🗞 The most decorated side in World Cup history

G'day sports fans,

“He loves cricket that much that he watches every replay up on the screen. And if blokes aren't watching me when I'm trying to move the field, they cop a bit of a spray”. - Aaron Finch, on why Marnus Labuschagne earned his wrath on the field.

🏏 ICC One Day World Cup: Australia preview

Full squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc

Positives: Easily the most decorated side in World Cup history, Australia boast of a whopping five men’s ODI World Cup titles. No other team has more than two. In World Cups hosted in the subcontinent Australia have won one and lost in the final. form.

Negatives: Their two most-recent ODI series against South Africa and India resulted in defeats. The squad contains only one full-time spinner. Travis Head won’t be available till mid-way into the tournament.

Australia’s full fixtures list

• Sunday, October 8: India v Australia (19:30 AEDT)

• Thursday, October 12: Australia v South Africa

• Monday, October 16: Australia v Sri Lanka

• Friday, October 20: Australia v Pakistan

• Wednesday, October 25: Australia v Netherlands

• Saturday, October 28: Australia v New Zealand

• Saturday, November 4: England v Australia

• Tuesday, November 7: Australia v Afghanistan

• Saturday, November 11: Australia v Bangladesh

🏏 Marcus Stoinis is under an injury cloud ahead of Australia’s World Cup opener, with the all-rounder picking up a hamstring complaint during last month’s ODI series against India.

🇦🇺 Two more trade requests have been lodged with clubs as Carlton’s Zac Fisher and St Kilda’s Nick Coffield reportedly make it known they want out.

Fisher, 25, has asked for a trade to North Melbourne reports AFL Media’s Cal Twomey despite having two years left to run on his contract at Princes Park, where he’s set to reunite with schoolmate Griffin Logue.

North Melbourne has picks 2, 14, 19, 40, 52 and 60.

Meanwhile oft-injured Saint Coffield is hoping to rejuvenate his career at the Western Bulldogs, reports Seven’s Mitch Cleary.

Coffield was the No.8 pick in the 2017 draft but has played just 52 games across six seasons due to a series of problems with his body. He hasn’t played at AFL level since 2021.

The Bulldogs own picks 10, 17, 37, 64, 67 and 70.

Free agency runs from Friday October 6 until Friday October 13, while the trade period runs from Monday October 9 until Wednesday October 18.

🏉 icymi: Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes has been added to the Gallagher Kangaroos squad for the upcoming Pacific Championships following the withdrawal of Nathan Cleary due to [knee] injury.

⚽️ Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said on Thursday they are still exploring a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, despite the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) having declared support for Saudi Arabia.

🏏 Tahlia McGrath fired with the bat before Darcie Brown and Ashleigh Gardner led the way with the ball as Australia sealed a 2-1 T20 series victory versus the West Indies, winning by 47 runs.

⛳️ Both the Australian Open (Nov 30th) and PGA (23rd Nov) will have at least four players in the world top 50 in their fields after world No.44 Cam Davis, the 2017 Open champion, locked in his commitment to end a stellar year at home.

There are five Aussies in the world top 50 and only Jason Day, who is ranked 23, is yet to commit to a return home, with Cameron Smith (14), Adam Scott (41), Min Woo Lee (47) and now Davis confirmed for the flagship events of the Australian summer.

🏆 Six countries. Five time zones. Three continents. Two different seasons. One World Cup.

The proposed plans for the 2030 tournament - to be held in South America, Africa and Europe - are difficult to imagine as a reality.

It will be the first time a World Cup has been played on more than one continent - 2002 was the only previous event with more than one host in neighbouring countries South Korea and Japan.

That will change when the USA, Mexico and Canada host in 2026 - but that will not match the scale of the 2030 World Cup.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco have been named as co-hosts for the 48-team tournament, yet the opening three matches will take place in Uruguay [to commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930], Argentina and Paraguay to mark the World Cup's centenary.

The decision, and the timing, appear to pave the way for Saudi Arabia to host the World Cup in 2034 and within hours the kingdom unveiled its bid for that tournament.

🏏 England's defence of their World Cup title began with a nine-wicket hammering at the hands of New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

The rematch of the final four years ago offered none of the tension of that Lord's epic with the Black Caps cantering home in pursuit of 283.

They reached their target with 13.4 overs to spare - Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra both hitting stunning centuries.

🚴🏻 Mark Cavendish has delayed plans to retire and will race in next year's Tour de France.

The 38-year-old sprinter, who announced his retirement in May, has signed a new one-year contract with his Astana-Qazaqstan team.

He will have the chance to break the record of 34 Tour stage wins which he shares with legend Eddy Merckx.

🏉 Maxime Lucu will start at scrum-half in the absence of injured France captain Antoine Dupont for their final World Cup Pool A game with Italy on Friday. Dupont is not included in the 23-man squad as he continues his recovery from a broken cheekbone.

🏏 An MCC member has been banned for life and another two copped suspensions for “abusive, offensive or inappropriate behaviour or language” during this year’s Ashes Test at Lord’s, following the controversial stumping of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

🏀 After coach Gregg Popovich said one of the "cool" questions of camp will be figuring out if the 7-foot-3 ½ Wembanyama is a center, power forward or small forward, the No. 1 overall pick gave some insight on to how he's being used.

"It just goes without saying that I'm sometimes playing the same role as (point guard) Tre Jones, sometimes the same as (center) Zach Collins, sometimes as (guard/forward) Devin Vassell," - Wembanyama said.

"There are really no limitations. On a lot of set plays, on a lot plays, it really depends on where you are. But I can be the point guard just like I can be the wing. It doesn't matter."

TODAY 

06:00 - Rugby World Cup - New Zealand v Uruguay (Stan Sport)

06:08 - American League Wild Card Series - Tampa Bay Rays v Texas Rangers (ESPN AU)

07:00 - PGA TOUR - Sanderson Farms Championship, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

07:38 - American League Wild Card Series - Minnesota Twins v Toronto Blue Jays (ESPN AU)

10:08 - National League Wild Card Series - Milwaukee Brewers v Arizona Diamondbacks (ESPN AU)

10:30 - Sheffield Shield Group Game - New South Wales Blues v Queensland Bulls (Kayo Sports)

11:00 - Sheffield Shield Group Game - South Australia Redbacks v Tasmania Tigers (Kayo Sports)

11:08 - National League Wild Card Series - Philadelphia Phillies v Miami Marlins (ESPN AU)

11:15 - NFL Regular Season - Washington Commanders v Chicago Bears (ESPN or Kayo Sports)

13:30 - Sheffield Shield Group Game - Western Australia v Victoria (Kayo Sports)

16:15 - Bathurst 1000 Qualifying, Round 10 (Channel 7, Fox Sports )

17:05 - NPC Quarter-Final - Canterbury Rugby v Auckland Rugby ( Stan Sport)

19:30 - NBL - Tasmania JackJumpers v Sydney Kings (ESPN or Kayo Sports)

19:30 - Cricket World Cup - Pakistan v Netherlands (Fox Cricket)

21:30 - NBL Regular Season - Perth Wildcats v Adelaide 36ers (ESPN or Kayo Sports)

SATURDAY

06:00 - Rugby World Cup - France v Italy (Stan Sport)

06:00 - Super League Semi-Final - Catalans Dragons v St Helens (Fox League)

07:00 - PGA TOUR - Sanderson Farms Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

10:30 - Sheffield Shield Group Game - New South Wales Blues v Queensland Bulls (Kayo Sports)

13:30 - Sheffield Shield Group Game - Western Australia v Victoria (Kayo Sports)

14:35 - NPC Quarter-Final - Wellington Lions v Waikato (Stan Sport)

16:00 - World Cup Group Match - Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Fox Cricket )

17:05 - Bathurst 1000 Top 10 Shootout, Round 10 (Channel 7, Fox Sports )

17:05 - NPC Quarter-Final - Taranaki v Tasman Mako (Stan Sport)

17:30 - NBL Regular Season - Illawarra Hawks v South East Melbourne Phoenix (ESPN or Kayo Sports)

18:00 - Spring Series - Western Force v Cheetahs (Stan Sport)

18:30 - Cricket World Cup Group Match - Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Fox Sports)

19:30 - Cricket World Cup Group Match - South Africa v Sri Lanka (Fox Cricket)

19:45 - Australia Cup Final - Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar (Channel 10)

20:00 - NBL Regular Season - Brisbane Bullets v Cairns Taipans (ESPN or Kayo Sports)

22:30 - Premier League - Luton Town v Tottenham (Optus Sport 1)

22:45 - Super League Semi-Final - Wigan Warriors v Hull Kingston Rovers (Fox League)

23:00 - Spanish La Liga - Cadiz CF v Girona (Optus Sport 2)

SUNDAY

00:00 - Rugby World Cup - Wales v Georgia (Stan Sport)

01:00 - Premier League - Fulham v Sheffield United (Optus Sport 6)

01:00 - Premier League - Manchester United v Brentford (Optus Sport 3)

01:00 - Premier League - Everton v Bournemouth (Optus Sport 5)

01:00 - Premier League - Burnley v Chelsea (Optus Sport 4)

01:15 - Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid v Osasuna (Optus Sport 2)

02:45 - Rugby World Cup - England v Samoa (Stan Sport)

03:30 - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest (Optus Sport 1)

03:30 - Spanish La Liga - RCD Mallorca v Valencia (Optus Sport 2)

06:00 - Rugby World Cup Pool Game - Ireland v Scotland (Stan Sport)

07:00 - PGA TOUR - Sanderson Farms Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports )

08:00 - Bathurst 1000 Warm Up, Round 10 (Channel 7, Fox Sports )

10:30 - Marsh One-Day Cup Group Game - South Australia Redbacks v Tasmania Tigers (Kayo Sports)

10:35 - Women's ODI Series - Australia v West Indies (Fox Cricket or 7mate)

11:15 - Bathurst 1000 Race, Round 10 (Channel 7, Fox Sports )

12:05 - NPC Quarter-Final - Bay of Plenty v Hawke's Bay (Stan Sport)

14:00 - NBL - Melbourne United v Tasmania JackJumpers (10 Peach, ESPN or Kayo Sports)

16:00 - NBL - Sydney Kings v Adelaide 36ers (10 Peach, ESPN or Kayo Sports)

19:30 - Cricket World Cup - India v Australia (Channel 9, Fox Cricket )

22:00 - Rugby World Cup Pool Game - Japan v Argentina (Stan Sport)