I Dig Sports
Injury scare for Shubman Gill a week before Perth Test
He hurt his left hand while fielding in the slips and left the field, not to return. It could not be confirmed if the injury will affect Gill's selection for the first Test, starting November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Rohit Sharma welcomes second child but still not confirmed to play in Perth
While it awaits proper assessment of Gill's injury, the Indian camp received the good news that Rohit's wife Ritika Sajdeh had given birth to their second child on Friday. With the due date for delivery close to the Perth Test, Rohit had communicated to the BCCI and the selectors that he might not be available for the series opener.
In the wake of the 3-0 whitewash India suffered against New Zealand recently, Rohit, it is learnt, even considered travelling to Australia to train with the team and return for the birth of his child.
It could not be confirmed if he will now travel to Perth and be available for the first Test.
Gill, who batted twice on Friday, made 28 in his first go before being caught at gully off a Navdeep Saini back-of-length delivery. He made an unbeaten 42 upon his return to the crease.
Champions Trophy tour begins on Saturday, without Muzaffarabad in first leg
The objection caused the delay in finalising a new route, raising the prospects of the tour being delayed altogether. The PCB had announced the launch and route of the tour on its social media channels on Thursday, catching the ICC by surprise; as it is an ICC event, the protocol is that the global body announces those details.
But an alternative route was finalised late on Friday, allowing the tour to begin, as originally planned and announced by the PCB, from Saturday. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will accompany the trophy on the first day as it is displayed at well-known landmarks in the capital, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument.
From Islamabad the trophy will go to schools, colleges and landmarks in Abbottabad, Murree and Karachi in the opening leg before heading off on an international tour, taking in the seven other countries who are part of the Champions Trophy.
The trophy then returns to Pakistan on January 27, three weeks before the scheduled start of the tournament, with another tour of venues around Pakistan.
The PCB has written to the ICC asking the BCCI to put down in writing the exact reasons for its inability to visit, as well as asking the ICC when they were informed of the BCCI's decision.
Jenkins talks NBA 'code' after no-call on Draymond
SAN FRANCISCO -- Once again, the "code" word has come up in a game between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins took exception to a Draymond Green transition take foul on Zach Edey with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter of Golden State's 123-118 win over Memphis on Friday night.
"Overall, thought he was really good," Jenkins said of Edey, who had 14 points and nine rebounds. "And very disappointing, there was that one play, we were about to start the break and he's been playing really hard to try to outlet, and Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down and it doesn't get reviewed.
"So I know there's a code in this league, and I don't understand how that wasn't reviewed. Very disappointing."
Green lost the ball as he was driving around Jaren Jackson Jr. and fell into the paint at Edey's feet. Edey picked up the ball for a steal and immediately threw an outlet pass for a Grizzlies break. Green's left elbow got tangled with Edey's right foot, and the Grizzlies rookie center tripped over Green's sprawled out left leg.
"It definitely wasn't a basketball play," Edey said after the game.
Neither team loved the officiating. Golden State coach Steve Kerr got heated with officials at the end of the game, and Green was ejected for receiving two technical fouls within 33 seconds in the final two minutes.
Green and Kerr declined to comment directly about the officiating, but Kerr described the way the game played out in the fourth quarter as "disgusting" as Memphis clawed its way back from a 24-point deficit down to a five-point loss in an NBA Cup game.
"They reviewed the elbow Draymond took to the face," Grizzlies point guard Marcus Smart said of a play that was reviewed and overturned in favor of the Warriors. "We took an elbow to the face, they didn't review it. Get your leg grabbed, they didn't review it. It's a problem. Got to be consistent, that's all we ask for."
During the Warriors' 4-2 second-round series win over the Grizzlies in 2022, Kerr took exception to a flagrant foul 2 in Game 2 by Dillon Brooks on Gary Payton II, who suffered a broken elbow on the play. Brooks was ejected for the foul. Afterward, Kerr said he didn't know if the play was intentional "but it was dirty."
"There is a code," Kerr said. "This code that players follow where you never put a guy's season [or] career in jeopardy by taking somebody out in midair and clubbing him across the head, ultimately fracturing Gary's elbow. ... He broke the code. Dillon Brooks broke the code."
After Ja Morant got hurt after Jordan Poole grabbed his right knee during a trap in Game 3, Morant tweeted "broke the code" of Poole grabbing his knee before later deleting the tweet. But Jackson Jr. later added, "You know the code. Talk about the code all series at this point."
Ex-Reds manager Bell joins Blue Jays' front office
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays hired former Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell as vice president of baseball operations and assistant general manager.
The Blue Jays announced the move Friday.
Bell will oversee the player development and physical and mental performance departments, while also contributing to strategic planning and player evaluations and acquisitions, the team said.
He will report to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Ross Atkins.
Bell spent the past six years managing the Reds before they fired him with five games left in the 2024 season.
Before that, he spent a decade working in a variety of coaching and player development roles with the Reds, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants organizations.
Bell played 12 seasons in the majors as an infielder with six teams.
Bad-blood match demands England raise game for the Boks
Springboks dont do sympathy.
South Africa have an immediate and emotional connection to their own nation.
On this trip to the northern hemisphere, the Boks have been granting interviews, signing shirts and coaching kids in a concerted PR push. But there are limits. And when talk turned to England, the charm stopped and the Boks offence started.
Asked about opposite number Steve Borthwick, there was an initial trace of empathy in Rassie Erasmus comments... It didnt last the paragraph though.
When you lose two games, even if its by a point or last-minute try, the pressure does start to build, said Erasmus of a start to the autumn which has increased Englands run of defeats to four games overall.
Ive been there and certainly know how quickly that can get to you. Now Steve is a bit under pressure.
It depends on your CEO they can make you feel like you have got a gun against your head.
The Rugby Football Union has no plans to pull a trigger. While a defeat against South Africa two years ago marked the end of his predecessor Eddie Jones, the RFU has backed Borthwick for the long haul, signing off on central contracts to strengthen his arm only last month.
But plans can change. A P45 came only eight months after the same reassurance for Jones.
Defeat would drop Borthwicks win rate - currently 13 victories from 26 matches - to below 50%.
England would have lost five successive Test matches for the first time since 2018.
A 15-point loss, combined with success by a similar margin for Australia in Cardiff on Sunday, would put England eighth in the world - matching a historic low.
Back-to-back world champions South Africa are top of the rankings. But the gap between the two teams on the pitch is rarely as big as on the spreadsheet.
Two of their last three matches at Twickenham have been decided by a single point. Their Rugby World Cup semi-final last year was as well.
A full can of beer thrown from the stands struck Mexico coach Javier Aguirre in the head after the final whistle of a 2-0 away loss to Honduras in the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal.
The incident left Aguirre with a bloody head injury and occurred when he approached Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda to offer a postmatch handshake at Francisco Morazán stadium.
Aguirre brushed off the incident and the injury. "Nothing, nothing, it's football," the 65-year-old coach said.
"They deserved to win, they were better than us in areas, I've got nothing left but to congratulate them, and well, to try to lift my team's spirit. The other thing, there's no point in even mentioning it because well it's football, I'm not one to complain," Aguirre said with a smile.
At the start of the postgame news conference, Aguirre pivoted away from criticism and expressed "solidarity with the people of Honduras who are suffering from tropical storm Sara," as well as support for regions in Spain who have recently dealt with severe weather.
"The FMF unequivocally condemns the acts of violence that occurred tonight at the Francisco Morazán stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Such behavior has no place in our sport," the Mexican soccer federation said in a statement.
"We demand that CONCACAF take immediate and decisive action to address this matter in accordance with its regulations. Soccer should be a celebration, not a battleground. We urge all parts, including institutions, managers, players, fans, and the media, to work together to create a safe and respectful environment for everyone involved."
Rueda apologized for the injury and highlighted that the occurrence affected his feelings about the victory.
"I'm sad because he's a human being," a stoic Rueda said. "They hit the coach ... that can't happen."
Aguirre, rehired in July for his third stint as Mexico's coach, suffered his first defeat of the year after a previous and unbeaten record (2-2-0) at the start of his latest tenure.
After the 2-0 loss to Honduras, Mexico will need to score at least two goals in Tuesday's home leg of the quarterfinal series that will utilize away goals as a tiebreaker for the aggregate score.
Honduras substitute Luis Palma scored both goals Friday.
The winner of the quarterfinal will enter next spring's Nations League semifinal round and the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The loser will have a second opportunity to qualify for the Gold Cup through a preliminary competition.
Holder to miss Bangladesh Tests for shoulder rehab; Phillip, Sinclair return
Joseph was the vice-captain before he missed the South Africa series and the selectors had named Joshua Da Silva as Kraigg Brathwaite's deputy in the interim. But even after Joseph's return for the upcoming series, Da Silva has been retained as vice-captain in the latest 15-man squad.
The two Tests will start on November 22 in Antigua and on November 30 in Jamaica. Before that, Brathwaite will also lead a CWI Select XI, from a squad of 13, for the two-day warm-up against Bangladesh for November 17 and 18 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Joshua Da Silva (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican
Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Justin Greaves (vice-capt), Ryan Bandoo, Daniel Beckford, Navian Bidaisee, Joshua Dorne, Nathan Edward, Chaim Holder, Tevin Imlach, Jordan Johnson, Jair McAllister, Shaaron Lewis, Kimani Melius
Doran century the highlight in rain-hit 9.1-over day
Stumps Tasmania 394 for 5 (Weatherald 186, Doran 101, Ward 51, Whitney 2-103) vs Queensland
Doran, the 27-year-old, resumed day two on his overnight score of 86, and made 101 in 112 balls as the Tigers progressed to a commanding 394 for 5.
Only 9.1 overs were possible on Saturday before driving rain settled in above Allan Border Field and continued until play was called off mid-afternoon.
Doran brought up his century off 101 deliveries with a delightful late cut off Bryce Street to the third boundary.
The new ball moved around under heavy skies and Mark Steketee troubled Doran before luring him into a drive that was snaffled by wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson.
Beau Webster (17 not out) was looking composed but unable to kick on due to the weather.
Fine conditions are forecast for Sunday with Tasmania the only team in a position to push for a win with a declaration expected overnight. The Tigers bowlers will need to take 20 wickets and restrict the hosts to meagre totals if they are to record their first win of the season.
Bird's 11-wicket haul powers New South Wales to innings win over South Australia
New South Wales 394 (Patterson 71, Maddinson 69, Davies 56, McAndrew 4-90) beat South Australia 110 (Hunt 30, Bird 7-46) and 283 (Lehmann 100, Kelly 59, Edwards 4-41, Bird 4-65) by an innings and 1 run
After claiming seven first-innings wickets to skittle the hosts for 110, Bird was a handful again with a four-wicket haul in the second innings at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.
Despite the best efforts of Jake Lehmann, who scored his 11th first-class century, South Australia were unable to do enough to make NSW bat again.
It was the sixth 10-wicket match haul for Bird in a long and winding first-class career.
Bird's previous five-wicket haul before he rocked South Australia on Thursday was back in March 2021, when he bagged 7-18 against the Blues while playing for Tasmania.
South Australia entered the match after beating NSW in the one-day cup match on Tuesday, and were previously undefeated in the Shield. But without Test keeper Alex Carey, who is preparing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, SA suffered a major reality check in losing inside three days to a team on the rise.
Dropped from NSW's Sheffield Shield side for most of last summer and fearing his career could be over, Patterson made it three straight half-centuries.
Bancroft fails again as Victoria get into strong position against WA
Stumps Western Australia 167 and 34 for 1 (Fanning 13*, Goodwin 10*, O'Neill 1-12) trail Victoria 373 (Rogers 76, Crone 62*, Handscomb 56, Paris 3-44, Gannon 3-59, Rocchiccioli 3-115) by 172 runs
Lower-order resistance helped Victoria claim a 206-run first-innings lead in their Sheffield Shield clash with three-time reigning champions Western Australia.
Victoria have set themselves up nicely to become the first team to beat WA in the Shield this season. WA are aiming to claim a fourth straight title, and were undefeated after three matches before they headed to Melbourne.
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