Ken Borland

Lions coach John Mitchell has been suspended with immediate effect due to the complaints of the players, SuperRugby franchise president Kevin de Klerk said on Saturday.

Mitchell, the former coach of the All Blacks and Perth-based SuperRugby team the Western Force, will now face a disciplinary inquiry by the board of the Johannesburg-based franchise.

“John Mitchell has been suspended pending an investigation, after complaints from the players,” De Klerk confirmed to Reuters on Saturday.

“The complaints of the players are quite serious and it’s not just from one or two players, it’s a very substantial number which we cannot take lightly. As the custodians of Gauteng rugby, we are responsible to our staff and the well-being of our players.”

While De Klerk, a former Springbok lock, said he could not elaborate on the complaints due to the sub-judice nature of the investigation, they are believed to revolve around Mitchell’s management style.

The New Zealander has had a simmering relationship with media and sponsors, and local newspapers have reported anonymous players alleging verbal abuse by Mitchell. The 48-year-old has also publicly criticised individual players.

Mitchell joined the Lions in mid-2010 and steered them to the Currie Cup title last year, but their SuperRugby form has been poor with the Lions being South Africa’s worst-performing franchise over the last two years and set to be replaced by the Southern Kings next year.

Assistant coaches Carlos Spencer and Johan Ackermann will now take over the coaching reins as the Lions return to SuperRugby action next weekend.

The cancers of lacklustre batting and a host of extras conceded by the bowlers cost South Africa dearly as they lost by three wickets to Bangladesh in their T20 match at Harare Sports Club on Friday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120622/Sillyerror_cancers_cost_SA_dearly

South Africa batted poorly to post just 129 for seven, Bangladesh getting to their target with a ball to spare as all-rounders Mahmudullah (28) and Ziaur Rahman (27*) finished the job after a strong platform was laid up front by Mohammad Ashraful (40).

South Africa’s bowlers contrived to concede eight wides and two no-balls, as well as 10 leg-byes because of leg-side bowling. One of the no-balls cost the vital wicket of Ziaur when he was bowled by Parnell on 11 in the 17th over.

The tourists also dropped two catches, with Farhaan Behardien dropping Ziaur on the boundary, also when he had 11, and Marchant de Lange spilling a tougher boundary chance from Ashraful on 34.

Marchant de Lange removed Junaid Siddique for five, slicing a catch to third man, in the second over, but an awful second over from the fast bowler gave vital momemtum to Bangladesh.

It’s certainly breathless stuff when De Lange is in action and he started the fourth over of the innings with two wide bouncers down leg, a third wide bouncer which was called a no-ball for height, and then his fourth delivery was also a leg-side wide. Anamul Haque then clipped a four through midwicket, but a brilliant, fast yorker then trapped him lbw for four. Ashraful then ended the shambolic over with successive boundaries, the first via a magnificent cover-drive.

Ashraful continued to play some amazing strokes as he dominated a third-wicket stand of 41 before Wayne Parnell breathed new life into South Africa’s chances by taking two wickets in the ninth over.

Flapping at bouncers proved the undoing of Mushfiqur Rahim (7) and Nasir Hossain (0) and Ashraful, whose tendency to give his wicket away at crucial times is rapidly becoming a chronic disease, then holed out on Albie Morkel’s second ball in the 13th over.

But Mahmudullah and Ziaur then combined to take Bangladesh to the brink of victory as they added 40 in 5.5 overs before De Lange bowled a superb penultimate over, removing Mahmudullah and conceding just three runs, two of them leg-byes, to give South Africa a slim chance.

Bangladesh needed just three runs off Chris Morris’s final over to win and great stops by Behardien and Colin Ingram, plus the wicket of Farhad Reza for a single, kept them to just a single off the first four balls. But Ziaur then sliced a low full toss to the backward point boundary to clinch victory.

A poor batting display by South Africa had earlier seen them struggle to 129 for seven.

There was precious little by way of free strokeplay by the South Africans as the effects of a slow pitch, excellent Bangladesh bowling and enthusiastic fielding strangled them.

South Africa had won the toss and batted first, but were off to a poor start as they slumped to 34 for three in the seventh over.

Faf du Plessis (13) tried to heave left-arm spinner Elias Sunny on the leg side, but skewed the ball over wide mid-on, Ziaur Rahman back-pedalling and taking a good lunging catch.

Colin Ingram scored just a single before he chipped a return catch to off-spinner Mahmudullah and South Africa then lost the wicket of Hashim Amla in disastrous fashion, the captain being run out as Justin Ontong pushed Sunny square on the off-side and thought about a quick single before sending his partner back too late. Nasir Hossain scored a super direct hit and Amla was out for 20, which came off 19 balls and included two boundaries through the covers.

Ontong and Farhaan Behardien added 56 for the fourth wicket, but it was not at a healthy run-rate, the runs coming off 58 balls, leaving the lower-order under more pressure when the partnership was broken with just four overs remaining and the total just 90.

Ontong’s 41 off 36 balls was a good contribution, but the hazards of the pitch even had him subdued, despite all his experience of playing on the similar Paarl pitch for the Western Cape Cobras.

Ontong fell in disappointing fashion, charging down the pitch and missing a heave at Ziaur, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, who set the tone for an impressive fielding effort, completing a sharp stumping standing up to the medium-pacer.

Behardien, Albie Morkel and Chris Morris are all dangerous hitters but they all frittered away their wickets in the closing overs.

Behardien was caught behind off the impressive Sunny for 16 off 26 balls, while Morkel (12) picked up a well-struck six before holing out off Mashrafe Mortaza.

While Bangladesh brought intensity to their fielding, South Africa’s running between the wickets was poor and Morris could face just one ball, without getting off the mark, before he ran himself out charging down the pitch for a non-existent second run. Sunny was the fielder, adding a run out to his superb bowling figures of 2-21 in four overs.

Dane Vilas (8*) and a typically useful late cameo from Robin Peterson (11* off six) provided the finishing touches to an innings that was an uphill struggle all the way.

While Sunny was the best of the bowlers, fellow spinner Abdur Razzak (4-0-17-0) and Mahmudullah (3-0-18-1) were also impressive, while just 15 runs came from the three combined overs of medium-pacers Farhad Reza (2-0-8-0) and Ziaur (1-0-7-1).

It required a brilliant effort in the field from South Africa for them to pull this game out of the fire, but the bowlers were wayward and South Africa now have to beat Zimbabwe on Saturday to make it into the final.

Ziaur Rahman steered Bangladesh home as they beat South Africa by three wickets with a ball to spare in their Pran RFL T20 Triangular Series match at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.

20th over – Chris Morris starts the final over with just three runs to defend and it’s a great start by the South Africans as they concede just a single off the first two balls. Farhaan Behardien pulls off a superb stop at short midwicket and almost runs out Farhad Reza with a direct hit. WICKET – His brilliance keeps Farhad on strike, however, and he swungs a low full toss straight to Justin Ontong at deep midwicket on the next ball to be out for a single. Colin Ingram makes a great stop in the covers to ensure a dot ball off the next delivery, but Morris then delivers another low full toss which Ziaur slashes over backward point for the winning boundary.

19th over – WICKET – Marchant de Lange starts a fine over with the wicket of Mahmudullah, who slices a big drive at a good-length ball outside off stump high to Hashim Amla at deep mid-off. Mahmudullah’s 28 off 27 balls has taken Bangladesh to the brink of victory.

18th over – Morris returns but makes a bad start as Ziaur pummels his first ball over midwicket for four and then belts him over the covers for four more off the second ball. Morris’s third delivery is a wide down the leg side.

17th over – Oh no, a key error by Wayne Parnell! Ziaur plays a loose pull shot to a delivery that is too full and is “bowled” for 11. But TV replays show Parnell has over-stepped by a long way, the batsman is recalled and a no-ball awarded.

16th over – Mahmudullah slogs Albie Morkel from outside off stump to cow-corner for a one-bounce four.

15th over – Ziaur, on 11, heaves Robin Peterson to long-on, where Behardien, running around the boundary, gets both hands to the catch, but it pops out!

14th over – A wide long-hop from leg-spinner Faf du Plessis is cut through the covers for four by Ziaur.

13th over – WICKET – Morkel claims the key wicket of Ashraful with his second ball! Ashraful tries to drive a full ball over wide mid-on but ends up slicing it high to long-on, where Morris runs and takes the catch. Ashraful scored a run-a-ball 40, which was a fine innings, but his team needed him to stay there until the end!

12th over – Ashraful launches a big straight drive off Du Plessis, De Lange races across from long-on, gets his hands to the ball but can’t take the difficult catch, the ball deflecting over the boundary for four!

9th over – Parnell uses the bouncer to great effect to pick up two wickets in the over! WICKET – Mushfiqur (7) is late on an attempted hook shot and ends up gloving the ball to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas. WICKET – Three balls later, Nasir (0) is caught between ducking and hooking another bouncer, and ends up presenting a simple catch to Morkel at fine leg. Parnell’s first ball to Mahmudullah is a short and wide no-ball which is expertly cut away for four. The free hit costs just a single, so overall a great over for South Africa.

6th over – Full and wide from Parnell and Ashraful slashes the ball over point for four.

5th over – Mushfiqur gets in on the fun now as he slog-sweeps Morris for four.

4th over – An extraordinary over from De Lange. He starts with two bouncers down leg, both called wide, and his third ball is also a wide bouncer, called a no-ball because he’s only allowed two balls over head height in an over! His fourth ball is another wide down the leg side! De Lange switches to around the wicket but Anamul Haque clips a leg-stump half-volley through midwicket for four. WICKET – De Lange goes back to over the wicket and gets it right! A fast yorker cannons into Anamul’s foot and he is trapped lbw for four. Ashraful ends the shambolic over with successive boundaries, via a magnificent cover-drive and a neat flick off his pads through midwicket.

3rd over – Left-arm spinner Peterson’s first over cost just one run, but Ashraful starts his second over with three successive boundaries! Ashraful starts with a skilful little late cut, before driving sweetly past mid-off and then smearing a sweep shot for four more.

2nd over – Sjoe! Confidence from Junaid Siddique as he waltzes down the pitch to fast bowler De Lange and belts him straight down the ground for four. WICKET – But Sidduque tries to repeat the stroke next ball, but can only edge the delivery to third man, where Morris takes the catch. Siddique out for five.

South Africa innings

South Africa produced another frustrating batting display as they struggled to 129 for seven in their Pran RFL T20 Triangular Series match against Bangladesh at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.

20th over – A great start to the final over for South Africa as Robin Peterson launches Mashrafe Mortaza high and handsome over wide long-on for six. The rest of the over, except for an edged four by Dane Vilas, is just singles, however.

19th over – WICKET – A second run out in the innings as Vilas swings Farhad Reza through square-leg. Chris Morris comes charging down the pitch for the second, but is sent back as Elias Sunny is quickly in from the boundary. Morris is way too far down the pitch to make his ground and is out for a duck.

18th over – Albie Morkel collects his first boundary as he muscles a pull off Mortaza through wide mid-on. WICKET – But three balls later, paceman Mortaza finds the blockhole and Morkel (12) can only mis-hit his drive to long-off.

17th over – WICKET – Farhaan Behardien is out for 16 off 26 balls as he gets a thin edge to a swish outside off stump at Elias Sunny and is caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim.

16th over – WICKET – Justin Ontong’s gritty innings of 41 off 36 balls comes to an end as he charges down the pitch at medium-pacer Ziaur Rahman and misses a heave, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur pulling off a sharp stumping standing up to the stumps.

12th over – Ontong comes down the pitch and swipes Nasir Hossain over midwicket for six.

9th over – A lucky five runs for Ontong! He tries to sweep Sunny, but inside-edges the ball on to his pad from where it dribbles towards short fine-leg. Farhaan Behardien calls Ontong through for the single, the fielder scores a direct hit at the bowler’s end, but Ontong is safe and gets a bonus four runs as the ball runs away to the boundary!

7th over – WICKET – Disaster for South Africa as Hashim Amla is run out for a run-a-ball 20. Ontong pushes Sunny away square on the off side, thinks about the quick single but then sends Amla back too late. The South African captain is beaten by a super direct hit by Nasir Hossain.

6th over – WICKET – Mahmudullah rather fires in his off-breaks and Colin Ingram (1) chips a cramped drive back to the bowler, who takes a good low catch.

5th over – WICKET – Left-arm spinner Sunny strikes in his first over as Du Plessis tries to heave a flatter delivery away on the leg side but ends up skewing the ball over wide mid-on, Ziaur taking a good catch diving backwards. Du Plessis is out for 13.

3rd over – Amla is quickly on to a delivery from Abdur Razzak that is fractionally short, whipping a square-drive through cover-point for four.

2nd over – Du Plessis shuffles down the pitch and pushes Mortaza straight down the ground for four.

1st over – Amla starts confidently as he strides forward to left-arm spinner Razzak’s third delivery and drives him beautifully through extra cover for four.

There is clearly plenty of work still to do for South Africa in T20 cricket as they slumped to a 29-run defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in their Pran RFL Triangular Series match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120620/Plenty_of_work_to_do_for_SA

South Africa’s back-up attack is a worry as they conceded 176 for four after Zimbabwe chose to bat first; and the home attack then sent out a clear warning that spinners and bowlers who take the pace off are still a major threat for the South African batsmen as they bowled them out for 147.

Richard Levi had given South Africa a solid start with his 40 off 28 balls, but his soft dismissal, pulling off-spinner Prosper Utseya to cow-corner, and the decision to move Justin Ontong (4) and Dane Vilas (0) up the order proved costly as the tourists slumped from 73 for one after eight overs to 91 for five just four overs later.

Colin Ingram, who was dropped first ball by Vusi Sibanda, scored a defiant 48 off 39 balls, but when Sibanda caught him at deep mid-off off the bowling of the superb Christopher Mpofu in the 18th over, it was all over for South Africa.

Hashim Amla (11) still looked in prime form as he collected two boundaries off Kyle Jarvis in the second over, but in the next over, he tried to drive Mpofu on the up and could only sky a catch into the hands of the back-pedalling Hamilton Masakadza.

Mpofu had Ingram dropped at square-leg by Sibanda in the fifth over but took a break with excellent figures of one for 14 in three overs.

But Jarvis continued to leak runs at the other end, going for 28 in two, and South Africa were in charge until the introduction of spinners Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya.

Utseya removed Levi and Cremer then heaped more pressure on the South Africans by dismissing Ontong – off a cramped drive – and Vilas, who tried to cut a big-turning googly and chopped on, with successive deliveries in the 10th over.

Cremer struck again in his next over with the even bigger scalp of JP Duminy (6). The left-hander also fell to the googly, which Cremer almost turns more than his stock leg-break, and was so far down the pitch that wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor could afford three attempts to complete the stumping!

Ingram and Albie Morkel found ways to score off Cremer, though, as they gave South Africa a chance, taking 15 runs off the leg-spinner in the 14th over, to leave the visitors needing 63 off six overs to win.

Morkel had hit Cremer a long way for six but then found a frustrating way to get out as he bottom-edged a cut at a very wide delivery from Richard Muzhange and was caught behind for 10.

Muzhange was brilliant at the death, taking two for 16 in three overs, but no one bowled better than Mpofu, who finished with three for 20, removing the dangerous Robin Peterson (13) and Ingram in the 18th over.

Cremer finished with three for 29 and Utseya one for 27 in four overs as Zimbabwe pulled off one of their most famous victories.

Half-centuries by both opening batsmen had been the key feature as Zimbabwe posted a fine 176 for four.

South Africa again produced a mediocre bowling display and a messy performance in the field and will have to chase down a testing target on a pitch that is offering turn and grip for the slower balls.

Zimbabwe won the toss and batted and openers Sibanda and Masakadza immediately had the South African bowlers under pressure as they breezed to 38 without loss in five overs.

It just got worse for the visitors as Sibanda and Masakadza reached 50 in the seventh over and raised their century partnership after just 12 overs.

Perhaps one shouldn’t expect miracles just a day after their disappointing first match against Bangladesh, but the South African bowlers once again failed to build pressure, bowling towards the leg-side too often and not stacking up dot balls.

Sibanda and Masakadza eventually added 114 for the first wicket before Masakadza tried to slog-sweep left-arm spinner Peterson, who held the ball back and was rewarded with a catch at cow-corner.

Masakadza, powerful and lethal on the leg side, scored 55 off 39 balls, with five fours and a six.

Sibanda enjoyed himself until the 16th over, hammering four fours and two sixes in his 58 off 50 balls before Parnell had him caught at deep backward point in the 16th over.

The over was an eventful one, also featuring a dropped catch on the boundary by Levi, a four and another wicket when Elton Chigumbura mistimed a pull off the left-arm seamer to be caught off the first ball he faced.

Captain Taylor, dropped by Ontong on the midwicket boundary off Morkel on six, was the star of the closing overs, joining in on the feast as he bashed three fours and two sixes in lashing 38 off 21 balls. His innings ensured Zimbabwe posted a testing target after a very promising start.

Taylor fell to the first ball of the final over when he somehow managed to glove what should have been a free hit at a wretched short ball down leg from Marchant de Lange to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, who took a good catch diving forward.

Peterson enjoyed bowling on a pitch that suited him, finishing with one for 29 in his four overs, while Morkel (3-0-26-0) and De Lange, in a final over that cost just seven runs, did well when called upon to bowl at the most inconvenient times.