Windies wrap up crushing victory over Pakistan

Pakistan crumbled for the second consecutive day to the West Indies pace attack, losing the first Test of a two-match series by 90 runs on the fourth day in Trinidad on Tuesday.

Set a tricky target of 211 on a deteriorating surface, the tourists were never in contention and were all out for 120 off 40.2 overs just after tea.

It could have been worse. When they subsided to 71 for nine, Pakistan seemed doomed to their lowest Test innings total against the West Indies. sos-zagle.org.pl

Bowling hero Mohammad Abbas hung around with captain Babar Azam to put on 49 runs for the last wicket before Jayden Seales ended the match by trapping Abbas leg-before for 23, finishing with figures of five for 20.

Watch: “Clicky Ponting” caught fooling umpires

Babar remained unbeaten on 58.

Pakistan will go into the second and final Test a few miles away at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, starting Sunday, on the back of four consecutive defeats and an extended abysmal run of 13 losses in their last 17 Tests.

This was also the eighth consecutive Test loss away from home.

Their capitulation was a repeat of events of the third day when they lost seven wickets for 38 runs, sliding from 244 for three to 282 all out to concede a 29-run first innings deficit.

Pakistan fought back with the ball late on day three, but West Indies rallied to a second innings total of 181, adding 55 runs on the fourth morning on the back of an adventurous 38 off 27 balls (four sixes and one four) from Shamar Joseph.

Even after the innings was wrapped up by Abbas – who finished with the excellent figures of five for 22 – the Pakistan players’ body language in the field increasingly suggested the target well beyond their reach, especially with former captain Shan Masood hampered by a fractured finger sustained during his first innings century.

He bravely came out with the innings in ruins at 58 for six only to become one of Seales’ victims, taken a backward point by Joseph.

On the day when the late, great all-rounder Garfield Sobers would have turned 90, the latest follower in his footsteps, fellow-Barbadian Justin Greaves, picked up two wickets to finish with match figures of seven for 39 and earn the “Player of the Match” award.

“It was just about being disciplined,” said Greaves. “From watching Mohammad Abbas in both the first and second innings, we tried to mimic that and it pretty much worked out well for us.”

ALSO: SA Emerging fixtures confirmed for Bangladesh tri-series

Babar was honest about his team’s batting frailties.

“This surface is good. We have to expect it to be a bit up and down at this stage and also the movement with the new ball. We prepared for this,” he said. “But they bowled very well, using the conditions, and we just couldn’t get a partnership going.”

West Indies captain Roston Chase enjoyed his second Test win in three matches after going more than a year without success after his appointment.

“I love how this team is going,” he said. “We’re not depending on one or two guys solely. Everyone is chipping in at crucial times.”

–AFP

Photo: Cricinfo/X

The post Windies wrap up crushing victory over Pakistan appeared first on SA Cricket Mag.

The new Betway Premiership campaign is almost upon us. Kaizer Chiefs will kick things off against newcomers Kruger United.

Chiefs travel to Mpumalanga in season opener

Betway Premiership newcomers Kruger United, understandably, have been active in the transfer market. They’ve added several proven PSL players, including Fiacre Ntwari from Chiefs. Kruger United vs Chiefs kicks off on Saturday, 1 August at 20:15.

Kaizer Chiefs fans don’t sound sure about Adolf

In the comments sections on Facebook, there have been some scathing responses to the acquisition of Adolf Mtasingwa. Several supporters feel as though he’s not of the calibre required by the club. Meanwhile, Kabelo Nkgwesa was given a run-out in Chiefs’ first friendly match of the tour, a 1-1 draw against Scottish giants Rangers. After getting a taste of first-team football, the 19-year-old left-back, nicknamed ‘Festival’, wants more.

Could Nkgwesa feature for Kaizer Chiefs this term?

Kabelo Nkgwesa was given a run-out in Chiefs’ first friendly match of the tour, a 1-1 draw against Scottish giants Rangers. After getting a taste of first-team football, the 19-year-old left-back, nicknamed ‘Festival’, wants more.

“I got to play 20 minutes in the first match and I got a sense of the difference in how they play compared to us, especially their physicality and endurance, which allowed them to finish stronger, so it is important that we earmark that as an area where we can improve,” he admitted, adding, “Also, it’s good to learn about game management, when to pass, the weight of the pass. Those seemingly small things can make a big difference in a match situation.”

“This is my second pre-season with the first-team squad, and I am very happy and grateful to be here,” he says, before offering some motivational advice to any youth player wanting to make it in the game, “I would say to any ambitious youngster coming through the development academy that if they just keep working hard, stay dedicated and show character by stepping up every time when it matters, it is possible to get to here. You can be an individual sometimes but always be a team player.”

“I want to thank our fans for their support. We know you are not here right now, but we can feel your love from home. We are very excited to come back and show what we have been working on in Spain.”

Le débat sur les fonds politiques, ces enveloppes surnommées « caisses noires », agite la classe politique sénégalaise. Une proposition de loi visant à encadrer leur utilisation a été jugée recevable par l'Assemblée nationale, à l'initiative de députés du Pastef. Mais des figures politiques et une partie de la société civile réclament des comptes sur la gestion de ces fonds durant les deux années où le chef du parti, Ousmane Sonko, a occupé la Primature.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is expecting a stern Test for his players from an inexperienced-looking Los Pumas squad when they meet in a one-off Test in Buenos Aires next week Saturday.

Argentina named a 34-man squad to prepare for the clash against the world champions with a number of senior players missing, while 10 uncapped players were included in the group.

Despite regulars such as Joaquin Oviedo, Julian Montoya, Gonzalo Garcia, Justo Piccardo and Bautista Delguy being unavailable, Erasmus said that the Pumas still had an experienced core to call upon, which will make them a dangerous outfit.

“They picked a squad now with 10 rookies in there. But if you look at their first choice team, I think that compared to the team that we will take over there, they will definite have more caps than our players,” explained Erasmus.

“Although they picked a very inexperienced group, there’s like 14 or 15 guys that are really experienced that they can fall back onto, which will form their spine. So yeah, it will be a difficult match.

“You can see with the way they’ve picked the team, it’s going to be 15 guys with real experience and then a bunch of youngsters with energy who come from the sevens circuit, who are really dangerous and we have to look out for that.”

Mixed results

Argentina have had a mixed start to their international season, with them suffering losses to Scotland and England, while beating Wales, all at home, but Erasmus isn’t reading too much into those results as he says it takes the Southern Hemisphere teams some time to get up and running.

“We’ve learned our lessons many times against Argentina. If you take your foot off the pedal, you can get a hiding any day, and we certainly want to try and prevent that,” said Erasmus.

“I think us, New Zealand and Argentina and Australia, we always struggle to find our feet in our first few matches (of the season). You saw how New Zealand struggled against France, who didn’t even send their first choice team.

“They struggled to find their feet in the first test match and then just got stronger and stronger. We also didn’t hit the ground running (in our Nations Championship games). So it will be a different Argentina.”

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Team South Africa’s swimming juggernaut showed no signs of slowing down on Day 5 of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. In a dramatic evening session at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the green and gold contingent delivered a sensational five-medal haul, one gold and four silvers, pushing their swimming total to an astounding 16 medals.

From sprint breaststroke supremacy to continental records and milestone achievements, Glasgow continued to be a hunting ground for South Africa’s aquatic stars.

Van Niekerk Strikes Gold in 50m Breaststroke

Breaststroke powerhouse Lara van Niekerk delivered a masterclass in sprint swimming to claim South Africa’s latest gold medal.

Blasting off the blocks in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Final, Van Niekerk controlled the race from start to finish, touching the wall in a rapid 30.43. She held off Australia’s S. Toohey (30.54) in a nail-biting finish to claim the top step of the podium. Teammate Rebecca Meder also featured in the stacked line-up, placing 8th in 31.81.

Mixed Medley Relay Silver, African Record, and Le Clos Hits 20

The climax of the evening produced pure drama in the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final.

The stellar team of Pieter Coetze, Michael Houlie, Erin Gallagher, and Aimee Canny put on a relentless display to take silver behind Australia (3:40.46). The quartet stopped the clock at 3:42.61, smashing the African Record in the process.

The medal carried extra historic weight: veteran legend Chad le Clos, who swam in the morning heats, officially earned his 20th career Commonwealth Games medal. Already the most decorated male athlete in Games history, Le Clos further cemented his legendary status on global sport’s grandest stages.

Para-Swimming Stars Deliver Double Silver

South Africa’s para-swimmers continued their incredible campaign with two superb silver medal performances in the 50m Freestyle S13 events:

• Nathan Hendricks added a second medal to his Glasgow collection, storming to silver in the Men’s 50m Freestyle S13 Final in 24.84, missing gold by just 0.11 seconds to Scotland’s S. Clegg.
• Danika Vyncke matched the feat in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 Final, stopping the clock at 28.41 to secure a well-earned silver medal behind Australia’s K. Hayes (27.63).

Canny Claims Silver in 200m IM Thriller

Fresh off her relay heroics, Aimee Canny produced a breathtaking individual swim in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final.

Canny engaged in a ferocious wall-to-wall duel with Australia’s J. Forrester (2:09.24), finishing just 0.13 seconds shy of gold to claim silver in a rapid 2:09.37. Teammate Rebecca Meder put in a tough shift in the same final, placing 7th in 2:11.23.

Coetze Sets Another Games Record as Sprinters Advance

Beyond the medal events, South Africa set up a mouth-watering Day 6 with dominant semifinal performances:

• Men’s 100m Backstroke: Pieter Coetze was once again unstoppable, dismantling the Commonwealth Games Record with a jaw-dropping 52.20 to qualify fastest for the final. Compatriot Ruard van Renen won his respective semifinal in 53.41, ensuring Team SA enters the final as a formidable 1-2 threat.
• Women’s 50m Freestyle: Caitlin de Lange (24.82) and Jessica Thompson (24.92) both booked their tickets to the final after outstanding semifinal swims.
• Men’s 50m Butterfly: Calvyn Justus secured a lane in the final by finishing second in his semi in 23.49. Chad le Clos (23.65) and Jarden Eaton (23.99) bowed out in 6th and 8th respectively.
• Women’s 50m Backstroke: Olivia Nel finished 5th overall in a hard-fought final with a time of 27.95.

With 16 medals secured and Coetze leading a strong team into tomorrow’s finals, South Africa’s aquatic medals secured in Glasgow shows no signs of slowing down.

For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Team South Africa (@officialteamrsa)

The post Golden Van Niekerk Leads Five-Medal Rush as Team SA Shatters African Record on Day 5 appeared first on South Africa Sports News and Blog Site | South Africa Sport.