Category: 6. Sports

The men’s T20 Vitality Blast will be reduced from 14 to 12 group-stage games from 2026 to streamline the competition and ease the workload on players in the latest reshuffle of English domestic cricket.

The reduction in the number of games will allow the competition to be played in a block, with Finals Day held before the Hundred starts in August, rather than going into hibernation during the summer holidays before stumbling back to life in September.

The hope is that this will enable counties to retain overseas players for the entire competition period, play games on more sellable days of the week and give players more rest between matches. It will also greatly reduce the number of hated back-to-back fixtures.

The 18 first-class counties voted through the change in line with the recommendations of the county-led men’s Domestic Playing programme review and in harmony with the wishes of the players’ union, the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

The counties will be divided into three regional groups of six – with counties playing each other home and away, plus one home game and one away game against a county outside their group – giving each county an opportunity to play every other on a rolling basis.

Attendance figures for the Blast have fallen sharply since a peak of 950,000 tickets sold in 2019, knocked first by Covid and then by the introduction of the Hundred in 2021. The review’s steering group, made up of six county chief executives, plus ECB and PCA representatives, believes that rejigging the fixtures alone will not be enough to reinvigorate the Blast and more innovative moves – such as the introduction of a central investment fund – will be needed.

Where there has previously been widespread county opposition to any reduction in the number of lucrative Blast games, the Hundred windfall – non-Hundred-host counties are due to receive just over £24m, host counties £18m – has given the counties more wriggle room.

There is not yet any agreement on the future of the County Championship, but the mood music suggests against any drastic change, despite the PCA’s plea that a reduction from 14 to 12 games is “the only reasonable option”. A decision will be made by the counties before the Championship resumes for three final rounds in September.

The number of games in the top tier of the Women’s Blast competition will also fall from 14 to 12, as Yorkshire move up to Tier One, with each county playing six home and six away games. The Tier Two teams will come together into one group, playing each other home and away.

Captain Phil Salt compared 22-year-old fast bowler Sonny Baker to England great James Anderson after he shone in Manchester Originals’ 10-run win over London Spirit at Old Trafford.

Baker began Spirit’s chase of 164 with five dots and conceded only four runs when asked to bowl the first 10 deliveries.

He troubled two international greats in David Warner and Kane Williamson, who have a combined 38,000 international runs to their name, with swing and lively pace.

That helped limit the Spirit’s scoring and, despite Australian Warner hitting 71, the hosts, who left out Anderson after defeats in their opening two games, were always in control.

Warner was caught down the leg side off England seamer Josh Tongue with 38 needed from 15 and Baker returned to dismiss Australia international Ashton Turner for 13 – a deserved reward for a fine spell that cost only 22 runs.

“He was outstanding,” Salt told Sky Sports.

“Jimmy had a rest today but that is the closest to what he did, if not better. It will be hard to pick seamers for the next match.”

Anderson also praised the highly-rated Baker, who was awarded an England development contract earlier this year despite having never played a County Championship match at that stage.

“I have seen a lot of footage of Baker but not seen a lot of him live,” Anderson told Sky Sports. “I have been so impressed.

“Tonight he bowled outstandingly well. He has got pace, skill, swings the ball both ways. He has a lot going for him.”

Earlier another talented youngster, 20-year-old Durham batter Ben McKinney, crashed three sixes in a 12-ball 29 on debut to give the hosts a fast start.

From there, contributions of 31 from Phil Salt, 46 from Jos Buttler and 24 by Heinrich Klaasen helped the Originals post 163-6.

When Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu arrived at the first-set tiebreak on Monday at the Cincinnati Open, recent history said it was all but over. Indeed, Sabalenka won six of the first seven points, punctuated by back-to-back aces, and eventually converted her third set point.

She improved to 11-0 in first-set tiebreaks this year, more compelling evidence that what was once a liability has become her greatest strength. That flourish sent her on the way to a rousing and remarkable 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) victory over a tenacious Raducanu.

The dramatic match required three hours and nine minutes.

“Happy to get through this match,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I really hope I have a day tomorrow.”

Sabalenka was routinely frustrated, but in the end she was fearless. She has won a remarkable 18 of 19 tiebreaks this year. She finished with 46 winners — and 72 unforced errors. Sabalenka will play a Round of 16 match Wednesday against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over wild card Taylor Townsend.

How on-point is Sabalenka under pressure?

Sabalenka has now won all three career matches against Raducanu, all in the past 18 months. She’s now won 49 matches and put in more time on court (approaching 100 hours) than any other Hologic WTA Tour player.

Raducanu showed some terrific fight, but has now lost 11 of 12 matches against PIF WTA Rankings Top 5 players. She’s currently working with Francisco Roig, who coached Rafael Nadal 2005-22. Roig was extremely engaged during the match, clapping and offering specific observations — almost always punctuated with an encouraging “Vamos!”

Raducanu opened the match by winning eight straight points. The ninth, though, was a self-inflicted double fault, and signaled a shift in momentum. Sabalenka promptly broke her to get it back on serve.

After dropping four straight games, Raducanu held serve to make it 4-3. Thirty minutes into the match, after a backhand error from Sabalenka, Raducanu leveled it at 4-all. Saving two break points, Raducanu held for a 5-4 lead.

Serving at 5-all, Raducanu played her best game, finishing it with a massive crosscourt forehand winner and an ace. Sabalenka also won at love and they were into that fateful tiebreak.

The second set sailed along on keel for six games — until Raducanu earned three break points and converted the last one. It was the only break registered in the second set and Raducanu closed it with an emphatic ace.

It was the first set she’s ever won against Sabalenka.

The third set opened with seven consecutive relatively easy service holds. The eight game was a match within itself. There were 13 deuces and Raducanu saved four break points before hitting a first serve that, finally, Sabalenka couldn’t get back.

After that, Raducanu roared and turned to her box with a raised, clenched fist.

In perhaps her best match since winning the US Open, Raducanu won more points than Sabalenka, 125-122.

There were no breaks in the third set, and Sabalenka finished it with another virtuoso performance.

 

 

“They can’t just go all foreign and bring in a host of Kiwis and South Africans, so they’re going to make sure that they’re clever,” says Noon.

“I think they’re conscious of trying to get enough quality guys to get through the season, but with a view that actually there’s a long-term project.

“With a bit more time and patience they can get the guys they want, as opposed to who is available.”

Red Bull’s entry into the Prem marks the end of a year-long search for a buyer for Newcastle.

Early last autumn, long-time club owner Semore Kurdi brought in A&W Capital, specialists in the sale of sports teams, to find someone to take the club on.

It was a pressing concern not just for Kurdi, who has put many millions of his own money into the club since becoming owner in 2011, or Newcastle, but the league as a whole.

After the demise of Worcester Warriors, Wasps and London Irish, another club going under would have reduced the Prem to nine teams. Each round would involve only four fixtures and the gate receipts and product for broadcasters and sponsors would shrink.

The situation was so stark that earlier this year Sky News reported, external the other top-flight clubs, along with CVC Partners who part-own the league, were prepared to loan Newcastle £4m to keep them upright.

Red Bull’s investment is a vastly preferable option for all involved.

Newcastle’s dire circumstances and Kurdi’s desire to see the club in good hands meant Red Bull could cut a deal with little initial cost beyond taking on responsibility for the club’s £39m debts.

Prem Rugby has been understandably eager to facilitate an acquisition that solves a short-term problem and fits long-term goals.

The league has rebranded from the Premiership to target a younger demographic, one that ties in well with Red Bull’s consumer base.

It also hopes to switch to a franchise model, perhaps as soon as 2026-27, doing away with on-pitch relegation. Such a move would reduce the risk of investing in distressed assets such as Newcastle, something that can spook potential owners.

Even the plan to rename Newcastle Falcons as Newcastle Red Bulls was simple and supported.

Red Bull ran into stiff opposition from the German football federation over their renaming of RB Leipzig in 2009. The RB officially stands for RasenBallsport, rather than the energy drink that bankrolled the team’s rise up the leagues, as a concession to officialdom.

English rugby, which has seen plenty of rebrands and title sponsors since the dawn of professionalism, has no such qualms.

Rodriguez shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of her hand resting on Ronaldo’s, the massive diamond ring taking center stage. “Yes I do. In this and in all my lives,” she wrote in a translated caption.

All About the Ring

The engagement ring features a striking oval-cut diamond set on a sleek band. According to Marca, which cited jewelry experts, the stone is estimated to weigh over 10 to 15 carats and is worth more than $1 million.

Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks his silence on not being nominated for Ballon d’Or: ‘That’s fictitious to me’

A Look Back at Their Love Story

The couple first went public with their relationship in early 2017, making their debut at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich that January. By May, they had gone Instagram official.

Just a month later, they announced the birth of twins via surrogate, followed by the arrival of their daughter Alana Martina on November 12, 2017.

In October 2021, the couple revealed they were expecting another set of twins. Tragically, in April 2022, their newborn son passed away shortly after birth.

“It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel,” Ronaldo wrote at the time. “Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.”

In her Netflix series I Am Georgina, Rodriguez opened up about the early days of their relationship. Then a sales assistant at a Gucci store, she recalled how Ronaldo used to pick her up in his luxury cars.

“Many times he’d come after work,” Rodriguez recalled. “He would come, I remember once, in a Bugatti. My coworkers went crazy. They get there on the bus, and I would leave in a Bugatti. I mean, people couldn’t believe it.”

Ronaldo added: “It was funny because I would wait for her outside the store in these flashy cars I have. … We would go home, and there we would go into our own world.”

Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Uefa Conference League could “galvanise” the club and bring them closer together, says Chris Sutton.

The Eagles beat Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield on Sunday but less than 24 hours later were told they had lost their appeal against being dropped from the Europa League.

They had qualified for the competition after winning the FA Cup last season but were punished by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

“I don’t necessarily see it as having an effect on the players – this is the best period in the club’s history,” former Premier League striker Sutton said on 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“On the footballing side of it, Palace just have to move on and get on with the season. And in many ways, it may actually galvanise the club.

“It might bring them closer together, if that’s possible.”

American businessman John Textor owned a 43% stake in Palace until he sold it in June and is the majority owner of Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League.

Palace had until 1 March 2025 to show Uefa proof of multi-club ownership restructuring, but the club missed that deadline.

The ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) also means Nottingham Forest’s spot in the Europa League is confirmed, having been promoted into the competition in Palace’s place.

“They’ve won an FA Cup, they’ve won a Community Shield. So I think there’s still a lot of excitement,” Sutton added. “You still can’t take away them winning the FA Cup; you still can’t take away the great performance in the Community Shield. If you’re a Palace fan, you love that.

“You’ve got to focus on the positives, as much as anything. But it’s certainly not ideal.”

Palace will face either Norwegian side Fredrikstad or Midtjylland of Denmark in the Conference League play-off round later this month.

Xinglong Lake welcomes beach handball for one last time as the men’s and women’s competitions at The World Games Chengdu 2025 conclude with the 7/8 and 5/6 placement matches, plus bronze and gold medal games.

40 games have been played and just eight remain – who will end atop the Chengdu 2025 podium?

To follow beach handball at The World Games, click HERE.  

In the women’s final Argentina face title-holders and world champions Germany in a repeat of the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship final, held last year, also in China.

That gold medal match ended 2-0 (24:16, 21:18) to Germany, who are currently on a record The World Games winning run of 14 games stretched over their last three appearances (2005, 2022 and 2025).

One of those victories came at The World Games Birmingham 2022 in the USA, with the European side taking a 2-1 (14:19, 19:16, SO 6:5) win in the preliminary round.

Argentina already have silver (2017) and bronze (2022) in The World Games and with half of their squad – and coach – gold medal winners at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, they will be desperate to stand on top of the podium once more.

From a statistical point of view, Germany (12) and Argentina (10) top the blocked shots table, while Argentina are miles clear at the top of the in-flight scoring charts, with 41.

Argentina’s Gisella Bonomi is the top-scorer (62 points) with Germany’s Lena Klingler just behind (58). Assists-wise, the two teams top the charts as well with Argentina’s Lucila Balsas at the summit (25) followed by Belen Gettwart, the Germany sitting on 22. Germany have the most goals scored, with 112, Argentina in third place, behind Spain on 100.

Overall, both have won all five of their games so far, but Germany remain the only perfect team in Chengdu – they have not conceded a set yet, winning their quintet 2-0.

The bronze medal match sees European champions Spain take on ANOC World Beach Games champions Denmark for the second time in The World Games history and second time in four days. The two teams met in the preliminary group at Chengdu 2025, Spain beating the debutants 2-0 (13:12, 19:18) in a tight encounter.

There is no doubt about which players are the offensive threat for both teams, Portugal’s Sara Pinho top of the assists and scoring combined charts with 73 (58 points, 15 assists), followed by Spain’s Jimena Laguna Contreras on 72 (60/12).

In the morning placement matches Vietnam take on Croatia for seventh spot with Portugal facing the hosts China for fifth place.

One year ago in China, Portugal and Germany met in the bronze medal match of the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship on Pingtan Island.

In a tight first set, Portugal edged it by a point, before winning the second, also by one score, taking a 2-0 (25:24, 20:18) victory. The two had also met in the competition earlier on in the main round, that time, Germany confirmed a clear 2-0 (25:18, 17:12) victory.

Since then, Germany have gone on to win gold at the European Championship last month and those three medals on the international stage between the two sides are representative of what could be the new men’s teams on the block in 2025 – certainly if you consider that the world championship finalists from last year would have already played off for fifth place before the final gets underway on Tuesday.

Neither Portugal or Germany lead any particular statistical list, highlighting the diversity of skills and talent throughout their squads.

In terms of goalscoring, Tiago Costa is Portugal’s leading shot-maker, scoring 71 points from his five games so far to place fourth overall, while Jannis Herr sits in sixth, leading the goals for Germany with 63 points.

Lars Zelser has 15 assists for Germany, sitting fourth, while Portugal’s Rodrigo Gomes is in sixth, with nine. Costa and Zelser lead the combined points and assists for their countries, Costa on 75 (71/4) and Zelser on 72 (47/25).

But there is one list where the two teams excel and that is, not surprisingly as they can arguably boast that they have the best in the world, the men’s goalkeeping stats.

With 38 saves so far in five games, Portugal’s Ricardo Castro is way ahead of anyone else, the player closest to him, Germany’s Moritz Ebert on 32. Interestingly, they have faced roughly the same amount of shots each, with 135 and 137 respectively.

Having only failed to medal once (2005 – 8th), ever-presents Brazil will not want to add to that unwanted record when they take on Spain in the bronze medal match.

The two nations have met twice before at The World Games – both at the debut of the sport in Japan in 2001. Spain took down Brazil 2-0 (14:12, 15:14) in the preliminary round and then defeated them more clearly in the semi-final 2-0 (19:13, 14:11).

At the world championship last year the two teams met twice with honours even across two shoot-outs. First up, Brazil won 2-1 (16:18, 19:18, SO 6:4) in the preliminary group stage and then Spain defeated Brazil for fifth place, 2-1 (27:26, 18:20, SO 10:8).

Tunisia face China for seventh spot with the home side desperate to end on a high after losing all five of their matches 2-0. This included a preliminary group opening day 2-0 loss against Tunisia earlier on in Chengdu, the African side winning 16:14, 13:12.

Croatia take on Denmark for fifth – a repeat of the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship final which Croatia won – in the morning placement matches. The two teams also met in the European Championship last month, Denmark winning 2-0 (21:20, 25:24).

The World Games Chengdu 2025 – Beach Handball: Day 6 schedule
(All times local, CST)

Tuesday 12 August

Women’s Competition

Gold Medal Match/Final
1630 Argentina vs Germany

Bronze Medal Match
1430 Spain vs Denmark

7–8 Placement Match 
1050 Vietnam vs Croatia

5–6 Placement Match
1050 Portugal vs China

Men’s Competition

Gold Medal Match/Final
1730 Portugal vs Germany

Bronze Medal Match
1530 Spain vs Brazil

7–8 Placement Match
1000 Tunisia vs China

5–6 Placement Match
1000 Croatia vs Denmark