Latest - After deciding to bat first the Pakistani cricketers have been dismissed for 240 on the first day of the opening Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Mitchell Strac Photo: Photosport
Mitchell Starc took four for 52 as a middle-session blitz and some late new-ball fireworks helped Australia dismiss the tourists cheaply.
Pat Cummins took three wickets and the third Australian quick, Josh Hazlewood, grabbed two as the hosts took the honours on a sunny day at the Gabba.
Pakistan's Asad Shafiq offered most resistance to the barrage from the Australian pace battalion with a fine knock of 76 before he was ousted by a Cummins delivery that removed his middle stump.
Left-armer Starc took the second new ball in the final hour of the day and made good use of it, dismissing Yasir Shah (26) and Shaheen Shah (0) in successive deliveries to put himself on a hat-trick.
Naseem Shah, the 16-year-old fast bowler who is playing his first test, faced the next delivery and, without appearing to know much about it, managed to keep the ball from hitting his stumps with a thick inside edge.
The teenager was the final batsman to fall, departing for seven when he spooned the ball into the air for Starc to dismiss him caught and bowled.
- Reuters
Tuatara beaten in season opener
The Auckland Tuatara were beaten 6-1 by the Perth Heat in their opening game of the new Australian National Baseball League season in Albany.
Kyle Glogoski Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Heat hit four home runs across the night to take first blood in the four-game series.
Kiwi starter Kyle Glogoski didn't have his best stuff and was removed after two innings while the Tuatara hitters struggled at the plate.
Dominican centrefielder Hansel Moreno lined a hard hit double to centre and Dodgers prospect Jared Walker drove him in to score the home side's only run of the game.
"We played a baseball game," manager Stephen Mintz said. "All the work and everything that has gone into putting this together and to get out there and play baseball we are super happy.
"Not the result we wanted. We didn't help ourselves out in a couple of facets of the game. The walks that we had - I can live with the solo home runs - I can live with that.
"With the week we have been through, just the fact the guys were able to get out there. We had kids running around everywhere and it was just awesome but we have to work on those areas."
The two sides head back to the park tonight when lefty Jared Koenig will start on the hill for the home side.
Another milestone for Black Jack
Jo Edwards and Tayla Bruce have won their opening three matches in the women's pair at the Multi Nations Bowls tournament on the Gold Coast.
The women's triple won two of their three matches as did men's singles player Andrew Kelly.
Meanwhile another Blackjack has reached a major milestone with Ali Forsyth celebrating his 400th cap little over 24 hours after Gary Lawson played his 300th game.
Forsyth is just the fourth New Zealander to reach the 400 game mark and trails only team-mates Jo Edwards and Val Smith, and Rowan Brassey on the all-time appearance list.
Forsyth's men's four had one win and a loss.
Ferguson on song for Auckland
Just a day after being released from the Black Caps Test squad, Lockie Ferguson grabbed a five wicket haul to help Auckland to their second straight win in the Ford Trophy one-day cricket competition.
Ferguson's 5 for 38 helped Auckland to a 100 run win over Central Districts at Eden Park.
Canterbury opener Jack Boyle equalled his career-best 126 as they beat Northern Districts by 84 runs in Hamilton.
Wellington beat Otago by five wickets in Queenstown.
Rennie says no time to waste for Wallabies
Newly appointed Wallabies coach Dave Rennie knows he will be expected to deliver instant success to win over sceptical fans and says he will not reach for the "rebuilding" excuse if results do not go as planned.
The New Zealander was handed the reins on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday and will take over a Wallabies team in transition after their quarterfinal exit from the Rugby World Cup Japan.
"The Australian public expects the results and they'll probably expect it immediately," Rennie, who starts the job next July, said.
"I don't want to give the players any excuses that we're building and all that sort of stuff so the expectation is that we're going to work really hard, we're going out to win footy."
Australia's next internationals come in a two-match series against Ireland in July.
Rennie said he would look to focus more on domestic players in Super Rugby in building his Wallabies squad rather than look at others overseas.
-Reuters
Special One won't make the same mistakes
New Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says he will not make the same mistakes at Spurs that he did in previous football managerial roles.
The Portugese manager replaced Mauricio Pochettino yesterday, ending an 11-month spell out of professional football following his sacking by Manchester United.
Mourinho described himself as humble in his first news conference as Spurs boss, saying he spent his time away from football analysing his career.
"I realised I made mistakes," he said.
"I'm not going to make the same mistakes. "I'll make new mistakes - but not the same."
Mourinho, who would not be drawn on what mistakes he was referring to, added: ""I am humble, humble enough to try and analyse my career - not just the last year, but the whole thing, the evolution, the problems and the solutions. Not to blame anyone else.
The 56 year old's time at Manchester United came to an end last December with the club 19 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
-BBC
Construction on track in Tokyo
Construction at two Tokyo 2020 venues is nearing completion eight months before the start of the Olympics, as preparations for the Games enter the final stretch on schedule.
The Tokyo Aquatics Centre, which will host swimming and diving at the Games, is 90 percent complete, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is on schedule to be finished at the end of February.
Likewise, the venue for volleyball and wheelchair basketball is 98 percent finished with only the painting of the interior floor to be concluded.
All of the venues being built or refurbished for Tokyo 2020 are on schedule, including the centrepiece National Stadium, where construction work finished last week.
The Aquatics Centre, built at a cost of $816 million, will be the last new venue to be completed.
-Reuters
Sir Mark Todd honoured
Sir Mark Todd was humbled and appreciative of the many who had travelled from far and wide to celebrate his tremendous eventing career at Auckland's A Night to Remember.
"It was just wonderful to see everyone," said Sir Mark who was joined on stage by former team mates, horse owners and others who had played an important part in a career that had spanned four decades. "It is very humbling to have everyone say such nice things."
Those who couldn't make it sent videos, including top British riders Mary King and William Fox-Pitt as well as top New Zealand eventers Tim and Jonelle Price and others.
Joining him on the stage were former team mates Blyth Tait, Tinks Pottinger, Jock Paget, Clarke Johnstone and others. Helen Gilbert, who groomed back to back Olympic gold medal winning Charisma for six years, travelled all the way from the UK for the special evening - much to Sir Mark's delight.
"It was very special," said Helen. "Charisma was my baby - he was just the most incredible little horse."