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• Ireland salvage pride to avoid clean sweep against South Africa

  Ireland avoided being on the wrong end of a series sweep with a stunning 69-run victory over South Africa in their final ODI.

  South Africa won the series 2-1 but finished with a whimper as they struggled to get on the front foot against the attack-minded Irish on Monday.

  Captain Paul Stirling spurred Ireland on their way to victory with his knock of 88, including 11 boundaries, before Harry Tector's enterprising 60 gave them a bigger edge.

  Andrew Balbirnie (45), Curtis Campher (34) and Lorcan Tucker (26) also strengthened their grip on the encounter before Lizaad Williams found his footing for South Africa.

  He finished with 4-56 after an impressive show in the death overs, which was their only positive in the field, as he helped stop Ireland at 284-9. However, the Proteas had given themselves a mountain to climb that only grew as they lost three early wickets.

  Graham Hume (3-29) was the standout for Ireland, but Mark Adair (2-54) and Craig Young (3-40) also played their part, even as Jason Smith's 91 gave South Africa some hope. 

  Kyle Verreynne (38) and Tristan Stubbs (20) had helped steady the ship before that, but after Smith's stand was cut short, a late collapse ensured South Africa would fall short in the chase on 215 with 29 balls remaining.

  Data Debrief: Ireland finish on a high

  Ireland pulled off a shock win in the second and final match in their T20I series against the Proteas last month, and once again ensured they would leave Abu Dhabi in high spirits.

  Stirling and Balbirnie combined for their first 100-run partnership in an ODI, helping Ireland to their first-ever win over South Africa in the format. 

  Smith can leave with his head held high though - having been taken for a duck in his first ODI, he made a vast improvement with his 91 on Monday, getting nine fours and four sixes. 

• McCullum: England not missing Anderson's coaching

  Brendon McCullum does not believe England were missing James Anderson's coaching during a difficult start to the first Test against Pakistan.

  Gus Atkinson got England an early wicket, but they soon struggled as Shan Masood, whose 43-ball half-century is the second-fastest by a Pakistan skipper in Tests, and Abdullah Shafique both struck centuries.

  However, they made a strong finish to the first day, taking three wickets in the final session, with Pakistan reaching stumps on 328-4.

  Anderson, who has been acting as England's fast-bowling consultant since his retirement, was not in Multan on Monday but is set to join up with the team on day two.

  After a tough day in the field, McCullum insisted Anderson was still on hand to coach the players despite not being present, and believes this shows the impact he has already had on the side.

  "Two months ago, you guys were saying that he didn't deserve to be a coach just yet," McCullum told Sky Sports.

  "Now, it's like, 'We're missing him' - and I think that's a great affirmation of how good an impact Jimmy Anderson has made in a short period of time.

  "He's got [WhatsApp] groups set up with the bowlers and is always feeding information through Jeetan Patel. We live in a world where you can still communicate without being face-to-face… I don't have any qualms whatsoever.

  "I'm absolutely delighted for him that he gets the opportunity to do something he loves doing and when he gets here, he'll be right in the thick of it as he has done as bowling coach since he came in."

  Masood and Shafique added a 253-run partnership for the second wicket but fell softly to Atkinson and Jack Leach before Chris Woakes had Babar Azam lbw as England gave themselves some hope in the closing stages.

  Assistant coach Jeetan Patel, who was working with the fast bowlers in Anderson's absence, was particularly proud of how they kept pushing despite the heat.

  "I couldn't commend them any more," Patel said. "I think the toil they put in today was high-end: the way they tried different things to take wickets, the different fields they had, the way they fielded.

  "To take those three wickets tonight was a testament to the work they'd done in the first two sessions. We're pretty happy with how it's ended up, with them four down."

• Faf du Plessis delighted as St Lucia Kings claim maiden CPL title

  St Lucia Kings captain Faf du Plessis expressed his delight after leading his team to their maiden Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title on Sunday night, overcoming the defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors in a thrilling final. Chasing a target of 139, the Kings were in a precarious position at 51-4, but a crucial 88-run partnership between Aaron Jones and Roston Chase guided the Darren Sammy-coached franchise to a memorable six-wicket victory at the Providence Stadium.

  The Kings’ captain, visibly elated after securing the long-awaited title, emphasized the significance of the win for the franchise. “This franchise has been looking to get that trophy for a long time. Against this opposition, in front of a big crowd—there's no bigger place to play a final,” du Plessis said, acknowledging the challenging nature of the contest. “I would have liked it a bit easier, to be honest!”

  Du Plessis praised the Kings’ bowling unit for their disciplined performance, which restricted the Warriors to 138-8. He highlighted the importance of a positive mindset when chasing what was initially thought to be a competitive total. “I was very happy with the bowling. It was a decent decision [at the toss]. We were very positive to get that score. In our minds, we wanted to play very positively.”

  

   The match turned dramatically in the 16th over of the Kings' chase, when Aaron Jones unleashed a ferocious onslaught, smashing 27 runs off Moeen Ali’s over to swing the momentum in his team's favor. Jones, who had been under pressure early in his innings, finished unbeaten on 48 off 31 balls, while Chase played a vital supporting role with 39 from 22 deliveries. Du Plessis lauded the composure shown by both batters under pressure.

   “For Jones and Chase to absorb the pressure was incredible,” du Plessis said. “If you look throughout the competition, there are no superstars here. Just two or three overs made a really big difference. The ball starts to get wet, and that changed things for us.”

   Guyana Amazon Warriors captain Imran Tahir reflected on his team’s defeat, admitting that their struggles with the bat cost them the chance to defend their title. “We didn't start well with the bat. We knew dew was going to come... Tough luck today. I also want to congratulate St Lucia Kings,” Tahir said. “If we batted better, we could have had 170 or 180. That is a good score on this pitch, especially with the spinners we have. Just one over took it away.”

  

   Tahir praised Romario Shepherd for his late innings contributions with the bat, but rued the missed opportunities by the middle order. “We were putting pressure on them. It could be one more dismissal, and you never know,” he added.

   Meanwhile, Noor Ahmad was named Player of the Tournament after his impressive performances throughout the season, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps. Reflecting on the Kings' victory, Ahmad said, “It's quite a special day for us, and for St Lucia. Everyone tried to give their best. We had good planning, and that's what gave us success.”

   Roston Chase, who was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, expressed his joy at finally winning a CPL title after losing two previous finals. “It's a great feeling. I made two finals and lost... I told Aaron [Jones] that we needed a big over, and luckily we got it,” Chase said, highlighting the pivotal moment in the match when the Kings took control of the game.

   The victory marks a historic moment for the St Lucia Kings, who finally lifted their first CPL trophy after years of close calls. The team, led by du Plessis and guided by head coach Daren Sammy, showcased resilience and skill, etching their name into CPL history in front of a packed Providence crowd.