da marjack bet： Juliano Belletti viajou junto ao Barcelona para os Estados Unidos para acompanhar a pré-temporada da equipe, enquanto se prepara para assumir o posto de Alex de Souza na equipe sub-20 do São Paulo.
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da dobrowin： Galeria >ATUAÇÕES: Luciano mostra protagonismo, e Patrick “joga de terno” em classificação do São Paulo
Tabela > Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro
Neste período junto a equipe espanhola, irá acompanhar o trabalho do treinador Xavi e de toda a comissão técnica Blaugrana. O ex-jogador, revelado pelo Cruzeiro, sempre esteve presente em eventos do Tricolor, onde também teve passagem como atleta.
Belletti teve um estágio no clube, ao lado de Cuca e Vagner Mancini, após concluir seu cursode treinador pela CBF.
Logo após, recebeu o convite para ir para o Cruzeiro, onde foi auxiliar técnico do time em 2021, ao lado de Vanderlei Luxemburgo. Conforme apurações realizadas pelo LANCE!, o campeão do penta pela Seleção Brasileira já é certeza para assumir o cargo de Alex.
We dug through the archives to put together a collection of some of our best features on the Sri Lankan maestro
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-2015The individualist (December 2004) Charlie Austin: A tough-talking, sharp-thinking, ball-bashing man with a planUnrewarded brilliance (November 2007) Peter English: Whenever Sri Lankans look back to 2007 they will always wonder what would have happened if Kumar Sangakkara did not tear his hamstring in the tour game in AdelaideWhen Sanga took on Australia (December 2012) In an interview with Andrew Fidel Fernando, Sangakkara looks back on his epic 192 in HobartPractice makes perfect (December 2007) The secret of a purple patch: practice, and keeping things simpleSangakkara’s sensational 2007 (December 2007) S Rajesh: A statistical look at one of Sangakkara’s most prolific years’I felt a bullet fizz past my ear’ (March 2009) A day after the Lahore terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, Sangakkara talks about the harrowing incident’I want to score 30 Test hundreds’ (March 2010) Sangakkara talks to Harsha Bhogle about his ambitions, captaincy, the roles he juggles in the team, the future of Test cricket, and what he plans to do after retirementSangakkara’s challenge to cricket (July 2011) Peter Roebuck: His speech at Lord’s should serve as a wake-up call to administrators to use the game to serve people, and not for selfish gains’There’s nothing that comes close to Test cricket’ (September 2011) On the eve of his 100th Test, Sangakkara looks back on 11 years in international cricket in an interview with Dan Brettig’Mental strength is about not being afraid to make mistakes’ (February 2013) A year before Sri Lanka won the World Twenty20, Sangakkara talks about the side’s problems performing in finals of big tournamentsMy father, my critic (December 2013) Andrew Fidel Fernando meets the Sangakkara family, including Kumar’s father, who wants him to strive for a standard of consistency only matched by Don BradmanThe case for Sangakkara’s all-time greatness (February 2014) Andrew Fidel Fernando: Sangakkara does not usually feature in discussions of modern batting greats. His numbers demand for that to change’A lot has gone out of the game with two new balls’ (March 2015) After topping the run-charts in the 2015 World Cup, Sangakkara talks about one-day batting: technique, mindset, risk calculation, touch v power, and innovationThe cult of Sanga (August 2015) Andrew Fidel Fernando: Few Sri Lankans have been as widely adored. None has so painstakingly chiselled his way to greatness
da fazobetai： The importance of full-backs in Enzo Maresca’s system at Chelsea is key, often having to change their role based on the opposition and tactical game plan.
da leao： This has become very apparent at Stamford Bridge where Malo Gusto has seen himself popping up in all kinds of positions, overlapping to provide width, inverting into the pivot, and even finishing himself in the pockets as a number 10.
Malo Gusto in action for Chelsea
However, as good as Marc Cucurella has been – notably silencing Bukayo Saka in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal – if Maresca wants to deploy his left full-back in this role, he doesn’t get the same technical quality and creativity as he gets from Gusto on the right side, and that’s why the Blues are currently looking at a creative option for that role.
Chelsea looking at signing Premier League star
According to reports from CaughtOffside, Wolves defender, Rayan Ait-Nouri, is on the radar of Chelsea as a left-back option. Liverpool and Manchester United are also reported to be interested in the 23-year-old, which could see a bidding war for the highly rated defender who is allegedly valued at around £58m.
The Algerian has gone from strength to strength since joining Wolves from Angers back in 2021 for a fee of around £10m. Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has described Ait-Nouri as “incredible”, praising his versatility and work rate.
Wolves player Rayan Ait-Nouri
The flying wing-back has made 13 appearances so far this season, scoring three goals, providing two assists, and totalling 1,079 minutes played.
The 23-year-old could add extra creativity from the left-hand side, as he has shown this season already with his 5 goals and assists, and creative metrics that even rank ahead of Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Ait-Nouri vs Madueke comparison
Madueke has had a brilliant start to the new campaign under Maresca, making 14 appearances in all competitions, and scoring five goals in 975 minutes. However, he is yet to register an assist, becoming much more of a direct goal threat this season, rather than a provider.
On the other hand, Ait-Nouri has been playing in his dynamic left-back role, inverting into midfield at times, finding himself in the number 10 position, providing width almost as a left-winger at times, getting himself two Premier League assists already this season, better than Madueke in this regard.
Ait-Nouri vs Cucurella & Madueke
Stats (per 90 mins)
Ait-Nouri
Cucurella
Madueke
Goals
0.25
0.00
0.33
Assists
0.17
0.00
0.16
xAG
0.09
0.04
0.19
Progressive Carries
1.68
1.27
6.45
Progressive Passes
3.10
2.84
3.55
Shots Total
1.18
0.22
3.77
Key Passes
0.97
0.29
1.29
Shot-Creating Actions
2.30
1.18
2.90
Tackles + Interceptions
3.27
3.10
1.78
Stats taken from FBref
When you compare the creativity numbers of Ait-Nouri against Madueke, who is a natural winger, and Cucurella, who has played a host of different roles already, you can see the Wolves defender provides more quality going forward than the Spaniard.
Ait-Nouri ranks closely to Madueke in progressive passes per 90, key passes per 90, and shot-creating actions per 90, whilst having better assists per 90 metrics than the England winger.
Cucurella, on the other hand, offers much less in the way of progressive qualities and creativity but instead adds defensive intensity and leadership at the back.
Ait-Nouri
By adding the Wolves star to the squad, Maresca would have real flexibility in his decision-making, using Cucurella for certain game types, and the 23-year-old Algerian for others.
This would be yet another string to the Italian’s tactical bow, and something that could make the Blues that little bit more unpredictable.
Chelsea want to sign £115m star who could make Palmer even more unplayable
Chelsea could sign an “unbelievable” striker to make Palmer even more unplayable
هنأ السويسري جياني إنفانتينو رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، “فيفا”، نادي بيراميدز والمهندس ممدوح عيد رئيس النادي، بمناسبة حصوله على لقب بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا 2025 على حساب صن داونز في إنجاز تاريخي للنادي.
وحقق فريق بيراميدز، بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا في الموسم الحالي لأول مرة في تاريخه، بالفوز على صن داونز بنتيجة 3-2 في مجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب.
طالع | طريق بيراميدز في كأس انتركونتيننتال 2025
وجاء في الخطاب المرسل من رئيس الفيفا إلى المهندس ممدوح عيد:
تهانينا لنادي بيراميدز، حيث في يوم الأحد 1 يونيو، فاز نادي بيراميدز بدوري أبطال إفريقيا 2024-2025، وأود أن أكرر تهنئتي الصادقة على هذا الإنجاز التاريخي للنادي، وعلى التأهل إلى كأس العالم للأندية 2029.
من خلال هذه الرسالة، أود أيضًا أن أنقل تحياتي إلى جميع الذين ساهموا في هذه النتيجة، اللاعبين، والمدرب، وكذلك الجهاز الفني والطبي، وبالطبع الجماهير.
لا شك أن هذا الإنجاز قائم على العمل الجاد والاحترافية والاهتمام بالتفاصيل، بالإضافة إلى الشغف وحب اللعبة، كل هذا يبشر بالخير لمستقبل واعد للغاية، وسيمهد الطريق بلا شك للنجاح في المستقبل.
بينما أشكركم وناديكم على دعمكم المستمر وعملكم وتفانيكم من أجل تطوير كرة القدم في بلدكم وحول العالم، أتطلع، سيدي الرئيس، إلى رؤيتكم قريبًا جدًا.
يذكر أن بيراميدز يستعد في الوقت الحالي لمواجهة الزمالك، في المباراة النهائية لبطولة كأس مصر للموسم الحالي، والمقرر لها يوم الخميس المقبل 5 يونيو 2025.
India’s batting coach says the top order has merely reacted to the conditions
Sidharth Monga29-Oct-20221:11
Rathour: The conditions demanded Kohli to play in a certain way
#NewApproach has been the running joke among Indian fans ever since the new team management of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid took over. Every time India don’t score at breakneck speed, these jokes come up. Some of it is friendly ribbing, some of it wisecracks from the fans of the previous team management.If you take out the first match because India were chasing – the target dictates the approach then – one match against Netherlands is too small a sample size even for jokes, but the one thing that stood out was that only Rohit batted with the new approach, allowing KL Rahul and Virat Kohli to start conservatively.Related
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India and South Africa in a tussle for Group 2's top spot
This #NewNewApproach is not random. India have spent enough time in Australia to know the conditions. The early exchanges have been difficult for the batters. Since the start of the Super 12s, teams have scored at 6.76 in the first ten overs and at 8.61 in the last ten. The new ball has done a bit.India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour said on the eve of the match against South Africa that the top order has merely reacted to the conditions. But he didn’t say whether they have spoken of it as a team or the batters are making the call in the middle.”We are looking to adapt,” Rathour said. “Of course, playing with intent is always the goal. We are looking to score runs whenever we can. But then we need to take into account the conditions that we are playing on, the surfaces we are playing on. I don’t think these are 200, 200-plus wickets, so we’ll need to adapt, and I think we have done pretty well in that regard so far.”When you talk approach, it is shaped by the batter who has batted the most, who in this case is Kohli. Rathour was asked if that was a premeditated approach. “Not really,” Rathour said. “I think that depends on the conditions we are playing in. We pride ourselves to be a team that will take the conditions and situation into account, and that’s what we’ve been looking to do. I think the conditions or the situation demanded him [Kohli] to play in a certain way, and he has done that. He is a good enough player to change his game or adapt his game to whatever the team requires, and he’s done that brilliantly so far, and we know that he’ll carry on doing that.”That brings us to another bone of contention: Rahul’s form. There have been suggestions that India can open with Rishabh Pant, who will also bring a left-hand batter into the mix. However, India are not ready to give up on Rahul.”No, we’re not really thinking that,” Rathour said. “Two games, I don’t think that’s a good enough sample size anyways. He has been batting really well, and he has batted really well in the practice games also, so we’re not looking at any such thing at the moment.”In the hours after Rathour spoke, New Zealand went from 54 for 3 in ten overs to 167 in the end against Sri Lanka. That might suggest you don’t necessarily need wickets in hand because runs are coming in the last ten overs anyway, but then again Rathour didn’t exactly say India would bat similarly all the time. There’s scope for newer hashtags yet.
Will Leeds blow it this year? The Championship has been a cruel mistress to the Elland Road outfit down the years but they are now top of the league after 17 fixtures.
It’s been a brilliant recent patch for the Whites who are hoping to exorcise their demons of last term when they were beaten to automatic promotion by Leicester City and remarkably by Ipswich Town who achieved phenomenal campaigns.
Daniel Farke’s men battered Norwich in the play-offs but came unstuck against Southampton, failing to even score in that defeat at Wembley.
Since then, they have bounced back phenomenally well. Their promotion hoodoo, for the second time in the last five years, could be about to end.
Gone is Crycensio Summerville. Gone is the skipper, Liam Cooper, and gone is talented teenager Archie Gray.
Leeds United star Archie Gray
However, as their dominant 3-0 win over Luton on Wednesday evening showed, they needn’t worry about their departures for much longer.
Leeds’ best performers against Luton
This was about a dominant performance as you can get from Farke’s side who cemented their lead at the top of the second tier in quite some style.
This is a Luton side who have been way below par under Rob Edwards this term but they are a recent relegated team all the same. To beat any recent Premier League outfit 3-0 is impressive.
The deadlock was broken after ten minutes when Sam Bryam, an unlikely goal scorer found the net with a lovely scissor kick, before Joel Piroe – arguably flattering to deceive as the main striker – made things a great deal more comfortable by scoring just before the break.
Things were rounded off late on by substitute Dan James who is in quite the run of form right now having also provided two assists in the remarkable 4-3 win against Swansea last Sunday.
The goalscorers will no doubt get praise but midfielder Ao Tanaka was exceptional once more, registering 133 touches, the highest of anyone on the field and completing a whopping 113 passes, the second most on the pitch.
That second statistic was only bettered by captain Pascal Struijk who in keeping a clean sheet boasted 116 accurate passes and 132 touches. If that wasn’t enough the Dutchman also won seven duels.
Touches
132
133
Passes completed
116
113
Long passes completed
5/7
5/7
Duels won
7/10
4/8
Dribbled past
0x
2x
It wasn all plain sailing for Farke and Co but one selection dilemma, in particular, deserves attention.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
What to do with Brenden Aaronson
Brenden Aaronson’s tale as a Leeds United player has been a strange one, let’s put it that way.
Signed by fellow countryman Jesse Marsch when they were still in the Premier League, things began promisingly for the attacking midfielder when he scored a late winner against Chelsea.
It feels like from that very moment things have never quite worked out as the American would have hoped.
A loan spell in the Bundesliga last term did bring back some confidence, although it was a surprise when Farke decided to revive the player’s career over the summer, reintroducing him into the squad.
Last season he was involved in just four goals for loan side Union Berlin and to the 24-year-old’s credit he has already bettered that in Leeds colours since returning to the setup, scoring four times in 2024/25 and registering one assist.
Sadly, the USA international isn’t quite delivering at the moment and regularly frustrates the masses at Elland Road.
That was the story once more on Wednesday evening when Aaronson struggled despite the 3-0 win.
Farke suggested that his work rate was “unbelievable” but that delusion just provoked understandable groans from the Leeds supporters.
Ultimately he was not that impressive, handed an average 6/10 match rating by Leeds Live reporter Beren Cross who wrote that there were ‘some good bits and bad bits from the American’ which rather sums up his career at the club.
Minutes played
84
Touches
60
Accurate passes
35/41 (85%)
Key passes
2
Crosses
1/3
Long balls
0
Shots on target
1
Dribble attempts
1/3
Ground duels won
3/10
Aerial duels won
0/1
Possession lost
15x
Fouled
2x
During his 84 minutes on the field, Aaronson did produce two key passes but in a game where the hosts had 20 shots, only one of them came from his boot.
Perhaps the worst two stats where the number of duels he won (4/13) and the number of times he gave away the ball (15).
Brenden Aaronson
With Blackburn to come at the weekend, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back in the starting XI given Farke’s praise. However, it should be the time to drop him to the bench.
Better options await in the shape of James, Mateo Joseph or Largie Ramazani.
Better than Tanaka: Leeds ace who made 116 passes was the real hero v Luton
The Leeds United man put in a fantastic performance against Luton on Wednesday.
Strikes have lost pace bowler Sarah Coyte who has joined Melbourne Renegades
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2022Former West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, who recently announced her surprise retirement from international cricket, has signed with Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL while South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt will return for a third season.Last week Dottin ended her West Indies career citing issues around the team culture and environment but added she would continue to play in various T20 leagues.Dottin has previously played for Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat, making 424 runs in 29 matches with a top score of 60 not out alongside taking 17 wickets.Related
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“Deandra is a match-winner who will bring big game experience and elite performance to Adelaide this summer,” Strikers heads coach Luke Williams said.”With more than 250 international appearances across T20 and ODI cricket, including multiple World Cups, as well as caps in the Hundred and WBBL, Deandra will be a fantastic addition to our squad.”Dottin said: “I am so excited to get to Adelaide and play in the WBBL again. The Strikers are a brilliant team and I hope I can help them take that extra step and bring home the title. I can’t wait to meet all the fans and put on a show for everyone with my new teammates.”Meanwhile, Strikers will also be able to call on the top-order class Wolvaardt who continues her association with the team. Last season she scored 381 runs at 29.30 and a strike-rate of 121.33However, Strikers have lost the services of pace bowler Sarah Coyte who has signed a two-year deal with Melbourne Renegades.Coyte, who was capped 81 times across all formats by Australia, has taken 93 wickets in the WBBL from 91 matches and is renowned as one of the best death bowlers in the game.”I’m looking forward to a new challenge,” she said. “I think this Renegades group is an exciting one to be part of and when the opportunity presented to come across, I jumped at it. Hopefully I can continue my form in the Big Bash from the last couple of seasons.””I like to keep things very simple. Hopefully I can add a bit of experience to the group with my bowling and through the lower order and also help some of the younger players to trust their skills out in the middle.”Meanwhile, Brisbane Heat are close to completing their WBBL squad after re-signed pace bowler Zoe Cooke and handing 18-year-old legspinner Grace Parsons her first contract.
Rohit Sharma has hailed Virat Kohli’s “work ethic” and his attitude of “never letting things go no matter what” following his first T20I century in India’s Asia Cup fixture against Afghanistan. In turn, Kohli credited the “space” Rohit and Rahul Dravid have given him upon his return from a six-week break for the recent success.”Personally, since I’ve come back from a break where I didn’t touch the bat for the longest time in the 13-14 years I’ve played, a lot of things were put into perspective,” Kohli told Rohit in a chat on BCCI’s official portal. “I got a lot of clarity from you guys [pointing to Rohit] and the team management, to just allow me to bat. That was very important.Related
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“The space I got made me feel very relaxed. When I returned, I was excited to see how I could contribute to the team. Playing this way was important for me because the World Cup is big and if I play well, I can contribute big for the team.”I’d spoken to Rahul [Dravid] three-four days back, where batting first, especially the middle overs phase, how I can improve my strike rate. My only goal was to work on whatever I need to improve, I will try it at the Asia Cup. I honestly didn’t expect it [to score a T20I century]. I was shocked, [and] as you also mentioned after that, no one expected a century from me in this format after a long time. I was pleasantly surprised, grateful and honest.”Kohli finished the Asia Cup with 276 runs in five innings, striking at 147.59. After India’s game against Afghanistan, he was the leading run-getter in the tournament, 64 ahead of second-placed Mohammad Rizwan. He had made two fifties and a century, his 71st in international cricket and first in over three years.The standout aspect of that hundred was his end-overs acceleration after having opened the batting. On 59 off 40 going into the last five, he switched gears and scored his next 63 runs off just 21 balls. There were no nerves even as he approached a landmark that had eluded him for 1020 days. On 94, he played a disdainful pull to bring up his century. It was a drought he broke in style.”I got a lot of clarity from you guys [pointing to Rohit] and the team management, to just allow me to bat,” Kohli said•AFP/Getty Images
Equally noteworthy was Kohli’s propensity to step out of his crease, especially against spin, something he’s done quite a lot at the Asia Cup, seemingly to try and increase his scoring options. Between April 1, 2018, and the start of the Asia Cup, Kohli stepped out once every 7.9 balls on an average in all T20s. This Asia Cup, as per ESPNcricinfo’s data, he stepped out once every 4.9 deliveries.In trying to raise the bar, Kohli also brought out shots he doesn’t often play, like the conventional sweep. The one he hit off Mujeeb Ur Rahman was only his 24th sweep against spinners in all T20s in this time period, out of the 1200-plus deliveries he has faced from them. This includes all kinds of sweeps, including the slog, so the numbers for the conventional sweep would be even lower.Kohli explained how his focus has been on playing good cricket shots, without worrying too much about strike rates and six-hitting, something he said had bothered him prior to his break. He admitted to having been “desperate to do something that wasn’t in my game” at that point.”My aim was to always to play all three formats, and I banked on good cricketing shots,” he said. “I always came to every tournament or series thinking six-hitting is not a big strength of mine. I can [hit sixes] when situation demands, but I’m better at finding gaps and hitting boundaries, so as long as I can hit boundaries, it will still serve the purpose for the team.”I told the coaches as well that I’m going to try and hit gaps rather than thinking I’ve to hit sixes to improve strike rates in T20 cricket. That thing I removed from my system in this tournament, and that helped because I was able to come back to my template. But it’s about being in a good space and enjoying your batting.”We can play in many ways, but my role is to play as per the situation and if it demands I have to take the scoring rate higher, I should be able to do it. My aim was if I can be in this zone, I can be relaxed because I know if I’m set for 10-15 balls, I can accelerate. I’m very happy that especially from the team’s point of view, I’m back to being in my template I’ve played for a while, which I was going away from because I was desperate to do something that wasn’t my game.”Rohit, who was conducting the interview, agreed that the knock against Afghanistan was a fine lesson in pacing an innings. “Obviously in T20 cricket we talk about big hitting and all of that. But that [century] was the perfect example of how to craft an innings without focusing so much on the big hitting,” he said. “That was wonderful to see. I know it personally because I’ve seen you bat long enough.”
Chelsea could reportedly send Jadon Sancho back to Manchester United in a stunning reversal of their loan deal by paying a "financial penalty".
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Chelsea have obligation to buy SanchoYet the Blues could bypass this clauseMan Utd return still possibleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Sancho moved to Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan following a breakdown in his relationship with former United boss Erik ten Hag last season. The agreement includes an obligation to buy if Chelsea finish 14th or higher in the Premier League, triggering a fee between £22-25 million depending on their final position. With Enzo Maresca's side currently sitting in fourth place, well clear of 14th-placed United ironically, the conditions for a permanent transfer appear likely to be met.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
According to thethere remains a possibility that Sancho could return to Old Trafford this summer if Chelsea decide to back away from the deal, though this would come at a 'significant financial cost' as per the terms agreed with United. The west Londoners are said to be scouting several wingers, with Real Betis talent Jesus Rodriguez emerging as a potential target for the summer transfer window.
Another factor complicating the situation is Sancho’s contract negotiations. Typically, when a player joins a club on loan with an obligation to buy, personal terms are agreed in advance to ensure a seamless transition. However, the report claims that the 24-year-old has not yet reached an agreement with Chelsea regarding long-term wages and other terms.
DID YOU KNOW?
United are still feeling the financial burden of Sancho’s £73m transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 with club chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who name-checked the winger as one of several signings from the previous regime INEOS are having to put up with, confirming that another £17m of the transfer fee was due to be paid this season. Sancho, who has 16 months remaining on his lucrative five-year contract, earns a reported £250,000 per week, with United currently covering a portion of his wages while the Blues paying £100,000. If he were to return to Old Trafford, the club would once again be responsible for his full salary, creating further financial headaches for United’s new ownership group.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?
Sancho’s potential return would present a major challenge for INEOS, as the club would be forced to find a new buyer for yet another high-earning player who is no longer part of their plans. With the summer transfer window approaching, Chelsea must soon decide whether to keep Sancho or cut their losses, while United face the risk of being stuck with an expensive and unwanted asset.
West Indies started the fourth day from a promising position before rain and South Africa’s bowlers combined to trigger yet another batting implosion
Firdose Moonda in Cape Town05-Jan-2015The longest second: waiting for the lift doors to open to escape a stranger’s space. The longest minute: the kettle whistling as the water reaches boiling point. The longest hour: the last on a long-haul flight. The longest session: The 48.2 overs bowled in four hours on the fourth day of the New Year’s Test between South Africa and West Indies.Only the last of those is not an exaggeration. It really was one of the longest sessions, in terms of time and overs.After rain washed out the morning and early afternoon, the umpires were allowed to extend the final session in unprecedented fashion. With the clause limiting the time for a session to no more than two-and-a-half-hours removed and the generous daylight of a Cape Town summer, play could continue past cocktails and almost encroach on dinner-time without any interruptions, in order to “maximise the playing hours”, as an ICC spokesperson put it. Lunch and tea were moved forward so the game could do the same and it would not feel like the longest day.
‘Just needed one massive effort from us’ – Morkel
With most of the morning and afternoon session lost to rain, South Africa were as much at risk of losing focus as West Indies but Hashim Amla made sure they knew what was expected of them. “The captain spoke to us quite hard and said we had the whole morning off and as a unit it can be disjointed, so it’s important for us to start well,” Morkel said. “It’s part of the mental battles of Test cricket. We knew if we put in a solid session, we could have an easier day tomorrow. It just needed one massive effort from us, before we go to Bangladesh in six months’ time when we next play Test cricket. So we knew we could go out there and give it everything.” South Africa were aware that the series they entered as over-riding favourites remained in the balance with two days left and wanted to show their best side in an attempt for success. “We respect West Indies a lot. We know that most teams have a breaking point and it is important to push a batting team as far as they can go,” Morkel said. “The team who can sustain the pressure at that breaking point will come out on top in the end. For us, it’s to really try to break teams down. That’s key in Test cricket.”
For the first four-and-a-half hours, that’s what it was shaping up to be as rain swept through the stadium, steaming in from both sides of the grandstand in the swirling wind. The teams had seen enough of that in Port Elizabeth and did not want to resort to change-room cricket and idle chat again, so they stayed away until there was a chance of play.Dead time can kill a competitive spirit and West Indies, who would have been holed up in hotel rooms, had to guard against that. They could not.Overnight, they were in a decent position. They had two settled batsmen at the crease, had whittled down the deficit to the point of turning it into a lead and could seriously challenge South Africa for a share of the series spoils. They did not need anything to interrupt that flow, especially not a lengthy rain delay.Grey, gurgling skies over a generous gust encourage lethargy in all its forms. The legs and eyelids grow heavy, the brain foggy and the reflexes slow. The idea of waiting until tomorrow to do anything seems far more tempting than emerging from a semi-slumber to concentrate. And when the ball is coming at you at pace, 140 kmph, you need to concentrate.Everyone except Marlon Samuels and, to a lesser degree, Shivnarine Chanderpaul knew that. The rest, bar Denesh Ramdin, do not have the experience to call on for this kind of situation, which is why it was up to the three stalwarts to build West Indies a lead on which they could look for a victory. Samuels seemed the likeliest to do that.He is the type of player who rubs South Africa up the wrong way. He straddles the line between talent and arrogance a little too tightly and he talks a good game on top of all that. So South Africa did their talking with the ball. Dale Steyn banged it in short, Morne Morkel went full, and induced an edge, and Vernon Philander appealed for a catch which the umpires referred. Samuels’ response at first was to pull, drive and react so dismissively to the prospect of getting out that he almost suffered that fate off the next ball when he flayed loosely.Samuels, however, did not always get to emerge as the cooler cat. He was hit on the back by Steyn, almost on the face by Morkel and consistently tested by Philander. It’s hardly a surprise then, that the one person he felt comfortable against was Simon Harmer, who he eventually played with too much freedom. Samuels was the perfect Shakespearean character – the architect of his own demise – and the opening South Africa needed.With him gone, their longest day ended and West Indies’ began. Again. For the third time in the series, their lower order gave way in spite of a more assured showing from Shivnarine Chanderpaul. If that was his last innings in South Africa, at least he left with a half-century but he did not marshal the lower-order the way senior batsman should. He played a tentative innings and edged the fourth ball he faced to gully, but it dropped just short. He was given out on 10 but reviewed successfully. He was foxed by spin and offered a chance to AB de Villiers when he was on 33.In the middle of that struggle, West Indies lost all the rest. What started out as a day of promise, faded into another day of lost potential. They ended up with a total they may not be able to defend, because South Africa’s attack were not prepared to give their batsmen a long final day. And that is the difference between a No. 1-ranked side and a No. 8 side – one of them knows that even the longest second, the longest minute, the longest hour and the longest session will end and is willing to fight through it.