ACACIA RIDGE, Australia – After a back-and-forth scrap at the front of the field, Donny Schatz passed Rusty Hickman coming to the white flag to win Saturday’s World Series Sprint Car feature at Ausdeck Archerfield Speedway.

Schatz used a run off the top side of the fourth corner to dispatch Hickman for the top spot, driving off to a 1.180-second victory on the final lap in his No. USA15 sprinter.

It was Schatz’s fourth victory in four starts this winter at Archerfield.

Hickman hung on to collect runner-up honors, followed by Kerry Madsen, Dave Murcott and another American in Pennsylvania’s Lucas Wolfe.

James McFadden crossed the line sixth, followed by Andrew Scheuerle, Lachlan McHugh, Steven Lines and Kevin Titman.

Nineteen of the 20 starters finished the 35-lap feature, with only Brooke Tatnell failing to reach the checkered flag after falling out with six to go.

The finish:

Donny Schatz, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Dave Murcott, Lucas Wolfe, James McFadden, Andrew Scheuerle, Lachlan McHugh, Steven Lines, Kevin Titman, Brock Hallet, Bryan Mann, Luke Oldfield, Randy Morgan, Brock Dean, Jock Goodyer, Brent Kratzmann, Jack Lee, Tim Farrell, Brooke Tatnell.

GRANVILLE, Australia – Cory Eliason led an American sweep of the top-four positions during Saturday’s fifth round of Ultimate Sydney Speedweek at Valvoline Raceway.

Eliason raced to his first victory of the week in his first appearance of the winter at the .285-mile dirt track after a titanic battle with fellow countrymen Aaron Reutzel, Carson Macedo and Brad Sweet.

In reigning victorious, Eliason became the 33rd American all-time to win a main event at Valvoline Raceway.

Saturday was also the first time since Jan. 8, 2011 that United States drivers occupied the first four placings in a Valvoline Raceway sprint car feature at the finish.

“I can’t tell you what it means to get a win here,” said Eliason after the race, “I really, really wanted to be someone who can look back and say I won at Parramatta. I can’t thank my team enough for all of the hard work they’ve put in. The Stathy family have invested a lot in my racing in Australia and it’s great to pay them off with a win tonight.”

Macedo led the first 11 laps from the front row before Eliason took over for the first time, but it was just four circuits later that Reutzel stormed to the point on the 15th revolution.

While Reutzel led laps 15 through 17, Eliason re-passed the two-time Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions titlist on the 18th lap of the 35-lap feature and held Reutzel at bay for the second half of the race.

Though Reutzel had a run at Eliason on the final lap, he couldn’t get to the outside of the Californian coming off the second corner and had to settle for a runner-up finish.

Macedo filled the podium, followed by Brad Sweet, who raced all the way to the lead from ninth but had the pass negated by a lap-seven caution and fell back to fourth in the end.

Robbie Farr completed the top five, followed by Ben Atkinson, Jessie Attard, Marcus Dumesny, Ryan Jones and Grant Tunks.

Lynton Jeffrey was 11th, while McKenna Haase crossed 15th in her best Speedweek run to-date.

The finish:

Cory Eliason, Aaron Reutzel, Carson Macedo, Brad Sweet, Robbie Farr, Ben Atkinson, Jessie Attard, Marcus Dumesny, Ryan Jones, Grant Tunks, Lynton Jeffrey, Michael Stewart, Michael Saller, Jackson Delamont, McKenna Haase, Danny Reidy, Matt Geering, Ben Atkinson Jr., Mick Matchett, Daniel Sayre, Warren Ferguson, Troy Little, Brett Sullivan, Max Dumesny.

Xander Schauffele leads Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann by one through two rounds at the year-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions. As the third round gets underway on Saturday at Kapalua's Plantation Course, here's all the who, what and when, you need to know.

1. Xander Schauffele (-9)

T-2. Patrick Reed (-8)

T-2. Joaquin Niemann (-8)

4. Rickie Fowler (-7)

T-6. Patrick Cantlay (-6)

T-6. Justin Thomas (-6)

Click here for the full leaderboard.

• The defending champion, Schauffele looks to become the first player to go back to back at the Tournament of Champions since Geoff Ogilvy in 2009 and '10. The other player to successfully defend at Kapalua? Stuart Appleby in 2004, '05 and '06.
• This time trying to close a 36-hole lead, Schauffele last year trailed by five after both the second and third rounds last year, closing in 62 to win.
• Schauffele is the only player in the winners-only field who is still without bogey.
• Reed leads the field in birdies with 14, having made 13 of them in his last 29 holes. Over that stretch, since a triple bogey at the seventh Thursday, he's 11 under par.
• Reed also leads the field in strokes gained: putting (7.085), having poured in 278 feet worth of putts over two days, his most made through two rounds in his PGA Tour career.

How to watch live action on TV and online:

• NBC, 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET
• Golf Channel, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET
• Click here to view the NBC stream
• Click here to view the Golf Channel stream

Aaron Wilbraham was the hero at the grand age of 40 as English third tier side Rochdale took Premier League Newcastle to an FA Cup third-round replay with a deserved 1-1 draw.

The veteran striker made the most of some fine work down the right by 17-year-old defender Luke Matheson and smashed home from close range with 10 minutes to play.

Matheson famously scored against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in September when he was only 16, returning to school the next morning

Newcastle had taken the lead in the first half, with Christian Atsu -- a constant threat down the left for the visitors -- squaring to Miguel Almiron, who hammered into the roof of the net.

But Steve Bruce's side rallied impressively after the break and could have easily won the game, with Oliver Rathbone missing two glorious chances to seal a famous win.

Newcastle have not been past the FA Cup fourth round since 2006.

Big Picture

Lasith Malinga has a problem. He has captained Sri Lanka to a World T20 title, but that was way back in 2014. Now, almost six years later, there are serious doubts over his leadership. Since he took over as captain again, in 2019, Sri Lanka have lost nine matches under him, and won only once. There's no doubt he's the best player in the side - that one victory came in the match in which he took four wickets in four balls for the second time in his limited-overs career. But can he get the best out of the ten remaining players in the side? Sri Lanka are a relatively young team. Malinga has as much T20 nous as anybody. But is he a competent manager of inexperienced players?

Malinga has another problem. Lately, India haven't lost many series to Sri Lanka. In fact, India have not lost a bilateral series to Sri Lanka - in any format - in more than ten years. In T20Is, Sri Lanka at least have the bragging rights of having defeated India in a World T20 final in 2014. But where Sri Lanka were serious rivals in the 90s and the aughts, India have more recently begun considering Sri Lanka matches a low-profile fixture. Often, they rest their regular captain. This time, they have rested their batsman of 2019, Rohit Sharma.

Can the visitors turn the tables in 2020? Their young batsmen were glorious in Pakistan in September, and awful in the Australia series that followed. Young legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga was similarly a revelation in Lahore, but not so great in Adelaide and Brisbane.

India, however, are not as difficult to beat in this format as they are in others. They have not been quite as dominant in this format as they would like to be either, They lost T20I series in New Zealand and Australia in 2019, and also lost matches at home to West Indies, Bangladesh and South Africa (though India didn't lose any of those series).

Form guide

India WLWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLWW

In the spotlight

Remember the Nidahas Trophy? That tournament won by India in a whirl of Dinesh Karthik sixes? The hero of that final is not in the India squad, but one of the heroes of the round robin, Washington Sundar, is. While maintaining an economy rate of under six, he took eight wickets in five matches in that tournament, five of those coming against Sri Lanka. Washington hasn't had much fortune since the Nidahas Trophy, though, taking only six wickets in 12 matches. Can a favoured opposition prod him back into wicket-taking form? This is so long as he actually gets to play on Sunday.

Angelo Mathews hasn't played a T20I since August 2018. The reason? Well, his batting isn't particularly devastating anymore, and injuries have dictated that he can't bowl much. He has been bowling in the nets in the approach to this series, however, and that may explain why he has been picked in the squad again, after such a long hiatus. If he does bowl, he could offer that crucial control with the new ball that Sri Lanka have been yearning for, while letting Malinga save his overs until late in the innings. If he only bats, Sri Lanka will hope he captures his best hitting form from years gone by. Malinga described Mathews as Sri Lanka's "best finisher" ahead of the first match.

Team news

Malinga has suggested that Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis may not play.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Oshada Fernando, 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5 Kusal Perera (wk), 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Wanindu Hasaranga, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt), 11 Lahiru Kumara/Kasun Rajitha

Jasprit Bumrah is likely to slot right back into the XI as he returns after recovering from a stress fracture. With India prioritising batting depth of late, both spin-bowling allrounders could play, with Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal having to battle it out for the lone wristspinner's slot.

India: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/ Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

Virat Kohli expects the Guwahati pitch to be a high-scorer. Although there has been rain in the past week, the weather is expected to be good.

Stats and trivia

• Washington Sundar averages 14.20 and has an economy rate of 5.91 against Sri Lanka.

• Mathews averages 78.00 in India with the bat, in T20Is. This is largely thanks to his four not outs in six innings. He strikes at 130.00.

• In the only T20I played so far in Guwahati, in October 2017, Australia easily chased down India's 118 all out. In an ODI in 2018, though, India chased down 323 in the 43rd over, against West Indies.

Quotes

"I believe it's going to be high-scoring. The pitch, the last time we played West Indies was really, really good to bat on. We expect the pitch to play really well and it's going to be a challenge for the bowlers. Again, an opportunity to see which bowler reacts under pressure situations, and that's primarily our focus. If it's a batting-favourable pitch or bowler-friendly, the opposite skill will see interestingly how they step up."
India captain Virat Kohli

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- For Lamar Jackson, the playoffs can't start soon enough.

Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to the top seed in the AFC, which gives them a first-round bye. But Jackson can't wait to begin the postseason so he can erase the bitter memory of last year's playoff debut.

In last season's 23-17 wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Jackson had the worst start of his career, completing 3 of 9 passes for 25 yards in the first three quarters. The youngest quarterback to ever start a playoff game, Jackson threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to get Baltimore within one score, but that proved no consolation.

"That game still motivates me," Jackson said Friday after the Ravens' final practice of the bye week. "I still haven't played my second playoff game yet. ... That game is over with. We've been having a great year this year. We just got to keep it going. I want a Super Bowl. I'm not worried about that. That was my rookie season."

Jackson has often said that loss fueled him throughout the offseason and into what has become a record-breaking second season. He came the first NFL player to throw for over 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

On Friday, he added to his awards when he was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

"I want a Super Bowl," Jackson said. "All the accolades and stuff like that, I'll cherish that another time. I'm trying to chase something else right now."

Jackson is the front-runner for NFL Most Valuable Player. The past six first-team All-Pro quarterbacks have won that award.

Where does Jackson plan to keep all these accolades?

"I don't even know," he said. "The Heisman [Trophy], I still just have that in the box right now."

The bye proved timely for Jackson. He has been battling the flu, which forced him to watch parts of last Sunday's regular-season finale in the locker room. The illness also caused him to miss Tuesday's practice.

Jackson has since practiced Thursday and Friday. Baltimore (14-2) plays host to an AFC divisional playoff game on Jan. 11 against either the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans.

"I really don't get sick," Jackson said. "It was like a stomach bug. It was a weird, nasty feeling. Numbness. ... I'm over it. I'm good. I'm 100 [percent] right now."

Jackson's bigger concern is the fate of his playcaller. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman interviewed Thursday night with the Cleveland Browns about their head-coaching vacancy.

In Roman's first season as the Ravens' coordinator, Baltimore led the NFL in scoring (33.2 points per game) and broke the 41-year-old league record for rushing yards (3,296) in a season.

"They need to chill out," Jackson said of the Browns. "We got something to do right now. We need him to focus because we need to focus. We're trying to get somewhere. You guys are going to have your own turn when the season is over with."

Has Jackson told Roman this?

"Nah, he should know that," Jackson said.

The Washington Nationals are re-signing Asdrubal Cabrera to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Cabrera joins a Nationals free-agency haul that includes Stephen Strasburg, Howie Kendrick, Starlin Castro and Will Harris.

The switch-hitting Cabrera batted .260 in 131 games last season with the Texas Rangers and Nationals. The 13-year veteran returned for his second stint with Washington in early August, less than two days after being released by the Rangers, who turned to youth.

Cabrera, 34, played a key role in Washington's World Series title run by giving the Nationals infield depth and another tough batter with runners in scoring position. He hit .323 with six homers, 40 RBIs and a .969 OPS in 38 regular-season games with the team.

Cabrera appeared in 49 games for Washington in 2014 after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians at the trade deadline.

He split the 2018 season with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. After playing 90 games at second base for the Mets, Cabrera was traded in July 2018 to Philadelphia, where he also played shortstop and third base. In 147 games overall, he hit .262 with 23 homers and 75 RBIs, his most since 2011, when he had career highs of 25 homers and 92 RBIs in the first of his two consecutive All-Star seasons as Cleveland's shortstop.

Cabrera is a .268 career hitter with the Indians (2007-14), Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays (2015), Mets (2016-18), Phillies and Rangers.

MLB Network first reported that the Nationals and Cabrera had reached an agreement.

Top seed Jonah Bryant falls but Sam Todd marches on
By DONNA HELMER – Squash Mad Correspondent

Pakistan, Egypt and Team USA sprung major upsets on day two of the Dunlop British Junior Open 2020 in Birmingham.

After surviving a scare earlier in the day against Qatar’s [17/32] Yousef Farag, BU15 top seed Jonah Bryant (Sussex) fell victim to Pakistan’s [9/16] Muhammad Ammad 14-12, 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8 in a topsy-turvy five-game affair.

Another Englishman departed later in the boys under 15s when [3/4] Abdallah Eissa was out-hussled by Hong Kong’s [9/16] Jat Tse in a fractious match 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 before second seed Muhammad Hamza Khan brought back memories of former Pakistani greats with a sweet straight-games victory over Egypt’s [9/16] Omar Azzam.

Meanwhile, in the BU17 category, there were upsets abound with Egyptian [17/32] Ahmed Ismail dispatching Malaysian second seed Muhammad Amir Amirul Azhar 14-12, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8 and Pakistan’s [9/16] Noor Zaman ousting [3/4] Egyptian Karim El Torkey 3-1.

Team USA caused further shocks as [17/32] Hollis Robertson also moved into the BU15 quarter-finals with a 3-1 defeat of [9/16] Antonin Romieu of France, while [9/16] Thomas Rosini stunned BU19 [5/8] Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim in straight games.

And in the GU15s, the Americans were at it again as [17/32] Emma Trauber edged past Egypt’s [3/4] Noor Megahed 7-11, 11-8, 4-11, 12-10, 11-9 to reach the last eight.

There were no such troubles for the top seeds in the BU19 – imposing Egyptian Moustafa El Sirty dwarfing England’s Simon Herbert in both stature and on the scoreboard in a 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-5) triumph before countryman [2] Yahya Elnawasany sealed a last-eight spot by beating Pakistan’s [9/16] Haris Qasim in a fiendishly fast and skillful last match, both players changing shirts before the final game after 20 minutes of high-paced action. Meanwhile, the final match of the day saw Czech [5/8] Viktor Byrtus stop a comeback from England’s [9/16] Ben Smith 12-10 in the fourth.

Girls Under 19 top seed Jana Shiha of Egypt survived a first-game wobble against Dutch Junior Open champion [9/16] Fleur Maas to prevail 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3. Meanwhile, [2] Malaysian hope Aifa Azman made light work of England’s [9/16] Evie Coxon. Egypt’s [5/8] Malak Mostafa saved a clutch of match balls in the third before completing a comeback against Swiss [9/16] Ambre Allinckx that ensured the GU19 was the only draw with the top eight seeds intact.

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English under 17 boys top seed Sam Todd again appeared completely untroubled during another straight games victory while girls favourite Aira Azman of Malaysia won again in three as did Egypt’s [2] Sana Ibrahim.

Egypt saw five players in both the boys and girls under 13 draws through to the last eight, with boys top seed Mohamed Zakaria seeing off England’s [9/16] Jude Gibbins 3-0 while female counterpart Amina Orfi eased past American [9/16] Samantha Jaffe 3-0 to set up an all-Egypt quarter-final with [9/16] Jomana Shebab.

Girls under 13 second seed Janna Galal set up a last eight clash with France’s [5/8] Lauren Baltayan and boys second seed Youssef Salem will be on his guard against the unseeded Pakistani surprise package Abdullah Nawaz, who completed a second straight 3-0 win over a [17/32] opponent after his opening day shock win against USA’s [5/8] Christian Capella.

In the boys under 11s, [9/16] Omar El-Tabbakh of Egypt put another home hope to the sword by taking down [3/4] George Griffiths 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 12-10. In total, five Egyptians will feature in the quarter-finals, including second seed Yassin Kouritam, [3/4] Seif Belal El Shal and [9/16] Yassin Azouz who will meet Malaysian top seed Jayden Oon.

In the GU11, unseeded American Layla Gupta continued her dream run to the last eight where she will face Egyptian [3/4] Maya Mandour, while top seed Jana Mohamed of Egypt sailed into Saturday alongside [2] England’s Mariam Eissa.

The Dunlop British Junior Open 2020 continues today. Watch live streaming via englandsquash.tv  

Tournament website:

www.britishjunioropen.com 

Pictures by Steve Cubbins courtesy of England Squash

Reigning champion faces a busy schedule in 2020
By SEAN REUTHE – Squash Mad Correspondent

World No.1 Ali Farag will look to make a winning start to the second half of the 2019-20 PSA World Tour season when he returns to New York’s Grand Central Terminal to defend his J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions title, which he won in dramatic circumstances 12 months ago.

Farag mounted a stunning comeback from two games down to defeat fellow Egyptian Mohamed ElShorbagy to claim both the prestigious Platinum title and ElShorbagy’s World No.1 spot and he will be the favourite to retain his crown when he takes to the court in New York between January 9-17.

The 27-year-old has reached the final of all three PSA World Tour events he has competed at so far this season, winning one title, and will look to continue that form when he returns to Grand Central Terminal, where he will be front and centre in the posters draped around the famous venue.

“When I was still in college I used to go to Grand Central and always saw the posters of the defending champions all over the venue,” said Harvard-graduate Farag.

“I dreamt of being up there one day and now I am going to be going back there with the memory of clinching that World No.1 title. There can’t be a better feeling, and it’s probably the one tournament we get most inspired for because it’s the beginning of the year, everybody wants to do well, because of the location as well, so I’m really looking forward to it.

“This year it’s a bit different. Because of the Men’s World Team Championship we didn’t really have much of a break where you can recharge. For me, the first part of the season has been a little shaky. I’ve only played three tournaments when normally I would have played five or six. It means that I will need to play at least eight in the second half [of the season], so I want to kick it off well in New York.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back into the rhythm again, more than being back and defending my title. Thankfully I’ve made the final of all three tournaments so far and won the U.S. Open, but it’s been a while.

“I kick off with either Mazen Hesham or Alan Clyne. Both are very tough opponents. Mazen is the same age as me and very talented, and if I do get to play against him it’s going to be tough. This is what I’m thinking about rather than defending my title.”

Farag looked down and out in last year’s title decider after a rampant ElShorbagy marched ahead to a 2-0 lead. But, under the chandeliers of Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, the Egyptian stormed back to seal the iconic trophy, finally fulfilling a lifelong dream.

“I had a flashback of the past 20 years of my life,” he said. “I remember that after I won the match I went into tears and I could only think of these memories and the road that took me to there. I could always dream of it, but I could never imagine it happening really, so that’s what I remember the most.”

Since bursting onto the scene with a surprise run to the quarter-finals of the 2015 PSA World Championship, Farag has now become one of the pre-eminent figures at the top of the game and has 88 PSA event appearances to his name – with the Tournament of Champions coming out on top as his favourite.

Farag said: “I think it’s my favourite tournament because of the city, I love the vibe of it. I would never live there, but I would go for a visit for sure, you can’t get that vibe anywhere else.

“It’s very cosmopolitan, everyone respects everybody else and it’s very different to any other city we go to. John [Nimick] also does a very good job of bringing in the crowd and getting them very engaged.”

Farag will line up against the world’s best in New York, with the likes of World No.2 Mohamed ElShorbagy, World Champion Tarek Momen, New Zealand’s Paul Coll and 2018 champion Simon Rösner all involved, while 2009 champion Gregory Gaultier will make his highly-anticipated return to the tour after 15 months out of action due to a knee injury.

A women’s event will take place alongside the men’s, with World Champion Nour El Sherbini aiming to become the first woman in history to win four Tournament of Champions titles since the event joined the PSA World Tour in 1992. 

Interview by SEAN REUTHE (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of PSA