Sport

Today's Sport News: What You Need to Know

12:29 pm on 4 December 2020

Latest - Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a five-year deal worth up to $268 million.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

According to multiple reports, Davis is expected to sign the contract and join training camp imminently.

Davis, acquired in July 2019 from the New Orleans Pelicans, opted out of the final year of his contract -- worth $40 million -- to become a free agent in the days after the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in Orlando.

Davis' deal follows news from LeBron James' agent of a two-year, $120 million contract extension with the Lakers.

The 27-year-old Davis was 10th in the NBA in scoring at 26.1 points per game and averaged 9.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 2019-20 with the Lakers.

The No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Davis spent seven seasons with the Pelicans franchise before demanding a trade in January 2019 in hopes of being moved before the February trade deadline.

-Reuters

Gymnastics review wraps up

The independent Whole of Sport Review launched by Gymnastics NZ in response to the exposure of unsafe and abusive practices in the sport, both historical and current, has now concluded the submission phase.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The review team of David Howman, Lesley Nicol and Rachel Vickery are expected to release the report in early February.

Gymnastics NZ chief executive officer Tony Compier said the full and unedited report will be made public.

"Gymnastics NZ would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge everyone who has come forward to share their experiences, complaints, issues, concerns, observations and suggestions," Compier said.

"We know that sharing these experiences has not been easy, and we applaud your bravery in doing so. Your contributions are vital in helping provide better gymnastic experiences for everyone involved, now and in the future."

The Independent Complaints Mechanism continues to operate separately.

West Indies A fight back

A century from Romario Shepherd has helped West Indies A to a respectable 322 on the first day of their four day game against New Zealand A in Mt Maunganui.

After being asked to bat first the tourists fell to 113 for seven before Shepherd's knock.

Batting at nine, he hit 133 off 154 balls and combined with Raymon Reifer in a 199-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Paceman Jacob Duffy took for wickets for New Zealand A, who finished the day on ten without loss.

Tight in men's hockey league

The second finalist in the men's Premier Hockey League will be decided on the last day of the regular season.

The Central Falcons, who had already qualified for Sunday's final, suffered their first loss going down to the Hauraki Mavericks 3-2 in Hamilton.

The Mavericks and Southern Alpiners are tied for second after the Alpiners beat the Northern Trident 5-1.

The other finals spot will be decided tomorrow when the Falcons play the Alpiners and the Mavericks play the Tridents.

IPL set to expand

India's cricket board will consider adding two new teams to the popular Indian Premier League franchise-based tournament, according to the agenda of the governing body's annual general meeting scheduled to be held later this month.

Trent Boult playing in the 2019 IPL. Photo: Photosport

The IPL, which has an estimated brand value of $9.6 billion, drew record television and digital viewership during its 2020 season amid the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IPL currently has eight franchises and its latest edition was held in the United Arab Emirates without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have been thinking in terms of a 10-team IPL for some time now, and we'd like to have two new teams from 2021, if possible," an IPL governing council member requesting anonymity told Reuters.

Local media has reported in the past that Indian conglomerates Adani Group and RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which owned the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise for two IPL seasons, have shown interest in buying new teams.

-Reuters

Otago too good for Canterbury

Otago have beaten Canterbury 72-58 in the final game of the women's National Basketball League regular season.

The result had no bearing on the play-off situation with Otago already confirmed while Canterbury finished the season without a win at the foot of the table.

Twins Zoe and Brittany Richards were lining up against each other for the first time.

Zoe came out the winner with a game high 21 points.

In tonight's first semi-final North Harbour play capital, while tomorrow night Waikato play Otago.

Alonso allowed to test with young drivers

Two times Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso, who will make a comeback with Renault next year at the age of 39, has been given special dispensation to take part in a post-season test intended for young drivers.

Fernando Alonso. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Spaniard's participation in the Dec. 15 test in Abu Dhabi will not sit well with Racing Point and McLaren, who have Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo joining next year and only three days of pre-season testing.

Other experienced F1 drivers like Switzerland's Sebastian Buemi and Poland's Robert Kubica are also set to test for Red Bull and Alfa Romeo respectively, but neither will be racing next year.

Alonso, who has been out of Formula One since he left McLaren in 2018, will drive the team's 2020 car alongside Chinese Formula Two racer and test driver Guanyu Zhou.

Rules limit participation in the test, which comes two days after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, to drivers who have not driven in more than two Formula One races unless allowed to by the FIA.

Alonso, a 32-times race winner who has competed in the Dakar Rally, Indianapolis 500 and twice won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has started 311 grands prix.

-Reuters