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Ouaddou: It’s not the the end of the world

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Abdeslam Ouaddou, head coach of Orlando Pirates during the Betway Premiership 2025/26 football match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 18 February 2026 ©Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix

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Staff Reporter

Thursday Feb 19, 2026. 12:07

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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is adamant that his side’s 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday is not the be-all and end-all of their season.

Sundowns claimed victory in the top-of-the-table clash which saw the Brazilians cut Pirates’ lead on the Betway Premiership table to three points.

Though the result could shape the title race going forward, as Pirates seek to dethrone Sundowns, it was far from a title decider, with Pirates still having 13 league games to go before the end of the season.

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes that the race is far from over, but knows his team will have to buckle down as they find themselves in a situation they were aiming to avoid.

“The number of the game that we still have, everything can can happen, you know, and 13 games i think i have to say 13 or 14 games for me, we still have to work to give everything because you can have many surprises in in football and we have to fight until at the end of the of the league,” said Ouaddou, speaking in the post-match press conference.

“The PSL is a very good league with good teams and this scenario, we wanted to avoid it but it happened and it’s not the end of the world and we have to keep working and to keep believing.”

Having already claimed silverware in this season’s MTN 8 and Carling Knockout, Ouaddou stated his side has much to be proud of and must continue with their heads held high.

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“We are not going to have [our] heads down. We need to be proud, not of the loss but to be proud of what the guys have achieved since three or four months and the adventure, the journey must continue because we still have a lot of games.”

Pirates will be looking to get back in the wins column on Saturday as they host Casric Stars of the Motsepe Foundation Championship in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

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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