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New Zealand recorded their first T20I victory of the home season

Tristan Lavalette06-Nov-2025

Mark Chapman bludgeoned 78 off 28 balls before New Zealand survived a late onslaught to record their first T20I victory of the home season in a bounce back against West Indies at Eden Park.West Indies were down and out in the 208-run chase at 93 for 6 in the 13th over. They needed 18 an over from there but the required rate suddenly nosedived as Rovman Powell launched stunning hitting at the death.Needing 16 runs off the final over, West Indies were suddenly in the box seat after a couple of Matthew Forde boundaries meant they required eight off four balls.Related

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But Powell holed out to quick Kyle Jamieson on the fourth ball in a game-changer before Forde could only score a single off the final delivery as West Indies fell three runs short.Jamieson held his nerve with a superb slower ball in a major relief for New Zealand, who were under pressure after a seven-run defeat in the series-opener at the same ground just 24 hours earlier.After New Zealand were sent in to bat, Chapman ignited his side in favourable batting conditions and completely dominated the middle-latter overs with a slew of belligerent blows.While chasing, West Indies succumbed to spinners Ish Sodhi, the only change from either team from game one, and Mitchell Santner combining for six wickets.There was a late twist but the result snapped the West Indies’ five-game T20I winning streak.DRS was used in this match after technical issues meant the technology could not be in place for the opener.Chapman ignites New ZealandThere was pressure on New Zealand’s batting order after a meek effort in the series-opener, where only incredible late hitting from Santner got them close.Devon Conway struggled to get going but did help lay a platform with a 55-run opening partnership with Tim Robinson, whose premeditated ramps knocked the seamers off their lengths.But New Zealand were only modestly placed at 59 for 2 in the ninth over after Robinson’s dismissal. Chapman had a sighter before launching in the 13rd over, whacking Romario Shepherd for a trio of sixes.He was on a roll, finding gaps with a mixture of timing and power to record a 19-a ball half-century – the fastest in his T20I career. It was a welcome return to form for Chapman, who had only made 39 runs from four previous T20I innings during this home season.Chapman finally miscued straight in the air in the 17th over before Santner again showed off his big-hitting at the death as he finished off the innings in style with a six.Forde backs up, Hosein held backThere was intrigue over how Forde would pull up from game one having made a successful comeback from a shoulder injury.He once again performed exceptionally well with the new ball to prove he’s well and truly fit and firing having not played competitive cricket before this tour since July.Ish Sodhi, who replaced Jimmy Neesham, picked up three wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Forde bowled three overs on the trot in the first game before being hammered in his final over by Santner at the death. Captain Shai Hope decided to bowl Forde out and the gamble worked when he once again knocked over Conway with an almost identical delivery from the first game that seamed in wickedly.Forde finished with 1 for 17 from four overs, but West Indies’ attack struggled mightily after that. On a ground with small dimensions, Hope didn’t seem to trust left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein who bowled just one over in the first T20I.He came on in the 16th over – the latest he had ever bowled in the format. Hosein was on a hiding to nothing and greeted with a six by Daryl Mitchell before Chapman whacked consecutive blows into the crowd in an over that ultimately cost 23 runs.Other than Forde, every other bowler’s economy was over eight runs an over.Sodhi stars in returnNew Zealand was expected to stick with their line-up from the opener, but allrounder Jimmy Neesham was a late scratch after he was hit on the shoulder while batting in the warm-up.Sodhi took Neesham’s place and grabbed his opportunity having not been part of the England series. He came on in the eighth over with West Indies needing a move on after a sedate start.Alick Athanaze had him in his sights but made a hash of a reverse sweep to gift Sodhi a second-ball wicket. His tail was up with Sodhi on the next delivery unsuccessfully reviewing a caught behind shout against Ackeem Auguste.Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell’s impressive partnership went in vain•AFP/Getty Images

But he soon dismissed Auguste, largely thanks to a terrific catch from a diving Chapman in the outfield. Sodhi then deceived Jason Holder with a googly to rattle the stumps although his figures took a little of a beating in his final couple of overs.Shepherd, Powell and Forde’s late hitting in vainWest Indies looked dead and buried at 93 for 6 in the 13th over. But they can never be totally written off due to their muscular batting through the order. Shepherd and Powell gave them hope after they smashed five sixes in a six-ball whirlwind.Shepherd fell for 34 off 16 balls, but Powell remained undaunted and received support from Forde as the ball kept flying into the terraces. They whittled it down to 16 in the final over but ultimately fell short.In the end the task proved too great and the West Indies will rue such a slow start. But they will know that no chase is out of reach and the late fireworks will spook New Zealand, who will need to reassess their plans in the death overs.

The fast bowler and his Canterbury team-mate Mitch Hay could make their Test debuts in the second Test against West Indies

Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-20251:57

Latham: Can’t fault the effort when we were a couple of bowlers down

Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related

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At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images

New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.

Blades named replacement after Holder declines citing a planned medical procedure

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2025Alzarri Joseph has been ruled out of West Indies’ two-match Test series against India starting this week due to a lower-back injury. Joseph complained of discomfort, and scans revealed “a degeneration of the previously resolved lower-back injury”.According to a CWI release on Monday, Jason Holder, who is currently with the T20I side for a three-match series against Nepal in the UAE, declined to be Joseph’s replacement citing a planned medical procedure.So West Indies have called up left-arm seamer Jediah Blades to replace Joseph. Blades, 23, is also in the UAE and will join the Test squad after the third T20I on Tuesday.Related

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Blades is uncapped in Test cricket but has played three ODIs and four T20Is so far. In 13 first-class games, he has picked up 35 wickets at an average of 35.91.Joseph’s absence leaves West Indies’ pace attack severely depleted. Last week, Shamar Joseph was ruled out with an injury and was replaced by uncapped seam-bowling allrounder Johann Layne. Among their current seam-bowling options, Jayden Seales is the only one to have played more than ten Tests. In the spin department, they have got Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre and captain Roston Chase.The first Test against India starts on October 1 in Ahmedabad.

Updated West Indies squad for India Test series

Roston Chase (capt), Jomel Warrican (vice-capt), Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Johann Layne, Jediah Blades, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales

Following his mid-season arrival at Manchester City, Nico Gonzalez went through the strange experience of being hailed as an oven-ready replacement for Rodri during his first week at the Etihad Stadium, only to then be ignored by Pep Guardiola during the most important stretch of the campaign. Any fears, however, that he would become an expensive flop have since disappeared, with Gonzalez having stepped back in to anchor City's resurgence as they emerge as Arsenal’s main rivals in the Premier League title race.

The midfielder, who is known just as Nico to his team-mates even though he has a namesake in the squad in Nico O’Reilly, looked like a luxury signing when he arrived from Porto for £50 million ($65m) on transfer deadline day back in February 3. The son of Deportivo La Coruna legend Fran and a Barcelona academy graduate, Gonzalez arrived as a barely disguised stand-in for Rodri while the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder continued his recovery from an ACL injury.

Guardiola did not try to hide it, hailing the new signing as ‘Mini-Rodri’ after an excellent Premier League debut against Newcastle in which he towered above everyone else in midfield and laid the platform for fellow January addition Omar Marmoush to shine in a crushing 4-0 win. It has not been an entirely smooth ride since, but in the last couple of months Gonzalez has developed into one of City’s most important players as they prepare to face the Magpies again on Saturday.

Getty Images SportBig presence

Although he was raised in Barcelona’s La Masia academy and raised by one of Spain’s most technical footballers in his father, Guardiola appeared to value Gonzalez’s physical attributes the most when he first watched him up close. 

"The presence of Nico helped a lot, the 50-50s. If there are 10 balls. he wins seven of them," the coach said after the Spaniard’s impressive debut against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium. "He's like a mini-Rodri. It's a big compliment. He's miles away from Rodri, he's the best, but we have the feeling he'll help us in the last part of the season with his presence."

Guardiola started Gonzalez in City's next five league games, although he couldn’t quite build on his exploits against Newcastle, as the dethroned champions lost to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, leaving them with a fight on their hands to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League.

AdvertisementGetty Bottom of the pile

Yet in the thick of that battle, Guardiola preferred other options. Gonzalez was an unused substitute for the derby at Manchester United in April and for the crunch game with Aston Villa later that month, which was effectively a shootout for a place in the top-five. In the end, he started just three of the eight matches in the Premier League run-in. 

Gonzalez, meanwhile, played a grand total of 37 minutes in City's run to the FA Cup final, getting one minute in the semi against Forest and none in the defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley – and that was despite Mateo Kovacic being out injured. Gonzalez’s situation did not improve at the Club World Cup, where he appeared in just one of City’s four games as Rodri returned to the fold.

Gonzalez’s lack of playing time led to reports that the player was open to cutting short his stay and leaving in the summer. However, that is understood to not be true, with sources insisting Gonzalez had no interest in leaving. City instead decreased their squad size by offloading Ilkay Gundogan, among others.

GettySeizing his chance

Gonzalez started the first two games of the new season before retaking his place on the bench at Brighton when Rodri came back in following another injury setback. But with the 29-year-old’s return from knee surgery continuing to be disrupted by a series of niggling issues, Gonzalez got another chance and seized it. 

He has started nine of City’s last 12 games in all competitions and has arguably been their most important player in the last two months, with the obvious exception of Erling Haaland.

"It’s not easy sometimes arriving in a new club and playing a different style to maybe playing in the past," Guardiola said of Gonzalez last month. "But we’re really pleased with his behaviour and I’m pretty (sure) he’ll get better and better."

Gonzalez is far from the first player to need a transition season when getting to grips with Guardiola's methods. Jack Grealish, Josko Gvardiol and even Rodri are just some of the big-money signings who took their time to adapt to City’s way of playing. Gonzalez, though, appears to close to cracking the code within 10 months of first playing under the Catalan coach.

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Getty Fundamental

While Gonzalez fell behind Kovacic, Gundogan and occasionally Bernardo Silva and even Kevin De Bruyne in the holding midfield role last season, he is now only second to Rodri, who last started a game on October 5 and who has only played 60 or more minutes on five occasions this season.

"Right now, the first option when Rodri cannot play is absolutely Nico Gonzalez," Guardiola said before City’s game against Bournemouth earlier this month. He went on to dominate that match, playing important roles in both of Haaland’s goals by progressing the ball.

Gonzalez also impressed in City’s 2-0 win over Everton in October and in the Carabao Cup win over Swansea City, brushing off an error that led to the opponents scoring by shepherding City to a comeback win.

"Now he’s fundamental for us," said Guardiola after City’s win in South Wales. "He’s so young, a lovely guy. I’m really pleased because these types of football players that are incredibly coachable – they deserve the best."

The New York Yankees made a massive addition to shore up their infield by trading for Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon on Friday. The Yankees sent prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz back to the Rockies so that they could acquire the former All-Star infielder.

Prior to the Yankees' game against the Philadelphia Phillies Friday, manager Aaron Boone shared his initial thoughts on the addition of McMahon.

“Really excited, been an All-Star third baseman," Boone told reporters. "Really good defender. Has had some ups and downs offensively this year, but over the past month, he’s swinging the bat well. He's a presence and can really defend over there at third, and has for a number of years. We're excited to get him."

McMahon has had some struggles at the plate this year—only Riley Greene has struck out more than him in MLB this year—but he will provide stability at third base and defensively after the Yankees have cycled through several options at the position this year.

"He can really defend over there," Boone said. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there. He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing.'"

McMahon will come to the Yankees after spending his entire career prior with the Rockies. This season, he has slashed .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. He is the Yankees' first major midseason addition this year as New York looks to keep up with the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East division race and return to the World Series.

The former quick said Boland could seam it “off ice” and not having to wait could help the debutant

Matt Roller20-Nov-2025Brett Lee has encouraged Australia to give debutant Brendan Doggett the new ball on his Test debut against England on Friday, after Steven Smith declined to confirm who would open the bowling with Mitchell Starc.Doggett, a fast-medium outswing bowler, has been a prolific wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield and has generally been used as an opening bowler by South Australia. Boland also opens the bowling when he plays in the Shield for Victoria but has built a formidable record as a change bowler across his first 14 Tests, taking 62 wickets at 16.53.Related

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Smith, who will stand in as captain for the first Test in the absence of Pat Cummins, would not confirm who will share the new ball with Starc in Perth. “We’ll see in the morning – or hopefully, maybe two mornings,” he said on Thursday.But Lee, who took 310 Test wickets as an Australia tearaway between 1999 and 2008, suggested that Doggett should open the bowling to help calm any nerves on debut.”Maybe that’s the best thing for his nerves,” Lee said at a Fox Cricket event on Thursday. “If they lose the toss tomorrow and they’ve got to bowl first, then Steve Smith might go, ‘Alright mate, you haven’t got time to get the nerves. Take the brand new ball and shape a few away.'”It’s not like he’s just been picked out of the blue. He’s been around the squad now for a long, long time. He’s trained with the guys, he knows the guys very well personally. He’s had a couple of really good Sheffield Shield seasons back-to-back, so he’s done the work and he’s earned that opportunity.”But when you walk out there tomorrow at 10.20am, it doesn’t matter. All that hard work is now going to be transformed. Take that nervous energy, take that pressure, take that opportunity, and hopefully he gets a bag of wickets.Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett will make history for Australia, the first time they have field two Indigenous cricketers in a Test XI•Getty Images

“The thing with Scott Boland is that he can bowl anywhere: I reckon he’d get the ball to seam off ice, he’s so good.”Smith said that Doggett had impressed in Australia’s training sessions at Perth Stadium this week, earning him selection ahead of Michael Neser: “He gets the ball down at nice pace, stands the seam up,” he said. “Hopefully, whenever we bowl, he can get the ball in the areas we know that he can. If he does that, I’m sure he’s going to create plenty of chances.”Curator Isaac McDonald has promised a pitch with “pace and bounce” for the first-ever Ashes Test at the venue and Lee believes that fast bowlers will be rewarded for “patience” across the five days, encouraging them to settle into a fuller length than normal due to the extra carry.”You’ve got to bowl a lot fuller, that five-metre length, over here in Perth,” he said. “The teams that get excited when the ball flies through [to the keeper] generally get punished, because nothing goes on to hit the stumps. [Aim for the] top of off, and that means a fraction fuller if it’s a wicket that’s quite bouncy.”They have to attack, but you can attack and still be patient…. You’ve got to adjust your length in order to hit the top of off stump, which brings in the slips. We will see a lot of catches go through the slips region if there is pace. As a bowler, my form of wicket and dismissals over here is I want the ball to go behind to the keeper, first or second slip, or gully.”

Liverpool have now moved into pole position in the race for a Real Madrid attacker, amid Mohamed Salah offering himself to three Champions League clubs.

Salah may never play for Liverpool again after Slot comments

Arne Slot has now admitted that he doesn’t know if Salah will play for the Reds again, in the wake of the Egyptian’s bombshell interview after the 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

The manager said: “After tomorrow we will look at the situation. There is always the possibility to return for a player. I have no clue [if he has played his last game for Liverpool] – I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”

It remains to be seen whether Salah can return to the fold after AFCON, but one thing that is for certain is that he won’t be featuring against Inter Milan in the Champions League this evening.

In the wake of his comments about Slot, the forward has now offered himself to three Champions League clubs, namely Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, according to a report from Spain.

Of course, no Liverpool fan wants to see a club legend leave in this fashion, but if he does depart, Slot will need to bring in another attacker, and the Merseyside club are now leading the race for Real Madrid star Arda Guler.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states the Reds are now the frontrunners to sign Guler, despite Manchester United and Arsenal also stepping up their interest.

The Turk is viewed as the perfect addition to Slot’s attack, with the manager keen to bring in a creative forward, amid the uncertainty surrounding Salah’s long-term future, and the 20-year-old is capable of playing at both right-wing and through the middle. It’s previously been reported that Madrid values Guler as high as £130m.

Signing "magic" Guler could soften blow of losing Salah

The Liverpool talisman hasn’t reached his usual lofty heights this season, failing to make it off the bench in two of the last three Premier League matches, but it would still be a real blow to lose the 33-year-old, who has scored 250 goals since arriving at Anfield.

As such, fans will no doubt be hoping the Egypt international hasn’t played his last game for the Reds, and returns to action after he gets back from AFCON.

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That said, Salah may find it difficult to force his way back into Slot’s plans, with Jamie Carragher recently branding his comments a “disgrace.”

New attacking options may be needed in 2026 regardless, with Federico Chiesa’s future also up in the air, and Guler could be a top signing, with scout Ben Mattinson praising the impact he’s made for Turkey.

Having registered three goals and seven assists for Real Madrid this season, the 26-time Turkey international clearly has the quality to succeed at Anfield, so it is promising news that Liverpool are leading the race for his signature.

Chelsea have now made contact with Ateltico Madrid over signing Pablo Barrios, according to reports, and have been told how much it will take to lure the midfielder away from Spain in 2026.

With the January transfer window less than two months away, the Blues have already got an eye on potential reinforcements. It’s a rare day when those in West London aren’t thinking about the transfer window and Todd Boehly could be about to spend big yet again to help Chelsea bridge the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Having already welcomed the likes of Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro in the summer, those at Stamford Bridge are now reportedly interested in signing Ousmane Diomande.

The Sporting CP defender is one of the most promising centre-backs in Europe and certainly fits the criteria of young stars that Chelsea have been recruiting in recent years. But he’s not the only target in their sights.

The Blues have also been linked with a midfield upgrade in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. The England international is among the most sought-after talents in the Premier League and will have the biggest decision of his career to make sooner or later. Whether that results in a move to West London remains to be seen.

With Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez at the base of the Blues’ midfield, it would take quite the talent to take a starting spot in the middle of Enzo Maresca’s side, but that may not stand in the way of BlueCo’s spending.

If it’s not Wharton that arrives in 2026, then it could be Atletico Madrid star Barrios, who has entered Chelsea’s radar ahead of the January transfer window.

Chelsea launch contact to sign Pablo Barrios

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea have now made contact over signing Barrios from Atletico Madrid, only to be told that the Spanish club will only be accepting offers in the region of €100m (£88m).

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Whilst money hasn’t been a problem for Chelsea in the past, they should question whether they actually need another midfielder with Caicedo and Fernandez already performing so well together this season.

Barrios has certainly impressed enough to force Chelsea to ask themselves the question about his potential arrival, but whether they can lure him away from Atletico Madrid is another question entirely.

Diego Simeone is a big fan of the midfielder and told reporters when the 22-year-old was first breaking through: “He has a fantastic game, and I told him that we’re going to work to shape it. Koke is there now (at the ‘5’) and we are trying to bring out Pablo’s full potential. He has to grow, but he’s doing very well. I’m excited. He’s a kid from the academy, and he can play several roles.”

Forget Delap: 18-year-old star is destined to be Chelsea's future number 9

Sussex 228 for 5 (Coles 102, Simpson 62*) lead Worcestershire 123 (Lategan 41, Robinson 6-68, Unadkat 4-43) by 105 runsOllie Robinson produced a reminder of his capabilities with a stunning six-wicket haul as Sussex took charge on day one of their Division One clash against Worcestershire.Taking two wickets in the first over of the match, Robinson went on to finish with season-best figures of 6 for 68 as he and Jaydev Unadkat combined to skittle Worcestershire for 123.James Coles then registered a measured century during a dominant afternoon session for the visitors, in which skipper John Simpson made 62 not out as Sussex finished the day 228 for 5, leading by 105 runs. Earlier, Dan Lategan (41) top-scored for the home side, with contributions from Matthew Waite and Gareth Roderick the only other scores of note.Returning to action for the first time since Saturday’s One Day Cup final triumph, already relegated Worcestershire were brought back down to earth with a bump, as a searing spell from Robinson saw the former England seamer take four wickets in the first hour of the match.Youngster Rehaan Edavalath was caught behind with the third ball of the match, before Pears skipper Jake Libby’s off stump was sent cartwheeling after facing just one ball as the Pears fell to 1 for 2.19-year-old Lategan provided a classy counter-attacking cameo for the hosts, easing the ball through the vacant offside whenever the opportunity arose, but Robinson continued his unrelenting start to the morning, claiming two further scalps, including that of first-class debutant Isaac Mohammed who was pinned lbw. A sobering opening hour was rounded off with the dismissal of Rob Jones, who suffered the same fate, leaving his side in a heap at 36 for 4.Lategan continued to regroup, but Worcestershire’s woes deepened with Gareth Roderick (22) caught behind after an encouraging start to his innings off the bowling of Unadkat. Robinson then collected his fifth wicket of a superb spell by removing the key man, Lategan, for his resolute 41.Robinson almost secured his sixth wicket in a morning session dominated by the bowlers, but the umpires were not convinced Simpson had held onto a rebound catch behind, as lunch was taken with Worcestershire 91 for 6.Unadkat picked up where he left off after the resumption as Ethan Brookes became his second victim with a regulation catch provided to Coles at slip.Unadkat took his season tally of wickets to 13, after removing Tom Taylor caught behind for nine and trapping Ben Allison in front without scoring as the Pears’ landslide continued.Robinson completed his six-fer with the wicket of Waite, who was the last man out for 33 as Worcestershire were dismissed for 123.Worcestershire hit back in resilient fashion as Ben Allison led the way in an inspired early spell, taking three wickets to help reduce Sussex to 67 for 4.The seamer first trapped Hughes lbw for 24, then took a stunning one-handed caught-and-bowled to remove Carter, before bowling Alsop for just one. At the other end, Taylor took his 51st Championship wicket of the season to drag the hosts back into the contest.Simpson and Coles led the Sussex revival however, dominating an afternoon session that saw the fifth-wicket pair add 90 runs before tea, with Coles reaching a fluent fifty in the process.Both batters moved past 1,000 first-class for the season during the evening session, with Coles reaching his century from 105 balls, before he was bowled by Ben Gibbon as Simpson and bad light closed out a dominant day for the visitors.

The 23-year old, who grew up without a tv in her house, is now dreaming of winning a World Cup for South Africa

Firdose Moonda16-Oct-2024Annerie Dercksen watched South Africa win a World Cup semi-final for the first time from the “best seat in the house,” at Newlands: the team dugout. Just over 18 months later, she will get to play in one herself.”I’m just really excited for all of it. Whether I have to carry drinks or give foot massages or whatever the teams wants from me. I’m willing to do anything,” she tells ESPNcricinfo in Dubai. “I’m just excited to contribute in whichever way I can.”That was also her attitude at last year’s tournament. Dercksen was part of the squad but, having only made her international debut two-and-a-half weeks before the event, didn’t get a game and didn’t mind at all. “That was probably the best role to be in. There was no pressure on me, and I could just enjoy the moment,” she says. “At that stage, I was still very starstruck. I was like, ‘Oh my word, I get to give Wolfie (Laura Wolvaardt) a water. I get to give (Marizanne) Kapp a banana.’ That was really cool and I enjoyed it thoroughly.”That was also the tournament that changed the way Dercksen thought about her future. “It was the defining moment. I realised that this is what I want to do for a living and that’s when I started to think of cricket as a serious career option. Now, I think it’s the best job in the world.”Dercksen is a qualified teacher, who completed her studies at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, where she met current interim coach Dillon du Preez, who was impressed with her potential. At school, she played a lot of sport for fun and had dabbled in netball, athletics, hockey and cricket. Towards the end of her degree programme, she was picked for South Africa’s Emerging squad and soon the door to the national team was open.

I get to give Wolfie (Laura Wolvaardt) a water. I get to give (Marizanne) Kapp a banana.’ That was really cool.Dercksen ran the drinks out during the 2023 T20 World Cup at home

According to ESPNcricinfo’s database, she made her international debut before she played an officially recognised professional provincial T20 match (although she would have played in semi-professional or age-group weeks). Her current records contain four times the number of international matches as they do domestic ones, which speaks to the speed of her progression. Her numbers in domestic cricket tell the story of her potential. Last October, she hit an unbeaten 74 off 42 balls and shared in a 91-run second-wicket stand with Tazmin Brits as the Garden Route Badgers racked up 182 in 20 overs and beat the Titans by 64 runs. This February, she scored her first century in the format, a 66-ball 108, and single-handedly kept her side alive in a game against eventual champions Western Province. No-one else on the team sheet got into double figures.With that kind of ability, it was no surprise that when Cricket South Africa launched their professional women’s domestic league last season, Dercksen was among those contracted. She signed with her home team, the Garden Route Badgers, based in Oudtshoorn.Best known as the home town of SA20 sensation Ottneil Baartman, it is around 180 kilometres away from where Dercksen grew up in Beaufort-West. The town is a part of the semi-desert known as the Great Karoo and Dercksen’s family lived a rugged farm life, which included no access to the country’s state-owned electricity supply.Marizanne Kapp wears 7 on her shirt. Annerie Dercksen wears 77 in tribute to her idol•BCCI”My brother and I didn’t even realise that. We really enjoyed being outside and just playing so, I don’t even think it bothered us,” she says. “We had like a Lister (diesel-powered) engine. My parents had to go in the evening and turn the thing and then the engine started and the lights came on, but that only happened in evenings when we needed lights. Later on, my dad installed solar panels for us but if the sun didn’t shine or it was a low sunshine day, then the power would also be gone. And you couldn’t run the kettle and the TV simultaneously, so, if you wanted to boil some water, you had to turn off the TV.”For the first 10 years of her life, Dercksen did not even have access to a television at home and had to go to her grandparents for any screen time. She found out about cricket through newspapers (yes, even in the 2000s) and the first tournament she watched was as a 16-year old in 2017, when South Africa lost the ODI World Cup semi-final to England. At that event, also discovered her hero: Kapp.Dercksen, too, is a seam-bowling top-order allrounder, even though she has been carded at No.6 or lower at this event, and initially wanted to wear the number 7, just like Kapp. She has since settled on 77 and taken on a slightly different job in the national team. “In provincial cricket, I bat higher up but here. we’ve got great players up in our top order so my role sort is to be a finisher or bat at the end.”

You couldn’t run the kettle and the TV simultaneously, so, if you wanted to boil some water, you had to turn off the TVDercksen grew up in a farm in Beaufort-West, where access to electricity was tricky

Her best performance in that role came recently, with an unbeaten 44 in the second T20I against Pakistan in Multan which helped South Africa level the series. She also struck 20 not out against England at this World Cup, albeit not enough to help South Africa post a winning score. Her opportunities with the ball have been more limited as she works on her craft. “I was actually a spinner until four years ago and then I changed,” she said. “I’m trying to work on that and play bigger role with the ball as well. For the moment, I’m grateful to bowl whatever over they might give me.”So far, she has been tasked with three overs – one each in games against West Indies, Bangladesh and Scotland and taken two wickets. Dercksen’s medium-pace, or half-spin, as Megan Schutt calls what she does, could prove effective on slow, low UAE pitches and she might get more opportunity, especially as she understands the effect of pace-off at the tournament. “We joked with Nadine de Klerk in one of the games that she is literally a legspinner on a long run up because it was all just cutters and slower balls and that is really the way to go on these surfaces.”Dercksen hopes to do something special, like Siya Kolisi, South Africa’s rugby World Cup-winning captain, did•ICC via GettySouth Africa are also understood to be happier playing their knockout in Dubai, where they have won all their group games, rather than the more sluggish second venue, Sharjah. They believe they have what it takes to take out the defending champions. “We’ve got nothing to lose. We are sort of the underdogs, but I believe we have the firepower and the experience to give them a go,” Dercksen says. “We beat them in Australia earlier this year so I think we’ve got a good chance.”South Africa won their first T20I against Australia in January, by six wickets in Canberra. Dercksen was not on that tour but “woke up at 2 in the morning to watch, now that we have a TV,” she joked.She also saw how that galvanised the team after a tough year following the fuss and fanfare of reaching last year’s World Cup final. South Africa failed to win any of the six T20I series since playing that final, and only a 2-1 win in Pakistan pre-tournament suggested they were back on track. While they publicly stated – and it was widely expected – that the semi-finals were a minimum requirement for them at this World Cup, watching favourites such as India and England bow out brought home how cut-throat tournament cricket is and how much winning matters. South Africans don’t need to be told that twice.After decades of being serial semi-finalists, both the women’s and the men’s team reached their last T20 World Cup finals and there is a country collectively holding its breath and waiting for one of them to take the step further. Derksen, whose younger brother Seppie is currently playing at a rugby tournament in the USA, did not hesitate to mention which other national side has provided inspiration. “We had the Springboks who won the World Cup, and to see how united a nation was really special,” she says. “I’m not sure if we quite have the same reach as the Springboks or the same impact, but if we can just impact a small amount of people, and give them a bit of hope, then I think our job is done. That’s our goal.”The Springboks substitutes bench is called the bomb squad, for their ability to take apart opposition in the second half, and the women’s cricket team have named their pace pack after that. They’ve promised South Africa they will try to live up to that name in the semi-final and they seek to rewrite history in a place that is destined for that. The UAE, with its tall buildings and 12-lane motorways, fascinates a farm girl like Dercksen. “We don’t get a lot of this in South Africa – all the lights and new cars,” she says. “It feels like we’re living in the future, basically.”And for South African cricket, she is part of that future.