Quinton de Kock made a magnificent century as South Africa won a dramatic third ODI by four runs against India at Newlands to seal a 3-0 series whitewash.
Half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan (61) and Virat Kohli (65) gave the tourists a platform to build their chase of 288 from, but some excellent bowling and safe hands in the field saw the Proteas dismiss India for an agonising 283 off the second ball of the final over.
India won the toss and put South Africa in to bat, taking the early wickets of Janneman Malan (1) and Temba Bavuma (8). When Aiden Markram fell to Deepak Chahar for 15 in the 13th over, the hosts were 70-3 and wobbling until a partnership of 144 between De Kock and Rassie van der Dussen.
De Kock followed up his 78 from the second game in Paarl by making a classy 124 off 130 balls, with Van der Dussen (52) the only other to make a half-century for the Proteas.
However, both fell in consecutive overs, and though a useful pairing of David Miller (39) and Dwaine Pretorius (20) put on a partnership of 44, South Africa was all out in the last over, with Prasidh Krishna (3-59) bringing the innings to a close with the penultimate ball for a total of 287.
The chase did not start brilliantly for India as KL Rahul was caught by Malan off the bowling of Lungi Ngidi (3-58) for just nine, though Dhawan and Kohli set about repairing that early damage.
Their partnership of 98 appeared to set the tourists on their way to a consolation win, though after Dhawan was dismissed when he hit an Andile Phehlukwayo delivery straight up in the air, allowing De Kock to snaffle the catch, Rishabh Pant was out first ball to Phehlukwayo and India's chase looked less assured.
Kohli steadied the ship with Shreyas Iyer (26) before he was taken by Bavuma off the bowling of Keshav Maharaj, but Suryakumar Yadav (39) and Chahar (54) had India scenting a win.
However, with just 10 runs required for victory, Chahar hit Ngidi straight up in the air, with Pretorious taking the catch, before Jasprit Bumrah (12) was caught by Bavuma off Phehlukwayo to leave India needing seven runs from nine balls with one wicket remaining, which fell when Yuzvendra Chahal (2) hit Pretorious straight to Miller.
Proteas in safe hands with Bavuma
It is safe to say that South Africa's ODI captaincy is in safe hands, quite literally when it comes to Bavuma as he took four catches to help his team dismiss India in Cape Town.
Bavuma also used his bowling attack expertly, with five different bowlers sharing the wickets (Ngidi and Phehlukwayo with three, Pretorius two and Sisanda Magala and Maharaj getting one each).
One day woes for India
Although the first two defeats in this series were the result of poor performances, this was a much tighter affair and stand-in ODI captain Rahul will be pleased with the improvement.
Chahar was one success story, coming in for his first game of the series and hitting 54 with the bat while taking two wickets with the ball, but this now makes it four defeats on the spin in ODIs.
Dottin remains “deeply disappointed” by Gujarat Giants explanation for her omission from WPL
Former West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin says she is "deeply disappointed" by the "bewildering reasoning" given by the Gujarat Giants explaining her omission from the squad for the inaugural WPL.
The Giants had stated prior to the season that the 31-year-old was "recovering from a medical situation", and subsequently announced Australia’s Kim Garth as her replacement.
Dottin tweeted that she was "recovering from nothing" at the time of the announcement.
At a media interaction after Dottin's response, Giants issued a clarification that they had to seek a replacement because they were unable to obtain a medical clearance in time for Dottin.
Dottin put out a detailed statement on Twitter on Sunday, saying, "I remain deeply disappointed by what can only, plausibly, be described as bewildering reasoning for my omission from the tournament.
"At the commencement of the tournament, the franchise claimed that I was excluded from the team because I was apparently 'recovering from a medical situation'. This was followed by a subsequent, clarifying statement that contended that I was, in fact 'unable to obtain medical clearance' despite being granted as recently as February 20th."
She went on to say that she had sought treatment after experiencing minor abdominal pain in December 2022.
Dottin then met two specialists in December and January for second opinions, and was advised rest until February 13. She said she had been cleared to resume training from February 14.
"Consequently, I recommenced my personal training and fitness regime according to the guided timelines and experienced some soreness on the first day of resumed training which was anticipated and reasonable, given that I had been asked to rest in the weeks preceding training.
"I was transparent about this in correspondence with the Gujarat Giants physiotherapist, however, this was misconstrued and later conveyed to members of the franchise's management team as me 'experiencing abdominal pain post-session' which was not what I had indicated."
Dottin said that Giants insisted that she got herself assessed locally even though she was given medical clearance by her treating surgeon on February 20.
"To my shock, I was then forwarded email correspondence from the Giants' physiotherapist, that included the following demand - 'Deandra Dottin is strictly advised to submit her fitness report along with the recent scan by 26/02/2023. She will be deemed unfit for T20 matches in the WPL if she doesn't comply.' This request was sent on Saturday 25th February with the deadline provided being the following day - Sunday - making it near impossible to administer all stipulated medical tests, particularly over a weekend."
She said that on the next day, February 26, she was told via email by a senior manager at Giants owners Adani Sportsline, that she had "a solid role to play" at the WPL but had to produce a new CT scan and report by March 1.
"Whilst I was trying my utmost to arrange an expedited CT scan in accordance with the various deadlines I was being served, I received yet another email the following day (Monday, 27th February), this time from the Head of Adani Sportsline, stating that they were unable to find me a timely appointment at a private hospital from their end and that they would, thus, formally be seeking to replace me in the League."
The Giants are currently last in the WPL table with two wins from eight games.
Will Still harbours Premier League ambition and may follow Vincent Kompany route
Will Still has ambitions to manage in the Premier League and would be open to following a similar route to Vincent Kompany by moving to a Championship club.
The 30-year-old has been one of the most talked about coaches in European football this season after doing a fine job with Ligue 1 side Reims.
Taking over from Oscar Garcia in October, Reims embarked on a club-record 19-game unbeaten league run until a 2-1 reverse at home to Marseille on Sunday – with Still taking charge for 17 of those.
Still, whose only other defeat as boss was in the Coupe de France, was brought up by English parents in Belgium before moving to England as a teenager where he studied to become a coach.
His name was mentioned for recent managerial posts at Leeds United and Southampton and, while he believes it is too soon to have been touted for such positions, Still would love a crack at England's top flight one day.
"It just seems completely stupid to me that my name is being put up against names that have done so much more and have been so many more places than I have," he told Sky Sports.
"I wouldn't ever dare to compare myself to those people.
"I've never really thought about it [managing in the Premier League] because I never expected to be in the position I am so early and so suddenly. Why not? I've done some crazy things in the past; I was head coach at 24 and the same thing happened at 28 back in Belgium and now I'm 30 and people are saying this is crazy.
"Being English and growing up in an English environment in Belgium, England has always felt like home and a place that I'd love to go back to. It would feel like coming home, just because the English culture is part of me, part of my roots, part of my family, part of who I am.
"I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they'd say they'd love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I'm no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I'll keep at them.
"If it happens one day I'll deserve it, or I hope I will have deserved it, but I realise how much work there is to do before I get there and how much I've got to learn. For now, I will stick it to one side."
Up until recently, Reims were having to pay a €25,000 fine every time Still took charge of the first team as he did not have a UEFA Pro Licence, but he is now on a course to get his badge.
Still believes that has amplified the interest in his story along with a comment he once made about the popular computer game Football Manager, that he says was misinterpreted.
"With the Football Manager thing, for example – people think I'm some spotty geek behind my computer that's just been dropped in at Stade de Reims and is doing an unbelievable job," he explained. "But I've been doing it for 10 years and the experiences I've accumulated or tried to accumulate have helped me and are still helping me today.
"People say, 'Oh, he's got no coaching badges, no qualifications, he's just played computer games!' I went to university to study football coaching, I've got the highest level diploma you can get, for the moment, in football and I'm studying for the Pro Licence."
In terms of the future, Still remains open to different career paths and mentioned how former Manchester City captain Kompany has excelled with Championship leaders Burnley after leaving Anderlecht as a potential example to follow.
"Vincent Kompany was at Anderlecht last year and has gone into the Championship and has done an unbelievable job. I think the Championship rivals many of the top leagues in the world," he said.
"All the doors are open. I'm not closing anything at any time."
'Shame to waste that performance' - Knicks rue loss as Randle makes franchise history in 57-point haul
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau says it was a "shame to waste" Julius Randle's 57-point performance in Monday's 140-134 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Randle produced a career-best scoring performance, shooting 19-of-29 from the field with eight-of-14 from three-point range, becoming the 13th different player this NBA season to surpass 50 points.
The power forward scored 26 points in the third quarter, making franchise history for the most points ever by a Knicks player in any single quarter.
Randle also became the first player Knicks since Carmelo Anthony in 2014 to reach 50 points, which was the longest active drought by any franchise, except the Orlando Magic dating back to Tracy McGrady in 2004.
Only two players have scored more points in a single game in Knicks history, led by Anthony with 62 in 2014 against the Charlotte Bobcats and Bernard King with 60 in 1984 against the New Jersey Nets. Randle's 57 points was tied for third highest in Knicks history.
Despite all that, the Timberwolves edged the Knicks, aided by 58.3 per cent three-point shooting.
"It's a shame to waste a performance like that," Thibodeau told reporters.
Randle had 52 points at three-quarter time and was on pace to surpass both Anthony and King's marks but he was humbled to be close to their company.
"Those are legends in this game," Randle said. "And pioneers, specifically for this organisation, who laid the groundwork and led the way for players like myself to come behind them, be able to play the game I love. Be able to grind, put on that Knicks jersey with pride."
Randle was left to lament fumbling a rebound at 137-134 in the dying seconds, allowing Taurean Prince to make a lay-up to ice the game.
"Hopefully I will be able to [enjoy the 57-point performance]," Randle said. "But tonight, probably not.
"Jalen [Brunson] got a defensive stop, we're down three, it's my job to come up with that rebound, 14 seconds left. If we do that, we have a chance to win the game - or not win the game, but at least tie the game, so I didn't get the job done."
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