CRICKET
Australia thump S Africa
Australia yesterday completed a thumping of South Africa by an innings and 284 runs in the first-ever women’s Test between the two countries. Having beaten the hosts for the first time in ODIs and T20s during their tour, South Africa were hoping to go out on a high with a momentous Test win at the WACA in Perth, but they were outclassed. “I’m very proud. It’s been an amazing series,” Australia skipper Alyssa Healy said. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt said that it had been a learning experience. “All credit to Australia, we were pretty much outplayed in all facets of the game, but a great experience for us and we enjoyed the opportunity,” Wolvaardt said. South Africa were bundled out for just 76 in 31.2 overs in their first innings — South Africa’s lowest Test score. In reply, the hosts racked up 575-9 before declaring with the highest total by a women’s Test side, spearheaded by 210 from 22-year-old Annabel Sutherland. South Africa made 215 in their second innings.
CRICKET
Kyle Jamieson ruled out
Fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has been ruled out for the rest of the season after scans revealed a stress fracture in his back, New Zealand Cricket announced yesterday. The 29-year-old is not expected to play again until next summer, meaning he will miss New Zealand’s two-Test series against Australia this month. “The last few days have been some of my most challenging, but I am hugely grateful for the support I’ve received from my partner, family, teammates, support staff and medical professionals,” Jamieson said. “I know injuries are part of life as a cricketer and at my age I am hopeful I still have many more playing days ahead of me.”
GOLF
Spieth signs wrong score
Jordan Spieth on Friday signed for the wrong score at the Genesis Invitational and was disqualified for the first time in the 263 tournaments he has played on the PGA Tour. Spieth owned up to the mistake in a post on X. “Today, I signed for an incorrect scorecard and stepped out of the scoring area, after thinking I went through all procedures to make sure it was correct. Rules are rules, and I take full responsibility,” he wrote. Spieth made double-bogey on the 18th hole for a 73, but he signed for a three on the par-three fourth hole when he actually made a four, leading to the disqualification. That left 51 players in the field for the weekend at Riviera, with Patrick Cantlay leading on 13-under after two rounds. Kevin Yu of Taiwan missed the cut.
CYCLING
Hoy diagnosed with cancer
Six-time Olympic champion Chris Hoy on Friday said he has been diagnosed with cancer and that he felt “forced” to reveal the news. The 47-year-old former track cycling star wrote on Instagram that he was diagnosed with the disease last year and that he is undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, adding that it is “going really well” and he feels “fine.” He added: “For the sake of my young family, I had hoped to keep this information private, but regrettably our hand has been forced.” He gave no further details or the type of cancer he has.
The qualifying round of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is to be held at the Taipei Dome between Feb. 21 and 25, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today. Taiwan’s group also includes Spain, Nicaragua and South Africa, with two of the four teams advancing onto the 2026 WBC. Taiwan, currently ranked second in the world in the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings, are favorites to come out of the group, the MLB said in an article announcing the matchups. Last year, Taiwan finished in a five-way tie in their group with two wins and two losses, but finished last on tiebreakers after giving
North Korea’s FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup-winning team on Saturday received a heroes’ welcome back in the capital, Pyongyang, with hundreds of people on the streets to celebrate their success. They had defeated Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the U17 World Cup final in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 3. It was the second global title in two months for secretive North Korea — largely closed off to the outside world; they also lifted the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in September. Officials and players’ families gathered at Pyongyang International Airport to wave flowers and North Korea flags as the
For King Faisal, a 20-year-old winger from Ghana, the invitation to move to Brazil to play soccer “was a dream.” “I believed when I came here, it would help me change the life of my family and many other people,” he said in Sao Paulo. For the past year and a half, he has been playing on the under-20s squad for Sao Paulo FC, one of South America’s most prominent clubs. He and a small number of other Africans are tearing across pitches in a country known as the biggest producer and exporter of soccer stars in the world, from Pele to Neymar. For
Coco Gauff of the US on Friday defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals, while in the doubles, Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching was eliminated. Gauff generated six break points to Belarusian Sabalenka’s four and built on early momentum in the opening set’s tiebreak that she carried through to the second set. She is the youngest player at 20 to make the final at the WTA Finals since Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. Zheng earlier defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5 to book
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