G'day sports fans,

Apologies for being a day late, I got a bit carried away 🍻

Thanks for reading Sport Journal throughout the year.

We could receive no better present than you sharing it with a couple of friends. 🎁 have a look below.

Just a brief edition of Sport Journal today, enjoy the cricket!

We'll be back on the 1st Jan 2021.

A couple of our favourite opening line quotes of the year:

“I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.” 

– Shaquille O'Neal after signing a 7-year, $121 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.

“I’ve been sent off so many times that when I am in the front yard doing the gardening and the postie goes by and blows his whistle, I just get up and go and have a shower” - Noel ‘Ned’ Kelly had ‘colourful’ career, to say the least.

“Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at.” - Jimmy Demaret

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🏏 Cricket

India make FOUR changes to XI ahead of Boxing Day showdown

It will be a Boxing Day Test like no other as Australia looks to take a 2-0 series lead over India at the MCG.

While only 30,000 fans will be allowed into the ground that’s 30,000 more supporters than even the most optimistic of Melburnians was hoping for earlier this year.

The Australians will be intent on putting on a show for those in attendance but it would be a Christmas miracle if it was anything close to as spectacular as the fireworks they conjured with the ball last week.

India will head into the Boxing Day Test with a vastly different looking outfit that took to the field during the opening Test in Adelaide.

Forced to make two changes after skipper Virat Kohli left to be with his wife for the birth of their first child along with losing quick bowler Mohammed Shami through injury.

The visitors made a total of four changes to the XI with Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and Mohammah Siraj all set to line-up in Melbourne.

Siraj and Gill will make their Test debuts with the promising young quick Siraj coming in for Shami who suffered a broken arm in the second innings in Adelaide.

Pant will replace Wriddhiman Saha as the wicketkeeper with opener Prithvi Shaw also falling under the axe and being replaced by Gill.

The Aussies have yet to name their XI, however they’re expected to head into the second Test with an unchanged line-up after David Warner failed to overcome his groin complaint.

🏏 Wherever you are watching the Boxing Day Test, don't forget to Zinc Up for Deano as a tribute to a cricket icon! #ZincUpForDeano

Cricket Australia reveals Melbourne is preferred venue for third Test if Sydney unable to host match — wwos.nine.com.au

Melbourne is Cricket Australia's preferred venue for the third Test against India if COVID prevents the match from taking place in Sydney.

⚽️ Football

Opening Fixture on 28th: Western United v Adelaide United

Western United will look to build on their maiden campaign which ended in a semi-final defeat as they host Adelaide in their opening fixture.

The focus for Mark Rudan and company has clearly been on consolidation rather than re-inventing the wheel and with the Italian maestro Allesandro Diamanti re-committing to the club, it’s a huge boost for their prospects in 2021.

Adelaide only just missed out on the finals last season but have build a very strong attacking lineup that should bring plenty of excitement to games, especially the Toure brothers.

There are still a few questions about where they are defensively, but this could be a case of last team to score wins.

Classic Boxing Day Football

There was an incredible 66 goals scored in the English top flight on 26 December, 1963, with players helping themselves in the penalty box. Maybe all the goalkeepers enjoyed their Christmas too much...

Messi breaks record

Messi broke the single club goal scoring record this week (644 goals)

So Budweiser sent a personalized bottle to every goalie he’s ever scored on (and multiple bottles if he’s scored on them more than once)

Epic trolling

🏅 Olympics

Chinese swimming star Sun Yang has had his eight year doping ban overturned by a Swiss court

The World Anti-Doping Agency says a Swiss court has overturned an eight year doping ban against Chinese swimmer Sun Yang and ordered the case back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a second time but with a different chairman of the judges.

In February, CAS found the three-time Olympic champion guilty of refusing to cooperate with sample collectors during a visit to his home in September 2018 that turned confrontational.

WADA brought the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after world swimming governing body FINA had issued the now 29-year-old Yang with only a warning.

At stake in a second CAS hearing would be Yang's chance to compete at the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics now set for July 2021.

🏉 Rugby

New Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos outlines his plans to revive the game — wwos.nine.com.au

New Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos outlines his plans to revive the game.

💍 NBA

Rally Road (a memorabilia investing app) sold shares in a complete set of '1990's Chicago Bulls Championship Rings' (6) today.

The financials:

> Market Cap: US$300,000

> Price Per Share: $10.00

The rings were originally awarded to longtime Bulls security guard John Capps.

In sold out in 3 minutes!

There's so much happening in this space at the moment. For example, I think that the Bradman Baggy could have went for much more if someone bought it and sold $10 shares?