Latest - A superb second-minute lob by Danny Ings against his former club gave Southampton a surprise 1-0 home win over English Premier League leaders Liverpool, with the Reds' attack looking rudderless as they were held scoreless for the second game in a row.
Danny Ings Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ings, who joined Southampton on loan from Liverpool in 2018 before making the transfer permanent a year later, gave his side the lead as he latched on to James Ward-Prowse's free kick before sending a deft left-footed lob over Alisson into the net.
Liverpool, who drew 0-0 at Newcastle United, did not manage a single shot on target in the opening 45 minutes but then dominated the second half.
However, a concerted effort by the massed ranks of Southampton's defence kept them out.
The victory lifts Southampton to sixth in the table on 29 points, behind Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City on goal difference. Liverpool stay top on 33 points ahead of Manchester United, who have a game in hand, on goal difference.
- Reuters
Pascoe, Hill pick up pairs title
Lance Pascoe and Jamie Hill have completed a perfect run to win the men's pairs title at the Bowls New Zealand Nationals in Auckland.
Photo: Lynn Freeman
The composite combination have beaten the experienced Mike Bradshaw and John Carruthers of Royal Oak 19-6 in the final at the Carlton Cornwall club.
Pascoe and Hill won all eight of their previous games over the four days of competition, clinching Hill's fourth national title after three previous successes in the fours and the first for Pascoe.
Pascoe's partner Mandy Boyd, seven time New Zealand champion, finished runner-up in the women's singles.
All players now turned their attentions to section play in the men's singles, which started on Wednesday.
Pelicans pipped in overtime
New Zealand basketballer Steven Adams and the New Orleans Pelicans have been beaten in overtime in their latest game in the NBA.
Photo: AFP / Getty
The Pelicans have gone down 118-116 to the Indiana Pacers in New Orelans.
Adams had 10 points and eight rebounds.
The loss took New Orleans's record to 4-3 after seven games, with their next game at home against Adams' old team, Oklahoma City, on Thursday.
Moeen Ali tests positive
England all-rounder Moeen Ali has tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving in Sri Lanka and will self-isolate for 10 days, as will fast bowler Chris Woakes who was deemed a possible close contact.
Moeen Ali. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
England are in Sri Lanka for a two-match test series that begins on Jan. 14, with both matches being played in Galle.
The squad was tested on arrival at the airport in Hambantota and Ali is likely to miss the first test as Sri Lanka's government protocols require the 33-year-old to quarantine for 10 days.
The two-match series in Sri Lanka is followed by four tests in India in February and March.
The rest of the touring parting will be retested today, before being allowed to train for the first time on Wednesday.
Moeen is the first England player to test positive for the virus, with a full summer of games against West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Ireland being completed without any cases.
- Reuters
ND sweep Central
Northern Districts has completed the double over their Central Districts counterparts in the Super Smash T20 double header in Hamilton.
The Northern Spirit beat the Centrals Hinds by nine wickets in a rain-shortened 10 overs in the women's game.
The Northern Knights beat the Central Stags by six wickets.
The Spirit top the women's standings, while the Knights victory was their first.
Proteas still on top
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne and seamer Vishwa Fernando led a fightback against South Africa on the second day of the second cricket test but the visitors remain precariously placed in a fast-moving contest.
Fernando took his first-ever test five-wicket haul as Sri Lanka dismissed South Africa for 302 in their first innings, restricting the hosts to a 145-run lead, while Karunaratne scored an unbeaten 91 in the tourists' second innings.
They were 150-4 at stumps, leading by five runs with three days still to play at The Wanderers Stadium.
South Africa won the first test in Pretoria last week.
Karunaratne will resume nine runs short of his century, with Niroshan Dickwella at the other end on 18 not out.
- Reuters
Australian F1 Grand Prix could be postponed
The Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne looks set to be rescheduled from its season-opening slot to later in the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a tightening of local quarantine rules.
Sebastian Vettel. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Tickets for the March 21 race at Albert Park have yet to go on sale.
A Formula One spokesman, asked on Monday about media reports of a likely postponement, said the sport looked forward to racing again in March.
He did not specify where, with Bahrain's Grand Prix also scheduled for March.
Local organisers in Melbourne were not immediately available for comment but various reports said a postponement, rather than a cancellation for the second year in a row, was likely to be announced later in January.
Last year's Australian grand prix was called off, only hours before first practice was due to start at the Albert Park street circuit, when a McLaren team member tested positive to the virus.
The season eventually started in Austria in July, with the calendar heavily rescheduled and reduced from an original record 22 races to 17 in Europe and the Middle East.
- Reuters
Change in ownership of Newcastle football teams
Australian football club Newcastle Jets' A-League and W-League licence has been terminated due to the club's failure to pay its debts.
Football Australia and Australian Professional Leagues said a new licence would be issued to a consortium of APL club investors on an interim basis until a new investor is found, allowing the team to continue participating in competitions.
Current players of the club will be offered contracts with the new entity.
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson said the team's owners - Newcastle Jets Club Pty Ltd - were given opportunities to solve the club's financial problems or sell the club to another investor.
The club's inability to pay debts as and when they were due meant that it breached the Club Participation Agreement.
- Reuters