RUGBY UNION
Training in SA approved
South Africa Rugby on Friday said that professional teams would be able to return to contact training from next week, but added that it is not ready to confirm the schedule of a seven-team domestic competition set to start next month. “The teams have been hard at work with non-contact training for the past five weeks, and once a final COVID-19 test has been passed, they will be able to step up a gear next week,” SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said in a statement. Super Rugby sides the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers are set to tackle PRO14 outfit the Cheetahs, and domestic teams the Pumas and Griquas in a local competition that SA Rugby had hoped would begin by the middle of next month.
CRICKET
Broadcaster threatens exit
Channel Seven chief executive James Warburton yesterday said that the Australian broadcaster might terminate its contract with Cricket Australia (CA) over the sporting body’s handling of the summer schedule, according to comments published in the Daily Telegraph. “It’s a train wreck,” Warburton was quoted as saying, amid concerns that the Big Bash League might be a diluted competition without international players due to COVID-19 restrictions. “We are forced to consider all our options, including terminating the contract and we have put them on notice. This is not an acceptable product and we will not support the season,” he said. “Cricket Australia have an obligation to deliver a competition of no lesser standard than the past.” CA said that it was disappointed with Warburton’s comments and would deliver a “full and compelling summer of cricket.” The board said in a statement: “Cricket Australia greatly values the relationship with our broadcast partners.”
CRICKET
O’Brien six hits own car
Big-hitting Ireland batsman Kevin O’Brien smashed a six into his own car window during a domestic Twenty20 match on Thursday. O’Brien struck eight sixes in a whirlwind 82 off just 37 deliveries playing for Leinster Lightning against North-West Warriors in Dublin. However, he might wish he had taken a few more singles when one of those sixes smashed the window of his own vehicle in an adjoining car park. Cricket Ireland highlighted the damage on its Twitter account, although the 36-year-old O’Brien had the consolation of helping Leinster secure a victory.
SOCCER
Hedges leads Aberdeen
Ryan Hedges scored three times as Aberdeen hammered the Faroe Islands’ Runavik 6-0 on Thursday to reach the second qualifying round of the Europa League after a tumultuous start to the season. Earlier this month, the Dons fined eight players, including another goal-scorer at Pittodrie Jonny Hayes, who broke COVID-19 protocols leading to three Scottish Premiership matches being postponed. Two players tested positive and another six were forced to self-isolate for 14 days after attending a restaurant and a bar together. Wales midfielder Hedges, 25, claimed his first of proceedings after 50 minutes following first-half efforts from Lewis Ferguson and Curtis Main. Hedges, who has three caps, completed his hat-trick either side of Hayes’ 63rd-minute goal.
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
RSS