Sinner reached all four major finals in a year when he also served a three-month doping suspension after twice testing positive for a banned substance in 2024.
Wada accepted Sinner “did not intend to cheat” and Djokovic said he believed the Italian “didn’t do it on purpose”.
However, Djokovic warned that the case would remain a “cloud” over the 24-year-old throughout his career.
“That cloud will follow him as the cloud of Covid will follow me,” said Djokovic, who was deported from Australia in 2022 because he was not vaccinated against the virus.
“Over time it will fade, but I don’t think it will disappear.”
A number of players questioned the timing of Sinner’s ban, with Djokovic adding: “There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience [of] the ban coming between the slams so he doesn’t miss out. It was very, very odd.
“I really don’t like how the case was being handled. You could hear so many other players who had similar situations coming out in the media and complaining that it was a preferable treatment.”
In a small win for California’s film and TV industry, mixed martial arts franchise Combate Global will relocate production from Miami to Burbank.
The franchise, which will air on Spanish-language network Estrella TV after a six-year run on Univision, will film 20 live events at Estrella’s new networks studio, starting in February. That space seats 500 people and has been used to film the talent competition show “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento.”
The franchise wanted to relocate to Southern California because of the bigger media market, said Campbell McLaren, chief executive of Combate Global and co-creator of the UFC.
The move is expected to create about 60 jobs, and is estimated to have an economic impact of more than $1 million on an annual basis for the 20 shows, which is up from the eight produced this year, he said.
“It’s a bigger market, access to more talent, access to more behind-the-camera talent, access to more on-camera talent,” McLaren said. “We feel we’re making a big, big step.”
The move also allows the franchise to target the large Mexican American market in L.A. — Combate Global currently has its largest viewership in Mexico — as well as others who have not been as exposed to the mixed martial arts events, such as the Korean community. The sport’s Japan vs. Mexico nights have also been popular and could find broad appeal in in L.A., McLaren said.
“It’s a move to super serve our core audience,” he said. “We’re going to have real audience traction.”
The news comes as California tries to lure film and television productions back to the Golden State after many have relocated to other states and countries in search of more lucrative tax incentives.
Over the summer, state legislators bulked up the state’s film and TV tax credit program and agreed to more than double the annual amount allocated to it. So far, dozens of projects have been awarded tax credits, including 22 series and 52 movies. (Combate Global did not receive a tax credit because sports do not qualify for the program.)
Webb, speaking on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show, said that while he accepted there would be a difference of opinion, there were valid reasons for the goal to be ruled out.
“Interfering with an opponent where the offside position player doesn’t play the ball and the officials have to make a judgment whether the actions of that player impact an opponent, are some of the most subjective decisions that we have to make,” said Webb.
“Therefore, it’s no surprise that some people believe this goal should have stood, so I think it’s important that we look at the facts of what actually happened in this situation.
“We know the corner comes in and the ball reaches Van Dijk. As the ball’s coming across the penalty area, the Manchester City players move out, they leave Robertson in that offside position in the heart of the six-yard box.
“When Van Dijk heads the ball forward, that’s the moment when we have to make an offside judgment about Robertson and about what he’s doing there.
“We know he doesn’t touch the ball but what does he do? Well, as the ball moves towards him, three yards out from goal, right in the middle of the six-yard box, he makes that clear action to duck below the ball.
“The ball goes just over his head, and the ball finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is. Then, the officials have to make a judgment – did that clear action impact on Donnarumma, the goalkeeper, and his ability to save the ball? And that’s where the subjectivity comes into play.
“Obviously that’s the conclusion they drew on that. They looked at that position, they looked at that action, so close to the goalkeeper, and they formed that opinion.
“I know that’s not a view held by everybody but I think it’s not unreasonable to understand why they would form that conclusion.
“The player is so close to the goalkeeper, the ball’s coming right towards him and he has to duck to get out of the way of the ball – and they form the conclusion that that impacts Donnarumma’s ability just to dive towards the ball and make that save.
“And then, of course, once they’ve made that on-field decision, the job of the VAR is to look at that and decide, was the outcome of offside clearly and obviously wrong?
“Only Donnarumma truly knows if he was impacted by this and, of course, we have to look at the factual evidence, and when we see that factual evidence of that position of the player ducking below the ball, so close to the goalkeeper, the VAR determines that the outcome of offside is not clearly and obviously wrong, and they stay out of it.”
They started in February after Dallas Mavericks general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison initiated a trade that sent superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers and continued to occur at home games throughout the end of last season and into the 2025-26 campaign.
On Tuesday morning, those vocal fans got their wish, as Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont announced that Harrison had been let go weeks into his fifth season with the team. Dallas went 182-157 under the former Nike executive, including a 3-8 start to this season.
Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi were named co-interim general managers to oversee basketball operations.
“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” Dumont said.
Harrison spent nearly two decades with Nike before being hired by the Mavericks in June 2021. The team made it to the Western Conference finals the following season and to the NBA Finals in 2024, with Doncic as its undisputed star.
The move shocked most people involved with the NBA, and Dallas fans felt blindsided. That’s when “Fire Nico” started. The words appeared on signs and T-shirts in addition to being yelled at home games, including the Mavericks’ 116-114 loss Monday to the Milwaukee Bucks.
During that game, Dumont was seen sitting courtside having a lengthy conversation with a fan in a Lakers jersey featuring Doncic’s name and number. That person, 18-year-old Mavericks fan Nicholas Dickason, told The Athletic that he had initiated the conversation to apologize to the team governor for yelling curse words at him and giving him the finger at a game earlier this season.
According to Dickason, Dumont accepted his apology and added an admission of his own.
“Basically Patrick was like, he feels horrible for the trade. And wants to make it up to us,” Dickason said. “That’s basically what he said. He accepted my apology for it as well.”
In April, after the Mavericks finished the 2024-25 season with a 39-43 record and missed the playoffs, Harrison admitted he underestimated the level of outrage the trade would cause.
“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”
He added: “When you have 20,000 people in the stadium chanting ‘Fire Nico,’ you really feel it. … But my job is to make decisions I feel are in the best interest of this organization, and I gotta stand by the decisions, and some of them are going to be unpopular. This was clearly one that’s unpopular.”
Scotland are bidding to reach a men’s World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.
“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that there’s a real understanding of what it takes to be successful,” said former Scotland forward Naismith.
“Making the two Euros has been so valuable to this squad. You can now see that there is a focus, an understanding that, ‘we need to do this to get to a major tournament’.
“We’ve got a squad here who’ve been really successful. That’s four campaigns in which we’ve made the play-offs for a World Cup, got to two Euros and got a real chance of making a World Cup tournament as well.
“Football is what the country lives and breathes. Scots are really emotional, so at times it can be tough. What has been shown is when we are united, the fans are up for it, the players are up for it led by the manager, we’ve been really successful.
“We’ve been to two major tournaments, probably not done ourselves justice at those tournaments and what an opportunity they’ve got to make massive history and get to a World Cup.
“I grew up just seeing the last tournament in France ’98. The generation now supporting Scotland have seen two major tournaments and now potentially a World Cup. There’s definitely been a different mindset and expectations from everybody associated. That’s why we’re such a good nation that has had success and hopefully it can continue. “
With five returning starters, Arcadia basketball coach Nick Wallace made it clear at Monday’s Pacific League media day that he expects his team to compete at a high level this season.
Ditto for Pasadena, which returns 6-foot-11 Josh Irving, a Texas A&M commit, and has added high-scoring guard Tim Anderson from Blair.
One of the most intriguing players for Arcadia is 6-8 sophomore Owen Eteuati Edwards. He had a busy summer playing basketball and pitching for the Dodgers’ scout team. Yes, he’s tall and throwing fastballs at 92 mph.
Edwards explained why he thought the Dodgers won Game 7 of the World Series.
“It goes back to leadership in the locker room. I feel they all bought in,” he said.
Edwards has his 6-4 older brother, Noa, on the basketball team, and the two continue to have some intense one-on-one games. “It goes back and forth,” he said. “They’re always fun battles.”
As to which sport he likes more, Edwards said, “I always say I’m a basketball player playing baseball.”
He’s keeping his options open.
As for Pasadena, adding Anderson is huge. He averaged 31.4 points per game last season at Blair. Combined with returnee Troy Wilson, the Bulldogs will have more offensive power. And there will be plenty of dunks. Irving has a 36-inch vertical jump and has improved dramatically in his fourth year at Pasadena.
The Pacific League, which will disband after this season when it combines with the Rio Hondo League, has two new head coaches in DoVall Boykins at Crescenta Valley and Jason Weatherall at Burroughs.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Sheehan was named as assistant to Michael Duff in the summer of 2023 and was placed in interim charge of the first team in December of the same year following the manager’s departure.
Under Sheehan’s guidance, the Swans took 11 of the 21 points on offer before Williams was appointed as Duff’s permanent replacement in January 2024.
But little more than a year on, Sheehan was back in temporary charge after Williams was sacked.
The former Republic of Ireland international led his side to an even better run second time around as Swansea claimed 24 points from his 13 games as boss to guide the club to an 11th-place finish – a remarkable achievement given the Welsh side had flirted with relegation just months earlier.
After earning a three-year contract as head coach, announced at the end of last April, Sheehan was backed heavily in the summer transfer window as Swansea’s new ownership group – led by Cravatt and Cohen – showed their intent on getting the club in a position to challenge for a top-flight return.
Adam Idah, Marko Stamenic, Zeidane Inoussa and Ethan Galbraith were among those to command hefty transfer fees.
But they have been unable to convert the early season optimism at the club into results – with their attacking output under Sheehan in particular being criticised.
Swansea’s expected goals (xG) of 12.48 is the lowest of any team in the division, while their total of 15 big chances created is comfortably the worst of any side in the second tier.
During Saturday’s defeat by Ipswich some fans booed at half-time and full-time – with some aiming chants of ‘we want Sheehan out’ at their head coach after the match.
He will now leave south Wales having overseen a run of just one win in eight matches across all competitions.
Now, in what is the final international break of the calendar year, fans will hope the impending managerial change can give the club time to turn around their fortunes and reignite their hopes of securing a top-six finish.
Swansea return to league action against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday, 22 November (12:30 GMT).
Welcome back to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where we are bundling up during the Southeast’s deep freeze.
Snow flurries dusted the ground outside Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, but the Lakers were heating up. They knocked off the Charlotte Hornets for their sixth win over the last seven games and, after a clunker in Atlanta, vibes are, once again, high.
Austin Reaves returned in the game against the Hornets to help the Lakers inch closer to full health, but after weeks of an ever-changing rotation, we’re going to start on a player known for his consistency.
All things Lakers, all the time.
Prime Rui Hachimura
No one had this comparison on their bingo card this year. Rui Hachimura and M.J. himself? In one key area, at least, it holds for JJ Redick.
“[I] feel like he’s not going to miss a midrange shot right now,” Redick said before the Atlanta game. “It’s like prime Michael Jordan, prime Kawhi Leonard.”
Redick may have jinxed Hachimura, who went three-for-nine against the Hawks when everyone struggled, but the Japanese forward is quietly putting together a career year. He’s averaging 16.3 points per game on 58.6% shooting. His field-goal percentage is the team’s highest for any non-center. With the biggest stars in and out of the lineup because of injuries, Hachimura is one of just three Lakers players to appear in each of the first 11 games.
“One thing we know about Rui is he’s gonna be consistent,” guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s gonna get to his spots. He’s gonna make plays for us, and he’s gonna come in clutch for us.”
Despite the successful start, Hachimura was caught off guard when told of his accomplishments. He had no idea that he had shot better than 50% from the field in every game before the Atlanta dud. The Lakers forward’s eyebrows shot up when he heard that Redick put him and his midrange shots in the same sentence as His Airness.
Because to Hachimura, what he’s doing is just second nature to him.
“Those kinds of shots,” Hachimura said, “that’s why I got here at this point.”
Shooting 52.4% from three, Hachimura has also developed into a certified laser from distance, Redick said. He was shooting 40.2% from three during his Lakers career prior to this season.
Hachimura, who is in the final year of his contract, credited assistant coach Beau Levesque for helping him improve his offensive game, focusing on quicker decision making and smarter shot selection.
While his offensive prowess has been on display all season, he also backed it up Monday with some of the best defense Redick has watched him play. The Lakers held Charlotte — which scored 40 points in the first quarter — to 15 points in the third thanks in large part to Hachimura’s activity. The defensive stats aren’t impressive: one defensive rebound, one steal, no blocks.
But his teammates know Hachimura’s value.
“Nobody talks about him, but he deserves a lot of credit in our wins,” guard Luka Doncic said. “He’s been amazing for us, and the way he plays like every game just helps us a lot, especially to win games.”
10-game statistical check-in
The Lakers led the league in shooting percentage through their first 10 games and, until Sunday’s clunker in Atlanta, were a top-five ranked offense. The source of their offensive power is an unexpected shot.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
Entering Sunday’s games, the Lakers led the league with 11.3 attempts from 10-to-14 feet per game. The midrange shot has become the modern NBA’s statistically inefficient black sheep, but it’s been the key to keeping the Lakers afloat during the early season injuries.
The Lakers shot 55.8% from 10-to-14 feet, the league leaders from that distance entering Sunday’s games. When expanded to shooting zones, the Lakers take the second-highest percentage of non-layup two-pointers in the league, trailing only the Sacramento Kings. They also converted them at a scorching 55.9% clip. On two-point shots outside of the restricted area, no other team even cracked 50%.
Of course, this is all small-sample-size theater. Redick doesn’t think this will be the Lakers’ longterm shot profile because the team won’t look like this for long. The Lakers have been without Doncic, Reaves and LeBron James for part of or (in the case of James) all of the season.
Once the Lakers are “whole,” Redick suspects that the team will return to something closer to last year’s final version that ranked ninth in three-point attempts in games after the Doncic trade. Whether the higher quality shots will actually fall would be the next important step: The corner three is the only area from which the Lakers are shooting worse than league average.
Best thing I ate this week
The Swahili Plate with grilled lamb bites from Serengeti Kitchen in Charlotte, N.C. is served with coconut rice and pinto beans, collards and cabbage and sweet fried plantains.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I can find Tanzania on the map, but that’s the extent of my knowledge about the East African country. I was wholly unfamiliar with Tanzania’s game, and if my first taste from Serengeti Kitchen in Charlotte is any indication, they definitely got food game in that country.
The Swahili plate comes with coconut rice under coconut pinto beans with collard and cabbage and sweet fried plantains. I got the grilled lamb bites and proceeded to text all my friends about my favorite discovery Downtown Charlotte.
England coach Marcus Trescothick says he has full confidence in Joe Root to perform against Australia in the Ashes, despite the fact the batter has never scored a century down under during an away Ashes series.
Trout National does not formally open until April. But, when you’re Mike Trout, you can invite your friends to play a couple rounds on the course that carries your name.
And so it was that Trout, the best player in Angels history, last week welcomed Torii Hunter, one of the most popular and respected players in Angels history. The course, designed by Tiger Woods and his team, is located in Trout’s hometown of Millville, N.J., and includes a refueling stop in “a concrete bunker tucked behind the 14th tee and styled like a classic baseball dugout.”
Said Hunter: “It’s a great course.”
Hunter could have managed his former teammate next season, had the Angels chosen him to replace Ron Washington. However, for the second time in three years, the Angels interviewed Hunter for their managerial vacancy and then hired someone else — this time, former Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki.
Hunter, speaking Monday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast before a fundraiser for Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, said he interviewed with Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
Hunter said he believed Suzuki would do well in the position and had no hard feelings about the process.
“It was a great interview,” Hunter said. “We had a good talk. It just didn’t work out.
“The opportunity presented itself. They were looking for a manager, and they decided to interview me for the job. They told me to.
“I still love the Angels. That’s why I did it. That’s why I wanted to do it.”
He felt the same way about his original team, the Minnesota Twins. He said he “put my name in the hat” for the Twins’ managerial vacancy and had informal discussions with the team, but no formal interview.
Hunter declined to discuss details of his interview with Minasian.
The Angels have baseball’s longest playoff drought, now at 11 years, and have finished in last place in back-to-back seasons. Hunter said prospects need to get to Anaheim and start playing with the young players already there.
“I think those guys have got a couple of years under their belts,” he said. “It’s time to go out there and really compete.”
The Angels’ minor league system is widely regarded as one of baseball’s thinnest. Hunter, who worked as a special assistant to Minasian last season, said he sees a fair amount of talent at the lower levels of the system.
“Maybe they don’t win the World Series next year,” Hunter said. “Maybe they don’t go to the playoffs.
“A shift in the team dynamic depends on the pieces that they add. But, in the next two years, you’re going to see these guys, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
Hunter said he is unsure yet whether his business interests — he owns five restaurants and two coffee shops, in addition to commercial real estate investments — will allow him to continue as an Angels special assistant. He hopes to do so.
“I love Kurt Suzuki,” Hunter said. “I played with him with the Twins in 2015, and I played against him forever. I love everything about him. I would love to be there to help him along the way if I can.”
Suzuki agreed to a one-year contract, which puts him in the uncomfortable position of being a lame duck before he manages his first game.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to give him time, and a chance to get to know the fellas. The guy is smart, he’s intelligent, he’s got great relationship skills. So, be patient.”
As Trent Perry made his first collegiate start, he stepped into a familiar role.
The UCLA sophomore always plays point guard in practice, going head to head against star counterpart Donovan Dent. Whenever they play together in games, Perry has to shift his approach, becoming more aggressive in trying to grab rebounds.
But with Dent sidelined as a precaution because of a muscle strain Monday night at Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins needed Perry to assume the role of lead facilitator.
Finding out that he was going to start only shortly before tipoff, Perry received encouragement from his sidelined teammate.
“He really just said, ‘Keep going,’” Perry said of Dent. “Just kept giving me confidence throughout the entire game. You know, keep going right now, you’re the engine and just keep your team moving. Just be a leader.”
Perry eagerly complied, leading the No. 15 Bruins to an 83-62 victory over West Georgia that was far closer than the score indicated. The Wolves used a bombs-away approach that yielded a flurry of three-pointers and kept the game competitive for 25 minutes before Perry helped UCLA avoid embarrassment on its home court.
Making most of the highlight passes, including one in which he barreled into the paint before flinging the ball to teammate Eric Dailey Jr. in the corner for a three-pointer, Perry logged career highs across the board with 17 points, nine assists and five rebounds along with only two turnovers in 37 minutes.
It was a performance that pleased coach Mick Cronin, who said he was primarily concerned with Perry’s defense and ability to take care of the ball while finding his teammates.
“Off certain plays that we ran, he read the defense, did a good job with that,” Cronin said. “That’s what you’ve to do as a quarterback — calling the plays, if the quarterback can’t deliver the ball, you’re a pretty limited coach.”
With UCLA holding just a five-point lead against an opponent in only its second season in Division I, Perry ignited his team’s 10-0 push early in the second half that provided breathing room with an assist and a layup in transition. Eventually the Bruins (3-0) found themselves ahead by 20 points, leaving West Georgia (1-2) with no way to catch them even on a night when the Wolves made 13 of 25 three-pointers (52%).
UCLA also persevered thanks to forward Tyler Bilodeau’s 21 points on seven-for-12 shooting and Dailey’s 14 points. The Bruins were far more efficient on offense in the second half, making 14 of 25 shots (56%) to finish the game shooting 49.1%.
UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau, left, tries to drive past West Georgia forward Kenneth Chime during the first half Monday.
(Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
But the outcome wasn’t a foregone conclusion until there were about 10 minutes left thanks to West Georgia’s success from beyond the arc. The Wolves made nine of 13 three-pointers in the first half before cooling off considerably.
“We were losing shooters,” said Perry, who was pump-faked out of the way on one three-pointer in the game’s early going. “Our deflection [total] was really low. Coach said comfortable teams make comfortable players. And they were pretty comfortable in our home gym, especially in the first half.”
Cronin said he was grateful that his team was challenged by a third consecutive lesser-conference opponent after struggling to put away Eastern Washington and Pepperdine.
“It was great that they made us compete tonight — we do not need a false sense of security,” Cronin said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, so the worst thing you can have is [an opponent] that just lays down, doesn’t pass the ball, can’t make a shot, you’re running and dunking, the crowd’s going wild. It’s such a false sense of security for what we’ve got coming Friday.”
Cronin was alluding to an early season showdown against No. 5 Arizona at the Intuit Dome.
UCLA will need not just Dent back but also the defensive intensity that has made Cronin’s teams far more formidable than they looked for much of Monday night. Dent likely will play against the Wildcats, Cronin said.
“He’s banged up, got a couple of different areas he’s banged up,” Cronin said. “It was a great chance to get him some rest.”
And, in the process, learn that the Bruins have someone else capable of running their offense.
Trevoh Chalobah is set to join up with the England squad to replace injured Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.
The 26-year-old Chelsea defender is due to link up with the squad for England’s final World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Serbia, but it has yet to be officially announced.
The Three Lions have already qualified for next summer’s tournament.
Chalobah earned his first call-up under England manager Thomas Tuchel in May and then made his debut against Senegal.
In September, Tuchel said Chalobah was unfortunate to be left out of the squad for qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, and also didn’t call him up for the subsequent October international break.
Vit Krejci scored a career-high 28 points off the bench, Kristaps Porzingis added 20 and the Atlanta Hawks opened a four-game trip with a 105-102 victory over the Clippers on Monday night.
Jalen Johnson had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks overcame a 17-point deficit to win consecutive games for the second time this season. Krejci made a career-best eight three-pointers in 10 attempts.
Porzingis (illness) and Johnson (quad) both returned after missing Sunday’s 20-point home victory over the Lakers, while Trae Young (knee) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (back) remained out.
James Harden had 35 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the Clippers’ fifth straight loss. Ivica Zubac added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn each scored 11 points for the Clippers, who were without star Kawhi Leonard (ankle) for a fourth consecutive game, while Bradley Beal (hip) was ruled out.
Krejci’s biggest three-pointer came with 36 seconds remaining and gave the Hawks a 105-98 lead. Harden converted a four-point play with 25 seconds remaining to get the Clippers within a possession but missed a tying three-point attempt with 12 seconds left.
The Clippers led 36-19 early in the second quarter before the Hawks erased the deficit with a 20-3 run to take a 42-41 lead with 4:09 remaining before the half. Krejci made four three-pointers in the run, including three consecutive at one point.
The score was tied at 52 at halftime after Krejci made six of Atlanta’s seven three-pointers over the first two quarters. The Hawks pushed in front 79-76 after three quarters.
Harden tied the score 92-92 with 5:01 remaining on consecutive three-pointers before another three-pointer from Krejci put the Hawks up 95-92 with 4:25 remaining. Harden scored 19 points in the fourth quarter on six-of-10 shooting and four of seven from three-point range.
After launch there was the question of how to fill the days at sea.
“In my case, you eat,” says Larter. “Honestly, I’ve never had, either before or since, such a sustained spell of magnificent eating.
“The stewards loved us. They’d bring these great trolleys of wonderful food, and they knew we’d eat it.”
With copious amounts of food available and an Ashes series to prepare for, the players had to keep fit.
“We’d have an exercise session in the morning, then there were badminton courts netted off for us. We’d shove weights about, and jump up and down and things like that,” says Larter.
The England management wanted to take things a stage further.
By chance, Dexter found that British athlete Gordon Pirie was on board. Pirie won 5,000m silver at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
“He was invited to organise us,” says Larter. “He turned up with his shorts on and decided the best exercise would be running around the boat.
“It’s quite a long way around one of those big boats, but I did what I was told.”
Not everyone in the touring party was as agreeable as Larter. Trueman, never shy of speaking his mind, had just bowled more than 1,100 overs in the English summer.
“Fred voiced an opinion which meant in no way was he running around,” says Larter. “That just wasn’t what we did to get fit. To get fit, we played cricket.
“Fred said he’d just bowled all those overs in the season, and he wasn’t going to run around a boat for anyone. The Gordon Pirie thing died off after that.”
For Larter, the trip was not just a first England tour, but a first time out of the country. On the upper deck he mixed with the wealthy travellers, lower down he encountered the Poms emigrating to a new life down under.
“We found the greatest reception came downstairs,” he says. “There were people emigrating or moving for all sorts of reasons. A lot of them were young, out to make new lives. It was interesting to meet them. There were more than a couple of decent bars and you could have a quiet pint.”
The journey was not a straight passage to Perth. Remarkably, England tuned up for a tour of Australia by hopping off in Sri Lanka to play a game in Colombo.
“We walked out on to the field and Ted Dexter said I would be opening the bowling,” says Larter.
“I marked out a run, ran in, and fell flat on my face. A real sprawler. I picked myself up, went back, came in again and did the same thing.
“I’d lost my land legs. They weren’t going where I wanted, because I’d been on the boat.
“Ted came across and said ‘what’s wrong?’. I said they don’t work! He took me off. Barry Knight had to finish the over.
“We were entertained and looked after by the British Army. They put on a big barbecue on the beach for us. How do you get to that from a small town in Suffolk? On the beach in Sri Lanka with all of these nice people. It was an eye-opener, just being there.”
SACRAMENTO — Gianna Kneepkens scored 20 points and No. 3 UCLA used a big third quarter to pull away from sixth-ranked Oklahoma for a 73-59 victory Monday night.
Bruins star Lauren Betts had nine points on four-for-11 shooting, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots while committing seven of her team’s 16 turnovers. The Bruins (3-0) dominated on the boards, 59-43, in a game played at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Oklahoma got a scare with 9:16 remaining when senior center and leading scorer Raegan Beers went down awkwardly fighting for a rebound with Betts and grabbed at her right knee. She returned shortly thereafter and wound up with seven points and 14 rebounds.
Zya Vann had 13 points and six rebounds for Oklahoma (1-1) and Payton Verhulst finished with 16. She knocked down a three-pointer to end the third quarter and pull her team to within 59-48.
Angela Dugalic came off the bench to contribute 16 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA, which shot just eight for 22 from deep but created opportunities with hustle and effort plays such as crashing the offensive glass.
The teams faced off in the second round of the 2023 NCAA tournament with UCLA winning 82-73 to reach the Sweet 16. The Bruins have won the last three meetings.
Oklahoma had a week between its 84-67 season-opening win against Belmont on Nov. 3, marking the longest break between the first and second games to start a full season — excluding the COVID-19 year — since 2002-03.
Oklahoma hasn’t beaten a top-five nonconference opponent since topping No. 3 Duke in the 2001 national semifinal.
Up next for UCLA: vs. North Carolina in the WBCA Challenge at Las Vegas on Thursday.
As he tried to calm the concern after defeat at Nottingham Forest, manager Daniel Farke admitted Leeds United supporters could be described as “emotional”.
Which could go a long way to explaining why Joe Rodon has fitted in so well with them.
The Wales defender not only wears his heart on his sleeve, but displays it on his face.
You didn’t have to be a body language expert to see the 28-year-old’s City Ground frustration as Leeds managed to concede three goals for a second week in a row.
Nor what it has meant to be a match-winner in the Premier League after his first top-flight goals last month.
As Leeds’ former title-winning centre-back Jon Newsome puts it: “He wouldn’t make a very good poker player”.
But Rodon has become something of an ace in the pack at Elland Road, with his fan favourite status going beyond just simply showing what it means.
And you don’t make a near century of consecutive league appearances – and mentions alongside Norman Hunter as a result – for pure passion alone.
Instead, Rodon is showing why he had been tipped for the very top after breaking through at Swansea, and what Wales fans heading to Liechtenstein this weekend have known for some time.
“He has all the attributes to belong in the Premier League,” said boss Craig Bellamy. “When we were at Burnley [in the Championship], we wanted to bring him in. We felt he was a player for the high level.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For once, Luka Doncic had to serve the punishment. For not hitting any half-court shots during his pregame warmup, Doncic had to drop to the court and give his coaching staff push-ups.
The exercise seemingly powered him up for the two-handed dunk to come.
Doncic dazzled in the Lakers’ 121-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday at Spectrum Center, scoring 38 points with seven assists, six rebounds and one emphatic third-quarter dunk to help the Lakers flush the memories of a blowout loss in Atlanta.
Austin Reaves returned from a three-game absence with 24 points and seven assists while Rui Hachimura scored 21 points with perfect three-for-three shooting from three-point range.
Reaves, who was out with a right groin strain, announced his presence by throwing a lob to Deandre Ayton for the Lakers’ first basket. After Charlotte (3-7) blitzed the Lakers with eight three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 40-36 lead, Reaves answered by scoring seven of the Lakers’ first 10 points in the second. He gave the team a jolt of energy by racing for a transition layup to beat the halftime buzzer, giving the Lakers (8-3) a two-point lead.
“He’s an All-Star-level player,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “He’s, along with Luka, an incredibly dynamic offensive player. I think our depth increases, the lineup optionality increases, so not having him in the lineup really, really hurts us.”
The Lakers went 2-1 in games without Reaves, but the 20-point loss to Atlanta on Saturday was so striking that Redick was left questioning the identity of his team. The Lakers looked lifeless. Redick waved the white flag by the middle of the third quarter after the starting unit let the deficit balloon to 25.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots over Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges during the first half Monday.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
With Doncic and Reaves back, the Lakers wouldn’t repeat their third-quarter woes.
The Lakers started the second half with an 11-4 run that forced the Hornets to call a timeout. Reaves then assisted a three-pointer from Hachimura that pushed the lead into double digits. Doncic hit a step-back three to put the Lakers up by 12. Doncic’s assist to Hachimura extended the lead to 17.
A driving, two-handed dunk was the exclamation point, stunning the Charlotte crowd as he hung on the rim and screamed. With two dunks this season, he already doubled his total from last year.
Doncic assisted a Reaves three with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter and Reaves put up his arms and threw his head back in relief. He had missed his first seven three-point attempts and finished two for 10 from three-point range.
Reaves’ return gets the Lakers one player closer to their full roster. LeBron James is scheduled to practice with the South Bay Lakers this week as he progresses through his return from right sciatica.
Rookie Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) is also nearing his return as Redick estimated the forward could make his NBA debut during this road trip, which continues Wednesday at Oklahoma City and ends with a back-to-back set in New Orleans on Friday and Milwaukee on Saturday.
Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton played in their recent victory over Las Vegas Raiders despite being diagnosed with testicular cancer a few days earlier.
The 31-year-old had surgery last Friday to remove a cancerous tumor that was in its early stages – a day after he made nine tackles in the Broncos’ 10-7 win over the Raiders at Mile High Stadium.
In a post on his Instagram account,, external Singleton said his health concerns started over two weeks ago following a drug test that showed elevated levels of the hormone hcG in his system.
A visit to a urologist, who performed an ultrasound last week, revealed the presence of testicular cancer.
Singleton said he is on the road to recovery after an operation and predicted he will return to the field in “the coming weeks” as he awaits additional test results but has “a great prognosis”.
“I wrestled with sharing such personal information publicly,” Singleton said.
“But the fact is, if it helps one person decide to pay closer attention to their body, then it is well worth it.
“Early detection and regular screenings save lives and can save loved ones from a lot of grief.”
Rob Gronkowski spent nine years as a member of the New England Patriots.
On Wednesday, that stint will become nine years and one day as the fun-loving and ever-popular tight end will sign a one-day contract with the Patriots so he can officially retire as a member of the team with which he won three of his four Super Bowl rings.
“I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week coming up to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life,” the “Fox NFL Sunday” analyst announced during this week’s broadcast.
The next day, the Patriots revealed when the ceremonial signing would take place.
“The greatest tight end in @NFL history is retiring a Patriot!” the team posted Monday on X. “Watch @RobGronkowski sign his one-day contract this Wednesday at 12:15 PM LIVE on Patriots digital & social.”
A second-round draft pick for New England in 2010, Gronkowski quickly became a key and beloved member of a Patriots dynasty that was already going strong under coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. He retired after the 2018 season but returned to the NFL in 2020 to join Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Two seasons and one Super Bowl victory later, Gronk retired again.
Last summer, the idea of Gronkowski re-retiring with the Patriots was floated publicly by Susan Hurley, the founder and president of the CharityTeams fundraising firm for nonprofits. Speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Gronk Playground in Boston, Hurley threw in a personal plea toward Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was also in attendance.
“Can we just make it official and sign [Gronkowski] for a day so he can retire as a Patriot?” Hurley asked. “What do you say?”
Kraft and Gronkowski both indicated their approval in the moment, with Gronkowski telling reporters that Hurley was the spark behind the idea of his ceremonial signing.
“The reason we’re really going to do that is because of Susan Hurley,” Gronkowski said. “She wants to see that happen and has been dreaming about it happening for a while.”
Hurley died Nov. 1 at age 62 after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
Patriots spokesperson Stacey James told The Times in a statement that the Patriots were initially planning on honoring Gronkowski’s “legendary contributions to our franchise and the bond he shares with Patriots Nation” with a ceremonial contract upon his induction to the team’s Hall of Fame. Gronkowski is eligible for that honor starting next year.
However, James said, “we chose to expedite the honor when Susan Hurley, a former Patriots cheerleader and dear friend of Rob’s, made it her dying wish to see Rob retire a Patriot. Her love for the team and for Rob was deeply moving, and we were looking forward to hosting her for the announcement. Sadly, she passed earlier this month. While she won’t be present, her presence will surely be felt.”
Gronkowski posted a lengthy tribute to Hurley last week on social media.
“We lost a good one over the weekend,” Gronkowski wrote. “Susan Hurley has known my family and I for a long time, she became a good friend of ours and supported our foundation more than words can express over the years.
“But even beyond our team, Susan took care of so many charity teams for the Boston Marathon and their bibs, helping raise so much money to give back to charities. She always did it out of love, her love of the game, her love of people, her love of helping others, and her love for the kids.
“She always had a smile on her face and the utmost positivity, staying an inspiration for runners and charities every single day, even while she was fighting cancer. Her strength and resilience were truly inspirational, and she will be greatly missed.
“Without Susan, there would be no Gronk Playground. I’m thankful that her legacy can live on through the playground, making a huge impact not only on all the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation kids she helped, but all the kids she continues to inspire every day.”
