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From acing an age-group trial after an uncomfortable three-day boat journey, this talented allrounder has come a long way to play for a Fiji Under-19 side that will debut in big-stage cricket on Wednesday

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong26-Jan-2016Where Peni Vuniwaqa comes from, one of 60 tiny islands in the southern Pacific, not playing cricket is frowned upon. According to a rough estimate, nine out of ten cricketers who have played for Fiji are from Lau Island, where the game is part of the island’s culture.Vuniwaqa hails from one of the island villages in Lau, which is 156.8 nautical miles (291 km) from Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. Since there is no direct boat to the Lau archipelago, it takes about three days for a one-way trip to the country’s capital Suva.Two years ago, Vuniwaqa heard of an age-group trial in the capital and was desperate to make it in time. His parents however were reluctant to let him go. They thought that Vuniwaqa wouldn’t make the cut, and there was also the concern of letting their 16-year-old take on a treacherous journey. Apparently, Vuniwaqa had to sleep in the toilet one of those nights on the boat. But he made it to Suva in time, and aced the trial. He let everyone know in Fiji’s cricket circles that he is an asset. He bats in the middle order, bowls seam and according to his coach Shane Jurgensen is a “gun fielder”.Vuniwaqa picked up cricket from his village in Lau where cricket supercedes rugby as the primary sport, unlike the rest of country. Vuniwaqa preferred cricket over rugby because of low chances of injury in the sport. His parents are now ecstatic that he got into the Under-19 team to play in the World Cup. And their son is one of the important members of the team that is Fiji’s first representative side at a major cricket event.Vuniwaqa comes across a shy kid but is determined to do well. When asked if he knew that he could make it in the trials after travelling with such difficulty, he nods a yes. When asked if he wants to keep playing cricket beyond the Under-19s, the nod is rapid.According to Henry Elder, Fiji’s strength and conditioning coach, the island Vuniwaqa comes from is a sporting anomaly in Fiji. He says the interest in cricket was infused here by former Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.Elder says someone like Vuniwaqa doesn’t get to see much footage of cricket except when there’s a major cricket series or tournament in Australia, England or New Zealand, which is sometimes broadcast in Fiji. When the side travelled to New Zealand last year to play in the 2015 East Asia Pacific Under-19 Trophy, many players were getting on an airplane for the first time.Samuel Saunokonoko though was not one of them. He plays grade cricket in Auckland and is among five players in the side who are not from Fiji but have a Fijian connection through a parent. He took to the game by watching his father and elder brothers play.Vuniwaqa and Saunokonoko are being overseen by Jurgensen, who is in charge of the entire cricketing spectrum in Fiji. The Under-19s seem to be his passion project, as he takes on a fatherly role apart from teaching them the nitty-gritty of playing on Bangladesh pitches. But he says, the main focus is to keep the fun element in all his training as Fijians like to do things with a smile. Against England on Wednesday, Fiji’s Under-19 side will enter uncharted territory, though for someone like Vuniwaqa, that’s the everyday reality of dealing with the Koro Sea.

Plus, most wickets, most runs, most centuries, and the oldest man to feature in a World Cup game

Steven Lynch10-Feb-2015Mahela Jayawardene is about to play in his fifth World Cup. Has anyone appeared in more? asked Nelson de Silva from Sri Lanka

Mahela Jayawardene made his World Cup debut in 1999, and has played in each one since – so he’s about to embark on his fifth World Cup. He’s joined this time by Shahid Afridi, who also appeared in 1999. But there are two players who appeared in one more: Javed Miandad played in the first six World Cups, making his debut in 1975 the day before his 18th birthday, and Sachin Tendulkar played in each one from 1992 to 2011. Thirteen other players have appeared in five World Cups: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Aravinda de Silva, Imran Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thomas Odoyo, Ricky Ponting, Arjuna Ranatunga, Steve Tikolo and Wasim Akram.Who are the youngest and oldest players to taste World Cup victory? asked Azweer from India

Pakistan’s captain Imran Khan was 39 years and four months old when he held the World Cup aloft in Melbourne in 1992 – but he wasn’t quite the oldest to get a winner’s medal: Rohan Kanhai was two months older when West Indies won the first World Cup final in 1975. Both Kanhai and Imran were playing in their last international matches. The youngest World Cup winner was Aaqib Javed, who was only 19 when Pakistan won in 1992. The second- and third-youngest also came from that match: Moin Khan was 20, and Mushtaq Ahmed 21. The youngest player to appear in any World Cup match is Canada’s Nitish Kumar, who was 16 in 2011; the oldest was 47-year-old Nolan Clarke of Netherlands in 1996.The World Cup final is being played at Melbourne. Which visiting teams have won the most ODIs there? asked Carl Moore from Trinidad

The most successful visiting team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is South Africa, who have won seven of their nine matches there, a win rate of 77.7%. West Indies have won more matches – 18 (plus one tie) of 37 completed ODIs there, a success rate of exactly 50%. England have won nine out of 29, India eight of 18, Pakistan eight of 22 (including, their supporters would remind you, the most important one of all: the 1992 World Cup final), New Zealand eight of 23, and Sri Lanka six of 17. Zimbabwe have played only twice at the MCG, losing one with one no result. Australia have won 70 (and tied one) of their 114 completed ODIs in Melbourne, a success rate of 61.8%.Who has taken the most wickets in a single World Cup? asked Stewart Taylor from Australia

Glenn McGrath leads the way here, with 26 wickets in Australia’s successful campaign in 2007. He’s also the most successful bowler overall in World Cups, with 71 wickets all told, three ahead of Muttiah Muralitharan. Murali is one of three bowlers who have taken 23 wickets in one World Cup, also doing so in 2007; Shaun Tait did likewise in 2007, and Chaminda Vaas took 23 in 2003. The others to have taken 20 or more wickets at one World Cup are Brett Lee (22 in 2003), Shahid Afridi (21 in 2011), McGrath again (21 in 2003), Brad Hogg (21 in 2007), Zaheer Khan (21 in 2011), and Geoff Allott and Shane Warne, who both took 20 in 1999.Aaqib Javed: the youngest World Cup winner•Getty ImagesRicky Ponting scored five World Cup centuries. Is this a record? asked Billy Jackson from Australia

Ricky Ponting’s five World Cup centuries actually puts him second on this particular list – behind a familiar name, Sachin Tendulkar, who made six. Tendulkar’s 2278 runs is also the overall World Cup record: Ponting is second here too, with 1743. Sourav Ganguly and Mark Waugh both made four World Cup hundreds, while the group of seven players with three includes AB de Villiers and Mahela Jayawardene, who could add to their total in 2015. The others with three are Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Rameez Raja, Saeed Anwar and Viv Richards.Who has made the most runs in the World Cup without scoring a century? asked David Gladstone from England

The leader on this particular list is Arjuna Ranatunga, the World Cup-winning captain of 1996, who amassed 969 runs in his five tournaments, with a highest score of 88 not out against Zimbabwe in New Plymouth in February 1992. He also made 86 not out against West Indies in Kanpur in October 1987. Ranatunga lies 19th on the overall World Cup run scorers’ list. In 27th place is Mohammad Azharuddin, who made 826 runs for India with a highest score of 93, against Australia in Brisbane in March 1992.

The IPL was reportedly created to keep the ever-demanding Indian fan happy, but the recent developments have managed just the opposite

Srinath S, India26-May-2013Since the time televised cricket became the norm, the Indian cricket fan has become among the ficklest species on the face of this planet. The rate at which he is capable of switching from worshipping his heroes to throwing stones at them would put a chameleon to shame. Movies over the years have dwelt at length on the topic of amnesia and short-term memory loss. In the world of cricket, and arguably across most sport, you would not have to look beyond us fans for a full-length case study on such topics.And then the BCCI chose to create a monster of its own. A popular narrative around the origin of the IPL is that it was created to keep the ever-demanding Indian fan happy. After all, at the end of an IPL game, either way, an Indian team always wins. No stone-throwing, no effigy-burning, more money for the sporting body, and eternal happiness for the Indian fan. What happened in these two months of the year, in fact, brought down the amount of displeasure the Indian fan showed in the other ten, when the national team suffered defeat. Even when 0-8 happened, we did not see public protests of the sort we saw when India crashed out of World Cup 2007. Not even a whimper when a home ODI series against Pakistan was lost. So what has changed in the last few years?Crony capitalism. Cabals. Conflict of interest. Fancy terms doing the rounds in the past few years in India. In about the same time the IPL has grown from being Lalit Modi’s baby to a multi-million dollar Frankenstein. Cricket fans from previous eras, while observant of allegations doing the rounds, chose not to pay too much attention to them. Here and there, a sting operation or a small-scale expose would crop up. Life moved on. The prospect of seeing so many cricketers getting financial security for life, should they not make it big, made us proud. To the league’s credit, the loyalty of the fan bases grew rapidly, at least in certain pockets. The rise of social networks and micro-blogging meant more people discussed cricket at one place, like never before. It all somehow fit. Coincidence, said the critics. Planning and perfect execution, was the IPL’s riposte.Amid all this, it would even be safe to say that the rabid Indian fan we all knew of half a decade ago – he who threw stones and set Eden Gardens afire in 1996, he who rioted and made Sachin Tendulkar walk out and plead to him to let cricket go on in 1999, he who threw crackers at the West Indians in Jamshedpur, is now an extinct species. Ironically, six years from when the process of keeping the fan happy at all times began, we find ourselves at a place where we wouldn’t mind going back to the time when effigies were burnt. Back then, nobody spoke of “bereavement” and “death of the game”. To use a political analogy, this is conclusive proof that the perils and ills of democracy are far more palatable than those of anarchy and oligarchy.That afternoon in 1999, when India floundered against Pakistan at the Eden Gardens, Sachin came out and asked thousands of angry fans to calm down. We smirked, but we moved on. Fast forward to today. It seems impossible to figure out where we would start this time. Who is going to come and convince us that all is well with the game?Even worse, it is not about us fans anymore. Even if Sachin were to come out today, who would he go and plead at? Power, resting in the hands of a few men who knew little of the game and its history, has put cricket at a place where we only thought politics and society existed. We always believed, when we said cricket is a religion. Whatever happened in life, we thought the game was too good for all this. Six years, and they’ve made my generation think, those days of effigy-burning and cracker-throwing were the best days of our lives.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

How a team drags themselves out of trouble often defines their credentials. Australia had it, India have shown the same tenacity on occasions and England are now showing similar traits

Andrew McGlashan at Trent Bridge29-Jul-2011If England are to topple India at the top of the Test tree, their powers of recovery will play a vital part. At various times things will not go according to plan, but it’s how a team drags themselves out of trouble that often defines their credentials. Australia had it during their march to the top, India have shown the same tenacity on occasions and England are now showing similar traits.In the second innings at Lord’s they were 62 for 5 and, even though the actual position was a less perilous 250 for 5, the match could easily have shifted towards India. Instead, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad reasserted England’s authority with an unbroken stand of 162. On the first afternoon at Trent Bridge the hosts were sinking at 124 for 8 before the final two wickets added a precious 97 with Broad again a key figure in the revival as he clubbed 64 off 66 balls.Up in the Indian dressing one man in particular will have felt a mixture of annoyance and grudging respect. Duncan Fletcher put a premium on lower order runs. Shortly before he took over as England coach in 1999-2000 they had fielded a tail of Andrew Caddick, Ed Giddins, Alan Mullally and Phil Tufnell. Never again said Fletcher; five out wouldn’t mean all out. What bowlers could produce with the bat became a key selection criteria.It’s hard to remember a stronger lower order than the current one including Broad, Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan, even if it was brought around by default after Chris Tremlett’s injury. They are all shot-players too, which means once a partnership gets going the game can suddenly change direction as was the case during the final session where MS Dhoni suddenly sent fielders scurrying to the outfield.”We had a chat at tea and decided we needed to grab the momentum back by playing our natural games and looking to hit the ball,” Broad said. “If there was any width on the ball I was going to throw my hands at it. There was still some swing there so it was quite hard to go hell for leather. I knew it was important to get the Indian bowlers off their line and length, that was the tactic and it paid off.”Stuart Broad’s quick half-century pulled England up from their chin-straps•Getty ImagesIt didn’t go unnoticed, either, that the stand between Broad and Swann, worth 73 in 11.4 overs, was ended by a spitting delivery from the medium pace of Praveen Kumar. It struck Swann on the glove and forced him to hospital for a precautionary x-ray that revealed no serious damage.”We know we have a chance and there were a few plays and misses this evening that could have been nicks,” Broad said. “You saw Graeme Swann’s dismissal, the ball really leapt at him, and that will give us a lot of encouragement. We are all excited about what could happen. It will be up to us to grab the initiative.”The annoyance for Fletcher at seeing India’s position slip will have been increased by the fact that wrapping up opposition line-ups has been a long-standing problem for them. Since 2005 they have conceded eight hundred-plus partnerships for the seventh wicket and below. However, Sreesanth, who took 3 for 77 from 19 lively overs, insisted India were not fazed.”That’s how Test cricket goes, we knew one partnership would come,” he said. “All credit to him [Broad], he took his chances. If it had been 140 all out it would have been one-side, but it’s good they are fighting.”While the fightback shouldn’t gloss over the earlier position England were in, it wasn’t purely a poor batting display from the top order. India bowled well and the conditions were helpful, so much so that being two down at lunch was a good result for England. Six wickets in the afternoon session was a major problem, but it showed the fine line involved in Test cricket.Last week, at Lord’s, England were inserted under grey skies and battled through a shortened first day to reach 127 for 2 – a position from where they dominated the Test. However, even at the time, they admitted it was tough and they needed some luck. There was plenty of playing and missing whereas today the edges went to slip.”We knew we would have to battle hard,” Broad said. “You saw at Lord’s we managed to get through the period where it swung but didn’t manage to do it as successfully here. “I thought India bowled brilliantly, it was a good toss to win, but the way we were two down at lunch was brilliant.”You can’t blame too many of our batsmen for throwing their wickets away. There were some good deliveries in there.” he added. “The bowlers are champing at the bit to get out there in the morning. At tea it was India’s day 100%. We are delighted to have wrestled our way back in, it’s been a hard fight but it’s been exciting.”Still, there are a couple of England batsmen who could do with a significant contribution. Andrew Strauss fought through the morning session, as he did at Lord’s, only to give his innings away with a flat-footed drive for 32 and Eoin Morgan collected his second third-ball duck of the series when he was lbw in the same over against Praveen Kumar.Strauss has been far from fluent in this series, continuing a lean international season, despite his impressive warm-up game form for Somerset, while Morgan has twice been removed by the swinging ball. There is no need to ring alarm bells yet, but with Strauss now solely a Test cricketer and Morgan trying to cement the No. 6 role, a quiet series will pose some tricky questions. For now, though, the tricky questions are going to be asked by the conditions. It may yet prove a testing game for all the top-order batsmen.

Stats preview to the India-South Africa Test series

S Rajesh24-Mar-2008
Jacques Kallis has been a constant thorn for India, averaging 75.40 in four Tests in the country © Getty Images
India’s consistent performances in Tests over the last couple of years – they’ve won series in West Indies and England, and Tests in South Africa and Australia – have pushed them to second place in the ICC Test rankings, but that spot will be up for grabs when the three-Test series against South Africa gets underway on Wednesday. The South Africans are only two points behind India’s 111, and a series win by any margin will push them to second place.Winning a series in India, though, won’t be quite as easy as South Africa’s previous assignment, against Bangladesh, but they can take heart from the fact that they are one of only two teams to win a series (of more than one Test) in the last 20 years in India – they triumphed by a convincing 2-0 margin in 1999-2000.On their most recent visit to India, South Africa were beaten 1-0 in the Test series, but overall they have a respectable record in the country, winning and losing three times each. The other feature of matches between the two teams here have been the lack of draws – only one out of seven Tests have ended in a stalemate.

India v South Africa in Tests

Played India won SA won Draw

Overall 19 4 9 6 In India 7 3 3 1 As always, the South African batting will depend heavily on the formidable Jacques Kallis. He has scored runs against most teams in most conditions, but playing India in India clearly brings out the best in him – in four Tests, he has scored a hundred and two fifties, and averages a fantastic 75.40. A feature of his batting here has been his immense patience: he has faced 1074 deliveries for his 377 runs and five dismissals, which converts into 2.11 runs per over, and almost 36 overs per dismissal.Most of his team-mates, though, haven’t come anywhere close to replicating his form against India. Apart from Ashwell Prince, the other specialist batsmen have ordinary records, with the numbers being especially poor for AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.

South African batsmen versus India

Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s

Jacques Kallis 8 704 64.00 1/ 5 Ashwell Prince 3 306 61.20 1/ 1 Graeme Smith 5 382 38.20 0/ 4 Mark Boucher 7 299 37.37 0/ 3 Neil McKenzie 2 82 27.33 0/ 1 AB de Villiers 3 102 17.00 0/ 0 Hashim Amla 4 117 14.62 0/ 1 India’s top seven, though, have struggled even more against South Africa. Both Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid average in the mid-30s against them, which is about 20 less than their career average. Virender Sehwag is the only one with a 40-plus average.Even more surprisingly, almost the entire top order has scored more runs against South Africa on their bouncier pitches than on the wickets at home. Tendulkar averages 30.58 from seven home Tests against South Africa, while Ganguly and Laxman have fared even worse. In fact, apart from Sehwag, none of the other Indian batsmen in the current squad have scored a century against South Africa at home. (Click here for the stats of Indian batsmen at home against South Africa, and to find out the only other Indian batsman to score a hundred at home against them.)

Indian batsmen against South Africa

Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s Career ave Difference

Rahul Dravid 15 954 35.33 1/ 5 55.60 20.05 Sachin Tendulkar 19 1202 36.42 3/ 5 55.57 19.15 VVS Laxman 12 510 30.00 0/ 4 44.20 14.20 Wasim Jaffer 5 231 23.10 1/ 0 34.96 11.86 Sourav Ganguly 14 736 30.66 0/ 5 42.45 11.79 Virender Sehwag 7 500 41.66 2/ 1 50.67 9.01 Mahendra Singh Dhoni 2 104 26.00 0/ 0 34.31 8.31Going by the track record of the Indians in Chennai, the venue for the first Test, it’s likely that Tendulkar will break that jinx and help himself to a century here: in seven Tests at Chepauk, he has already struck four hundreds, for a phenomenal average of 92. Sehwag has scored plenty of runs here as well, but for the others, it’s been a bit of a struggle. Dravid hasn’t topped three figures in ten innings, while Ganguly has had a wretched time, averaging 16.12 from six Tests, with a highest of 54. (Click here for more.)Despite the lack of runs from most of their batsmen, India have an excellent record at this ground, with only one defeat – to Pakistan – in the last 20 years. That is largely due to their two spinners. Anil Kumble has been magnificent here, with 45 wickets from seven Tests at an average of 17.24 and a strike rate of less than 39 balls per wicket, while Harbhajan Singh isn’t far behind, with 27 wickets from four Tests.Head-to-head statsFor South Africa to counter the Indian spin threat, they’ll need Kallis to be at his best. He has negotiated both Kumble and Harbhajan superbly: Kumble has dismissed him three times in all, but in Tests since 2001, Kallis has scored 180 runs off him and been out only once. Against Harbhajan too, Kallis has scored plenty of runs.The Indian batsmen, on the other hand, have fallen to Makhaya Ntini on numerous occasions. Ntini has dismissed India’s current top six a combined total of 20 times, with Laxman, Ganguly and Jaffer falling four times each. However, the Ntini of the last six months hasn’t quite shown the same verve, and given his lack of success traditionally in the subcontinent, India’s batsmen should feel confident they can turn things around against him this time. The biggest threat to Tendulkar and co could well come from Dale Steyn, who has been in scintillating form over the last 15 months. In his last 12 Tests, Steyn has taken 73 wickets at a phenomenal average of 15.95. His performance over the next couple of weeks will be one of the crucial factors for South Africa.

Head to heads between India and South Africa (from Nov 2001)

Batsman Bowler Runs Balls Dismissals Average

Jacques Kallis Anil Kumble 180 410 1 180.00 Graeme Smith Anil Kumble 136 197 2 68.00 Jacques Kallis Harbhajan Singh 111 175 1 111.00 Rahul Dravid Makhaya Ntini 118 225 2 59.00 Virender Sehwag Makhaya Ntini 124 196 3 41.33 Sachin Tendulkar Makhaya Ntini 99 148 3 33.00 VVS Laxman Makhaya Ntini 114 186 4 28.50 Sourav Ganguly Makhaya Ntini 107 140 4 26.75 Wasim Jaffer Makhaya Ntini 48 94 4 12.00 Wasim Jaffer Dale Steyn 18 63 1 18.00

Glenn Maxwell is set to avoid sanction from Cricket Australia’s integrity unit, with the allrounder embarrassed but back at training after being hospitalised following a night out in Adelaide.Maxwell will on Wednesday be named in Australia’s T20 squad to face West Indies after being “managed” out of the three-match ODI series that precedes it.Australian team staff are still looking into Maxwell’s hospitalisation, but at this stage there is no plan for the integrity unit to become involved.Instead, high-performance staff are concerned over any potential of a concussion to determine if protocols must be entered into, along with how the night has impacted Maxwell’s fitness and his mental wellbeing.AAP has been told Maxwell played a round of golf through the heat of Friday, before attending the gig where he was drinking. He passed out when in the green room after the show and he was taken to the emergency room of a hospital via ambulance and was later released without being admitted.Maxwell informed chief selector George Bailey of the situation on Monday, and his manager Ben Tippett spoke with high-performance boss Ben Oliver on Tuesday.”He’s okay. I think a little bit embarrassed but that is fine,” Tippett told AAP. “Maxi has spoken to George Bailey yesterday. We’ve spoken to them, they’ve spoken to us and it’s done. It’s more like ‘you were in hospital and are you okay’?”He’s back in training yesterday. He had time off for about a week after the BBL and he is back into training doing some specific stuff on his leg which he needs to do.”CA also remain adamant the decision to rest Maxwell from the ODIs was made after the BBL, thus freeing him to travel to Adelaide to play in the golf event.There remain some concerns over Maxwell’s fitness following his broken leg last summer, with rods still in the 35-year-old’s leg. Questions will no doubt be asked by team staff why Maxwell was out drinking when he should be managing the injury.Australia captain Pat Cummins said Maxwell “potentially” had to look at his habits and actions.But he said overall the behaviour of the team was impressive since a player-led approach had been installed.”In terms of performance on the field you can’t ask much more from how we have performed but also how we have gone about it,” Cummins said.  The team has shown incredible discipline and I think we have made a lot of people proud with the way we have gone about it.”We are all adults and part of being adults is that you make your own decisions.”In terms of this incident [Maxwell] wasn’t on tour with Australia. He was over there for a private event so it was a little bit different but absolutely, any decision you make you have to own it and be comfortable with it.”

Cricket South Africa is set to announce new central contracts, and the board is considering issuing single-format contracts

Firdose Moonda06-Mar-2023An international comeback is still possible for Faf du Plessis, who was not included in South Africa’s T20I squad to play West Indies later this month but continues to hold conversations with new white-ball coach Rob Walter.ESPNcricinfo understands Walter and du Plessis discussed the possibility of the former captain making an imminent return but scheduling and contracting challenges have made it difficult for now. With Cricket South Africa (CSA) set to announce new central contracts later this month, and the idea of single-format contracts being floated, du Plessis could be back in the picture with the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind.”We have always been open to talks with our freelance players and Rob is very much interested in resuming those conversations,” Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s Director of Cricket said. “In terms of contracting, us and SACA (the South African Cricketers’ Association) are engaging in that aspect to ensure that we remain proactive, because the reality is that a lot is evolving in our cricketing landscape.Related

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“We’ve got to try our utmost best to be on the front foot. A lot of players are still committed to all three formats but we have some players who are only white ball and some only red ball. What we foresee in the near future, maybe even the next 12 months, is that we might even go more specifically to T20, ODI and Test contracts. Those are some of the things that we’re actually looking at.”Du Plessis retired from Test cricket in February 2021 but remained available for selection in white-ball formats. He was not picked for any series including the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups despite stunning form in leagues across the world.Since his final Test, du Plessis has played 90 innings in the PSL, CPL, IPL, BPL, BBL and SA20, scoring 2747 runs at 33.91, higher than his overall average of 31.18, including four of his five T20 hundreds.Nkwe confirmed du Plessis was in talks with CSA about making a comeback for both T20I World Cups but the selection panel at the time, which consisted of Victor Mpitsang and Patrick Moroney, could not come to an agreement.”There were conversations before the World Cup with the selection panel and the coach and they concluded (without a solution),” Nkwe said. “From a CSA point of view, we are happy to engage and see how we can find the best way forward.”Mpitsang and Moroney were both relieved of their duties after Mark Boucher’s coaching tenure with South Africa ended, with selection now the responsibility of the respective head coaches. While that gives Walter more say than Boucher would have had in whether to engage freelancers, it does not solve the primary concerns of fixtures and money, both of which prevented AB de Villiers from returning to play in the 2019 World Cup.After retiring in 2018, De Villiers had put in a last-minute call to du Plessis, then South Africa’s all-format captain, to play the 2019 ODI World Cup. De Villiers’ request, however, was declined because he had not played any matches in the lead-up to the tournament, after CSA had asked him to consider participating in at least two out of 10 ODI series before that event.De Villiers declined for scheduling and financial reasons, and CSA have not solved the problem since. While they would ordinarily offer a non-contracted player a match fee for playing in any games, they now also need to consider compensation if those games fall within the same time frame as a league, where the player could earn more.Short-term deals, which Nkwe indicated are currently being discussed, would likely make allowances for that gap and remunerate a player enough to choose national duty.

The NFL pulled back the curtain on its brand-new Rivalry uniforms Thursday. Teams from the AFC East and NFC West will be the first to sport these limited-edition kits, each slated to debut during a home clash against a divisional foe.

The NFL, in partnership with Nike, pulled the curtain back on Thursday to reveal the first wave of 2025 Rivalries uniforms, a fresh initiative blending tradition with modern design. The program, introduced earlier this year, aims to spotlight the rich histories of select franchises while strengthening the bond between players, teams, and their fanbases.

This opening set features eight clubs from the AFC East and NFC West, each receiving a one-of-a-kind Rivalries look that will make its on-field debut during a marquee home matchup against a divisional foe. 

Every design is steeped in the identity and heritage of its city, weaving in local culture and iconic traditions to create uniforms that are more than just game-day attire—they're a bold statement of community pride.

Nike's approach goes beyond aesthetics, offering both athletes and supporters a way to connect on a deeper level, turning each Rivalries jersey into a shared emblem of loyalty, legacy, and competitive fire.

Buy 2025-26 NFL Rivalry kits at NikeShop now

GOAL breaks down the fresh looks hitting the gridiron, highlighting which NFL heavyweights will don their new uniforms and the exact moments fans can expect to see them during the 2025-26 campaign.

Cardinals, NikeArizona Cardinals | Sept. 25 vs Seattle Seahawks

Dubbed “Built to Last,” this rugged, sandstorm-themed kit leans into earthy shades and striking stripe patterns, giving it a weathered, battle-tested vibe. 

Fans will get their first glimpse of the sand-scorched design on September 25, when it makes its home debut against the Seahawks.

Miami Dolphins | Sept. 29 vs New York Jets

Miami is set to break out its fresh threads in Week 4 under the primetime lights of Monday Night Football on September 29, when they square off with the New York Jets. 

The design, dubbed “Dark Waters,” trades the team’s classic palette for a bold deep navy base, accented by sharp aqua and orange highlights with an inverted logo that gives the look a striking, modern edge.

Bills, NikeBuffalo Bills | Oct. 5 vs New England PatriotsBuy 2025-26 Bills Rivalry kits at NikeShop now

Buffalo rolled out its icy new “Cold Front” look with an all-white uniform set paired with a matching lid, accented by frosty blue and silver detailing. Quarterback Josh Allen headlined the reveal, posing with a snow-dusted football that drove the theme home perfectly. 

The jersey stands out with a cracked-ice texture across the shoulders, highlighted by a reflective chrome buffalo logo in a sleek low-poly style. Even the inside collar carries a weathered, battle-worn finish—symbolizing the grit and grind of playing through Buffalo’s brutal elements.

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49ers, NikeSan Francisco 49ers | Jan. 4 vs Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers have given their old all-black look a fresh makeover. The original version, first rolled out in 2015, was widely panned by fans and quickly shelved after 2017.

This time around, the design carries a sharper edge. The traditional gold helmet has been swapped out for a sleek black one, while the jersey numbers now feature a saloon-style font with gold shadowing—a huge upgrade from the plain red block numbers of the past. Back then, the lack of gold made the set look more like something the Cardinals would wear, but the new touches bring the uniforms much closer to San Francisco's identity.

David de Gea has opened up on his controversial Manchester United exit from 2023, with the Spanish goalkeeper adamant that he has no regrets.

• Spaniard broke records at Old Trafford
• Released as a free agent when contract expired
• Took a year out before moving to Italy

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After 12 years at Old Trafford which delivered 545 appearances and four Player of the Year awards, De Gea was released by the Red Devils as a free agent when reaching the end of his contract.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United went on to sign Cameroon international Andre Onana, who has endured an error-strewn spell in English football, with questions asked of whether De Gea – who is still just 34 years of age – should have been retained.

• WHAT DE GEA SAID

  De Gea is reluctant to be drawn into that debate and, after facing United with current employers Fiorentina in a pre-season friendly, told reporters when asked if he feels disappointed at how things ended for him in England: "No. Sometimes football is like it is, you can't control everything. I've been here [United] 12 years, very, very nice, it's one of the best periods of my life.

  "Playing for this club is just unbelievable, especially when you leave the club, you realise how big is the club, how difficult it was to be 12 years in a club like United. I'm always grateful for this club, for everyone, it's been an amazing journey. It's been a long time since I've been back here so it's been a special day, of course."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  De Gea took a year off after leaving United and admits to having considered retirement before returning to the professional ranks in Italy with Serie A giants Fiorentina. He added: "There's always these things coming to your mind but I was feeling good, I trained again, I was feeling ready to go again.

  "Fiorentina gave me the opportunity to play. I'm feeling very, very good there. It's like a family, I'm feeling great, the city is amazing, the club is great. You see today we can play against top teams like United, so hopefully this year we can make something special as well."

MatériaMais Notícias

O Conselho Deliberativo do São Paulo aprovou, em dezembro do ano passado, a previsão orçamentária do clube para 2023. E no principal item de receitas, a negociação de atletas, ficou estabelecido o valor de R$ 135 milhões como meta a ser cumprida. O problema é que, com o fechamento da primeira janela europeia ’em branco’ para o Tricolor, a ‘correria’ para atingir o número ficou para o meio de 2023, entre junho e agosto. E isso deve atingir o planejamento do técnico Rogério Ceni.

O motivo é simples: as saídas, se ocorrerem, devem se acumular no momento em que o São Paulo estiver em uma fase crucial da temporada, como mata-matas da Copa do Brasil e Copa Sul-Americana, além do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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+Período acabando! Listamos 7 jogadores que saíram do Brasil para a Europa nesta janela

Um problema para Ceni resolver, caso a saída de jogadores, potencialmente titulares, se confirmar.

Existiam situações que já se desenhavam complicadas para o clube do Morumbi. Era o caso de Nahuel Ferraresi. O zagueiro venezuelano está emprestado pelo Grupo City até o fim de junho. E por mais que haja cláusulas e vontade da diretoria que facilitassem a negociação para uma prorrogação do empréstimo pelo menos até o final do ano, o conglomerado árabe tinha planos de usar o jogador no Bahia, clube cuja SAF foi adquirida recentemente.

Ferraresi se contundiu gravemente, passará por cirurgia e só deve voltar a jogar na reta final do ano. Sua situação é indefinida.

Do atual elenco são-paulino, quem sofreu sondagens na virada do ano foi Pablo Maia. O volante despertou o interesse do Fulham. Conforme o LANCE! revelou, chegou-se a discutir o valor de 12 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 66,1 milhões) pela transferência. Mas os ingleses desistiram por preferirem uma peça mais experiente para o setor.

Maia é uma saída dada como certa pelos lados do Morumbi na próxima janela, considerada mais incisiva pelo meio do futebol. É quando oportunidades de mercado para repatriar jogadores se torna mais acessível, e quando os gigantes europeus estão mais disposto a contratar promessas.

Além do volante, outras duas revelações de Cotia estão no radar de propostas, pelo menos da própria diretoria: Welington e Rodrigo Nestor.

Dentro do Morumbi, conforme apurado pelo L!, a única meta definitivamente traçada é que não se repita o ocorrido com Luizão e Marquinhos. O primeiro saiu de graça e o Tricolor teve de correr para buscar um acerto com o West Ham para manter ao menos parte dos direitos federativos. O segundo foi vendido a ‘toque de caixa’ ao Arsenal sob o risco de sair de graça ao final do contrato.

Como Ceni projetou em diversas entrevista ao longo do ano passado: inevitáveis, que as saídas aconteçam por pelo menos ‘dois dígitos’.

> Confira jogos, classificação e simule os resultados do Paulistão-23