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Holly Bradshaw’s competition run-up

Published in Athletics
Friday, 27 September 2019 01:39

British pole vault record-holder gives AW the lowdown on her friendly rivals and a typical day ahead of the IAAF World Championships

Holly Bradshaw says she feels in the shape of her life, with the British record-holder targeting a medal at the IAAF World Championships in what she believes is set to be “the most open” women’s pole vault contest.

Feeling confident after a good block of training, the 27-year-old says it is credit to her coach Scott Simpson for getting the timing and peak right.

“I’m in the best shape of my life so going out there and jumping 4.80m or 4.85m, I can do that quite easily,” says the 2018 European bronze medallist.

“I’ve got all the tools that I need to go there and win a medal, it’s just about me trying to deliver that on the day.”

The world’s top vaulters do not shy away from competing against each other regularly and in Doha Bradshaw will face Olympic, world and European champion Katerina Stefanidi of Greece, USA’s world indoor record-holder and 2012 Olympic champion Jenn Suhr, Canada’s Commonwealth champion Alysha Newman, USA’s world indoor champion Sandi Morris and Pan-American Games silver medallist Katie Nageotte, European indoor champion Anzhelika Sidorova, who will be competing as an authorised neutral athlete, and Cuba’s 2015 world champion Yarisley Silva.

“Everyone is in similar shape this year and it’s super exciting,” Bradshaw adds. “In other years you’ll have thought ‘maybe I could sneak a bronze or silver’ but actually gold, silver and bronze are all up for grabs.

“For me, that’s what excites me the most –  feel like I’m in the best shape ever going into a competition that is the most open and that’s really cool.”

Training insight

Bradshaw was speaking with AW at the British Athletics holding camp in Dubai and she shared some insight into a typical training day.

“The temperature here is a bit of a challenge so we decided to do most of our training in the evening,” she says. “I’m trying to wake up later so I was getting up at 10am and trying to go to bed by 11pm. While I’ve been out here I’ve been sleeping pretty well.

“I’ll go for breakfast and then it’s just killing time. I’m doing some research on a sports psychology topic of post-Olympic blues so I’ve been doing bits of that while I’ve been out here. I’ve also been for coffee a couple of times, obviously, because that’s what I like to do! There are so many good coffee shops here. Basically my day is scheduled around food and meal times!

“I try not to snack and for the three meals of the day, if I’m training in the morning, I’ll have carbs at breakfast and lunch but none at dinner and vice versa if I’m training in the evening. The food here is incredible and I think it’s quite easy to over-indulge and have more volume than you are used to, so for me a little tactic is to get a small plate for salad and then I get another small plate for my meat and carbs. Little things like that you learn over the years.

“I’ll have lunch and maybe have a nap before I get on the bus to go training. Then all of a sudden it’s 10pm and it’s bed time.

“Scott will always programme but I know that we do a three-week lead in,” she adds. “So I know that he starts with the pole vault sessions and that’s five days out and 10 days out and then working around that we will do a really important explosive throwing and lifting session. We throw shot puts over our head and between the legs. I actually got a PB in both of those which tends to happen this time of year. I remember ahead of London 2017 when we were in Paris I threw two PBs.

“I don’t realise it but obviously Scott does it on purpose – we do the feel-good sessions, things that I am good at and am going to PB in, to give me a confidence boost.

“We’ll also do a competition simulation and off the back of that I feel ready to compete. It’s about maintaining that and not doing anything that is going to get you injured.”

Athlete bios

The pole vault is known for its camaraderie and Bradshaw gets on well with many of her competitors. So what are they like away from the track? The Brit shares her version of the world championships athlete bios.

Katie Nageotte

“Katie is my best friend out there. She’s really bubbly and friendly. The nicest person you’ll ever meet and will not say a bad word about anyone but is the messiest person! She is first to admit this – I will walk into a room and it’s like an explosion has happened and I’m wading through her stuff.”

Sandi Morris

“I would describe Sandi as similar – the nicest person, really easy-going, but also in her bio would be ‘crazy animal-loving bubbly person’ because she has snakes and spiders, which freaks me out. She lives in her own little Sandi world and I think it’s great, I wish I could live in there!”

Katerina Stefanidi

“I swear whenever I see her she is always eating a banana. The other day, I think we were in Brussels, she had four bananas in her hand. So under her bio would be ‘the crazy banana lady’!”

Bradshaw’s own bio

“I think I am known for saying ‘ah bless’ or as the crazy coffee lady!”

The casual viewer tuning into the World Cup might have expected to see England throw it around against the United States, running tries in from everywhere.

It is not like that. It wasn't in my day and it certainly isn't now.

You have to be strategic. Every opposition team is playing on the biggest stage. They may be limited, but they are committed.

As Fiji found out against Uruguay, if you play loose and fast without doing your groundwork, they will undo you.

Instead, as the favourites, you have to be accurate and streetwise and perhaps after 60 minutes, with greater strength in depth off the bench, superior strength and fitness and space opening up for individual brilliance with ball in hand, you can stretch away.

England did that.

It was a very accurate, clinical performance in a 45-7 win, with minimal penalties and far fewer handling errors than they had against Tonga. They played confidently within a simple structure and their set-piece was fantastic, with solid, slick scrum, line-out and kick-off reception.

They played in really good areas, enjoying a landslide 78% of territory, and the USA ran out of steam. It reminded me of Saracens' way of doing things - they squeezed the life out of the opposition.

Model 10 Ford?

Fly-half George Ford won the man of the match award. He is a very talented footballer, there is no doubt about that. He reads the game superbly, puts people into space with the timing of his passes and is an under-rated runner in broken field.

His relationship and understanding with Owen Farrell - with whom he has played since the pair were teenagers - and Leicester team-team Manu Tuilagi are an added bonus.

But this is the sort of game that we have seen him boss before.

Part of me really wants the England backline to be Ford at fly-half, Farrell at inside centre and Tuilagi at outside centre, but until I see Ford seize control of a game that is going against England, rather than direct traffic in one that they will probably win anyway, it is difficult to justify that selection for the biggest matches.

We all know what he can do, but the are things that he hasn't done in tight encounters.

His last extended run at fly-half came to an end in the summer of 2018 after back-to-back defeats in South Africa and Six Nations losses to Scotland and France.

At the real top level, when his decision-making is under pressure because of a retreating pack or a big scoreboard deficit, can he make the right calls or come up with the clutch play?

I am yet to see that.

I hope this is the tournament when he does prove it. I hope that - if coach Eddie Jones goes with them - Ford, Farrell and Tuilagi can carry momentum into the game against Argentina and then France and the quarter-finals and prove to be a world-class triumvirate.

I am quite torn in terms of selection for the Argentina game on 5 October.

I think Henry Slade at outside centre with Farrell and Tuilagi inside him - the combination that England deployed through this year's Six Nations - would have been Plan A had Slade been fit.

But there is still clearly an issue around Slade's knee. He came on for half an hour against Tonga, which was his first Test appearance in more than six months, and needed treatment during that cameo.

Jonathan Joseph has impressed so far. He may more clean breaks (four) than anyone against the US and was joint top of the same statistic (with three) against Tonga, despite only coming on for the last 13 minutes.

He is a really classy operator with ball in hand and comes with 44 caps of experience as well. He really makes defences think and carries a different type of threat to Tuilagi.

Farrell, Tuilagi and Joseph at 10, 12 and 13 respectively will be in Jones' thinking, but the sensible option, considering continuity as well, is Ford-Farrell-Tuilagi.

Francis to face the music

Piers Francis is the midfield option that probably will not be available to Jones.

US flanker John Quill took most of the disciplinary heat when he was deservedly shown the tournament's first red card for a shoulder hit to Farrell's head.

It shows how much the culture of the game has changed. In my playing days, I saw plenty of occasions on which a player would throw in a cheap-shot shoulder, and I have been on the receiving end of a few too.

Previously, there might have been a bit of handbags and that would have been that, but the modern player has to be accountable.

Quill's was a cut-and-dried red card considering the modern guidance to referees and the scrutiny on the officials after World Rugby's statement criticising the standard of refereeing at the tournament.

Francis' tackle on US full-back Will Hooley in the opening seconds of the match was not that much different to Quill's on Farrell or Australia wing Reece Hodge's attempt on Peceli Yato that earned him a three-match ban.

Quill's was more clearly a shoulder charge rather than a tackle, but Hooley was standing still as Francis chased up to make his tackle.

Hooley didn't drop his body height into contact, Francis didn't seem to make any effort to go lower and he didn't seem to have his view of the tackle blocked.

That leaves few mitigating factors in Francis' favour in World Rugby's very clear guidelines.

After being cited on Friday morning, he will be fortunate to get away with anything less than a three-match ban.

Matt Dawson was speaking to BBC Sport's Mike Henson.

England's Piers Francis has been cited for foul play following a tackle that left United States full-back Will Hooley with concussion.

Francis, who will appear before a disciplinary panel in Tokyo, made the tackle early on in the Rugby World Cup match, which England won 45-7.

US flanker John Quill was sent off for a high tackle late on in the match.

Australia's Reece Hodge and Rey Lee-Lo of Samoa both received three-match bans after being cited for high tackles.

High tackles are under heavy scrutiny at the World Cup, after World Rugby introduced new guidance to reduce head injuries.

The high tackle framework was announced after a World Rugby study found that tacklers were four times as likely to sustain a head injury if their tackle was high.

England attack coach Scott Wisemantel said the new rules make "perfect sense" - and the coaching staff were aiming to replicate game intensity in training in order to adapt.

"It's for the players' protection. So we've just got to abide by that and then train it," Wisemantel added.

"The first thing is that the players are aware of the new regulations. The second part is, technique-wise, we train to avoid any sort of mishaps.

"The actual technique we use with [defence coach] John Mitchell mitigates a lot of those risks."

Quill became the first US man to be sent off at a Rugby World Cup for his dangerous tackle on England's Owen Farrell in Kobe.

Regarding Farrell, Wisemantel added: "He's fine, and after the game he acknowledged it was an accident on John's behalf. He's gone in to bat for him."

Rain-affected Vijay Hazare Trophy games to be rescheduled

Published in Cricket
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:08

Matches affected by rain in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 will be rescheduled, after nearly 17 of the 30 games scheduled in the first three days were abandoned or ended in a no result.

The tournament is being played across four cities - Bengaluru, Dehradun, Jaipur and Vadodara. Matches in Bengaluru and Vadodara, where Groups A and B are playing, have been particularly badly hit. Dehradun, where Group D games are being held, has also been affected, with only Jaipur's Group C matches progressing as scheduled.

The BCCI is working out a schedule to try and fit in as many of the affected games as possible. "We are working on the rescheduling and it should be done soon," BCCI general manager Saba Karim told ESPNcricinfo. "We want to have as many matches as possible. Three of the groups were affected, A, B and D due to unseasonal rains, so we're looking at how to accommodate those. The matches in Jaipur have gone on smoothly."

ESPNcricinfo understands that there was a meeting between the managers of Group A teams in Bengaluru and BCCI officials, where the matter was discussed, though all teams were not in favour of rescheduling games. However, with the BCCI having taken a call, the fixtures that were affected are likely to get a fresh window.

In the original schedule, there were no games slated for October 2 and October 8, and those days could be used to fill some gaps. Additionally, there are 'break' days in each of the four host cities, when no matches will be played for that particular group, and these days could also be used. A Times of India report also said that the end of the league stage could be pushed back. The last day of league matches in Vadodara and Bengaluru - the latter is also the venue for the knockouts - is October 13. Jaipur and Dehradun will have games until October 16. The knockouts start from October 20.

In Bengaluru, the first two days of the competition saw no play at all with six matches washed out. The first Elite Group A match that got underway was between Karnataka and Jharkhand on Thursday, which was the first match of the tournament at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the sub-air drainage system makes it possible to for the ground to withstand heavy rainfall and still get a full game in. The other two games on Thursday were scheduled in Alur and Bengaluru, and they, too, eventually got underway and were completed, though both were truncated games.

In Vadodara, there has not been a single result over three days, with nine games either abandoned without a ball being bowled, or mid-way through. There was no play at all on September 24, the opening day. All three matches that were scheduled on the next day began, but all had to be abandoned mid-way, and on Thursday, once again there wasn't a ball bowled. Dehradun has had one no-result each on both days on which play had been scheduled.

Some, not all, Ashes stars set to return in Marsh Cup

Published in Cricket
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:45

Australia's Ashes squad members Matthew Wade, James Pattinson, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja are set to return for their states in the Marsh Cup this weekend after being rested from the first week of fixtures, but New South Wales' Test stars will not feature against Western Australia.

Steven Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will all continue to rest despite the Blues being desperate for a win after losses to Queensland and South Australia in Brisbane.

Western Australia have named an unchanged side to take on NSW in two matches at Drummoyne Oval after obliterating Victoria and Tasmania in their first two matches at home.

Wade will return to captain and keep wicket for the winless Tasmania while South Australia will regain their captain Head for the two matches against the Tigers at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide. Incredibly, it has been seven seasons since South Australia have hosted a domestic one-day fixture after the competition was revamped in 2013.

Victoria have added paceman Pattinson to their 14-man squad for the two matches against Queensland at Junction Oval in Melbourne.

Khawaja will return to lead the undefeated Bulls after being rested from their first two home wins against New South Wales and South Australia. Ben Cutting has also been added to the Bulls' squad after being left out of the first two games. He replaces Jack Wildermuth, who suffered a hamstring injury after his Player of the Match performance against New South Wales.

Team titles decided, Japanese girls set standard

Published in Table Tennis
Thursday, 26 September 2019 21:40

Following a 3-0 penultimate round win in opposition to Japan’s Kazuki Hamada, Hayata Suzuki and Sora Matsushima; no changes to the selection, the Chinese Taipei trio comprising Tai Ming-Wei, Huang Yu-Jen and Huang Yan-Chen recorded the same margin of victory in the final when facing colleagues Li Hsin-Yu, Feng Yi-Hsin and Yang Xhi-Xing.

A comprehensive margin of victory but arguably closer than the score-line may suggest; the opening two matches both went the full five games distance. Tai Ming-Wei beat Li Hsin-Yu (6-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8), before in a similarly tense encounter Huang Yu-Ju overcame Feng Yi-Hsin (11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9) to double the advantage. Matters concluded in a rather less dramatic manner; Huang Yan-Cheng accounted for Yang Zhi-Xing in straight games (11-7, 11-4, 11-7).

Earlier in counterpart semi-final, Li Hsin-Yu, Feng Yi-Hsin and Yang Xhi-Xing had posted a 3-1 win when facing the combination of Korea Republic’s Park Gyeongtae and Park Minjun, who joined forces with Iran’s Amin Ahmadian.

Imposing performance

Impressive from Tai Ming-Wei, Huang Yu-Jen and Huang Yan-Chen, it was the same in the junior girls’ team event from the Japanese trio comprising Kaho Akae, Reina Aso and Hina Higashikawa.

After recording a 3-0 semi-final win against Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, Chau Wing Sze and Wong Chu Yau, a 3-1 win was claimed in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Chien Tung-Chuan, Yi Hsiu-Ting and Cai Fong-En.

Mainstay of the success in the final was Kaho Akae, she accounted for both Chien Tung-Chuan (13-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9) and Yu Hsiu-Ting (6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6). The one further win for Japan was recorded by Reina Aso, in the second match of the engagement, she beat Yu Hsiu-Ting (6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6); for Hong Kong, the one success came courtesy of Cai Fong-En. In the third match, she defeated Hina Higashikawa (11-4, 11-9, 11-5). The Chinese Taipei trio had received a direct entry to the semi-final round.

Hard fought success

Success for Japan in the junior girls’ team event, it was the same in the cadet girls’ team competition. Sachi Aoki and Miwa Harimoto struck gold at the expense of Chinese Taipei. A hard fought 3-2 win against Chen Tsai-Ni and Liu Ru-Yun was followed by a 3-1 margin of victory in opposition to Chu Yi-Ching and Tsai Yun-En.

Backbone of the victory in the final was Miwa Harimoto; she overcame both Chu Yi-Ching (8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8) and Tsai Yun-En (11-8, 11-5, 11-8).

Name to note

Miwa Harimoto, the younger sister of Tomokazu Harimoto is a name to note, in the cadet boys’ team event, the player to attract the attention was Park Changgeon, he guided Korea Republic to the top step of the podium.

Partnering Kim Min-Su, facing Chinese Taipei in the later rounds, at the semi-final stage he beat both Kao Cheng-Jui (12-10, 11-6, 11-2) and Chang Yu-An (11-5, 11-9, 11-9) in a 3-2 victory. One round later by the same margin, when oppsing Zhang Huan-Qi, Yen Kun-Lin and Shih Yu-Kai, he accounted for Yen Kun-Lin (12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9) and Zhang Huan-Qi (11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3) to seal the top prize for his team.

In the counterpart semi-final, the Chinese Taipei trio had recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to Hong Kong’s Yu Nok and Baldwin Chan Ho Wah.

Team events concluded, on Friday 27th September the focus turns to the initial stages of the junior boys’ and junior girls’ singles events, as well as the cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles competitions.

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Sarah-Jane Perry in action against Emily Whitlock in San Francisco

Kandra rocks Rosner in ONO shock
By MATT COLES – Squash Mad Correspondent

Sarah-Jane Perry and Joel Makin, both coached in Birmingham by Robert Owen, led a quartet of British players into the quarter-finals of the 2019 Oracle NetSuite Open in San Francisco.

Also through are Scotland’s Alan Clyne, who ended the hopes of England’s Declan James, and Welsh number one Tesni Evans, who beat Egypt’s Salma Hany.

England’s World No.7 Perry is through to the last eight after defeating compatriot Emily Whitlock at the Bay Club in San Francisco.

Perry, who won this event in both 2017 and 2018, needed just 18 minutes to win her second round clash as she fought back to beat her fellow Englishwoman in both games.

The pair were meeting for the second time in three weeks, having faced off in the quarter-finals of the Open de France – Nantes, where Perry got the better of Whitlock in another best-of-three clash.

Once again, Whitlock started the stronger of the two, but Perry was able to win the opening game 11-6. The same pattern occurred in the second, as Perry changed tactics to take the pace off the ball. And it worked to her advantage.

Perry said: “She played really well against me a couple of weeks ago in Nantes. I felt a little flat in that tournament, but I have been feeling better in between, and I just tried to come out and play with a little bit of confidence.

“As both games went on, I started to find my way and my rhythm and momentum. Hopefully tomorrow, I can actually start well and not wait until halfway through the game.

Amanda Sobhy stretches for a volley

“It feels a lot like last year. I think I was the No.5 seed last year as well so it is very much the same. Every opponent was tough last year and that is the same again this year. You are never thinking about any rounds further ahead, just the one that is right in front of you.”

The tournament’s No.5 seed advances through to the quarter finals, where she will face World No.1 Raneem El Welily in a repeat of last year’s Oracle NetSuite Open final.

The Egyptian superstar had to come from a game down to defeat United States No.2 Olivia Blatchford Clyne, eventually winning out 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 to seal her spot in the last eight.

Fellow American Amanda Sobhy, the No.6 seed, was in fine form, overcoming Milou van der Heijden of The Netherlands 11-6, 11-3 in just 16 minutes. No.3 seed Nour El Tayeb lies in wait in what is sure to be a blockbuster battle on the glass court.

In the men’s draw, the unseeded Raphael Kandra overcame compatriot and World No.5 Simon Rösner in the last match of the night at the University Club.

Despite being from the same nation, this was only the third time that the pair had met each other on the PSA World Tour, with Rösner having been successful in the previous two.

This meeting started off in a very tight fashion, with neither player wanting to give an inch in the opening exchanges. However, Kandra was able to take the first 11-9.

The second was slightly easier for the German No.2, who reached the semi-finals of the British Open in 2018. He secured the victory with an 11-7 scoreline in the second, setting up a clash with Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy in the last eight.

“Two days ago when I beat Iker [Pajares Bernabeu], I had a similar strategy of precision and pressure, and it worked quite well even though it was a different court at the Bay Club,” Kandra said.

“With the new format, you get punished for your bad shots or when you go for a silly shot. Almost 50% of those opportunities for him went into the tin luckily for me.

“I was trying to stay as mentally sharp as I could. With a maximum of three games, physically you can push yourself, but in my head I had to stay sharp and make the precise shots.”

Elsewhere on day three, Alan Clyne got the better of No.7 seed Declan James in a terrific three game tussle. The Scot won the first on a tie-break, but the Englishman fought back in the second.

However, it would be the World No.44 from Edinburgh who took the victory, after he won the deciding game 11-5. Clyne will now face World No.9 Miguel Rodriguez in the last eight at Embarcadero Plaza. 

The top two seeds, Egypt’s Mohamed ElShorbagy and Tarek Momen, safely made it through to the last eight, defeating France’s Mathieu Castagnet and Mexico’s Cesar Salazar. Momen beats Joel Makin who overcame young Egyptian Mostafa Asal in straight games, 11-5, 11-9.

Today, the action moves to the spectacular glass court in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza for the quarter finals and onwards. 

Oracle NetSuite Open 2019, Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco, USA.

Men’s Second Round:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 2-0: 11-9, 11-7 (36m)
[8] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 2-0: 11-2, 12-10 (42m)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 2-0: 11-4, 11-9 (20m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [3] Simon Rösner (GER) 2-0: 11-9, 11-7 (33m)
[4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 2-0: 11-9, 11-1 (21m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [7] Declan James (ENG) 2-1: 13-11, 3-11, 11-5 (54m)
[6] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Mostafa Asal (EGY) 2-0: 11-5, 11-9 (41m)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 2-0: 11-5, 11-6 (17m)

Women’s Second Round:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Olivia Blatchford Clyne (USA) 2-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG) 2-0: 11-6, 11-8 (18m)
[8] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 2-1: 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 (33m)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 2-0: 11-8, 11-5 (20m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 2-0: 11-5, 11-7 (16m)
[6] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 2-0: 11-6, 11-3 (16m)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Salma Hany (EGY) 2-0: 11-4, 11-8 (23m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Nele Gilis (BEL) 2-0: 11-3, 11-4 (21m)

Men’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [8] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Raphael Kandra (GER)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[8] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [4] Joelle King (NZL)

Men’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half):
[4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v Alan Clyne (SCO)
[6] Joel Makin (WAL) v [2] Tarek Momen (EGY)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half):
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [6] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [2] Camille Serme (FRA) 

Report by MATT COLES (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of PSA and and REYNOLD CHAN (Daily Squash Report Photos)

Posted on September 27, 2019

Captain Alun Wyn Jones will become Wales' most capped player after coach Warren Gatland named an unchanged side to face Australia in Tokyo on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Ospreys lock will win his 130th Wales cap to surpass the previous record of prop Gethin Jenkins.

Gatland has kept faith with the starting side that defeated Georgia 43-14 in the opening Pool D game.

Australia have made four changes to the side that beat Fiji 39-21 in their opening match.

Wales have made one change on the bench with centre Owen Watkin coming in for full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

Gatland said he had considered bringing Ross Moriarty into the back row but refrained from doing so.

"We felt we wanted to give that team another opportunity," said Gatland.

"We thought we played pretty well in the first-half against Georgia so we felt it was not fair to drop anyone,"

Watkin's addition to the bench provides cover at centre, as Hadleigh Parkes broke a small bone his hand in the victory over Georgia.

"Owen has been coming off the bench for us and doing a good job," said Gatland.

"Hadleigh has a small fracture in his hand so has not taken much of a part in training this week.

"It is just making sure we have cover there in case that hand does give him problems during the match so then we can make a change."

Gatland also praised his record-breaking captain Jones.

"He's a great competitor," said Gatland.

"Since he's been captain we don't have as many fights at training because he used to start most of them! That's how competitive he was.

"People who get to the top have a drive and a desire to want to be successful and he's definitely done that. To become Wales' record Test player with 130 caps is special. Hopefully there are many more to come.

"He doesn't say a lot, he just leads from the front at training and matches and sets a great example for the senior players but in particular the younger players.

"We're lucky to have him in the team and captaining the side."

Australia half-backs Will Genia and Bernard Foley return instead of Nic White and Christian Lealiifano.

Dane Haylett-Petty comes in at full-back while Kurtley Beale drops to the bench.

Adam Ashley-Cooper replaces the suspended Reece Hodge on the right wing to win his 120th cap.

Hodge was banned for three matches for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.

"It was not too dissimilar to what we thought," said Gatland.

"We probably did not think Foley would start but his experience and running threat is something we are going to have to keep an eye on.

"With Foley there they will probably kick a bit more than they have been.

"With Beale they lose a bit of their attacking threat because he is definitely a threat for them.

"As in the past he will probably come off the bench relatively early and will be a handful for us.

"I think it's (Australia selection) is a sign of respect. That's how far we've come as a team over a number of years.

"I don't think this was always the case with Wales. Teams probably wouldn't consider our attacking threats or any threats at all."

Wales: L Williams; North, Jonathan Davies, Parkes, Adams; Biggar, G Davies; Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Ball, Alun Wyn Jones (C), Wainwright, Tipuric, Navidi.

Replacements: Smith, Dee, Lewis, Shingler, Moriarty, T Williams, Patchell, Watkin.

Australia: Haylett-Petty; Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor, Kerevi, Koroibete; Foley, Genia; Sio, Latu, Alaalatoa, Rodda, Arnold, Pocock, Naisarani, Hooper (C)

Replacements: Uelese, Slipper, Kepu, Coleman, Salakaia-Loto, White, To'omua, Beale.

Facebook has gained exclusive digital content rights to the ICC's global events in the Indian subcontinent. The deal, which is set to run until 2023, will bring eight major ICC events - two Men's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2021), two Women's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2022), the 2021 Women's ODI World Cup, the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship finals of 2021 and 2023 - onto the social networking platform.

Financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The TV rights for all ICC events until 2023 belong to Star, who signed an eight-year deal in 2015.

Facebook will carry digital content including match recaps, key moments, and other feature content in the region across four years. As part of the deal, it will also carry post-match recaps for the rest of the world in this period.

"The combination of one of the world's most-watched sports with one of the world's largest platforms is exciting for the future of our game," ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said. "The record-breaking growth in digital consumption at this summer's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup demonstrated the continued power of cricket to connect and engage more deeply with diverse audiences around the world.

"Throughout the competitive bid process, we received tremendous interest from a range of platforms, all of whom recognise the phenomenal reach of cricket. In Facebook, we have a genuine partner who shares in our ambition to continue to grow and deepen engagement with cricket fans globally using its platforms."

According to an ICC release, the recent Men's World Cup garnered 4.6 billion video views across its digital and social-media platforms.

Eagles CB has movement after hit by teammate

Published in Breaking News
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:02

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the fourth quarter Thursday against the Green Bay Packers.

Maddox has movement in all extremities, the team announced. For precautionary reasons, he was sent to a hospital for further evaluation.

The entire Eagles team gathered around him while he was being tended to on the turf after being accidentally hit in the head by teammate Andrew Sendejo.

Teammates said he was joking and laughing while on the stretcher, and that helped ease their minds as they turned their focus to the end of the game.

"I was cracking jokes just to make him laugh," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "He laughed -- a lot, actually.

"It's a scary thing when it's one of your teammates -- especially somebody young like him, who's been playing really well for us. He was good. He was moving around, so that was a good sign."

Maddox's replacement, Craig James, came up with a pass deflection that resulted in a Nigel Bradham interception to secure the Eagles' 34-27 win.

"We pretty much just clicked into the mentality of, 'We've got to win it for him,'" Bradham said. "That was a critical loss for us, a guy that plays multiple positions.

"We were playing for him. He took a critical hit on that play, and hopefully everything turns out all right for him."

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