ROUND-UP: Bhuvi injured; Starc stars; Root out; Klopp signs; Joshua eyes; and Embiid leads
International Round-up: Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of ODIs against West Indies; Mitchell Starc puts Australia in control; Joe Root out of England’s T20 squad; Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp signs new deal; Anthony Joshua eyeing fight with Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder in 2020; and Joel Embiid leads Philadelphia 76ers to victory over Boston Celtics.
CRICKET: Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of ODIs against West Indies
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against West Indies due to a groin injury. Shardul Thakur is likely to replace him, although there has been no official statement from the BCCI or the Indian team yet.
It is understood that Bhuvneshwar picked up the injury during the preceding T20I series, which India won 2-1 earlier this week. The nature of the injury remains unknown, but it is believed that it is not related to the hamstring issue that affected Bhuvneshwar during the World Cup earlier this year.
The development will come as yet another setback for Bhuvneshwar, for whom injuries have become a constant in the recent past. During the World Cup, Bhuvneshwar had to limp out of the marquee contest against Pakistan in Manchester with a hamstring strain after bowling just 2.4 overs.
He made a comeback in the semi-finals, but then missed the home series against South Africa and Bangladesh recently because of what the selectors had called a niggle. (ESPNCricinfo)
CRICKET: Mitchell Starc puts Australia in control
Mitchell Starc took 4-31 to put Australia in control on the day two of the first Test against New Zealand.
The hosts resumed the second day in Perth on 248-4 and got to 416 all out, with Marnus Labuschagne out for 143 after being bowled by Neil Wagner.
Australia middle-order batsman Travis Head made 56 before Starc ripped through New Zealand’s batsmen.
The left-arm paceman’s wickets included Kane Williamson (34) as the tourists reached 109-5 at the close.
Starc kickstarted a New Zealand collapse when he caught opener Tom Latham off his own bowling.
Josh Hazlewood bowled Jeet Raval before Starc dismissed Kiwi captain Williamson, Henry Nicholls and Wagner, who was out first ball.
Ross Taylor provided New Zealand’s main resistance and he was 66 not out at the end of the second day. (BBC Sport)
CRICKET: Joe Root out of England’s T20 squad
England Test captain Joe Root has been left out of the squad for the three T20 internationals in South Africa.
With a Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020, the selectors wanted to look at other players, though Root does remain in their plans.
Fast bowler Liam Plunkett, a World Cup winner, has been left out of squad for the three one-day internationals.
All-rounder Moeen Ali, who has opted to take a break from Test cricket, is in both squads.
The ODIs are on 4, 7 and 9 February and the T20s the following week on 12, 14, and 16, all following the conclusion of the four-match Test series, which starts on 26 December.
England squad for three T20s in South Africa: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain, Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham). (BBC Sport)
FOOTBALL: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp signs new deal
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has signed a new deal with the club that will run until 2024.
Klopp, who joined the Reds in October 2015, signed a new six-year contract in July 2016 and that has now been extended further.
Liverpool won the Champions League under the German last season and finished second in the Premier League.
They lead the top flight this season and have an eight-point lead in pursuit of a first league title since 1990.
“This club is in such a good place, I couldn’t contemplate leaving,” Klopp, 52, told Liverpool’s website.
“For me personally this is a statement of intent, one which is built on my knowledge of what we as a partnership have achieved so far and what is still there for us to achieve.” (BBC Sport)
BOXING: Anthony Joshua eyeing fight with Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder in 2020
Unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua says a fight with Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder “has to happen in 2020”.
Britain’s Joshua reclaimed his IBF, WBA and WBO titles from Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
WBC champion Deontay Wilder is scheduled for a rematch with Britain’s Tyson Fury on 22 February.
“I feel like it’s ‘Lord of the Rings’, the last ring, let’s get it on, let’s make history,” said Joshua, 30.
Speaking on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, he added: “It has to happen in 2020, we’re in the same division, same era, if these guys want to make history, especially Wilder because he has the last belt.
“We created history by becoming a two-time champion of the world and I feel like we can add to that legacy in 2020.”
By defeating Ruiz, Joshua joined a small cluster of men including Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and Floyd Patterson to have reclaimed the world heavyweight title. (BBC Sport)
NBA: Joel Embiid leads Philadelphia 76ers to victory over Boston Celtics
Joel Embiid scored a season-high 38 points and added 13 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers handed the Boston Celtics their first home loss 115-109 Thursday night.
Tobias Harris added 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Mike Scott scored 15 on five 3-pointers as the 76ers won their fourth straight and for the eighth time in their last nine. Philadelphia narrowed the list of undefeated teams at home to itself and Miami.
Kemba Walker had 29 points, and Enes Kanter (20) and Daniel Theis (16) each enjoyed season-high scoring nights for the Celtics, who dropped their second straight.
Dallas Mavericks 122 – Detroit Pistons 111
Luka Doncic recorded the first triple-double at an NBA neutral site in 46 years in Dallas’ victory over Detroit in Mexico City.
Doncic dazzled NBA fans south of the border with 41 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. His triple-double was the 16th of his career, with his 41 points coming up one shy of his personal record in a triple-double, which he set last month against San Antonio.
Denver Nuggets 114 – Portland Trail Blazers 99
Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jerami Grant also scored 20 points and host Denver beat Portland, ending the Nuggets’ three-game skid.
Will Barton finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Gary Harris also scored 15 and Jamal Murray scored 12 points for Denver.
Cleveland Cavaliers 117 – San Antonio Spurs 109 (OT)
Kevin Love scored a season-high 30 points, including a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, and pulled down 17 rebounds as visiting Cleveland outlasted San Antonio.
The Cavaliers snapped an eight-game losing streak on the second night of a home-road back to back. It was the third straight overtime game for the Spurs.
Collin Sexton added 28 points, with Jordan Clarkson hitting for 25 off the bench for Cleveland. DeMar DeRozan led San Antonio with 21 points while LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points and took 10 rebounds. (Reuters)