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Adelaide Strikers got an instant reward for winning the toss and choosing to field as the dangerous West Indian opener Lendl Simmons departed for a second-ball duck. The hosts, who have gotten used to losing an early wicket didn’t panic. Thanks to their in-form captain Chris Lynn, who smashed three fours off the first three balls of the third over, Heat got out of a pickle. Lynn, who came into the match with a scarcely believable average of 70, continued to punish the bad balls as the Heat consolidated to finish the powerplay at 58/1....

The panel, comprising retired judges T. Jayarama Chouta and R. Balasubramanian, had given clean chit to BCCI president N. Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, the Chennai Super Kings team principal, and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra. Srinivasan, who had stepped aside as the BCCI head, came under cloud because of Meiyappan’s alleged involvement. The probe panel had also absolved both Meiyappan, the Chennai Super Kings principal and Rajasthan Royals’s co-owner Raj Kundra of the allegation of betting....

The BCCI is set to announce the IPL 2019 schedule only after the dates for the 2019 Indian General Elections are out. The Indian Cricket Board is also considering various options for hosting the twelfth edition of the cash-rich league, keeping in mind the Elections as well as the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. A BCCI official said, " While the effort is to keep the entire tourney in India, a lot will depend on the dates of the general elections”....

Tendulkar will be asked by the Board Of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to hang up his cricket shoes after he plays his 200th Test in November. Tendulkar is India’s greatest cricketer of all time and the best sports product India has ever produced. According to the Bangalore Mirror, a source from the Board acknowledged that they will pitch the idea of retirement to Sachin, who did not look like he was going to quit the game anytime soon until now....

Although Christian ministers say their congregations aren’t shrinking–and black evangelical numbers are growing slightly–some leaders are worrying about the church’s ability to attract young people in the country’s toughest neighborhoods. About one third of the 4 million to 5 million Muslims in the United States are African-Americans, and at its current rapid rate of growth, Islam will become the second largest religion in the United States by the year 2000....

The France international became the most expensive player in the world when he left Juventus in favour of a return to Old Trafford ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, but many expect Pogba to lose that title as transfer fees continue to rise. Nevertheless, Reschke predicts there will be now be fewer deals of such value as the best players are already at the top clubs, and they are unwilling to sell their stars....

After winning his first seven matches in charge of the club, Kovac has now failed to guide his side to victory in three domestic games on the spin – a run that leaves them four points behind early Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund. Kovac’s men looked sluggish from the outset and found themselves two down after just 16 minutes, Alassane Plea and Lars Stindl – making his first appearance of the season – finishing emphatically past Manuel Neuer....

The Bundesliga’s leading scorer took his tally to 27 goals after a fine turn and shot in the 54th minute and a well-timed header 11 minutes later before Arturo Vidal sealed the win. Bayern, eyeing a second treble-winning season after 2013 and facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, are on 78 points, 10 clear at the top. Second-placed Borussia Dortmund can cut the lead down to seven when they take on Hamburg SV on Sunday....

Herbert Hainer formally succeeded Uli Hoeness as president at Friday’s AGM, assuming the role amid the search for a full-time replacement for Niko Kovac. Hansi Flick will continue in a caretaker capacity for at least the rest of 2019 while the Bundesliga champions weigh up their options. Guardiola - along with Erik ten Hag and Thomas Tuchel - is one of three men being considered, according to Sport Bild, and Hainer has great respect for the Catalan, whose contract with Manchester City runs until 2021....

The right-back was set to remain in Munich instead of making the trip to Dortmund as he had been suffering from stomach problems. Dortmund 5/2 to beat Bayern The Germany international was kept out of the starting XI for the Champions League game against Celtic in midweek, but came on in the late stages. Jerome Boateng was also a doubt but takes a place on the bench, while Niklas Sule lines up in defence alongside Mats Hummels....

The 18-year-old defender made his debut in Bayern’s Bundesliga win at Hannover last weekend and impressed in the 3-0 win. And Bayern announced on Friday that Mai - who joined the club in 2014 - has agreed a three-year contract until 2021. “I am very happy about this great opportunity,” the teenager said. “It has always been my dream to play for Bayern. Now I want to keep working hard to take the next steps in my career....

Nia Jax started off by going right after the champion, but Bayley’s fellow horsewomen came to her rescue. Nia bulldozed through all the three women at once and hit a Banzai drop onto Bayley, after which she took out all 3 women outside the ring. The three horsewomen formed an alliance to try to take out Nia. Sasha held Nia’s leg while the other two worked on the powerhouse. Charlotte even hit a big boot to Nia which resulted in Sasha and Bayley suplexing her....

The image appeared online and during a news broadcast as part of an investigation from the BBC into the far-right group Sonnenkrieg Division. The article from December 5, 2018, entitled “British neo-Nazis suggest Prince Harry should be shot” contained an image created by the group showing the Duke of Sussex with a gun pointing at his head, splattered blood, a swastika and the words “see ya later race traitor”—a racist reference to his marriage to Meghan Markle....

Johan Botha announced his retirement in January 2019 after a match for Hobart Hurricanes against Sydney Sixers at the SCG, which the former lost. The former South African spinner cited physical fatigue as the reason for his retirement back then. Johan Botha, however, has now stated that, after a two-year break, he feels his body is refreshed, and is ready for the BBL challenge again. Botha also holds the post of Assistant Coach of the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League T20....

Brief BBL score: Adelaide Strikers 177-7 (Salt 59, Hatzoglou 3-43). Melbourne Renegades 178-4 in 19.5 overs. (Nabi 71*, Khan 2-24). Melbourne Renegades won by 6 wickets. Middle order sets up the Renegades BBL win Melbourne Renegades were buoyed by the fact that they could restrict the Strikers to 177 though 190 looked on the cards. Then while batting, Aaron Finch and Mackenzie Harvey gave them a start of 31 before Wes Agar dismissed Finch (14)....

But former Aussie spinner Shane Warne was disappointed with an umpiring call against the Sixers in the grand finale. During the 19th over of Sydney’s innings, Andrew Tye bowled a high full-toss to Daniel Christian. Since it was the penultimate over, Christian smashed the ball towards deep mid-wicket. Colin Munro took a phenomenal catch at the boundary line to send Christian back to the pavilion. The on-field officials sought the third umpire’s help to decide if it was a no-ball and if Colin Munro’s foot touched the rope....

Global financial services firm Duff and Phelps has assisted the BCCI in arriving at this figure which highlights the IPL’s monetary worth. The unprecedented success that the highly popular T20 league has achieved ever since its inception has proved to be a shot in the arm for the Indian cricket board which has had its fair share of troubles, particularly the Lodha Committee reforms imposed by the Supreme Court and their ongoing tussle with the ICC....

“Be bloody good, not just at being the number one team in the world, be elite in values,” Langer told Fairfax Media ahead of the four-Test series against India starting December 6. Ever since Australian cricket plunged into crisis following the year-long ball-tampering bans on Steve Smith and Davis Warner, there has been a lot of discussion on the spirit of cricket. Talking about Cricket Australia’s “Elite Honesty” slogan, Langer said: “Where we were with Australian cricket at rock bottom eight months ago with what happened in South Africa, the word ’elite’ … we have to raise the standard....

On Sunday, the San Francisco Giants ace hurled a one-hitter with fourteen strikeouts. In the midst of his best season thus far, with a 10-4 record and 1.94 ERA, Bumgarner would have gotten the nod as National League starting pitcher for this year’s All Star Game were he rested. Not quite 27, Bumgarner even has his Hall of Fame supporters already. What does Bumgarner’s case boil down to thus far?...