Franchise Cricket

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Paarl Royals moved into the second SA20 qualifier with a 36-run win over Joburg Super Kings in the Eliminator.

After being asked to bat first, Royals posted 210-5 with Lhuan-dre Pretorius making 51 at the top of the order.

There were lots of contributions too, with Dan Lawrence making 36, Sikandar Raza 35 and England Lions batter Asa Tribe an unbeaten 30 off 16 balls after he was dropped down to the middle order.

In reply, Super Kings slipped to 14-3 in the fourth over with Hardus Viljoen picking up two wickets.

Leus Du Plooy also fell in the powerplay to leave Super Kings 40-4 and despite James Vince's 47 they were unable to seriously challenge Royals' total.

They eventually finished 174-8 with Viljoen finishing with 3-24 and Ottneil Baartman 2-47.

Royals will play two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Friday's second qualifier, with the winner progressing to Sunday's final against Pretoria Capitals.

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Sophie Devine impressed with both bat and ball as Gujarat Giants snapped their three‑match losing run in the Women's Premier League with a 45‑run victory over UP Warriorz.

With six points from six matches, Gujarat climbed to second in the table and sit four points behind leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have five wins from five matches.

Devine anchored Gujarat's batting innings with an unbeaten half-century as the hosts set Warriorz a target of 154.

The all-rounder was dropped on 21 by Phoebe Litchfield, who held on to another catch offered by Devine in the final over only for the celebrations to be cut short for a Shikha Pandey no-ball.

Devine wasted no time to capitalise as she dispatched the resulting free-hit for six before reaching her 50 off the final delivery to take Gujarat to 153-8.

Warriorz's chase did not get off to the best of starts as Renuka Singh Thakur dismissed Kiran Navgire only two balls in.

Captain Meg Lanning was dismissed by Kashvee Gautam and Phoebe Litchfield added 32 from 27 balls before falling to Ash Gardner.

Chloe Tryon offered some resistance and remained unbeaten on 30 as Devine accounted for the wickets of Sophie Ecclestone and Kranti Gaud to finish with figures of 2-16 and seal the victory.

Scorecard; Table

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Former England seamer Tom Curran has been selected for the Big Bash League team of the tournament after a strong season with Melbourne Stars.

The 30-year-old took 17 wickets at an average of 17.50 and chipped in 60 runs from five innings as Stars finished fourth in the group stage, before going on to lose to Hobart Hurricanes in the knockout match.

Curran is joined by four Stars team-mates, including player of the tournament Sam Harper and Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf, who leads the competition's wicket-taking standings with 20.

Stars captain Marcus Stoinis is selected for a record-equaling fifth time, while veteran David Warner is picked having topped the run-scoring charts with 433, despite Sydney Thunder finishing bottom.

New Zealand's Finn Allen is the third player from overseas in an otherwise Australian line-up, and is one of five debutants picked for the squad after hitting a tournament record of 37 sixes for Perth Scorchers.

The team is selected by the eight BBL head coaches and players from six teams have been chosen for this year's squad, with no-one from third-placed Hurricanes and seventh-placed Melbourne Renegades picked on this occasion.

Team of the tournament

1. Finn Allen* (Perth Scorchers)

2. Sam Harper* (Wicket keeper, Melbourne Stars)

3. David Warner (Captain, Sydney Thunder)

4. Matthew Renshaw* (Brisbane Heat)

5. Aaron Hardie (Perth Scorchers)

6. Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars)

7. Jack Edwards* (Sydney Sixers)

8. Tom Curran (Melbourne Stars)

9. Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars)

10. Lloyd Pope (Adelaide Strikers)

11. Peter Siddle (Melbourne Stars)

12. Liam Scott* (Adelaide Strikers)

*denotes first time selected in BBL Team of the Tournament

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Birmingham Phoenix have signed South Africa's Donovan Ferreira for the 2026 Hundred season.

Ferreira, 27, is a powerful middle-order batter and wicketkeeper, renowned for his explosive hitting having won the tournament in the last two seasons with Oval Invincibles.

The right-hander has enjoyed standout success in T20 cricket, scoring runs at a strike-rate consistently above 150, with multiple match-winning innings across franchise competitions.

"I've tasted success in the last two years in The Hundred and I would love to win it three years in a row, so hopefully I can contribute to a strong season for the Phoenix," said Ferreira.

Phoenix men's head coach Shane Bond said: "Donovan is exactly the kind of player who can make a huge impact in this format. His ability to finish innings is among the best in the game."

Ferreira's signing means Phoenix have added a full complement of retentions and direct signings in the winter window, joining Rehan Ahmed, Jacob Bethell and Mitch Owen.

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Pakistan batter Babar Azam will miss the remainder of Sydney Sixers' Big Bash League play-off campaign, having been called up to a national team camp.

Sixers are due to play Hobart Hurricanes in the challenger match on Friday, with the winner of the fixture going on to play Perth Scorchers in Sunday's final.

Babar has struggled in his maiden BBL campaign, scoring 202 runs in 11 games at an average of 22.44.

The 31-year-old has struck two half-centuries for Sixers, who finished second in the group stage, but scored at a rate of just 103.06.

He was noticeably upset when batting partner Steve Smith turned down a single in a match with Sydney Thunder so that he could face the 'power surge' of two overs in powerplay conditions.

"While we had initially planned for Babar to be available throughout the finals, he has been an immensely valued member of our group," said Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes.

"We fully understand that the commencement of Pakistan's national camp means preparations are now under way for upcoming matches."

Pakistan play Australia in three T20s in Lahore, starting on 29 January, prior to February's T20 World Cup.

All of Australia's players still involved in the BBL will remain with their sides until the conclusion of the tournament.

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Dewald Brevis-inspired Pretoria Capitals thrashed Sunrisers Eastern Cape to reach Sunday's SA20 final.

Sunrisers, who won two of the first three iterations of the competition in 2023 and 2024, have been in fine form and topped the group-stage table heading into this Qualifier.

They looked to have posted a good total when they reached 170-7 at the halfway point, with Jonny Bairstow hitting 50 off 36 balls.

Jordan Hermann added 41 but late wickets gifted momentum to the Capitals - Bryce Parsons taking 3-10.

Uncapped all-rounder Parsons then took over with the bat, anchoring the Capitals with 60 off 44 balls.

He shared in a stand of 91 with Brevis but 19 were still needed when Parsons fell with 13 balls to go.

Brevis (75*) took control, however, smiting Lewis Gregory for three sixes in a row, sandwiched by a wide, to seal victory and leave Sunrisers to face the winner of Paarl Royals and Joburg Super Kings in the second Qualifier.

The winner of that tie will meet Capitals in the final in Cape Town.

• Scorecard

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Southern Brave have signed World Cup winner Jemimah Rodrigues and South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt for the 2026 season.

The two batters are a coup for Brave, who topped the league phase in 2025 and fell short in the final against Northern Superchargers.

Rodrigues, 25, hit a stunning century in India's shock World Cup semi-final victory over Australia and has previously played in the competition for Superchargers.

Wolvaardt is the top-ranked one-day batter in the women's game and scored the most runs in the World Cup (571).

She stays with Brave after scoring 181 runs last summer following her move from Manchester Originals.

The signings complete Brave's business before the auction, with England stars Lauren Bell and Maia Bouchier also secured.

Brave have also signed Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and South Africa big-hitter Tristan Stubbs for their men's team.

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Hobart Hurricanes held their nerve to edge Melbourne Stars by three runs (DLS) and qualify for the Big Bash League Challenger.

In a rain-affected match which was reduced to 10 overs per side, Hurricanes looked in control when Stars needed 26 off the last over.

Stars all-rounder Marcus Stoinis muscled a six before holing out, but Hilton Cartwright hit Mitch Owen for two fours and a six off his first three balls to take it to the wire.

However, Owen pulled it back off the final ball - limiting Cartwright to just a single to send Hurricanes into Friday's Challenger against Sydney Sixers.

Beau Webster set up the Hurricanes' innings with 47 off 26 and Nikhil Chaudhary hit three sixes in a late cameo.

Joe Clarke's 31 off 17 balls gave Stars hope but the hosts edged over the line to book their tie against Sixers, with Perth Scorchers waiting in the final.

• Scorecard

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Melbourne Stars opener Sam Harper has been named as the Big Bash League's player of the tournament.

Heading into his team's Knockout match against Hobart Hurricanes on Wednesday, 29-year-old Harper has scored 371 runs at an average of 61.83 and strike-rate of 155.23, including an unbeaten century against the Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day.

His 110* came off just 60 deliveries and saw him score 75% of his team's runs in the successful chase.

Harper pipped Sydney Thunder's David Warner and Adelaide Strikers' Liam Scott by one vote.

Harper's team-mate Tom Curran and Sixers' Jack Edwards complete the top five which is put together by on-field umpires, who award 3-2-1 votes from each match in the competition.

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Delhi Capitals moved off the bottom of the Women's Premier League with a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

Captain Jemimah Rodrigues hit an unbeaten 51 and opener Lizelle Lee struck 46 as Capitals reached their target of 155 with an over to spare.

Lee got Capitals' chase off to a flying start, putting on a first-wicket stand of 63 with Shafali Verma (29).

Rodrigues took over after Lee was stumped off the bowling of Amanjot Kaur, building her first significant score of the season alongside Laura Wolvaardt (17) and then Marizanne Kapp (10 not out).

South African Kapp lashed Nat Sciver-Brunt for six over mid-wicket to end the match, condemning Mumbai to a third consecutive defeat.

Sciver-Brunt had been the star of Mumbai's innings, having made an unbroken 65 for her third half-century in six matches this season.

The England skipper added 78 for the third wicket with Harmanpreet Kaur, until the partnership was broken when the Mumbai captain was caught off the bowling of Sree Charani.

Leg-spinner Charani then returned to dismiss Nicola Carey and Amanjot in the space of five balls, finishing with figures of 3-33 as Mumbai closed their innings on 154-5.

The result moves Delhi above Gujarat Giants into fourth, with four of the league's sides, including second-placed Mumbai, now on four points and separated by net run-rate.

The fifth, leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru, stand clear with five wins from five matches.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Perth Scorchers cruised into the Big Bash League final with a 48-run Qualifier victory over Sydney Sixers.

The Scorchers, who are the competition's most successful team, topped the group-stage table and appear favourites to win Sunday's final on home turf after another convincing performance.

Steve Smith (37 off 24 balls) once again top-scored for Sixers but they were bundled out for 99 in just 15 overs as 20-year-old fast bowler Mahli Beardman took 3-20.

Scorchers' total was set up by Finn Allen (49 off 30) with skipper Ashton Turner (29 off 21) and Jhye Richardson (20 off 18) adding 44 for the seventh wicket which ultimately was the difference between the two sides.

Scorchers will be looking for their sixth title, and first since 2022-23, in the final with Sixers getting another chance to qualify when they play in the Challenger against the winners of Wednesday's Knockout between Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars.

• Scorecard

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Joburg Super Kings booked their place in the SA20 play-offs with a convincing 44-run win over Paarl Royals.

Super Kings, who have qualified for the play-offs in all four editions, knew a win would see them progress, but they secured a bonus-point victory.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, they lost James Vince to the third ball of the match but recovered to post 166-5.

Middlesex's Leus du Plooy top-scored with an unbeaten 54, while Neil Timmers made 39 and Michael Pepper and Matthew de Villiers both added 27.

Royals, who had already secured their passage to the knockouts, were well positioned at 81-2, needing 86 off 52 balls, but suffered a middle-order collapse.

They lost Rubin Hermann and Delano Potgieter in a four-ball spell to slip to 82-4, and four overs later they were 113-7 when England's Dan Lawrence fell for 45.

At that point the game was beyond them and they were 122 all out, with captain David Miller unable to bat.

Super Kings finish fourth and Royals third, meaning they will face each other in the Eliminator. Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals occupy the top two and get two chances to reach Sunday's final.

SA20 play-off schedule

Wednesday, 21 January: Qualifier 1 - Sunrisers Eastern Cape v Pretoria Capitals (15:30 GMT)

Thursday, 22 January: Eliminator - Paarl Royals v Joburg Super Kings (15:30 GMT)

Friday, 23 January: Qualifier 2 - loser of Qualifier 1 v Winner of Eliminator (15:30 GMT)

Sunday, 25 January: Final - winner of Qualifier 1 v winner of Qualifier 2 (13:30 GMT)

• SA20 fixtures & table

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their relentless form in the Women's Premier League with a dominant 61-run victory over Gujarat Giants that secured their place in the play-offs.

Gautami Naik, who earned her place in the RCB squad through dominant displays in domestic cricket, struck 73 off 55 balls - shepherding the visitors to 178-6.

No other batter passed 30 as Kashvee Gautam and captain Ash Gardner took two wickets apiece.

Lauren Bell once again set the tone with the ball for RCB, who reduced Giants to 5-3 and 56-6.

Bell, who has delivered more dot balls than any other bowler in the competition, built the pressure that led to destructive openers Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine falling to Sayali Satghare in the second over of the chase.

Bell then bowled Kanika Ahuja to leave the hosts 5-3 - a position they never looked like recovering from despite Gardner's defiant half-century.

RCB, the 2024 champions, have won their first five matches and are six points clear of second-placed Mumbai Indians.

Scorecard; Table

Image source, SA20

Defending champions MI Cape Town were knocked out of the SA20 with a seven-wicket defeat by Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who earned a top-two finish.

MI went into the game knowing they needed a bonus-point win to stay in knockout contention and posted 148-6 with Reeza Hendricks top-scoring with an unbeaten 70.

They struggled on a slow surface with Australia's Chris Green claiming 3-29 in his first Sunrisers game, and James Coles taking 1-17.

Sunrisers, who had already qualified, lost Jonny Bairstow (10) early but Quinton de Kock and Matthew Breetzke put on 109 for the second wicket.

De Kock fell for 56 off 49 balls to leave Sunrisers 124-2 - beyond the 119 that MI needed to keep them under to claim a bonus-point win.

Sunrisers needed 25 from 17 balls at this point and Breetzke and Jordan Hermann hit two fours and a six to leave five required from the final over.

Breetzke was dismissed off the third ball but Hermann got Sunrisers over the line off the penultimate ball.

They climb to the top of the table but could finish second to Paarl Royals, depending on the outcome of their match against Joburg Super Kings on Monday.

Regardless, Sunrisers, who won the first two editions of the tournament, will have two chances to reach the final on 25 January.

The play-off schedule will be confirmed after Monday's game, with Super Kings needing to win to claim the final spot off Durban's Super Giants.

• SA20 fixtures & table

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Sydney Sixers secured second-place in the Big Bash League and their spot in Tuesday's qualifier match with a five-wicket win over Brisbane Heat.

Heat, who could have qualified for the play-offs at Sixers' expense with a win, finish fifth despite scoring 171-9 in a first innings where Mitchell Starc took 4-35.

Sixers batters Steve Smith and Sam Curran both made half-centuries and put on 60 for the fourth wicket, with their side passing their target in the penultimate over of the innings.

Nathan McSweeney top-scored for Heat after they were put into bat, hitting an unbeaten 69 from number three.

McSweeney added 48 with Michael Neser (35) for the seventh wicket, but saw other partners fall cheaply with no other Heat batter passing 20.

Sixers lost top-order batters Babar Azam and Josh Philippe for one and eight respectively, but Smith's early hitting set his side on course.

The Australia vice-captain was bowled for 54 by Zaman Khan, but Curran took over, hitting 15 runs off Matthew Kuhnemann's 18th over to reach 53 off 27 balls.

Needing 11 to win, Lachlan Shaw smashed a four and a six off the next two balls, but was caught behind off Xavier Bartlett with the scores level.

Jack Edwards then finished the game in style, lifting Bartlett for a match-winning six over square leg.

Big Bash play-off schedule

Tuesday, 20 January: Qualifier - Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers (06:30 GMT)

Wednesday, 21 January: Knockout - Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars (08:15 GMT)

Friday, 23 January: Challenger - Winner of Knockout v Loser of Qualifier (08:15 GMT)

Sunday, 25 January: Final - Winner of Qualifier v Winner of Challenger (08:15 GMT)

Listen to ball-by-ball commentary on each game on BBC Sounds (UK users only).

• Big Bash fixtures & table

Image source, SA20

Joburg Super Kings missed out on the chance to secure a place in the SA20 play-offs with a 21-run defeat by Pretoria Capitals.

Super Kings made an incredible start, reducing Capitals to 7-5 in in 4.5 overs.

But, Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford put on 103 for the sixth wicket, as Capitals battled up to 143-6.

Rutherford top-scored with 74 not out off 50 balls, while Brewis made 53 off 47 balls.

Super Kings lost regular wickets and slipped to 68-6 in the 13th over, and despite Dian Forrester making an unbeaten 44 they finished well short on 122-8.

Captain Keshav Maharaj claimed 3-15 and seamer Lizaad Williams took 3-25.

They will have a second chance to qualify when they face Paarl Royals on Monday.

That game and the outcome of Sunrisers Eastern Cape v MI Cape Town on Sunday will also confirm Capitals' play-off route.

• SA20 fixtures & table

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Captain Smriti Mandhana made 96 as Royal Challengers Benglauru extended their 100% start to the Women's Premier League with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.

Chasing 167, Mandhana saw Grace Harris dismissed in the third over, before putting on 142 with Australia's Georgia Voll for the second wicket.

She was closing on the first century in the tournament's history but was caught off Nandni Sharma with 11 required.

Richa Ghosh joined Voll, who made an unbeaten 54, as 2024 winners RCB got over the line with 10 balls to spare.

Earlier, they bowled Capitals out for 166 off the final ball of the innings, with England seamer Lauren Bell taking 3-26.

She bowled South Africa duo Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt in the first over, before returning to dismiss Shafali Verma for 62 in the 17th over.

Capitals did well to post 166 because, after Bell's double first-over strike, Sayali Satghare also claimed two wickets in the second over as Capitals slipped to 10-4.

The win moves RCB four points clear of three sides at the top, while Capitals remain bottom with one win in four games.

• WPL fixtures & table