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Man City's Walker won't face criminal charges

Published in Soccer
Friday, 17 March 2023 13:29

Kyle Walker will not face criminal charges after police ended their investigation into an alleged incident of indecent exposure at a bar during a day off for the Manchester City footballer.

Cheshire police began an investigation after a video started circulating on social media but have ended the probe after deciding the matter will not be taken further.

Sources close to City have described the incident as a "private matter" because no club rules were broken.

A spokesman for Cheshire police said on Friday: "On Wednesday 8 March, Cheshire Constabulary was made aware of a video circulating on social media in relation to an alleged incident at a bar in the Wilmslow area.

"Officers have now concluded their enquiries which included speaking to those directly involved.

"A 32-year-old man from Prestbury voluntarily attended a police station for questioning on 16 March.

"He has been dealt with by an out of court disposal and the matter is now closed."

Clare Connor has been appointed as deputy chief executive officer at the ECB, while taking on the new position of England women's managing director that more closely mirrors Rob Key's role with the men's team.
Connor, who captained England from 2000 to 2005, spent 15 years as the ECB's managing director of women's cricket and became interim CEO in June 2022 after Tom Harrison's tenure came to an end.

She starts her new roles with immediate effect, with Richard Gould now installed as chief executive on a full-time basis after leaving his most recent post with Bristol City Football Club at the end of January.

The ECB said in a press release that Connor would work closely with Gould on "board-level leadership responsibilities" and that her initial focus would be managing the "game-wide response" to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket's upcoming report into diversity and inclusion within the sport.

Connor said: "It was an enormous honour to have served as interim CEO of ECB, and I'm delighted that in this new role I can continue to make a difference across the game as we strive to become a more inclusive sport. Cricket's response to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket's report will be a vital moment for our game and we must use it to change for the better.

"Throughout my many years working in cricket so far, I have been committed to making our game one which includes and welcomes people from every background, and that's what will continue to drive me on in everything I do."

Gould said: "This is a huge year for cricket, with the men's and women's Ashes to look forward to, the women's game developing so quickly and domestic cricket on a fast growth strategy, while we also have the challenges of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report to come.

"I am delighted therefore that Clare has accepted the role of Deputy CEO and MD England Women. She did an excellent job as Interim CEO, and prior to this as MD Women's Cricket. The new role will allow her to continue to lead and influence across the game, allowing us all to benefit from her experience and knowledge."

Connor's previous role as managing director of women's cricket will not be replaced. Beth Barrett-Wild, who oversees the women's Hundred, will instead have her remit expanded, becoming director of the women's professional game.

Lahore Qalandars 176 for 6 (Baig 54, Billings 28, Omarzai 2-31) beat Peshawar Zalmi 171 for 5 (Haris 85, Babar 42, Zaman 2-20) by four wickets

In the first four years of the PSL, the Lahore Qalandars squad would have been on holiday, or back home in front of the telly by this stage of the competition. But those dark days are a distant memory now, with the defending champions sweeping past a valiant challenge from Peshawar Zalmi by four wickets to book their spot in their third final in four years.

It was very much a collective team effort, with a clinical bowling performance keeping Zalmi to 171 in spite of a blistering 54-ball 85 from Mohammad Haris. The chase, too, was down to several cameos from the top and middle order, all threaded together around a half-century by Mirza Baig. Zalmi dragged the Qalandars to the final two overs, but in truth, Shaheen Afridi's men were always one step ahead.

Zalmi opted to bat at the toss, fully cognisant that the Qalandars were yet to win chasing this season, and no chasing side had triumphed yet at the Gaddafi Stadium this year. Saim Ayub was cleaned up early by Zaman Khan, but Babar Azam and Haris struck up an imposing partnership to set a platform. Haris was in superb striking form once more, a six and a four off the first three balls he faced from Shaheen a statement of intent. Babar joined in from the other end and by the end of the powerplay, Zalmi had put up 54, set up to go bigger.

Babar failed to take the next step up, though, and his strike rate stalled. Haris Rauf was hard to get away in the middle overs, but Haris clobbered Rashid Khan for 14 in his first over to keep Qalandars under pressure. Even Babar went after Rashid with a pair of boundaries to kick off his second. But Rashid hit back, taking two wickets in his third, breaking the stand with Babar's wicket and removing Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a duck. And while Haris continued to club away, plundering another 13 off Rashid's final over, the runs from the other end were drying up.

Shaheen had held Haris back for three overs at the death, and Zalmi found him difficult to get away. David Wiese's variations in pace, too, proved tricky to attack, while, crucially, Shaheen nabbed Haris off the final ball of his spell. The young Zalmi batter had kept his strike rate up, but as he departed for 85, Zalmi's momentum was ebbing away. Haris said at the halfway mark that the 171 they had posted was well above par, but the Qalandars weren't to be fooled.

Baig got the Qalandars running with a six in the first over, but Zalmi had a huge breakthrough immediately. Fakhar Zaman swung and missed as Azmatullah Omarzai hit middle stump, and rookie allrounder Azmat Hafeez departed soon after following a breezy 15. Abdullah Shafique, too, was only at the crease for a short while, contributing a 31-run stand with Baig before a mix up ran him out.

But Zalmi might have been lulled into a false sense of security with these regular breakthroughs. The Qalandars didn't have a huge individual scorer a la Haris, or one big stand like the Babar-Haris partnership, but these small cameos and gritty partnerships were furtively knocking off the runs. Sam Billings and Baig put on 50 in 28 balls to guarantee the run rate was no longer an issue before Baig feathered one through off Aamer Jamal, but the match situation was set up perfectly for finishers like Billings and Sikandar Raza.

They wouldn't be there till the very end, but they got close enough. There was a 28-run partnership, and a 28-ball 21 for Billings complemented by 23 off 14 from Raza. Both had their stumps knocked back with the Qalandars still a trickle of runs away, but the dam Zalmi had set up in defence of their total had finally burst.

The coup de grace was delivered, in style, by the Qalandars' swaggering young captain, a wallop over mid-on followed by a lofted straight drive for six by Shaheen Afridi to seal the win. He held that Adonis-like pose for exaggerated effect as the Qalandars booked their spot in the final, a repeat of last year's trophy match between the defending champions and Multan Sultans. He may yet go on to hold the trophy once more.

Danyal Rasool is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Danny61000

Source: Love, Seahawks agree to $12M deal

Published in Breaking News
Friday, 17 March 2023 13:24

The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with former New York Giants safety Julian Love, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Love, who started 16 games last year and 32 over four seasons with the Giants, reinforces a position of uncertainty for the Seahawks. While their most glaring needs on defense have been concentrated in their front seven, their secondary also has a big question mark with strong safety Jamal Adams coming off surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon.

Adams' injury occurred in Week 1 of last season, but coach Pete Carroll said in January that his recovery would continue into the summer, raising a question about whether he'll be ready by the opener.

Ryan Neal took over for Adams last season and was one of Seattle's best defenders. The Seahawks gave Neal the low tender as a restricted free agent at $2.627 million, which could invite offers from other teams. Free safety Quandre Diggs, who made his second straight Pro Bowl in 2022, is under contract for two more seasons while Adams is signed through 2025.

Love, 24, was a Giants team captain and full-time starting safety this past season for the first time in his career. He finished with a team-leading 124 tackles and tied for the team lead with two interceptions, in addition to being a mainstay on special teams including serving as the punt protector.

The Notre Dame product bounced back and forth over the first three years of his professional career between cornerback and safety. He never seemed to find a permanent home despite starting 16 games over those three seasons.

But after the Giants cut Logan Ryan last offseason when the new regime arrived, it opened the door for Love to play a bigger role. He was a mainstay in Wink Martindale's defense, and even became the team's defensive play-caller after safety Xavier McKinney broke his hand during a bye week off-road accident.

The Giants, who selected Love as a cornerback in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Notre Dame, had contract talks with him during the bye week.

He has 291 tackles and 5 interceptions in four NFL seasons.

Also on Friday, the Seahawks addressed one of their biggest needs by signing former Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush. His deal is for one season, a source told Schefter. The 24-year-old Bush was the 10th overall pick in 2019. He gives Seattle an option to replace Cody Barton, who signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency.

ESPN's Jordan Raanan contributed to this report.

Grizzlies' Brooks fined for shoving camera person

Published in Basketball
Friday, 17 March 2023 13:21

NEW YORK -- The NBA fined Memphis Grizzlies guard-forward Dillon Brooks $35,000 on Friday for shoving a cameraperson on the sideline after chasing a loose ball in a loss in Miami.

Joe Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, announced the fine.

Brooks shoved the person with 2:40 left in the second quarter of Memphis' 138-119 loss in Miami to the Heat on Wednesday night.

Brooks was suspended for Memphis' 135-129 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on March 5 after picking up his 16th technical of the season in a loss at Denver two days earlier.

The Grizzlies wrap up a three-game road swing Friday night at the San Antonio Spurs.

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- The LA Clippers will have to wait before they are whole again as sixth man Norman Powell remains out with a shoulder injury.

Powell will miss his sixth straight game Saturday against the Orlando Magic because of a left shoulder subluxation injury suffered at Golden State on March 2.

Head coach Ty Lue said Powell was not slated to practice with the team on Friday.

"He's going to be out for a little bit longer," Lue said. "... He's out."

Powell has been a key player for the team off the bench, averaging 16.6 points and 41% shooting from 3. The Clippers have 12 games remaining in the season and have started to find a rhythm with new players acquired in February. Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee are all starting to feel comfortable with their roles and minutes.

Lue was asked if he has any concerns trying to reincorporate Powell when he returns with the team playing some of its best basketball of the season of late.

"We always have concerns because Norm's a big part of what we've done all year," Lue said. "When a guy's out this long and then you kind of go on a streak and you're playing good basketball, you're always concerned about it. But he sees how we're playing.

"We're playing the right way and he's been great for us all year, and so it shouldn't -- it won't be hard to incorporate him back. Just getting him healthy is the most important thing, and we just want to make sure he gets enough games in so it won't happen like it did last year when he had to come back for those last two play-in games -- he had no rhythm ... and so it really was unfair to him. So just hoping we can get him back sooner than later."

Cabrera asserts 2023 is final year: 'Time to go'

Published in Baseball
Friday, 17 March 2023 13:52

MIAMI -- Will one of the greatest hitters of all time follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest quarterbacks all time?

Not according to Miguel Cabrera, who says he has firmly decided to call it a career in 2023 after his 21st major league season.

"No! Not at all!" said Cabrera, brandishing his signature smile, when asked whether he would "pull off a Tom Brady," who returned for one more NFL season in 2022 after announcing his retirement.

"My body is certainly telling me that this might be the right time to call it a career," Cabrera told ESPN after Venezuela's World Baseball Classic workout Friday. "I am really grateful for all that I have been able to live and accomplish on the baseball field. But it is time to go."

The future Hall of Famer fueled speculation that 2023 might not be his final season when the Detroit Tigers announced that they would be moving the Comerica Park center- and right-field walls in and lowering the fences. Given that Detroit has one of the least hitter-friendly parks in Major League Baseball, Cabrera replied from his Instagram account to the team's post by saying "Por fin! [Finally!] Now I want to play more years!"

Cabrera's last season coincides with the final year of the contract extension he signed before the 2014 season. He identified his No. 1 goal as staying healthy throughout the 2023 season after being hampered by injuries that limited him to 112 games last year.

"I hope that things go well this year with the Detroit Tigers and that I am able to truly play hard, stay healthy and have a great season," he said. "My only goal this year is to stay on the field for as many games as possible and, most importantly, to help Detroit win. That is how I want to finish my career."

Cabrera spent the first five seasons of his major league career in Miami and continues to be one of the most popular players across baseball. As such, Cabrera has received some of the loudest ovations at the Marlins' home ballpark, which has hosted Venezuela's undefeated run to the WBC quarterfinals, where they will face the United States on Saturday.

Venezuela went 4-0 to finish atop Pool D in Miami, with LoanDepot Park setting the record for the most-attended WBC round ever in the United States, drawing 295,850 fans -- an increase of 81% from the last tournament held in 2017, according to Major League Baseball.

While Cabrera is unlikely to win a World Series ring in Detroit to go with the one he won in his rookie season with the Marlins in 2003, he told ESPN that a WBC championship would be just as meaningful.

"There are no words to describe what it means, not only for me, but for any of us, to represent our country and to wear the Team Venezuela uniform," Cabrera said. "Hopefully we can continue staying healthy and playing good baseball. But really, all we hope to do is win for our country. It would be a dream come true and an incredible thing to do as I finish out my career."

The breakneck speed of a Six Nations doesn't allow space for self-flagellation. As much as Scotland could beat themselves up over Sunday's second-half performance against Ireland, there's just no time. Another week, another game. A big one.

There's no title on the line for Scotland against Italy on Saturday, but this is no dead rubber. If they win it with a bonus point then they all but guarantee themselves third place in the table for only the second time in a decade.

Finishing as the best of the rest would surely settle any lingering doubts Scottish Rugby may have about renewing Gregor Townsend's contract as head coach beyond the World Cup, presuming he still wants it renewed.

A five-pointer against Italy would kick Scotland into the World Cup build-up in decent heart. They've played some thrilling rugby in victory and defeat in this championship.

The brilliance of Duhan van der Merwe's scores against England, the joy of Finn Russell's second-half performance against Wales, the excellence they showed when 19-0 down in Paris to outscore France 21-6 in the next hour.

Ireland exposed Scotland's naivety in a desperately disappointing second half at Murrayfield, but if they learn the lessons then there's a lot to be hopeful about. If they beat Italy.

The flipside is gruesome. To win their first two games in the championship and then lose the next three would be mind-alteringly awful.

Could a defeat on Saturday have implications for Townsend staying on beyond the World Cup? If the deal hasn't already been agreed on the quiet then possibly - because the flak would fly left, right and centre.

The feelgood after the opening fortnight? Gone. The atmosphere leading into the World Cup? Funereal. The confidence of the players? Shot to bits.

So you can look at Saturday as an unimportant Test and, in the context of the title, then it obviously is. But there's a huge amount riding on this.

There's more on the line in this Italy game than many Italy games that have gone before. The element of danger looms larger than it has done since 2015 - the last time the Azzurri beat the Scots.

There have been 11 Scotland wins in a row since then, but this time around there's no Russell to provide the defence-splitting, backline-launching magic, no Stuart Hogg and his big boot, no Richie Gray and the way he runs a lineout.

Look what happened to Scotland out of touch when Gray went off against Ireland. Would Josh van der Flier have thrown successfully to the front five times in a row had Gray been on the pitch? Highly doubtful.

That's a truckload of experience, class and nous absent. Blair Kinghorn is at 10 when his best performances off the bench have been at 15. He's been excellent in that position. There's still little evidence that Kinghorn is a Test 10, so there's some concern there.

Ollie Smith at 15 and Ben Healy, who will make his debut off the bench, give a different look to Townsend's 23.

The head coach has taken an axe to his front-row replacements. Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown and Simon Berghan all pay the price for ineffective appearances on Sunday and in come Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman and WP Nel.

You could argue that some, or all, of them should have been in the 23 for Ireland.

Italy have lost four from four, but they had France in serious trouble right until the end and only lost by four points.

They were sticky against Ireland with only a score separating the sides with 10 minutes left. They lost comprehensively enough in the end against Wales last weekend, but the amount of chances they created and didn't execute was astonishing.

Italy made 11 clean breaks in that match, which is more than any side has made in the championship this season. Even without the brilliant Ange Capuozzo, who's sadly injured, they're going to take a lot of beating.

The glamour game of the day is in Dublin, where Ireland are looking to win a Grand Slam and where England are hoping to leave town with a semblance of pride. Murrayfield won't have the colour, noise or intensity of the Aviva, but in the grand scheme, it still matters. Big-time.

England captain Owen Farrell admits he did not know his kids went to watch Ireland train.

England play Ireland in the Six Nations on Saturday and Owen's children have been staying with their grandad - who happens to be Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.

If Ireland win they will clinch the coveted Grand Slam.

READ MORE: Farrell v Farrell 'has never been difficult' says Ireland coach

England's trip to Ireland on Saturday has the potential to be record-breaking for all the wrong reasons.

After last weekend's 53-10 pummelling by France, former England captain Matt Dawson says staying in the game for an hour as Ireland seek a Grand Slam in Dublin would be "really good progress".

Ireland's biggest win against England is a 43-13 victory in the 2007 Six Nations. The defeat by France was England's heaviest ever loss in the tournament.

That was against the side ranked second in the world at home. Now, they are going away to face the world number ones.

England have already failed to secure a home win for the first time in the Six Nations and head coach Steve Borthwick needs his players to rally and avoid further negative marks in the history books.

Get it to Arundell

Despite the defeat by France, Borthwick has only made minor tweaks.

Henry Arundell will make a first Test start on the wing, while centre Manu Tuilagi returns following a suspension and David Ribbans comes into the second row for the injured Ollie Chessum.

Captain Owen Farrell is back at fly-half after Marcus Smith struggled last weekend and is full of praise for Arundell, saying: "It seems like every time he touches the ball people expect him to do something good and he doesn't normally disappoint.

"We're looking forward to trying to get him into the game."

Halting a Grand Slam charge in Dublin is a big ask for 20-year-old Arundell, but there are high hopes for the London Irish back whose selection suggests underdogs England will go down swinging.

Dawson told the Rugby Union Daily podcast: "If you're going to play Arundell you've got to give him the ball. It shows intent to keep the ball in play."

Time will tell whether England's attacking structure can bring Arundell into the game and even Borthwick himself has acknowledged that the wing will have to be delivered the ball in space for his selection to make sense.

England will also need a lot more parity up front than they achieved against France if Arundell is going to have any chance of producing the fireworks he has offered at club level.

"If England win quick ball then all of a sudden Tuilagi makes sense and Arundell makes sense," Dawson says.

"If they are not winning the breakdown, it does not count for anything."

Get physical

Up front, Borthwick's forwards have a chance to redeem themselves.

The stats offer some hope: England have the highest line-out and scrum success rates in the 2023 Six Nations with 95%.

The reality against France was not quite so bright and in Ireland they face a side that has won 23% of its opponents' line-outs this tournament.

England's defence missed 27 tackles against France and has already conceded 14 tries in this year's tournament. Only winless Italy have conceded more with 18.

Last week's captain Ellis Genge has promised a "reaction" from his forward pack and Dawson says that will have to be balanced with increasingly strict laws around dangerous tackles.

"Where are England's ball carriers going to be?" Dawson asks.

"Kyle Sinckler, Ellis Genge, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam - the responsibility is now on those individuals in the forward pack to step up.

"You have to be super clever when you are being physical. England's forwards are going to have to be smashing into rucks but clearing people out in the right way.

"That is how they have to dominate the game, but it is not easy to do."

'Hang on in the last 20 minutes'

Now is not much fun for England players and fans, but they can look to the future.

A third-place finish in last year's Six Nations spelled the beginning of the end for former head coach Eddie Jones. Fourth place looks likely this year.

Borthwick says his side have "got to catch up really fast" with the World Cup starting in September. Another poor performance in an England shirt could cost some a trip to France this autumn.

Dawson says: "It might sound overdramatic but there are a lot of players in that team that have to put a marker in the ground that in all the adversity, you're part of an England team that your coach thinks, 'I don't care where we're playing in the world, I want him in my team'.

"I am struggling to see England winning but not struggling to see them challenging Ireland so that they have to overperform to win it.

"The question is, will England hang on in the last 20 minutes to stop a 15, 20, 25-point win? That's the battle.

"Given where England were last week and what response you would expect from an England side, they should be competing. I don't see that they are going to last the distance but they should be competing."

As a player, Borthwick won once in seven attempts against Ireland. Ireland's head coach Andy Farrell was part of the England side that suffered the record defeat in 2007.

While Borthwick is unlikely to turn his statistic around at this stage of his head coach reign, Farrell may well make amends for his loss with a record-breaking win on Saturday.

His son and opposition captain Owen is intent on stopping that, saying: "Everyone, especially from the outside, is down about where we're at at the minute.

"We've no doubt we're better than that and we're looking forward to the game tomorrow."

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