Sports

South Africa’s bowling could fetch better results with more inspired captaincy

Published

4 years ago

2023/01/2

by Ian Chappell

South Africa are a flawed batting team and recent comments by captain Dean Elgar regarding a dangerous Gabba pitch and lack of matches against tough opponents have tried to camouflage that.No team – no matter how good their bowling attack – can overcome a string of mediocre Test totals poorly compiled. No number of games against tough opponents is going to help a batting team that is technically deficient and limited in their shot-making ability.

Also, while South Africa’s bowling attack possesses real ability, their wicket-taking capability could be drastically improved. And they are handicapped by their side’s poor batting. A team that is repeatedly provided with low scores and has to regularly be back bowling after yet another failure by their batting side finds its strength sapping and morale dropping.

There is also the matter of captaincy. Anrich Nortje aside, the rest of the attack could have performed better in Australia with improved leadership. Elgar, like many of his fellow international leaders, is not well versed in captaincy on Australian pitches. The bowlers must first understand that producing the odd really good ball interspersed with some deliveries that can be despatched won’t win much in Australia. Bowlers have to keep producing good deliveries to talented batters and their demeanour has to alert opponents to their wicket-taking desire.

I’ve often said about the great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee that you had to overcome his great ability first and then you had to deal with his iron will. That is how good bowlers operate. There have been times when I have felt the South Africans lacked that required iron will.It’s also worth remembering the practical words of talented Australian batter Mark Waugh: “Hit the top of off with the occasional bouncer used to work.” That age-old cricket proverb still applies.

Then there are field placings for the current bowlers when considering the improvement and extra thickness of bats. It always pays to start with a packed slip cordon, as edges off the new ball continue to be a high-percentage way to rid yourself of good top-order batters. And when those players survive the early period and start to punish the bowling, a captain has to be agile in his thinking. Sending slip fielders to places like point and square leg is more likely to result in catches than giving good batters easy singles by moving men prematurely into the deep. There comes a time when a batter is well set and deep fielders have to be considered but the fielding team is already in trouble by the time that happens.

If the captaincy relates to the cricket being played, it’s generally good. If, however, it doesn’t relate to the actual play, you’re right to assume it’s poor.

On the subject of starting, why isn’t Nortje taking the new ball along with Kagiso Rabada? The best chance of taking wickets is at the start of a player’s innings. The most likely wicket-takers, if they are good, are the faster bowlers and it’s imperative they get the new ball. Nortje is a far better bowling proposition than an out-of-form and much slower Lungi Ngidi.

Keshav Maharaj has potential as a spinner but if he’s used as a containing bowler, that’s a mistake. Most of the time a captain has to seek wickets at both ends. Bowlers are wicket-takers; otherwise they shouldn’t be in a Test side. Having a player operate as a holding bowler means his ability is diminished.

Taking 20 wickets to win a Test is the hardest thing in the game but it’s also among the most rewarding. The job of batters is to score runs quickly enough to allow their bowlers the time to collect those 20 wickets.The South African batters aren’t anywhere near doing their job. However, the better South African bowlers could improve their performance if they were provided with more inspiring leadership and competitive field placings.

(cricinfo)

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Sports

Juventus Training Camp from 6-10 July in Colombo

Published

50 mins ago

2026/07/3

Priyan

Rosario de Silva CEO Colombo Kickerz Football Academy announced the training camp

The much anticipated Juventus Training Camp organized by the Colombo Kickerz Football Academy will take place from 6th to 10th July at the CR&FC Grounds Colombo.

The Camp will be conducted by two official Juventus Academy coaches from Italy, and will provide 50 young footballers from across the country to participate in an intensive program based on the renowned Juventus methodology, focusing on technical development, tactical understanding, team work, discipline and personal growth.

Romario de Silva CEO of Colombo Kickerz Football Academy said that the objective of the Academy was to provide young footballers with access to world class coaching and international development opportunities.

He added that the Training Camp was made possible through the valued support of Hilton Colombo Residencies, Aitken Spence travels, The Pappare and Lady J.

Colombo Kickerz Football Academy established in 2015, is one of Sri Lanka’s leading youth football academies, dedicated to developing young footballers both on and off the field through a holistic approach to player development.

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Wijesundara set for debut as injury-hit Sri Lanka struggle to make up XI

Published

5 hours ago

2026/07/3

Priyan

Prabath Jayasuriya will enter the Sri Lanka XI (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka have been hit by a spate of injuries and an illness ahead of the secondbTest against West Indies, in North Sound, a game they must win to take something away from the series after suffering an innings defeat in the first.

The injuries have forced the team management to pick from a squad of 13, rather than the 17 they took on tour. The seam-bowling department has been especially hard hit, with Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando both going down with injuries.

The most serious injury, however, seems to be that of opener Pathum Nissanka, who left the squad on June 30 to undergo surgery on an injured wrist in the United Kingdom. Lahiru Udara will take Nissanka’s place at the top of the order for the second Test. Nissanka’s surgery casts a cloud over his Lanka Premier League participation as well.

Vishwa, meanwhile, has not sufficiently recovered from back and side pain to become available for the second Test. And Sri Lanka’s quickest bowler in the squad, Kumara, remains unavailable after having walked off the field with a hamstring complaint (a recurring injury) having delivered just one over in the previous Test.

These injuries, plus Kasun Rajitha’s modest performance in the first Test, have paved the way for seamer Isitha Wijesudera’s Test debut.

In addition, offspin-bowling allrounder Ramesh Mendis has contracted a bacterial infection on tour. As such, he is also unavailable for selection. Prabath Jayasuriya – Sri Lanka’s top specialist spinner over the last three years – will enter the XI.

(Cricinfo)

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Ronaldo scores as Portugal come back to win, Croatia denied by late VAR

Published

10 hours ago

2026/07/3

Priyan

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their first goal (Aljazeera)

Substitute Goncalo Ramos’s headed goal edged Portugal into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a gripping 2-1 win against Croatia.

Ramos connected with a superb pass from Rafael Leao in the fourth minute of stoppage time on Thursday to snuff out a Croatia team that had created the lion’s share of the chances in sapping evening heat in Toronto.

In a dramatic ending, Croatia thought they had equalised in the dying seconds, but Josko Gvardiol’s goal was chalked off for offside.

The Croatians were left stunned by the decision, while Portugal’s players celebrated.

Cristiano Ronaldo played his role in the victory, stroking home a penalty that cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s opener.

It was Ronaldo’s first-ever goal in the knockout phase of the World Cup, and his remarkable international career will have another chapter when Portugal face Spain in Dallas on Monday.

Perisic had stunned the Portuguese by slotting the ball under the advancing Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 53rd minute.

Within minutes, Ronaldo had the ball in the net after controlling a long pass, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

But Portugal got level when Renato Veiga was grabbed by Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic in the penalty area, and after a VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot.

Ronaldo stepped up to convert the penalty with ease, hitting the ball straight down the middle of the goal and pumping his fists with joy afterwards.

In a pulsating game, Manchester City forward Mateo Kovacic’s low shot was pushed onto a post by goalkeeper Costa’s fingertips.

Still, Croatia pushed, and Petar Sucic had the ball in the net, but the assistant referee’s flag was up for a clear offside.

Ronaldo was withdrawn in the 81st minute to allow Ruben Neves to come on.

Croatia continued to create more chances than their opponents, and Mario Pasalic came so close to winning the game with a header at the far post, but it bounced just wide.

But when Ramos connected, the net bulged, and Portugal were through.

(Aljazeera)