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Second Metro Bank one-day international, Lord’s

South Africa 330-8 (50 overs): Breetzke 85 (77), Stubbs 58 (62); Archer 4-62

England 325-9 (50 overs): Root 61 (72), Buttler 61 (51): Burger 3-63

South Africa won by five runs, lead three-match series 2-0

England’s poor form in white-ball cricket continued as they were beaten by South Africa to lose the second one-day international and the series with a game to spare.

Though not nearly as one-sided as the hammering at Headingley on Tuesday, a five-run margin did not reflect the nature of the contest.

Set 331, which would have represented the highest successful chase in an ODI at Lord’s, England fell short on 325-9.

The series defeat is England’s first since Harry Brook took charge of the white-ball team at the beginning of the summer, and their fifth in six ODI series since the 2023 World Cup.

In damp conditions, England chose to field and reduced South Africa to 93-3, only for Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs to rebuild. Breetzke made 85 and Stubbs 58.

Dewald Brevis’ 42 from only 20 balls lifted South Africa to 330-8. Though Jofra Archer claimed four wickets, a combined 10 overs of spin from Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks cost 112.

England lost Jamie Smith to the first ball of the reply and Ben Duckett for a scratchy 18, yet the pursuit was ignited by Bethell’s 58. With Joe Root in superb touch for 61, England were in in the hunt at 143-2.

Bethell cut to point and Root was stumped by a distance, the two wickets falling for the addition of only four runs.

From then on, England never got on top of the chase. Jos Buttler made 61, Brook 33 and Jacks 39 without ever being in control.

Archer kept a thinning crowd entertained and, in the company of last man Saqib Mahmood, needed 16 from the last over. Spinner Senuran Muthusamy held his nerve and Archer could not find the six from the final delivery that would have tied the scores.

England were better than at Headingley, though that is not saying much. They have now won only three of their past 12 ODIs, all against a poor West Indies side in May.

Somehow, England have a mix of players that look exhausted at the end of a gruelling summer, and under-prepared for a format they rarely play.

Perhaps more concerning was the exposure of the balance of the team, which admittedly looked a strong formula against the Windies.

All-rounders Bethell and Jacks have to fill the role of the fifth bowler, sending down 10 overs of spin between them.

The way in which they were targeted by the Proteas left England crying out for a seam-bowling all-rounder, but they are in short supply.

Jamie Overton is an unused member of the squad, Sam Curran is out of favour and the injured Ben Stokes’ white-ball international future is in doubt.

Under Brendon McCullum, there is plenty of crossover between England’s Test and limited-overs squads, and there are only white-ball internationals between now and the Ashes.

If there is a positive for England to take from this, it was the innings of Bethell, who has endured a curious summer.

The rising star of English cricket had not passed 50 in any format since making 82 against the Windies at the end of May.

Here, promoted to number four, he climbed into the South African spinners with five fours and three sixes. Root maintained his effortless rhythm and England hauled themselves into contention.

Bethell reached 50 from 24 balls, only to be stifled when the seamers returned. He chopped Corbin Bosch to Brevis and, in the next over, Root needlessly swiped at Keshav Maharaj.

Brook threatened to carry the fight, but after he miscued Muthusamy, it was left to former skipper Buttler.

Buttler reached 50 from 43 deliveries and was just about keeping pace with a required rate of nine an over when he was bowled by an outstanding Lungi Ngidi slower ball.

South Africa have claimed the World Test Championship on this ground this summer and returned to show England how they have fallen behind the best one-day sides in the world.

The Proteas were already without the rested seamer Kagiso Rabada, then lost batter Tony de Zorzi to injury and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to illness. Breetzke and Muthusamy seamlessly stepped in.

After rain delayed the start by 15 minutes, England had helpful conditions in which to bowl, only to drop too short in an opening stand of 73 between Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton.

Archer and the excellent Adil Rashid combined for three wickets in the space of six overs, before Breetzke and Stubbs built a match-winning partnership of 147. Breetzke became the first player in ODI history to pass 50 in each of his first five matches.

England were regularly trying to hide the overs of Bethell and Jacks, with Bethell coming in for some brutal treatment from Brevis.

Ex-England bowler Stuart Broad on Sky Sports: “With the Test side, Brendon McCullum was so clear on what he wanted to do. Even the press and the players knew what he wanted to do, so we ourselves could back it.

“I have not really heard any white-ball messages from the group other than Harry Brook saying ‘I want to be aggressive with the bat and take wickets with the ball’.

“The group look tired. I always look at body language in the field and bowlers. It felt a very flat bowling and fielding performance.

“Compared to the energy that Tristan Stubbs brings to the group or Dewald Brevis – it feels a bit of a problem. Hence, you have lost the series.”

England captain Harry Brook: “We are disappointed obviously but it was a very good effort to chase that amount of runs. To get within one blow of their score was an awesome effort.

“Baz [McCullum] and I reckoned they were 10 or 15 over par. With our batting line-up we want to chase these big scores. Tonight was not our night but it was a good game to watch.

Andy Robertson claims that Diogo Jota’s passing will “probably never be resolved by him and his Liverpool team-mates.”

The 28-year-old Liverpool and Portugal forward was killed in a car accident in July along with his brother Andre Silva.

Scotland captain Robertson, “I don’t think anyone could care less about football when things like that happen.”

“So shocking,” First and foremost, devastating for his family, but obviously devastating for our young people.

Left-back Robertson chose to stay at Anfield after Jota’s passing and explained that as an experienced member of the squad, he felt a strong duty to help others when his starting position was no longer certain.

He continued, “It’s the most difficult thing we’ll ever go through.” We’ll probably never get over losing one of your closest friends, but it’s something we need to carry with us.

The memories we have must be carried with us, and as long as we keep doing that, they will always be in our minds. He will be a constant companion in our lives.

It didn’t have an impact on my choice. Before the tragedy, I had already made the decision, but I already knew the club needed me at that time.

“I am aware that I am a team leader, and I am now obviously vice-captain.”

This season will require a lot of work. Even as lads in the changing room, we will all need assistance during the season, even though football was irrelevant.

“We’ve already had difficult experiences, including having to attend your teammate’s funeral, which is absolutely insane, and everything else that came after.”

The club’s leaders, I am aware, have a big job to do in terms of supporting everyone through this extremely difficult time, including Diogo’s family.

Tottenham Hotspur’s executive chairman Daniel Levy – who has “stepped down” after almost 25 years – will always be regarded as one of the most contentious figures in their history.

He was the driving force behind the world-class infrastructure that the current club, including the stunning new £1 billion stadium, which stands out among its competitors, and the stunning Hotspur Way training facility in Enfield.

However, Levy’s time at the top was always overshadowed by the lack of success associated with his reign, rather than being praised for these towering accomplishments.

While he still retains a minority ownership but will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the club, the news of Levy’s exit will be greeted with undisguised delight by a large percentage of the Spurs fanbase.

When the 63-year-old’s life is told and his legacy is established, it will be one of financial and structural success but underachieving.

Levy will also be associated with instability forever, with the revolving door of 12 fired managers helping Spurs reach 16 semi-finals and seven finals, not including the most recent Uefa Super Cup.

And it is the lack of silverware that will always cast a dark cloud over his chairmanship.

When his accomplishments in the field are reflected upon, history will be kind, but it is impossible to deny them.

Spurs and Levy struggled to find meaningful success in Europe despite having a nearly permanent presence in the top half of the Premier League.

In the Champions League final, Spurs lost 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid, which was Spurs’ closest match of the year.

But, even then, what promised to be the start of a new golden era ended in acrimony.

As a result of that defeat, Mauricio Pochettino, a highly regarded manager, struggled to secure the support he deserved, leading to his dismissal six months later.

Levy’s critics found that by setting his team up on a solid financial footing, they were too frequently compared to clubs that had consistently achieved success.

His business acumen was never in doubt, with football finance expert Kieran Maguire describing the Londoners as the “most profitable club in Premier League history” because of the money their new stadium generates, a historically lower wage structure and a “degree of caution” on transfer spending.

Levy’s continued rise to become a target for supporters’ fury throughout his tenure, which never led to tangible success measured by silverware.

Regular protests took place outside games, with one prominent banner giving a nod to the famous phrase used by legendary former captain Danny Blanchflower.

It read “Our game is about glory, Levy’s game is about greed”, while another was “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy – time for change”.

When Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou as Levy’s 14th permanent manager, he became the first.

In his quest for success, Levy has attracted proven, high-class Premier League winners such as Jose Mourinho – bizarrely sacked days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City – and Antonio Conte.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s appointment, which came to an end after only four months in charge, was also a failure.

Despite all the turns and turns, the only thing that remained constant was that the Europa League was won.

Levy’s reputation as a hard-headed businessman – with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson famously describing him as “more painful to deal with than a hip replacement” – disguised a rarely-seen softer side.

Levy, a workaholic chairman whose only concern was keeping Spurs running in a way that would bring about results off the pitch, was “hurt” by those close to him, claimed that his failures caused him as much pain as any supporters, and that sources who disagreed that he didn’t care about winning any awards as “nonsense” were “nonsense.”

This was unfavorable to supporters’ groups Change for Tottenham (CFT), who regularly criticized him, and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST), who regularly did the same.

Change has been in the wind at Spurs in recent months, leading to speculation about future ownership, but Levy’s departure – from the role he has held since 2001 – was a seismic moment.

Peter Charrington takes on the new position of non-executive chairman, replacing Vinai Venkatesham, who was previously the CEO of Arsenal.

Many Spurs fans will not mourn the latest developments but there are two sides to the Levy story.

Forbes earlier this year valued Spurs at £2.6 billion; at the same time, he took over control of football affairs in 2001, for a sum of £80 million.

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat stated on BBC Radio Five Live: “It’s quite incredible to achieve success in the modern game without mega money.”

” The stadium is magnificent, nobody can rival the training ground, and the club is on a good footing and he has always been sensible.

Daniel Levy, who guards his club’s finances and protects it, is no more tenable than any other chairman. I don’t believe there is anyone more wise to serve as the club’s custodian. I would say he has looked after the club well”.

Despite this, Levy’s relentless negotiating zeal, which included being ruthless and determined to win the best deal, has been a constant criticism of him during his time as chairman.

Recently, he received criticism for stealing England’s Eberechi Eze away from him by Arsenal.

Spurs had been involved in lengthy negotiations with Crystal Palace, but left the door ajar enough for their bitter north London rivals to swoop to clinch a £60m deal just hours after Levy had finally agreed the fine detail of the move.

When Harry Kane, the all-time best goalscorer, thought he had “a gentleman’s agreement” with Levy that he could leave the club if they finished outside the top four, he was able to demonstrate his ruthless edge.

Levy forcibly tossed that opinion, forcing a disenchanted Kane to remain. Spurs eventually sold him to Bayern Munich for an initial £86.4m in August 2023, a deal he regarded as financially sensible for the 30-year-old England striker.

Although limelight and public speaking have never been his strong suit, Levy’s coworkers have described him as “shy, quiet, and hardworking,” not the cold person of perception.

According to sources close to Levy, “he did not surround himself with the best people” and “his discomfort with public speaking meant his messages did not always translate,” as one said, “One interview or being visible once a year is not a lot.”

Levy also invited widespread criticism when he used the Government’s furlough scheme during the Covid pandemic, then when he phased out concession tickets for seniors.

The private Levy was a rare sight at the post-game victory party following the Europa League win in May.

He grabbed a microphone, punched the air, and yelled, “We’re champions,” while wearing a Spurs shirt. This has been a very long time coming. We’ve made history, and I want to thank Ange, the entire coaching staff, and the players. You two have forever changed history.

” Hopefully it is going to get us on the road to where we absolutely deserve to be, which is at the very top. “

Postecoglou received his next blessing when he was fired.

Betfred Super League

Huddersfield (0) 0

Leeds (8) 26

With a 26-0 win over Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos increased their chances of placing second in the Super League.

With Harry Newman’s only attempt to support their early dominance, the Rhinos initially struggled to put pressure on themselves before two Jake Connor penalties put an 8-0 lead at the break.

Morgan Gannon’s opportunistic score on the hour finally gave Leeds the edge over their attacking dominance.

Brodie Croft advanced with a second straight victory thanks to Lachlan Miller’s magic, before Mikolaj Oledzki burrowed over to add to Leeds’ point total.

Although not particularly clinical, Leeds still managed to clinch second place and avoid a Super League play-off berth.

The Rhinos started off strong, holding the home side to a halt and stealing yards with their expansive running rugby, but handling errors let them down.

For Newman’s ninth try of the season, Croft snuck a super kick through the Giants’ backline just 11 minutes into the breakthrough.

In a protracted stretch of territory and possession, Huddersfield regrouped and threatened with their own as a forward pass from Joe Greenwood, who made his 100th appearance.

However, Leeds’ improved defense endured just as well, and the hosts’ growing disdain led to poor discipline that gave the Rhinos a two-score lead at the break.

The stand-off slotted a penalty through Jack Billington’s shoulder charge on Connor, who had already gotten it. And Connor was able to split the posts from 40 meters later thanks to an off-the-ball challenge from Woolford.

As the second half proceeded in a similar pattern, with Leeds battling back while battling to convert possession and territory into points, Giants had to recoup more early pressure.

When Gannon intercepted a poor Miller pass to burst through the middle and cross, home hopes were still in the future, and the Rhinos needed a stroke of luck to extend the lead.

Three Giants were dragged over the line by Sam Lisone as the visitors sought to give the scoreline some more gloss.

Golding, King, Rogers, and Land are the exchanges.

Leeds: Ackers, Gannon, McDonnell, Watkins, Hall, Newman, McCormack, Hankinson, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, Ackers, Gannon, McDonnell, and others.

Cassell, Bentley, Lisone, and O’Connor swaps.