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South Africa's defence will be one of the key challenges Ireland will need to overcome in Saturday's blockbuster Rugby World Cup pool stage clash, with Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber highlighting the pride they take in their defensive structure.
The Springboks ran rampant in their second World Cup match in Bordeaux on Sunday, thumping Romania 76-0 in a showing of both quality and versatility, as News24 Sport editor Lloyd Burnard wrote in his first take.
A fracture in the left hand has ruled out Australia batter Travis Head from the first half of the World Cup in India with his participation in the rest of the tournament also uncertain, leaving the door open for the inclusion of in-form Marnus Labuschagne. The opener was struck on the left glove by a short delivery from Proteas seamer Gerald Coetzee in the fourth ODI against South Africa last week. Head coach Andrew McDonald revealed that Head, who will miss the three-match ODI series against India beginning on Friday, doesn't require surgery but the Australian selectors need to deliberate on the risk of "carrying" him in the World Cup squad.
Knowing how to stop the opposition and actually doing it are two very different things.
South African fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala's availability for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India will be determined this week following a fitness test. The duo was named in South Africa's initial 15-member squad for the World Cup, but played only one game each in the just-concluded five-match ODI series against Australia. While Nortje has sustained a lower-back injury, Magala is nursing a left-knee problem. South Africa is set to leave for India on September 23 and final call on the duo's availability will be taken before the journey.
Left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen dismissed the first five Australian batsmen to clinch a come-from-behind series win for South Africa in the fifth one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. Jansen took five for 39 as Australia were bowled out for 193 in reply to South Africa's 315 for nine. South African captain Temba Bavuma said the character of the team had shone through after they lost the first two matches of the series, which boded well for the World Cup in India next month. "There is a lot of confidence we can take, in that we had our backs against the wall and we showed we have ways of getting on top of the game. We will go to India in probably the best state we can be."
Australia's World Cup knock-out hopes were left hanging by a thread after a shock 22-15 loss to Fiji, which was "thoroughly deserved" according to under-pressure head coach Eddie Jones.
COLOMBO: Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 6-21 to lead India’s rout of Sri Lanka by 10 wickets as they clinched their eighth Asia Cup title on Sunday. Siraj got four wickets in one over to help skittle Sri Lanka out for 50, a total the Indian openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill surpassed in 6.1 overs for an impressive victory ahead of next month’s ODI World Cup at home. Sri Lanka’s miserably low total in the 50-over contest left a nearly packed house disappointed after they witnessed just 116 minutes of play. The hosts elected to bat first following a delayed start due to rain and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah struck first with the wicket of Kusal Perera, caught behind for a duck in the first over. Siraj soon took over as he made the ball swing and seam in overcast conditions to easily surpass his previous ODI best of 4-32. He got Pathum Nissanka for two and then struck on successive balls to send back Sadeera Samarawickrama (0) and Charith Asalanka (0), but a hat-trick was averted. Dhananjaya de Silva hit a boundary but Siraj had him caught behind with the next ball, much to the delight of the Indian fans. Siraj got his fifth with the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka, equalling an ODI record for the fastest five-wicket haul from his first 16 balls of the match. Kusal Mendis hit three boundaries before becoming Siraj’s sixth wicket, although Sri Lanka avoided the lowest-ever ODI total of 35 by Zimbabwe. After Virat Kohli’s overthrow went for a boundary, and six more runs to the total, Sri Lanka pushed past their lowest ODI total of 43 scored against South Africa in 2012. Hardik Pandya took three wickets to wrap up the innings in just 90 minutes. Mendis’ 17 and an unbeaten 13 by Dushan Hemantha