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Mic'd Up: The Apple TV analyst breaks down Inter Miami’s MLS Cup win, explains why Messi still decides everything, backs MLS’s move to a fall-spring calendar, and tips LA Galaxy to rebound in 2026.

Bradley Wright-Phillips got it wrong. He will be the first to admit it. The New York Red Bulls legend tried to get clever with the MLS Cup. He saw the Vancouver Whitecaps throughout the season and said they would beat Inter Miami in the final. 

"Vancouver are probably, on their day, the best team in the league. I'm talking about every position. They're so flipping good, man. I actually had them as favorites to win, like an idiot," the former New York Red Bulls star says to GOAL, before pausing.

"But it doesn't matter against Miami."

That turned out to be a pretty succinct summary of the final, which Miami won 3-1. Vancouver played better. But Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi, and he makes a difference pretty much every time. 

"Watching him play the last two games of the season, that's the quietest I've seen him still. He still had a very big impact. That is the difference between him and the rest of us mere mortals. He can quickly go by two players, get his head up, and play the perfect ball in for an assist," he says

But for Wright Phillips, who works for Apple TV as an analyst and has been a stalwart of the American soccer scene for nearly 15 years, there's more to think about. Most of it is in the future. MLS announced a switch to a fall-spring calendar. He loves it. 

"It just makes sense. I think we're going to hear what the rest of the world is saying in terms of the transfer window. It gives us here in America the chance to get those big players, to compete with the rest of Europe and the rest of the world," he adds.

And then there's next season to think about – already. Every year, MLS shifts. Sure, Miami and Vancouver will be around. But LA Galaxy, he thinks, will be back to their best after a rotten campaign. 

Wright-Phillips looked back at the MLS Cup final and made some far-too-early predictions for the 2026 season in another edition of Mic'd Up, GOAL’s recurring feature that brings the perspective of analysts, announcers, and other voices on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond. 

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  ON MLS CUP

  GOAL: What'd you think of the MLS Cup final?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: The final was a spectacle. It was brilliant, the setup, the occasion, the two teams. The potential of it was unbelievable, to be the biggest game in MLS Cup history. Yeah, just what was surrounding. I thought both teams deserved to get to the final. Normally, when you get an MLS Cup, it's one team that's kind of stumbled through the playoffs, played really defensively. They could have finished ninth in the East and got to the final [through their defense]. Both teams, for me, were good and strong and deserved to be there. 

  And it's obviously Alba and Busquets' last game. You get Messi versus Muller. So that part was amazing. I thought the actual match itself wasn't great. You're in the final. You don't want to lose. MLS Cup is on the line. So I thought that showed on the pitch, and it just turned into a fight, almost. But I enjoyed it. It was good to see Messi and Co. roll their sleeves up and really see the nasty side of them. I think it became a game of whoever could take their chances. I always say when you play against Inter Miami, it doesn't matter what they're playing like, if you don't score two or more goals, you're probably not winning that game. Vancouver had some chances and didn't take them. When you're playing against Messi and these superstars, they're gonna punish you.

  GOAL: Is it fair to say that Vancouver might have been better on the day?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: Vancouver were a better team. They were a better football team than [Inter Miami]. I said this on the shows before the final. They're a better football team. Vancouver are probably, on their day, the best team in the league. I'm talking about every position. They're so flipping good, man. I actually had them as favorites to win, like an idiot. For an hour, in the middle of that game. But it doesn't matter against Miami. 

  GOAL: Javier Mascherano talked about the "efficiency" of Leo Messi to win it. What did you make of his performance?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I think that's quite a nice way of summing it up. The perfect word is efficiency. Messi, for the last two games, wasn't that good. But he has an impact on the game. He needs to get the ball in a certain area. He'll do a bit of magic, play a ball in, and end up leaving the game with two assists. Watching him play the last two games of the season, that's the quietest I've seen him still. He still had a very big impact. That is the difference between him and the rest of us mere mortals. He can quickly go by two players, get his head up, and play the perfect ball in for an assist. I don't think he was good in terms of, like, a whole 90-minute game.

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  ON CHANGES IN MLS

  GOAL:  Looking ahead, though. Fall-Spring calendar: what do you make of that? Is that the kind of thing you wish you'd had? Or did you not think about it?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: No, I wish we did have that. Coming from England and playing in England last part of my career, I always enjoyed, like, a summer break. When I would go home through MLS seasons, I would have to go at Christmas. It was cold. Family members are still working or quite busy, you know? But for summer, it's a better time, especially for my kids as well. They're off school. They can hang out for a bit longer. 

  And for the league, it just makes sense. I think we're going to hear what the rest of the world is saying in terms of the transfer window. It gives us here in America the chance to get those big players to compete with the rest of Europe and the rest of the world. It makes sense. And also international breaks. We're losing players due to FIFA windows. It doesn't make sense. In big games in the season, you need your best players. There are a lot of advantages to it, and I definitely welcome it.

  GOAL: What other changes would you like to see?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I think when I first came over, the salary cap. But I'm so used to all of this stuff. The league is improving all the time, and I don't think there needs to be a rush in anything. I think it's going at a great pace. I've said before, the league is 30 years old. How quick has this thing moved? It's probably a top 10 league in the world. Some people would argue higher. So I think it's going in the right direction. I just think you have to keep developing the players in the academies. But just as important are the coaches. Yeah, this year, we saw some first-time MLS coaches in the MLS Cup. 

  I think we've got to get away from just reverting to legends all the time. And respect, there are still some legends that will do a great coaching job. But I think MLS has gone away from just saying, "Okay, let's just go and get him. Let's just go and get him." I don't want to name names, because still, some of them are very good, but I think we know where I'm going. You need to see Jesper Sorensens get into a final, even Javier Mascherano. He's got a super team, but it's not easy to coach those players. 

  I remember Inter Miami just looking like the Harlem Globetrotters during the first quarter of the season. They were fun to watch, but they were terrible defensively. They had no structure, just heavily reliant on Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. But when you watch them towards the end of the season, they almost sacrifice some football, drop Suarez, and they were a team that looked structured, difficult to beat. The final was a perfect example of that. It wasn't pretty, but they're hard to beat. They're going to fight, and then they have those game changers when they need them. The coaching for me is levels above where it's ever been.

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  ON WHO WILL TAKE A STEP FORWARD NEXT SEASON

  GOAL: Who's the team that's going to take the biggest step forward next year?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I'm leaving out all the teams that I think are good. So the teams that you saw end the season well: the San Diegos, Inter Miamis, LAFC, I'm leaving those out. But I'll say LA Galaxy. I think LA Galaxy was terrible last year, under the level that we're used to seeing them at. But I think they'll have a good transfer window. They got Riqui Puig coming back. I think we see them competing again.

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  ON WHO WILL TAKE A STEP BACK

  GOAL: So who goes the opposite way? Or who overperformed a little?

  WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I always worry about, and they never live up to expectations, is Austin. They came into the league with a bang, and because of that, there's always a big expectation. But I still don't think they figured out a true identity over there. I don't think they figured out what they really want to be yet. I don't think they've got the right DPs in to me. They just don't convince me. And I thought last year they just a bit, they kind of just about figured it out towards the end of the season, but it wasn't good enough. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is on fire in the ALDS, and he's helping the Blue Jays run away with the series against the rival Yankees.

Toronto took a 9–0 lead by the fourth inning on Sunday, thanks to a thunderous grand slam from Guerrero. Rogers Centre was roaring after Guerrero deposited a pitch from Will Warren into the seats. The superstar first baseman celebrated with a savage bat flip, chucking his lumber to the side before he gleefully took his trip around the bases.

Fans at Rogers Centre have been making plenty of noise throughout the series, and when the Blue Jays' star slugger unleashed the grand slam, the volume reached deafening levels. Have a look and a listen at the incredible moment in Toronto:

Everyone at the stadium knew that one was gone from the moment if left the bat, and they were already celebrating by the time it reached the upper deck.

Barring an unheard of collapse, the Blue Jays will head to New York with a 2-0 lead in the series and will be feeling plenty confident about booking a trip to the ALCS.

The Detroit Tigers made a splash ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, shoring up the bullpen in a deal with the Washington Nationals.

The Tigers are finalizing a trade to acquire closer Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals, according to multiple reports.

Finnegan, 33, has 20 saves this season and owns a 4.38 ERA, though his underlying metrics suggest he's been unlucky in that regard as his 3.60 FIP is considerably lower. He's struck out 32 batters in 39 innings, surrendering just three home runs on the year.

Finnegan didn't make his MLB debut until age 28, but he's in his sixth season with Washington and has racked up 20 or more saves in each of the last three years.

In exchange for Finnegan, the Tigers are reportedly sending a pair of right-handed pitching prospects to the Nationals; Josh Randall, who ranks as the team's No. 15 prospect, and R.J. Sales.

It's an important addition for Detroit, who was needing some fortifications to the back end of its bullpen. Finnegan can help handle late innings duties with Will Vest, who leads the Tigers with 16 saves.

Harry Kane might not be plying his trade for Tottenham Hotspur anymore, but he’s a player who will forever remain in their history for his efforts in North London.

The England international was a product of the Lilywhites’ academy setup, subsequently bursting through the ranks before securing his place in the first-team back in 2014.

He would make 435 appearances for the club during his decade in the first-team, even breaking the record for the most goals scored by a player in their history.

His tally of 280 goals surpassed the record set by the late Jimmy Greaves, but his talents within the final third have also been reflected in his international career.

Kane has scored 74 goals for his country, which has also allowed him to break the record set by former Manchester United talisman Wayne Rooney.

However, in 2025, the Lilywhites have a crop of fellow English talents, with many hoping to follow in the striker’s footsteps in being a mainstay on the international stage.

Spurs’ star performers for England in recent years

Alongside Kane, Spurs have had numerous players who have represented England at international level, many of whom have starred and made themselves key members of the squad.

Dominic Solanke and James Maddison have both previously been named in the Three Lions’ squad, but have been unable to make any appearances in recent months due to their respective injury issues.

However, Djed Spence is the latest player to break into Thomas Tuchel’s squad, even starting the friendly against Wales at Wembley on Thursday night.

The full-back featured for 90 minutes in the triumph over Craig Bellamy’s side, subsequently pocketing teammate Brennan Johnson and firing shade at the winger on social media.

His underlying stats were just as impressive, with the defender completing 98% of the passes he attempted, whilst also winning 100% of the tackles he entered.

With the 25-year-old the latest player to make his mark for England, there will be hope that another youngster in the Lilywhites ranks can follow in his footsteps in the years ahead.

The Spurs star who could be England’s next superstar

After making 19 appearances for Spurs last season, 18-year-old winger Mikey Moore is a player with a huge future ahead of him in North London.

He’s spent the majority of his life on the books of the Lilywhites, but was catapulted into the limelight last season as a result of the injury crisis under Ange Postecoglou.

Such a situation even led to the teenager scoring his first professional goal in the meeting with Elfsborg in the Europa League – a moment that will undoubtedly stick with him forever.

However, he was loaned out by Thomas Frank this summer, subsequently joining Rangers until the end of the 2025/26 campaign to gain valuable minutes to continue his progression.

He’s not the only talented Englishman within their ranks, with 16-year-old star Luca Williams-Barnett another player who is set for a bright future in North London.

The attacking midfielder has been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s for the majority of 2024/25.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

Such form has led to the teenager being handed his first senior appearance against Doncaster Rovers last month – with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him “one of England’s best talents”.

Williams-Barnett’s first-team outing is one thing, but he’s also managed to thrive in the youth ranks once again, now registering eight goals and five assists in his nine outings in all competitions.

His numbers for the U21s are nothing short of sensational, with the teenager now boasting the best record of any player in the squad – an unthinkable feat for someone playing five years above their age category.

Williams-Barnett has also cemented his place in the England U18 setup, making three appearances already this campaign and scoring on two occasions – further showcasing his incredible talents.

Given his tender age, there’s no denying that the attacker needs more time in the academy system to develop before being able to make the jump into the first-team squad.

However, if he continues on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t emulate Kane’s success, whether that be in North London for Spurs or even on the international stage for England.

Bigger talent than Vuskovic: Spurs' "absolute jewel" could be the new Son

While Luka Vušković is impressing on loan at HSV, Tottenham have struck gold on an “absolute jewel” who could become Spurs’ new Son Heung-min.

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By
Ben Gray

Oct 10, 2025

San Diego Padres reliever Mason Miller achieved one of the rarest feats in baseball on Wednesday, as the flamethrowing 27-year-old recorded the 119th immaculate inning in league history.

Even more impressive, Miller did it all using the same pitch; his devastating slider, and didn't have a single Orioles hitter make contact, even a foul ball, with any of his nine sliders in the inning.

Miller benefitted from a called strike on the very first pitch of the inning, and he followed up by throwing eight devastating sliders in a row, attacking various parts of the plate.

There have been more than twice as many no-hitters as immaculate innings in MLB history, some evidence as to just how rare the feat is. Even more rare is an immaculate inning in which every pitch is a slider and there wasn't a single foul ball, making Miller's accomplishment even more impressive.

Miller has been fantastic since joining the Padres at the trade deadline in a deal with the Athletics. He's logged a 1.64 ERA with 19 strikeouts and five walks in 11 innings.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has told one of his key players to “step up” ahead of the Premier League encounter against West Ham United at Elland Road this Friday.

Leeds gearing up for potential early six-pointer against West Ham

Although we are still in the very early stages of the season, Leeds’ home match against West Ham this Friday could have big ramifications at the end of the campaign, given that both sides are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle.

The Hammers have already dismissed Graham Potter, who was replaced by Nuno at the end of September, but the former Nottingham Forest boss has been unable to make an immediate impact, with Jamie Carragher not impressed by recent performances.

Farke’s side, on the other hand, were always going to find it tough to avoid the drop as a newly-promoted team, but still remain three points clear of the relegation zone, having picked up wins against Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The manager made a number of new additions to his squad in the summer, in order to boost their survival chances, and Anton Stach has started all eight of the Whites’ Premier League fixtures up to this point.

However, the Leeds boss has now warned Stach he needs to improve, despite playing through injury, given that his performances have gone downhill in recent weeks.

Farke said: “They weren’t poor performances but not on the top level as before. It’ll be good for him to get rid of these problems with his finger and ribs.

“Hopefully then he’ll keep going with delivering top performances. This week having a bit of time to recover was good for him, hopefully he can step up.”

Leeds linked with "one of the best coaches ever" to replace Daniel Farke

The German could soon be under huge pressure.

By
Charlie Smith

Oct 22, 2025

Stach must improve against West Ham on Friday night

The German has shown his class at times this season, most notably putting in a fantastic performance in the 3-1 victory against a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side last month, chipping in with a stunning free-kick goal and an assist.

However, as pointed out by the Leeds manager, recent performances have not been at the same level, with the 26-year-old struggling to make an impact against Burnley last time out, losing three of the five duels he contested before being replaced by Joel Piroe.

It has recently become clear that Farke is looking to sign a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with talks being opened over a deal for Maccabi Tel Aviv star Issouf Sissokho, while there have been widespread links to Inter Milan’s Piotr Zielinski.

As such, in order to keep his place in the side, Stach will need to rediscover his best form soon, hopefully starting Friday against West Ham at Elland Road.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is being made to sweat over the fitness of one Spurs star ahead of their vital North London derby clash with Arsenal.

Frank’s side are desperately seeking to end their dismal run against Arsenal and salvage pride in one of English football’s most intense rivalries.

Tottenham have lost seven of the last nine North London derbies, and it’s been 14 years since the Lilywhites last won away to Arsenal in the Premier League. These shocking statistics hang heavy over Frank, who’s faced criticism for Spurs’ lack of creativity in open play this season.

Spurs are also faced with the mountainous task of breaking down a water-tight Arsenal backline which boasts the most superior defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues.

Mikel Arteta’s title chasers went on an historic eight-game run without conceding a single goal before their 2-2 draw with Sunderland, so you could hardly ask for a worse time to come up against Arsenal, who also splashed nearly £270 million on a plethora of new stars in the summer transfer window.

In 65 league visits to Arsenal, Spurs have won only twice, with their rivals triumphing 26 times. Even more concerning, Tottenham have failed to keep a clean sheet in a staggering 25 consecutive Premier League games away to the Gunners, a record that stretches back over a decade, and Arsenal have won 84 matches in the all-time head-to-head compared to Spurs’ 61.

Make no mistake, Arsenal dominate the derby, but there’s real encouragement to be found in Spurs’ overall away record this season.

An excellent run of four wins, one draw and zero defeats outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has catapulted them to top of the away form table with an average of 2.60 points per game, though Frank will be hoping as many players as possible will be back in contention after a mini-injury crisis.

No other top-flight has more men out of action right now, with as many as 11 sidelined.

Star winger Mohammed Kudus missed Spurs’ 2-2 draw with Man United and their 4-0 win over Copenhagen with a knock, with the Ghanaian also not called up for his national team’s friendlies against Japan and South Korea. Meanwhile, striker Dominic Solanke is “unlikely” to feature against Arsenal amid his slow recovery from what was once deemed a ‘minor’ ankle problem.

It remains to be seen how long Randal Kolo Muani will be out for too, after he fractured his jaw against United.

Frank sweating over Lucas Bergvall ahead of North London derby after injury setback

There is also the matter of young midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who’s been missing since their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea due to a concussion.

The 19-year-old was sent home from international duty earlier this week after initially being included in Graham Potter’s first ever Sweden squad, with national team official Stefan Pettersson now revealing he was withdrawn due to a ‘setback during training’.

Pettersson, speaking to the media, says they didn’t hesitate sending Bergvall back to N17 after a “reaction” to testing.

The teenager has been a revelation ever since arriving at Tottenham in an £8.5 million deal from Djurgardens.

Bergvall’s managed 60 total appearances for the club already, enjoying a fantastic September with successive Player of the Match awards and his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham.

Frank’s preferred midfield partnership of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha has largely kept Bergvall out of the starting eleven recently, but the tactician will be hoping that he can upon his fellow Scandinavian from the bench for their all-important clash on enemy turf.

Dave Roberts has made his pitching decisions for the next few games.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers' manager announced that Tyler Glasnow will start Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, while Shohei Ohtani will start Game 4. That follows Blake Snell's start in Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2.

L.A. entered Tuesday with a 1–0 lead over the Brewers in the series after a tight 2–1 win in Game 1 that featured a truly absurd double play.

It's easy to extrapolate from there that Snell would be back on the mound for Game 5 if necessary, with Yamamoto following for a potential Game 6, then Glasnow for Game 7 if the series goes that far.

Game 4 will mark Ohtani's second start of the postseason. He earned the win on Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies when he went six innings and allowed three runs on three hits while striking out nine.

Dodgers starting pitchers are dominating the postseason

So far during the 2025 playoffs, L.A.'s starting rotation is dominating the competition. The Dodgers have played seven games, and their starters are a combined 5–1 with a 1.65 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, and opponents are hitting .141 off of them. They have also only allowed two home runs as a group. The WHIP and ERA are both the best among active teams.

Snell has been phenomenal. After being sidelined for much of the season due to shoulder issues, the 32-year-old lefty has been outstanding since the postseason began. Through three starts, the two-time Cy Young Award winner is 3–0 with a 0.86 ERA, a 0.52 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts against five walks in 21 innings. Opponents are hitting .090 off of him.

Yamamoto (1–1, 2.53 ERA) and Glasnow (0–0, 0.00 ERA) have also been solid, though the latter has only made one start and thrown 7 2/3 innings.

L.A.'s weak spot all season has been the bullpen, and that has continued into the playoffs. While Roki Sasaki has helped solidify the ninth inning a bit, as a group Dodgers' relievers have a 5.91 ERA, a 1.92 WHIP and 18 strikeouts against 18 walks in 21 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .280 off the team's bullpen.

If L.A.'s starters continue to dominate and go deeper into games, their weakness at the back end won't be as troubling.

The third and final book in Ali Bacher and David Williams’ trilogy on South Africa’s best cricketers makes the boldest claims yet

Firdose Moonda08-Mar-2020The final instalment in Ali Bacher and David Williams’ trilogy celebrating South Africa’s best cricketers looks at the country’s strongest suit: its bowlers. Published six years after and four after , the latest volume contains more players – 18, compared to 13 and 12 in the previous two books. That alone speaks to South Africa’s excellence in this department, especially considering those who were left out.Nine of South Africa’s top ten Test wicket-takers have chapters dedicated to them, but Jacques Kallis, despite being sixth on that list, does not feature. The rationale for his exclusion, as well as those of Mike Procter, Trevor Goddard and Aubrey Faulkner, was that they were discussed in the allrounders book. However, Kallis, also appeared in the book on South Africa’s greatest batsmen, and his inclusion in this volume would have sealed his status as the most valued cricketer the country has produced.ALSO READ: Review: Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-RoundersAlso absent among the modern greats here is Imran Tahir, whose prowess in the white-ball game has seen him become South Africa’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket and eighth-highest in ODIs . From an earlier era, Krom Hendricks, who was called the fastest bowler in the world in the late 1890s (but was denied the chance to play for South Africa because he was of colour), Athol Rowan and Bert Vogler, who both had exceptional records at first-class level, are also excluded.Instead, the book concentrates on performers in the post-WWII era, and has made room for four players who were not capped in Tests. Eric Petersen and Owen Williams, bowlers of colour who played for the non-white South Africa Cricket Board of Control (SACBOC) and Vince van der Bijl and Don Mackay-Coghill, who thrived during the isolation years, are recognised.Perhaps contrary to expectation, the opening chapter is not about a snarling speedster but Hugh Tayfield. Called South Africa’s “best-ever spin bowler” by the authors, Tayfield was the first South African to 100 Test wickets. Bacher’s and Tayfield’s playing years for Transvaal overlapped, and Bacher is well placed to provide insight into his team-mate’s character. Tayfield’s presence “gave me a lot of confidence”, Bacher writes, because “he never knew the meaning of defeat”. Tales of Tayfield’s tenacity include his going into a tea break wicketless saying he would take five in the last session and doing it; and battling through illness to take nine wickets in the fourth Test against England at the Wanderers in 1957. His career, though, came to an early end, at the age of 31.ALSO READ: Review: South Africa’s Greatest Batsmen Past and PresentThere’s a hint of mischief in this chapter too: it wonders what modern journalists would have made of Tayfield’s reputation as a ladies’ man. It might have added to the spark of the book had that thread been explored through to its end.Vernon Philander’s 2014 ball-tampering incident and Kagiso Rabada’s repeated breaches of the ICC code of conduct, and his love of music, don’t find a mention, while the Makhaya Ntini rape case is only mentioned in one paragraph. As was the case with the earlier book, colour is often saved for the older players, about whom not as much is known. However, there is one gem in the Dale Steyn chapter, in which South Africa’s leading bowler compares cricket to his other passion, fishing, and then tells us which of the two he prefers.”You have to pick your lure, depending on what kind of fish you want to catch – what kind of ball to bowl to which batsman, short ball or the yorker. You have to study the conditions – is it windy, is it overcast, is it hot? So cricket and fishing have kind of gone hand in hand for me. The only difference is, when I am playing cricket, I have millions of people watching me, wanting me to take a wicket; whereas when I am fishing, nobody notices when I don’t catch a fish – so I prefer fishing,” Steyn says.Steyn is South Africa’s most successful fast bowler, but Neil Adcock and Peter Heine were the originals, “the forerunners of both the accuracy and aggression of the great West Indian pacemen of the 1970s and 1980s”. Still, it was only later, when South Africa had a batting line-up that could match their bowling strength, that results improved. Peter Pollock played at a time when his younger brother, Graeme, was scoring runs, and they were both part of the 1969-70 team that beat Australia at home, a feat only achieved again in 2018.By then, South Africa had had Allan Donald and Fanie de Villiers, Shaun Pollock, Paul Adams and Ntini, all of whom blazed their own trails. Donald’s experience is credited with being the reason South Africa did not start out as a second-tier team post-readmission, while the descriptions of Adams’ action are particularly amusing. The usually staid Pollock, who remained South Africa’s leading wicket-taker for more than a decade before Steyn broke his record, steps out of his crease and admits here that he felt his retirement in 2008 was premature, telling Bacher that he “might have continued playing if there had been a different approach from the selectors about a different role for him in the team – perhaps a withdrawal from the bowling front line, and more emphasis on batting. But no such discussions took place.” Philander has since said similar, that he walked away although he could have kept going, because he lost faith in the administration.Penguin Random HousePhilander was at the centre of a selection scandal during the 2015 World Cup, when he was included in the starting XI ahead of the in-form Kyle Abbott to meet a transformation target. Philander did not play ODI cricket after that year but this book makes the case that he should have been considered for the 2019 World Cup, though not for his bowling alone. “There was widespread comment that the batting tail in the ODI squad was looking too long, and it would have been a lot stronger with Philander there.”While none of the three books in this series courts controversy, this one makes the boldest claims. It posits that Morne Morkel would have rivalled James Anderson had he not retired in 2018, and predicts that Rabada “in a country that has produced an unmatched succession of fast bowlers… could eventually be judged the greatest of them all”.Will Bacher and Williams produce another volume, perhaps looking at South Africa’s best fielders or wicketkeepers? At the launch of this book, neither seemed ready to add to this worthy collection. One thing they are certain of is that they will not be examining South African cricket’s best CEOs, because that would be too short a book to put together.South Africa’s Greatest Bowlers Past and Present
By Ali Bacher and David Williams
Penguin Random House
224 pages, R205

Their arrival on the world stage is a watershed moment for women’s cricket and all 15 players know it

Annesha Ghosh in Perth21-Feb-2020″Long-on, long-off, Gade. Long-on, long-off…” rings out a reminder from Thailand’s captain Sornnarin Tippoch, who gestures at her batting partner Chanida Sutthiruang, to play in the ‘v’ more often. For the best part of this nets session at the WACA, Thailand’s first one at the venue that hosts their T20 World Cup debut on Saturday, Sutthiruang, the 2019 ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year, has needed little reminding. To Tippoch’s suggestion, though, she pays heed almost instantly as the next two balls are driven deftly down the ground. Within the ‘v’.The first of those two deliveries was bowled by Ireland’s Lara Maritz. In September last year, Maritz, with bat in hand, stood as the final barrier between Thailand and their entry into the semi-final of the T20 World Cup Qualifier. Ireland needed three off the last ball, but Maritz, on strike, would end up being stumped and Thailand one step closer to qualifying for the 2020 T20 World Cup.”They were the better team on the day, but this team looks even better than the one we played in the Qualifier,” Maritz, who moved to Australia after the Qualifier, says. She has been in touch with many of the Thai players since the tournament. “Something that looks quite different is the intent of their batters. They’ve always been a very nice bunch, but I don’t think I’ve seen them this confident. It just shows how hungry they are to do well at such a big stage.”Maritz’s assessment is testament to the focus that runs within the Thailand team, almost imperceptibly. Such has been the enormity of the elation, warranted in every way, around their impending debut alone, that unlike the build-up around most of their opponents in this ten-team World Cup, their quiet determination has drawn little commentary. Their tunnel vision, though, is the very virtue that has brought them to threshold of the biggest moment in their career, a watershed moment in the women’s game.

Looking at us, maybe Singapore or Malaysia or Myanmar will think, ‘Yes, even we can do it.’ That’s how cricket in our region will grow, and that’s how the sport will grow, and that will be an achievement for us when they get thereShan Kader, the Cricket Association of Thailand Development Manager

“We have one goal: to play good cricket and play fearlessly as we have played through the recent past,” Tippoch would tell ESPNcricinfo the previous night, two hours after landing in Perth from Adelaide, where they played their only warm-up, against New Zealand.”We are not looking at England as England or, say West Indies as [former] world champions; we are just looking at them as opponents we want to win matches against,” Tippoch adds. “If we get a good result, it’s great, if we don’t, it’s experience. We will keep growing, keep dreaming. We will work hard to go to New Zealand [next year, for the 50-over World Cup]. Our hard work doesn’t stop here.A bowling allrounder, Tippoch, 33, has led Thailand in all of their 35 T20Is, and many more before the ICC awarded international status to T20s between Member nations across men’s and women’s cricket, the Member women’s teams getting international status at the 2018 Asia Cup. Her first appearance for Thailand, though, came way back in 2007, in an Asian Cricket Council tournament, but under vastly different circumstances.”Two months of practice,” she says, smiling. “That was all the experience I had of playing cricket going into that 2007 tournament. I was studying sports science at the university at the time, but wanted to seriously try out cricket. So, I played it and we lost the tournament, but I was convinced I don’t want to play cricket for just two months. I knew I had to learn more, grow more.”Sornnarin Tippoch and Chanida Sutthiruang are all smiles after the win•Peter Della PennaMeanwhile, the lead-up to this T20 World Cup has seen many Thailand players engage in centre-wicket practice, match simulation, face quick bowlers in the range of 130kph on a tour of Pune, the home town of their head coach Harshal Pathak, last November and then spend time in Brisbane during December-January to acclimatise and hone their skills further.The packed schedule since the Qualifiers, says Tippoch, has brought the players positives aplenty. For players like Sutthiruang, some of those benefits go even beyond simple runs and wickets. “I come from a sports background,” she says. Her sister and aunt were sprinters while her father played football and sepak takraw – a variant of foot volleyball – locally. “But my family didn’t quite know what cricket is until we qualified for the World Cup. Now that we are here they want to know more about the game, understand what we do, what a World Cup means.”Both Tippoch and Sutthiruang, much like the majority of Thailand’s 15-member squad, hail from families with a farming background, often having to live hand to mouth due to dwindling growth in the sector or inclement harvesting conditions. Such financial hardships with the players’ community have often directly led to what, Shan Kader, the Cricket Association of Thailand (CAT) Development Manager, calls “loss of assets”.”At one point, we found ourselves in a position where we started losing a lot of players because they’d simply choose to give up the sport,” Kader says. “It takes about 10 years to become a good cricketer in Thailand. We pick and train many girls through the university level, so at that point when they are faced with having to decide whether cricket is a viable career option financially, many of them go away from the game.”To retain talent, the Thailand board started offering contracts to its women’s players in 2008-09. Tippoch and Nattaya Boochatham, both now senior members in the side, became the first two beneficiaries. By the end of 2019, the figure had peaked to 11, all of the contracted players subsequently making the World Cup squad.According to Kader, the retention of promising players lay at the heart of Thailand’s journey to the World Cup.”We have done it with a full ethnic side; that’s a big, big achievement,” Kader, who hopes Thailand’s qualification might inspire other South-east Asian countries to support home-grown talent, says. “Looking at us, maybe Singapore or Malaysia or Myanmar will think, ‘Yes, even we can do it.’ That’s how cricket in our region will grow, and that’s how the sport will grow, and that will be an achievement for us when they get there.”For now, though, Thailand’s focus remains on matching potential with performance on the field of play.”I dream of playing in the WBBL, and even in the Women’s IPL, when it picks up,” Sutthiruang says. “There’s always talk in the team about playing in such leagues. Our coach says at least five players from our squad have the talent to play in overseas leagues. If we can perform well at the World Cup, some of us can be snapped up by the franchises, and that would be a great chapter in our journey.”