South Africa are left with a mountain to climb. Photograph: Getty Images
1) South Africa need 21 off 1 ball, World Cup semi-final, Sydney, March 22 1992
For such a cerebral game, cricket can be hideously dunderheaded, happy to toss commonsense into a sea of bureaucracy and another word that begins with ‘bu’. The denouements to the [...]

Liverpool’s Graeme Souness wins the ball. Photograph: Duncan Raban/Getty Images
1. Dave Mackay
As well as being the definitive man’s man, Dave Mackay was the indestructible hero in the movies who leaves his enemies shouting, “What does it take to kill this goddamn sunnabitch?” as bullets, knives and sharply worded insults bounce off him. Mackay was definitely [...]

Rivaldo - the greatest since Maradona? Photograph: Nuno Correira/Getty Images/Allsport
A common, if slightly cringeworthy, observation of pundits in this country is that, if you could marry British will with continental skill, you would have the perfect footballer. Such a mixed recipe was thrillingly in evidence in Diego Maradona. Since then, however, perhaps only Rivaldo has [...]

Bryan Robson celebrates his goal against Holland. Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty
Footballers pride themselves on taking one game at a time, but it is impossible to review their performances in such a way. All act as details on a bigger picture, from which judgement is made. If they didn’t, Avram Grant would still have a job, and [...]