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Martin Guptill confirms retirement from international cricket
Guptill is currently in action for Auckland in the Super Smash, New Zealand's domestic T20 competition, and has also signed up for the PSL draft, where Islamabad United have the option to retain him.
Guptill also played 47 Tests from 2009 to 2016, though he didn't have as much success in the longest format, scoring 2586 runs at 29.38.
"As a young kid it was always my dream to play for New Zealand and I feel incredibly lucky and proud to have played 367 games for my country," Guptill said in an NZC statement. "I will forever cherish the memories made wearing the silver fern alongside a great group of guys.
"I want to say a huge thanks to all my team-mates and coaching staff over the years, in particular Mark O'Donnell who has coached me since the Under-19 level and been a source of ongoing support and wisdom over my career.
"To my wife Laura and our beautiful children Harley and Teddy - thank you. Thank you Laura for the sacrifices you have made for me and our family. You've been my biggest supporter, my rock and my counsel through all of the ups and downs that come with the game. I am eternally grateful.
"Finally, I'd like to thank all the cricket fans, here in NZ and around the world for all their support throughout the years."
Guptill was then part of the New Zealand team that had progressed to the T20 World Cup final in Dubai in 2021. Guptill was also part of the T20 World Cup squad in Australia in 2022 but did not get to play as Finn Allen was preferred over him.
In November 2022, Guptill gave up his New Zealand central contract to become a freelancer. Since then, he has played in Australia's Big Bash League, the Pakistan Super League, the Caribbean Premier League, the UAE's ILT20 and the Nepal Premier League.
"On his day, Gup was world-class and his crisp ball-striking and timing could take down the best bowling attacks in the world," Latham said. "His numbers speak for themselves, but it was the matches he helped us win that I'll remember, along with the way he set the standard in the field. I wish him all the best for what the future holds and hope to see him around a cricket ground soon."
Guptill's glittering Black Caps career will be acknowledged during the team's third ODI against Sri Lanka at Eden Park on January 11.
Will Tamim Iqbal return for the Champions Trophy? BCB puts the question to him
"We held a primary discussion with Tamim," Gazi Ashraf Hossain said. "We have to announce the Champions Trophy team by January 12, so we have a bit of time. We want to let him take time, not be in a hurry to decide. We have spoken to him on behalf of the board. The player has to come to a decision after speaking to his family, friends and well-wishers. He is also in the middle of a tournament so he will need a bit of time.
"We have four days left [before announcing the squad]. We have done our homework, so we know how things will shape up. We pay respect to a cricketer like Tamim Iqbal, so he can take his time before informing us. I think it's fair enough. The board is fine with this, so everyone now has to be patient."
"We have to announce the Champions Trophy team by January 12, so we have a bit of time. We want to let him take time, not be in a hurry to decide. We have spoken to him on behalf of the board. The player has to come to a decision after speaking to his family, friends and well-wishers."
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain
Gazi Ashraf said that showed Tamim is match fit, though he will have to take a call himself if he can make the step up to international cricket. "There's a huge gap between domestic and international cricket. A player who is at a crucial juncture in his career, he has to consider a lot of things. I think it will be hasty for everyone to take a call in just one meeting, given that Tamim hasn't been around international cricket for quite some time.
"He is playing the BPL. He played in the NCL T20s. There's no question about his ability. We are all waiting for his return to the Bangladesh team. He is most welcome from our side. You just have to wait. Let there be suspense."
Shastri wants Rohit and Kohli to return to domestic cricket to rediscover form
"I think fitness is very important," Shastri told the ICC Review. "That's more important than anything else. There's no substitute for experience. But for me, current form and fitness are very important as well. So the next six months, I know there's a lot of one-day cricket, but when there's an experienced player playing, just seeing the way he's batting, you get a fair idea if we can jump on to that Test cricket bandwagon straightaway.
"So, I'll be watching very closely all the one-day games that are played, the Champions Trophy that is played, a little bit of the IPL as well. And if possible, if there's a gap for them, I think they should go back and play some domestic cricket and see how it is, because when you play Test cricket for that length of time, it's important to play domestic cricket."
Shastri's suggestion may seem logical on the face of it, but the packed cricket calendar leaves both players with a very slim window to play any first-class cricket. The white-ball leg of India's domestic season runs until the third week of January before the focus shifts to the back end of the Ranji Trophy. But with Kohli and Rohit likely to be part of India's home ODIs against England in the run-up to the Champions Trophy, they will potentially have just one Ranji game to feature in, beginning on January 23.
The other option, albeit unrealistic, is for them to try and feature in the county championships in the early part of the English summer. However, this seems nigh impossible given both players are massive draws for their respective IPL franchises. In Kohli's case, he is also in the running to once again captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a job he gave up in 2020.
Ponting: 'Kohli still has the skill, needs time away'
"The way he is getting out, you can see he doesn't want to be playing at those balls," Ponting said. "He's trying not to do it, but there's some mental block that's making him feel for that one outside the off stump. And remember, it's been going on for a while now. He had a mental break, didn't he, maybe 12 months ago, 18 months ago where he stepped away for a while and then came back and re-found the love for the game again.
"So right now, it just seems like that real love of the game for him is not there because he's making it too hard to enjoy. So if he wants to continue playing Test cricket, he might just need to have a little spell for a while, find the love for the game again, but there's no doubt that the skill and the talent is still there. But sometimes you just need to get away, lock up your kit bag for a little while, spend some time with the family, and think about how hard the game can be."
Leagues like ILT20 'not good for the game' - Graeme Smith
"We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We're a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players," he said at the captain's day press conference in Cape Town. "We've been built up against ILT20, so it's very difficult for me to not come across like I'm bad-mouthing them, but I do feel like a league like that is not good for the game; that there's that many international players required to build a team; there's no investment back into local cricket. That is a challenge for the world game and something that needs to be managed going forward."
While the SA20 follows an IPL-style model that allows for teams to field four internationals per XI, the ILT20 allows a maximum of nine internationals. All six SA20 squads are restricted to 19 players, must contain a minimum of 11 South African players and international places in the squads are limited to seven. They are also required to contract a rookie player, a South African under the age of 22 who has not been contracted to the tournament before. The ILT20 requires that at least two UAE players are included in the playing XI and four in the squad overall, and that squads contract two players from Associate nations, who do not get any special provision in the SA20.
For Smith, the SA20's focus is on developing as much local talent as possible while also offering international players the opportunity for tough competition. "We're a Full Member nation. Our priority is to put on a global league, but to benefit South African cricket. That's important for us," he said. "What we have focused on is building the SA20 to the point where we are now being recognised as one of the biggest leagues outside the IPL. That's important for us, and that's the feedback we're getting. And what we've seen from a player group is that this is where players want to play because it's competitive, there's good crowds, the standard of cricket is good, and this is the place to come and challenge yourself."
"There's a lot of really cool grassroots programmes that we're putting in place that hopefully will unearth some incredible talent on both the girls and boys side," Smith said. "Our franchises are also starting to build academies and scouts and do things on the ground which will really benefit the ecosystem. We're hoping in the next coming two to three years that you'll really see the impact of SA20 at the grassroots level."
For Smith, public support for the SA20 is one of the standout features which makes the competition "an established product now that has elevated itself to probably the biggest league outside of the IPL." "I'll never forget seeing you know the fan bases and the colours of each team being supported," he said. "The feedback we get globally is when people tune in, they see a happy South Africa in summer with full stadiums and incredible cricket."
Connolly, McSweeney, Kuhnemann included for Sri Lanka tour
"Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions the players may experience," chair of selectors George Bailey said. "This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets they may encounter in each match.
"We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the squad members who are at the start of their Test careers to continue to grow their games in subcontinent conditions where we have a number of important tours in coming years."
McSweeney was dropped after the third Test against India when the selectors wanted to "throw something different" at India which led to Konstas' dramatic debut. But at the time Bailey said they remained confident that McSweeney had the game for Test cricket.
Connolly, the 21-year-old Western Australia left hander and left-arm spinner, provides another all-round option in the squad for the two Tests. His inclusion all-but ends Glenn Maxwell's chances of adding to his seven Test caps.
Maxwell had long held out hope of being included for the tour having come very close to being include in the XI on the last tour of Sri Lanka in 2022.
Konstas and Webster had a significant impact on the final two Tests against India. Konstas made 60 off 65 balls at the MCG while Webster made a half-century on debut in Sydney as well as contributing with the ball.
Webster's success, plus the likely availability of Cameron Green later in the year following back surgery, led former captain Aaron Finch to believe it will be tough for Marsh to return to the format.
"I think it'll be really difficult for Mitch to get back into the side now," Aaron Finch said on ESPN's Around the Wicket. "There is not a huge amount of cricket left in this summer to force a case, with Cameron Green coming back in early March. For me, it'll be unlikely."
There are just three specialist quicks travelling with incumbents Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland joined by Sean Abbott.
The first Test begins on January 29 with the squad first heading to the UAE for a training camp.
Australia squad vs Sri Lanka
Steven Smith, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
49ers motivated to get Purdy's deal done quickly
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With their season over, the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy are, for the first time in his young career, eligible to discuss a lucrative long-term contract extension.
And while those talks haven't begun just yet, Niners general manager John Lynch, coach Kyle Shanahan and Purdy have made it clear that they intend to reach an agreement with the hope that it will be done sooner than later.
"I think what we know about Brock is that he's our guy," Lynch said Wednesday. "We have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He's done so much for our organization; he's won big games and had a little tougher task as we all did this year with some of the things that happened throughout the course of the year. We just never could string games where we were all together and through that, he continued to lead, he continued to play at a high level, so we have every interest in him being around.
"We'll have some time here in the coming weeks to sit together and put our whole plan together. That's obviously a priority, that position, and we'll give it that attention."
"I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I'm here. Brock's been a stud. He's a guy I've got a lot of confidence in just as a human, but it starts with what he's done on the field these last two and a half years. We're capable of winning the Super Bowl with him. He just almost did, and I know he's capable of getting the Niners a Super Bowl in the future." Kyle Shanahan, on Brock Purdy
As the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Purdy played his first three years on one of the cheapest contracts in the NFL, a four-year rookie deal worth an average annual value of $934,253. He has one year left on that pact and is slated to count $1.119 million against the cap in 2025.
That number is all but certain to rise this offseason as the Niners are prepared to pay him in line with some of the top-paid passers in the league, though it remains to be seen just how high they're willing to go. The Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott is the current highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value at $60 million per season.
Monday, Purdy said he's "not really sure" whether topping that number is of importance to him, but he did make it clear that he wants to get something done as fast as possible so he can be in the fold when the Niners begin organized team activities in April.
"More than anything for me, I want to be able to handle business the right way and do it in a respectable manner and get back to my team as fast as I can to get going," Purdy said. "That's my mindset, my focus. And obviously I want to help the team across the board with all the other guys who need to get their deals done, but everybody will handle it the right way and how they need to."
Following a 2023 campaign in which he earned Pro Bowl honors and finished fourth in Most Valuable Player voting, Purdy's statistical production dipped in 2024 as injuries ravaged his supporting cast. Despite missing running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles, knee) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) for most of the season and playing without left tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle and receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. for other, shorter stretches, Purdy finished seventh in the NFL in QBR (68.0), 10th in passing yards (3,864) and third in yards per attempt (8.5) in his 15 games.
But Purdy also struggled in a handful of bad weather games and was unable to lead fourth-quarter comebacks in some close and late situations as the Niners tumbled to 6-11. His 1.7 touchdowns per interception was tied for 23rd in the NFL and a significant drop-off from the 2.8 he posted in 2023.
Still, Shanahan's belief in Purdy only increased as he watched Purdy grow into a larger leadership role and continue battling despite the difficult situation around him.
"Brock is the leader of our team," Shanahan said. "I've loved these three years with Brock. I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I'm here. Brock's been a stud. He's a guy I've got a lot of confidence in just as a human, but it starts with what he's done on the field these last two and a half years. We're capable of winning the Super Bowl with him. He just almost did, and I know he's capable of getting the Niners a Super Bowl in the future."
Lynch and Shanahan spent the past couple of days doing exit meetings and going through player and coaching staff evaluations, which is why any Purdy extension talks have yet to begin in earnest.
While the 49ers have a history of allowing important contract talks to linger deep into August and even September, as they did with Aiyuk and Williams last offseason, the approach at quarterback figures to be a bit different.
For one, Purdy's contract will involve such a significant raise that it will play a role in how much money the team is able to spend to add to the roster and/or keeping some of its current players. It would behoove the Niners to get a deal done quickly as other top quarterbacks could renegotiate or sign contracts that could alter the market. Also, the 49ers would prefer not to have any spring or training camp practice time without the starting quarterback.
How fast might a deal get done? Well, Shanahan and Lynch do have at least some experience negotiating with a quarterback signing a market-setting deal. In 2018, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal on Feb. 8.
That negotiation was a bit different because Garoppolo was going to become a free agent in March while Purdy is under contract, but it's instructive in the urgency all sides feel to get something done.
"I want to be in San Francisco and play my football career here," Purdy said. "I love it here and I want to do whatever it takes to be here. ... I'm not really sure what it all is going to look like or entail, but I know that I'm the guy for this organization and that I can do what it takes to help lead us where we want to go."
Sources: Belichick, UNC get UConn transfer Yates
UConn defensive lineman Pryce Yates signed with North Carolina on Tuesday, sources told ESPN, joining the Tar Heels' growing transfer portal class under new coach Bill Belichick.
Yates will play for the Tar Heels next season after shining against them in the Fenway Bowl, recording a sack and three tackles for loss to earn defensive MVP honors after UConn's 27-14 victory. Now he's switching sides to finish his career in the ACC.
Yates, a redshirt junior from San Antonio, initially entered the portal Dec. 13 before withdrawing eight days later and announcing on social media he intended to return for the 2025 season. Following his bowl game performance, Yates reentered the portal Dec. 30.
Hours before Yates put his name back in the portal, UConn coach Jim Mora posted on X that he planned to "pursue all avenues" against teams that tamper with his players and recruit them off the Huskies' roster.
"A simple note to the schools and coaches that have blatantly broken @NCAAFootball rules by tampering with our players in the last 24 hours," Mora wrote on X. "We do know who you are, we will pursue all avenues to hold you accountable. We are excited that we've built a program where coaches have to cheat to beat us and we will protect that program. Think hard before you tamper with our players."
Mora later added that he doesn't know how to fix the tampering issue in college football, but that "we will expose any program and coach that violates" NCAA rules. He added: "I'm 100 percent against grown men cheating the rules and teaching players horrible life lessons."
Yates appeared in seven games due to injury but recorded 21 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks for the Huskies during a 9-4 season, the program's most wins since 2007.
North Carolina has picked up commitments from 13 transfers since the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach took over the program Dec. 11.
NFL: Would move Vikings-Rams to AZ if necessary
LOS ANGELES -- As wildfires continue to devastate several areas across Los Angeles, causing thousands to evacuate and impacting air quality, the NFL said it is monitoring the situation's potential impact on Monday night's wild-card playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium and has a contingency plan that involves moving the game to Arizona should the need arise.
Three major blazes were burning in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Wednesday, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, home of the famed Rose Parade. More than 130,000 people are under evacuation orders in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, a number that continues to shift as new fires erupt.
In a statement Wednesday evening, the NFL said it continues to prepare for the game to be played at SoFi Stadium, but if it had to be moved, it would take place Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the home of the Arizona Cardinals.
"As with all games, there are contingency plans in the event a change in location is needed," the league said in its statement.
In 2003, the league moved a Monday night regular-season game between the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, due to wildfires.
The Rams, who had a scheduled off day Wednesday and are slated to resume practice Thursday, also are monitoring the situation, a team official said.
The Rams said no players or staff members had been affected by the fires. The team is headquartered in Woodland Hills, a neighborhood located about 13 miles north of fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades but separated by the Santa Monica Mountains.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires," Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp wrote on social media. "Thank you to the firefighters, first responders, and everyone else doing their best in unfathomable circumstances."
The Los Angeles Chargers, who will visit the Texans on Saturday in a wild-card playoff game in Houston, altered their practice schedule Wednesday to limit players' time outdoors, a team official said.
The air quality index in the area varied Wednesday from 150 to well above 300, depending on specific locations, with smoke and ash blanketing the region. A rating of 150 is considered "very unhealthy," according to the system used to measure air pollution. The air quality in Inglewood, California -- where SoFi Stadium is located -- was 281 Wednesday afternoon.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh had the offensive and defensive units practice separately to limit their time on the field. Still, quarterback Justin Herbert and the rest of the quarterbacks were throwing passes to coaches during the defensive portion of practice. Chargers owner Dean Spanos, who typically isn't out on the field at practice, was there watching with general manager Joe Hortiz during the defensive period open to media.
The air quality index at the team's facility in El Segundo ranged from 170 to 200.
"We're trying to keep everybody safe and healthy as much as possible and also at the same time get our preparation done for the game," defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said.
Wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal lives in Calabasas, which is one of the areas affected by the wildfires. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Lal had "an intense night" with his family dealing with power outages.
The Chargers announced they will provide $200,000 in targeted funding to the American Red Cross, LA Fire Department Foundation, Team Rubicon and pet rescue organizations sheltering animals displaced by the fires.
With thousands of firefighters already attacking the flames, the Los Angeles Fire Department put out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help.
At least five people have been killed in the fires, according to officials, with many others injured.
California's wildfire season typically begins in June or July and runs through October, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, but January wildfires are not unprecedented. There was one in 2022 and 10 in 2021, according to Cal Fire.
The season is beginning earlier and ending later because of rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data. Rains that usually end fire season are often delayed, meaning fires can burn through the winter months, the association said.
ESPN's Kris Rhim and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
No talk of Beal waiving no-trade clause, per agent
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal and his agent have had no talks about waiving his no-trade clause and his only focus is helping the team climb out of its recent slump, agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN.
The Suns have been linked to Jimmy Butler after the Miami Heat suspended him and announced they would seek trade options last week. That led to speculation and reports that Beal could be involved.
The situation drew more attention Monday when Suns coach Mike Budenholzer, in an unexpected change, decided to move Beal to the bench to jump-start the team after it had lost 17 of its past 24 games.
"There have been no discussions about trades with the Suns or any other team," Bartelstein said. "Bradley's total focus is on helping the Suns turn things around."
Beal said after Monday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, his first game in a reserve role in nine years, that he had not heard anything from the team about a trade, adding "I hold the cards" if the Suns were to seek one.
Bartelstein said Beal, who has two years and $110 million left on his contract after this season, would never give up the no-trade clause he got when he signed a five-year, $251 million contract with the Washington Wizards in 2022.
Because of trade restrictions for being a second apron team because of its $216 million payroll, Phoenix would have no functional way to acquire Butler unless it used Beal as part of the trade.
Bartelstein did not rule out possibly of waiving the clause for an approved deal, as Beal did in 2023 when he was traded to the Suns, if a "perfect" situation came up. But that action is not currently under consideration, Bartelstein reiterated.
Beal played 31 minutes off the bench Tuesday, scoring 10 points with five assists in a 115-104 loss in Charlotte to drop the Suns to 16-19 on the season. He scored 25 points off the bench Monday in the win in Philadelphia. He is averaging 17.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Beal and the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James are the only players in the NBA with no-trade clauses in their contracts.
Middleton starts on bench vs. Spurs amid recovery
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton will come off the bench Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, a move Bucks coach Doc Rivers said has more to do with his health and a minutes restriction after he had bilateral ankle surgeries over the summer than his production on the court.
"It's just not improving to the place he wants it or we want it, so we just got to monitor," Rivers said about Middleton's health. "We're cutting his minutes back a little bit and just trying to make sure he gets through this."
Middleton, 33, missed the first 21 games of the season after offseason surgery on both ankles. He has played in 12 games, making his season debut in early December, but had been in the starting lineup in his past seven games before missing Monday's game in Toronto due to ankle tendinitis.
Taurean Prince will take Middleton's place in the starting lineup. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Andre Jackson Jr. will all be available after being listed on the injury report heading into the game.
Middleton is averaging 12.7 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 23.8 minutes this season, but the Bucks have not found a consistent rhythm with him on the floor. Milwaukee is just 3-4 this season in games where Middleton has started.
However, Rivers said he has had too small of a sample to judge Middleton yet, especially while he's juggling limited playing time.
"The bottom line is just not moving every night the way you like to," Rivers said. "One night you see, moving great. One night, he's not. Minutes go up and down.
"It's just -- it's a tough go for him."
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