NEW YORK -- Unable to send disease fighters to help battle one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history, U.S. health officials are turning to basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo for help.
Mutombo, regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history and a well-known philanthropist in his native Congo, recorded radio and video spots designed to persuade people to take precautions and get care that might stop the disease's spread.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began posting the spots Monday on the agency's YouTube channel and website. Officials are trying to get radio and TV stations in the Democratic Republic of Congo to air them.
About 2,200 people have been reported ill -- and about 1,500 have died -- since an Ebola outbreak was declared in August 2018 in eastern Congo. It is the second-deadliest outbreak of the lethal virus, which jumps from person to person quickly through close contact with bodily fluids.
"How do you that build trust? That's the big problem we're having in the Congo. I believe as a son of Congo, I think my voice can be heard. Because everyone in the country knows my commitment to the humanity and the health."
Dikembe Mutombo
Rebel attacks and community resistance have hurt Ebola response work in Congo. A World Health Organization doctor was killed in April, health centers have been attacked and armed groups have repeatedly threatened health workers. Because of safety concerns, the U.S. State Department last year ordered CDC disease specialists to stay out of the outbreak areas.
Mutombo, who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s intending to pursue a medical degree, told The Associated Press he understands where the distrust comes from.
"Someone who doesn't look like you, who doesn't think like you, who is not from your village, who is from other places, just walk to your village with a nice beautiful white truck and telling you ... 'Inject this chemical into your body to protect you from this deadly virus.' That's where there's a fight. This is where we're having a conflict,'' he said.
"How do you that build trust? That's the big problem we're having in the Congo,'' he said. "I believe as a son of Congo, I think my voice can be heard. Because everyone in the country knows my commitment to the humanity and the health.''
The idea for the PSA was sparked in February when Mutombo, a member of the CDC Foundation's governing board who lives in Atlanta, was talking with Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC's director.
"We are deeply appreciative of his interest to try to get accurate information to the community,'' Redfield said.
Mutombo, who turns 53 on Tuesday, previously did public service announcements focused on polio and yellow fever. A dozen years ago, his foundation established a 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his hometown of Kinshasa.
The new spots were recorded in Kiswahili, French and Lingala. They talk about recognizing the early signs of Ebola, early treatment and prevention measures.
For only the second time this season, we have a unanimous No. 1. The first time around, back in Week 7, it was the Houston Astros. This time it's their chief rival for week-to-week dominance -- the high-flying Los Angeles Dodgers, who have already built a 13-game lead in the National League West.
Houston fell from its usual spot running neck-and-neck with L.A. for the top slot, a reflection of the seven-game losing streak they didn't snap until Sunday. But in the Astros' place, we're seeing the rise of some familiar franchises when it comes to talking about having the talent and a historic commitment to winning, as the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox all gained ground. The Bronx Bombers' move up to the No. 2 slot doesn't seem likely to be transient, not with their potent lineup healing up. The Braves' 16-5 romp through their June schedule has brought them into the top five and threatens to end the NL East race before the All-Star break. And the reigning champs? Better work from Boston's bullpen this month might erase its biggest question heading into the second half.
The Yankees' three-spot gain might have been the most significant in terms of prominence, but several other teams picked up four spots to tie for the biggest gains on the week. The Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals were among them, with both clubs returning to the top 10 and boxing out the slumping Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Those same Phillies were among the biggest losers, dropping six spots, a run into the red exceeded only by the Arizona Diamondbacks' seven-slot decline.
For Week 12, our panel of voters was composed of Bradford Doolittle, Christina Kahrl, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian and David Schoenfield.
Wow! The Dodgers swept the Rockies with three walk-off home runs, and the heroes, all rookies, were not any of the guys headed to the All-Star Game. On Friday, Matt Beaty hit a two-run walk-off in the ninth inning. On Saturday, Alex Verdugo walked it off in the 11th, his second home run of the game. On Sunday, it was Will Smith, who had a pinch-hit, three-run jack to send Dodger Stadium into a frenzy. This is the best team in baseball right now and there shouldn't be an argument about it. -- David Schoenfield
The Astros snapped the Yankees' eight-game winning streak Sunday, but the Yankees' home run streak continued as they reached 26 consecutive games on DJ LeMahieu's 10th homer. They're now one game away from tying the 2002 Rangers' record of 27 games in a row. Of course, the big news of the week was the return of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. Stanton went 5-for-17 in four games, including a four-RBI game on Saturday. Judge went 0-for-10 in three games with a walk and four strikeouts. -- Schoenfield
Twins catchers continue to amaze, as the combination of Mitch Garver, Jason Castro and Willians Astudillo have provided the AL Central leaders with tremendous production. Garver has been particularly potent against left-handed pitchers, even hitting first in the lineup at times. Castro slugs against right-handers and is a strong defender. Astudillo has played everywhere in the field except shortstop (can you imagine?) and center field. These fellows will not get MVP votes, but what a crew. -- Eric Karabell
A seven-game losing streak seemed unthinkable for Houston, but that's just what the Astros endured, finally winning Sunday against the Yankees. During the slide, Houston averaged 2.7 runs, down significantly from their season average of 5.12. Part of the problem: Leadoff hitters (primarily Alex Bregman) were 4-for-28 (.143) with three runs scored. But help is on the way as regular leadoff man George Springer is on track to be activated Tuesday after missing a month because of a hamstring injury. -- Steve Richards
After taking two of three from the Mets and Nationals, the Braves have won five straight series, going 13-3 in that span. Josh Donaldson found his power groove in those 16 games, hitting .313/.371/.703 with seven home runs and four doubles. Keep an eye on Mike Soroka, who left Sunday's game in the third inning after being hit in the arm by a pitch. That game ended in a 10-inning victory, however, with Johan Camargo's pinch-hit homer in the 10th. -- Schoenfield
We'll be watching to see how Blake Snell bounces back when he faces the Twins on Tuesday. He recorded only one out against the Yankees in his last start, giving up six runs, two hits and four walks, and in four starts this month, he has a 10.29 ERA and has gotten through the fifth inning only once. The Rays -- and their bullpen -- need more than that from Snell. -- Richards
After taking two of three at Minnesota and posting an exciting comeback win over the Blue Jays on Friday for their eighth win in nine games, it seemed the Red Sox had turned the corner for good on their up-and-down season. But two disheartening losses to Toronto this weekend set the Sox back on their heels again, repeating what has been a pattern for the defending champs. -- Richards
Cole Hamels has had a career renaissance as a Cub. Since last summer's trade from the Rangers, the veteran lefty has a 2.67 ERA in 28 starts (including 18 quality starts), with the Cubs winning 18 of those games. He has posted a remarkable 23.9% strikeout rate and .285 wOBA allowed during his time as a Cub. Even as a 36-year-old free agent over the winter, he'll be in demand. -- Christina Kahrl
The loss of star shortstop Trevor Story to a sprained right thumb for the next few weeks, coupled with three walk-off losses to the Dodgers, cast a shadow on the Rockies' week, right at a time when they had been shooting up the standings. The team can only hope that Brendan Rodgers, who batted .246/.300/.277 during his first stint with the big club but .350/.413/.622 in 37 games for Triple-A Albuquerque this season, provides even a fraction of Story's production in the veteran's absence. -- Tristan H. Cockcroft
The Cardinals' bullpen has the majors' 10th-best ERA (4.08), but might have some tough calls to make about who pitches the late frames. Usual closer Jordan Hicks enters the week questionable because of triceps tendinitis, and Carlos Martinez, the most logical immediate fill-in, has been surrounded by chatter that he could be a second-half starter for the team. Lost in all that is that John Gant is the team's pitching leader in WAR (1.4), carrying this pen behind seven relief wins, 10 holds and a 2.40 ERA. -- Cockcroft
To keep their postseason hopes alive, the Indians are putting their faith in the kids, moving Oscar Mercado into center field (and ditching Leonys Martin after long since cutting Carlos Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez), and calling up top prospect Bobby Bradley to man first base and let Carlos Santana take over at DH. Bradley ripped a double in his debut, but even if he rakes, the Indians will still need a fresh bat for either outfield corner. -- Kahrl
Playing .500 baseball in June might temper expectations for Milwaukee, but the Cubs haven't been any better, reigniting a division-wide race for the NL Central. With the lineup struggling to get offense from four different positions, pressure is mounting to do something about Travis Shaw, still struggling to get back on track since returning from the IL with a .283 wOBA in June. -- Kahrl
Losing both top starter Frankie Montas (to an 80-game PED suspension) and closer Blake Treinen (to a strained shoulder) in the same week was grim news for an A's team still hanging around in the AL wild-card race, with little in the way of equivalent quality to call upon to shore up the staff. Facing a trio of contenders in the Cardinals, Angels and Twins next on the schedule, the A's status as buyers or sellers at the deadline might be determined by the Fourth of July. -- Kahrl
The Nationals had a nice sweep of the Phillies that included Max Scherzer throwing seven scoreless innings with 10 K's while sporting an ugly looking black eye after his bunting practice mishap. Speaking of ugly, the Nationals led the Braves 8-4 on Saturday through six innings and ended up losing 13-9 as the bullpen -- again -- imploded. The pen then picked up another loss in Sunday's 10-inning defeat. The current bullpen ERA of 6.29 would be the worst since the 1950 St. Louis Browns (the Orioles are hot on their heels though). -- Schoenfield
Don't count out the Reds just yet. A six-game win streak during the past week included a key sweep of the Astros, and the team took two games at Milwaukee's Miller Park over the weekend. Yasiel Puig has been instrumental in the offense's sudden rebirth, with five home runs during the past nine games. -- Cockcroft
Leadoff hitter wanted. The loss of Andrew McCutchen to a season-ending knee injury has crippled Philly's already underachieving lineup, with middle infielders Cesar Hernandez and Jean Segura struggling in the role, and even Bryce Harper getting a chance. McCutchen scored 45 runs in 59 games, setting the table for others. Who is next? Scott Kingery and Roman Quinn are fast but not exactly disciplined at the plate. The search continues. -- Karabell
Since being swept in a four-game series at Houston May 9-12, the Rangers have lost only one series, going 25-14 in that stretch, which is the best record in the AL West. Entering the week, they are six games over .500, their high-water mark for the season, but they've hit that mark three previous times only to lose their next game. We'll see if that pattern continues Tuesday at Detroit. -- Richards
Arizona's yo-yo of a season continues. The D-backs have lost seven of their past nine, which comes on the heels of winning seven of eight. For the season, they've had three losing streaks of at least five games to largely neutralize four winning streaks of at least four games. With all the ups and downs, it's no surprise the Snakes check in at 39-40 overall. -- Richards
Lefty Andrew Heaney remains winless after five starts, and one must wonder if the elbow problems that delayed the start to his season remain an issue. Heaney walked four Blue Jays in his most recent outing, giving up five runs and his ERA spiked to 5.68. Not all signs are bad; Heaney has 32 strikeouts in 25⅓ innings and his average fastball velocity is up from 2018, when he returned from Tommy John surgery with 180 solid innings. The Angels really need Heaney to get back on track. -- Karabell
The Padres continue to get quality outings from their spot starters as they aim to build in extra rest for their other young hurlers. Rookie Logan Allen was the latest standout, tossing seven scoreless innings in a victory this past Tuesday against the Brewers, with John Cena in attendance cheering him on (and paying up on a $1 bet between the two). Allen will attempt to duplicate the effort as the Padres begin an interleague series in Baltimore on Tuesday. -- Cockcroft
Left-hander Steven Matz stands to face division rivals Philadelphia and Atlanta this week, and while his 4.28 ERA might not impress, how about some context? Remove the nightmare April outing when Matz retired nary a Phillie while permitting six earned runs, and his ERA drops to a more palatable 3.54. He is not an ace but after years of injuries, Matz is on pace for 30 starts. Ultimately, the Mets are disappointing but there are far bigger problems here than Matz. -- Karabell
Pete Alonso, Chris Paddack and Mike Soroka might be getting the most headlines in the NL Rookie of the Year race, but has anyone else noticed the Pirates' Bryan Reynolds (2.4 WAR)? One of the pieces the team got back in the Andrew McCutchen trade, Reynolds has 13 multihit games in his past 27, batting .404/.459/.586 during that time span to nail down a near-everyday role across all three outfield spots. -- Cockcroft
Since he ripped 22 home runs in the first four months of 2017 for the A's, Yonder Alonso has tempted teams trying to tap into that, with the Mariners and White Sox both trading for him, and the Indians giving him a two-year, $16 million deal that represents more than half his career earnings. The payoff? A .307 wOBA across almost 1,000 plate appearances (and down to .255 with the White Sox this season) and an option for 2020 the Sox will be sure not to let vest. Just something to note when the market seems frosty for 30-something first basemen next winter. -- Kahrl
Any thought Jeff Samardzija might help his trade value for the Giants has been pretty well sunk after he notched only one legit quality start (using runs allowed instead of earned runs) in his past 12 turns, giving up 5.8 runs per nine and 13 home runs in 62 innings. Even if the Giants were willing to pay much of the $19.8 million he has owed in 2020, there might not be any takers. -- Kahrl
Is there anybody left for Jerry Dipoto to trade? Mike Leake has pitched at least five innings in all 16 of his starts but has given up 22 home runs in 101 innings with a 4.54 ERA. He could fill in as a back-end starter, but there won't be high demand for him. Dee Gordon doesn't have any trade value with his sub-.300 OBP and lack of power. Kyle Seager's contract makes him unmovable. Tommy Milone has been a pleasant surprise with a 3.35 ERA and 38/8 SO/BB ratio. Roenis Elias has been OK and just about every team is looking for bullpen help, so maybe he gets moved. -- Schoenfield
It would have been unreasonable to expect Jordan Yamamoto to top his debut (seven shutout innings against the Cardinals), but he matched it with seven more against St. Louis in his second start. Finally facing a new opponent Sunday in his third turn, the Phillies snapped the scoreless streak with which he started his MLB career in the first inning, but Yamamoto came away with his third win in three starts. -- Kahrl
We're not sure if Rowdy Tellez is a fan of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (or "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey), but he sure likes facing the Red Sox. In seven games against Boston this season, he's slashing .434/.531/1.174 with five homers, nine RBIs and nine runs scored. Against the rest of the league, his numbers are .201/.252/.377 with nine homers, 26 RBIs and 19 runs scored in 59 games. -- Richards
A groin injury has shelved exciting shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, who easily leads the league in stolen bases. Over the past two seasons, he's hitting .273 with 20 home runs, 81 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, 11 triples and 87 runs. Pretty exciting. Mondesi also has 162 strikeouts compared to 27 walks, which makes it tough to bat as high as .273, but he gets away with it. Better plate discipline would be nice, but this version of Mondesi is fun to watch. -- Karabell
Since taking over as the Tigers' regular shortstop on May 29, super utilityman Niko Goodrum has been on a tear at the plate, hitting for a .320/.370/.533 line (and a .379 wOBA) while making 19 starts at short. He's also the only Tigers shortstop with playable defense as reflected in both defensive runs saved and UZR. Already 27, he might not be a long-term solution, but he's a solid placeholder for a lineup lacking many of those. -- Kahrl
After the Orioles suffered through a 10-game losing streak they snapped Saturday, one might think a return home would be welcome for the Birds. Think again. Baltimore enters this week's homestand 9-28 at Camden Yards, a .243 winning percentage. Over a full season, that would be the second-worst home winning percentage in the live ball era (since 1920), better than only the 1939 St. Louis Browns (18-59, .234). -- Richards
British number five Katie Swan has hit back after having her "integrity" questioned by her opponent following her first-round exit at Eastbourne.
China's Zhang Shuai beat Swan 7-6 (9-7) 4-6 6-4 but was unhappy after a line judge called a baseline shot out when it appeared to hit the line.
The world number 52 suggested Swan knew the shot was out but stayed quiet and referred to the Briton's "integrity".
"I don't think it's fair to blame me," Swan, 20, replied on Twitter.
"It was the line judge's call and in the moment I didn't see it, I was just playing tennis.
"There were many bad calls for both players. This has nothing to do with my integrity."
Former Australian Open quarter-finalist Zhang replied again: "Girl, I was asking you right after they call and you 100% sure said the same."
Swan's coach Diego Veronelli also weighed in on the argument, saying it was "poor" from 30-year-old Zhang.
"I didn't see that integrity your [sic] standing for when the mistakes were in your favor," he said.
"I didn't see those great values when you've been around long enough to know you don't get the other player involved. You won the match, and yet treat your opponent as a cheater. Poor from you."
In his regular BBC Sport column, Andy Murray discusses if he will return to playing singles, winning the Queen's doubles with Feliciano Lopez, continuing his comeback at Eastbourne this week with Brazilian Marcelo Melo and hugs from former Chelsea and Manchester United football manager Jose Mourinho.
By winning the doubles at Queen's, it is quite easy to get carried away in these moments and excited with what has happened.
I still haven't given much thought to when exactly I could come back in the singles.
I know how my body has felt after the matches over the past few days and, although I've had no pain in my hip, I've still been sore and a bit stiff.
That's because my body needs to adapt to the new hip and the new movements, the stresses and strains I'm putting on it.
So I know I need to respect that process.
I'm not going to rush this and I've no interest in doing that.
I'm perfectly happy doing what I have done in the past week at Queen's.
If my body continues to feel good and keeps progressing then I would like to try to and play singles.
But if it doesn't - and I get to a point where I'm playing and practising singles, and think I'm not quick enough or able to compete at a level I'm happy with - then continuing playing doubles is maybe something I'd consider.
I've said since my operation I ultimately would like to return to playing singles, but honestly I don't mind either way.
If a return to singles happens in September, or next year, I genuinely don't mind.
After Wimbledon I think I will have a couple of options.
I could start practising for singles through the US Open swing, while I continue playing doubles and then try to maybe play singles after that.
Or maybe I will take a month or six weeks off after Wimbledon to get myself ready for singles. Then I might be able to play singles close to the US Open.
But getting to the US Open this year and being competitive isn't the target.
'You have to be less selfish as a doubles player!'
So after winning Queen's, I'm going down to Eastbourne to play in the doubles alongside Marcelo Melo.
I think he'd heard I might play in Eastbourne and he wasn't going to play that week with his regular partner Lukasz Kubot.
They played the first two weeks on the grass and then he was thinking, maybe, of going back to Brazil.
But he decided he wanted to play in Eastbourne and asked me if I would like to play.
I said 'yes, of course'. He's a good partner, having been the doubles world number one and won Grand Slam titles, and he is someone I get on with. So that was it.
With certain people you know you're going to have some chemistry.
I've spent time with Feli for the last 14 years on the tour and we've got on well with each other, so it was a natural fit.
It's difficult to be part of a team when you're so used to playing singles and that is a challenge for me - to be part of a team, to be part of something.
Because of how much tennis Feli had been playing this week, with him also winning the singles title at Queen's, you feel like you have to gee him up and keep trying to give him as much energy and help as you can.
Also, with Feli and because of how well he serves, when I'm serving he might think 'Oh Andy, come on serve better!'
And when I'm returning it'd be easy if he missed a return to think 'Oh you should have made that'.
But no tennis player, or doubles partner, has everything and it's about being able to complement each other and work together around your strengths.
You need to come up with a winning strategy and winning tennis - thankfully Feli and I did that at Queen's.
But it is a challenge mentally and very different to singles.
Basically you have to be less selfish as a doubles player!
That's a good thing for me and something you have to continually learn, which I hope to do with Marcelo this week.
A big hug and no words - 'man management' from Mourinho
On Saturday I met up again with Jose Mourinho on the practice courts at Queen's.
He's a big tennis fan; I've met him a few times and he's come to Queen's a few times as well.
One of the times I met him - and for me this was very interesting - was after I lost to Roger Federer at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in 2014.
I lost 6-0 6-1 and I was 5-0 down in the second - I got absolutely killed by him.
When I was walking back to my locker room from the court I saw Jose, and he just came up to me and hugged me.
A big hug, no words. That was it.
It was nice because often in those situations people try to find words and nothing really works.
He didn't have to speak because I got the feeling he felt for me that night and he wanted to show that.
So it was great to see him again at Queen's and I always enjoy chatting to him, especially about football.
As the World Cup staggers into its closing 20 days, it can be possible to lose perspective on the past four years. England, thanks to their defeat by Sri Lanka and injury to Jason Roy, are in crisis, lambasted by the press and now weighed down by the expectation that come global tournaments, they invariably stuff it up. That's the conventional view of this week, anyway. At the same time, Australia are growing in strength, getting the wins they need without quite looking like they have put it all together - something, presumably, that will only happen when it matters most.
But away from the easy assumptions of the week is a bigger, more complicated story. England, having been more or less laughed out of the 2015 World Cup due to their retrograde approach and early elimination, retooled and rebranded with such success that they have been viewed as tournament favourites for at least the past two years. Australia, meanwhile, were the team in crisis for most of the past 12 months, due to the Newlands scandal and bans to Steven Smith and David Warner. Certainly Australia's coach Justin Langer had no reason to think his men might be in danger of getting complacent given their experiences leading into this competition.
Nevertheless, the major question is whether or not Australia now have a team that will match-up effectively against an England team who, for all their former success, need to keep it together in the here and now. A warm-up game in Southampton, won by Australia, provided some information of use. "We'll take a few match-ups [from the warm-up game]," Langer said. "The beauty of the World Cup is we get to watch every game and we've got lots of eyes on them, lots of cricket expertise and experience in our group. We get good ideas as they'll be doing against us, so yeah whether it's in the practice games or the games we've been watching or the last four years' footage and data we've got on England, it all adds up."
A notable strength of Australia under Langer has been their ability to play a brand of cricket suited to most opponents, with adjustments made for each. This all comes back to Langer's very pugilistic understanding of cricket "combat". At Lord's, both England and Australia will get a strong indicator of how well their fighting feet are moving around the ring with the world title bout entering its final, definitive rounds. "This tournament is going to be about who can hold their nerve in the big moments," Langer said . "We have got to concentrate on how we hold our nerve in the big moments. There are going to be plenty of them in the next three games and hopefully the semi-final. I have said for 6-8 months, when it comes to a World Cup there is a lot of talk about statistics, but it comes down to match play and we have to play England on Tuesday better than they play us."
Form guide
England: LWWWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: WWWLW
in the spotlight
No country, not even England, got a better look at Jofra Archer prior to his international debut than Australia. It was via the Big Bash League and a wildly successful run for Hobart Hurricanes that Archer made himself a high profile likelihood for England in the first place. As coach of the Perth Scorchers, Justin Langer has already had to plan for Archer, and his Hurricanes twice confounded the Scorchers on a run to the BBL final in 2017-18. "Great athlete isn't he?" Langer said. "We've seen him a lot in the Big Bash, Adam Griffith was his coach at the Hurricanes, so we know a fair bit about Jofra, he's a brilliant athlete, he bowls fast, moves well, so we'll be on our toes for him as well. It's nice to know the opposition and study them well, but at the start we've just got to be really clear what we want to do."
In an Australian side not always the most balanced, Marcus Stoinis is a key link man. As a batsman his top order tendencies can at times obscure his powerful hitting, with early strike rotation key to allowing him and his partners to score effectively at the back end of an innings. But it is with the ball that Stoinis has arguably become most important, using seam up and a combination of many slower ball variations to prove harder to hit out of the attack than it would always appear. Against Bangladesh it was Stoinis, not Starc or Cummins, who took the key wicket of Shakib Al Hasan, miscuing one of those very change-ups.
Team news
Jason Roy's return to the side has seemingly been made more urgent by the defeat to Sri Lanka, while Liam Plunkett and Mark Wood continue to duel for the last pace bowling berth.
England (possible) 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 James Vince/Jason Roy, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Liam Plunkett/Mark Wood
Based on the way they performed against England in the warm-up fixture at Southampton, both Nathan Lyon and Jason Berendorff can expect to be strongly considered in place of Adam Zampa and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile/Jason Behrendorff, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam Zampa/Nathan Lyon
Pitch and conditions
Lord's entered World Cup equations for the first time this week with Pakistan's victory over South Africa on a surface that, as is typical, offered a little bit of something for all - plus the vagaries of the Lord's slope. London's forecast is for warm temperatures and scattered showers across the day.
Strategy punt
Nathan Lyon is yet to play a match at this World Cup, and Jason Behrendorff has played only once. But on a match-ups basis they may well be the best options for Australia against England, demonstrated not only in the warm-up match at Southampton a month ago but also by the wider numbers. Lyon has been successful in tying down Joss Buttler in their previous meetings, while left-arm pace has been a consistent thorn in English sides recently. Their defeats to Pakistan and Sri Lanka were characterised by difficulties against the sorts of angles created by left armers plus those of Lasith Malinga - who's inimitable style asks very similar questions.
England have, in Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett, three pacemen with the speed to threaten an Australian top order that has, against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, functioned like the best oiled part of Aaron Finch's machine. An echo of the West Indies short-pitched assault could have a significant risk/reward element, not least because the boundaries at Lord's are not exactly distant. But Eoin Morgan will remember how Wood surprised Warner at the MCG in January 2018 - well directed bouncers have the capacity to startle, as Justin Langer well remembers from day one of the immortal 2005 Ashes campaign.
Stats and trivia
Australia have won eight and England five of their ODI meetings at Lord's since 1972, with a tied game in 2005. Australia won the most recent encounter in 2015, a game remembered mostly for the Ben Stokes/Mitchell Starc obstructing the field dismissal.
Adil Rashid (35 wickets) needs three victims to surpass Mitchell Johnson (37) and enter the top five wicket-takers in all ODIs between England and Australia.
Quotes
"Jos Buttler is an unbelievable player. I love watching him bat. I hope he gets a duck in this game obviously, but I saw him at Somerset and he is an unbelievable athlete and an incredible finisher. He is the new Dhoni of world cricket. We know we will have to be on our game. But they have a number of players. Stokes, Morgan, even Woakes at the end smacks them over point all the time and pulls well. They have a very strong batting unit and we will have to be right on it." Justin Langer on England
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A controversial fundraising page set up by sacked Australian rugby player Israel Folau has been shut down for promoting the exclusion of LGBT people, website GoFundMe says.
Folau had his contract with Rugby Australia (RA) terminated in May after he said that "hell awaits" gay people.
He asked for public donations to help him with a legal fight against RA, arguing it dismissed him unlawfully.
GoFundMe said the page violated its rules. All donations will be refunded.
"As a company, we are absolutely committed to the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity," said spokeswoman Nicola Britton.
"While we welcome GoFundMe's engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion."
Folau is a Christian who argues his contract termination was an act of religious discrimination.
He had received about A$760,000 (£414,000; $530,000) in donations since the page was set up last week, Australian media reported.
RA terminated Folau's contract after saying he had breached behaviour standards "including respectful use of social media" by making anti-gay posts.
Earlier this month, the star full-back filed a case against RA and Rugby New South Wales at the Fair Work Commission - Australia's national workplace relations tribunal.
"Every Australian should be able to practise their religion without fear of discrimination in the workplace," he said in a video last week.
The former Wallabies player has drawn widespread condemnation for his social media comments, but he also has vocal supporters.
RA had previously warned Folau over anti-gay messages he had posted on social media in the past.
Folau has played 73 Tests for Australia and was on a contract estimated to be worth A$5m. He owns a multi-million dollar property portfolio in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.
Folau said he and his wife had already spent more than A$100,000 on legal fees, after engaging a top legal team.
"You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood, back home to romantic love, back home to a young man's dreams of glory and of fame, back home to exile ... back home to the ivory tower, back home to places in the country ... back home to someone who can help you, save you, ease the burden for you, back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting but which are changing all the time, back home to the escapes of Time and Memory." -- Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again"
ST. LOUIS -- Nostalgia is a powerful weapon. It attracts so many, providing false comfort born of dreams only half-remembered, whitewashed by time and the long slog of ethereal existence. The times and places we long for are never, in reality, exactly as we remember them in our imagination. Except perhaps for the most blessed among us, like Albert Pujols.
"I'm gonna try to embrace it, try to enjoy it, and celebrate it with my family and wife and some friends," Pujols said before the start of his last St. Louis series. He did all of that and more.
Pujols' return to St. Louis this weekend was like a three-act fairy tale, corny as that may sound. One man -- only a ballplayer at that -- channeled the emotions of an entire city for three distinct games. The return. The homer. The farewell. And with that, we all move on, back to the grind of the long 2019 baseball season, back to our workaday worlds, back to daily batting practice and weekly columns. But few that were there to experience it will forget what unfolded along the western bank of the Mississippi, on a wet, storm-infused weekend, on the first three days of another Midwestern summer.
Act I: The return
The Los Angeles Angels landed in St. Louis in the middle of the afternoon on Thursday, giving Pujols a head start on his long-awaited homecoming. Of course, some disputed the fact that it was a homecoming in the first place. After all, a branch of Pujols' foundation still operates here, he still participates in fundraisers for it, and he still owns a home in a St. Louis suburb. Yet one fact was undeniable: Pujols would be playing in Busch Stadium for the first time ever as a visiting player, about 7⅔ years since his last game there, which was Game 7 of the 2011 World Series.
"Me and Kole [Calhoun] made sure we were out there early," Angels star Mike Trout said. "We wanted to be there when he went running out of the dugout for stretching, because we knew it would be a pretty cool ovation. It was."
With the Angels in town, there was more going on than Pujols' return. Trout would be playing in St. Louis for the first time, which wasn't at all the focus of media attention beforehand, but was acknowledged by the St. Louis crowd with a nice ovation the first time he was introduced. It also meant all three Molinas -- the only brotherly catching trio in big league annals -- would be getting together: Yadier (the St. Louis Cardinals' beloved backstop), Bengie (now a Cardinals broadcaster) and Jose (now the Angels' catching coach). Knowing that Pujols would have a lot of ground to cover in a short time, the Molinas loaned him one of their cars.
The day at the ballpark started with a long media conference, with Pujols answering questions for about 22 minutes, joking at times and growing misty-eyed at others, such as when he shared the memory of the late Darryl Kile telling him he'd made the Cardinals' roster for the first time back in 2001.
"You have success in this game, you build great relationships," Pujols said. "You accomplish so many things, but I think the best thing you accomplish is the relationships you build. With Yadi, with [Placido] Polanco, with [Mark] McGwire, I could list on and on. Nobody can take that away."
There were 48,423 fans at Busch Stadium that night, a number made significant for this reason: It was the second-largest crowd in the history of the venue. (St. Louis drew 132 more fans on May 12 -- Mother's Day -- this year against Pittsburgh. Go figure.)
The cheering and chanting for Pujols began well before the game did. On a wet night, many early-arriving fans crowded near the rail up from the Angels' dugout, hoping for an autograph, or at least a glimpse and a wave. (Pujols did not disappoint.) There was a great roar when the starting lineups were announced. And when he stepped to the plate for the first time, the standing ovation went on for about 1 minute, 20 seconds and might never have ended if Pujols had not finally said to Molina, "Let's get this thing going."
Of course, Molina, whom Pujols has always affectionately referred to as his little brother, was battling a few emotions of his own.
"Yeah," Molina said before the game. "Of course, having this time [together]. It's going to be emotional."
There were lesser versions of that first at-bat every single time Pujols strolled to the plate over the weekend. When it happened before his third at-bat on Sunday, Pujols couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Standing ovations, roars raising and dying with every ball he hit into play, where as much the soundtrack of St. Louis this weekend as ragtime was 120 years ago.
Cardinals fans didn't forget their own -- Molina drew his usual loud roar when introduced, the Angels' outs were cheered and they came to their feet when a St. Louis batter went deep. Yet every game felt like it was a series of Pujols moments strung together by anticipation of the next one, with the bizarre exception of a five-minute delay caused by an erroneous fire alarm on Friday. It blared across the field, freezing everyone in the park, including the players. The fans even started to leave before things got straightened out.
Pujols flied out on a well-struck ball to center his first time up, bringing the fans to their feet -- Could he have? Did he really? -- but it was just a routine fly out. He walked his next trip, spurring Redbird Nation to actually boo their own starting pitcher, Michael Wacha. Then Pujols beat out a roller to third that Matt Carpenter took approximately 13 minutes to get to. Pujols' sprint speed was measured at 24.4 feet per second by Statcast -- his best home-to-first reading in years. Think he wanted that hit?
"Awesome," Pujols said. "It felt great. I didn't think that I still had those legs, but it feels like [I'm] 25."
After Pujols said that, he made a playful face at a reporter and added, "Don't believe that."
Finally, Pujols was removed for a pinch-runner in the seventh, giving the Busch Stadium crowd one last shot that night at mass adulation. The Angels lost, always at the forefront of Pujols' thoughts, but the return had gone as well as it possibly could have. Any notion that there was lingering resentment over Pujols' long-ago departure was thoroughly erased.
Afterward, Pujols lingered by his locker before showering and dressing, then was brought into the corridor outside of the Angels' clubhouse for one last media scrum. When he stepped out and saw the size of the gathering, he ever-so-subtly rolled his eyes and drooped his shoulders -- he was tired. But he regrouped quickly and answered every question.
"I can tell you if it's up to these fans, they will stand out there [cheering] for three hours," Pujols said. "Because that's the appreciation that they have, not just to me but everybody that has worn that uniform. It is a special place still for me and I love it. But words can't describe this night."
It had been a long day, and the weekend was just getting started.
Act II: The homer
The middle of anything is problematic, neither beginning nor end, neither place of departure nor destination. Three-act dramas often die in the middle, as the momentum from the first act dies out and the playwright awkwardly gropes for the conclusion. And so it figured to be this weekend. We knew Friday's game was Pujols' grand return; we knew Sunday's would be the fond farewell. But what would be the peg for Saturday's contest?
As generous as Pujols was with his time and money during his trip to St. Louis, he was at his most generous with all of us on Saturday, when he provided us with the signature moment. That was a no-doubt, vintage seventh-inning blast into the Angels' bullpen off St. Louis starter Dakota Hudson. All of it -- the homer, the eruption as he circled the bases, the sight of close friend Yadier Molina throwing dirt at him as he crossed home plate -- was fodder for a generation of highlight reels, especially the one that is pieced together for when Pujols is inducted in Cooperstown five years after he retires.
Still, the frozen moment, the one that spurred a mass outbreak of goosebumps, was the curtain call. Even though you knew it was coming, the sight of the once-staid and always composed Pujols bounding out of the dugout to acknowledge cheers that couldn't have been louder -- until they became louder -- was unforgettable. That's when it hit you: All of this is for a player on the visiting team.
"What makes [St. Louis fans] special is just the support, day in and day out," Pujols said. "It didn't matter whether we were playing good or bad. They just love their players. And not only in baseball. We saw that in football and now with hockey with the Blues winning. It's just a great city to play sports."
The Cardinals won the game, a fact that Pujols again bemoaned afterward. Yet he once again could hardly stop smiling. He knew what the rest of us did -- for this weekend, at least, the score of the games was really beside the point. He provided the memory that became instantly embedded in Cardinal mythology.
There were 46,711 fans at the game but 10 times that will say they were there in years to come. And you know what they'll say? They'll say that they were there for Albert Pujols' last home run in St. Louis, his record 111th at Busch Stadium III.
"It's gonna be up there for me," Pujols said. "For my career, for my family, my wife Diedre and my five kids and my friends and family that are here in town. It's just a moment that I will treasure forever."
Act III: The farewell
It wouldn't be the weirdest thing if the Angels ended up playing the Cardinals in the World Series at some point in the next couple of years. That possibility aside, Sunday was almost certainly the last regular-season game Albert Pujols ever will play at Busch Stadium, and likely his last game there, period. He knew it and the 47,114 fans in attendance knew it.
The first bit of good news came in the hours before the game. After a third-straight rain-soaked day in St. Louis, a dire forecast for the evening suddenly improved with a storm system mostly drifting by to the south of the city. The skies lightened and the field was prepared in time for the clubs to take batting practice for the first time all weekend.
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Pujols, Molina swap jerseys after the game
Following the Angels' win, Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina hug at home plate and exchange jerseys with each other.
Pujols spent the pregame as he had spent the hours before the first two contests -- hustling to fulfill ticket requests and media inquiries. He left $35,000 worth of tickets and luxury suite passes to friends and relatives during the series, and broke apart six-inch-high stacks of tickets to be distributed. He spoke before and after games, all with patience and a smile, almost as if he was actually enjoying himself. It was no act but, at the same time, you know the routine-driven Pujols is ready to get back to just playing baseball, not that he wouldn't gladly accept another day like the past three.
"You know what, buddy," Pujols said. "If I get to come tomorrow and do it again here, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I enjoy the game of baseball and I felt like this weekend took me back like it was 2011, in the playoffs and the World Series. I enjoy every moment."
As the Angels took their turn in the batting cage on the field, Pujols was still trying to balance the needs of being a player in that night's lineup with being the prodigal son returned. With a bat in his hand, he did a radio interview on the field with the Cardinals' Spanish-language crew. He chatted with a season-ticket holder through the back screen. He convened with all three Molina brothers, who had gathered nearby to meet a young fan on crutches. Cries of "Albert! Albert!" rang out from the early arrivals.
Finally, Pujols was able to extract himself from the hub-bub, pausing first to exchange commiserations with Angels media relations guru Adam Chodzko, who helped keep him pointed in the right direction amid an endless stream of asks and inquiries and photo opps. Then he did what he most wanted to do, stepping into the batting cage and taking a few whacks.
Pujols was introduced before the game with several young fans who have been involved with his family foundation, which helps children living with Down syndrome. Three of them threw out first pitches to Pujols, crouched at home plate. On the first one, he had to stretch like he has done so many times at first base, but he fielded all three offerings.
"This is about celebrating with the best fans of baseball," said Pujols, who also recorded a video message that was played for the fans on the scoreboard during the ninth inning. "To celebrate the time that I played here and, for me, the timing was perfect -- eight years -- because if I had come the next year after I had been here, I don't think it would have been that special, like it was this weekend."
The game was more of what we'd seen all weekend. Standing ovations every time Pujols' name was announced for a plate appearance, beginning with a first-at-bat tip of the batting helmet. With runners on the corners for that first at-bat on Sunday, Pujols rolled to shortstop. In the third, he reached out and hooked a two-out single into the left-field corner, a ball that likely would have resulted in a double during Pujols' early days. In the fifth, he bounced to short. In the seventh, he singled again.
That brings us to the ninth, for what very well may have been Pujols' final at-bat at Busch Stadium. Pujols was the fourth scheduled batter of the inning, so somebody needed to get on. Trout made quick work of that issue by lacing a hit to center to begin things. Justin Upton walked and Kole Calhoun singled, setting up an "are you kidding me" opportunity: Pujols at the plate, for the last time at Busch Stadium, with the bases loaded. One more ovation and one more tip of the helmet from Pujols to the adoring crowd.
It brought to mind the final at-bat for Stan Musial at the original Busch Stadium, an RBI single past the outstretched glove of Pete Rose. Musial was lifted for a pinch-runner. It also stirred memories of Ted Williams' last at-bat homer, and Derek Jeter's last at-bat single. Pujols has hundreds of more at-bats in front of him, but this one is different because we knew what it (probably) was -- a Hall of Famer's last at-bat in the city that loved him most.
When the count went to 1-1, the crowd started in with the "Albert! Albert!" chant for the first time in the game. The Angels' lead was just 2-0 -- the fans were rooting for what would almost certainly be a decisive blow against their own team. The count went full after Pujols took a 2-2 pitch that looked like a strike on the pitch tracker. (Plate umpire Angel Hernandez probably did the right thing.) The fairy-tale finish was not to be: Pujols popped weakly to first baseman Matt Carpenter.
But you know what happened anyway? The St. Louis fans cheered Pujols so loudly and incessantly that he had to come out the dugout one more time for a curtain call.
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Pujols gets curtain call after last at-bat of series
Albert Pujols pops out in his final at-bat and walks off to an ovation. The Cardinals fans insist on a curtain call and Pujols answers by acknowledging the crowd.
"There nothing that [the fans] did this weekend that was surprising," Pujols said. "That's what they do. We shared a lot of great moments, ups and downs with this organization in 11 years here."
Sure, all of this celebration in St. Louis was motivated by heroics from a player who left town of his own volition nearly eight years ago. And so much of what has been written about Pujols since has been related to the cold analysis of what he's getting paid by the Angels against what he has produced during his declining years. That analysis has its place.
But what this weekend did above all else was to remind us starkly of what Pujols was and what he did, right here in St. Louis, and how that towers above everything he does on the field now, and how it all pales to what he does off the field and what he means to so many.
Epilogue
The thing about Pujols' 2019 season is that it's not exactly living up to by-now-familiar narratives about his failing body and suboptimal performance. No, Pujols isn't providing surplus value on the $28 million he's slated to earn this season. Yet if you dig beneath the hood long enough, you see a player who hasn't raised the white flag against the relentless onslaught of Father Time.
The superficial numbers are modest. He's hitting .237/.309/.448 with 13 homers and 41 RBIs -- a pace of 27 and 85 for the season. At the same time, his strikeout rate has improved by nearly two percentage points over last season, his best mark since 2015. His walk rate is at its highest since 2010 -- the last monster Pujols campaign. Looking at those categories in ratio to each other, Pujols is displaying better command of the strike zone in any season since 2011. His secondary average is his highest since 2012, and his isolated power figure is his best since 2015.
What has kneecapped Pujols' offensive percentages is a career-low .214 BABIP. A number that low is invariably at least partially due to bad luck. In his case, it's also not a complete fluke -- Pujols' line-drive rate is less than half what it was even a season ago, as he has taken to producing more fly balls from an average launch angle that is at a Statcast-era high, and he rarely goes to the opposite field as he once did with such acumen.
Pujols has had to make concessions to age and injury, though, at 39, it would be freakish if that wasn't the case. Still, with a nice run of luck in the BABIP department the rest of the way, Pujols could end up with his best full season since at least 2016. Say what you will about his decline, especially as it relates to his contract, but the guy is still battling.
"Obviously, he has meant a lot for St. Louis," said Trout, who somehow seems unaware that all of the plaudits he gives Pujols also mostly apply to him. "I was looking at his numbers. If he retired after his 11 years here, he'd still be in the Hall of Fame. It's pretty remarkable. But it's a great time for his family, and obviously for him."
That in itself might partially explain why the fan base Pujols jilted eight years ago holds no animosity. It's quite the opposite -- his absence has seemed to make everybody's heart grow just a little bit fonder over the years. And as a result, this series proved to be one of those rare cases when the pangs of nostalgia were quenched by a reality that perfectly matched our wildest imaginings.
Maybe Tom Wolfe was right. Maybe you can't go home again. But for Pujols and Cardinals fans, maybe it's because the entire weekend lacked that whole "he's no longer one of us" vibe. It's a cliche to say so, but anyone lucky enough to spend some of the past few days at Busch Stadium would agree: The truth about this weekend in St. Louis is that it felt like Pujols had never left. And perhaps in the most important ways, he never did.
KOKOMO, Ind. – Robert Ballou won Sunday’s Bob Darland Memorial race for non-winged sprint cars at Kokomo Speedway, but was injured in a crash just after the checkered flag.
Ballou led all 30 laps of the feature at the quarter-mile Indiana dirt track, but coming to the checkered flag found the ailing car of Koby Barksdale in his path.
Ballou could not avoid Barksdale’s machine in time and the two cars collided as Ballou crossed under the checkered flag, with Ballou’s car eventually going over the top of Barksdale’s machine before coming to rest upside down.
Ballou was then extricated from his car, placed onto a stretcher – where he waved to the crowd – and transported to a local hospital.
Ballou’s family provided an update on his official Facebook page just after 10 p.m. on Sunday night, confirming that he broke one of his arms in two places.
Justin Grant finished second behind Ballou, followed by Chris Windom, Scotty Weir and Kevin Thomas Jr.
Dave Darland, Josh Hodges, Jarett Andretti, Tyler Hewitt and Jaden Rogers capped off the top 10.
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