Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
LU

Creator

Lungani Zama

International sports and travel writer. author, TV sports producer, a bit of a golfer.

Naomi Osaka after winning the US Open final against Victoria Azarenka at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. (Photograph by Al Bello/ Getty Images)

Sport, the media and mental wellbeing

Players and journalists are necessarily intertwined, but there have to be more considerate and respectful ways to bring the game to spectators

The Cricket South Africa offices in Johannesburg at which Nathi Mthethwa and Cricket South Africa leaders held a press conference to announce the amended memorandum of incorporation. (Photograph by Sydney Seshibedi/ Gallo Images)

SA’s cricket crisis is far from over

Cricket South Africa narrowly avoided forcing Nathi Mthethwa’s hand only to find itself under threat from Sascoc, throwing the game and all involved back into turmoil

Bavuma’s burden and the dearth of Black batsmen

Temba Bavuma’s uncle, who watched the Proteas captain develop into the successful cricketer that he is, explains what makes him a good leader and what is going wrong in nurturing…

Chris Morris, morality and the missing CSA millions

The overlooked allrounder fetched almost R33 million in India while CSA and domestic cricket struggle financially. And players could feel the pinch even more with proposed…

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 16: Kaunda Ntunja during the Absa Currie Cup match between The Sharks and MTN Golden Lions at Growthpoint Kings Park on August 16, 2013 in Durban, South Africa. (Steve Haag/Gallo Images)
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Lala kahle Kaunda Ntunja

South African rugby has lost a gentle giant in Kaunda Ntunja. His commentary in isiXhosa poetically ushered in the Springboks’ first black captain and ‘popped champagne’ after…

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JUNE 24:  Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace at Anfield on June 24, 2020 in Liverpool, England. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Klopp and his Beatles move on from ‘Yesterday’

The wait was long and painful, from the endless jokes to that Steven Gerrard slip. But after 30 years Liverpool are finally Premier League champions of England

EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 29: Mingon Du Preez (c), Dane Van Niekerk, and Marizanne Kapp of South Africa celebrate the taking of Shaquqnq Quintyne of West Indies’ wicket during the 3rd Women’s ODI between South Africa and West Indies at Buffalo Park on February 29, 2016 in East London, South Africa. (Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)

Collective approach, collected spirit for Proteas Women

The Proteas Women are at full strength again and feel confident going into the T20 World Cup in Australia

From De Kock the dasher to Quinny the dutiful

Quinton de Kock’s cricketing brain has made him South Africa’s new ODI skipper. But if his batting genius is to win games on its own, first he must give up the keeper’s gloves.

Many who saw him play at Newlands during the Proteas’ second Test against England will attest to the fact that English all-rounder Ben Stokes was

The Proteas need new heroes

South Africa need to tap into that day-five magic at the next cricket Test in Port Elizabeth, much like English allrounder Ben Stokes did at Newlands

Cricketing light from the start of 2020. (Reuters)

Trip of a lifetime for Kirsten’s 13

Teenagers from sandy Khayelitsha shine on the green fields of Weybridge Cricket Club, England

Magic touch: The Springboks’ victory in the Rugby World Cup saw the nation united in celebration – from affluent Sandton in Gauteng to Siya Kolisi’s impoverished hometown of Zwide in the Eastern Cape. (Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Rugby and a rainbow’s pot of gold

Sport cannot solve a country’s problems, but it does have the power to make us believe we can

Elation: Liverpool’s squad atop a parade bus during their victory procession through the city of Liverpool with the UEFA Champions League trophy that they won by beating Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Can European win nudge Liverpool to league victory?

Liverpool’s Champions League victory parade was a kaleidoscope of colour. The Reds will start their season against Manchester City with high hopes

It’s 2019 and women’s football still faces its biggest battles off the field. (Reuters/Bernadett Szabo)

The greatest show — so sit up and pay up

The Women’s World Cup was an unprecedented success. Despite the incredible entertainment and value, the women’s game still faces massive challenges

England’s Jofra Archer will face the West Indies at the Cricket World Cup, the country of his birth and a side he represented at youth level. (Paul Childs/Reuters)

Jofra Archer, the latest English star from afar

The Barbados-born fast bowler has won English hearts, but Archer’s worlds will collide when the West Indies and England meet

Steve Smith and David Warner of Australia pose a few years before their world was turned upside down by the Sandpapergate scandal. (Reuters/Paul Childs)

Aussies playing dead until World Cup comes to life

The most successful team in Cricket World Cup history is out to shake off the shame of Sandpapergate

Quinton de Kock looks dejected as he walks off after he was run out by Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Punch-drunk Proteas must come out swinging in Southampton

The Proteas, like former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, were stunned by an opponent they thought they would easily knock out

Roar: Tiger Woods made a comeback from nowhere to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Tiger, endangered species no more

The golfing legend proved at the US Masters that he can still pounce