47 h. ago Jamie Smith’s sensational century gives England hope but India seize their moment

Second Test, D3: India 587 and 60-1; England 407Wicketkeeper hits unbeaten 184 but India in chargePressure? What pressure? Or to pinch a line from Keith Miller, the great Australian all-rounder and a fighter pilot during second world war: “There is no pressure in Test cricket. Real pressure is when you are flying a Mosquito with a Messerschmitt up your arse.”Notwithstanding this old truism, there was still a fair bit on the line when Jamie Smith strode out to middle at 11.12am here on the third morning. Joe Root had been uncharacteristically strangled down leg, Ben Stokes had been blown away by a brutish first ball and Mohammed Siraj, a fiery fast bowler known to get on a roll, was eyeing up a hat-trick. Oh, and England were 84 for five, 503 runs behind India’s first innings. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago South Africa win World Test Championship after completing stunning comeback against Australia – as it happened

Aiden Markram scores 136 runs as South Africa defeat Australia by five wickets at Lord’s to lift the World Test Championship title60th over: South Africa 218-3 (Markram 106, Stubbs 0) So it is Tristan Stubbs to the middle. Starts at the non-striker’s end, but immediately gets strike as Markram guides a single. Lots of pressure on Stubbs, more a white-ball player but one of huge talent, who Shukri Conrad has backed in this team. Small target, plenty of time, and in a short-form game he might knock off these last 64 runs in five overs. But this is different. Hit on the pad early, Hazlewood appealing but it’s going down leg. Two slips and a gully, but the second slip is Webster and the gully is Green, so effectively four slips and two gullies. Cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket up closer. Deep point and deep backward square saving boundaries. Stubbs defends his first five balls.59th over: South Africa 217-3 (Markram 105) Oh, there it is! The first tremor? South Africa’s captain battled ...

Politics

3 w. ago Aiden Markram helps South Africa beat Australia in World Test Championship final

Set 282 to win, 70 more than had been scored in any of the first three innings at Lord’s, Markram scored 136 runs.

Sport

3 w. ago Temba Bavuma and South Africa’s unlikely triumph shows why Test cricket is worth saving

The first Black batter to make a century for South Africa has led them to World Test Championship glory - but wider issues within the format must be solved to save it

Politics

3 w. ago World Test Championship: South Africa end long trophy wait with tense Lord's victory over Australia

Aiden Markram’s sensational century helped South Africa to chase down 282

Politics

3 w. ago Markram steers South Africa to historic World Test Championship final triumph

Final, D4: SA, 138 & 282-5, bt Aus, 212 & 207, by five wktsVerreynne sees Proteas home against AustraliaFirst trophy since 1998 banishes ‘chokers’ barbAs the South African balcony erupted in ecstasy, and the green shirts in the crowd sent a roar ringing around St John’s Wood, Temba Bavuma simply sat there with his head in his hands. Relief? Disbelief? Whatever it was, it was the culmination of a journey from the township of Langa to the new pinnacle of Test cricket at Lord’s. South Africa, World Test Championship winners under his calm leadership, had made history.There were a couple of stutters along the way, moments when South African backsides started to twitch like a rabbit’s nose and memories of all those self-inflicted heartaches at International Cricket Council events came flooding back. But in the end, guided by a masterful 136 from Aiden Markram - catharsis after last year’s loss in the T20 World Cup final under his captaincy - they squeezed out the remaining 69 run...

Sport

3 w. ago Aiden Markram hits unbeaten century to put South Africa on brink of World Test Championship glory

Proteas could win their first major trophy this century with victory at Lord’s

Events

3 w. ago Australia learn cricket’s oldest lesson as South Africa turn the tables in WTC

An Australian win looked inevitable after setting 282 to win, but Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma defied the oddsRight from the start of the day, there was an inevitability that this match was Australia’s. They started 218 runs in front, in the third innings, walking back onto a Lord’s field where 28 wickets had fallen in the previous two days. They had the four-star bowling attack, their opponents had the shooting-star batting order, one that had flashed and vanished in its first sighting. Soon this would be compounded by Temba Bavuma’s hamstring injury. The lead as it stood looked a chance to be enough, and first would come the chance to increase it a smidgen more.The sense of inevitability only grew as that smidgen broadened into a big dirty smudge. There is nothing more galling for a cricket team than a long tenth-wicket partnership. Every ball is more annoying than the one before. Things had started right, Kagiso Rabada in his second over of the day trapping Nathan Lyon with onl...

Politics

3 w. ago Aiden Markram gives South Africa control against Australia at Lord’s

The Proteas need another 69 runs to win the World Test Championship final.

Politics

3 w. ago Markram and Bavuma steer South Africa to verge of stunning WTC upset against Australia

Day three: Australia 212 & 207; South Africa 138 & 213-2Opener hits century and Bavuma bats on through injuryHeartache and South African cricket have not so much gone hand in hand over the years as been married and had a litter of kids. But provided they eke out the last 69 runs of what would be an epic run chase on day four, divorce papers can be issued and the World Test Championship mace will be theirs.At the end of a gripping third day Australia were left praying that South Africa’s habit of imploding at global events – yes, yes, the old chokers tag – might return in the morning. Guided by a sparkling unbeaten 102 from Aiden Markram, and the captain, Temba Bavuma, hobbling through a hamstring injury to finish on 65 not out, the Proteas had reached 213 for two at stumps in pursuit of 282 to win. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago South Africa defy the doubters and Australia to close in on remarkable Test triumph

Aiden Markram’s magnificent unbeaten 102 helped South Africa edge closer to World Test Championship final triumph

Politics

3 w. ago Ben Duckett blows West Indies away as England wrap up T20 series sweep

England, 248-3, beat West Indies, 211-8, by 37 runsDuckett hits 84 off 46 balls in 120-run opening standHarry Brook hit an unbeaten 35 off 22 balls, a quickfire cameo on a usual night, yet the slowest of England’s offerings in this record-breaking contest. His side piled up 248 for three, their highest total at home in this format, to set up a 37-run victory over West Indies in the third and final Twenty20 international.Ben Duckett top-scored with 84 from 46 balls as he shared an opening stand of 120 with Jamie Smith, 135 brought up at the 10-over mark. The destruction calmed down a touch thereafter but West Indies were still invited to pull off their highest successful T20 chase. It never felt on, even as Evin Lewis whipped away a first-ball six. Continue reading...

Events