SHIGA, Japan – Hannah Green shot a 5-under 67 on Friday to finish the first round of the LPGA Japan Classic tied for the lead with local favorite Ai Suzuki.

Green carded five birdies at the par-72 Seta Golf Course to finish one stroke ahead of six golfers including Lydia Ko and Jennifer Kupcho.

Ko had an erratic round that featured seven birdies, a double bogey and a bogey in the final event of the LPGA Tour's Asia Swing.

Defending champion Nasa Hataoka shot a 71 and was tied for 35th place. Lexi Thompson, making her first start since the Indy Women in Tech Championship in September, struggled with her game and shot a 74.

Two-time Japan Classic winner Shanshan Feng was three strokes back after a 70.

United States national team co-captain Megan Rapinoe has said players who are not incensed by racism are "part of the problem" and has called for punishments that are more "damaging financially" in an effort to reduce the number of incidents.

There has been a number of racist incidents in football throughout Europe since the start of the new campaign.

Brescia striker Mario Balotelli threatened to walk off the pitch after suffering monkey chants last weekend, while an FA Cup qualifying round tie between Haringey Borough and Yeovil Town was abondoned when goalkeeper Douglas Pajetat was subjected to racist abuse last month.

"If there's ever an instance of racism, if every single player on the field is not outraged then to me they're part of the problem," Rapinoe told the BBC.

England's Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria was temporarily halted during the first half following racist chanting.

Bulgarian head coach Krasimir Balakov and president Borislav Mihaylov both resigned after the incident, and UEFA subsequently handed Bulgaria a two-match stadium closure and a €75,000 fine.

When asked about UEFA's punishment, Rapinoe replied: "£65,000 is an absolute joke.

"For me I'm just like, make it super extreme so it's damaging to the team, to the federation, so it's damaging financially."

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly have suffered racist chanting from the stands in Italy, while Premier League players Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Tammy Abraham have been abused online this season.

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has been vocal in his work to combat racism and Rapinoe has urged other players to make a stand.

She added: "I need all the players on Raheem's team, all the players in the Premier League and in the leagues abroad to make it their problem because it really is everybody's issue."

Rapinoe also reiterated her desire for the USWNT to be paid the same as the men's national team.

She won the Golden Ball award for best player after leading the U.S. to World Cup success in France last summer.

"Don't settle for anything less, go for equal, go for more, don't accept any of these sort of antiquated and BS answers," she said.

"Until we have equal investment and over investment really, because we've been so underserved for so long, we're not going to have any sort of meaningful conversation about compensation and revenues and TV viewership."

Big picture

Afghanistan lost their tenth 50-over game in a row when they went down by seven wickets in the first ODI. One doesn't envy a captain who inherits such a problem - Rashid Khan is once again in charge of trying to change things bigger than himself.

The primary problem with Afghanistan's ODI cricket is their batting. At the moment, they are not getting consistently quick starts, they are rarely making it past the opening Powerplays without losing wickets and, as a result, the middle overs are forced to be about rebuilding; unfortunately, at this stage of their journey, they are yet to find someone who can do that without compromising on the scoring rate.

Sample this: the team has made more than 250 only once in the last 10 matches, and that was in a botched chase of 312 against West Indies. They batted the full 50 overs or at least came close in each of the five matches before this series began, but apart from the chase against West Indies, those were all efforts at just pushing past 200. For now, this series, and perhaps the next few, are all about improving that aspect of their game.

Their opponents, however, are not the worst team around to seek some inspiration from. After all, who in modern cricket has tried to rebuild as many times as West Indies?

Form guide

Afghanistan LLLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies WLLWL

In the spotlight

Ikram Alikhil has shown something to the management that has convinced them to put him front and centre lately. The wicketkeeper-batsman was a nervous, shaky starter batting low down the order during the World Cup for which he wasn't originally picked; his first two innings were 2 off 22 and and 9 off 33. He had hit only two fours in his first eight innings - in 166 balls. The last man you would think of, chasing 312. And yet, Afghanistan decided to send him in at No. 3 and for at least 34 overs, Alikhil kept West Indies alert to a potential defeat. That 93-ball 86 was his last innings prior to the 58 he scored before being run out in contentious circumstances for 58 in the first ODI. In the absence of Hashmatullah Shahidi and Hazratullah Zazai's form, the 19-year-old is suddenly Afghanistan's most important left-hander.

Shimron Hetmyer is something of a crowd favourite for his belligerent batting style. That very style also makes him frustrating to follow sometimes - in his last ten limited-overs innings, Hetmyer has made eight single-digit scores. Since the end of September, Hetmyer's highest score in six limited-overs innings is just 9. Can he turn it around?

Team news

Afghanistan could be tempted to switch up their batting by handing a debut to the 17-year-old Ibrahim Zadran, who made 87 on Test debut against Bangladesh recently. A change in their seam-bowling options might also be on the cards.

Afghanistan (possible): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Javed Ahmadi/Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Asghar Afghan, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Gulbadin Naib/Karim Janat, 9 Rashid Khan (capt), 10 Naveen-ul-Haq/Yamin Ahmadzai, 11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

West Indies have little to think about and may well be unchanged. Perhaps Alzarri Joseph's expensive spell could worry them - in which case they have sufficient back-up in Keemo Paul, or even Kharry Pierre as an extra spin option.

West Indies (possible): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Nicholas Pooran 5 Roston Chase, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Sheldon Cottrell, 10 Alzarri Joseph/Keemo Paul/Khary Pierre, 11 Hayden Walsh Jr.

Pitch and conditions

A haze continues to be a feature in the northern part of India, and while smog and pollution levels have only marginally decreased in Lucknow since the last match, it is still at an undesirable level. The visibility on Friday was measured at 3.2km, as opposed to Jaipur on the same day which had a visibility of 11.3km. It is expected to be overcast on match day.

Stats and trivia

• Javed Ahmadi is 24 runs away from becoming the 11th Afghanistan batsman to 1000 ODI runs

• West Indies have played more international games in Lucknow than any other team

• Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have more ODI wickets between them than the entire West Indies team combined

When they beat Uttarakhand by nine wickets in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 Group A match on Friday, Karnataka not only created an Indian record for most T20 wins in a row, but also moved to second spot in the overall list, joint with Otago. Ahead of them, by a long way, are Sialkot Stallions, who were as close to invincible as a T20 team has ever been, winning 25 games on the trot in Pakistan's National T20 Cup between 2006 and 2010. Here's a look at some of the most impressive winning streaks in the sport.

Sialkot Stallions, 25 wins, 2006-10

Competition: National T20 Cup

Long before Shoaib Malik became a sought-after allrounder in T20 leagues around the world, he was a serial match-winner for his regional T20 side in Pakistan: Sialkot Stallions. Stallions' stunning streak comprised five consecutive National T20 Cup titles, a feat unlikely to be bettered given how competitive the circuit has become in modern times. If the low-profile nature of a domestic T20 competition makes it sound like a mean feat, its superlative nature is emphasised by the fact that no other T20 side has come anywhere close in the decade since then.

With a core comprising players who featured in Pakistan's run to the inaugural World T20 final in 2007 - Malik, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Asif and Abdur Rehman - they were clinical in dispatching all comers through that five-year run. A significant part of their winning streak came under Nazir's leadership, when they won all 13 of their games between 2006 and 2009. Stallions' streak made them the first Pakistan side to be invited to the Champions League, in 2012, where they did not make it past the abbreviated qualifying stage. They would go on to win the 2011-12 edition under Malik, but that was the end of their golden age.

Karnataka, 15* wins, 2018-19

Competition: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (ongoing streak)

It is rare in any T20 competition these days for a side to go through an entire tournament without being beaten, but that's exactly what Karnataka did in the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's other domestic T20 competition, away from the glitz and hype of the IPL. While they are blessed with a number of players who have made the step up to India colours, it was Karnataka's youngsters who stepped up through the tournament. The tournament's top run-getter Rohan Kadam and their highest wicket-taker V Koushik were both stars from the local Karnataka Premier League, while big names like Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey and Karun Nair stepped up in big games towards the business end.

The 2019-20 edition of the tournament kicked off on Friday, and there was no change in the team's attitude - ruthless and clinical - as they ran out nine-wicket victors in Visakhapatnam. Abhimanyu Mithun and Shreyas Gopal picked up two wickets each to stop Uttarakhand at 132 for 6, and Kadam, continuing his own streak, hit 67 not out and Devdutt Padikkal, another promising youngster, hit 53 not out to seal the chase in 15.4 overs.

Otago, 15 wins, 2012-13

Competitions: New Zealand Domestic T20 (HRV Cup), Champions League T20

Otago, led by the vastly experienced Derek de Boorder, were a cut above the rest of the teams in the six-team competition at home, starting with a 24-run loss to Northern Districts but then recording nine consecutive wins in the league stage and then topping Wellington by four wickets in the final.

That took their streak to ten in a row, which they extended to 15 after reaching India later in 2013 for the Champions League T20 tournament.

They started in the qualifiers. First up, Brendon McCullum hit a 65-ball 83 not out to give them victory against Faisalabad Wolves, then came a Ryan ten Doeschate starrer, as he picked up two wickets and then smashed 64 in 32 balls in a big win over Kandurata Maroons, and the other McCullum, Nathan, then led a brilliant bowling display to give Otago victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

All those games were played in Mohali, and Otago made it 14 when they beat Perth Scorchers in Jaipur in the main competition next, Neil Broom's 117 not out in 56 balls leading their cause. It could have been tricky for them had their match against eventual champions Mumbai Indians - before the one against the Scorchers - not been washed out, but they did go on to win the one-over eliminator against Lions to get to 15 after that before going down to Rajasthan Royals.

Kolkata Knight Riders, 14 wins, 2014

Competitions: Indian Premier League, Champions League T20

Kolkata Knight Riders were down and out in IPL 2014 with four points after seven matches when the tournament's most storied winning streak began. Away from their familiar home conditions at Eden Gardens till the 47th game of the tournament, thanks to the 2014 parliamentary elections, they struggled to get going, first in the UAE and then at different makeshift venues around the country. Robin Uthappa, shifted up to the top of the order, smashed his way to the top of the run chart, Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav led the pace attack, while the spinners - Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan and Piyush Chawla - starred with the ball to revive their winning formula.

If they were unstoppable in the latter stages of the IPL, their continued dominance in the Champions League makes the case for this to be the most comprehensive winning streak in T20 franchise history. They beat the champions of Australia (Perth Scorchers), Pakistan (Lahore Lions) and South Africa's second-best team (Dolphins) on their way to the final, where Chennai Super Kings ended their run at 14 games.

Kane Williamson is confident that his hip injury is "settling" and that he will be fit enough to captain New Zealand in the first Test against England on November 21.

Williamson, who has been rested for the ongoing five-match T20I series, has played only one game in the last two months, and has batted just four times since the World Cup final in July, making a total of 50 runs.

"It's been an ongoing niggle, really," he told Sky during New Zealand's defeat in the fourth T20I at Napier. "That comes at goes. It is settling, which is nice.

"A lot of [the last few months] has been rehab to get the hip right. I had a four-dayer recently [he made 26 for Northern Districts in a Plunket Shield game in October] and there's a gap between this series and the first Test, so it's basically training going into it."

Williamson admits it will be "tough" to readjust to the rhythm of batting given his lack of match practice, but is confident that he will be able to make runs regardless. He was training with the New Zealand squad in Napier ahead of the T20I, rather than playing in the ongoing round of Plunket Shield fixtures.

"A lot of it is mindset," he said, "so trying to get that right, trying to prepare as well as well as you can to give yourself the best chance.

"I guess if you're looking at preparation and perfect preparation, gametime can be nice - spending time in the middle - but it'll be tough to come by seeing as there's not a lot of cricket between now and then. So it's just trying to get the mindset right to go on and execute your plans as well as you can."

Williamson was also rested for New Zealand's T20I series in Sri Lanka, and spent the start of October in the UK where his commitments included a test on his bowling action at Loughborough. He has now been cleared to bowl, though is unlikely to be required much against England.

The first game of that series will also be the inaugural Test match at Mount Maunganui, one of Williamson's home grounds when he plays for Northern Districts in domestic cricket.

"[It's a] really exciting time for cricket in the Bay of Plenty," he said. "I know everyone there is looking forward to the occasion, and I know the guys are looking forward to some red-ball cricket as well.

"[We're] looking forward to get involved in the Test matches, which'll be a really exciting opportunity for us, taking on a strong English side."

Rick Pitino is taking over as Greek national team coach as it looks to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, he confirmed via Twitter on Friday.

Really honored to be coaching the Greek National team. Have a lot of work and preparation ahead but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) November 8, 2019

Pitino told reporters Friday that he will begin coaching the team for the Olympic qualifying tournament in June. Greece will be one of 24 teams playing for four Olympic bids during the June 23-28 event.

"Obviously it's a great honor for me to accept this position, and I'm looking forward to it," Pitino said. "I'll spend most of the winter, once the brackets are announced, studying the film and we'll go to work."

Prior to accepting the job, Pitino told reporters earlier this week that he would work for free, calling it an "honor" to coach Greece.

The move could lead to Pitino coaching Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who played for Greece at the World Cup earlier this year. Pitino said he planned to meet with Antetokounmpo and his brother, Thanassis, in March.

Pitino most recently coached in the Greek League with Panathinaikos, leading the team to a championship win earlier this year. In June, he turned down an offer to return as president and coach, saying he wanted to pursue an NBA job.

More details of his role with Greece are expected to be discussed at a news conference Monday.

Olympic and world triple jump champion calls for change and a greater athlete voice in wake of Diamond League changes

Christian Taylor has launched The Athletics Association – a new union which aims to give elite track and field athletes greater say in the future of the sport.

The American two-time Olympic and four-time world triple jump champion released a manifesto on Thursday following the recently-announced changes to the Diamond League series, which will see the triple jump – along with the 200m, 3000m steeplechase and discus – being controversially cut from the Diamond League Final next year.

Britain’s world sprint champion Dina Asher-Smith is among those to have voiced support for the new association, which Taylor says will “fight for athletes’ rights”.

In a statement posted on social media, Taylor said: “It’s time for real change. I refuse to sit back any longer.” He also encouraged athletes to register interest via email and follow the movement’s social media channels.

“I am incredibly disappointed that the IAAF/World Athletics and the Diamond League have decided to remove more events from the programme for 2020,” Taylor wrote. “Our sport is about unity and diversity and separating the events can only damage this sport we all love.

“For some time now I have been in discussion with other elite track and field athletes and we have been talking about how we can have a greater say in the future of our sport.

“Today I am announcing the formation of The Athletics Association – an association for all professional track and field athletes around the world.

“We will fight for athletes’ rights and ultimately demand a seat at the table and a say in how our sport is run and how the sport can grow and evolve without ripping out its very core. At the moment we, the athletes, have no power. Yes there is an Athletes’ Commission but we need something independent of the IAAF/World Athletics.”

It's time for real change.

I refuse to sit back any longer.

Please read the full statement below and join and follow the movement.

REMEBER:#WeAreTheSport

Register:
[email protected] @WeAreTheSport@WorldAthletics@Diamond_League pic.twitter.com/eGPmdYTeyB

— Christian Taylor (@Taylored2jump) November 7, 2019

He signed the manifesto, listing his achievements including being a seven-time Diamond League champion – a tally he will be unable to add to in 2020.

Following release of the statement, world 200m champion Asher-Smith replied: “You know you always have my support!! Let’s do this.”

Six new members were elected to the IAAF Athletes’ Commission in Doha recently, including France’s world pole vault record-holder Renaud Lavillenie and New Zealand’s two-time Olympic shot put gold medallist Valerie Adams.

Two members of the Athletes’ Commission – one male and one female – currently hold voting positions on the IAAF Council.

The BBC has secured rights to broadcast highlights of Guinness Pro14 matches from Sunday, 10 November.

The deal includes every round of Pro14 action, as well as the play-offs and the finals, for the next two seasons, including the 2020 final in Cardiff.

BBC Wales' flagship rugby round-up show Scrum V will show highlights of Pro14 matches each week on BBC Two Wales.

The BBC lost broadcasting rights for the Pro14 to Premier Sports in March 2018.

"BBC's return to the Guinness Pro14 is terrific news for our fans and adds yet another committed broadcast partner to our Championship," said Dermot Rigley, commercial director of Pro14 Rugby.

"As a tournament we have set a new standard by ensuring every single game is available live to our viewers in the UK and now with our highlights available to Free-To-Air audiences via the BBC, rugby fans will have unprecedented access to the matches."

A brand new programme on BBC Wales, airing on Monday nights, will bring further highlights from the Pro14, and fans will also now be able to access videos of key moments online and on social media.

In addition to the highlights deal, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru will continue live commentary and coverage of Pro14 matches.

BBC Wales will also continue the live production of Pro14 games for Clwb Rygbi on S4C.

"Together with the fascinating Rugby World Cup in Japan and a dramatic challenge at the top of the conference tables, this is a great time to see the championship highlights return to the BBC," said BBC Cymru Wales's head of sport, Geoff Williams.

"Rugby forms part of our national conversation and we'll bring all the action to fans across the country."

BBC Scotland will also show highlights, including games involving Edinburgh and Glasgow, in an hour long programme on a Monday night.

Grigor Stirling, Sport Commissioning Executive, BBC Scotland said: "It's a welcome addition to our wide portfolio of sports on the channel."

"We're sure that rugby fans will enjoy the Championship highlights after each round on our new programme."