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In his three years with the Cincinnati Reds, shortstop Elly De La Cruz has repeatedly wowed baseball fans with his combination of power and speed.

On Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals, the former portion of that equation was on full display.

First, in the top of the fourth inning, De La Cruz parked a 95 mph fastball 436 feet to center field. That shot tied the game 2–2—and was just an appetizer for what was to come.

Leading off the top of the sixth, De La Cruz was shown another four-seam fastball by pitcher Taylor Clarke. Making perfect contact, he deposited the ball 451 feet from home plate into Kauffman Stadium's trademark fountain.

Even the announcers calling the game were awed, declaring that they'd never seen anything like it.

De La Cruz, an All-Star and the eighth-place National League MVP finisher in 2024, is slashing .251/.325/.414 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs.

Four-wicket hauls from Murphy and Sangha in vain for Australia A

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2025

Prabhsimran Singh’s 68-ball 102 was backed up by half-centuries from captain Shreyas Iyer and Riyan Parag as India A chased down 317 to clinch the three-match unofficial ODI series against Australia A 2-1 in Kanpur.India A were placed comfortably on 262 for 3 in the 35th over during their chase, but they lost five for 39 to lose grip. Vipraj Nigam and Arshdeep Singh then took them over the line, adding an unbroken 21 for the ninth wicket and helping India A win the decider by two wickets.Prabhsimran had set the tone for the victory by adding 83 for the first wicket with Abhishek Sharma in just 11.2 overs. Abhishek and Tilak Varma fell in quick succession but Prabhsimran continued to bat aggressively. He struck eight fours and seven sixes before falling to legspinner Tanveer Sangha in the 20th over.Iyer and Parag launched from the platform Prabhsimran had set, adding 117 off 92 balls for the fourth wicket. While Iyer hit 62 off 58 balls, his second fifty-plus score in three one-dayers ahead of the Australia tour, Parag smashed 62 off 55.However, Sangha dismissed both batters in successive overs, bringing Australia A back into the game. Sangha proceeded to remove allrounder Nishant Sindhu before Todd Murphy struck twice in two balls, sending back Ayush Badoni and Harshit Rana in the 42nd over. Nigam (24*) and Arshdeep (7*), though, ensured that India A closed out the chase with 24 balls to spare.Earlier, Arshdeep and Rana had Australia A in trouble, reducing them to 44 for 4. While Arshdeep removed openers Mackenzie Harvey and Jake Fraser-McGurk, Rana dismissed Harry Dixon and Lachlan Hearne. Cooper Connolly’s 49-ball 64 then resurrected Australia A’s innings, but the hosts found themselves in trouble again at 135 for 6 in 21 overs.Captain Jack Edwards and Liam Scott then added a 152-run stand off 123 balls for the seventh wicket to take Australia A forward. Some useful runs down the order helped Australia cross 300 before they were bowled out for 316 in 49.1 overs. Arshdeep and Harshit picked up three wickets apiece for India A.

One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say the least. And yet due to his off-field impact, one of the sport's great champions of the past 30 years is generally forgotten when it comes to referencing the true legends of the game.

Beckham – or, to give him his newly-minted full title, Sir David Beckham – marked an era both on and off the pitch as he wrote the manifesto for the evolution from footballer to brand. He represents to football what Michael Jordan did for basketball a few years earlier as Beckham became a true global icon who pushed boundaries beyond the sport, paving the way for Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Lionel Messi, among others, to follow in his footsteps.

But that shouldn't overshadow what 'Becks' was able to achieve from a pure football perspective, and what makes him a fine addition to GOAL's Hall of Fame:

• Bend it like Beckham

  Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, Beckham was the sport's poster boy, the player every teenager dreamed of becoming, both from a sporting and style point of view. His ever-changing hairstyles – from his boyband-style blonde highlights to the buzz cut he sported at the beginning of the new millennium, from the mohawk that infuriated Sir Alex Ferguson, to the controversial cornrows and the man bun of his Real Madrid days – were copied around the world. His adidas Predator boots became must-haves for any wannabe footballer; a No.7 Manchester United shirt suddenly the height of fashion.

  A lot of fans wanted to look like Beckham, but everyone dreamed of being able to kick the ball like him. His unmistakable style, with his right arm whipping behind him as he swung another ball into the box, became one of the sport's most famous silhouettes, and even inspired the title of a film that allowed a new audience to find the game: 'Bend it like Beckham'.

  However, no one has ever come close to the absolute perfection of that technical move, with which Beckham was able to trace millimetric trajectories with a class, elegance and naturalness that are more akin to artists than sportspeople.

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• Much more than a pop icon

  Beneath the glossy surface, Beckham was undoubtedly one of the strongest midfielders going, and probably the most underrated champion of his era. He was a victim of the mass media, who were more interested in his relationship with popstar Victoria Adams than his displays at Old Trafford on a weekend.

  For many years, Beckham was talked about more in the front pages of the tabloids than he was in the sports section. As such, the common perception when discussing him being amongst the true elite was inevitably influenced by him being a personality before a footballer, almost as if he were too handsome, too perfect, too stylish to be taken seriously.

  But let's get one thing right: Beckham was a special player. He was not a pure winger who would wow crowds with his dribbling and agility, but with his right foot he managed to leave everyone speechless with his pinpoint passes. He was more of a wide playmaker – although he did try to reinvent himself as a central midfielder at points – a midfielder with refined technique, heavenly vision and extraordinary ball skills. It is no coincidence that he is unanimously recognised as the best crosser of all time and one of, if not the best, free-kick taker in history.

  His free kick against Greece in October 2001, which allowed England to qualify for the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, remains his Mona Lisa, a masterpiece that will remain forever in the annals, as will his fabulous goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon in 1996, which symbolically marked the beginning of his legendary career at United.

• Getty
  

  Appearances can be deceiving

  However, Beckham's greatness on the pitch cannot be limited to the precision of his right foot. The third-most capped player in the history of the Englan national team, Beckham was also captain of the Three Lions for six years, wearing the armband in 58 matches, going from public enemy number one,after his sending off in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina to a symbol of redemption and leadership.

  A charismatic and courageous leader on the pitch, Beckham was always ready to sacrifice himself for his team. He was a true example of professionalism, as repeatedly emphasised by even the toughest coaches such as Fabio Capello, who went so far as to disobey president Florentino Perez's instructions and reinstated Beckham to the Madrid line up, which led to a historic La Liga title triumph before the midfielder left to join LA Galaxy.

  Wherever he went, Beckham left his mark: From titles with United to those in Madrid, from successes in MLS to his short stints at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, the Londoner was able to immerse himself in each new environment with a humility that had nothing to do with the image that the tabloids had built up around him for years.

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• Ballon d'Or worthy?

  In 1999, the year Beckham won the treble as a key player for Ferguson's United, Beckham arguably deserved to also take home the the Ballon d'Or, which was instead awarded that year to Rivaldo. The Brazilian had been sensational in La Liga for Barcelona but had been eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages.

  >Beckham, by contrast, had been forced to pick up the pieces after a World Cup in which he was vilified, publicly bullied by English fans, and greeted on Premier League pitches with a soundtrack of boos, insults and verbal abuse. He endured this relentless hostility without ever showing his emotions, responding simply with what he did best: playing football.

  "The more he was targeted, the better he played," his former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would later say. Six goals and 12 assists in the Premier League, two goals and eight assists in the Champions League, and a crucial goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, Beckham unquestionably made a decisive contribution to the Red Devils' journey to immortality.

  The 1999 Ballon d'Or, which saw Beckham finish in second place, would probably have allowed the English midfielder to enter another dimension in the collective imagination, in the circle of undisputed number ones. Today, 12 years after his retirement, re-evaluating the value, relevance and footballing aura of Sir David Beckham is not a nostalgic gesture, but rather an act of justice towards one of the great icons of the sport.

Seamer Jake Ball chimes in with 4 for 34 as Somerset win by six wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Aug-2025

Somerset 252 for 4 (Vaughan 95, J Rew 53*) beat Yorkshire 247 (Revis 85, Ball 4-34) by six wicketsFour-wicket seamer Jake Ball and opener Archie Vaughan with a career best 95 starred as Somerset ended Yorkshire’s 100 percent winning start to this season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup by bowling the Group B leaders out for 247 at York and then chasing confidently.Somerset joined their hosts on 12 points at the top of the table at the halfway stage in the group campaign courtesy of this six-wicket win with five balls remaining. Both counties having won three and lost one.Yorkshire still hold sway courtesy of a superior net run-rate, but they were second-best on a used Clifton Park pitch.Yorkshire lost wickets in clusters at either end of a scrambling innings which saw ex-England limited overs quick Ball take an excellent 4 for 34 from 9.4 overs and Matthew Revis top-scored with a middle-order List A best of 85 off as many balls.Ball’s best List A figures in just over six years preceded Sheffield-born teenager Vaughan’s classy 127-ball effort with 11 fours. It was ironic that this senior best should come against the county for whom his father Michael starred.Yorkshire, inserted, slumped to 28 for 3 inside 10 overs.Without injured in-form opener Imam-Ul-Haq (hip), they lost Adam Lyth bowled by a beauty from Ball, Will Luxton run out next ball and James Wharton caught behind one-handed going low to his right by James Rew off Ben Green.Luxton misjudged a push to mid-off, where Josh Thomas misfielded before recovering to throw the non-striker’s stumps down.Revis, who hit nine fours, held things together on the pitch used for Tuesday’s win over Lancashire, with Yorkshire compiling nothing more than a workable total.Fin Bean, on 28, cut 18-year-old debutant seamer James Theedom to backward point with the score on 72 in the 18th over.Revis oozed confidence following three recent Championship centuries and a 69 earlier in this competition. He reached a 49-ball fifty here shortly before Yorkshire reached the halfway-mark in their innings at 115 for 4.He found an ally in fellow all-rounder George Hill. They calmly shared a recovery fifth-wicket partnership of 102.Yorkshire then lost four quick wickets, including Revis and Hill caught pulling, as the score fell from 174 for 5 in the 36th over to 204 for 8 in the 42nd. Green’s second wicket accounted for Revis, 34-year-old Ball’s second was Hill for 41.Tom Lammonby’s left-arm seam also claimed two wickets in that period.Dan Moriarty heaved the only two sixes of Yorkshire’s innings in a career-best 30 before holing out to cover as Ball struck twice in the 49th over to wrap things up.Vaughan, in his first competitive senior career appearance against his birth county, steered Somerset’s stress-free chase.Lammonby was well caught at deep gully by Lyth off Hill en route to 48 for 1 after 10 overs before 19-year-old Vaughan shared a second-wicket partnership of 70 with Lewis Goldsworthy, 30.Vaughan was particularly strong off the back foot on either side of the wicket. He reached his fifty off 65 balls.Goldsworthy fell at 111 for 2 in the 25th over when he top-edged a pull at Revis to long-leg.Vaughan continued on unflustered, sharing 64 with his captain James Rew. But he was bowled looking to go over the top against Dom Bess’s off-spin. Still, at 175 for three in the 38th, Somerset were in a strong position.James Rew finished unbeaten 53 off 62, while brother Thomas also contributed 31.

With their sights set on further upgrades, Manchester United have now reportedly leapfrogged Liverpool in the race to sign a Premier League rival who’s worth £70m.

Man Utd's 2026 transfer plans

Victory over Sunderland at least bought Ruben Amorim more time, but there’s no denying that the pressure is still on. Such results should be a formality at a club of Man United’s stature and, simply put, they have been anything but since the former Sporting Club boss arrived. That said, INEOS’ transfer plans suggest that they’re still ready to back their manager.

The impact of their spending has already been on show this season, too. Senne Lammens made his full debut against Sunderland and instantly silenced the noise that has been surrounding United’s No.1 role for a number of years. Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko has now discovered his golden touch – scoring twice in his last two games.

Those at Old Trafford will be the first to admit that there’s still plenty of work to be done, especially when 2026 arrives. The investment into Amorim’s squad must continue and may yet even feature another shot-stopper.

Aiming to overhaul the position completely with Lammens and one other star, the Red Devils have reportedly shown interest in signing Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Barcelona when he returns from his current spell on the sidelines.

The experienced goalkeeper would come with hefty wages, which should act as a warning sign after previous mistakes, but may add invaluable experience to Amorim’s dressing room.

He’s not the only option in that department, though. United have also been linked with Emiliano Martinez again. The Aston Villa goalkeeper came close to joining the club in the summer, before they chose Lammens instead. Now, after competition for the summer arrival, United could reportedly go back in for the World Cup winner.

Signing proven Premier League players seems like a route that INEOS could look to go down after Cunha and Mbeumo, with Martinez already linked and an attacking star now also on Man United’s radar.

Man Utd jump ahead of Liverpool in Semenyo race

As reported by Caught Offside, Man United now hold stronger interest in Antoine Semenyo than Liverpool and INEOS have identified the Bournemouth winger as a player who is “well worth” paying for.

The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?

Oct 7, 2025

The impressive forward has enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign – scoring six goals and assisting another three in seven Premier League games. It’s the type of form that so often leads to a big move, but Bournemouth are unlikely to sell for a bargain price. Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that the Cherries value their star man at £70m.

Naturally, Semenyo’s current form has also earned him some fairly high praise from those around the Premier League. And that includes from Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool ace Jamie Redknapp.

The pundit said after the Bournemouth winger scored in a recent comeback win over Fulham: “It was a hard night to play football but it didn’t matter to Semenyo. He just glides across that surface. An incredible, unique talent. So fantastic to see.”

Mic'd Up: The former Canadian national team player backed Vancouver for MLS success, but says Miami might have found a groove

Kaylyn Kyle is Canadian and proud. And she finally has something to shout about in MLS. The Whitecaps were supposed to struggle this year. They fired their coach before the season started, and had their star man pick up a serious injury. There are rumors that the team could be sold – and, perhaps even relocated. 

So much for all of that. The Whitecaps are among MLS Cup favorites, and after winning the first of their best-of-three opening round series against FC Dallas, certainly look the part.

"It's such a great organization," Kyle, the Apple TV studio analyst, tells GOAL. "The ownership is amazing. The fan support is amazing. And I think that's the one thing is, they've shown up through the good, the bad and the ugly."

Thomas Muller is their star man. The former Bayern Munich forward has taken to MLS more effectively than most would have imagined. With him pulling the strings and grabbing the goals, they have a real chance. But his presence here alone is far more symbolic, Kyle argues.

"He was always going to suit Major League Soccer to perfection, and he's done just that," she says. "He's likable, and the fact that he chose to go to Vancouver tells you everything you need to know. Because no really global superstars ever choose to go to the Vancouver Whitecaps."

Of course, there will be some stiff competition here. Inter Miami made their first game look easy. LAFC will be there. FC Cincinnati look good. But this is the fun of MLS playoffs. They're chaotic. They're unpredictable. But, like with Vancouver, they can also make the unlikeliest of stories come to life. 

Kyle discussed the Whitecaps, MLS playoffs and the Canadian men's national neam in the latest edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL taps into the perspective of analysts, announcers and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad. 

Getty Images SportON MLS PLAYOFFS

GOAL: MLS playoffs, what have you made of them so far?

KYLE: Home teams are absolutely dominating. Eight of the games that have already kicked off, all eight of the home sides have won in dominating fashion. Also the big stars stepping up in big moments. You know, we've seen Kevin Denkey, we've seen Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller. But it's been very entertaining. So it's going to be really interesting to see how these best-of-three-games series go.

GOAL: Were you expecting that?

KYLE: It was funny. Something like 68 percent of the teams usually win if they do have that home field advantage in the best-of-three series. And then there was an amazing stat. The top four finishers in the regular season in their conference, one of them goes on to win MLS Cup. The last time that a team outside of that was back in 2010, which is insane to think and insane to see. But this is what makes Major League Soccer so funny. Obviously, we saw Inter Miami get knocked out last year by Atlanta United. So anything can happen. But so far, the home team is looking pretty good.

AdvertisementGettyON MLS CUP FAVORITES

GOAL: Let's talk favorites. Cincinnati look pretty good, but who have you got?

KYLE: I don't think that's a bad shout. I have Vancouver, I have LAFC, and I have Inter Miami. I had an LAFC vs. Inter Miami final, but I could also see a Vancouver vs. Inter Miami final. Genuinely, the only thing with Inter Miami against Nashville – I'm interested to see how Nashville do in the second game, because they just played really scared in the opening match. Which I wasn't really ready for, because I didn't think BJ Callaghan would come up with that sort of game plan against Inter Miami. And Inter Miami's defense actually looked good for once, which was weird. I'm really interested to see how that looks going forward. 

ImagnON VANCOUVER

GOAL: Talk to me about Vancouver: Is there a little bit of national bias there?

KYLE: It's not even national bias. It's a team that I obviously grew up with, throughout their academy. They took a chance on a small town girl from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, so they have so much love in my heart. It's such a great organization. The ownership is amazing. The fan support is amazing. And I think that's the one thing is, they've shown up through the good, the bad and the ugly.

They win the Canadian championship, but like, they've never really had powerhouses like a Thomas Muller within their squad. Tristan Blackman winning defender of the year. Then you have Ryan Gauld, who's been out injured, but he's back fully fit now. Add Brian White, Sebastian Berhalter, and I think it's a team that finally we can say they have a deep squad. And I never thought I would be able to say those words. 

GOAL: With Muller, did you expect him to be this good?

KYLE: He was always going to suit Major League Soccer to perfection, and he's done just that. He's likable, and the fact that he chose to go to Vancouver tells you everything you need to know, because no really global superstars ever choose to go to the Vancouver Whitecaps. There were inklings about Chicago maybe in the mix for him and other teams in Europe, Saudi as well. And so when the news broke, I'm like, no way. 

And just speaking with people on the ground in the city, former national team teammates, friends, colleagues, are like, "this city's transformed." And even they opened up the upper bowl, which they never do for games. You see it with the Vancouver Canucks when they've gone on big runs in the playoffs in the NHL, that it just galvanizes the city. And Canadians, we love supporting our sports teams. You look at the Toronto Blue Jays right now in the World Series. It's really, really cool to see, and I really hope they do well. Because I love the manager, I love the players, and obviously I love the city.

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ImagnON CANADA AND THE WORLD CUP

GOAL: Lastly, on Canada and the World Cup? What do you make of the prep? And what are your expectations for Jesse Marsch's side?

KYLE: It was interesting, because I've been following them around. I spoke to the manager, and he was like, "If we make it out of our group in a certain situation, we'll end up playing our next two games in Vancouver." So they'll have that home field advantage, which would be huge. I think they're well managed. I think this is the best group of Canadians that we've seen on the men's program.

Now that they've got Qatar kind of under their belt, they have the experience of what it means to play in a World Cup, the different competitiveness of what a World Cup brings. And then obviously having Alfonso Davies back fully healthy and fit will be huge. And then you have, you know, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, the players in that squad that have that European experience and have that World Cup experience. It's going to be brilliant for our Canadian side to see, and I really hope they make it far. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma highlighted the major difference between the style of play in Serie A and Premier League. Having spent six years in the Italian top-flight with AC Milan, the Italy national team captain made a summer switch to Manchester City, taking his goalkeeping talents to the English first division. Donnarumma firmly believes that Italian football is "no less than the others."

• Donnarumma arrives at City as the best goalkeeper in the world

  Earlier this summer, Donnarumma left Paris Saint-Germain in controversial circumstances, being sold by the French side just months after the Italian custodian played a pivotal role in their quadruple win, including their maiden Champions League trophy. Contract extension talks stalled, as head coach Luis Enrique opted for a better ball-playing profile in Lucas Chevalier. Eventually, Donnarumma completed a €30 million (£26m/$35m) move to Manchester City.

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• Getty Images
  

  Serie A just as good as Premier League, says Donnarumma

  Speaking in an interview with , Donnarumma said: "I've been fortunate enough to experience very different realities: from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, where I recently arrived. From afar, I can say that our football is no less than the others.

  "In England you run from the first minute of the game to the last minute, it's not like that here, but that doesn't mean it's better or worse. It's just the way it is…"

• Donnarumma focused on club and country

  Donnarumma has made six appearances since switching to City in the summer. His adaptation has been quick and impressive, forming a close bond with a number of City team-mates in a relatively short amount of time. Many experts are also claiming that he is already the best goalkeeper in the Premier League currently. 

  Earlier this week, he was praised by his national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso for helping Italy keep a clean sheet against Israel in their 3-0 win. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Donnarumma has his sights set on the 2026 World Cup

  The 26-year-old made his debut for the Azzurri in 2016, just two years after the Italians suffered an embarrassing group stage exit in the World Cup. Although he has led his country to a European championship, Italy haven't qualified for the past two editions of the World Cup. Donnarumma, however, has unshakeable belief in the fact that Italy will be present at next year's showpiece event. 

  "It won't happen a third time, it can't happen: this national team will end up in the next World Cup. I have no doubts," he said. "The lessons of the past are meaningful if you embrace them: we won't underestimate anyone, we won't take anyone lightly; it wouldn't make sense to do so. And, besides, this group loves each other: we'll be ready when playoff time comes. The word playoffs doesn't scare us, it won't affect us. In this new Italy, the group is healthy, beautiful, united: I can say that with certainty. We feel good together, we feel in harmony with each other."

Nayar is the first major casualty of the review carried out by the BCCI in January to assess India’s poor run in Test cricket late last year

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Apr-2025The BCCI has terminated Abhishek Nayar’s contract, less than a year after appointing him as assistant coach of the India men’s national team.Nayar, who was appointed last July, is the first major casualty of the review carried out by the BCCI to assess India’s miserable run in Test cricket late last year, beginning with the 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand followed by the 3-1 series defeat in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Soon after India returned from Australia, the BCCI conducted an extensive review meeting in coordination with India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Also present at that initial review meeting, which was held in Mumbai, were India Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.Nayar, a successful allrounder with Mumbai who played three ODIs for India, was handpicked by Gambhir for the job after he was appointed as head coach. While Gambhir was given a three-year contract – until the 2027 ODI World Cup – Nayar’s tenure could not be ascertained.Gambhir and Nayar worked together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2024 and were key to the franchise winning its third IPL title, the first after a decade. While Nayar has never coached in the domestic circuit, he has worked one-on-one with several international and uncapped Indian players, including Rohit, Dinesh Karthik, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.Recently, KL Rahul also credited Nayar for his white-ball success, saying, “Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team.”Doubts over Nayar’s future emerged in late January when the BCCI appointed former Saurashtra batter Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach ahead of the white-ball home series against England. Both Kotak and Nayar, along with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and fielding coach T Dilip had also travelled to the Champions Trophy as part of Gambhir’s support staff.ESPNcricinfo has reached out to Nayar as well as Saikia for comments.Adrian Le Roux set to join as trainerAdrian Le Roux, who worked with the India men’s team as a trainer for a year in the early 2000s, is set to join in the same position. It is understood that Le Roux, who is currently with Punjab Kings in the IPL, has accepted the offer the BCCI made recently. Le Roux is set to replace Soham Desai, who has been the strength and conditioning coach for India since 2019.After working as a consultant during India’s tour of South Africa in 2001-02, Le Roux signed a one-year contract as trainer with India, which lasted until the 2003 World Cup. He then declined the one-year extension given by the BCCI, saying it was “a personal decision” to stay back home before he joined the South Africa men’s team as a trainer. Le Roux paired successfully with Andrew Leipus, who was India’s physiotherapist then, and the two made a significant difference to the fitness level of players.

Both touring sides will play two Tests against Zimbabwe each, and take part in a T20I tri-series

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2025

Zimbabwe will host South Africa and New Zealand for two-Test series and also a T20I triangular series between June 28 and August 11. In what Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) managing director Givemore Makoni called “the biggest international home season we have had in years”, Zimbabwe would be playing Test cricket against South Africa for the first time since December 2017 (and hosting them for the first time after August 2014) and against New Zealand after August 2016, when New Zealand had toured Zimbabwe.The season starts with the Test series against South Africa, with both matches taking place in Bulawayo, from June 28 and July 6.This will be followed by the T20I tri-series. The teams play each other twice in the league stage, running from July 14 to July 24, with the top-two teams facing off in the final on July 26. The whole series will be played in Harare.Related

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Bangladesh to host Zimbabwe for two Tests in April

Then on to the New Zealand Tests, again in Bulawayo, from July 30 and August 7.”This is the biggest international home season we have had in years, and it is an incredible opportunity for our players to test themselves against two of the world’s cricketing powerhouses,” Makoni said in a statement. “Hosting South Africa and New Zealand for both Test cricket and an exciting T20I tri-series is a fantastic development for the growth of the game in Zimbabwe.”We are looking forward to welcoming the teams and putting on a great spectacle for our passionate cricket fans.”Zimbabwe last hosted a T20I tri-nation series in July 2018, featuring Australia and Pakistan, when Pakistan emerged victorious.Zimbabwe vs South Africa Test series1st Test: June 28 to July 2
2nd Test: July 6 to July 10<
T20I tri-seriesJuly 14: Zimbabwe vs South Africa
July 16: New Zealand vs South Africa
July 18: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
July 20: Zimbabwe vs South Africa
July 22: New Zealand vs South Africa
July 24: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
July 26: Final
Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Test series1st Test: July 30 to August 3
2nd Test: August 7 to August 11

Kwena Maphaka has also been added as a travelling reserve

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2025

Bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch has been named as the replacement for the injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan later this month.The 30-year-old Bosch made his ODI debut against Pakistan in December, returning figures of 1 for 69 in nine overs, but was one of the standout seamers in SA20 champions MI Cape Town’s campaign. Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka has also been added to the squad as a travelling reserve. They are already without Gerald Coetzee, ruled out with a groin issue, while Beuran Hendricks and Lizaad Williams have been recovering from injuries too.Related

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Bosch and Maphaka, along with opener Tony de Zorzi, depart for Karachi on Sunday to join the squad for the remainder of the tri-nation ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand.Meanwhile, former Pakistan allrounder Yasir Arafat has joined the South Africa men’s support staff as a consultant for both the tri-nation series and the Champions Trophy.South Africa’s Champions Trophy 2025 squadTemba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch , Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen