SuperNewsAffiliate

South Africa 319-7 (50 overs) | England 194 (42.3 overs) England’s World Cup hopes were left in ruins after a humbling 125-run defeat to South Africa in the semi-final. Author |  Sophie T Laura Wolvaardt produced one of the great World Cup innings, striking 169 from 143 balls to lead the Proteas to a commanding 319 for seven in Guwahati. It was a stunning display from the opener, whose fluency and precision left England’s bowlers helpless. Terrible start to England's innings  Set a record target in a knockout match, England endured a nightmare start, collapsing to one for three as Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight all departed without scoring. Jones and Knight were bowled by a fired-up Marizanne Kapp, while Beaumont edged Ayabonga Khaka behind. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey briefly revived England’s faint hopes with a composed partnership of 105, but the task always looked beyond them. READ MORE |  Sporting news and stories from SuperNewsAffiliate...

England 175 (36 overs) | New Zealand 177-5 (33.1 overs) England’s familiar frailties surfaced once more as their build-up to the Ashes was dented by a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the second one-day international in Hamilton. Author |  Sophie T Bowled out for a modest 175 with 14 overs unused, the tourists failed to impose themselves before the hosts eased to victory to wrap up the series with a match to spare. Jamie Overton provided the lone burst of defiance, clattering 42 from 28 balls to lift an innings that had drifted into anxiety. The Test quartet of Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook all made starts yet none stayed long enough to construct anything of real heft. Blair Tickner led New Zealand’s disciplined attack with 4 for 34, supported smartly by seamer Nathan Smith, as England faltered once more at the top and through the middle order. READ MORE | Sporting news and stories from SuperNewsAffiliate  A flicker of optimism arrived when Jofra...

This is a significant setback for Australia  They have confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will miss the first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith set to take the reins in his absence. Author |  Peter Jones Cummins, the side’s leading fast bowler, has been sidelined by a back injury and had earlier described himself as “less than likely” to play in the series opener in Perth on 21 November. Although the 32-year-old will not be ready for the first Test, he has returned to bowling in the nets this week. Head coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism that Cummins could be fit for the second Test in Brisbane, starting on 4 December. It is a significant setback for Australia to lose its captain and premier pace bowler. Concerns over his fitness first emerged in September, leading to Cummins missing the white-ball series against New Zealand and India with a lumbar stress fracture. Speaking two weeks ago, Cummins said time was “tight” ahead of the first Test, noting he needed at least a m...

This was almost like a routine win for Australia They resumed their long-running dominance of the Rugby League Ashes with an assured display. Author | Michael Haldsworth  Stadium | Wembley Back in 2003, the Kangaroos swept the series 3-0, grinding out three tight victories, each decided by no more than six points, and each featuring a moment when Great Britain held a lead they could not preserve. Early indications suggest the 2025 series may not be cut from quite the same cloth. England met the challenge with spirit and resilience, yet Australia carried greater precision in the decisive moments, shifting smoothly through the gears after the interval to claim a comfortable win. The hosts were disciplined in defence, often relying on weight of numbers to keep the visitors at bay. Australia, by contrast, operated with the fluency of a side well drilled and brimming with attacking ideas. READ MORE |  St Helens appoint Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley READ MORE | Sport...

An exciting first night of play-off action in the United States The Chicago Fire and the Portland Timbers will both feature in the MLS Cup Playoffs after 3-1 wild-card wins over Orlando City and Real Salt Lake, respectively. Author | Peter Jones A closer look at how Chicago progressed Chicago had not appeared in the postseason since 2017. They will take on the Supporters' Shield victors, the Philadelphia Union, in a best-of-three, first-round series.  This follows a commanding home win on Wednesday. Jack Elliott, Hugo Cuypers, and Brian Gutierrez all went close for Chicago in the first half. Their breakthrough finally arrived three minutes into the second period through Gutierrez's cultured finish. Gutierrez then struck the post twice. Chicago added two more goals within 19 minutes. Cuypers bundled home from close range and then drilled a powerful finish in for his brace. Adrian Marin pulled one back for the Lions, but it was too little, too late as Chicago earned a deserve...

There’s a growing rift in Spanish football. A game between Villareal and Barcelona will no longer be hosted in Miami, as had been announced a few weeks ago. Author |  Jack L The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami hosted games in the Club World Cup When La Liga announced plans to stage a league fixture in Miami, it presented the idea as a bold step forward - one that would elevate the visibility of Spanish football, enhance the profile of its players, and strengthen the sport's brand in a key international market. The project, fully compliant with federation regulations and competition integrity, was envisioned as a new frontier for a game seeking global relevance. But the controversy that followed showed just how far Spanish football still is from speaking with one voice. The way the cancellation was handled has left deep marks. Villarreal felt blind-sided, saying the timing damaged their image and that of the competition. "We found out 10 minutes before kick-off [in Tuesday's...

Wins for Exeter, Leicester and Saracens this weekend Let’s have a closer at all the drama and action from these fixtures. Author |  Peter Jones Before the weekend's drama, there were away wins for Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears.  Exeter 38 - 0 Harlequins  England centre Henry Slade was instrumental as Exeter maintained their strong return to form with a commanding Premiership victory over Harlequins. The Chiefs struck quickly, scoring three tries in a ten-minute burst during the first half, with Slade heavily involved, setting up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's opener and then linking with Australian debutant Len Ikitau. Harvey Skinner extended the lead to 24-0 before the break after capitalising on a Harlequins error, while Greg Fisilau added a bonus-point try shortly after half-time. Exeter's defence proved impenetrable, preventing Harlequins from scoring for the first time in nearly two years, despite the visitors dominating possession and territory. Slade capped the win ...