Sidestep

With captain AB de Villiers confirming a clean bill of health ahead of tomorrow’s all-important semi-final against co-hosts New Zealand, the captain and selectors must now decide on their best 11 for Auckland clash. While many might be quick to say, “Just go with the same team that demolished Sri Lanka”, it’s not that simple. For one, the 11 that beat the Lankans in Sydney are the same 11 that struggled against Pakistan… in Auckland. Yes, maybe they had an off day, but conditions at the SCG are different to that at Eden Park, and stats from this world cup confirm it. Auckland has been more favourable to faster bowlers. From the three matches played in New Zealand’s largest city, quicks have accounted for 43 of the 49 wickets to fall there. Spinners haven’t had a great time at the venue claiming four, with only medium pacers and part-timers performing worse. While Vernon Philander didn’t play at the venue due to injury, his replacement Kyle Abbott sent Ahmed...

Proteas made history, winning a knockout match at the Cricket World Cup. The Proteas began a new chapter in their bid for a maiden world cup title. For the first time at the tournament, South Africa won a knockout match. The comprehensive nine wicket victory over the 1996 champions also booked them a place in the semi-finals for a fourth time. 5am SA time The men in Green and Gold lost the toss, but their attitude after the anthems suggested they would not be settling for second place beyond that. A great opening spell of bowling between Kyle Abbott and Dale Steyn restricted the slashing Sri  Lankans to 16 for 2 after 6 overs. Thirimanne fights back Once Tillakaratne Dilshan (duck) and Perera (3) were gone Lahiru Thirimanne came out fighting with fearless strokes. After 10 overs he was the only top-four batsman to score a boundary and reach double figures. 10 overs gone At the other end Sangakkara – who is retiring from ODIs after this...

Danny Willett can't believe it. When I asked 2014 Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Danny Willett (pictured), what the key was to English success in South African golf tournaments, little did I know how relevant that question would be down the line. Although Willett was awarded the crystal golf ball for his heroics at the Gary Player Country Club, most people do not remember who finished right behind him? Besides, who remembers second place? Well there was something glaringly obvious about the leader board that December afternoon, apart from Willett’s four-shot win. St George’s Crosses occupied the top three spots, thanks to efforts of Ross Fisher and Luke Donald. The English dominance was, well, so dominant, that the next competitor was Germany’s Marcel Siem who finished nine shots adrift. The best placed South African was Tim Clark, 15 shots behind. Three more co-sanctioned events have since been held on our shores since then, with the English - specifi...