Latest - Former India captain Kapil Dev has called on cricket's governing body to take steps to protect the test and one-day international formats amid the global growth of lucrative domestic Twenty20 competitions.
Kapil Dev Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The proliferation of T20 leagues has further strained cricket's already-bloated calendar, with new competitions in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa set to begin early next year.
The trailblazing Indian Premier League is set to be given an extended window in the ICC's next international calendar while England and Australia are also likely to get dedicated slots for their domestic franchise-based leagues.
"It's going the way as football in Europe," Dev told the Sydney Morning Herald. "They don't play against each country. It is once in four years (during the World Cup).
"Is this what we're going to have, the World Cup and the rest of the time playing club (T20 franchise) cricket? In a similar way, will cricketers eventually be playing mainly the IPL or the Big Bash or something like that?
"The ICC have to put more time into that to see how they can ensure the survival of one-day cricket, test match cricket, not only club cricket," added Dev, who lifted the World Cup as India skipper in 1983.
-Reuters
Osaka beaten in first round again
Naomi Osaka's U.S. Open preparations suffered another setback when the former world number one was swept aside 6-4 7-5 by China's Zhang Shuai in the Cincinnati Open first round.
Naomi Osaka Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It was only her third tournament back from an Achilles injury and it has been a stuttering return to action for the twice U.S. Open champion, who also exited in the opening round in Toronto last week, retiring with lower back pain.
For Zhang, doubles champion in Cincinnati last year, it was her first singles win at the event since 2014.
"Naomi she is amazing but I don't know she is maybe not really feeling good today," said Zhang. "But for sure today - not her best today."
Zhang next meets Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova who was a 6-4 7-5 winner over 13th-seeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez, losing finalist at last year's U.S. Open.
This year's major at Flushing Meadows starts on Aug. 29.
-Reuters
Former NRL player pleads guilty
Former NRL star Brett Finch has pleaded guilty to sending child abuse material using an adult phone chat service.
Brett Finch with the Roosters Photo: Photosport Ltd 2005
Finch was one of eight men arrested in late 2021 as part of investigations into an alleged child abuse material ring.
The former State of Origin halfback pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to transmit or publish child abuse material, while a further six charges were withdrawn by prosecutors.
His lawyer, Paul McGirr, told reporters outside court his client was seeking treatment for mental health issues.
Finch retired from the NRL at the end of the 2013 season after 330 games for the Raiders, Roosters, Storm and Wigan Warriors, after making his debut in 1999.
Detectives raided Finch's San Souci home in December 2021, arresting him and seizing a mobile phone for forensic examination.
At the time, police alleged members of the ring "expressed desires to engage [in] sexual activities with children" on an adult phone chat service.
Finch will remain on bail, and face court again in September.
-ABC
Joshua knows what he's in for
A "re-invented" Anthony Joshua said he is well aware of Oleksandr Usyk's tricks and knows what he must do to defeat the Ukrainian when they meet in their rematch in Jeddah this weekend.
Joshua and Osyk in 2021 Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Usyk beat Joshua in front of a sell-out crowd at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.
The 32-year-old Briton, who now has a new trainer in American former super-featherweight world champion Robert Garcia, said he learned a lot from his first meeting with Usyk.
"I know what he's going to do, I know what I've got to do," Joshua told the BBC. "I've been in there before, I know his tricks. I've got to go change the narrative. I'm the author of my own movie.
"I took myself to the United States, worked with some new trainers. I just wanted to kind of revamp things. I'm going to be 33 in a couple of months. I want to try something new, I want to revamp myself, reinvent myself - let me bring in some new coaches.
Joshua previously lost the belts to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 before regaining them later that year.
-Reuters
Stokes says Proteas doing a lot of talking
England test captain Ben Stokes says he hopes his team has retained their "venom" ahead of the start of the three-match series against South Africa which begins at Lord's tonight.
Ben Stokes Photo: PHOTOSPORT
There has been a lot of chatter about England's attacking style of play, nicknamed 'Bazball' because of new coach Brendon McCullum, that swept them to four wins in a row in June-July, each time successfully chasing over 275 to win against New Zealand and India.
South Africa skipper Dean Elgar suggested England's all-out attack with the bat was unsustainable and would eventually see them fail, but Stokes says the die has been cast and they will not waiver from their plans.
"The opposition seem to be doing a lot of the talking at the moment about it," Stokes said. "We just concentrate on what we do. We've got a style of play, they've got a style of play.
"At the end of the day, it's bat against ball and whoever plays best over a test match is most likely to win.
"For me, it's just about reiterating the points that we were making at the start of the summer - our mindset, attitude and everything like that - about how we go out and play our cricket."
Stokes confirmed wicketkeeper Ben Foakes will return to the starting XI in the only change from the side that defeated India. He missed that test with concussion.
-Reuters
South American clash won't be replayed
The World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil suspended last year will not be replayed.
On Sept. 5, the game between the two football giants was cancelled after Brazilian health authorities accused several English Premier League players of violating the country's COVID-19 quarantine rules.
The Arengtine Football Association said the case was now resolved with the Brazilian Football Confederation and football's world governing body FIFA.
The AFA was ordered to pay a fine of $250,000, with half the amount suspended for a two-year probationary period.
Brazil and Argentina have both qualified for this year's World Cup in Qatar. Brazil topped the CONMEBOL table with 45 points while Argentine claimed second place on 39. Uruguay and Ecuador took the other two automatic World Cup spots.
-Reuters
NBA to take election day off
The NBA will not schedule any games on Election Day to encourage fans to get out and vote in the midterm elections this year.
The league announced that the decision "came out of the NBA family's focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement."
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
The league will use the platform of games on Nov. 7 "to amplify the work of each team to promote civic engagement in their respective markets and share important voting resources from our partners," the NBA said in a statement.
The complete 2022-23 NBA schedule will be announced tomorrow.
-Reuters
City sign defender
Manchester City have completed the signing of Spanish left back Sergio Gomez from Belgian club Anderlecht.
The 21-year-old, a product of Barcelona's youth system, played under former City captain Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht last season.
An attacking full back, Gomez is likely to be back-up to Joao Cancelo, replacing Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko who was sold to Arsenal last month.
Gomez is City's fourth signing during this transfer window following the arrival of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, England midfielder Kalvin Phillips and German goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
City top the Premier League standings with two wins from two.
-Reuters