Latest news with #GraemeSmith
Time Out
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time Out
Cape Town, are you ready for SA20?
Cape Town might be firmly in the grip of winter, but the first hint of summer has arrived with the unveiling of the fixture list for the fourth season of the Betway SA20 tournament. Betway SA20 is South Africa's premier 20-over cricket league, featuring six all-star teams competing for the title. In 2025, MI Cape Town (whoop whoop!) emerged victorious over Sunrisers Eastern Cape, and this year, we're betting that our local boys will bring the goods to hold on to the trophy. But whoever takes the title, the real winners are the thousands of fans who are in for a treat. And there's good news for local cricket lovers, with at least 10 of the 34 games set to be played at Cape Town or Boland Stadium. And while the cricket is electric, the event itself is always a blast, with action on the pitch and plenty of entertainment beyond the boundaries. Think live DJs spinning tunes, fireworks for when the wickets fall, and the chance to win big by taking a one-handed catch. "Season 4 of Betway SA20 will be unique," League Commissioner Graeme Smith said. "We've carefully planned the fixtures to make the most of the festive season and school holidays, we want SA20 to be part of the holiday season festivities in our once-off window for this year. Season four of the Betway SA20 tournament begins a little earlier than last year, with defending champions MI Cape Town hosting Durban's Super Giants for a festive event at Newlands on Boxing Day, Friday 26 December 2025. The very next day, Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape will face off at Boland Park in Paarl in what promises to be a thrilling clash. But, we're not done! Settle in for a pre-New Year's celebration at Newlands as MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals take to the pitch at 5.30pm on New Year's Eve, 31 December. You'll then have one day to recover before a rocking 'Tweede Nuwe Jaar' rolls into Boland Park for an all-Cape derby between Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town on 2 January 2026. All eyes are then on the finals, which will take place on January 25. Venues for the Final and the Playoffs will be confirmed at a later date. And don't forget: if you want access to cheaper prices and the best seats before tickets go on sale to the general public, register for the Season 4 pre-sale over here. Tickets to all Group Stage matches as well as the Playoffs and Final will be available during the pre-sale window, which will open on September 17 and close on October 9.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
West Indies turn to Lara and co after record Test low, but future looks bleak
'People are coming and going like the walking dead, padding up and unpadding.' Michael Clarke surveys the hallucinogenic scene in front of him at Newlands in November 2011, the grand view of Table Mountain unlikely to ease the agony, his first-innings 151 now chip-shop paper. Clarke's Australia are 21 for nine, sliding towards the lowest total in Test history. Nathan Lyon and Peter Siddle get them to 47 to avoid record-breaking embarrassment but it's barely consolatory. 'By the time we go back into the field, we're still unable to accept what's happening,' Clarke writes in his autobiography. 'We look like a cricket team, but we are 11 ghosts, unable to believe this reality.' South Africa have a target of 236 – hardly straightforward – but Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla ton up in an eight-wicket procession. Well, at least West Indies didn't have to field. Their 27 all out against Australia last week at Sabina Park, completing a 176-run loss and series whitewash, bears a couple of explanations. This was a low-scoring three-Test series all the way through, the highest individual effort Brandon King's 75, and the pink ball is more dangerous than any other weapon in Mitchell Starc's hand. But this also bears repeating: twenty-seven. Tragic for rock'n'roll, a new low point for the Caribbean game. Cricket West Indies' president was quick with the state-of-emergency announcement. 'There will be some sleepless nights ahead for many of us, including the players, who I know feel this loss just as heavily,' said Kishore Shallow. He called for a meeting and invited the legendary triumvirate of Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Brian Lara to contribute their views. 'This engagement is not ceremonial,' Shallow added, before immediately harking back to 'our golden eras'. An impromptu nostalgia fest seems unlikely to solve decades-long decay. Deep introspection is a natural reaction to a two-digit total. In 2013, Brendon McCullum won the toss under blue skies in Cape Town and chose to bat in his first Test as New Zealand captain. South Africa were batting by lunch, McCullum's men cooked for 45 inside 20 overs. Mike Hesson, New Zealand's head coach, knocked on McCullum's door that evening and was joined by other members of the backroom staff as the discussion turned to something bigger than technique and selection. 'We just spoke from our hearts,' McCullum later recalled. 'About who we were as a team and how we were perceived by the public. It was agreed that we were seen as arrogant, emotional, distant from our public, and we were up ourselves … We were full of bluster but soft as putty.' Two years later, after a run of six Test series without defeat, they found adoration on the way to their first World Cup final. West Indies are not new to this kind of distress. Lara experienced it first-hand and moved on from it with his own stubborn extravagance. In 1999, when Steve Waugh's Australia bowled West Indies out for 51 in Trinidad, Lara responded with a double hundred in Jamaica that same week. His magnum opus 153 not out followed in the next Test. In 2004, England's tour of the Caribbean began with Steve Harmison taking seven for 12. 'The English now had these towering brutes bowling chin music,' Lara later wrote, noting the role reversal, his own quicks no longer the ones to fear. The hosts were shot out for 47, their lowest total until this month. Lara still found room for his world-record 400 at the end of the four-match series, a luxury not afforded to the current generation. India experienced the pain in December 2020 when undone for 36 in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide – another pink-ball collapse – but that performance continues to grow in significance. Prithvi Shaw and Wriddhiman Saha were discarded for the next Test, replaced by Shubman Gill, on debut, and Rishabh Pant. The series turned India's way and the pair have done pretty well for themselves since. Sri Lanka produced their lowest total just eight months ago, bowled out for 42 in Durban, but they at least showed ticker with 282 in the fourth innings. The in-game recovery doesn't quite match that of Australia's women against England in the second Test in Melbourne 67 years ago. The hosts were dismissed for 38 in the first dig on a wet surface. 'England were killing themselves laughing,' Betty Wilson, the great Australian all-rounder, told Cricinfo. Wilson twirled to figures of seven for seven to bowl them out for 35 in reply. She failed to clock her hat-trick to finish the innings, notified only on the way off the field. 'This sudden revelation caught me unawares and I started crying,' she said. 'I was just determined that they wouldn't get the runs.' Will any of these comebacks, collective and individual, provide hope to West Indies supporters? Probably not. Unlike India, who were bowled out for 46 by New Zealand last October, West Indies have no world-beating reserves to call upon, no control of the game's financial model, no recent triumphs to talk about in the other forms. It used to be that the men's red-ball failures were partly assuaged by their Twenty20 excellence, World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016 something to cling to, the power of Chris Gayle and co enough to rally round. But there is decline in that sphere, too. As West Indies perished to two 3-0 series defeats in England last month, Nicholas Pooran – Wisden's leading T20 cricketer in the world – announced his retirement from international cricket at 29, his remaining days to play out in the far more profitable franchise world. 'I'm pretty sure more will follow in that direction,' warned Daren Sammy, their head coach, adding that there are challenges in 'trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest'. No wonder the desire to go back in time. 'When we came that morning, there was a slight silence but a focused silence in the changing room,' Keshav Maharaj tells the Spin. The morning, of course, is from last month at Lord's, with South Africa still 69 runs away from winning the World Test Championship. 'I wouldn't say it was nerves because I've seen our team nervous.' No, this time was different. After all the last-four failures and a lost final the year before, they got it done, that dreaded c-word told to do one. When did Maharaj know that the title was theirs? 'Definitely in the last 10 runs, although it was a nervy 10 runs, but I think the five wickets in hand was our saving grace at the time.' Maharaj spoke tearfully minutes after victory, with Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain, asking the questions. 'I couldn't hold back my emotions. I was never going to do it. If you saw Dale Steyn in that interview as well, he burst into tears. It just shows how much it meant to us as a nation. I know Graeme was a little bit stronger than all of us, but I could see the passion and raw emotion within his eyes as well.' The win 'hasn't fully sunk in yet', says Maharaj, who then captained a new-look South Africa side against Zimbabwe at the end of June, the match including the 35-year-old's 200th Test wicket. Maharaj is the first South African spinner to reach the mark. 'Spin is a dying art in the world,' he says. 'I just want to pave the way for the next generation to believe that spin, the art of bowling spin, is something you can pursue and make a career from and be one of the world's best.' That'll explain the respect for Liam Dawson. Maharaj faced his fellow left-armer when Dawson last played Test cricket on South Africa's tour of England in 2017. 'He's come on leaps and bounds,' says Maharaj. 'To see how he's done in SA20, and he's dominated quite significantly in the last three years of county cricket. Always rated him as a bowler. He's also a great human being. When I had my achilles injury, he reached out to me because he had a similar injury, so it was quite nice. He's a wonderful asset, not just from a bowling perspective, but as a package because he bats as well.' I asked him a few questions about the tactics, whether you're going to stick with the 3-4-3 this season' – Kuldeep Yadav got his chat on with Ruben Amorim after India met up with Manchester United. With this week's Test match in Manchester, we take a look back at a painful experience there in 2014 for an England great when the home nation defied the loss of Stuart Broad at Old Trafford with a broken nose, romping to a second consecutive victory over an India team whose spirit then had been fractured, as Andy Wilson reported here. India's captain, Shubman Gill, reckons that England breached 'spirit of the game' during the third Test at Lord's, Simon Burnton reports, while Ali Martin tees up the fourth Test at Manchester. Gary Naylor shares the frustration of county cricket fans left waiting until September for the T20 Blast quarter-finals. And while Australia's selectors took a punt on Sam Konstas as Test opener – he is left with the debt, writes Geoff Lemon. … by writing to To subscribe to The Spin, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
SA20 announces season 4: Defending champs MI Cape Town to face Durban's Super Giants in Boxing Day opener
Defending champions MI Cape Town get their title defence underway with a blockbuster clash against Durban's Super Giants on Friday, December 26, 2025 at the picturesque Newlands, as SA20 announced its fixtures for Season 4. South Africa's premier franchise T20 league will usher in the holiday season with a bumper Boxing Day opener, promising high-octane action that's set to thrill fans across India, South Africa, and around the world. Defending champions MI Cape Town will kickstart season 4 of the SA20(SA20) December 27, Saturday, marks the first double-header of Season 4, with Centurion hosting a special derby between Pretoria Capitals and Joburg Super Kings while Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape clash at Boland Park in Paarl. Kingsmead, home of Durban's Super Giants, will be a hive of activity in the week leading up to the New Year, with the east coast venue welcoming both MI Cape Town (December 28) and Joburg Super Kings (30 December) within the space of a couple of days. Fans will have the opportunity to toast in the New Year in style with another cracking double-header set for Gqeberha and Cape Town on December 31, 2025. Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will welcome the Paarl Royals at an always-jovial St. George's Park, with the excitement building up for MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals at Newlands later in the day (2100 hrs IST). The festivities will continue on New Year's Day when Joburg Super Kings and Durban's Super Giants look to start 2026 on a high note at the Wanderers. 'Announcing the fixtures is always a major milestone for us and signals that we are well on our way to another incredible season. Season 4 of the SA20 will be unique. We have carefully planned the fixtures to make the most of the festive season and school holidays. We want SA20 to be a part of the holiday season festivities in our once-off window for this year. We're also excited to host New Year's Eve and New Year's Day fixtures for the first time, we can't wait to be a part of the New Year's celebrations with the fans,' League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said. Elaborating on the reception SA20 has received in India, he explained, 'It's been phenomenal to witness how SA20 has struck a chord with fans in a vibrant cricket market like India. What's truly heart-warming is seeing Indian fans follow emerging SA20 talents like Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Wiaan Mulder, and many others who've honed their skills in the competition. India remains a key market for SA20, and we'd love to see more fans travel to South Africa for the matches. They certainly won't be disappointed.' 'The franchises are hard at work behind the scenes strategising around their squads which will be confirmed at the auction on September 9. It's all systems go to welcome the best international and local players to our stage.' The action continues on January 2nd, 2026, which will be celebrated in style at Boland Park with a mouth-watering Cape derby between Paarl Royals and neighbours MI Cape Town. Paarl Royals will be looking to continue their impressive record at home, after winning all five of their home matches last season. Incredibly, MI Cape Town achieved the same feat at Newlands in the same season. The SA20 carnival moves up north to the Highveld for a 'Super Saturday' double bout on 3 January when Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape trade punches at the Wanderers before Pretoria Capitals and Durban's Super Giants go head-to-head at Centurion. The final of the competition will take place on 25 January, with Qualifier 1 scheduled for January 21, the Eliminator on January 22 and Qualifier 2 on January 23. Venues for the Final and the Playoffs will be confirmed on a later date.
The South African
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Betway SA20 fixtures give fans something to do on New Year's Eve
Betway SA20 is set to bring the festive cheer to cricket fans around the country and on screens globally with a jam-packed schedule of Season 4 fixtures. South Africa's premier franchise T20 competition will celebrate the holiday season with a bumper opening match on Boxing Day, with defending champions MI Cape Town hosting Durban's Super Giants at Newlands on Friday, 26 December 2025. Saturday, 27 December marks the first double-header of Season 4, with Centurion hosting the Jukskei derby between Pretoria Capitals and Joburg Super Kings while Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape clash at Boland Park in Paarl. Kingsmead, home of Durban's Super Giants, will be a hive of activity in the week leading up to the New Year with the east coast venue welcoming both MI Cape Town (28 December) and Joburg Super Kings (30 December) within the space of a couple of days. Fans at the coast will have the opportunity to ring in the New Year in style with another cracking double-header set for Gqeberha and Cape Town on 31 December 2025. Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will welcome the Paarl Royals at an always jovial St George's Park in the afternoon (13:00), with the excitement building up for MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals at Newlands later in the day (17:30). The festivities will continue on New Year's Day when Joburg Super Kings and Durban's Super Giants look to start 2026 on a high note at the Wanderers. 'Season 4 of Betway SA20 will be unique,' League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said. 'We've carefully planned the fixtures to make the most of the festive season and school holidays, we want SA20 to be a part of the holiday season festivities in our once-off window for this year. 'With the early part of the fixtures weighted towards our coastal venues, holidaymakers from around the country will have a fantastic entertainment option fit for the entire family. We're also excited to host New Year's Eve and New Year's Day fixtures for the first time; we can't wait to be a part of the New Year's celebrations with the fans.' The 'Tweede Nuwe Jaar' will be celebrated in style at Boland Park with a mouthwatering Cape derby between Paarl Royals and neighbours MI Cape Town on 2 January 2026. Paarl Royals will be looking to continue their impressive record at home, after winning all five of their home matches last season. Incredibly, MI Cape Town achieved the same feat at Newlands in the same season. The Betway SA20 carnival moves up north to the Highveld for a 'Super Saturday' double bout on 3 January when Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape trade punches at the Wanderers before Pretoria Capitals and Durban's Super Giants go head-to-head at Centurion. 'Announcing the fixtures is always a major milestone for us and signals that we are well on our way to another incredible season,' Smith added. 'The franchises are hard at work behind the scenes strategising around their squads which will be confirmed at the auction on 9 September. It's all systems go to welcome the best international and local players to our stage.' The final of the competition will take place on 25 January, with Qualifier 1 scheduled for 21 January, the Eliminator on 22 January and Qualifier 2 on 23 January. Venues for the final and the playoffs will be confirmed on a later date. Fans have an opportunity to register for the Season 4 pre-sale window to access the best seats at the best prices before tickets go on sale to the general public. Tickets to all Group Stage matches as well as the playoffs and final will be available during the pre-sale window, which will open on 17 September and close on 9 October. Register to take part in the pre-sale before midnight on Monday, 15 September. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
SA20 Announces Season 4 Fixtures: Defending Champions MI Cape Town Face Durban's Super Giants In Opener
Defending champions MI Cape Town get their title defence underway with a blockbuster clash against Durban's Super Giants on Friday, December 26, 2025 at the picturesque Newlands, as SA20 announced its fixtures for Season 4 today. South Africa's premier franchise T20 league will usher in the holiday season with a bumper Boxing Day opener, promising high-octane action that's set to thrill fans across India, South Africa, and around the world. December 27, Saturday, marks the first double-header of Season 4, with Centurion hosting a special derby between Pretoria Capitals and Joburg Super Kings while Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape clash at Boland Park in Paarl. Kingsmead, home of Durban's Super Giants, will be a hive of activity in the week leading up to the New Year with the east coast venue welcoming both MI Cape Town (December 28) and Joburg Super Kings (30 December) within the space of a couple of days. Fans will have the opportunity to toast in the New Year in style with another cracking double-header set for Gqeberha and Cape Town on December 31, 2025. Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will welcome the Paarl Royals at an always-jovial St. George's Park, with the excitement building up for MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals at Newlands later in the day (2100 hrs IST). The festivities will continue on New Year's Day when Joburg Super Kings and Durban's Super Giants look to start 2026 on a high note at the Wanderers. "Announcing the fixtures is always a major milestone for us and signals that we are well on our way to another incredible season. Season 4 of the SA20 will be unique. We have carefully planned the fixtures to make the most of the festive season and school holidays. We want SA20 to be a part of the holiday season festivities in our once-off window for this year. We're also excited to host New Year's Eve and New Year's Day fixtures for the first time, we can't wait to be a part of the New Year's celebrations with the fans," *League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said*. *Elaborating on the reception SA20 has received in India, he explained*, "It's been phenomenal to witness how SA20 has struck a chord with fans in a vibrant cricket market like India. What's truly heart-warming is seeing Indian fans follow emerging SA20 talents like Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Wiaan Mulder, and many others who've honed their skills in the competition. India remains a key market for SA20, and we'd love to see more fans travel to South Africa for the matches. They certainly won't be disappointed." "The franchises are hard at work behind the scenes strategizing around their squads which will be confirmed at the auction on September 9. It's all systems go to welcome the best international and local players to our stage." The action continues on January 2nd, 2026, which will be celebrated in style at Boland Park with a mouth-watering Cape derby between Paarl Royals and neighbours MI Cape Town. Paarl Royals will be looking to continue their impressive record at home, after winning all five of their home matches last season. Incredibly, MI Cape Town achieved the same feat at Newlands in the same season. The SA20 carnival moves up north to the Highveld for a "Super Saturday" double bout on 3 January when Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape trade punches at the Wanderers before Pretoria Capitals and Durban's Super Giants go head-to-head at Centurion. The Final of the competition will take place on 25 January, with Qualifier 1 scheduled for January 21, the Eliminator on January 22 and Qualifier 2 on January 23. Venues for the Final and the Playoffs will be confirmed on a later date.
