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Brendan Steele and Cameron Davis share the lead through two rounds at the Sony Open in Hawaii. With high winds expected to continue at Waialae Country Club, here's where things stand heading into the third round:

WHO: THE LEADERBOARD

T-1. Brendan Steele (-6)

T-1. Cameron Davis (-6)

T-3. Cameron Smith (-5)

T-3. Keegan Bradley (-5)

T-3. Russell Knox (-5)

T-3. Ryan Palmer (-5)

T-3. Sam Ryder (-5)

T-3. Collin Morikawa (-5)

T-3. Bo Hoag (-5)

T-3. Rob Oppenheim (-5)

T-3. Rory Sabbatini (-5)

Click here for full leaderboard.

WHAT: NEWS AND NOTES, FACTS AND STATS

  • Brendan Steele (T-1) leads the field in strokes gained: putting (+3.46) and one-putt percentage (55.56%). Steele has recorded 20 one-putts through the first two rounds, the fifth time of his career with at least 20 one-putts through 36 holes.
  • After missing five of six cuts this season, Cameron Davis takes his first-ever lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour. Prior to this week, Cameron Davis had never been higher than T-10 after any round on the PGA Tour. He co-leads the Sony Open with Steele at 6 under following a second-round, 4-under 66.
  • Collin Morikawa held the 18-hole lead for the first time despite owning one PGA Tour win in his young career. Sitting one shot back after a second-round 70, Morikawa (T-3) will again try for a career-first 54-hole lead. His previous best 36-hole position was at last year's Travelers Championship when he sat T-6 heading into the weekend, but faltered to finish T-36.
  • Defending champion Matt Kuchar misses cut following a 3-over 73, his highest score in his last 26 rounds in the event. In addition, 2017 champion Justin Thomas also missed the cut following rounds of 72-71, making his first MC since last summer’s U.S. Open and just his third since the beginning of the 2017-18 PGA Tour season.
  • The 2017 and 2018 winners of the Mayakoba Golf Classic, Patton Kizzire and Matt Kuchar, respectively, also went on to win the Sony Open in Hawaii a few months after their victory in Mexico. Brendon Todd, who won the 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic, sits T-24 at 2-under.

WHEN: TV TIMES AND STREAM LINKS

How to watch live action on TV and online:

  • Golf Channel, 7:00-10:30 p.m. ET
  • Click here to view the Golf Channel stream

Ibrahimovic scores first Milan goal since 2012

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 11 January 2020 09:14

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored on his second full Milan debut as the Rossoneri won 2-0 away at Cagliari on Saturday.

The 38-year-old left Milan in 2012 and, following spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and LA Galaxy, returned at the beginning of the year and made his first appearance from the substitute's bench in a 0-0 draw with Sampdoria.

- Watch live Serie A football on ESPN+

However, when handed his first start by manager Stefano Pioli for the trip to high-flying Cagliari, he made more of an impact with game's second goal on 64 minutes, after Rafael Leao had given the visitors the lead just after the break.

"It's important for a striker to score; sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn't," Ibrahimovic told Sky Sport Italia. "I feel good.

"I got a few things wrong at the start of the game, but I need a few matches to get into top form. The coach thinks about my age, but it's not a problem. My mind is still sharp, and the body must follow."

Pioli added: "This was certainly a different performance to recent outings. We were more effective, more solid. Zlatan's presence clearly gives us a reference point to build around, and it'll take us a while to really get to know each other.

"It was an important and deserved victory to start building a better future."

Cagliari had come into this match on the back of three straight defeats, which had seen them drop to sixth place, having been in contention for a Champions League spot.

Milan, meanwhile, move into the top half of the table.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

Solskjaer gives Woodward, Glazers backing

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 11 January 2020 11:06

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has publicly backed the Glazers and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward after supporters voiced their dissatisfaction with the club's owners and board during the victory over Norwich at Old Trafford.

Large sections of the Stretford End chanted "We want Glazers out," as well as specific criticism of Woodward, during the second half of the 4-0 victory on Saturday.

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Afterwards, Solskjaer said he had heard the protests on the touchline and appealed to the fans for calm as tensions continue to rise over a perceived lack of investment in the team.

"I'm not sure if the players will get it but I noticed, yeah," Solskjaer said. "As a club we've got to stick together, we've got to be united, we are a family.

"I can only say from when I've been here I've been backed by the owners, I've been backed by Ed and they're supporting me, so for me, make sure they stick together.

"We are in all competitions. We are still in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, we're fifth in the league, still challenging, we've improved the position from last season, we've got Europa League, they've just got to believe me when I say I feel we are doing loads of good things behind the scenes. We are going in the right direction.

"See the group today: the attitude, the work-rate, that's the core of the group that's going go forward."

Victory over Norwich helped lift some of the gloom at Old Trafford, prompted by the dire 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday.

Marcus Rashford scored twice before Anthony Martial and substitute Mason Greenwood rounded off the scoring as Solskjaer's team stayed within touching distance of the top four.

"I'm very, very happy when the opposition manager can talk and think about how hard Manchester United are working," Solskjaer said. "There were no disappointed heads and today I felt attitude was right."

Juan Mata was the star of the show with assists for Rashford's first goal and Martial's header after half-time. It was the Spaniard's first Premier League start for more than a month and Solskjaer said he had taken his opportunity to impress.

"He was excellent," the United manager said. "When we get Juan facing forward he can pick passes and put crosses in.

"I'm delighted with him and today we found him more than we've done before and got him facing forward creating chances for us."

Rashford gives Man United hope of brighter future

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 11 January 2020 10:46

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United have been so inconsistent this season that a routine home win against Norwich City is not enough to give supporters hope for the future.

But if they are witnessing the season that Marcus Rashford gives notice of the player he might become, then that is genuine reason for optimism. Still only 22, he made his 200th United appearance in the 4-0 victory on Saturday and marked it with his 18th and 19th goals of the campaign.

The first was the type manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants him to score more of. The Norwegian would call it a goal scorer's goal, timing his run towards the back post to flick his finish past Tim Krul. The second was a penalty, smartly tucked away after his pass on the left had led to Krul bringing down Brandon Williams. That's 18 in his past 23 games for club and country.

Captain for the first time against Manchester City on Tuesday, he scored then, too, and afterwards he showed signs of his growing maturity by stopping to speak to media in an attempt to explain to fans what exactly had gone wrong during a humiliating 3-1 defeat. It would have been far easier to stay quiet and hide away, but he chose to speak on behalf of the team. Plenty of others would have disappeared into the night without taking responsibility.

It is Rashford's most productive season in senior football, and we're only in January. His best goal return of 13 -- reached in 2018 and 2019 -- has already been blitzed. He does not set goal-scoring targets, but he has every chance of reaching 30 if he stays fit.

It is vital to Solskjaer that he does.

It said everything about how important he is to this young team that moments after Anthony Martial had made it 3-0 against Norwich, Rashford was quickly whipped off and sent down the tunnel. There was still more than half an hour to play, and he had the chance of scoring a first United hat trick, but Solskjaer cannot take any risks.

"I don't know," Solskjaer said afterwards when asked whether Rashford will be called on again when Wolves visit for the FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday. "He has played many, many games, so I might have to look how I can manage it."

There are too many games to play, too much at stake and Rashford's goals are too important.

Before lining up against Norwich, he had been involved in 16 goals in the Premier League this season, equalling his previous best tally set last term. Without his 12 league goals, United would have amassed nine fewer points and would have kicked off against Norwich 13th in the table, just five points above the relegation zone. Instead, the top four is still a possibility.

"He's absolutely top class to work with," Solskjaer said. "He's a great kid, he wants to learn, improve, knows to keep feet on the ground, and today he's carrying quite a few knocks but no chance he's going say to me before the game he doesn't want to play."

As 76,000 United fans trooped towards Old Trafford on Saturday, much of the prematch chat was about who the club might sign in January. It is a quirk of modern football that open transfer windows are viewed as the remedy to all ills, but it would be a shame if fans were missing Rashford announcing himself as a world-class talent while longing for players who aren't here. It is important United add new faces to their young squad, but they also need to keep hold of Rashford.

There is a reason the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are keeping an eye on his situation despite signing a new long-term contract in the summer. His deal is due to expire in 2024, by which time he will be 26 and right in the middle of his peak years.

In his relatively short professional career, he has won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League, but his talent demands the chance to challenge for the Champions League and the Premier League title. He cannot do it on his own and the longer United's wait goes on, the opportunity to fill his trophy cabinet elsewhere will become harder to resist for Rashford, whether he grew up in Manchester or not.

"He will become so much better," Solskjaer said. "He's got everything to be a top-class player -- attitude, skill, physique. The goals he scored today, inside six-yard box, more of them, then he'll be exceptional."

In the matchday programme against Norwich, a feature on Solskjaer's attack labelled Rashford "the figurehead," but It could quite easily have described his role in the entire team.

At just 22, he is already the face of this new United. Asked to take more responsibility this season, he has thrived, and his performance against Norwich -- rather than the result -- is genuine cause to think the future might be bright at Old Trafford after all.

Firmino strike sends Liverpool 16 clear at the top

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 11 January 2020 11:32

By Martyn Herman

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to 16 points and set a record in the process as Roberto Firmino's first-half goal secured a battling 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Juergen Klopp's side were not at their best and needed to withstand a Spurs fightback after the break but hung on for a 20th win out of 21 league games this season.

Their total of 61 points is the most after 21 games of a Premier League season, beating Manchester City's 59 two seasons ago, and has never been surpassed in the Spanish, Italian, German or French leagues at the same stage.

Liverpool dominated the first half and it needed a superb block by Tottenham's 20-year-old defender Japhet Tanganga, handed his first league start, to deny Firmino with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hitting the rebound against the post.

Firmino struck in the 37th minute, firing in from close range, and Liverpool ended the half in total control.

Spurs, without their injured talisman striker Harry Kane, were far more lively after the break as Liverpool's pace slowed.

Son Heung-min wasted a great chance to equalise after Liverpool were caught in possession and then substitute Giovani Lo Celso somehow missed the target with the goal gaping as Tottenham threw men forward.

They could not find the equaliser though and Jose Mourinho's side have slipped to eighth in the table on 30 points from 22 games after winning only one of their last five league matches. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Cheteshwar Pujara joins elite list with 50th first-class ton

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 11 January 2020 09:03

Cheteshwar Pujara has started the year by joining a select band of cricketing greats. On Saturday, he scored his 50th first-class century, in the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka at his home ground in Rajkot, thereby joining an elite list of nine Indians led by Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

The significance of the landmark can be gauged from the fact that Pujara is fifth on the list of active players with most first-class centuries: behind Essex and England great Alastair Cook (65), former England batsman Ian Bell (57), former South Africa captain Hashim Amla (52), who will be playing for Surrey from the next season, and former India opener and Mumbai stalwart Wasim Jaffer (57), who now plays for Vidarbha as a professional. At 31, Pujara is the youngest in this list.

Among current active Test players, the nearest contender to Pujara is Australia's Steven Smith, who has 42 first-class centuries. Pujara's India team-mates Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane linger in the distance with 34 and 32 first-class centuries respectively.

The Karnataka match is the fourth game Pujara has played in this Ranji season. In the previous matches, Pujara made two half-centuries, against Uttar Pradesh and Railways respectively.

Against Karnataka on Saturday, Pujara walked in at 28 for 1 in the first session and began slowly before accelerating towards his century and beyond. He finished the day unbeaten on 162 as Saurashtra ended the opening day on 296 for 2.

ALSO READ: Jaydev Unadkat interview: If I want to be at that level, I have to be as good as Bumrah

Pujara has been the biggest thorn for Karnataka in the last decade and even denied them a finals entry during the 2018-19 Ranji knockouts with a century in what was a bitter tussle involving controversial umpiring decisions.

Prior to this match, Pujara had 945 runs in 13 innings at an average of 94.50 against Karnataka. His highest first-class score of 352 not out was also against them at the same venue - Madhavrao Scindia Stadium - during the 2012-13 Ranji quarter-finals.

Faf du Plessis under the pump in third Test

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 11 January 2020 07:04

In the wave of change that has broken over South African cricket in the last month, one thing has stayed the same: the captaincy. But that does not mean Faf du Plessis' leadership has escaped scrutiny.

The skipper, who last scored a Test century more than a year ago and has not crossed 30 in his last seven innings, will be in the spotlight at St George's Park where either South Africa or England could ensure they cannot lose the four-match series, currently locked at 1-1. The other will go to Johannesburg playing catch-up. If it's South Africa in that position, expect questions over du Plessis' future to multiply, much like they did with his counterpart Joe Root in New Zealand.

It's not entirely unexpected that South Africa have to start their succession planning. Du Plessis is 35, has played international cricket for nine years and has identified this year's T20 World Cup as a potential swansong. While he has repeatedly called himself "driven" to continue as captain in all three formats, he has also indicated South Africa should look at other options, especially in ODIs, so the transition is smooth.

ALSO READ: The race for Test selection: How SA's fringe players are faring

The only Tests South Africa will play between the end of this home season and the start of next summer is a winter tour to West Indies. Given the schedule and the circumstances, its not unthinkable that this England series could be du Plessis' last at home, or perhaps his last, full stop. And ultimately the decision may not be his to make.

Form will have to come into the conversation at some stage. It already has by those who took offence to du Plessis saying Temba Bavuma had to force his way back into the Test XI by weight of runs when du Plessis' own load has been fairly light. Du Plessis' last seven innings have brought 79 runs with a top score of 29; Bavuma's last seven have brought 102 runs with a top score of 38.

But go back, even just to the beginning of 2019 and compare the numbers. In the first nine innings of the year, du Plessis scored a hundred and four fifties, Bavuma only had one half-century. Despite tailing off at the end of the year, du Plessis averaged 41.41 in 2019 (by way of comparison Bavuma averaged 19.84) which is nothing to scoff at, especially when considering everything else the captain had to deal with.

In the build-up to this series, du Plessis spoke about the "burden," of being the buffer between the players and the crumbling administration. He did not provide concrete examples of exactly what he had to do during the crisis but said he took on more responsibility than usual. After the coaching overhaul, he indicated he was looking forward to simply leading on the field, which is when he believes he is at his best.

Though du Plessis has often claimed captaincy has improved him as a player, the numbers don't emphatically agree. As captain, he averages 40.32 compared to 41.02 when being captained. Instead, we have to turn elsewhere for evidence of du Plessis' ability to steer a ship, like the Mzansi Super League (MSL).

While eyes were initially on Bavuma's Jozi Stars and Quinton de Kock's Cape Town Blitz, as both those men have been mentioned as future national captains, it was du Plessis' Paarl Rocks who won the title. Despite losing two high-profile players, Aiden Markram and JP Duminy, to injury before the competition began and playing with a squad that had almost no recognisable names (had anyone outside of South Africa heard of Kerwin Mungroo or Ferisco Adams?), the Rocks were the best-organised and strategised team in the tournament, a testament to the coaching of Adrian Birrell and the captaincy of du Plessis.

The same clear thinking has not always been on display in the Test series. While du Plessis followed his gut feel in keeping Keshav Maharaj on for an extended spell in the second innings at SuperSport Park - where Maharaj got the wicket of Ben Stokes - the captain did not use his spinner as effectively at Newlands.

Maharaj often bowled to poorly set fields and leaked runs, causing Mark Boucher to call him a "work in progress", which seems a strange thing to say about the second-most successful spinner since readmission. Similarly, Anrich Nortje, known for his bounce, operated without a short leg, Dwaine Pretorius was underused and du Plessis delayed in taking the second new ball in England's second innings, when South Africa needed quick wickets.

Those tactical errors have nothing on the shot du Plessis played on the final day, when South Africa needed him to be at his most defensive in an attempt to save the game. Minutes before lunch, with a second new ball due in under four overs, du Plessis swept hard at a Dom Bess delivery and sent it straight to square leg.

Du Plessis later said he made a "mental error," and that he understood South Africa's senior batsmen need to step up to support the younger players in the top six. The reality is that nobody needs to step up more than du Plessis and history suggests he knows how to do it.

In 2015, the year South Africa hosted West Indies, toured Bangladesh in the monsoon and were heavily defeated in India, du Plessis averaged 16.75. Du Plessis was dropped early in 2016 for the final fixture of a four-match series against England but returned as captain seven months later and scored a century to win a series against New Zealand.

Since then, leadership rather than runs, has been the standout feature of du Plessis' career. In 2018, he averaged just 24.36 but led South Africa to two crucial series wins, over the No.1 ranked Indian side and to a first victory at home over Australia since readmission.

That South Africa lost a rubber in Sri Lanka four months later and a home series to Sri Lanka seven months after that was incidental. With the 2019 World Cup looming, attention was elsewhere. Besides, du Plessis had already saved face with a century in the New Year's Test against Pakistan to take some of the heat off himself, something he has been good at throughout his career.

That's the way he started, with a century in the block-a-thon to draw a game that was all but gone in Adelaide in 2012. That's the way he embraced his promotion to the captaincy with a century to seal his first series in charge, against New Zealand at Centurion in 2016. That's way he responded two months later, with a century in South Africa's first pink-ball Test with the series won and the aftertaste of 'Mint-Gate' still fresh in the mouth. And that's the way he signed off from the World Cup, with a century in South Africa's last hurrah, victory over the much-fancied Australians.

Du Plessis has scored big runs when it matters and the situation he is in now, with South Africa craving a fresh start and his career on the brink of the end, it matters most of all.

'It's not just potential now' - Mark Wood

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 11 January 2020 10:07

Mark Wood is used to sitting on the sidelines. Injury has been such a regular companion during his career that, here we are on his 30th birthday, and he has played fewer first-class or T20 games than Sam Curran, who is 21.

But this time, at least, the frustration is abated by the satisfaction of achievement. Whatever happens in the remainder of his life, Wood will always be a World Cup winner. And with 18 wickets in the tournament - only Jofra Archer took more for England - he knows he played a significant part in the victory.

More than that, he has also proved his value at Test level. Last February, he produced a blistering spell of pace bowling - the Telegraph's Scyld Berry, who may well have watched more days of England Test cricket than anyone in history, reckoned it was the fastest he had seen by an England bowler - to claim a maiden Test five-for and put England on course for victory over West Indies.

The problem is, Wood has not played a Test since. And his last game at any level was the World Cup final on July 14. Knowing he had sustained a side strain during the game, he took the decision to complete his spell - his team needed him and the game was on a knife-edge - in full knowledge that by doing so he risked exacerbating the problem. The fact that, six months later, he has yet to return demonstrates the consequences.

ALSO READ: Du Plessis finds himself in the spotlight for third Test

It's still not 100 percent. Which is disappointing bearing in mind another Test starts on Thursday and England know they will be without James Anderson. There's no certainty that Archer, who missed the last match with a sore elbow, will be ready to return, either. So if Wood was fully fit, he could probably be confident of playing.

Wood hasn't yet built up the volume of overs required to be confident of getting through another Test. And, given that he has also had knee surgery since the World Cup and his ankle has been operated on so often it should be fitted with a zipper, it seems unlikely the England management will take any risks with him. For that reason, it may be that his return is postponed to the final Test in Johannesburg at the earliest.

"I wouldn't say that I'm 100 percent because I haven't bowled the full amount of overs that I should have," Wood said from Port Elizabeth on Saturday. "I got through 35 overs last week, which is probably similar to a Test match week, but having not bowled competitively since the World Cup, I have to keep building.

"Jo'burg might suit me better. It is at altitude and it is a bit of a bouncier pitch. But Port Elizabeth does reverse swing so that could bring me to the fore. Hopefully I'll be ready if needed.

"If I'm honest I think Jofra and Chris Woakes are ahead of me in the pecking order. Jofra got five wickets in the first game and Woakesy did really well in the warm-up games and out in New Zealand."

"It's not just potential now. I know I can perform. I know now I can deliver if called upon." Mark Wood

Despite this frustration, Wood says he is "much happier within myself".

"I'm not even in the team at the minute but I feel much happier within myself," he says. "I feel I'm an England cricketer rather than just someone that's always pushing to try and get into the team. I feel a slightly different cricketer to what I did before.

"I have the World Cup and the St Lucia Test under my belt. The West Indies was a huge trip for me. I really felt I was in the last chance saloon; I'd had a lot of injuries.

"I have felt that if I get fit then there's no reason why I can't do that again. The St Lucia Test is lodged in my mind as one of the best days I've had. If I can replicate that I'll be pretty happy.

"And confidence is a massive thing. Now I know that I can do it. There's been games where I've played for England where I shouldn't have played and that's affected my record and my confidence. With those good performances and having some success under my belt, it means that I can go into rehab knowing how it feels when it's good.

"It's not just potential now. I know I can perform. I know now I can deliver if called upon."

The prospect of Wood and Archer bowling together in Test cricket is mouthwatering. During the World Cup, with both keen to bowl the fastest delivery, they seemed to spur each other on. And while Archer bowled more deliveries over 90 mph, it was Wood who bowled the fastest single deliveries. Albeit, with consequences.

"I do like the idea of the two of us operating together in a Test match," Wood said. "As long as he's not at mid-off asking me if I'm just warming up when I've bent my back.

"Playing alongside him did spur me on so maybe it will help. We have a friendly rivalry over the speed gun. In the World Cup when I put one up on the speed gun that was quite quick I'd just look over to Jofra and give him a little wink. Then he'd do the same to me.

"In the World Cup final I knew that I'd pipped him. I was clocked at 95.7 mph and he was 95.6 mph and as we came off the field and into the dressing room I was dying to tell him.

"I said to him as he walked in 'Jofra! I've got you! I've done you on the speed gun' and he strolled past fresh as a daisy and looked me up and down with an ice pack on my side, an ice pack on my knee and an ice pack on my ankle and just said 'yeah but I think I'd rather be me'. I was like 'yeah, fair enough mate.'

"Deep down he's trying to prove that he's the meanest, toughest fast bowler out there. And so am I. We both want each other to do well, but we both want to be the quickest guy on show. But he's more talented than I am."

He may well be. But the possibility of the pair of them in tandem is something every England cricket lover - perhaps even every cricket lover - would love to see. They might even prove to be the fastest pair of England seamers ever to bowl together in a Test.

Carey hopes to mirror Dhoni in ODI finishing role

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 11 January 2020 10:22

There are many things Alex Carey is primed to achieve, including the possibility of captaining Australia in the future. But above all, the wicketkeeper-batsman hopes to mirror MS Dhoni, whom he observed at close quarters during India's tour of Australia in 2018-19. While his team were at the wrong side of a tightly contested series, he took silent pleasure from watching Dhoni guide India to series-clinching wins in Adelaide and Melbourne.

"I guess if you look at the likes of the best in the world in MS Dhoni, you want to learn as much from him. And I was lucky enough last year to play against him and just the way he took the game deep and won games for India, so I aspire to do that one day," Carey said.

At the time, Carey was Australia's T20I joint vice-captain but by no means a World Cup certainty. The batting order itself was a bit of a revolving door, and Carey had found himself in four different positions in his first nine ODIs for Australia. He even opened against India at home. Though not unfamiliar with the job, having done it for his state side, just 47 runs in three matches could have hurt his chances so close to World-Cup selection.

Besides, Australia had enough options in the top order even before David Warner and Steven Smith's return, which meant that Carey had a lot to lose. But as has often been the case In Carey's life, things changed pretty quickly.

He was pushed down to No. 7 - something he said he enjoyed even at the time - from where he made an impression in India and the UAE, earning praise from batting consultant Ricky Ponting and, crucially, a ticket to the World Cup, where he went as the vice-captain.

He made 375 runs in the tournament, finishing just four runs behind Smith as the team's fourth-highest run-getter. Two innings stood out: a counterattacking 85 against South Africa that eventually ended in defeat, and a gritty 46 against England in the semi-final that also ended in defeat. But the contrasting circumstances and the manner in which those two knocks were wrought encapsulated the range of requirements of the finisher that has been identified in him. Carey is motivated to get better at the job.

"I still have lots of areas of my game that I want to improve and get better at. I know I will probably bat middle to lower order, so it's trying to finish games off for Australia," Carey said.

"We have some world-class players at the top of the order with [Aaron] Finch, Warner and Smith, and Marnus [Labuschagne] is playing so well. Peter Handscomb had a great series here [in India] last year. I see myself coming in anywhere from five to seven. It's one of those roles I want to get better at and hopefully win games for Australia. I had opportunities in the World Cup to take it a bit deeper - one against South Africa stands out for me - to be that matchwinner for Australia"

Carey's importance in Australian cricket has risen exponentially over the last seven months. A push for greater exposure in a leadership role had him captain Australia A against the touring Pakistan side, after which he also led South Australia in two Sheffield Shield games in the absence of Travis Head. He has also led Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash this season.

In fact, there has been something of a clamour for his Test selection from past greats, including Adam Gilchrist, with debate persisting over Tim Paine's spot. In fact, at the start of the season, Paine himself admitted that this could be his last home summer. But, with Australia winning all five Tests, it seems more likely that Paine will continue to lead Australia in the foreseeable future. However, whenever the time comes, Carey is not just seen as Paine's replacement behind the stumps, but at least in some quarters of Australian cricket, also the heir apparent to Paine, the Test captain.

Carey - who bagged an IPL deal at Delhi Capitals this year - himself is happier staying in the moment. Perhaps he is acutely aware of how quickly things can change.

"When Australian cricket teams are winning, it's hard to change. For me, it's to do my absolute best here in the one-day team and hopefully be a part of the T20 World Cup, which is not too far away. I don't look too far ahead. From my previous experiences with football, you know things can change pretty quickly.

"It's about focusing on the important stuff and that's playing good cricket in the coloured clothes, hopefully win a series in India and then go back and play some Big Bash cricket. Not too fazed by the external pressure of when and if. For me the last 12 months have been really enjoyable with a lot of learning, but still a long way to go."

Sources: Vikes worked out ex-coach Newman, 41

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 11 January 2020 08:03

With cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes on injured reserve, the Minnesota Vikings worked out Terence Newman, their former nickel/cornerback coach and player, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates on Saturday.

The 41-year-old Newman worked out for the team this week, and the Vikings considered signing him before promoting cornerback Nate Meadors from their practice squad.

Newman, who is close to Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, played 15 NFL seasons before he became an assistant coach with Minnesota.

Had he signed, Newman could have played in the NFC divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.

Newman, who retired as a player just before the 2018 season, played for Zimmer on three teams (Dallas 2003-06, Cincinnati 2012-13, Minnesota 2015-17) and appeared in 221 career games with 205 starts.

Before his retirement, Newman led the league with the most career interceptions (42) among active players.

Soccer

LAFC, Galaxy emerge as favorites after Miami exit

LAFC, Galaxy emerge as favorites after Miami exit

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBy the end of Saturday night, the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs no longer c...

Where does Miami's 2024 rank among best all-time MLS seasons?

Where does Miami's 2024 rank among best all-time MLS seasons?

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhen Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez arr...

Players upset as influencer starts Argentine game

Players upset as influencer starts Argentine game

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsA top flight team in Argentina fielded a social media influencer in...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

SGA's career-high 45 fuels OKC without Holmgren

SGA's career-high 45 fuels OKC without Holmgren

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOKLAHOMA CITY -- After having the best scoring game of his pro care...

Wemby tops 30 for 1st time this season, Spurs win

Wemby tops 30 for 1st time this season, Spurs win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama produced hi...

Baseball

Ohtani a finalist for NL MVP; Judge, Soto vie in AL

Ohtani a finalist for NL MVP; Judge, Soto vie in AL

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is a finalist fo...

A's trade Allen to Braves for minor league pitcher

A's trade Allen to Braves for minor league pitcher

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Atlanta Braves acquired infielder Ni...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

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