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Kalou praises South Africa’s Professional Soccer League

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Salomon Kalou during the Betway Premiership 2025/26 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orbit College at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 19 January 2026 ©Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix

by
Staff Reporter

Friday Feb 27, 2026. 13:00

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Former Ivorian international Salomon Kalou has given South Africa’s Professional Soccer League (PSL) his stamp of approval.

Speaking to members of the media at the pre-match conference for the Soweto Derby, the former Chelsea winger praised the country’s top flight, the Betway Premiership, for its standard.

“I mean, the South African league is impressive,” said Kalou.

“You know, you see the national team is full of the players that play at home. They play in those leagues from [Mamelodi] Sundowns to [Orlando] Pirates to [Kaizer] Chiefs. Those are the players that represent the national team. So that shows how strong the league is and how well those teams are developing those young talents.”

The 40-year-old cited the league as the main reason for the improved results and performances of the South African national team on the global stage.

“You can tell that with the result of the national team, that South Africa is coming back to the level that they used to be since the golden generation in 1996. You know, we were always waiting for South Africa to come back to where they belong. And they are coming back and the league is showing that,” he said.

Kalou, who notched 97 caps for the Elephants, stated that the league is setting the standard across Africa and that his home country could learn from South Africa.

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“I’m impressed how the stadium is nice and the players are very professional. That should be an idea for us back home in Ivory Coast because, you know, it’s always good to come and finish [your career] at home or to start home and go to Europe. And they have that opportunity here.

“We don’t have that. So, you know, it’s a little bit envious of a player here because you can come home and finish your career or you can start your career home. Not always every country in West Africa or Africa will have that opportunity,” he said.

The Betway Premiership was recently ranked as the 47th best football league in the world and the fourth best in Africa by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

By Nic Gleeson

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Commonwealth Games 2026: Gymnast Ruby Evans wins first gold for Wales

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Ruby Evans in her gymnastic routine

Gymnast Ruby Evans has won Wales’ first Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with victory in the floor final.

Evans, 19, performed the final routine of the women’s programme and defeated England’s Abigail Martin into silver, with her team-mate Shantae-Eve Amankwaah securing bronze.

Evans left the arena in tears on Sunday after her disappointing sixth in the all-round individual competition, that after Wales finished fourth in the team event.

Now, after Welsh identical twins Abigail and Emily Roper won bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other on Monday, Evans has delivered gold.

It was the first victory for Team Wales in Scotland and a ninth medal alongside two silver and six bronze.

There is also a guaranteed podium position for boxer Connor Williams after he reached the semi-finals.

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Saltburn-Norton match investigated over alleged ‘finger clicking’ cheating

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Tech Billionaire Takeover

An amateur cricket match has made global headlines after a fielder was accused of cheating by clicking his fingers to get a wicket.

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has started an investigation into a second XI Division 2 game between Saltburn and Norton.

A viral video on social media appears to show a Saltburn fielder clicking his fingers as the ball passes Noman Shabir’s bat before being caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes. Saltburn appeal and the umpire gives Shabir out.

It has been suggested that the finger-clicking was designed to trick the umpire into thinking the batter edged the ball.

Saltburn won by 159 runs and are top of Division 2 by 17 points.

“The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday,” the league said in a statement on X.

“A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”

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Last week Bowes took eight catches in Saltburn’s 22-run win over Shildon Railway. The men’s Test record for catches by a keeper in an innings is seven.

Bowes leads the league standings with 31 catches, 10 more than any other player.

Rory Cotterill, who captained Middlesbrough second XI during a 29-run defeat by Saltburn last month, responded to a social media post containing the video and alleged two further incidents of cheating by Saltburn in that match.

The original video of the incident has had more than three million views on X, with publications in Australia and New Zealand among those to report it.

The BBC has contacted the league and Saltburn. Norton declined to comment.

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West Indies v Pakistan: Justin Greaves takes five wickets for none in incredible spell

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Steve Borthwick

First Test, Tarouba (day three of five)

West Indies 311 (Hope 92; Ali 4-50) & 126-7 (Chanderpaul 35, Abbas 3-14)

Pakistan 282 (Masood 109; Greaves 5-27)

West Indies lead by 155 runs

Scorecard

West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves took five wickets without conceding a run in an incredible spell of bowling on day three of the first Test against Pakistan.

Greaves, who is playing in his 17th Test, claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul to help dismiss Pakistan for 282 in response to West Indies’ first-innings total of 311.

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The 32-year-old Barbadian’s spell – five consecutive wicket maidens – was all the more remarkable given he had bowled six overs earlier in the day for 27 runs without taking a wicket.

“When I came on captain Roston Chase just said ‘continue to be disciplined in what you are doing’ and to see if I can get some wickets for the team,” Greaves said.

“The ball nipped around and I got some reward. Anytime I get the ball in hand the team looks to me to be that solid player for them [and] try to dig us out of situations.

“To get five wickets for the first time in Test cricket, I’m really happy, but there’s still a lot of work to do in the game.”

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was Greaves’ first wicket at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad when he was bowled for 109 in the 64th over following a superb set-up.

Greaves had pushed the ball wide to the left-hander from over the wicket before he tailed a delivery back into Masood who played down the wrong line and inside edged on to his stumps.

Aamer Jamal had his middle stump uprooted in Greaves’ next over as the seamer speared one through his defences.

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Greaves then trapped Ali Usman lbw before he had Mohammed Rizwan and Mohammad Abbas both caught behind as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 38 runs.

West Indies reached stumps on day three on 126-7 in their second innings – a lead of 155 runs – to leave the match finely poised.

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