Archive September 12, 2025

Betfred Super League

Wigan Warriors (34) 62

Tries: Miski 2, Field 2, Marshall 2, Farrimond 2, Hill, Eckersley, Havard Goals: Farrimond 9

Castleford Tigers (0) 6

Wigan Warriors clinched a top-two finish in Super League and a home semi-final after romping to a 11-try win against lowly Castleford Tigers.

While the victory keeps Wigan’s slim hopes of finishing top of the table alive with just one regular-season game remaining, front-runners Hull KR will win the League Leaders’ Shield on Saturday if they avoid defeat by Wakefield Trinity.

Two tries each from Jack Farrimond and Liam Marshall, after Abbas Miski and Jai Field grabbed early scores, put Wigan 34-0 up at the break.

A second score from Miski and a try from Harvie Hill followed, only for Muizz Mustapha to then dart in for a Tigers consolation try.

Sam Walters very nearly gave Wigan the perfect start, but fumbled the ball in a tackle as he looked to crash over the line inside two minutes.

A handling error from Castleford, as they tried to run the ball out of their own half, meant the early let-off was only a short reprieve, with Bevan French setting Miski up for the game’s first try with a teasing grubber kick that squirmed from the grasp of Tigers full-back Tex Hoy.

Miski then turned provider, intercepting a pass before sending Super League’s leading try-scorer Field over for his 23rd of the season.

Two Marshall tries in five minutes, including a spectacular diving finish which left him with a bloodied scalp after skidding off the turf, had Wigan well on their way to a convincing victory.

Farrimond followed up with back-to-back tries of his own, the first he created for himself with a clever kick before later linking up with Field to run in Wigan’s sixth first-half try.

And with Farrimond converting both of his tries, the 19-year-old – who was brought in to replace England half-back Harry Smith – finished the half with a personal points tally of 18.

Miski then leapt over for his second try of the night eight minutes into the second half after Eckersley juggled a Farrimond kick and offloaded for the winger to finish.

A disastrous attempt of a goal-line drop out for Hoy, which comically went backwards as it sailed and landed back in goal on the left edge, gifted Wigan possession and chance to add to their lead, which Hill eventually did after a succession of repeat sets.

Wigan Warriors: Field; Miski, Eckersley, Wardle, Marshall; French, Farrimond; Havard, Leeming, Thompson, Walters, Nsemba, Ellis.

Interchanges: O’Neill, Mago, Dupree, Hill, Byrne.

Castleford Tigers: Hoy; Tate, Wood, I Senior, Wallis; Asi, Atkin; Lawler, Horne, Singleton, Mellor, Stimson, Westerman.

Interchanges: Robb, Griffin, S Hall, Mustapha, Hill.

Betfred Super League

Leigh (12) 28

Tries: Badrock, Brand, Hughes, Ipape, Trout Goals: O’Brien 3, Hodgson

St Helens (0) 10

Leigh Leopards guaranteed a home tie in the first week of the Super League play-offs with a 28-10 victory against St Helens at Leigh Sports Village.

Tries from Andrew Badrock, Keanan Brand, Jack Hughes, Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout secured a dominant win, which took Leigh above Leeds Rhinos to third.

Second-half tries from Saints’ Kyle Feldt and Harry Robertson gave the visitors hope but they went down to a third consecutive defeat.

The victory means Leigh will end the regular season in the top four for the first time in the Super League era, although Wigan’s win over Castleford ended hopes of a top-two finish.

Meanwhile, Saints are certain to finish fifth, regardless of the result in their final fixture against Castleford Tigers on 19 September.

Leigh: Hodgson; Brand, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; O’Brien, Lam; Trout, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu.

Interchanges: Pene, Davis, Dwyer, Ofahengaue.

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Cross; Welsby, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Batchelor.

Interchanges: Lomax, Bell, Paasi, Delaney.

Betfred Super League

Leigh (12) 28

Tries: Badrock, Brand, Hughes, Ipape, Trout Goals: O’Brien 3, Hodgson

St Helens (0) 10

Leigh Leopards guaranteed a home tie in the first week of the Super League play-offs with a 28-10 victory against St Helens at Leigh Sports Village.

Tries from Andrew Badrock, Keanan Brand, Jack Hughes, Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout secured a dominant win, which took Leigh above Leeds Rhinos to third.

Second-half tries from Saints’ Kyle Feldt and Harry Robertson gave the visitors hope but they went down to a third consecutive defeat.

The victory means Leigh will end the regular season in the top four for the first time in the Super League era, although Wigan’s win over Castleford ended hopes of a top-two finish.

Meanwhile, Saints are certain to finish fifth, regardless of the result in their final fixture against Castleford Tigers on 19 September.

Leigh: Hodgson; Brand, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; O’Brien, Lam; Trout, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu.

Interchanges: Pene, Davis, Dwyer, Ofahengaue.

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Cross; Welsby, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Batchelor.

Interchanges: Lomax, Bell, Paasi, Delaney.

Betfred Super League

Leigh (12) 28

Tries: Badrock, Brand, Hughes, Ipape, Trout Goals: O’Brien 3, Hodgson

St Helens (0) 10

Leigh Leopards guaranteed a home tie in the first week of the Super League play-offs with a 28-10 victory against St Helens at Leigh Sports Village.

Tries from Andrew Badrock, Keanan Brand, Jack Hughes, Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout secured a dominant win, which took Leigh above Leeds Rhinos to third.

Second-half tries from Saints’ Kyle Feldt and Harry Robertson gave the visitors hope but they went down to a third consecutive defeat.

The victory means Leigh will end the regular season in the top four for the first time in the Super League era, although Wigan’s win over Castleford ended hopes of a top-two finish.

Meanwhile, Saints are certain to finish fifth, regardless of the result in their final fixture against Castleford Tigers on 19 September.

Leigh: Hodgson; Brand, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; O’Brien, Lam; Trout, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu.

Interchanges: Pene, Davis, Dwyer, Ofahengaue.

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Cross; Welsby, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Batchelor.

Interchanges: Lomax, Bell, Paasi, Delaney.

Second T20, Old Trafford

England 304-2 (20 overs): Salt 141* (60), Buttler 83 (30)

South Africa 158 (16.1 overs): Markram 41 (20); Archer 3-25

England won by 146 runs; series 1-1

Phil Salt scored England’s fastest T20 century as the hosts posted a remarkable 304-2 on a record-breaking night at Old Trafford to level the series with an 146-run win over South Africa.

Salt reached three figures off just 39 balls, beating Liam Livingstone’s record of 42 balls against Pakistan in 2021, and finished unbeaten on 141 off 60 balls, surpassing Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 124 as the highest individual score by an England batter in a T20 international.

His fourth T20 hundred contained 15 fours and eight sixes and propelled England to their highest total in the format and the highest score in a T20I between two full-member nations.

Jos Buttler played his part, blitzing 83 runs off 30 balls as part of a 126-run first-wicket partnership with Salt, while there were handy supporting knocks from Jacob Bethell (24 off 10) and captain Harry Brook, who brought out several of his trademark tumbling boundaries in an entertaining 41 not out (21 balls).

In reply, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton smacked 50 runs off 22 deliveries to briefly silence Old Trafford as South Africa threatened an unlikely chase.

However, Jofra Archer struck twice in the fourth over and later took a catch off Sam Curran to reduce South Africa to 58-3 and knock the stuffing out of their innings.

Archer finished with 3-25 while Curran returned economical figures of 2-11, although Bjorn Fortuin’s 16-ball 32 provided some late cheer for the visitors, who were bowled out for 158.

There were concerns about the weather before the second T20 but instead of the anticipated precipitation, it was raining boundaries in Manchester.

Salt, who was dismissed for a golden duck in Cardiff on Wednesday, set the tone for the evening with 18 runs off the first over, including three consecutive fours to start the innings, but was largely a passenger for the first seven overs as Buttler took charge.

The former captain smashed six fours and four sixes en route to an 18-ball half-century inside five overs and treated every South Africa bowler with equal disdain, pouncing on anything short and scoring for fun over mid-off to drive England to 100-0 at the end of the powerplay.

He rather gave away his wicket as a century beckoned, caught sweeping by Tristan Stubbs, but it did nothing to halt England’s momentum, with Salt seizing his opportunity to steal the show.

In the eighth over, he dispatched Lizaad Williams for two fours and two sixes to bring up a half-century of his own off 19 balls before hitting a further four fours off Kwena Maphaka as England reached a record 166-1 at the halfway mark.

He ran two off Kagiso Rabada to seal his record-breaking century in 13th over, struck a further seven boundaries during the second half of his innings, and enjoyed stands of 95 (41) and 83 not out (37) with Bethell and Brook, respectively, as England refused to take their foot off the gas.

It was, admittedly, a below-par bowling performance from South Africa. Four of their six bowlers conceded more than 15 runs per over and Rabada was responsible for four of his side’s no balls. Their desperation was clear when captain Markram brought himself on to bowl the 12th over and was struck for 19.

There’s been a lot of negativity around England’s white-ball performances in recent years, and much of it has been deserved.

Their 50-over World Cup defence ended in a dismal group exit in India in 2023 and they failed to win a match at this year’s Champions Trophy, which proved to be the final straw for Buttler’s captaincy.

Although they reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the manner of their exit – bowled out for 103 by eventual champions India – was uninspiring.

Away from tournaments, they’ve lost five of their past six ODI series, including a 2-1 defeat against South Africa earlier this month. Their victory in Southampton came with the series already lost.

And after losing by 14 runs in Cardiff on Wednesday, albeit in a farcical rain-affected encounter, they arrived in Manchester once again in must-win territory.

England responded with style, providing plenty of cheer to warm the crowd on a chilly September evening and plenty of positives for Brendon McCullum.

Their batters, for example, dismantled what is, on paper, a high-quality bowling attack, with each member of the top four scoring valuable runs. It’s worth remembering, they also have Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith to call on.

With the ball, Archer, who missed out on Wednesday due to the wet conditions, was among the wickets, showcasing all of his variations and his faith in his body with a sharp caught and bowled. Curran, in just his second outing since his recall, bagged two of his own.

Second T20, Old Trafford

England 304-2 (20 overs): Salt 141* (60), Buttler 83 (30)

South Africa 158 (16.1 overs): Markram 41 (20); Archer 3-25

England won by 146 runs; series 1-1

Phil Salt scored England’s fastest T20 century as the hosts posted a remarkable 304-2 on a record-breaking night at Old Trafford to level the series with an 146-run win over South Africa.

Salt reached three figures off just 39 balls, beating Liam Livingstone’s record of 42 balls against Pakistan in 2021, and finished unbeaten on 141 off 60 balls, surpassing Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 124 as the highest individual score by an England batter in a T20 international.

His fourth T20 hundred contained 15 fours and eight sixes and propelled England to their highest total in the format and the highest score in a T20I between two full-member nations.

Jos Buttler played his part, blitzing 83 runs off 30 balls as part of a 126-run first-wicket partnership with Salt, while there were handy supporting knocks from Jacob Bethell (24 off 10) and captain Harry Brook, who brought out several of his trademark tumbling boundaries in an entertaining 41 not out (21 balls).

In reply, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton smacked 50 runs off 22 deliveries to briefly silence Old Trafford as South Africa threatened an unlikely chase.

However, Jofra Archer struck twice in the fourth over and later took a catch off Sam Curran to reduce South Africa to 58-3 and knock the stuffing out of their innings.

Archer finished with 3-25 while Curran returned economical figures of 2-11, although Bjorn Fortuin’s 16-ball 32 provided some late cheer for the visitors, who were bowled out for 158.

There were concerns about the weather before the second T20 but instead of the anticipated precipitation, it was raining boundaries in Manchester.

Salt, who was dismissed for a golden duck in Cardiff on Wednesday, set the tone for the evening with 18 runs off the first over, including three consecutive fours to start the innings, but was largely a passenger for the first seven overs as Buttler took charge.

The former captain smashed six fours and four sixes en route to an 18-ball half-century inside five overs and treated every South Africa bowler with equal disdain, pouncing on anything short and scoring for fun over mid-off to drive England to 100-0 at the end of the powerplay.

He rather gave away his wicket as a century beckoned, caught sweeping by Tristan Stubbs, but it did nothing to halt England’s momentum, with Salt seizing his opportunity to steal the show.

In the eighth over, he dispatched Lizaad Williams for two fours and two sixes to bring up a half-century of his own off 19 balls before hitting a further four fours off Kwena Maphaka as England reached a record 166-1 at the halfway mark.

He ran two off Kagiso Rabada to seal his record-breaking century in 13th over, struck a further seven boundaries during the second half of his innings, and enjoyed stands of 95 (41) and 83 not out (37) with Bethell and Brook, respectively, as England refused to take their foot off the gas.

It was, admittedly, a below-par bowling performance from South Africa. Four of their six bowlers conceded more than 15 runs per over and Rabada was responsible for four of his side’s no balls. Their desperation was clear when captain Markram brought himself on to bowl the 12th over and was struck for 19.

There’s been a lot of negativity around England’s white-ball performances in recent years, and much of it has been deserved.

Their 50-over World Cup defence ended in a dismal group exit in India in 2023 and they failed to win a match at this year’s Champions Trophy, which proved to be the final straw for Buttler’s captaincy.

Although they reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the manner of their exit – bowled out for 103 by eventual champions India – was uninspiring.

Away from tournaments, they’ve lost five of their past six ODI series, including a 2-1 defeat against South Africa earlier this month. Their victory in Southampton came with the series already lost.

And after losing by 14 runs in Cardiff on Wednesday, albeit in a farcical rain-affected encounter, they arrived in Manchester once again in must-win territory.

England responded with style, providing plenty of cheer to warm the crowd on a chilly September evening and plenty of positives for Brendon McCullum.

Their batters, for example, dismantled what is, on paper, a high-quality bowling attack, with each member of the top four scoring valuable runs. It’s worth remembering, they also have Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith to call on.

With the ball, Archer, who missed out on Wednesday due to the wet conditions, was among the wickets, showcasing all of his variations and his faith in his body with a sharp caught and bowled. Curran, in just his second outing since his recall, bagged two of his own.