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I Dig Sports
Vilda says he sought to downplay Rubiales kiss
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Former Spain women's football coach Jorge Vilda told a court on Wednesday that he attempted to persuade player Jenni Hermoso to downplay the kiss on the mouth his boss Luis Rubiales gave her at the 2023 World Cup but denied he had tried to strong-arm her.
Vilda, who is on trial on charges of attempting to coerce Hermoso into publicly saying the kiss was consensual, said he spoke to her brother Rafael on the flight back to Spain from Sydney following Spain's victory over England in the final. He said he was worried the kiss was gathering a lot of media attention.
He told the court in Madrid that speaking to Rafael Hermoso to ask him if he could persuade his sister to make a statement was his own idea and was not proposed by Rubiales.
"I went to talk to her brother because I was worried at the time, to try to normalise the situation, thinking about the future...and my team," Vilda said. "I didn't specify whether it should be a video but [that she] to go out and talk and make some sort of comment."
Vilda, who denies the charges, was sacked 10 days after FIFA suspended Rubiales over the scandal.
The kiss Rubiales gave Hermoso was witnessed by millions of television viewers and an entire stadium after the Spanish women's team won the 2023 World Cup.
The ensuing uproar gave momentum to the "Me Too" movement in the Spanish women's game in which players sought to combat sexism and achieve parity with their male peers.
Rubiales, who took the stand on Tuesday, denies charges of sexual assault and coercion, insisting the kiss was consensual, while Hermoso said it was not.
The other two former federation workers accused of coercion, Albert Luque and Rubén Rivera, also denied wrongdoing on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Marta Durántez Gil, who is seeking 2-1/2 years' prison for Rubiales, said in her closing arguments that Hermoso was just one player pitted against the entire federation and an all-powerful president.
The trial is in its final phase and a verdict is expected in the coming weeks.
Sources: Arsenal fear significant Havertz injury
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Arsenal fear Kai Havertz has suffered a significant hamstring injury amid growing speculation he could miss the rest of the season, sources told ESPN.
Havertz, 25, is set to undergo further tests in the next 24 hours to determine the full extent of the problem sustained during a training session on the club's midseason training break in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The squad landed back in London on Tuesday and Havertz is now being assessed, with manager Mikel Arteta set to provide an update at Friday's news conference ahead of their weekend Premier League trip to Leicester City.
However, sources say the Gunners believe Havertz has suffered a significant setback and concerns are growing that the forward could be sidelined for a long period.
That would represent a major blow to Arsenal, as it would leave them without a recognised striker given Gabriel Jesus has already been ruled out for the rest of the campaign following knee surgery.
It will also renew scrutiny over their decision not to sign a striker in the January transfer window.
Arteta admitted the club were short of attacking options and voiced his disappointment at missing out with sources confirming the club opted not to pursue a deal for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins after having a 40 million ($49.8m) bid rejected.
Longer-term targets including Benjamin Sesko at Red Bull Leipzig and Newcastle's Alexander Isak were not available.
Arteta had described Havertz as a genetic "powerhouse" after the window closed when asked if he could compensate for Arsenal's failure to sign a forward.
Martínez claps back at Man United legend Scholes
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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has hit back at club great Paul Scholes over his claim that the Argentina international "isn't good enough to win the Premier League."
Scholes has been critical of a number of United players as the club struggle for form in the Premier League.
Ruben Amorim's side are 13th in the table, 14 points off the top four, with Scholes taking aim at players and questioning if they had what it takes to get United back to the top.
"Even when he's fit he's not good enough to win the Premier League with," Scholes said on The Overlap on Sky Sports.
Martínez suffered an ACL injury against Crystal Palace and is set to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
In response to Scholes, Martínez posted on social media: "This jinx guy is really hurting....You put him in Argentina, and he wouldn't survive."
Scholes also criticised other United players, including 25-year-old defender Matthijs de Ligt.
"His age and his amount of clubs already concerns me. He was brilliant at Ajax, he seems to be getting worse as he gets older," Scholes said.
"Bayern Munich, Juventus, they've let him go for some reason.
"Where are your ambitions? I'm talking about getting a team to win the Premier League.
"Are you going to win the Premier League with De Ligt and [Leny] Yoro as your centre halves?"
United travel to London to face fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Klaasen, Breetzke and Bavuma star as SA set Pakistan 353 for place in final
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South Africa 352 for 5 (Klaasen 87, Breetzke 83, Bavuma 82, Afridi 2-66) vs Pakistan
Their batters did their bit to give South Africa the best chance of progressing after an innings that ebbed and flowed, and at stages, boiled over as Pakistan's attack, without the injured Haris Rauf, struggled for control on a flat pitch and fast outfield. Only Khushdil Shah conceded at less than a run a ball, while Rauf's replacement, Mohammad Hasnain, bowled eight overs for 72.
South Africa were off to a fairly watchful start against Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, but picked up pace once Abrar Ahmed was introduced in the second half of the powerplay. Tony De Zorzi used his feet well for the innings' first six but not at all when he edged Afridi to slip in the next over. Bavuma then struck back-to-back boundaries against Abrar, and South Africa's powerplay ended at 64 for 1.
Hasnain bowled too short upfront, and both Bavuma and Breetzke took a liking to the length. Breetzke was soon striking at over 100, and allowed Bavuma to dial it down slightly as the latter approached his first fifty in 17 innings. He got there with a single off Salman Agha, and then accelerated once again.
Bavuma played more riskily than we are used to, and went for an expansive drive off left-arm spinner Khushdil, but edged past Mohammad Rizwan. Later that over, Bavuma tried to slog Khushdil over square leg but top-edged. Naseem misjudged the catch and put Bavuma down on 60.
Pakistan were able to keep South Africa fairly quiet for the next eight overs, and they scored at under five an over, but grew frustrated with their inability to break through. Breetzke brought up fifty off 46 balls before Hasnain thought he had him out lbw when he missed a leg-side whip and Rizwan was convinced to review. But ball-tracking showed it going down leg.
Sensing an opportunity to create something, Rizwan brought Afridi back in the 27th over, and he tested the batters with pace and personality. There were stare downs and words. At one point, Afridi moved into Breetzke's path as he was completing a single, and there was contact. Breetzke didn't back down, as got into Afridi's face and the pair had to be separated by the umpires and team-mates.
In the next over, Bavuma played Hasnain to backward point and raced away for a single before checking with Breetzke, who sent him back. But it was too late. Saud Shakeel swooped in, and with a one-handed pick up and throw, ran Bavuma out and celebrated in his face for good measure. Bavuma was stranded on 82, with a golden chance at a century gone begging. But at that stage, South Africa still had 21.5 overs remaining.
Klaasen was sent in at No. 4, and faced 14 balls for seven runs before he remembered who he was. He smoked Hasnain for four fours in his sixth over - over mid-on, mid-off, square leg and deep midwicket - to bring up 200, and got the innings going again. That over cost 16 runs, and the next four went for 36, as South Africa were back in sight of a massive score.
Both Breetzke and Klaasen were laden with intent, but when Breetzke tried to smash Khushdil through the covers, he found an equally determined Salman, who dived across and reached out with his right hand to pluck the ball close to the ground and pull off a stunner. Breetzke was out for 83.
Wiaan Mulder was caught at point in the next over, and South Africa entered the final ten overs at 242 for 4. The death overs are the period where Klaasen can be at his most dangerous, and he unleashed a 95-metre six five balls into the 41st over as a reminder. Klaasen brought up fifty off 38 balls, and then completely cut loose. His next 37 runs came off 18 deliveries, and he spared no one.
Afridi was treated particularly severely as Klaasen took him for back-to-back sixes in an over that cost 20. When he tried to take Naseem on in the same way, Klaasen sent a low full toss to long-on. South Africa scored 110 runs in the last ten overs, and Kyle Verreynne ended unbeaten on 44. South Africa's 352 ended up as the fourth-highest score in Karachi.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket
Nizar the hero as Kerala inflict heartbreak on J&K
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Kerala 281 (Nizar 112, Saxena 67, Nabi 6-53) and 295 for 6 (Azharuddeen 67*, Nizar 44*) drew with J&K 280 (Wadhawan 48, Muzaffar 44, Nidheesh 6-75) and 399 for 9 decl (Dogra 132, Wadhawan 64).
Kerala qualified on first-innings lead
J&K needed four wickets, while Kerala simply needed to bat time to ensure a draw was enough since they'd taken a one-run lead. Nizar was unbeaten on 44 off 162 balls, Mohammed Azharuddeen 67 off 118 balls. The seventh-wicket pair batted out 42.4 overs to grind J&K's attack to dust on the final day. Kerala are set to face Gujarat in the semi-final on February 17, while Mumbai will take on Vidarbha in the other semi-final.
As important as Nizar's second-innings rearguard was, it was his first-innings 112 that set the game up for Kerala, taking them from the brink to giving them the lead that eventually proved massive. Nizar marshalled the lower order, putting together 81 with No. 11 Basil Thampi to help steal the lead after J&K had Kerala tottering at 200 for 9 after they'd posted 280.
Saxena's dismissal had the potential to prove game-changing, but Nizar stood up, like he did in the must-win final league game last week against Bihar when he hit a century to swell their first-innings total.
Kerala began the final day on 100 for 2, still needing 299 for victory. But it was clear from the beginning that they weren't after the runs. Sachin Baby and Akshay Chandran put together 58, but batted together for 43 overs in the process to frustrate J&K in their victory march.
The tide turned just before lunch as J&K's spinners made massive inroads. Chandran was out caught at short leg by Shubham Khajuria. Soon after the break, they were fully in the ascendancy when they lost two wickets in two overs. Sahil Lotra, the offspinner, had Baby jab at one that turned and bounced, while Saxena was out looking to drive left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq.
Having hit him through the covers off the previous delivery, he looked to repeat the shot, but was lulled in superbly by Mushtaq as he dragged his length back and had Saxena edging to first slip. When Aditya Sarwate was out looking to hoick Mushtaq over the infield, it seemed the end was nigh.
But Nizar and Azharddeen showed resilience and grit in stonewalling J&K's attack for a better part of the last three hours to secure a draw.
J&K would look back on their first innings lapse with the ball, especially when they allowed Kerala's last pair to get away as a turning point. Despite that, they bounced back to post 399 for 9 in the second innings, thanks largely to captain Paras Dogra's century. The 40-year-old, in his first season as J&K captain, hit his first century after a prolonged barren run of form - he hadn't scored a single half-century prior to this game.
Those efforts in the end were only a consolation in the end as J&K's second entry into the knockouts in the last five years ended in a heartbreak. That they're bowing out without having lost a single game this season will make their exit even tougher to digest.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Gill century, and Kohli, Shreyas fifties power 3-0 rout of England
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India 356 (Gill 112, Iyer 78, Kohli 52, Rashid 4-64) beat England 214 (Atkinson 38, Axar 2-22, Rana 2-31) by 142 runs
If India's four-wicket wins against England in the first and second ODI didn't reflect the gulf between the two sides, the 142-run victory in the third at the Narendra Modi Stadium made up for it. As does the final series score of 3-0.
Both teams arrived in Ahmedabad looking to use this last ODI before the Champions Trophy to finetune; or in England's case, tune outright. India's trio of changes were as much about experimentation as Jos Buttler's decision to bowl first after England had batted in the first innings in Nagpur and Cuttack.
Gill relished the opportunity to go first this time. After 87 and 60 in the first two matches, he was pristine throughout his jaunt to three figures, and broke a "slump" of 14 innings without a century.
There's an argument to say the best it ever got for England on Wednesday was when Mark Wood pocketed Rohit Sharma with his first delivery of the match. Fresh from a devastating 32nd ODI century, Rohit lasted just two balls as Wood angled one into off stump that nipped off the surface, taking the edge through to a tumbling Phil Salt.
Gill and Kohli emerged from the powerplay with intent, which was only curbed when Rashid was introduced in the 15th over. The legspinner's removal of Kohli, after the 36-year-old ticked off a 123rd fifty-plus ODI score in 50 deliveries, spoke of what was to come. Dip brought the right-hander forward, and grip and rip provided another nick for Salt.
Shreyas arrived and immediately settled into a quick groove, a century stand with Gill brought up in 85 deliveries, split evenly between the two. By then, Gill had crisply struck Wood through midwicket to bring up his century from 95 balls.
Gill freed himself up a little more after the milestone, lifting Rashid down the ground for six, but was bowled by the same bowler attempting an ungainly hack to a straight delivery. And Rashid was in the act again when Shreyas, looking to launch after reaching a half-century from 43 deliveries, lazily tickled down the leg side for another fine take from Salt.
Hardik Pandya was bowled with a pristine leggie, though only after striking Rashid for consecutive sixes down the ground. Having extended his arms into the stroke, the allrounder played it safe to see out the 41st over, but was undone by a slower delivery that again spun sharply from a middle-and-leg line, this time beyond the bat, and into the middle-and-off bail. India were eventually bowled out, losing three wickets for three runs off the last seven deliveries of the innings.
For what it's worth, England were up with the required rate of 7.14 for a good chunk of the chase. The problem was the regular ticking of the wicket column as the last eight fell for just 88 runs.
Ben Duckett, having left the field in the first innings nursing a thigh injury, raced out of the blocks with four fours against both Harshit Rana and Arshdeep. Those off the former came in successive deliveries, but the left-armer had the last word, flummoxing Duckett for 34 with a knuckle ball that was skewed high to Rohit at mid-off.
A start of 60 in 6.2 overs had given England the framework of platform, though Salt's cuffing of an Arshdeep slower ball to backward point meant both openers did not emerge from the first ten overs. Joe Root and Tom Banton were able to thatch together a partnership, the latter making his first international appearance in just over a year as he replaced Jamie Overton in the XI.
Fresh from leading the ILT20 run charts for MI Emirates, Banton showcased his impressive strokeplay with reverse-swept sixes off both Washington and Axar Patel. He enjoyed two bits of good fortune, avoiding a stumping after charging and edging Washington on 7, then surviving a run-out on 24 as Axar, fielding at point, missed his overarm throw from five yards when an underarm would have sufficed.
Kuldeep was the one to prise Banton out, caught behind off a wrong 'un - the first of England's last five recognised batters to fall for just 48 runs. Root was yorked by Axar, then Rana returned for a second spell to pick up Buttler and Harry Brook, both playing on.
A torturous 23-ball stay for Liam Livingstone came to an end as he ran past a delivery from Washington, before Pandya flattened Rashid's off stump via the batter's misjudged pull. Lusty blows from Wood and Atkinson were barely streaks of silver in the mushroom cloud of this match the and white-ball tour as a whole, as England eventually folded with all of 94 balls left in their innings.
It leaves head coach Brendon McCullum with a job on his hands to lift his squad as they head to Pakistan for their Champions Trophy opener against Australia on February 22. India begin their campaign two days earlier against Bangladesh in Dubai in far better shape, having shown why they are the outright favourites for a second ICC trophy in the space of a year.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Bangladesh captain Shanto: 'We are going to Champions Trophy to become champions'
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"We are going to the Champions Trophy to become champions," Shanto said. "All eight teams deserve to be champions in this tournament. They are all quality teams. I believe our team has the ability. No one will feel extra pressure. Everyone genuinely wants (to become champions), and believes in their capabilities. We don't know what Allah has written in our fate. We are working hard and doing our best. I believe we can achieve our goal."
"Of course, we will miss him but I don't know why this question is being asked," Shanto said. "Everyone already knows the answer, and many players have said it before. Of course, we will miss Shakib bhai. It would have been great if he were here. This question has been answered many times. I don't think it's relevant to talk about this before a tournament."
So who will take over Shakib's role in the team? "Whoever gets the responsibility will have to play Shakib's role," Shanto said.
There are a few more big names - like Litton Das and Tamim Iqbal - missing from the Bangladesh squad, but Shanto insisted that he was happy with his team. "I am very happy and confident with the 15 players in the squad," he said. "Anyone who plays has the ability to win a match single-handedly."
"Not too long ago, we didn't have quality pace bowlers, but now we have a strong pace bowling unit. We didn't have wristspinners before, but now we do. Overall, we have a balanced team."
Najmul Hossain Shanto
Shanto also called for Bangladesh to asses the conditions quickly and raise their game by chasing and defending 320-plus totals. Bangladesh are set to play their first match against India in Dubai before facing New Zealand and Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
"I expect the pitches in Pakistan to be 300-plus wickets. If we bat first, we need to put up such scores. Even while defending, we will need to defend such scores. In Dubai, conditions vary at different times. Still, I think scores will be around 260-280. It's tough to predict exact numbers, but historically, that's how it has been. We will analyse how many runs are needed on a given day or how many we need to restrict the opposition to."
Shanto also hopes his bowling attack, particularly the pacers, continue to give their best, and believes Bangladesh have a "balanced team".
"Not too long ago, we didn't have quality pace bowlers, but now we have a strong pace bowling unit," he said. "We didn't have wristspinners before, but now we do. Overall, we have a balanced team. If everyone fulfills their responsibilities properly, we can defeat any team at any time."
RCB set to name captain for IPL 2025 on Thursday
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Indiana stuns MSU, denies Izzo shot to pass Knight
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has been trying to downplay being on the brink of breaking Bob Knight's record for Big Ten basketball wins.
Perhaps he knew what was coming Tuesday night.
Indiana beat the 11th-ranked Spartans 71-67, leaving Izzo with 353 conference victories to remain tied with Knight a little longer.
Michigan State (19-5, 10-3), an 11.5-point favorite, lost for the third time in four games. Izzo will get his next shot Saturday night at Illinois.
"We had an opportunity for a special night," Izzo said. "I don't think the players played very well and I didn't think the coaches coached very well, so that's a bad combination against the team that was desperate. I don't want to take anything away from Indiana."
Former NFL coach Steve Mariucci surprised Izzo by showing up at the Breslin Center, sitting on the Spartans' bench with his back facing Izzo as he walked to the sideline for warmups.
Izzo and Mariucci, who coached the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, grew up together in Iron Mountain in Michigan's upper peninsula and attended nearby Northern Michigan.
The Basketball Hall of Fame coach tied Knight's Big Ten record of 353 conference wins with an 86-74 comeback victory over Oregon on Saturday.
Knight, who died in 2023, led Indiana to three NCAA titles between 1971 and 2000 and was one of Izzo's mentors during his first season as Jud Heathcote's successor at Michigan State in 1995.
Indiana coach Mike Woodson, a star player for Knight from 1976 to 1980, is in his fourth and final season in the latest attempt to return the program to glory. The school announced last week that Woodson was stepping down after the season.
"I can't let them quit," said Woodson, whose team ended a five-game losing streak. "We've just got to keep working and keep pushing each other and see where it leads us. We've still got a lot of season left."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hamlin, Toyotas pace Daytona 500 1st practice
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Denny Hamlin led a trio of Toyota drivers -- the manufacturer claimed five of the top six spots -- in Wednesday's opening practice for the Daytona 500.
The 50-minute morning session was the only scheduled on-track time before qualifying Wednesday night, when the front row will be set for "The Great American Race."
Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, paced Bubba Wallace, who drives a 23XI entry co-owned by Hamlin and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Hamlin's teammate at JGR, Ty Gibbs, was third.
Chandler Smith, in a Ford for Front Row Motorsports, was fourth. 23XI and Front Row have joined together on a federal antitrust case against NASCAR, accusing the sanctioning body of being a monopoly.
John Hunter Nemechek, in a Toyota for the Jimmie Johnson-owned Legacy Motor Club, was fifth. Riley Herbst, the new driver at 23XI, was sixth in Toyota's practice romp.
Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse Racing was the fastest Chevrolet in seventh. Helio Castroneves, who at 49 will be making his NASCAR debut Sunday, was 12th as the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner is racing for Trackhouse.
Former Cup series champions Martin Truex Jr. and Johnson were 31st and 32nd, respectively. Both drivers need to qualify their way into the race. Nine drivers are vying for the final four spots in the field.
Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner. Truex has never won the 500 in 20 starts but is the 2017 Cup champion. Both are in Toyotas.