Usman Khawaja says all members of Australia’s team knew about ball tampering during the 2018 Test series against South Africa, and that discussions began before the Cape Town Test. The four bowlers who played in Cape Town, including Pat Cummins, have denied knowing that sandpaper was used, while Khawaja says he was not asked to give evidence in Cricket Australia’s investigation.
Key Facts
Khawaja made the claims in extracts from his autobiography, Sabr, published by the Sydney Morning Herald.
He says the team discussed tampering during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, now called Gqeberha.
Khawaja says Steve Smith did not want to know about the plan after those discussions.
Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned after the Cape Town ball-tampering incident.
Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon said in 2021 that they did not know a foreign substance had been taken onto the field.
Khawaja says he was surprised that Cricket Australia did not ask him to provide evidence during its investigation.
Cummins said in October that the matter had been investigated and dealt with at the time.
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Australia appointed Mike Hussey as a consultant coach for upcoming cricket events, including the 2027 Ashes series and Cricket World Cup. He will also assist the team in several shorter-term and international competitions as Australia addresses concerns about its batting.
Key Facts
Hussey will consult with Australia ahead of the 2027 Ashes series against England and the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
He will help coach Australia during this month’s home T20 series against England and a four-Test series against New Zealand.
Hussey is also set to work with Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Australia recently lost a Test series 2-1 in South Africa, a result cited as part of the team’s batting concerns.
Hussey said he was excited to take on a more formal role with the team in the coming years.
His coaching experience includes work with Australia and England, the Chennai Super Kings, and Welsh Fire.
Hussey played more than 300 matches for Australia across all formats.
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Ireland beat Argentina 42-12 in Dublin to open the home leg of the Nations Championship, earning a bonus point with six tries. Hugo Keenan scored three tries, while Mateo Carreras scored both of Argentina’s tries.
Key Facts
Ireland led 21-5 at halftime and won 42-12.
Keenan scored a hat-trick of tries for Ireland.
Dan Sheehan, Sam Prendergast and Ronan Kelleher also scored tries for Ireland.
Prendergast kicked five conversions, and Jamie Frawley kicked one.
Carreras scored both of Argentina’s tries; Tomas Albornoz kicked one conversion.
Argentina’s Justo Piccardo and Ephraim Elias were sin-binned, and captain Julian Montoya left after failing a head injury assessment.
Ireland moved to the top of the northern hemisphere table before other teams’ matches that weekend.
Ireland are scheduled to host Fiji the following week and South Africa on 21 November.
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Kimi Antonelli has secured the drivers’ championship, while Mercedes could clinch the constructors’ title at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The weekend also brings attention to Ferrari’s response after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc collided in Mexico, and to the close competition among the leading teams.
Key Facts
Mercedes needs three more points than Ferrari this weekend to secure the constructors’ championship.
Antonelli said he is using the season’s final races to prepare to defend his title in 2027.
Mercedes won seven of the first eight races, but its rivals narrowed the performance gap as the season progressed.
In the 12 races after Mercedes’ early run, Mercedes won six, Red Bull won three, McLaren won two, and Ferrari won one.
Hamilton and Leclerc collided on the first lap in Mexico, costing Ferrari a chance at a one-two finish.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said he met with the drivers and reminded them to respect each other and put the team first.
Hamilton said he believes Leclerc races him differently from some other drivers and said he would not be silenced.
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Kozo Tashima, a former Japan Football Association president, announced he will run against Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency in an election scheduled for March. He says his campaign aims to promote integrity and the development of world football.
Key Facts
Tashima is 68 and would be the first person from Japan to run for FIFA president.
He began playing football after watching the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
He studied coaching at the German Sport University Cologne and later worked as a coach and football development official in Japan.
Tashima became Japan Football Association president in 2016 and served on the Asian Football Confederation executive committee and FIFA Council.
As JFA president, he dismissed Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic two months before the 2018 World Cup; Japan later reached the last 16 under replacement coach Akira Nishino.
Tashima stepped down as JFA chief in 2024 and was named honorary president.
The JFA supports Tashima’s FIFA presidential bid.
Tashima criticized FIFA’s decision to lift a ban on U.S. player Folarin Balogun and raised concerns about U.S. travel restrictions affecting Iran’s World Cup team.
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England hooker Jamie George said players were upset by a newspaper report alleging unrest over head coach Steve Borthwick after the team’s July tour. George rejected parts of the report and said the squad had discussed it and would respond by supporting Borthwick ahead of Sunday’s match against Australia.
Key Facts
The Times reported that unhappy England players wanted talks with Borthwick and RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney in Argentina in July.
The report also described disagreements within Borthwick’s coaching group and concerns about his management of players.
George said he did not recognise the situation described and called much of the report untrue.
England captain Maro Itoje called a meeting of senior players to discuss the article.
George said the squad’s conversations with Borthwick included feedback and challenge, but were not toxic.
Borthwick said he did not recognise the report’s depiction and noted that senior player-coach meetings are common.
England are scheduled to play Australia at Twickenham on Sunday in the Nations Championship.
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England coach Thomas Tuchel left Cole Palmer out of the squad for upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain, despite being told the Chelsea player was fit and available. Tuchel said Palmer had missed too many chances to impress and that he would retain players from the previous camp, while adding that Palmer remained under consideration.
Key Facts
Palmer last played for England in March, in a 1-0 loss to Japan at Wembley.
Palmer has made 14 England appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist.
Palmer has appeared in three of Tuchel's 26 matches as England coach.
Tuchel said England had enough players who could play as number 10s and praised the squad from the previous camp.
Tuchel selected Josh King and Jobe Bellingham for the latest squad.
England's upcoming Nations League matches are against Croatia at home and Spain in Madrid.
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Kozo Tashima, the Japan Football Association’s honorary president and a member of the Fifa Council, says he will run against Gianni Infantino in the Fifa presidential election scheduled for March in Morocco. Tashima must first secure endorsements from five member associations and says he wants to improve Fifa’s governance and make football accessible to all.
Key Facts
Tashima is 68 and says he has received positive responses from some associations he has approached for endorsements.
Infantino has led Fifa for about a decade and has said he believes he has the support of the vast majority of world football.
Tashima said his campaign is driven in part by concerns about the handling of a cancelled suspension involving U.S. forward Folarin Balogun and a dropped plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.
Tashima said he would draw on his “samurai spirit” and described his campaign values as sincerity, soundness, fair play and integrity.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Infantino to ask for a review of Balogun’s ban, according to the article.
Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega also plans to run and has said he received more than five endorsements, but did not identify the associations.
Candidates must show they played an active role in football during at least two of the previous five years.
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Portugal coach Jorge Jesus said Cristiano Ronaldo did not tell him in advance that he planned to retire from international football. Jesus said Ronaldo had been on his squad list for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, while the Portuguese Football Federation president said the federation would honour him.
Key Facts
Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football in an Instagram video on Thursday.
Jesus said he learned of the decision at the same time as the public and had planned to select Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was available again after serving a 30-day suspension that did not include any national team matches.
Ronaldo left Portugal's camp in September after learning he would not start a Nations League match against Denmark.
Ronaldo's last international appearance was Portugal's 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon.
He finished with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, both men's world records, and helped the team win Euro 2016.
Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca said the federation would honour Ronaldo for his contributions to Portuguese football.
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England have called up Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham, joining his older brother Jude in the senior squad for matches against Croatia and Spain. England manager Thomas Tuchel said Jobe had earned the opportunity through strong performances and described the call-up as a major achievement for the family.
Key Facts
Jobe Bellingham is captain of England's Under-21 team.
He began his senior career at Birmingham City, then played for Sunderland before moving to Borussia Dortmund.
Jobe wears his first name on his shirt, saying the choice reflects his wish to follow his own path.
Tuchel described Jobe as a more defensive midfielder than Jude and praised his strength, possession and recent form.
Jobe's call-up followed injuries and a suspension that created an opportunity in central midfield.
England are scheduled to host Croatia at Wembley on 12 November and play Spain in Madrid on 15 November.
If both brothers play, Jude and Jobe could become the first brothers to appear together for England since Gary and Phil Neville did so 19 years ago.
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Fin Smith has recovered from a calf injury and will start at fly-half for England against Australia on Sunday. Flanker Ben Curry also returns to the Test side after 16 months, while Greg Fisilau could earn his first cap from the bench.
Key Facts
Smith has started England’s past five matches at fly-half.
Smith was injured during Northampton’s defeat by Leicester on 24 October.
Ben Curry returns to the England team after an injury-hit 16 months.
Tom Curry is unavailable after an injury setback in training.
Alex Coles starts in the second row ahead of George Martin.
Fin Baxter starts at loose-head prop, with Ellis Genge and Will Stuart on the bench.
Exeter back row Greg Fisilau is named among the replacements and could win his first cap.
England face Australia in their opening Test of the autumn on Sunday.
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England beat Ireland 68-32 to finish first in Pool A at the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. The win secured England a place in the semi-finals, where they will play co-hosts Australia on Tuesday.
Key Facts
England defeated Ireland 68-32.
England finished top of Pool A.
England completed the group stage with a 100% record.
The result secured England a place in the semi-finals.
England will face co-hosts Australia on Tuesday.
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England forward Ollie Chessum says he enjoys leadership but is not pursuing the captaincy, which is currently held by Maro Itoje. Chessum also discussed his relationships with England teammates and said the team understands fans’ frustration after inconsistent results.
Key Facts
Chessum is 26 and has won 38 England caps since his debut in February 2022.
He captains Leicester and can play in the second row or at blindside flanker.
Maro Itoje became England captain in January 2025.
Chessum said captaincy could be an ambition later in his career but is not something he is seeking now.
Chessum said recent confrontations with England teammates Henry Pollock and Ellis Genge during club matches would not affect their relationships in camp.
England are scheduled to play Australia on Sunday, 8 November, at Allianz Stadium.
England lost 42-21 to Ireland in February and to South Africa in July, then beat Fiji and Argentina.
Chessum said the England team recognizes supporters’ frustration and has sometimes fallen short of its own expectations.
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Amateur cricketer Brian Devine received a two-year ban from cricket under the England and Wales Cricket Board after an investigation into finger-clicking during a match, which appeared to imitate the sound of a bat hitting the ball. Saltburn’s second XI was relegated, fined £300 and given a 60-point deduction after the club admitted charges and appealed its punishment.
Key Facts
Devine played for Saltburn’s second XI in a July match against Norton in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League’s Division Two.
Video showed Devine clicking his fingers as the ball passed Noman Shabir’s bat before Shabir was caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes.
The umpire gave Shabir out after Saltburn appealed.
Devine is banned from playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring or managing junior teams until 29 September 2028.
The league said it investigated complaints about conduct in multiple matches, using interviews, written statements and video footage.
Devine and Saltburn admitted the charges; Devine accepted his punishment, while the club appealed its sanctions.
Saltburn’s second XI will start the 2027 season in Division Three with a 60-point deduction, and the club was fined £300.
The relegation gives Middlesbrough’s second XI a reprieve after it finished 11th in the 12-team Division Two.
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Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City from Nottingham Forest for £116 million after two strong Premier League seasons. In his first 14 games for City, he has made an impressive start, with high rankings in several statistics, though his role as a defensive midfielder has brought one goal and two assists.
Key Facts
Anderson moved from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City in the summer for £116 million.
Before the transfer, he attracted interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.
Last season, he ranked highly in measures including touches, possession wins, duels and fouls drawn.
This season, he has drawn 28 fouls, won 66 duels, made 610 successful passes and recorded 851 touches.
He has played as a deep-lying defensive midfielder for City.
In 14 games this season, Anderson has scored one goal and provided two assists.
He assisted Erling Haaland's winning goal against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Haaland said Anderson had made an impressive start to his City career.
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England manager Thomas Tuchel left Chelsea forward Cole Palmer out of the squad for November’s Nations League matches, saying Palmer had missed too many chances to impress. Tuchel called up Josh King and Jobe Bellingham for the first time, while Bukayo Saka and several other players miss out through injury or other absences.
Key Facts
England are scheduled to play Croatia at Wembley on 12 November and Spain in Madrid on 15 November.
Tuchel said he kept players from the previous camp because he was satisfied with their work together.
Fulham midfielder Josh King and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham received their first England call-ups.
Jobe Bellingham joins his brother Jude in the squad.
Bukayo Saka is absent with a quadriceps injury, which his club expects to keep him out for six weeks.
Alex Scott, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento are also absent with injuries.
Ben White and Djed Spence return to the squad, while Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa are fit and selected.
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Rory McIlroy shot a nine-under-par 63 in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship, moving to 11 under and taking the clubhouse lead while other contenders were still playing. He recovered from a two-shot penalty in the opening round and is pursuing another Race to Dubai title.
Key Facts
McIlroy made 11 birdies in the round, the first time he has made that many in a DP World Tour round.
He received a two-shot penalty in the first round for pressing down on grass behind his ball before a chip shot.
The penalty left McIlroy at two under after the first round, eight shots behind Francesco Laporta.
McIlroy began Friday with a bogey, then made five consecutive birdies from the ninth through the 13th holes.
Eugenio Chacarra shot a second-round 71 and stood at three under; Patrick Reed also shot 71 and stood at one over.
The top 70 available players in the Race to Dubai standings are competing in Abu Dhabi, and the top 50 will advance to the season-ending event in Dubai.
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Australian coach Darren Cahill will leave Jannik Sinner’s coaching team at the end of the year. Cahill and Italian coach Simone Vagnozzi helped Sinner win five Grand Slam titles and reach the world number one spot; Magnus Norman will join the team next season.
Key Facts
Cahill joined Sinner’s team in June 2022, when Sinner was just outside the world’s top 10.
Sinner has won five Grand Slam titles and spent 95 weeks as world number one with Cahill and Vagnozzi on his team.
Sinner has not played since winning Wimbledon for the second year in a row in July, due to injury.
Alexander Zverev recently overtook Sinner at the top of the rankings.
Sinner is expected to return at the Six Kings Slam tournament in Saudi Arabia next month.
Swedish coach Magnus Norman will join Sinner’s team next season.
Cahill is 61 years old.
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Newcastle United defender Amar Dedic was stopped by police after witnesses reported seeing him and a friend carrying a bow and arrows near a reservoir in Northumberland. Police seized the items and said they were understood to be for recreational use, with no threat to the public; enquiries are ongoing.
Key Facts
Dedic and a friend were stopped in a car in the Darras Hall area after being spotted near Military Road in Harlow Hill.
Police searched the car and seized a bow and arrows.
Northumbria Police said there was no threat to the public and that the items were understood to be for recreational use.
The article says Dedic fully cooperated with police and had no ill intention.
Newcastle goalkeeper Mark Gillespie and former defender Paul Dummett reportedly arrived by chance and offered assistance.
Dedic joined Newcastle from Benfica in August for a reported fee of about £30 million.
Newcastle have not commented on the incident, and police enquiries are ongoing.
Dedic has been named in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s squad for Nations League matches against Sweden and Romania in November.
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Coventry have recovered from four opening defeats without scoring, winning three of their next five games and climbing out of the relegation zone. Manager Frank Lampard says the team is adapting to the Premier League, including by changing its tactics to suit opponents, and Coventry could rise to 11th with a win at Everton.
Key Facts
Coventry lost their first four league games by an aggregate score of 10-0.
The team has won three of its past five games.
Lampard changed Coventry's formation to match Nottingham Forest's back three, and Coventry won that match 1-0.
Coventry beat Sunderland 3-1 after recording less possession and fewer passes than in an earlier defeat by Hull.
Coventry have the Premier League's lowest expected-goals total, at 8.34.
A win at Everton could lift Coventry to 11th and give them 12 points after 10 games.
Coventry are back in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.
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