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.”
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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