CRICKET
Stars go home winless
The Taiwan Stars yesterday lost three games from three at the Janhong Tournament at the Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei, leaving them last and out of today’s finals. Taipei-based ICC made 76-2, aided by 25 extras, to overhaul the Stars’ total of 74-6 in the first of yesterday’s 12-over matches. Saurabh Hajari belted 50 not out from just 23 deliveries to power the Game Swingers to 128-5 in the second match, which was too much for the Stars’ 72-7. In the third game, the Taipei Indians made 116-3 to set up a 30-run win. Yesterday’s action completed the group stage in the five-team tournament, with the Hsinchu Titans topping the table for direct entry into today’s final. The Indians and the Swingers are to play in the morning to decide who gets the other spot in the championship match.
LITTLE LEAGUE
Girl scores a run
Stella Weaver, the only girl playing in the Little League World Series this year, singled, scored a run and was hit by a pitch, helping Tennessee to an 8-1 win over Rhode Island on Friday. Weaver is just the 22nd girl to play in the tournament’s history. The first Little League World Series was held in 1947. With the bases empty, Stella hit a hard grounder to short and beat out the throw to become the 10th girl to record a hit in tournament history. She later hustled from second to home on a bloop single, clapping her hands as she slid through the plate. “People don’t realize how fast she is,” manager Randy Huth said. “You ask any one of these guys, she can fly. She can flat out fly. She hit that ball so hard to shortstop and he still couldn’t throw her out.” Weaver also made a put-out in right field before she was pulled defensively in the fourth, maintaining her place in the lineup. Huth said he made the switch because he considered pitching her in relief of starter Grayson May. Huth said there was “definitely a chance” that Weaver would get the start in Tennessee’s game against Washington tomorrow. The Tennessee team, from Nolensville just south of Nashville, is representing the Southeast region in the US bracket. “You’re gonna see Stella,” Huth said. “She can throw it, man. She can really pitch.” Taiwan, represented by Taoyuan-based Kuei-Shan Little League, face Japan tomorrow. They won their first game at the tournament against Canada.
GAMES
Victoria to pay A$380m
Australia’s Victoria state is to pay A$380 million (US$243 million) to Commonwealth Games organizers, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday, after it withdrew as 2026 event host citing a projected cost blowout. Victoria last month pulled out of hosting the quadrennial multi-sport event, which was to have been held in four regional hubs, with Andrews saying costs could have ballooned to more than A$7 billion from a budgeted A$2.6 billion. The decision has raised the possibility that the Games might not take place for the first time since being canceled due to World War II. In a joint statement issued by Andrews, the Commonwealth Games Federation, Commonwealth Games Federation Partnerships, Commonwealth Games Australia and Victoria said they had “settled all their disputes regarding the cancelation of the multi-hub regional Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.” The statemenst said: “The State of Victoria has agreed to pay the Commonwealth Games parties ... A$380 million.”
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) is considering reducing its pitch clock by two seconds to help players better adjust to the rules applied at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The proposal aims to shorten the pitch timer from 25 seconds to 23 seconds with the bases empty, and from 20 seconds to 18 seconds with runners on base. Currently, the WBC mandates that pitchers deliver a pitch every 18 seconds with the bases empty and 15 seconds with runners on base. The issue was raised during a pre-season CPBL managers’ meeting on Tuesday by Rakuten Monkeys bench and batting
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