×
Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus shine for South Africa with record partnership  South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game.
Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is

Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026)

Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018)

Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010)

Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014)

Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026)
Published on Apr 23, 2026  #Laura #Wolvaardt #Sune #Luus #shine #South #Africa #record #partnership

Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus shine for South Africa with record partnership

South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.

The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.

While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.

“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game.

Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is

Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026)

Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018)

Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010)

Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014)

Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026)

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Laura #Wolvaardt #Sune #Luus #shine #South #Africa #record #partnership

South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.

The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.

While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.

“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game.

Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is

Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026)

Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018)

Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010)

Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014)

Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026)

Published on Apr 23, 2026

Source link
#Laura #Wolvaardt #Sune #Luus #shine #South #Africa #record #partnership

Previous post

Deadspin | Ildemaro Vargas blasts 2 homers as Diamondbacks defeat White Sox <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788843.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788843.jpg" alt="MLB: Chicago White Sox at Arizona Diamondbacks" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ildemaro Vargas (6) hits a three run home run against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks withstood Munetaka Murakami, who homered in a fifth straight game, to hold off the Chicago White Sox 11-7 in Phoenix on Wednesday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Murakami leads the American League with 10 homers, eight on the road, and he became the fastest player in White Sox history to reach 10, doing it in 24 games. He broke a tie with Shohei Ohtani to become the only Japanese-born player to homer in five straight games.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Murakami had three hits, and his 451-foot two-run homer off Ryan Thompson in the seventh brought the White Sox within 10-7, but the Diamondbacks added a run on Geraldo Perdomo’s second triple of the game in the last of the inning and Paul Sewald left two on in the ninth.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Nolan Arenado had four hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in three for the Diamondbacks, who evened the series and broke a two-game losing streak in which they had given up 21 runs.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Corbin Carroll had three hits and scored twice and Perdomo had three hits and an RBI. Both reached four times.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>Arizona had a season-high 16 hits in support of Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0), who gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three, leaving with an 8-4 lead.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Colson Montgomery homered for the fourth consecutive game and Miguel Vargas homered for the third straight for the White Sox, who have 14 homers in their last four games.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Montgomery homered in four straight games for the second time in his career. He did it from Aug. 22-26 last year.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas hit a three-run homer in a four-run second and added a two-run shot in the third to give Arizona a 6-3 lead. Arenado’s two-run homer in the sixth pushed the cushion to 10-5.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas extended his season-opening hitting streak to a franchise-record 17 games, and his 20-game hitting streak dating to last season is the longest active streak in the majors.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Anthony Kay (1-1) gave up eight runs and eight hits, including both Vargas homers, in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked four, and he balked in Carroll with the first run in Arizona’s two-run fourth to make it 8-4.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Ildemaro #Vargas #blasts #homers #Diamondbacks #defeat #White #Sox

Next post

The Iranian women Trump ‘saved’ from execution are simultaneously real and AI-manipulated<div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Only the night before, he had posted on Truth Social about the imminent executions of these women, quoting a screenshot that included a collage of eight glamorously backlit, soft-focus portraits. The photos of the women were immediately accused of being AI-generated. “Trump is begging Iranian leaders to not execute 8 AI-generated women. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” said one viral X post.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">On top of that, almost immediately after Trump’s announcement, Mizan, an Iranian state news agency, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-says-eight-iranian-women-wont-be-executed-iran-disputes-entire-account-2026-04-22/">called the president a liar</a>. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told <em>The Verge</em>. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/woman-iran-sentenced-death-protests-rights-groups/">Bita Hemmati</a>, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/15/world-news/iran-to-execute-the-first-woman-over-widespread-anti-regime-demonstrations/">various right-leaning news outlets last week</a>. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a <a href="https://www.en-hrana.org/tehran-revolutionary-court-sentences-four-protest-detainees-to-death/">death sentence</a> issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/913587/south-korea-lee-jae-myung-israel">South Korean president Lee Jae-myung</a> in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdya _1xwtict1">The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.</p></div>#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics

Deadspin | After weather delay, Crew defeat Galaxy for first home win of season  Columbus Crew forward Daniel Gazdag (8) celebrates a goal with teammates during the weather-delayed MLS match against the LA Galaxy at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus on April 22, 2026.   Daniel Gazdag and Diego Rossi scored as the Columbus Crew downed the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Wednesday for their first home win of the season.  Gazdag in the 41st and Rossi in the 47th staked the Crew (2-4-3, 9 points) to the lead before Gabriel Pec countered for the Galaxy in the 86th minute on their only shot on goal.  The match started 2 hours, 5 minutes late after thunderstorms began two hours before kickoff. Rain continued as the match started.  The Crew is 1-1-2 at home.  LA (3-3-3, 9 points) avoided being shut out for the first time in 18 matches when Pec took a set-up by Joseph Paintsil and beat Patrick Schute at the near right post for his first goal.  Pec then hit the crossbar two minutes later.  Gazdag first goal of the season came a year and 11 days after the Philadelphia Union’s career goals leader was acquired in a trade.   A Galaxy turnover led to Dylan Chambost feeding Hugo Picard on the left flank. He whipped a low ball in front of the goal where Gazdag flicked the ball without the outside of his right foot.  Rossi’s fourth goal was a clinical off the build-up. Taha Habroune zinged a through ball to Max Arfsten on the right. He dribbled to the top of the box, did a crossover then passed across to Rossi, who let the ball go to his left foot before unleashing a shot.  The Galaxy played without leading scorer Joao Klauss (five goals), who has a foot injury.  His absence was apparent in the first half when the Galaxy couldn’t put together anything resembling an attack. Their lone shot attempt came in the 45th minute when Pec’s try from the right side of the box skipped outside the left post.  The Crew had nine shots in the opening half beginning with Arfsten’s shot that James Marcinkowski saved in the 7th minute. Columbus kept pressing and Arfsten and Rossi had good looks that veered off target over the next 10 minutes.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #weather #delay #Crew #defeat #Galaxy #home #win #seasonColumbus Crew forward Daniel Gazdag (8) celebrates a goal with teammates during the weather-delayed MLS match against the LA Galaxy at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus on April 22, 2026.

Daniel Gazdag and Diego Rossi scored as the Columbus Crew downed the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Wednesday for their first home win of the season.

Gazdag in the 41st and Rossi in the 47th staked the Crew (2-4-3, 9 points) to the lead before Gabriel Pec countered for the Galaxy in the 86th minute on their only shot on goal.

The match started 2 hours, 5 minutes late after thunderstorms began two hours before kickoff. Rain continued as the match started.

The Crew is 1-1-2 at home.

LA (3-3-3, 9 points) avoided being shut out for the first time in 18 matches when Pec took a set-up by Joseph Paintsil and beat Patrick Schute at the near right post for his first goal.

Pec then hit the crossbar two minutes later.


Gazdag first goal of the season came a year and 11 days after the Philadelphia Union’s career goals leader was acquired in a trade.

A Galaxy turnover led to Dylan Chambost feeding Hugo Picard on the left flank. He whipped a low ball in front of the goal where Gazdag flicked the ball without the outside of his right foot.

Rossi’s fourth goal was a clinical off the build-up. Taha Habroune zinged a through ball to Max Arfsten on the right. He dribbled to the top of the box, did a crossover then passed across to Rossi, who let the ball go to his left foot before unleashing a shot.

The Galaxy played without leading scorer Joao Klauss (five goals), who has a foot injury.

His absence was apparent in the first half when the Galaxy couldn’t put together anything resembling an attack. Their lone shot attempt came in the 45th minute when Pec’s try from the right side of the box skipped outside the left post.

The Crew had nine shots in the opening half beginning with Arfsten’s shot that James Marcinkowski saved in the 7th minute. Columbus kept pressing and Arfsten and Rossi had good looks that veered off target over the next 10 minutes.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #weather #delay #Crew #defeat #Galaxy #home #win #season">Deadspin | After weather delay, Crew defeat Galaxy for first home win of season  Columbus Crew forward Daniel Gazdag (8) celebrates a goal with teammates during the weather-delayed MLS match against the LA Galaxy at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus on April 22, 2026.   Daniel Gazdag and Diego Rossi scored as the Columbus Crew downed the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Wednesday for their first home win of the season.  Gazdag in the 41st and Rossi in the 47th staked the Crew (2-4-3, 9 points) to the lead before Gabriel Pec countered for the Galaxy in the 86th minute on their only shot on goal.  The match started 2 hours, 5 minutes late after thunderstorms began two hours before kickoff. Rain continued as the match started.  The Crew is 1-1-2 at home.  LA (3-3-3, 9 points) avoided being shut out for the first time in 18 matches when Pec took a set-up by Joseph Paintsil and beat Patrick Schute at the near right post for his first goal.  Pec then hit the crossbar two minutes later.  Gazdag first goal of the season came a year and 11 days after the Philadelphia Union’s career goals leader was acquired in a trade.   A Galaxy turnover led to Dylan Chambost feeding Hugo Picard on the left flank. He whipped a low ball in front of the goal where Gazdag flicked the ball without the outside of his right foot.  Rossi’s fourth goal was a clinical off the build-up. Taha Habroune zinged a through ball to Max Arfsten on the right. He dribbled to the top of the box, did a crossover then passed across to Rossi, who let the ball go to his left foot before unleashing a shot.  The Galaxy played without leading scorer Joao Klauss (five goals), who has a foot injury.  His absence was apparent in the first half when the Galaxy couldn’t put together anything resembling an attack. Their lone shot attempt came in the 45th minute when Pec’s try from the right side of the box skipped outside the left post.  The Crew had nine shots in the opening half beginning with Arfsten’s shot that James Marcinkowski saved in the 7th minute. Columbus kept pressing and Arfsten and Rossi had good looks that veered off target over the next 10 minutes.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #weather #delay #Crew #defeat #Galaxy #home #win #season

Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez scored a minute apart late in the second half, breaking a deadlock and ​handing Inter Miami a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake (RSL) ‌on Wednesday in Sandy, Utah.

Dayne St. Clair made four ​saves in his first clean sheet of the ⁠season as Miami (5-1-3, 18 points) went 2-0-0 on a trip to Colorado and Utah, which were also the first two matches under interim ‌manager Guillermo Hoyos.

Rafael Cabral recorded five saves for Real Salt Lake (5-2-1, 16 points) in its first loss ‌since the season opener, ending a six-match unbeaten ‌run.

The ⁠possession was nearly even throughout the night until ⁠Miami took over in the final 10 minutes. The visitors broke the seal in the 82nd minute off a corner kick.

Rather than send in a ​cross, Telasco Segovia passed ‌to the outside for De Paul, who was left unmarked and fired in a perfect shot to the far corner.

Miami regained possession quickly after an offside call on ‌RSL. Suarez, who was subbed on during the 75th minute ​after not playing Saturday against the Rapids, was the beneficiary of a juggled pass by teammate German ⁠Berterame. Suarez buried a left-footed shot on the run.

It was the second goal of the season for both De Paul ‌and Suarez.

Salt Lake thought it had scored within the first five minutes of the match for the third straight contest.

Morgan Guilavogui’s fifth-minute goal, a rebound of his own initial attempt, was taken off the board as Sergi Solans was ruled offside by mere inches.

Miami star Lionel Messi had ‌one shot off a cross parried away by Cabral.

RSL had its chances in the second ⁠half before Miami heated up. Zavier Gozo badly missed the net ⁠after Diego Luna’s creative backheel pass to him in the box in the 64th minute.

RSL’s DeAndre Yedlin expertly ‌blocked out Facundo Mura’s push in the 76th minute. The team went on the counterattack and won a free ​kick near the penalty arc, but Luna’s free-kick shot went inches over the crossbar.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Suarez #mark #Messi #fires #blanks #Inter #Miami #beats #Real #Salt #Lake">Suarez off mark but Messi fires blanks as Inter Miami beats Real Salt Lake  Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez scored a minute apart late in the second half, breaking a deadlock and ​handing Inter Miami a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake (RSL) ‌on Wednesday in Sandy, Utah.Dayne St. Clair made four ​saves in his first clean sheet of the ⁠season as Miami (5-1-3, 18 points) went 2-0-0 on a trip to Colorado and Utah, which were also the first two matches under interim ‌manager Guillermo Hoyos.Rafael Cabral recorded five saves for Real Salt Lake (5-2-1, 16 points) in its first loss ‌since the season opener, ending a six-match unbeaten ‌run.The ⁠possession was nearly even throughout the night until ⁠Miami took over in the final 10 minutes. The visitors broke the seal in the 82nd minute off a corner kick.Rather than send in a ​cross, Telasco Segovia passed ‌to the outside for De Paul, who was left unmarked and fired in a perfect shot to the far corner.Miami regained possession quickly after an offside call on ‌RSL. Suarez, who was subbed on during the 75th minute ​after not playing Saturday against the Rapids, was the beneficiary of a juggled pass by teammate German ⁠Berterame. Suarez buried a left-footed shot on the run.It was the second goal of the season for both De Paul ‌and Suarez.Salt Lake thought it had scored within the first five minutes of the match for the third straight contest.Morgan Guilavogui’s fifth-minute goal, a rebound of his own initial attempt, was taken off the board as Sergi Solans was ruled offside by mere inches.Miami star Lionel Messi had ‌one shot off a cross parried away by Cabral.RSL had its chances in the second ⁠half before Miami heated up. Zavier Gozo badly missed the net ⁠after Diego Luna’s creative backheel pass to him in the box in the 64th minute.RSL’s DeAndre Yedlin expertly ‌blocked out Facundo Mura’s push in the 76th minute. The team went on the counterattack and won a free ​kick near the penalty arc, but Luna’s free-kick shot went inches over the crossbar.Published on Apr 23, 2026  #Suarez #mark #Messi #fires #blanks #Inter #Miami #beats #Real #Salt #Lake

Post Comment