot to extra cover.”

Peterson also noted those fast hands which Stubbs attributes to his hockey background.

“He reads length well,” Peterson said of Stubbs. “There are sweeps and reverse sweeps, and he always has a plan B to fall back on. He has the ability to manipulate, and he has got fast hands.”

This follows complaints of damage from the neighbours of Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, near Brighton in West Sussex.

Cricket Club bans sixes

Six-hitting is an integral part of the game and banning sixes is something that is usually confined to back garden games where the old ‘six and out’ rule would reign supreme and you’d have to go and fetch the ball from the neighbour’s yard. No mean feat if the neighbour has a rottweiler.

The rule isn’t quite that bad at Southwick but the first six a batsman clobbers will not count for anything under the new standing orders and a second six will see the batsman dismissed.

Players are not happy about this ruling and feel the club should push back against its neighbours.

“Hitting the bowler for a six is part of the glory of the sport. How can you ban it? It’s ridiculous. To take that away removes the joy of it. I don’t agree that the rules should be tinkered with in this fashion,” a player said as quoted by First Post.

Another player said: “Everything is about health and safety these days and insurance companies are charging a fortune to indemnify sports clubs against accidental damage or injury to bystanders.

“If you buy a house next to a cricket ground then you’ve got expect a few cricket balls in your garden.”

Residents though say that players are hitting the ball further and more often recently given advances in bat-making techniques.

Calls for change

A resident of the area for a very long time Mary Gill, whose family have lived in a Grade II-listed cottage alongside the Green for generations, said that this is not a new problem, recalling finding a cricket ball in a baby’s pram during the 1940s.

“It’s a very small ground and can’t accommodate the testosterone-fuelled young men who come along and just want to hit the ball as far as they can.

“My parents and grandparents lived in this house before me and cricket balls were always sailing over and causing damage.”

She added: “One time – probably in the 1940s – my baby brother was outside in the garden and my mother found a cricket ball in his pram. Over the years we’ve had tiles smashed off the roof, windows broken and all sorts of damage.”

Have you caused any damage playing cricket?

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The 83-year-old was discharged from hospital only on Friday after a successful operation to remove a cancerous tumour.

However, he has now developed pneumonia.

“Thank you all for the well wishes, we’ve been blown away by the sheer number of them,” read a statement from the family on Boycott’s X account.

“Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse and my father has developed pneumonia and is unable to eat or drink so is back in hospital on oxygen and a feeding tube for the foreseeable.”

Boycott had previously been treated for throat cancer in 2002 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Geoff Boycott played 108 Tests for England

Boycott is one of a select group of cricketers to have scored 100 first-class hundreds.

For England, he scored more than 8 000 runs in 108 Tests at an average of nearly 48.

He also captained England in four Tests in 1978 in place of the injured Mike Brearley.

After his 24-year first-class career ended with Yorkshire sacking him in 1986, Boycott established himself as both a newspaper columnist and a noted broadcaster, developing a global fanbase.

He was a particularly popular figure in the Indian sub-continent.

In 2020, his 14-year stint as a commentator on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special came to an end.

Boycott said at the time that the quadruple heart bypass surgery he underwent in 2018, together with the coronavirus pandemic, were factors in his decision to end his BBC career.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Piedt believes that his decision to quit social media has made him much happier.

Dane Piedt says quitting social media was the best thing

He also tries not to let other people’s opinions make an impact on his life.

Piedt feels that he has unlocked a great secret to enjoying himself on and off the park.

“Basically, I don’t give a f**k what people say about me any more,” he said in an interview with the Sunday Times.

“Being off social media also helped. In the past, as a young cricketer, you feed into what those keyboard warriors said about you and how you should bowl.

“However, having a young family gave me perspective on what life is about, and trying to show my young boy that his dad actually achieved something in my life.

“Having [the family] in New Zealand, doing what I did … it all ties in with maturity, that creates the perspective, and not caring what people say about me. It’s given me a lot of joy in the phase of life I’m in.”

Piedt will join the Proteas again for the Test tour of the West Indies.

PROTEAS FIXTURES 2024

AGAINST THE WEST INDIES AWAY

1st Test vs West Indies 7-11 August

2nd Test vs West Indies 15-19 August

1st T20I vs West Indies 23 August

2nd T20I vs West Indies 25 August

3rd T20I vs West Indies 27 August

AGAINST IRELAND IN THE UAE

1st T20I vs Ireland 27 September

2nd T20I vs Ireland 29 September

1st ODI vs Ireland 2 October

2nd ODI vs Ireland 4 October

3rd ODI vs Ireland 7 October

AGAINST SRI LANKA AT HOME

1st Test vs Sri Lanka 27 November – 1 December

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka 5-9 December

AGAINST PAKISTAN AT HOME

1st T20I vs Pakistan 10 December

2nd T20I vs Pakistan 13 December

3rd T20I vs Pakistan 14 December

1st ODI vs Pakistan 17 December

2nd ODI vs Pakistan 19 December

3rd ODI vs Pakistan 22 December

1st Test vs Pakistan 26-30 December

2nd Test vs Pakistan 3-7 January 2025

CAN THE PROTEAS WIN THE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP

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He was known for his reliability as an opener, even though he may not have been the most flamboyant player.

Kirsten made his Test debut against Australia in Melbourne in 1993 and was widely regarded as Proteas‘ best opener before retiring from cricket in 2004.

Gary Kirsten was the first Proteas player to play 100 Tests

During his playing days, Kirsten established himself as a sturdy batsman in both Test cricket and One Day cricket.

He set several records, including the highest score of 275 runs against England.

However, his high score was later surpassed by Graeme Smith when he made 277 against England in 2003.

Gary Kirsten still holds the record for the highest innings by a South African in a One-Day International, scoring 188 not out against the United Arab Emirates during the 1996 World Cup.

He formed a strong opening partnership with Herschelle Gibbs and participated in three ICC World Cups.

Kirsten retired from international cricket in 2004 after crafting a match-winning 76 in his final innings against New Zealand.

He made history by becoming the first-ever Proteas player to play in 100 Tests.

Following his retirement, Gary Kirsten transitioned into coaching and was appointed as India’s national cricket team coach in 2008.

At 43, he helped India win the 2011 Cricket World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets and 10 balls to spare.

He later joined the Proteas as a coach but did not renew his contract with Cricket South Africa (CSA) after two years, citing family commitments.

Coached in the IPL

Having left the Proteas, Gary Kirsten went to coach in the Indian Premier League for several years

In April 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced Kirsten as the head coach of the Pakistan national cricket team in limited-overs.

This was the first time in over a decade that the former opener was in charge of a national team.

Besides coaching, the former cricketer has his own academy called the Gary Kirsten Cricket.

South Africa will return to the Caribbean to play a bilateral series against the West Indies that will involve two Tests and three T20Is.

When do the Proteas play again

The Test matches against the West Indies form part of the World Test Championship.

These engagements should be critical as both teams are a little bit off the pace in the WTC but still have a chance to get back into the race for the final in 2025.

South Africa are pencilled in for a tour to Bangladesh in October and November but that series looks likely to be bumped to later in the season.

A potential home T20I series against India has yet to be added to the schedule officially despite being announced in January.

Cricket South Africa have confirmed that the Proteas will also play a white-ball series against Ireland in the UAE, following about a month after the trip to the Caribbean.

The two Test series that the Proteas are set to play at home this summer are also part of the WTC.

Home summer starts against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will be the first opponents for the Proteas in their home summer when they play their first Test at Kingsmead in Durban from 27 November.

Another coastal Test follows at St George’s Park with the Proteas needing to make up points on the top sides in the WTC.

Pakistan arrive in December and will first play a three-match T20I series followed by three ODIs before the two Tests on Boxing Day and the New Year’s match in Cape Town.

Proteas fixtures 2024

Against the West Indies away

1st Test vs West Indies 7-11 August

2nd Test vs West Indies 15-19 August

1st T20I vs West Indies 23 August

2nd T20I vs West Indies 25 August

3rd T20I vs West Indies 27 August

Against Ireland in the UAE

1st T20I vs Ireland 27 September

2nd T20I vs Ireland 29 September

1st ODI vs Ireland 2 October

2nd ODI vs Ireland 4 October

3rd ODI vs Ireland 7 October

Against Sri Lanka at home

1st Test vs Sri Lanka 27 November – 1 December

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka 5-9 December

Against Pakistan at home

1st T20I vs Pakistan 10 December

2nd T20I vs Pakistan 13 December

3rd T20I vs Pakistan 14 December

1st ODI vs Pakistan 17 December

2nd ODI vs Pakistan 19 December

3rd ODI vs Pakistan 22 December

1st Test vs Pakistan 26-30 December

2nd Test vs Pakistan 3-7 January 2025

Can the Proteas win the World Test Championship

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The 19-year-old was “relieved” of the role in January with CSA claiming “safety” reasons were the motivation, following pro-Israel comments Teeger made when receiving the Rising Star of the Absa Jewish Achiever Awards last November.

Cricket South Africa face legal action over David Teeger removal

“Yes, I’ve been given this award, and yes, I’m now the Rising Star, but the true rising stars are the young soldiers in Israel,” he said.

The state of Israel has been conducting divisive miltary operations in the Gaza strip, following a terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 which Hamas took credit for. Their actions have sparked widespread protests across the globe, with citizens of various countries attempting to put pressure on their rulers to cut ties with Israel.

Protesters have also targeted businesses and other groups who have shown support for Israel and supported the actions of controversial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Independent observers have accused Israel of war crimes which include targeting civilians and aid-workers within Gaza.

Feared Protests

CSA claimed that the threat of these protests related to the war during the U19 World Cup prompted it to act, although Teeger was still selected for all six of SA U19’s matches as a player.

According to reports human rights protection NGO Citizens for Integrity have filed papers at the Gauteng Division of the High Court.

The filings allegedly claim that CSA’s “security concerns” were unlawful, unconstitutional and irrational”.

Citizens for Integrity attorney Daniel Witz made a statement following the filing.

“While reinstating Teeger to his former captaincy in a concluded tournament is impossible, we hope this case will result in a court declaration confirming that CSA acted irrationally and unlawfully. This would underscore the imperative to protect all rights and the freedom of speech.

“CSA has failed to explain why a security threat was posed only if Teeger remained captain, but not if he remained a team member. Additionally, CSA did not outline any measures to protect Teeger and the team if such a threat truly existed.

“As the hosts and organisers of the tournament, CSA had an obligation to ensure the safety of their players, yet they failed to act appropriately.

“CSA’s decision not only embarrassed and humiliated Teeger, infringing on his rights and affecting his career, but it also violated the rights of all South Africans.”

Were CSA right to remove David Teeger from his role?

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Since then the format has launched into the stratosphere, becoming the most popular format of the game at least when it comes to TV deals.

Who has taken the most T20I wickets for the Proteas men’s team?

After the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Proteas leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals is Tabraiz Shamsi.

Shamsi has taken 89 wickets in 70 T20Is, picking up a scalp roughly every 17 balls he bowls.

He is also the fifth most-capped player for the Proteas in the format behind David Miller, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and AB de Villiers.

Shamsi has one five-wicket haul in the format, taking 5 for 24 against England at the Rose Bowl in 2022.

In second place is Kagiso Rabada who has taken 71 wickets in the format in 65 matches. Incredibly, Rabada has never taken more than three wickets in a single T20I, but he has kept up a consistent rate of gathering victims.

Now retired Dale Steyn comes in at third place with his 64 wickets but he has Lungi Ngidi breathing down his neck.

Ngidi missed out on the T20 World Cup due to workload concerns for a player returning from injury but he will return to the format soon and will likely also move past Steyn shortly having already taken 62 wickets in just 42 matches.

Among players with 50 or more wickets in the format for the Proteas, Ngidi has the second best strike-rate just behind Imran Tahir, who also rounds out the top five wicket-takers in the format for South Africa.

Most wickets

Who is your favourite Proteas player?

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Warriors batter Matthew Breetzke has received his maiden Test call-up after impressing in last season’s domestic four-day competition with 322 runs at an average of 46, including a top score of 188.

The Warriors captain also lead South Africa ‘A’ in a four-day match against India ‘A’ in December. 

Wicketkeeper batter Ryan Rickelton makes his return to the red-ball set-up for the first time since South Africa hosted the West Indies in March 2023. 

All-rounder Marco Jansen has been rested for the series. 

The two-match Test series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship, will be South Africa’s first in the Caribbean since June 2021, which saw them claim a 2-0 series win over the hosts. 

Commenting on the squad, Conrad said: “We are looking forward to returning to Test cricket after a busy period of limited-overs cricket over the past few months. 

“This tour is extremely important for us as we aim to improve our standing in the ICC World Test Championship. We have therefore selected our strongest possible squad and look forward to strong performances in the Caribbean.

“We have one new face in the squad, Matthew Breetzke, who is selected on the back of an excellent past season. 

“The decision to rest Marco Jansen was taken to allow for a conditioning period aimed at ensuring optimal physical and mental well-being given the season-long workloads.

“Half of our squad will be part of a camp to be held in Durban next week,” concluded Conrad.

Proteas Test squad against West Indies

Temba Bavuma* (captain, Lions), David Bedingham (Western Province), Matthew Breetzke* (Warriors), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Gerald Coetzee (Titans), Tony de Zorzi* (Western Province), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans), Wiaan Mulder* (Lions), Lungi Ngidi* (Titans), Dane Paterson* (Western Province), Dane Piedt (Knights), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Tristan Stubbs* (Warriors), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), and Kyle Verreynne* (Western Province)

*These players will attend a red-ball camp from 15 to 19 July in Durban. 

The squad will get together in Trinidad and Tobago on 27 July. P

layers competing in the Major League Cricket final on 28 July will join the squad on 29 July. 

Tour Itinerary

Warm-up match

31 July – 3 August at 10:00 (local time) 

West Indies Invitational XI vs South Africa – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

Test series

7 – 11 August at 10:00 (local time) 

West Indies vs South Africa – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 

15 – 19 August at 10:00 (local time) 

West Indies vs South Africa – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana 

The cynics scoffed when the BCCI launched the Indian Premier League but it has now become a central part of the global cricket calendar and launched the careers of countless stars for not just India but several other nations to boot.

The BCCI has waded into the world of women’s franchise T20 cricket to join the WBBL.

Cricket is crying out for a women’s SA 20

The well-attended T20 women’s world cup in 2023 proved that South African audiences will turn out to see women’s cricket in the format. The SA 20 proved that fans will also come out for franchise T20 fare.

South Africa should not be waiting around to see what happens but rather should come out swinging to join the WPL and the already well-established Women’s Big Bash.

There would need to be significant investment but that is precisely why South Africa needs to make progress.

South African players litter the WPL and WBBL as well as the women’s Hundred tournament and a franchise tournament that allows for a large number of foreign professionals could showcase both established and new stars in ideal conditions.

The time has come

The WPL’s inception felt overdue but improved performances from the India women’s team eventually swayed the BCCI.

South Africa can make a quantum leap in the professionalism of women’s cricket with such a tournament.

The success of the SA 20 has given CSA a blueprint for growth and they should pair the tournaments in branding identity and possibly also their ownership.

Unlike the men’s game there is still space for a new T20 event on the women’s scene. It could even help South Africa haul in the big three and their dominance of the sport.

A new T20 event for women would likely be welcomed by top players from around the world as it would offer players the opportunity to get more time on the pitch as well as earn a tidy payday.

The impact on the South African game would stretch far beyond improving the national team.

South Africa has shown that it is can be a stunning venue for a T20 cricket event and we need a women’s SA 20.

If done properly, a women’s SA 20 would allow women’s cricket in South Africa to take a giant leap forward in professionalism.

Boycott, 83, was told last week the cancer had returned, having been previously treated for the illness in 2002 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The former opening batsman is now set to have an operation to remove the cancer in two weeks’ time.

In a statement to Britain’s Daily Telegraph, for whom he is still a columnist, Boycott said: “In the last few weeks I have had an MRI scan, CT scan, a PET scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed I have throat cancer and will require an operation.

“From past experience I realise that to overcome cancer a second time I will need excellent medical treatment and quite a bit of luck and, even if the operation is successful, every cancer patient knows they have to live with the possibility of it returning. So I will just get on with it and hope for the best.”

Geoff Boycott scored more than 8 000 Test runs

Boycott is one of a select group of cricketers to have scored 100 first-class hundreds.

For England, he scored more than 8 000 runs in 108 Tests at an average of nearly 48.

Boycott also captained England in four Tests in 1978 in place of the injured Mike Brearley.

After his 24-year first-class career ended with Yorkshire sacking him in 1986, Boycott established himself as both a newspaper columnist and a noted broadcaster, developing a global fanbase.

He was a particularly popular figure in the Indian sub-continent.

In 2020, his 14-year stint as a commentator on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special came to an end.

Boycott said at the time that the quadruple heart bypass surgery he underwent in 2018, together with the coronavirus pandemic, were factors in his decision to end his BBC career.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

In the wake of the Proteas’ agonising T20 World Cup final defeat, there have been some rumours on social media to suggest Miller may be set to retire from T20 international cricket.

Miller had of course helped South Africa come within touching distance of a sensational victory, but in the India celebrated a famous win, while the Proteas and their fans were left heartbroken after another gut-wrenching defeat in a major tournament knockout game.

Miller is now 35-years-old, and there have been questions over whether he will have another shot at an ICC title. The big-hitting batsman has now made it clear that he remains available to South Africa.

“Contrary to some reports, I have NOT retired from T20 international cricket. I will continue to be available to play for the Proteas. The best is yet to come!”

Earlier in the week, he shared a post to Instagram in which he reflected on the tournament.

“I am gutted!! Really tough pill to swallow after what transpired two days ago. Words don’t explain how I am feeling. One thing I do know is how proud I am of this unit. This journey was an incredible one, with highs and lows throughout the entire month. We have endured pain, but I know this team has the resilience and will keep raising the bar,” he posted in a heartfelt Instagram story.

David Miller has been through a rollercoaster ride with the Proteas

Onwards and upwards

After a result that was certainly another tough pill to swallow, Proteas captain Aiden Markram spoke about the way forward.

“Hopefully, it’s one step closer. It’s tournament cricket, it’s tough cricket, it’s not easy to win trophies,” Markram said.

“You’ve got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it. We’d like to think we’re one step closer and hopefully moving forward we can get that first win and it can be a snowball effect of quite a few to come.”

“I think one thing that I will definitely say is how proud we are. Not just of today, the game itself, but the competition as a whole, the build-up to get here,” Markram said.

“So, in hindsight, things will still feel really good about this competition. However, just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it’s good for it to sting.

“It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for the next time that you’re here.”

Miller had of course helped the Proteas come within touching distance of a sensational victory, but when he was dismissed off the first ball of the final over – as the result of a stunning, albeit somewhat controversial catch on the boundary – it effectively ended the game as a contest.

In the end, India celebrated a famous win, while the Proteas and their fans were left heartbroken after another gut-wrenching defeat in a major tournament knockout game.

Miller is now 35-years-old, and there have been questions over whether he will have another shot at an ICC title, while this week there have been some rumours on social media to suggest he may have retired from T20 international cricket.

However, he has now shared a post to Instagram, which provides no indication that he is thinking of retirement just yet.

“I am gutted!! Really tough pill to swallow after what transpired two days ago. Words don’t explain how I am feeling. One thing I do know is how proud I am of this unit. This journey was an incredible one, with highs and lows throughout the entire month. We have endured pain, but I know this team has the resilience and will keep raising the bar,” he posted in a heartfelt Instagram story.

David Miller has been through a rollercoaster ride with the Proteas

Onwards and upwards

After a result that was certainly another tough pill to swallow, Proteas captain Aiden Markram spoke about the way forward.

“Hopefully, it’s one step closer. It’s tournament cricket, it’s tough cricket, it’s not easy to win trophies,” Markram said.

“You’ve got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it. We’d like to think we’re one step closer and hopefully moving forward we can get that first win and it can be a snowball effect of quite a few to come.”

“I think one thing that I will definitely say is how proud we are. Not just of today, the game itself, but the competition as a whole, the build-up to get here,” Markram said.

“So, in hindsight, things will still feel really good about this competition. However, just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it’s good for it to sting.

“It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for the next time that you’re here.”

Champions India provide six players, including captain Rohit Sharma, who will captain this team, and Player of the Tournament Jasprit Bumrah.

Three players from Afghanistan make the cut following a breakthrough run to the semi-finals.

The selection panel consisted of commentators Harsha Bhogle, Ian Bishop and Kass Naidoo and ICC General Manager of Cricket Wasim Khan.

Team of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 (in batting order) is:

1. Rohit Sharma (captain) – India
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper) – Afghanistan
3. Nicholas Pooran – West Indies
4. Suryakumar Yadav – India
5. Marcus Stoinis – Australia
6. Hardik Pandya – India
7. Axar Patel – India
8. Rashid Khan – Afghanistan
9. Jasprit Bumrah – India
10. Arshdeep Singha – India
11. Fazalhaq Farooqi – Afghanistan

12th player: Anrich Nortje – South Africa

Rohit Sharma will captain the team after leading India to their second victory in the competition.

Sharma finished as the second top run-scorer in the competition, scoring 257 runs in eight innings. The pick of his performances came in the win over Australia, when he smashed 92, before adding 57 in the semi-final success against Australia.

He is joined at the top of the order by Afghanistan wicket-keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the only man to outscore the Indian opener.

Rahmanullah made 281 runs as Afghanistan progressed to the semi-finals for the first time in their history, making half-centuries in three matches. His 60 against Australia proved pivotal as Afghanistan progressed from the Super 8s.

In at No 3 is Nicholas Pooran, the West Indies wicketkeeper batter, who scored 228 runs at an average of 38, including a 53-ball 98 in victory over Afghanistan.

The second Indian player in the XI is Suryakumar Yadav, the hard-hitting batter rewarded for some crucial innings, notably in the semi-final against England, 47, and the Super 8s win over Afghanistan when he smashed 53 off just 28 balls.

At No 5 is the sole Australian in the team, with Marcus Stoinis included after a stellar tournament. Stoinis contributed with bat and ball, scoring his 169 runs at an average of over 40, and a strike rate in excess of 160. He also chipped in with 10 wickets across the tournament.

Proteas’ Anrich Nortje named 12th player

The next all-rounder comes from India, Hardik Pandya scoring 144 runs at an average of 48, while also picking up 11 wickets with the ball, and bowling the all-important final over to seal victory.

His team-mate Axar Patel was similarly influential with bat and ball. The left-armer was promoted up the order in the final, scoring an invaluable 47, while his three for 23 helped secure victory over England in the semi-final.

Rashid Khan comes in at No 8, the Afghanistan all-rounder excelling in the Caribbean with 14 wickets at an average of 12.78 and an economy rate just over six.

He is followed by Jasprit Bumrah, the standout performer across the entire tournament. It was his spell that swung the final back India’s way, and he finished with 15 wickets at an average of just 8.26, with a remarkable economy rate of 4.17.

The final Indian player in the XI is Arshdeep Singh, who was outstanding in his second World Cup. His 17 wickets were the joint most of any player, including a crucial two for 20 in the final.

The only man to match Arshdeep’s wicket tally was Fazalhaq Farooqi, of Afghanistan, the final player in the XI. His four for 17 helped beat New Zealand in the group stages, as Afghanistan progressed ahead of the Black Caps.

Runners-up South Africa provide the 12th man in the team, with Anrich Nortje having been outstanding for the Proteas. He took 15 wickets at an average of 13.40 and an economy rate under six.

Aiden Markram’s men fell agonisingly short by seven runs in Saturday’s final against India in Barbados, failing to clinch their first major title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

As winners, India will get the lion’s share of the record prize pool of $11.25 million for the tournament.

Their cut from that will be $2.45 million – along with bonuses – which the International Cricket Council (ICC) said is “the highest amount in the tournament’s history”.

South Africa will share $1.28 million (R23.3 million) for finishing as the runner-up.

That money will be shared between around 25 people – the entire team including coaches and support staff.

If split equally, that works out to roughly $51 200 (R932 000) each.

India the BIG winners

Meanwhile, India’s T20 World Cup-winning cricket team was gifted prize money of nearly $15 million (R270 million) by the country’s national cricket board, the BCCI, on Sunday, as a reward for their “talent, determination, and sportsmanship”.

“I am pleased to announce prize money of 125 crores rupees ($14.9 million) for Team India for winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024,” Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said in a statement.

“The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament,” Shah added.

“Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media on Sunday that he had spoken to the team, congratulating them on their “excellent skill and spirit”.

At the time of publishing it’s unclear whether Cricket South Africa (CSA) will be anywhere near as generous …

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

India won a thrilling final against South Africa by seven runs in Barbados on Saturday to clinch their first major title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced the hefty reward, which will be shared between around 25 people – the entire team including coaches and support staff.

“I am pleased to announce prize money of 125 crores rupees ($14.9 million) for Team India for winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024,” Shah said in a statement.

If split equally, that works out to roughly $600 000 each.

“The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament,” Shah added.

“Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement”.

Proteas paid $1.28 million as T20 World Cup runners-up

The title victory comes after over a decade of heartbreaks in knockout matches of International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments.

The cash prize is in addition to the International Cricket Council record prize pool of $11.25 million for the tournament.

India, as winner of the competition, will share a pot from that of $2.45 million along with bonuses, which the ICC said is “the highest amount in the tournament’s history”.

South Africa will share $1.28 million (R23.3 million) for finishing as the runner-up.

After India’s win, the cricket-crazy country erupted with midnight celebrations as fans in blue Indian shirts on cars and bikes took to the streets across cities including the capital New Delhi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media on Sunday that he had spoken to the team, congratulating them on their “excellent skill and spirit”.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Playing in their first-ever World Cup final, Proteas managed to hold their own against a star-studded Indian side. Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first, and that proved to be the correct call as India put in a challenging score of 176.

In response, the Proteas got off to a bad start after losing Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks early in the final. Quinton de Kock played a wonderful knock to stabilise the innings and he along with Tristan Stubbs and later Heinrich Klaasen got South Africa back in the game.

Proteas lose their first final

The wicket of Klaasen changed the momentum of the match which ultimately saw India winning the final. We look at some of the key moments that changed the match

Klaasen’s wicket

At one point, the Proteas look certain to win the final. With Klaasen and David Miller on the crease, South Africa needed 30 from 30 balls with six wickets in hand. Hardik Pandya was introduced in the 16th over and got Klaasen off the first ball. His wicket slowed down the momentum somewhat but with Miller still in, SA still had a chance

Jasprit Bumrah’s last over

Bumrah was unplayable on the night and even Klaasen failed to get a boundary off him. Miller, who had played well at that point, scored a single to leave new man Marco Jansen on strike against the deadly bowler. The tall Proteas all-rounder could do nothing as Bumrah got his second wicket of the day.

Miller’s catch

After Jansen’s wicket, the final was back in India’s hands as the Proteas struggled against Arshdeep Signh. With 16 needed in the final over, Miller attempted to clear Pandya but the left-hander was caught brilliantly by Suryakumar Yadav. Unfortunately, the damage was done despite Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada trying their best to win the final for the Proteas in the final five balls.