Not only must the Cheetahs win to ensure the three-time champions don’t start running away with the conference title, a number of personal clashes will decide who gets the nod from Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer for next Saturday’s Test against Italy. At Newlands, it’s the last chance saloon for the Kings when it comes to avoiding the promotion/relegation game. By KEN BORLAND.

The ICC’s cricket committee has once again waxed lyrical about the importance of Test cricket and has called for full members to play a minimum number of Tests within a four-year period. It’s a quaint notion, but the longest format has a long way to go to get itself in order. By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

Despite a number of conundrums posed by a host of injuries, the depth of established talent available for the upcoming SA Quadrangular Tournament 2013 means that Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is not going to be panicked into fielding Johnnies-come-lately who are not part of his vision for the next World Cup. By KEN BORLAND.

Swinging conditions, moving pitches and new ODI rule changes are just a few of the things teams will have to adjust to before the Champions Trophy starts next week. BY ANT SIMS.

You may not have noticed it, but from cities to villages, workplaces to homes there is something especially South African going on in the air this week. It may not be visible but going on around you is a unique collective anticipation that is unifying very poor and very rich, black and white, men and women: nerves tingle, there are unsolicited palpitations of the heart, bad dreams and good dreams. Yes: the Comrades is almost here. By MARK HEYWOOD.

England wrapped up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand on Tuesday, amidst dodgy weather and even dodgier declarations. That the second-ranked Test team in the world approached a vantage point with such timidity is somewhat disconcerting ahead of a looming Ashes series. By ANT SIMS.

South Africa is heading into the Champions Trophy as underdog and Gary Kirsten is staying realistic about his last stint as coach. So far there is no talk of bringing back trophies, but he does hope for a mental shift in the players. By ANT SIMS.

Pat Lambie lost the battle of the flyhalves at King’s Park, the clinical Cheetahs set up a conference-race thriller and the bottom-of-the-barrel Stormers showed character to reward fans with a rare win. By KEN BORLAND.

The IPL came to an end on Sunday in a rather average match, played in front of a full house. The cricket itself was rather dull, but the goings-on off the field kept getting murkier. By ANT SIMS.

For the football romantics, Bayern Munich’s triumph over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final on Saturday night might have been heart-breaking, but there’s solace in a rather sprightly future for German football. By ANT SIMS.

The Stormers have higher, far more treacherous mountains to climb than the picturesque hill near Newlands on Saturday. Ranked against them will be a crocked list that is as long as a teamsheet, their fans and the Reds – a side that has a strong pack and a potent attacking backline. Oh, and if they lose there’s the possible purgatory of a promotion/relegation match against the Lions to look forward to. By KEN BORLAND.

David Saker made the big mistake of calling James Anderson “the most skilful bowler in the world” after the Lancastrian become the fourth Englishman to pass the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket. While his comments hold some merit, skill doesn’t mean he’s the best, and there really isn’t much to debate regarding who is. BY ANT SIMS.

It’s like a real-life Bollywood blockbuster as the spot-fixing saga drags on. More cricketers have been arrested and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth has claimed that he is innocent. The drama is unlikely to slow down any time soon, but the tournament keeps going on despite protests all over the show. By ANT SIMS.

David Warner’s recent Twitter outburst, directed at two Australian journalists, has put sportsmen and their Tweets in the spotlight yet again. Media managers face a whole extra challenge these days, and it’s becoming clear that players might need social media training alongside their traditional churn-out-these-clichés-in-press-conferences training. BY ANT SIMS.

Every man and his dog has reacted to the spot-fixing saga which rocked the IPL. Everybody has promised stricter security and ruthlessness when dealing with the perpetrators. But what about the players and their well-being? By ANT SIMS.

South Africa’s Vodacom SuperRugby Conference title still looks set to return to Tshwane as the Bulls won their fifth successive game to keep ahead of the Cheetahs, who claimed an impressive victory over the Reds. The Sharks, meanwhile, silenced allegations of cultural divisions within their team by sealing a spirited win over the Western Force in Perth. By KEN BORLAND.

James Anderson became the fourth English bowler to take 300 wickets over the weekend. He’s not the most intimidating, and it took him until 2010 to figure out how to exploit all kinds of conditions, but Anderson is a crucial cog in England’s wheel. By ANT SIMS.

Over four days, the first Test between England and New Zealand dished up a script every cricket lover could hope for. A Stuart Broad-inspired England came out on top quite easily, but there are plenty of positives for both sides. ANT SIMS reports from Lord’s.

Allegations of cultural rifts within the Sharks team might just be the spark to finally get them fired up and playing as a unit as they take on the Western Force in Perth this weekend, writes KEN BORLAND.

Three IPL players were arrested on allegations of spot-fixing on Thursday and, if the allegations are true, one of the most nagging questions will be ‘why’? Why would somebody deliberately risk their reputation and compromise their craft? ANT SIMS spoke to sports psychologist Greg Wilmot to get some insight.

It’s scandal time all over again after three IPL players were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of spot-fixing. Delhi police have said that there will be more arrests, with as many as 12 matches reportedly under scrutiny. While it’s no surprise, the incident has once again highlighted the need for a more stringent anti-corruption unit across the board. By ANT SIMS.

Toss the confetti and sound the Lord’s bell: England’s summer of cricket is about to start. A two-match Test series against New Zealand is just the appetiser ahead of an eat-as-much-as-you-like buffet. Now all the hosts have to do is to ensure they don’t choke on the starters. By ANT SIMS.

Lord’s is a special cricket ground, and for the New Zealand team about to play England there on Thursday, it’s a massive occasion - with only three out of the presumed starting XI having played there before. From sampling the lunch to strolling out of the pavilion, it’s an occasion to relish, with the Black Caps hoping to top it off with a special performance. By ANT SIMS.

Too much aggression and testosterone are often factors which get the blame for South Africa’s horrific rape statistics, but one brave survivor has teamed up with rugby teams to turn these integral parts of the game into something beneficial for the fight against violent sexual abuse. By KEN BORLAND.

Alviro Petersen has been named as the replacement for Graeme Smith in South Africa’s Champions Trophy squad. The other contenders, Quinton de Kock and Henry Davids, will have to wait a while longer to get their chance at a major tournament. By ANT SIMS.

Football in Turkey is something quite extraordinary: whether it’s the presence of riot police and teargas or the atmosphere of a sold-out 32,000 seat stadium full of chanting. ANT SIMS was in Istanbul for Besiktas’ last match and got to experience it all first hand.

Feet-up Bulls stretch Conference lead to five points as Sharks and Stormers kiss playoff chances goodbye and Cheetahs disappoint. By KEN BORLAND.

For arguably the first time ever, Cricket South Africa has acted quickly and decisively. Just a few hours after Gary Kirsten announced that he would not be renewing his contract as national coach, his deputy, Russell Domingo, was announced as successor - and it’s the best thing CSA could’ve done. By ANT SIMS.

Despite coach Naka Drotske talking up the attacking prowess of unlikely Conference candidates the Cheetahs, this vital result will be decided by the extent to which their defence can frustrate the Hurricanes into making mistakes. For the Stormers, already trailing the Bulls by eight points, a loss to the Waratahs in Sydney could sink their season. And at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Kings will have to summon the sort of early-season chutzpah and resilience that has kept them above Saturday’s bottom-of-the-log opponents, the Highlanders. By KEN BORLAND.