The Fiji Times

England sweep Sri Lanka in test series

England completed a 2-0 series victory over Sri Lanka, winning the second test by six wickets with a day to spare. Set a target of 164, England lost four wickets for 89 runs, but an unbroken 75-run stand for the fifth wicket by Jos Buttler (46) and Dom Sibley (56) finished it off. Sibley only...

Veteran Singh and Hussain lead top Ba golf race

Veteran Rajen Singh will defend the 50th RC Manubhai-sponsored Ba Open Golf Championship at the Fiji Sugar Corporation Rarawai course from February 6-7. The 62-year-old won the 49th edition of the tournament in 2019 after carding five over par in the 36 holes event. He will face stiff competition from Fiji’s leading amateur player, Abid...

Cricket challenge chance after big win

The South Canterbury senior men’s cricket team are in with a chance of a Hawke Cup challenge after a successful trip to Alexandra. A seven wicket outright win over Otago Country at the weekend has lifted them to the top of Hawke Cup Zone 4 table. One zone match remains and only North Otago are...

Why Australian Open champions will take a $1.4 million hit

This year’s Australian Open champions will take home much smaller pay cheques than last year following a redistribution of prizemoney designed to protect some of the tour’s battlers from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The prize pool for other events, including next week’s ATP Cup, are also copping a hit as winnings are linked to...

‘England vs America’: The friendly war that unites a Tokelau atoll

Dawn had barely broken over Nukunonu, the roosters were crowing, and the church bells were ringing. Already, the island was electric, the excitement growing. It was another day of war in Tokelau. Well, that’s how some locals described it. It was Egelani vs Amelika (England vs America), the atoll’s two cricket teams. Cricket is the...

Nine active cases of COVID-19 in Australian Open quarantine: officials

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – One case of COVID-19 among those in quarantine ahead of the Australian Open has been reclassified, local health officials said on Sunday, leaving nine active cases in the group of players and support staff isolating in Melbourne hotels. Health officials previously said they were investigating some positive tests for evidence of “viral...

Sousa withdraws from Australian Open due to strict COVID-19 protocols

(Reuters) – Portugal’s Joao Sousa says he will not travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open despite returning a negative test for COVID-19 due to the Australian government’s strict protocols on a mandatory 14-day quarantine period upon arrival. Seventy-two players are currently confined to their rooms in Melbourne ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Grand Slam...

Anderson hits Sri Lanka for six as Root anchors England reply

(Reuters) – James Anderson took six wickets to help bowl Sri Lanka out for 381, but England’s openers failed again as the tourists closed the second day of the second and final test on 98 for two in reply at Galle International Stadium on Saturday. Joe Root scored a breezy, unbeaten 67 and will resume...

Japan and IOC deny that Olympics will be cancelled

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan and the IOC stood firm on Friday on their commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied a report of a possible cancellation, although the pledge looks unlikely to ease public concern about holding the event during a pandemic. Though much of Japan is under a state of emergency...

Barty itching to get started at Australian Open

SYDNEY (Reuters) – World number one Ash Barty is itching to get back to competitive tennis at the Australian Open but has poured cold water on the idea that she might be set to end the 43-year wait for a homegrown women’s champion. Barty reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time last...

Murray ‘gutted’ to miss Australian Open

LONDON (Reuters) – Former world number one Andy Murray said he was ‘gutted’ after deciding to withdraw from next month’s Australian Open following a positive test for COVID-19 earlier this month. The 33-year-old Murray, a wildcard, confirmed last Thursday that he had tested positive for the virus and was in self-isolation at his home near...

Badosa’s Australian Open in doubt after positive COVID-19 test

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Paula Badosa’s Australian Open spot could be in jeopardy due to her positive COVID-19 test after the Victoria state government confirmed on Friday that anyone contracting the virus would have to undergo an additional period of isolation. Badosa was the first player to have arrived in Australia for the Grand Slam to...

LGC to conclude Ambrose event, fundraiser on target

The VKM Dental Clinic round two of the 18 holes two men stroke Ambrose event will be concluded at the Lautoka Golf Club course tomorrow. Club president Chong Lee confirmed that the generous sponsorship by Dr Vimal Murthi will see proceeds going towards LGC’s fundraiser for STC YASA victims. The club is definitely heading towards...

Daniel Vettori expects Black Caps’ spinners to shine at T20 World Cup

Daniel Vettori expects the Black Caps to be a major threat at the 2021 T20 World Cup, given Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi’s strong record in India. Spinners Santner and Sodhi shone for New Zealand at the last men’s T20 World Cup, also held in India, in 2016. They combined for 20 wickets, taking 10...

Nick Willis breaks John Walker’s world record for 4-minute miles

Nick Willis has written his name in the history books with another sub-4-minute mile run in Florida. The 37-year-old New Zealander clocked 3:58.63 at the Orange Winter Classic meet in Clermont, making him the first person to run under 4 minutes for the mile for 19 years in a row. The record was previously held...

Tiger Woods has fifth back surgery, will miss Torrey Pines and Riviera

Tiger Woods has suffered a setback with his back, disclosing Tuesday (Wednesday NZ time) that he recently had a fifth surgery that will keep him from starting the year until after the West Coast swing on the PGA Tour. Woods will not play next week in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, which he...

Super Smash power rankings: Men’s finalists all but found, women’s still up in the air

The three finalists in the men’s Super Smash are all but set, with the Wellington Firebirds, Central Stags, and Canterbury Kings sitting pretty at the top of the table, 12 points clear of the chasing pack. But which of them is favoured to finish first and advance straight to the grand final, a match they...

‘Amazing game of cricket’: Kane Williamson’s reaction to Australia v India stunner

It’s fair to say Kane Williamson wasn’t engaging in a late night session with the calculator on Tuesday. After all, the Black Caps captain is taking all the sleep he can get at the moment, being a new father. So, in the wake of India’s stunning series-clinching win over Australia at the Gabba and the...

Olympic weightlifting champion charged with swapping his urine samples in doping case

Olympic weightlifting champion Nijat Rahimov has been charged with swapping his urine samples in a doping case that could threaten his gold medal. The International Testing Agency said late Monday (Tuesday NZT) it charged Rahimov and Dumitru Captari of Romania with “an anti-doping rule violation for ‘Urine Substitution’ which would have occurred over a period...

How India became the first team in 33 years to beat Australia in a test at the Gabba

India produced one of the most dramatic test series wins in history on Tuesday when they beat Australia by three wickets at the Gabba in Brisbane. They were bowled out for 36 as they lost the first test in Adelaide, then said farewell to their captain and talisman Virat Kohli, who went home for the...

Kwadjo billed for 2021 return zan

Two Fiji boxing titles will be at stake during the South Pacific Boxing Promotions program which is scheduled to be held at Prince Charles Park in Nadi on March 20. Boxers Ronald Naidu is expected to face Nathan Singh for the vacant Fiji super lightweight title while Joseph Kwadjo is expected to return to the...

Rain causes some delays on opening day of the Taranaki men’s Open fours bowls tournament

A heavy downpour around morning tea time caused some delays for players on the opening day of the Taranaki men’s Open fours tournament yesterday. The worst affected was section 10 at Fitzroy, which had more than an hour off the green. It meant that only three of the seven round one games in that section...

‘We are on an upward curve’: Joe Root hails England’s progress after Sri Lanka win

Jonny Bairstow and Dan Lawrence held their nerve in a 62-run unbroken stand to guide England to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Monday on the fifth and final morning of the series-opening test. England ensured they didn’t have any more hiccups in erasing the remaining 36 required on the last day after Sri...

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Club to host build-up to championship