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Konstas, Green and Andrews put Thunder in BBL playoffs
Sydney Thunder 158 for 7 (Konstas 53, Andrews 37*, Morris 3-43) beat Perth Scorchers 97 (Hardie 22, Green 3-13, McAndrew 2-21) by 61 runs
BBL powerhouse Scorchers require a miracle to reach the finals after slumping to a fourth straight defeat.
Konstas fires, Andrews provides late lift
On a surface known for being sluggish and favouring spin, Konstas and fellow opener David Warner decided to go for broke against the new ball.
They smashed 36 runs in the first three overs with Warner setting the tone with an early blow over the infield before being overtaken by Konstas.
Konstas mixed elegant strokes with trademark inventiveness to race to 28 off 12 balls, but Warner's dismissal in the last over of the powerplay triggered a collapse.
Konstas could not find the strike as Thunder's batters struggled mightily on a surface that started to become difficult to bat on. They didn't score a boundary for almost 10 overs until Konstas cleverly reverse-swept Connolly's left-arm spin for a boundary.
He finished the innings with a six down the ground in a final over that cost 25 runs - the most expensive of veteran Jason Behrendorff's T20 career.
Beardman debuts, spin takes over
Scorchers' finals hopes received a blow after Jhye Richardson's latest injury setback ended his BBL season.
He had a tough BBL initiation, entering the attack in the third over against Konstas and Warner. Beardman hopes to one day emulate Morris and bowl 150 kph, but he can already produce significant pace around 140 kph.
Beardman was under siege against a rampaging Konstas, his Australia Under-19 teammate, who used his feet superbly to whack a slower delivery down the ground for six.
Connolly, whose bowling is slowly progressing, was extremely accurate and clean-bowled Sam Billings to finish with 1 for 16 off 4 overs. It was a tonic after Connolly was not not named in Australia's Champions Trophy squad.
Morris recovered from a tardy start to claim three wickets with fiery bowling touching near 150 kph. But Turner was left to rue not bowling out Spoors, who still had two overs left, with Morris and Behrendorff smashed at the death.
Sangha returns in favourable conditions
Green claimed a couple of late wickets to finish with 3-13 off 4 overs, while Andrews capped a fine all-round match with the wicket of Nick Hobson.
Hardie's struggles continue
Allrounder Hardie started the day with good news after he was selected for Australia's Champions Trophy squad despite a modest BBL season playing as a specialist batter.
He came to the crease in the second over following the wicket of Finn Allen. Disaster struck when Fanning was run out at the non-striker's end after Hardie had initially called for a single before changing his mind.
The run-out seemed to rattle Hardie, who was edgy at the crease before smashing consecutive sixes on the leg side off quick Nathan McAndrew. But he was soon bowled for 22 - which was Scorchers' top score - to trigger a collapse.
Scorchers' disastrous performance was summed up by Connolly, their leading batter this season, being run out attempting a second run after a direct throw from Hugh Weibgen at midwicket.
Turner, who has rescued his team many times before, holed out tamely as Scorchers appear almost certain to miss finals for just the third time in BBL history.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
Beau Webster to prepare for WTC final with Warwickshire stint
His deal with Warwickshire runs from the start of May until the end of July, and he is due to be available in both the County Championship and the T20 Blast. If he is named in Australia's squad for the WTC final - as expected - then he will likely miss a handful of Blast fixtures, with the final scheduled for June 11-15.
Other members of Australia's Test squad who are not involved in either the IPL or PSL may follow Webster's lead in seeking out county contracts in the build-up to the WTC final. Two South Africa regulars in David Bedingham (Durham) and Kyle Verreynne (Nottinghamshire) have already secured deals.
Webster will be representing his third county in as many years, after recent stints with Essex (in 2023) and Gloucestershire (in 2024). His stock has risen significantly in that time: his deal with Essex came about when he was playing club cricket in the UK, before he joined Gloucestershire for most of their successful T20 Blast campaign last summer.
"I'm really pleased to sign for the Bears for part of the 2025 season," Webster said. "Having played Birmingham League cricket [for Knowle and Dorridge] in the past, I have great memories of the people and the area. I played some Championship cricket last summer with Gloucestershire and loved the challenge of the competition."
Mark Robinson, Warwickshire's head coach, said: "We're delighted Beau has chosen to become a Bear. Since we first approached him he has made his international debut which shows how highly regarded he is thought of by Australia's selectors. As an allrounder he will give us great balance in both the Championship and Blast."
English players want NOC clarity after signing PSL deals
English players are seeking clarity from the ECB over whether they will be granted No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) after they were signed to play in the PSL at Monday's draft in Lahore.
The new policy will see players denied NOCs for all overseas leagues that take place during the English summer, including the PSL, the CPL and MLC - with the notable exception of the IPL. Players on white-ball contracts with their counties will be granted NOCs for competitions that do not clash with the T20 Blast or the Hundred.
The ECB initially planned to block players with any provision for red-ball appearances from missing County Championship fixtures to play overseas, but have since softened their stance after pressure from players, their agents and the PCA. At this stage, Billings, Curran, Jordan and Willey are all expected to be granted NOCs for the PSL.
The board's stance is that its NOC "consultation group" will consider all requests against the criteria set out in November. ESPNcricinfo understands that in the case of the PSL, this will mean players will be eligible for NOCs if they are on white-ball contracts, or if they choose to renegotiate existing multi-format deals after the draft.
Kohler-Cadmore and Vince are on all-format contracts with their respective counties - Somerset and Hampshire - and both are understood to be considering their available options. The PSL is due to run from April 8 until May 19, and both players will miss at least the first six Championship games of the season if they fulfil their PSL deals.
A PCA spokesperson said: "Following the announcement of the NOC policy and its proposed implementation, the PCA has been engaging with its members, legal team and the ECB, collectively representing current players to find solutions on restrictions. Progress has been made across a number of implementation areas, however, each NOC request is on a case-by-case basis and there remains ongoing consultation."
James Anderson set for T20 comeback in new Lancashire deal
"I am incredibly excited to sign this contract with Lancashire and resume playing professional cricket again next season," Anderson said. "This club has played a huge part in my life since I was a teenager, so to have the opportunity to wear the Red Rose again and help the side in both red and white ball cricket is one that I am really looking forward to.
"I have been working hard on keeping my fitness levels high and continuing to bowl regularly during my time as a coach with England throughout the winter, with the aim of being able to hit the ground running when the county season starts in April.
"I love playing at Emirates Old Trafford and to have the chance to walk out and bowl in front of our Members and supporters again this summer is going to be really special."
Anderson, who will turn 43 in the summer, made his Lancashire debut a quarter of a century ago, in 2001. He only made one County Championship appearance in 2024, but topped the club's averages after taking 8 for 64 against Nottinghamshire at Southport.
He has been linked with continuing his playing days in various T20 franchise leagues, aside from the IPL, and could now push his case for further opportunities, having last played the format during the 2014 Blast.
Mark Chilton, Lancashire's director of cricket performance, said: "We have been in open dialogue with Jimmy since his international retirement and our position has been clear from the start. It is fantastic news for all connected with the club that he has chosen to continue his playing career with Lancashire.
"From speaking to Jimmy recently, it became clear that his desire to resume playing professional cricket was strengthening every day and he was just desperate to get back out on the park. As it stands, he is fully committed to the county season across both the County Championship and Vitality Blast this summer, and whilst we all recognise he will have other opportunities, he has made it clear playing is his first priority.
"To be able to share a dressing room with England's all-time leading wicket taker, and one of cricket's greatest players, is incredible for our squad and I've no doubt that our Members and supporters, and cricket fans around the world, will be equally as thrilled to watch Jimmy in action for Lancashire again next summer."
Anderson is currently in Abu Dhabi with England's fast bowlers ahead of their white-ball tour to India, and revealed on his Tailenders podcast that he is due to be part of their coaching staff for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next month.
Warner, Williamson, Mitchell, Chapman among big-ticket signings in PSL 2025 draft
The decision did not come without trade-offs; Rashid Khan, for example, signed a three-year contract with Lahore Qalandars in 2023, but will instead be at the IPL. But players from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, so often unavailable because the PSL's traditional February-March window clashed with their home international season, were signed in droves.
That may partially be explained by the availability of players who might otherwise not been options for the PSL, but perhaps also hints at the waning confidence in local fast bowling talent among the franchises.
Last year, the PCB told ESPNcricinfo was to co-exist with the IPL rather than compete with it. The PSL draft this time around may have wanted organisation and production quality, but did offer a little glimpse into what that might look like once April rolls around.
Osaka helper gets birth certificate from L.A. home
MELBOURNE, Australia -- While Naomi Osaka is busy competing -- and winning -- at the Australian Open, she needed to send someone to retrieve her 1-year-old daughter's birth certificate from their California home in case it got caught up in the wildfires ravaging the greater Los Angeles area.
After a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory against Caroline Garcia of France in the first round at Melbourne Park on Monday night, Osaka said during an on-court interview at Rod Laver Arena that she had learned that there was a fire burning three blocks from her house.
Osaka said she figured it would be a good idea to keep the birth certificate safe. Her daughter, Shai, was born in July 2023 and has traveled with Osaka on the tennis tour.
Osaka announced this month on social media that she and Shai's father, rapper Cordae, had ended their relationship.
"Honestly I don't think I've been doing the greatest keeping focus, but obviously I won, so I think it's an acceptable job," Osaka said about dividing her thoughts between Los Angeles and the tournament where she's competing. "It is really difficult for me ... because I find now my home is more of a home because I have memories with my daughter. There's so many things -- keepsakes and stuff like that."
Osaka wore a black Dodgers hat with "LA" and a red heart stitched on it, along with a purple Lakers jersey to her news conference.
"I'm not there, so I don't know how bad it is or how bad it's going to get," she said. "But I think the biggest thing that I am grateful for is that everyone in my family is safe."
Osaka added that she doesn't think she will head to Los Angeles right after the Australian Open because, she said, "I don't feel like it's safe enough to go back there. It's kind of a little bit in a limbo -- but also motivating me to hopefully stay here as long as I can."
Osaka is a former No. 1-ranked tennis player who has won four Grand Slam titles -- two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open.
Osaka was born in Japan and her family moved to the United States when she was 3. She has been based in Los Angeles for several years.
"Sending all my love to L.A. We hear about fires, but I didn't know how devastating it could be," Osaka said on court. "I hope everyone's doing well."
She then wrote "LA" and drew a heart in blue ink on the lens of a courtside TV camera. Other Australian Open athletes, including Coco Gauff and Donna Vekic, have done similar after their matches.
This was the second year in a row that Osaka and 2022 US Open semifinalist Garcia have played each other in the first round at Melbourne Park. Last year, though, Osaka had only recently returned from maternity leave and she lost that match to Garcia.
"It's a really big coincidence," Osaka said. "It felt a little familiar."
She got off to a good start this season by reaching the final of a hard-court tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, although she stopped playing after taking the opening set of that title match because of an injury.
Next at the Australian Open for Osaka will be a matchup against 20th-seeded Karolina Muchova, who was the runner-up at the 2023 French Open but later missed about 10 months of action because of wrist surgery. Muchova advanced by eliminating Nadia Podoroska 6-1, 6-1.
Muchova defeated Osaka in the second round of last year's US Open.
Source: Eagles LB Dean likely out for playoffs
PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles starting linebacker Nakobe Dean is believed to have suffered a serious knee injury in Sunday's wild-card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers and is expected to miss the remainder of the playoffs, a league source confirmed.
Dean was injured in the second quarter after wrangling tight end Tucker Kraft to the ground for a 3-yard loss on a screen play.
After being assisted off the field to the medical tent, Dean was carted inside, offering gestures of encouragement to the fan base on his way to the tunnel.
NFL Network was first to report the seriousness of Dean's injury.
"He's one of the true leaders on this defense," said cornerback Darius Slay. "I know I got the 'C' on my chest but if there is someone I want to give my [captaincy] to, it's him.
"It's hurtful to see him go down like that because he is having an amazing year, playing outstanding, and I'm praying for him for a speedy recovery."
Dean, the former Georgia standout and third-round pick in the 2022 draft, elevated to a starting role for the Eagles last season but was sidelined for all but five games due to multiple foot injuries, including a Lisfranc sprain that landed him on injured reserve in November.
He has been an impact player for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this season, racking up 128 tackles, three sacks, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and an interception during the regular season. He also was responsible for relaying defensive calls to the group, duties that went to All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun when Dean exited Sunday.
Oren Burks replaced Dean in the lineup and will likely fill in for him moving forward. Burks, who played his first six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and Packers, had five tackles Sunday and forced a fumble on special teams on the opening kickoff, resulting in a turnover and a quick score for Philadelphia that set the tone for the game.
Fury retires from boxing again: 'It's been a blast'
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury announced his latest retirement from boxing Monday, one month after losing a rematch with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury has called it a career on multiple occasions previously, most recently in April 2022 after his win over Dillian Whyte. However, the Brit returned to action in December that year.
"I'm going to make this short and sweet, I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing," Fury said in a video posted to social media.
"It's been a blast, I've loved every single minute of it and I'm going to end with this. Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everybody, see you on the other side."
It was unclear why Fury made a reference to Turpin, a famed 18th century English highway robber and horse thief. Fury also retired in 2013 and 2017 in social media posts, with both statements proving to be short-lived.
His latest announcement caught his promoter Frank Warren by surprise. But Warren told TNT Sports that no one in the boxing world should influence Fury.
"God bless him. If that's what he wants to do, that's what he should do," said Warren. "He's made a lot of money. He's had a fantastic career. He's the best British heavyweight ... he has been in some magnificent fights. He has shown what he's about. He has been exciting, you know, to be around him. I've loved every minute of it, and I hope all the fans have as well."
The 36-year-old Fury was beaten for a second time by Usyk in December as he looked to regain his heavyweight world championship belts.
A long-touted fight with Anthony Joshua had been rumored for this year with both fighters in the latter stages of their respective careers. British sports promoter Eddie Hearn, who said he reserved Wembley Stadium this summer for a potential Fury-Joshua fight, expressed doubts Fury is calling it quits, hinting that it might be a strategy for the heavyweight to retire to entice a bigger purse for the fight.
"I'm not going to accuse him of it not being genuine, but I think you get a better deal coming out of retirement," said Hearn. "Or maybe he just hasn't got the stomach for it anymore. Beat twice and had enough. [I] doubt it. Who knows?"
Fury was upset with the unanimous decision when he lost the Dec. 21 rematch with Usyk in Saudi Arabia. Usyk landed 179 of 423 punches thrown (42%), while Fury landed 144 of his 509 punches, a 28% clip.
Fury had acknowledged making mistakes, notably by showboating too much, when losing their first fight in Riyadh in May by split decision. His career record is 34-2-1, with 24 KOs.
The losses to Usyk were the only defeats in Fury's career, which began in 2008 and included one draw against American boxer Deontay Wilder in 2018.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Man arrested, charged with stalking Fever's Clark
A 55-year-old Texas man was arrested on a felony stalking charge in Indianapolis on Sunday after he allegedly sent threats and sexually violent messages to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark via social media, according to court documents.
Police records show that Michael Lewis, of Denton, Texas, was charged with a Level 5 felony after he was arrested at a hotel in Indianapolis. He is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.
Lewis could face up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department first spoke to Lewis on Wednesday about his alleged messages to Clark on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Been driving around your house 3x a day," Lewis messaged to Clark, according to court documents. "But don't call the law just yet."
"I'm getting tickets. I'm sitting behind the bench," read another message.
Other messages were sexually violent, according to court documents.
Clark told police that she feared for her safety -- even before Lewis arrived in Indianapolis -- and had even altered her appearance in public.
Mears said investigators tracked the IP address of Lewis' recent messages and found that he was at a hotel in Indianapolis. Lewis told police that he was in "an imaginary relationship" with Clark and that he came to Indianapolis on vacation.
The messages continued after the initial visit by police.
"It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don't," Mears said. "In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.
"We commend Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and the Marion County Sheriff's Office for the swift and serious action that led to this weekend's arrest."
According to The Indianapolis Star, prosecutors have moved to ban Lewis from Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever play at both arenas.
In December, a 40-year-old man from Oregon received a one-year suspended sentence and three years' probation after he pleaded guilty to a second-degree charge following his arrest for stalking UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.
McCarthy out as Cowboys' coach, source says
FRISCO, Texas -- Mike McCarthy will not return as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach in 2025, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.
McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys expired last Wednesday but the team held an exclusive negotiating window with the coach until Tuesday at midnight. However, the sides have not had any negotiations regarding a new deal, sources told Schefter on Monday.
The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are expected to be interested in speaking with him regarding their vacancies, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Last week, the Bears had an official request for permission to speak with McCarthy denied by the Cowboys.
Coming off a disappointing 7-10 finish in 2024, Jerry Jones will look to make the ninth head coaching hire of his tenure as owner and general manager.
McCarthy had a 49-35 record in his five seasons as coach, but he won just one playoff game while suffering devastating home losses in the wild-card round to the San Francisco 49ers (2021) and Green Bay Packers (2023).
Jones had McCarthy and his entire coaching staff work on the last years of their deal after posting three straight 12-5 marks and leading the team to the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time since the 1990s.
The Cowboys opened this season with a 3-2 record but suffered five straight defeats and saw key players including quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) end the year on injured reserve.
After winning 16 straight regular-season games at AT&T Stadium from 2021 to 2023, the Cowboys finished 2-7 at home in 2024 and became the first team in NFL history to trail by at least 20 points in six straight home games, including the 2023 playoff loss to the Packers.
Before injuries took a complete toll on the season, Jones backed McCarthy and said he did not believe in-season coaching changes make a difference. The only in-season change Jones has made came in 2010 when Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start.
At 3-7 this season, the Cowboys won four of their next five games with Cooper Rush at quarterback after Prescott had surgery to repair an avulsion of his right hamstring suffered Nov. 3. The Cowboys' playoff chances officially ended in Week 16.
McCarthy was hired as Garrett's replacement in 2020 with a clear mandate: deliver postseason success. From 2006 to 2018 with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy made the playoffs nine times with four NFC Championship Game appearances and a win in Super Bowl XLV at AT&T Stadium in the 2010 season.
Twice McCarthy eliminated the Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs (2014, 2016). But he was unable to match the playoff success in Dallas.
The biggest disappointment, however, was a 48-32 loss to the Packers in the wild-card round in 2023. Green Bay had a 27-0 lead with less than two minutes to play in the first half and the Cowboys never threatened.
The Cowboys never truly found their footing in 2024.
McCarthy entered this season in the final year of his contract despite becoming the first Cowboys coach to deliver three straight playoff appearances since Jimmy Johnson (1991-93). Johnson, however, won two Super Bowls.
Despite Jones' all-in proclamation at the start of the offseason, the Cowboys saw key contributors to those three playoff seasons -- left tackle Tyron Smith, running back Tony Pollard, center Tyler Biadasz and defensive end Dorance Armstrong -- leave in free agency and did little to replace them.
The team's reunion with running back Ezekiel Elliott did not pay off, although Rico Dowdle ended up with more than 1,000 yards rushing.
Lamb missed training camp before signing a four-year, $136 million contract that made him the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the game. Prescott agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension hours before the season opener at Cleveland.
Three of the Cowboys' top defenders -- pass rusher Micah Parsons (ankle), Lawrence and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) -- also missed time with injuries, which impacted new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer greatly. The Cowboys lost their first four home games of the season by a total of 94 points.
After finishing first in the NFL in points per game in 2023, McCarthy's first season as the playcaller, they were 20th in 2024.
Though they improved defensively as the year went on, the Cowboys allowed 27.5 points per game, 31st in the NFL, and were 28th in yards.
Jones will now be on the lookout for the ninth head coach of his tenure, dating back to 1989. Since Johnson, he has hired a hot offensive coordinator (Chan Gailey, 1998-99), elevated from within (Garrett, 2010-19 and Dave Campo 2000-02), hired a top defensive coordinator (Wade Phillips, 2007-10) and brought in Super Bowl winners (McCarthy and Bill Parcells, 2003-06).
None has been the answer to end the Cowboys' Super Bowl drought.
Does Jones, who turned 82 in October, look for an NFL veteran, a college head coach or an up-and-coming coordinator on either side of the ball to finally get the Cowboys over the hump?
All options would appear to be on the table.
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