I Dig Sports
Nat Sciver-Brunt reveals she missed Pakistan T20I for egg-freezing procedure
"In the period between getting back from New Zealand [where England toured in April] and this [series], I thought it was a great time to go through the egg-freezing process, creating embryos and putting them in the freezer for future use," she said.
"Katherine and myself would love to start a family but I'd also like to continue playing cricket. We are lucky in that there are more options than one. We're just working out the best way for us to go about it. I'd like to carry a baby when I finish playing cricket and I think Katherine wants to carry a baby as well.
"England have been really good. The sports science and medical department are really supportive and have helped me along the way, making sure coming back to cricket has been smooth. After the procedure you're wiped out for quite a few days."
On missing the first T20I, she said: "I'd only just started back to exercise, so wasn't quite ready [to play]."
She is expected to be involved in the second match against Pakistan, to be played in Northampton on Friday evening.
Katherine, who retired last year, said they had begun to explore the process because "there is a timeframe on how fertile you can be", with Nat, 31, hoping to being involved in the 2028 Olympics before making any further decisions on when to have children.
"If Nat was 24 she might want to have a child, then come back and play. At 31, it's on the verge," Katherine said. "Freezing the eggs now and having healthy eggs to come back to - it's great to be able to have that choice because it's not cheap and very invasive."
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, "heavy rain/thundershowers associated with gusty winds (40-50kph) are very likely" in some parts of Bengaluru on May 18.
The city has received consistent rainfall over the last couple of weeks. While it was relatively dry on May 15 and 16, central Bengaluru, where the Chinnaswamy Stadium is located, had overnight rain that continued into the morning on Friday. It was cloudy all morning on the eve of the match and the forecast predicted rain and thunderstorms in the evening.
The forecast for Saturday does not look promising either with accuweather.com suggesting an evening thunderstorm in parts of Bengaluru accompanied by showers. The temperature around 7.30pm, the match start time, is expected to be around 23C with a 100% cloud cover. It must be noted that the Chinnaswamy Stadium has an excellent drainage system. It is one of the few grounds in India with a subsurface aeration system, which allows play to begin 30 minutes after rain ceases.
A washout will end RCB's chances of making the playoffs. Having lost seven of their first eight games, they then won five matches in a row to remain in contention. They currently have 12 points and a net run rate of 0.387, while CSK are on 14 with an NRR of 0.538. To go past CSK's NRR and make it to the playoffs, assuming a score of 200, RCB need to beat CSK by 18 runs or chase down the target with about 11 balls to spare. A truncated game will make their task tougher.
For CSK, the equation is simple: a win, a washout, or even a narrow defeat is enough for them to join Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs.
Scheffler detained by police before start of PGA
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was detained by Louisville Metro Police on Friday morning while trying to drive into the entrance of Valhalla Golf Club, the site of this week's PGA Championship.
Traffic outside the golf course had been stopped after a man was struck and killed by a shuttle bus around 5 a.m. ET.
According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, Scheffler was trying to drive around the crash scene on a median. A police officer instructed Scheffler to stop, but Scheffler continued to drive about 10 to 20 yards toward the entrance.
At one point, an officer attached himself to the side of Scheffler's car. Scheffler stopped his car as he turned into the entrance of Valhalla Golf Club.
After about 20 to 30 seconds, Scheffler rolled down his window to talk to the officer. The officer grabbed Scheffler's arm to pull him out of the vehicle, according to Darlington. The officer reached inside the vehicle to open the door, and once Scheffler was pulled out, he was pushed against the car and placed in handcuffs.
Darlington was standing at the entrance when Scheffler was detained. Darlington said Scheffler turned to him and asked, "Can you help?"
According to Darlington, an officer instructed him to back away.
"You need to get out of the way," the officer told Darlington. "There's nothing you can do. Scottie Scheffler is going to jail."
Scheffler, 27, had won four of his past five starts, including his second major championship at the Masters in April. He was scheduled to tee off at 8:48 a.m. ET.
The start of the second round had been delayed Friday after a shuttle bus struck and killed a pedestrian outside Valhalla Golf Club, a spokesperson for the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed to ESPN.
The unidentified man was attempting to cross Shelbyville Road around 5 a.m. Friday when he was struck in a dedicated lane for buses. Police said the man died at the scene.
Several police and first responders were still at the scene at 6:45 a.m. ET. Traffic had backed up on the roadway in dark and wet conditions, and shuttle buses bringing fans to the golf course had been stopped.
PGA of America officials said play will begin at 8:35 a.m. ET. The second round was scheduled to start at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker left 3 innings into Thursday's 6-5 loss to the New York Mets after he was hit on the big toe of his left foot by a line drive off the bat of Starling Marte.
After a few minutes and a visit from the training staff, Walker limped off and was replaced by Matt Strahm. The team later announced that Walker sustained a left foot contusion and that X-rays were negative.
"Hit right off the end of his toe," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after the game. "... We'll just have to see how he comes in tomorrow."
The Mets led 2-0 when Walker was removed. Walker, a former Met, allowed both runs on four hits and two walks on his 59 pitches. He had one strikeout.
Walker will be evaluated further on Friday.
"It feels better now than when it first happened," Walker said after the game. "You know, I tried to walk it off a little bit but it just kept getting hot and numb and just started hurting.
"Everything [with the X-ray] was clean, so that made me feel a lot better. ... Could've been a lot worse."
Walker, 31, missed the season's first month due to a shoulder injury.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.
Fly-half Will Edwards and scrum-half Max Green are among nine players leaving Harlequins following the end of the 2023-24 season.
Former England Sevens player Edwards made 33 appearances for the club since joining in November 2020.
Green signed from Bath initially on a short-term deal last September and featured in eight Premiership matches this campaign for Quins.
South Africa centre Andre Esterhuizen announced in March he would be released early from his contract with the London club to play in his home country next season.
Winger Louis Lynagh has signed for Benetton, while props Will Collier and Lovejoy Chawatama are also leaving with Collier expected to join a French Top 14 side and Chawatama going to Bristol Bears. Fellow prop Santiago Garcia Botta is retiring.
Second-row Theo Currie and flanker Jonny Smith are also exiting the club.
One Year Away: Anticipation Builds for ITTF World Championships Finals 2025
Excitement is building as the table tennis world marks a significant milestone exactly one year from today, the first ball will be served at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2025 in Doha. From May 17th to 25th, 2025, the state-of-the-art Lusail Sports Arena will play host to the worlds top table tennis players, who will compete for the ultimate prize in the sport.
This prestigious event marks a triumphant return to Doha, the capital of Qatar, two decades after the city hosted the successful ITTF World Championships in 2004. As the first host in the Middle East region, the 2004 event contributed significantly to the growth of the sport and inspired the next generation of table tennis enthusiasts. The 2025 edition continues Dohas longstanding association as one of the most established cities in global table tennis, further solidifying its position as a premier destination for international competitions.
The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2025 promises to be an incredible spectacle, where the best players in the world will compete at the highest level. There will be a 128-player main draw in both the Mens and Womens Singles events, and 64-pair main draws for the Mens, Womens, and Mixed Doubles events.
ITTF Unveils Dates for Thrilling Mixed Team World Cup 2024
The ITTF is thrilled to announce the dates for the highly anticipated ITTF Mixed Team World Cup 2024. This groundbreaking event will take place from 1st to 8th December 2024, in Chengdu, China, serving as the years grand finale, where players from around the globe converge in mixed teams for an ultimate showdown to cap off the season.
Following the resounding success of the inaugural edition last year, Chengdu will once again provide the stage for this thrilling event, which promises to captivate players and fans alike with its unique format and celebration of gender equality and teamwork.
Positioning the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup as the last event of the year, the ITTF has rescheduled the ITTF World Youth Championships 2024 in Helsingborg, Sweden to take place from 22nd to 29th November.
The Mixed Team World Cup is quickly becoming a flagship event for the ITTF, showcasing our commitment to gender equality and promoting a spirit of unity within our sport, said Petra Sörling, ITTF President. We are incredibly excited to return to Chengdu and continue building this new legacy.
As the first team to lift the prestigious Guoliang-Sörling Trophy in 2023, China etched their name in history, emerging victorious in this innovative mixed team format. The encounters, featuring a unique combination of mens and womens singles, doubles, and mixed doubles matches, not only champion gender equality but also underscore the spirit of collaboration and teamwork that defines the sport.
Liu Guoliang, ITTF Deputy President and CTTA President, said: Following the success of the first ITTF Mixed Team World Cup last year, Chengdu will again host the event from 1st to 8th December this year. Chengdu is a city full of charm and hospitality, as well as excellent event organization and coordination ability. We sincerely extend a warm invitation to athletes and fans from all over the world to come to Chengdu, a city with a strong atmosphere of table tennis. I believe that this years Chengdu Mixed Team World Cup will be full of table tennis vitality again. To bring another unforgettable and wonderful event to the table tennis family.
As the countdown to December begins, the table tennis community can brace itself for an event like no other. With Chengdu hosting the event until 2027, we have the unique opportunity to collaborate closely with our partners over the long term. This allows us to fine-tune every aspect of the event, enhance the experience for players and fans, implement strategic marketing programmes, maximize engagement, and truly leave a lasting impact, added Steve Dainton, ITTF Group Chief Executive Officer.
Leinster prop Cian Healy says his side's full focus will first be on Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Ulster before turning their attention to the following week's Champions Cup final against Toulouse.
Leinster may be expected to rest some of their frontline players for the encounter at Kingspan Stadium but Healy maintains it is a case of "one game at a time" for the Irish province as they prepare for the interprovincial match-up in Belfast.
"I expect Ulster to be very strong this weekend and that's what I'm preparing for," explained Healy, 36, when reporters' line of questioning strayed towards next week's continental decider at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at Leinster's media conference.
Leinster sit second in the URC table, one point behind leaders Glasgow Warriors, with two sets of fixtures remaining in the regular season before the start of the end-of-season play-offs.
"We could screw up our whole league by focusing on next week," emphasised the 125-times capped Ireland prop.
"We do well in the early part of the season because we're day by day, week by week, so there's no reason to vary off that because it's the business end of the season.
"That's the model that works. That's how players are trained, how kids are coached now, it's week by week, don't look forward.
"That's the Leinster way, and it's the way that keeps people focused on the task in hand."
Six-times and defending champions Saracens know more than most teams how to peak in the Premiership at the right time.
Aside from the seasons they were relegated and in the Championship, Saracens have finished in the top four every campaign since 2008-09.
This season, however, has not seen them railroad through the league and the noise around captain Owen Farrell's departure - and confirmation this week that Billy and Mako Vunipola will be following - has often detracted from the field.
But Saracens have looked formidable in recent games. A narrow win away to rivals Bath was a real statement of intent, before they showed their class to brush aside Bristol and claim another top-four spot, despite enduring 10 minutes down to 13 men.
"We're playing our best rugby and probably have got our best team energy at the right time," director of rugby Mark McCall told BBC Radio London.
If they beat Sale, Saracens will finish second. Even a loss might be enough, if Bath also do not win, although the score has to finish with them within three points of the Sharks.
After missing the past two games to be with his wife for the birth of their son, Phillip Di Giuseppe scored his first career playoff goal and was instrumental in the Vancouver Canucks' 3-2 win Thursday over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Di Giuseppe, who had only one playoff point in 11 games before Game 5, tied the score at 2-2 a little more than five minutes into the second period. The Oilers were in their zone when Di Giuseppe was aggressive on the forecheck and delivered a hit on Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
It led to the puck making its way to Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, who was behind the net. As Bouchard attempted to advance the puck up the ice, he lost possession and Di Giuseppe did a spin move at the net front to create separation to score the tying goal.
"I got in on Ekholm and [Nils Aman] came flying in on Bouchard," Di Giuseppe said of his goal. "I don't know if he coughed it up or poked it off him, I got to watch it again. ... So I spun around and scored."
Each of the five games in this series has been decided by a goal. With Game 2 being an overtime win for the Oilers, it appeared Game 5 was also set to reach an extra frame before Canucks alternate captain J.T. Miller scored the winning goal with 33 seconds left in the third.
Miller's game winner came days after Bouchard sealed a 3-2 victory for the Oilers with a winning goal with 39 seconds remaining in the third, which allowed the Oilers to tie the series.
Di Giuseppe's goal helped the Canucks come within a game of reaching their first Western Conference final since the 2011-12 season, and he did it days after his wife, Maggie, delivered the couple's second child, whom they named Sam.
"I just couldn't be happier for him and his wife, Maggie," Miller said. "Unbelievable people. He deserves it. He works his butt off. It's a been a year that Phil's worked really hard here, and their line was unbelievable tonight. For them to get rewarded at a big time of the game was really great."
Di Giuseppe, 30, was with the team before Game 3 in Edmonton but left the Canucks and returned to Vancouver for the birth of his son. Di Giuseppe told reporters Thursday morning that his wife had "a tough pregnancy" and that Maggie and Sam were set to come home.
"I might choke up again. ... It's been a battle of a nine months for her," Di Giuseppe said. "Obviously, with my job, I've been away a lot. She's been in the hospital a lot. We've had a lot of family coming in and out to support us. Like I said before, it takes a village, and it's a blessing we got one."
A fourth-line winger, Di Giuseppe worked alongside Aman and Vasily Podkolzin to power a line that was responsible for more than just the tying goal. Di Giuseppe and Podkolzin were among the forwards who forechecked during the sequence that saw Soucy score the Canucks' first tying goal with 2:33 remaining in the first period.
Di Giuseppe was also among the forwards who helped limit the Oilers' power-play unit to zero goals on five power-play opportunities. Before Game 5, the Oilers had gone four straight games with a power-play goal against the Canucks while operating at a 50% success rate, with five goals in 10 opportunities on the extra-skater advantage.
Soucy said it felt like "a safe bet" that Di Giuseppe was going to score a goal in Game 5.
"Obviously, a little energy and a little extra motivation," Soucy said. "I think everyone is just so happy for him. That's amazing. Obviously, what happens off the ice and then for him to come do that is awesome."
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
