South Africa

Bangladesh pile misery on Proteas

The Proteas had come up well short against hosts England in Thursday's opener and a failure to ever really get to grips with the Bangladesh batsmen, playing their first match, cost them here.

Bangladesh's ODI record and the biggest total of the tournament so far - 330-6 - saw Shakib Al Hasan (75) and Mushfiqur Rahim (78) combine for a 142-run third-wicket stand that gave South Africa a mountain to climb.

An opening partnership of 60 was belatedly broken by Andile Phehlukwayo with his second ball to Tamim Iqbal (16), yet there was no slowing the Tigers.

Archer stars as England win opener

A late addition to Eoin Morgan's squad after becoming eligible for England in March, Barbados-born paceman Archer showed why there had been such a clamour for his selection on Thursday, while Ben Stokes also shone and produced an early contender for catch of the tournament.

After the hosts were limited to 311-8 when they looked well set to post a bigger total, Archer swiftly undermined South Africa's reply, taking two wickets in a fine opening spell and forcing Hashim Amla to retire hurt as a vicious bouncer struck the veteran's helmet grille.

CAS dismisses Semenya appeal

South African Semenya, the double defending Olympic champion over 800 metres, and Athletics South Africa had challenged the IAAF's new regulations concerning athletes with differences of sex development (DSD).

The rules in question require athletes with naturally-occurring high levels of testosterone to take medication to reduce those levels, in order to compete in women's track events ranging from 400m to a mile.

South Africa hit by deadly Easter church collapse

Emergency services said that 29 people were rushed to hospital after the collapse in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Local officials have blamed the tragedy on heavy rainfall in the area around eMpangeni on Thursday night.

Most of the victims were reportedly women sleeping in the church.

An 11-year-old girl is thought to be among them.

The wall at the front of the Pentecostal Holiness Church collapsed at the start of what had been planned as a weekend-long service to commemorate the Christian festival of Easter.

Commonwealth Games: Caster Semenya's double mission complete as she enjoys some Gold Coast adulation

A commanding win in the women's 800-metre final saw the South African double up on her earlier 1,500m victory to clinch the 800-1500 double she just missed out on at last year's world championships.

Both golds in Carrara came in Commonwealth Games record time.

But where the 1,500m win came amid talk of indifference from other athletes which has long surrounded her due to her hyperandrogenism (meaning she has an excess of male sex hormones in her body, including testosterone) the 800m victory came in seemingly friendlier conditions.

Australia considers visas for white South African farmers

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said he was exploring giving South Africa's white farmers access to fast-track visas on humanitarian grounds.

The suggestion was made amid calls to transfer land ownership from white to black farmers in South Africa, and fears over the number of farm killings.

But South Africa says it is ridiculous.

Government spokesman Ndivhuwo Mabaya told the BBC there was no reason for any country in the world to suspect a section of the South African population was in danger from its democratically elected leaders.

South Africa dismantle India

Having dismissed India for 209 in the first innings, South Africa resumed on 65-2 with no play possible on day three, but quickly slumped to 130 all out, Mohammed Shami (3-28) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) the pick of their bowlers as India had the scent of victory in their nostrils.

The tourists' target of 208 soon seemed out of reach, however, as the Proteas blitzed through India's batting line-up, even without Steyn - whose comeback was curtailed by a heel injury.

Proteas thrash pitiful Zimbabwe

The tourists resumed at 30-4 on day two in reply to 309-9 declared and were forced to follow-on by AB de Villiers after collapsing to 68 all out - their fifth-lowest Test total - in Port Elizabeth, where Morne Morkel took 5-21.

Zimbabwe threatened to salvage some pride in their second innings, but folded from 75-1 to 121 all out to suffer an emphatic defeat in just five sessions of the lone Test.

South Africa target home win in Cape Town

The Blitzboks, England and USA all progress to the Cup quarter-finals unbeaten after taking three wins from three in the pool stages. South Africa face Fiji in the final eight, reigning Cape Town champions England play New Zealand, Canada face France and USA play Argentina. 

South Africa are targeting their second tournament win in as many weeks after taking glory in the opening round of the 2018 world series in Dubai last weekend. 

Ireland put record score on Boks

Allister Coetzee's side came to Dublin having recovered from a 57-0 thrashing to New Zealand in Albany in September by pushing the world champions to within a point a month later but it was back to the drawing board at the Aviva Stadium.

"It's a tough day, it's not what any of us wanted. We've no excuses and we're going to have to rectify this, us and the management," South Africa captain Eben Etzebeth told a news conference.