CRICKET
Gabba passed over
The Gabba will not host an Ashes series-opener in Australia for the first time in more than four decades after Cricket Australia on Wednesday confirmed Perth as the venue for the first Test of the 2025-2026 series. The Brisbane ground is to instead host its first day-night Ashes clash from Dec. 4 to 8 before the five-Test series between holders Australia and England moves to Adelaide Oval (Dec. 17-21), the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Dec. 26-30) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (Jan. 4-8). Once Australia’s first choice to start a home summer of cricket, the Gabba’s stocks have fallen in recent years since Perth Stadium opened in 2017 and following Adelaide Oval’s redevelopment a decade ago. The Gabba’s future is up in the air, with no Test scheduled in the 2026-2027 home summer and a planned redevelopment for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics scrapped over cost concerns. “There has already been enormous interest from fans around the world and all over Australia wanting to see Australia’s and England’s men’s teams engage in the next instalment of the Game’s oldest rivalry,” Cricket Australia executive Joel Morrison said at a launch for the schedule in Perth.
Photo: AFP
ICE HOCKEY
Ovechkin hits 700 assists
Alex Ovechkin on Tuesday became the 60th player in NHL history to record 700 career assists, reaching the milestone with his second point in the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights. Ovechkin had a secondary assist on Tom Wilson’s power-play goal early in the second period then set up linemate Aliaksei Protas to make it 3-1 a few minutes later. A video montage of his assists played on arena video boards at the ensuing timeout and Ovechkin waved to fans who gave him a standing ovation.
Photo: Reuters
FOOTBALL
Tom Brady stake approved
NFL owners on Tuesday approved Tom Brady’s application to purchase a stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in a move that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said was a great sign of the health of the league. The seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback-turned-Fox broadcaster would take about 5 percent control of the team after winning the unanimous support of club owners at their meeting in Atlanta, multiple media outlets reported. “It’s great that Tom Brady wants to invest in the NFL,” Goodell told reporters after the meeting. “He cares deeply about this game, he believes in its future and I think that’s just a signal about it.” Brady, 47, said he was “humbled and excited” to become an NFL owner. “I’m excited to contribute to the organization in any way I can, honoring the Raiders’ rich tradition while finding every possible opportunity to improve our offering to fans,” he wrote on X. “And most importantly, WIN football games,” he said before echoing late Raiders owner Al Davis’ motto “Just win, baby,” in a hashtag. Former NFL defensive lineman Richard Seymour was also approved to purchase a minority stake in the Raiders. “I’m deeply grateful — humbled and honored — to become a NFL owner,” Seymour wrote on X. Goodell said that more former players could be making the move from the field to the ownership box in the near future. “You see two examples here with both Richard and Tom, but there are others ... that are potentially going to be in process in the very near future,” he said.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Manchester City left it late to overcome St. Polten in Vienna. A late strike by Australia’s Mary Fowler gave them a 3-2 victory Chelsea moved to the top of their UEFA Women’s Champions League group with a 3-1 win at Twente on Thursday, while record eight-time winners Lyon saw off Wolfsburg. Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea, still bidding for a first Champions League title after four semi-final exits and a final defeat since 2018, made it two wins from two in Group B after beating Real Madrid in their opener. The five-time defending English Women’s Super League (WSL) forged ahead early on, thanks to rising star Agnes Beever-Jones’ first goal in the competition. Japanese forward Maika Hamano caught home goalkeeper Olivia Clark off her line from long
Taiwanese runner Lo Wei-ming (羅維銘) broke the record for his age bracket and finished third in this year’s Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race on Monday evening in New York (local time). Running the multi-day footrace for his fourth consecutive year, Asian record holder Lo broke the “age 60 record” by finishing in 45 days, 12 hours, 37 minutes and 55 seconds, according to the organizers. The previous age 60 record of 50 days, 15 hours, 6 minutes and four seconds had been held by British runner William Sichel since 2014. Now in its 28th year, the Sri Chinmoy Self- Transcendence 3100 Mile
MAKING HISTORY: The Dodgers pitchers have now tied the post-season record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings set by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1996 World Series Los Angeles pitcher Jack Flaherty on Sunday dominated over seven scoreless innings as the Dodgers shut out the New York Mets 9-0 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Mookie Betts delivered a three-run double. Max Muncy drove in two runs and Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani singled in a run and electrified the Dodger Stadium crowd with a hit that threatened to clear the outfield wall, but it was more stellar pitching, backed by lockdown defense and a disciplined performance at the plate, that propelled the Dodgers to victory to start the best-of-seven series. “It’s a lot of fun,” Flaherty
US Mountain West Conference (MWC) Commissioner Gloria Nevarez on Thursday said the forfeitures that volleyball teams are willing to take to avoid playing San Jose State is “not what we celebrate in college athletics” and that she is heartbroken over what has transpired this season surrounding the Spartans and their opponents. Four teams have canceled games against San Jose State: Boise State, Southern Utah, Utah State and Wyoming, with none of the schools explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. A group of Nevada players issued a statement saying they would not take the floor when the Wolf Pack are scheduled to host