I Dig Sports
NEW YORK -- Alex Ovechkin scored his 885th career goal midway through the third period of the Washington Capitals' 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night, moving nine away from tying Wayne Gretzky's NHL record.
The Capitals' captain scored as he knocked in a loose puck from the left side with 9:32 left in the third period to tie the score at 2-2.
"Great job on the faceoff. Great battle. Puck came to me and I put it in," said Ovechkin, who is on pace to break Gretzky's once seemingly unapproachable mark of 894 in early April, a few weeks before the regular season is over.
Ovechkin said it doesn't feel any different now that he is single digits away from tying Gretzky.
"I tried to do my best and do my job," he said.
Chants of "Ovi!" emanated from the Madison Square Garden crowd after Ovechkin's third-period goal. He now has 32 goals in 46 games this season.
"I think our bench jumps through the roof whenever he finds the back of the net, which is fitting because he's always the most excited guy on the ice when anybody else scores," said Capitals forward Tom Wilson, who scored the overtime winner. "Whenever he scores, obviously everybody in the hockey world is pretty excited right now."
Washington coach Spencer Carbery, whose team is tied with Winnipeg for the NHL lead in points (88), admitted that he feels "a little extra tension" on the bench as he witnesses Ovechkin closing in on Gretzky's all-time record.
"What do we need? Ten more?" he asked, before repeating the gap separating Ovechkin from breaking the record. "Ten more ... 10 more ... 10 more. We got this."
Ovechkin now has 46 goals in 76 career games against the Rangers. He had 15 goals in his first 18 games, then sat out 16 games because of a fractured left fibula. He returned Dec. 28 and has scored 17 in 28 games since.
"I think it's great to see him still as excited as ever and still having as big of an impact as he has," said Capitals defenseman John Carlson, who has played with Ovechkin for 16 seasons in Washington. "You're cheering for your friend and he seems to score every time on a big stage in a big moment. And he did that tonight, too."
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Take a moment to appreciate Smith's ODI brilliance
In 2024, Cricket Australia held a fan poll to rename their One-Day domestic competition after one of it's greatest 50-over players.
It is appropriate, whether by design or otherwise, that Smith has bowed out of ODI cricket while still being committed to playing Tests. It allows people to both notice and appreciate how good his one-day career was, given his 50-over record lives in the shadows of one of the most extraordinary Test careers of the modern age. He was pivotal to two World Cup wins. He was twice Australia's ODI player of the year. His standing among Australia's best in the format is undersold.
His ODI career was only one year shorter in length than Ricky Ponting's yet he played 204 fewer ODIs, speaking to proliferation of T20I cricket post 2010 at the expense of the 50-over game and the format's lesser relevance outside of global events.
It was no surprise then to see the reactions of some of his team-mates on social media to his sudden exit from the 50-over game. David Warner, a fellow Australia ODI great, said Smith is the "best player I've played alongside in my career" without any format caveats.
Those two innings perhaps best encapsulate Smith's ODI batting. There is an assumption that his short-form method is just an extension of his Test match brilliance. He has long been the insurance policy to a poor start, using his technical skill and savant-like game awareness to sum up the conditions, accumulate with minimal risk and set up the innings for others to finish.
High-class No. 3 and 4 batters are like gold dust in ODI cricket. T20 specialists have time and again proven inadequate to handle the range of scenarios those batters face in the medium-length version of the game
But Smith's ability to move through the gears is underappreciated. He could step on the accelerator when needed and had a greater ability than most to go up the gears against the opposition's best bowlers.
His impact wasn't just with the bat. Smith's name does not come front of mind when a list of Australia's greatest ODI fielders is called for. You couldn't compile an hour-long highlights package of all his direct hits like former YouTuber Rob Moody once did for Ponting. But some of Smith's catching was otherworldly. He was Glenn Phillips before Glenn Phillips at backward point, taking one-handed grabs at full stretch like they were routine.
All this from a player who was initially selected as a legspinning-allrounder and did not bat in 11 of his first 36 ODIs before his first innings at No. 3. He only bowled 11 times in his last 134 matches thereafter.
As captain, his tactical nous was often on display, right up to his final match as he tried to marshal an inexperienced attack against India's batting behemoths but a defining moment eluded him. Smith led Australia in 64 ODIs from 2015 to 2025. Only Ponting, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Michael Clarke have done so on more occasions. All five of those captained Australia to a World Cup final and four secured seven titles between them. Smith was the only one not to lead his country in a World Cup. The leadership ban imposed after the 2018 ball-tampering scandal meant he was ineligible for the 2019 edition and by 2023 Pat Cummins had taken over.
His ODI retirement can be viewed one of two ways. Optimists are hoping it will extend his Test career. Pessimists would suggest this an indicator that the end is closer than what Australia would hope. He referenced being committed to the home Ashes at the end of this year but nothing beyond that despite saying, "I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage."
The task of replacing him in the ODI side is hard enough without contemplating the cavernous hole he will leave in the Test side. Australia haven't been able to replace Warner adequately yet in any format. It took two years for Smith to emerge as Ponting's heir at No. 3 in ODI cricket. Australia only have two years to complete another such search before the next World Cup.
High-class No. 3 and 4 batters are like gold dust in ODI cricket. T20 specialists have time and again proven inadequate to handle the range of scenarios those batters face in the medium-length version of the game.
Smith was Australia's ODI Swiss-army knife. Reliable and adaptable. They never went anywhere or succeeded in anything without him. He might never have a 50-over trophy named after him, but it will be very difficult for Australia to win their next one without him.
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Down ruled out of remaining Sri Lanka ODIs with back injury; Sharp called in
"We're all really disappointed for Lauren to be ruled out of the series," New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer said. "Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game and we wish her a speedy recovery. It does provide an exciting opportunity for Izzy to join the group in Nelson for these last two matches and we're looking forward to welcoming her."
New Zealand are also without Sophie Devine (break), Molly Penfold (injured) and Hayley Jensen (injured) for this series.
New Zealand Women's ODI squad
Suzie Bates (capt), Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Emma McLeod, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Izzy Sharp, Emma Black (game 3 only)
Philander: South Africa shouldn't be hasty with 'fantastic leader' Bavuma
South Africa fell short by 50 runs in a chase of 363 in Lahore. Bavuma made a half-century as he tried to anchor the innings, Rassie van der Dussen contributed 69 off 66 and David Miller scored a second successive semi-final hundred but it wasn't enough.
"I think he's a fantastic leader," Philander said of Bavuma on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day show. "I think what he has done over the last 24 months is that he has started to win that change room over. I think he's done phenomenally well in the Test match arena [where they will play the 2025 championship final] and I don't think we play near enough ODI cricket to play judgement down on it.
"But if you look at his numbers, you look at his records in ODI cricket, I think he has been a wonderful player for South Africa. I think he has led from the front with the bat.
"Of course, this evening he just couldn't get going, but yeah they were heavily reliant on his form to get South Africa to where they are this evening - obviously falling one hurdle short of another final.
"But I wouldn't make a call too early. It's still early days. I think Temba still has a couple of years left in him," Philander said. "I just think Cricket South Africa will need to have an overall look at the way they approach, the way they prepare [for ICC tournaments]."
"And that starts from the top - from your coaches, from your video analysis: 'What's going to make my players more effective?' and then you give the charge over to the captain and say 'off you go'. So yeah, I just think a lot more planning that needs to be taking place heading into these tournaments."
"I do feel it's a conversation that needs to happen at the top. I think we've got enough players playing in the IPL. They've got enough experience playing on these slower surfaces," Philander said. "So it is a conversation, and an open conversation. At the end of the day you also need to be honest sitting around the table when those kinds of chat do transpire.
"But I do feel from a talent point of view, South Africa have got plenty. But it's about making those right calls for the conditions at hand. I certainly feel we are not too far away from lifting silverware, but at the end of the day, those honest conversations will need to be had sooner or later.
"From a management point of view, for years we have stuck to our guns in terms of backing our seamers. But I think we need to go and reassess."
Philander expanded on that, saying the team may need to veer away from playing to their strengths to playing the conditions.
"This is not our first tour to the subcontinent," he said. "There have been generations that have been here before. It is certainly time, from a leadership point of view, we start taking accountability, and for generations to come, what's going to be effective touring the subcontinent? And certainly in the spin department, we also have to then make sure we produce the quality and calibre of spinners to win you games in the subcontinent.
"But if you look at conditions this evening again, [Shamsi] is definitely a much more effective option on those kind of surfaces given the fact that the seamers were really skidding on and the batters enjoy the ball coming onto the bat.
"I think it's a conversation that needs to start at the top, the management needs to be part of it. I think we need to be challenged differently. For far too long, we persist with 'seamers are going to win you the game' irrespective of whether it's at home or in the subcontinent.
Philander pointed out, as an example, that bringing spin on earlier could have helped slow down Rachin Ravindra, who took on South Africa's pacers to give New Zealand a strong start.
"Today it was illustrated again. Had we brought spin on earlier in the powerplay, we could have curbed Ravindra from getting off to an absolute flyer at the start. Those are little things that you have to put into play," he said. "You can't just play one brand of cricket and hope for results to go your way. Conditions these days play a massive factor in all outcomes of cricket matches and you have to factor in conditions. I don't think you can be naïve and say that we will go with our four seamers and boss a game in the subcontinent."
Tom Bruce makes 345, third-highest score in New Zealand history
Having been unbeaten on 212 after the first day, he brought up his triple-century with a dab into the leg side from his 379th delivery.
When Bruce went to 339, he surpassed Roger Blunt's 1931-32 score, also for Otago, having previously moved past Dean Brownlie (334 in 2014-15) and Devon Conway (327 not out in 2019-2020). Michael Papps and Peter Fulton also have triple-centuries in New Zealand's domestic cricket.
Bruce had come to the crease with his team 29 for 2, which became 75 for 3. He then added 292 with Dane Cleaver for the fourth wickets and 303 with Josh Clarkson for the fifth - both new records for Central Stags - before finally being caught down the leg side sweeping at Louis Delport. The Auckland players quickly made their way towards Bruce to congratulate him.
Overall, it was the 11th century of Bruce's first-class career. On the opening day, he went past 6000 first-class runs.
Four-day game part of Australia A-England A women's series
The series includes three T20s, three one-day games and a four-day match with all the games being played in Sydney.
Graham will lead the Australia A T20 side while Faltum, who has been called up for the T20I tour of New Zealand starting March 21, will captain the one-dayers and Queensland allrounder Knott will take charge of the four-day contest from April 12-15 at Cricket Central.
Faltum will captain the Green side while Gold will be led by Knott.
"These series make up a crucial part of the elite player pathway, providing some our best and most promising domestic players with additional development opportunities and the chance to show selectors what they can do against strong international opposition," national selector Shawn Flegler said.
"The National Selection Panel is always looking to the future as we've seen in recent years with Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield transitioning into the Australian team with great success, so this is a great opportunity to get a look at a wide range of players.
"We've included some fresh faces across the squads and are excited to see the likes of Grace Dignam, Elsa Hunter, Gabby Sutcliffe, Sianna Ginger and Rhys McKenna in action.
"With a one-day World Cup in India this year and a T20 World Cup next year, the 'A' series in particular, will allow us to have a good look at players we think could push for selection."
The visit of England A comes after the senior side was whitewashed 16-0 in the Ashes earlier in the season.
Australia A squads vs England A
T20s
Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Heather Graham (capt), Charli Knott, Anika Learoyd, Rhys McKenna, Madeline Penna, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson
50-overs
Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (capt), Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott, Anika Learoyd, Amy Smith, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson
Four-day
Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott (capt), Anika Learoyd, Lilly Mills, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson
Australia Green v Gold Squads
Green
Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Grace Dignam, Nicole Faltum (capt), Sianna Ginger, Ella Hayward, Elsa Hunter, Katie Mack, Lilly Mills, Georgia Prestwidge, Gabby Sutcliffe, Rachel Trenaman, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Gold
Maitlan Brown, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Emma de Broughe, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Nicola Hancock, Charli Knott (capt), Anika Learoyd, Bridget Patterson, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson
Bosa released after 9-year run with Chargers
LOS ANGELES -- The Chargers released outside linebacker Joey Bosa on Wednesday night, cutting ties with their longest-tenured player and one of the best in franchise history.
The move saves them $25.36 million in cap space.
Bosa, 29, was selected by the Chargers with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft. His 72 career sacks in the regular season rank second in franchise history behind Leslie O'Neal (105.5).
Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016, posting 10.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He quickly emerged as one of the league's best edge rushers, making four Pro Bowls in his first six seasons. He set an NFL record with 19 sacks in his first 20 games.
The Chargers rewarded Bosa with a five-year, $135 million contract extension in 2020, a deal that at the time was the richest for a defensive player in NFL history. But injuries have plagued him since; he has played in just 28 games over the past three seasons.
Still, Bosa was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl in 2024, albeit as an alternate, and his 14 games played were his most since 2021. When healthy, he has remained an effective pass rusher; in the Chargers' playoff loss to the Houston Texans in January, he had a team-high six pressures and one sack.
Bosa made it clear throughout the season that he wanted to be a Charger for life, and he took a pay cut last offseason to stay with the team. Still, he was projected to have a $36.4 million cap hit this season, which always seemed untenable for the Chargers, who with his release now have $90.6 million in cap space.
Bosa will navigate free agency for the first time in his career. Earlier in the offseason, he discussed the potential of playing with his younger brother Nick, a five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher with the San Francisco 49ers.
"It'd be cool at some point," Bosa said then. "I always thought of myself being somebody that will play here and retire here, which I think not many people do on one team, and I think it would be a cool thing to accomplish, but you never know."
Pritchard has 43, White 41 for short-handed C's
BOSTON -- Payton Pritchard and Derrick White have been mostly glue guys during their time with the Boston Celtics, filling in gaps and providing sparks when necessary.
But with starters Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis sitting out Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, the two players raised their games.
Pritchard scored a career-high 43 points and had a career-best 10 3-pointers to lead the short-handed Celtics past the Trail Blazers 128-118.
White added career highs with 41 points and nine 3s, making Pritchard and White the first Celtics duo to score 40 or more points in the same game.
They also became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each record their first career 40-point game in the same game and the first duo in NBA history with nine or more 3-pointers each in a game.
Pritchard also had 10 rebounds, making him the first player in NBA history with at least 40 points, 10 3-pointers and 10 rebounds in a regulation game. Damian Lillard and James Harden did it in overtime games.
"I think the work over time has built up to supreme confidence," Pritchard said. "Then having my teammates and coaches to have the confidence in me now to allow me to have nights like this. ... It just builds and builds and finally you see it on nights like this."
Even sweeter? The Oregon native did it against the team he grew up watching.
"It's always fun playing the Blazers," Pritchard said.
White said hitting three consecutive 3s in the second quarter was what got him going.
"Credit to my teammates who kept finding me in good positions, and I was able to stay hot," he said.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the night Pritchard and White had was a testament to their work ethic.
"They were tremendous," Mazzulla said. "The way those two played shows a lot about who they are. ... We're lucky to have them, and it was a lot of fun to watch them do that."
Pritchard added five assists, becoming the first player to record at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game off the bench since starters were first tracked in 1970-71. His 10 3-pointers tied for the second most in a game in Celtics history and gave him his 20th game this season with at least five 3s, a first in Celtics history.
In a postgame locker room video posted by the Celtics, the team celebrated White's night by showering him with water. Pritchard stayed dry during the clip. But he said that was because he was still drying off.
"They got me on the court when I was doing an interview," Pritchard said. "I already got a bunch of water thrown on me. It was cold. We wanted to make sure we got D-White, too. He had a great night as well."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Red-hot Cavs first to earn playoff berth: 'Special'
CLEVELAND -- Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Darius Garland had 10 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers survived some sloppiness in the final two minutes to win their 12th straight game 112-107 over the banged-up Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
With the victory, the Cavs became the first NBA team to clinch a playoff berth. They did so in 62 games, second only in an 82-game season in franchise history behind the 2008-09 Cavs, who clinched in 60 games, according to ESPN Research.
The Cavs also became the second team in NBA history to record three 12-game win streaks in a season, joining the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.
"It's special. This is really special," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We know what we're going to be judged on but we have to enjoy a season like this."
The win wasn't easy as the Heat, who were missing several rotational players, led 107-106 with 2:55 left. But Miami didn't score again, and Duncan Robinson's apparent tying 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds left was waved off because he stepped out of bounds.
Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 34 points for Miami, which was without leading scorer Tyler Herro. It was Adebayo's second game with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 60% shooting this season.
The Heat were already missing Jaime Jaquez Jr. (ankle sprain), Nikola Jovic (broken hand), Kel'el Ware (knee sprain) and Andrew Wiggins (ankle sprain) before Herro came down with a head cold in the past 24 hours.
Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter added 16 points apiece for Cleveland.
Miami's Kevin Love played his first game in Cleveland since signing with the Heat two years ago. The 36-year-old Love received a rousing ovation from Cavs fans, who will never forget his major role in helping the team win the 2016 NBA title. Love was saluted with a video tribute during a timeout in the first quarter.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kidd: Wrong to link Kyrie injury to playing time
MILWAUKEE -- Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called Kyrie Irving's torn ACL a "freak accident" and refuted any perceived connection between the star guard's increased playing time and the injury.
In the 10 games before Irving was hurt Monday against the Sacramento Kings, he was averaging 39.3 minutes (up from 35.9), the most in the NBA during that span, which began after Dallas' trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaking before Wednesday night's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, Kidd said he did not appreciate any connections drawn between Irving's uptick in playing time and the season-ending injury.
"We're talking about one play," he said. "Not many before that. It's a freak accident, that's how it should be reported. We're reporting on conspiracy theories. We want our stars to play. This isn't supposed to be a rest league."
Irving had been the Mavs' most consistent player this season. He was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 36.1 minutes, and had played in 50 of the team's 62 games. He was selected to his ninth All-Star team in February.
"Kai is our leader," Kidd said. "Kai also was playing at a high level; maybe some of the best basketball that he's played in his career. We can't talk from both sides and say our stars don't play enough minutes and guys don't play enough. They rest. But now we're saying they play too much."
Dallas already is playing without Anthony Davis, who left his only game with the team on Feb. 8 because of a groin injury. Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Kai Jones also have been out.
Against the Bucks, the Mavericks had only eight healthy players available and ended up losing, 137-107.
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