CRICKET
Tournament moved to UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is to replace Sri Lanka as the venue for the Asia Cup starting next month due to the ongoing political and economic crisis in the island nation, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said yesterday. However, Sri Lanka would remain hosts for the nine-team tournament, which is to be played from Aug. 27 to Sept. 11. The country of 22 million people has been crippled by an economic crisis, with shortages of fuel, food and other necessities. Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva said that the national board members “fully stand by the ACC’s decision” to relocate the tournament.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Players barred from ground
Australian rugby league club Manly banned its seven boycotting players from their home stadium for the match against Sydney Roosters yesterday over safety concerns after holding a meeting with police. The seven this week stood down from the National Rugby League match rather than play in a rainbow-themed pride jersey, drawing criticism from LGBTQ groups. Manly officials on Wednesday spoke with police and decided that the seven players’ presence at Sydney’s Brookvale Oval would pose a threat to their safety. “For the safety and well-being of the players, the club has decided that it’s best that they don’t attend the game,” Manly interim chief executive Gary Wolman told the Australian newspaper. New South Wales Police said police officers had conducted a “risk assessment” and were satisfied with “the strategies in place to mitigate any risk to the players and attendees’ safety and security.” Police had received no formal reports of threats made toward players, although the seven have been branded “bigots” and “homophobic” on social media. The Roosters won 20-10.
RUGBY UNION
Red card rule continued
Red cards are to result in 20-minute player suspensions in the Rugby Championship this season after organizers of the tournament continued a trial of laws around sanctions for serious foul play. Red cards usually mean a player is sent from the field and cannot be replaced for the remainder of the match. Under the trial, the player sent off can take no further part in the match, but can be replaced after 20 minutes. So far, World Rugby, the sport’s governing body, has not agreed to a full global trial. “This is a great decision for the Rugby Championship and follows on from its application in Super Rugby,” SANZAAR chief executive Brendan Morris said. “As a group we firmly believe the integrity of international matches is very important and that wherever possible matches must be a contest of 15 versus 15.”
TENNIS
Vicini sets age record
Domenico Vicini, 50, on Wednesday became the oldest player to win a Davis Cup match. He turns 51 in September. Vicini and doubles partner Marco de Rossi of San Marino beat Martin Muedini and Mario Zili of Albania 6-3, 7-6 in Group IV play. The match was Vicini’s 99th overall in his 24th Davis Cup tournament. The Davis Cup wrote on Twitter: “History man Vicini is just one appearance away from playing his 100th tie, a landmark no-one has ever reached!” He can hit that milestone today.
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
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