Proteas spinner Simon Harmer stated that South Africa's spin department is in very good shape and, in his opinion, 'has never been this strong'.
Previously, Harmer was a key player in Proteas' successful tour of India last year. There, he took 17 wickets at an average of 8.94, which helped the team achieve a clean 2-0 victory—the first win in a Test series on Indian soil since the beginning of the millennium.
Before this, left-arm all-rounder Senuran Mutusamy had already demonstrated a career high by taking 11 wickets in the first Test in Pakistan, and later made a significant contribution with the bat in the second Test in Rawalpindi.
After missing the first Test in Lahore due to injury, Proteas' most successful spinner of all time, Keshav Maharaj, immediately impacted after his return in Rawalpindi. His figures of 9/136 helped the visitors level the series.
Harmer also achieved impressive results in Rawalpindi, taking 8/136 (including 6/50 in the second innings), making him the fourth South African to reach 1000 first-class wickets.
Thanks to the good form of Harmer, Maharaj, and Mutusamy, Proteas truly possesses a powerful spin attack. Harmer told Independent Media from Essex that the main reason for this is increased competition for spots in the squad. He noted that this forces players to improve and work harder, which ultimately improves the team's standing.
He also mentioned that head coach Shukri Conrad has many options for both red-ball and white-ball matches. Harmer expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming summer, noting that the first three Tests will be held in Durban, PE (Gqeberha), and Cape Town. He emphasized that he believes the pitches in South Africa have changed over the last five to ten years, and that eight home matches and two away matches in Sri Lanka will define the Test World Cup cycle.
Harmer is one of five nominees for the Proteas Men Test Cricketer of the Year award, which will be announced at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday evening. He will compete for this award against Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Vian Mulder, and Mutusamy.
The renowned Italian coach Antonio Conte gave high praise to the performance of Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentine national team, during the JCH-2026 tournament.
According to Conte, Messi once again demonstrated a level higher than expected. The coach noted that the player arrived at the tournament in excellent physical condition and once again showed his professionalism and desire to win.
Conte emphasized that despite his age—39 years old—Messi remains a decisive player for his team. He stated that one of Leo's main strengths is his football intelligence. Messi is capable of understanding what is happening on the field before others, which allows him to always take the most suitable position.
Following growing demands from opposition parties for greater transparency, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) presented a detailed report on expenditures amounting to R30,945,370.15, which were spent on South Africa's program related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the department's data, these funds covered various expense items, including official travel, legends match, hospitality suites, spectator tickets, and program activations associated with the tournament.
The official portion of expenses, concerning Minister Gethon Mackenzie, two support staff members, the CEO, and a 14-member project team, was estimated at R7,865,134.97. This amount included international flights, accommodation, local transport, subsistence, and operational support costs.
DSAC reported that it has not yet been possible to separate Mackenzie's personal expenses from the total costs of the entire project team, as items such as logistics, protocol, and security were purchased as a single package. The department is in the process of finalizing the breakdown of expenses per individual, which will include name, position, role, city visited, duration of stay, flight information, accommodation, transport, subsistence, and other details.
DSAC clarified that the World Cup program extended beyond government officials to include artists, cultural participants, football legends, media partners, sponsored fans, and project implementation teams. It was noted that not all participants traveled at the state's expense; some costs were covered by sponsorship or implementing partners.
The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA parties continue to demand a more detailed explanation of the spending from Mackenzie. DA stated its intention to submit additional parliamentary questions and seek the minister's appearance before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture. ActionSA questioned the economic viability of the expenditures, insisting on full ministerial openness regarding taxpayer spending on travel, accommodation, hospitality, and other benefits. The party also expressed concern that Mackenzie's personal expenses had not yet been separated from the overall delegation costs.
Vitória and Vasco will compete in a match valid for the 19th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship this Thursday, July 16th. The game is scheduled for 7:30 PM, Brasília time, and will be held at the Manoel Barradas Stadium, known as Barradão, located in Salvador, Bahia.
The live broadcast of this clash between Vitória and Vasco will be available through the Premiere service, which operates on a pay-per-view model. The probable lineups and refereeing have been defined: Vitória's coach is Jair Ventura, and Vasco's is Pedro Emanuel.
For Vitória, the probable formation includes Lucas Arcanjo; Edenilson, Cacá, Luan Cândido, and Ramon; Baralhas, Zé Vitor, and Martínez; Matheuzinho, Erick, and Renê. Vasco, on the other hand, features Léo Jardim; Puma Rodríguez, Carlos Cuesta, Robert Renan, and Lucas Piton; Barros, Thiago Mendes, and Tchê Tchê; Nuno Moreira, Spinelli, and David. The match will be officiated by Matheus Delgado Candançan, with assistants Miguel Cataneo Ribeiro da Costa and Rafael Tadeu Alves de Souza, and will feature VAR supervised by Heber Roberto Lopes. It is important to note that the definitive formations will be announced approximately one hour before the start of the match.
Both clubs return to the Brasileirão competition with a two-point difference and under pressure due to the proximity of the relegation zone. Vitória currently occupies 13th place with 22 points, while Vasco is in 17th position, opening Zone 4 (Z4), with 20 points.
Vitória faces uncertainties in its squad, with the presence of Camutanga, Dudu, Yuri Sena, and Edu still unconfirmed. Furthermore, newly signed players Brítez, Pochettino, and Wallace may make their first appearances. Right-back Fabiano Souza, meanwhile, will not be available until the 20th. On Vasco's side, the team begins a new phase under the management of Pedro Emanuel, hired during the World Cup break, having less than a week to organize the squad. Thiago Mendes and Andrés Gómez have uncertain participation among the starters, and the coach continues to analyze the composition of the offensive sector.
