G'day sports fans,

🗣 Steve Smith - “This morning Marn was complaining about getting chainsawed. Anrich’s ball that got him out kicked up a bit and he got chainsawed,” Smith laughed.

“So I said to him, ‘I thought you were out caught on about 70 anyway, so you’ll be alright, no worries.’

“He goes, ‘Stop being so negative, Steve. I hope you get chainsawed today,’

“So I said, ‘Alright, when I get 100, I’ll reference the chainsaw.’”

🇦🇺 Aussie Sport

🏏 Usman Khawaja moved to the brink of completing a maiden Test double-century as Australia dominated South Africa on day two of the final Test.

The 36-year-old had reached a career-best 195 not out when rain stopped play at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Khawaja's previous highest score was 174 against New Zealand in Brisbane in 2015

Steve Smith scored 104 before tea, becoming the 14th player to record 30 Test centuries, surpassing Sir Donald Bradman's Test century tally of 29 (albeit in 40 matches less).

Travis Head raced to 70 from 59 balls after the break to further dash the visitors' hopes.

Australia v South Africa, third Test, Sydney (day two of five)

• Australia 475-4 Khawaja 195 (not out), Smith 104

• South Africa: Yet to bat

• Australia lead the three-Test series 2-0

🎾 Tennis Australia is standing by its position to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete at this year's Australian Open, despite calls for them to be banned.

Some of the sport's biggest names, including two-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev, would be affected by a ban.

🏉 In an email sent to players on Wednesday, the RLPA said the salary cap announcement had “resulted in great confusion and chaos” among NRL clubs, with the governing body yet to communicate how the salary cap changes were to be implemented.

The email also reinforced that the NRL was irresponsible in announcing the 2023 salary cap before the players agreed to it.

Last month, the NRL announced a 25 percent increase on the 2023 salary cap, set at $12.1 million, up from $9.6 million.

🏏 Set 230 for victory, the Adelaide Strikers pull off a record BBL run chase, as skipper Matt Short scores a scintillating century to guide his side to a seven-wicket triumph over the Hobart Hurricanes.

🐴 "we're going home" - Take a few moments to watch this beautifully shot piece from Liam Howley's team announcing their return to Macedon Lodge following it's recent purchase by Melbourne Businessman Bruce Dixon. ⬇️

🏉 The Wallabies have suffered a blow to their Rugby World Cup plans with assistant coach Scott Wisemantel surprisingly resigning just eight months out from the tournament.

🎾 Novak Djokovic has revealed plans for an exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios in the lead-up to the Australian Open while spilling on the origins of the pair's "bromance."

"We are talking with the Australian Open about doing something in a week before the start of the tournament," Djokovic revealed.

🏏 Former Australia captain Belinda Clark has become the first female cricketer to have a statue cast of her, with a bronze sculpture unveiled at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Clark retired from the sport in 2005 after winning two World Cups.

During her 14-year career, she hit the first double century in a one-day international, smashing 229 not out against Denmark in 1997.

"The sculpture encapsulates being able to have a go," Clark said.

🌍 World Sport

⛳️ Arguably, the most significant year in the history of men's professional golf begins with a star-studded line-up in Hawaii this week.

A mark of how the landscape has altered is that this traditional new year opener on the PGA Tour has attracted eight of the world's top 10 players. The 39-man elite field is playing for $15m.

The Tournament of Champions starts in Kapalua on Thursday and is worth almost double its purse of 12 months ago. top dog Rory McIlroy and LIV golf king Cam Smith are missing from the world's top 10.

• Justin Thomas is going back to using his middle-school putter this week.

• I'm going to have a little tickle on Sunjae Im (on Dabble $21.0)

⚽️ Cristiano Ronaldo will have to wait to make his Al Nassr debut, as he has to complete a two-match ban for slapping a phone out of a fan's hand at Man United.

The likely top pick in this year's NHL draft Connor Bedard, 17, is on fire for Canada in the World Junior Championships, scoring nine goals and 14 assists so far! Could he be the man to save the league?

🎾 The Australian Open is set to be robbed of another major drawcard as officials scramble to determine the playing status – and exact whereabouts – of two-time women’s champion Naomi Osaka.

Without a match in four months, Osaka seems all but sure to miss the Melbourne major, having only just arrived back to her US base this week following a trip through Europe with her partner Cordae.

⚽️ There's long been anecdotal evidence of African players coming to Europe being much older than their passport suggests, and Cameroon's Under-17s face a race against time to field a team after more players failed age tests ordered by president Samuel Eto'o.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker's insistence on using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening saw the squad ravaged at their training camp.

Of the initial 30-member group, 21 failed the tests.

📺 The Netflix trailer for BREAK POINT, the tennis version of the hugely successful F1 Drive to Survive series. Aussie Nick Kyrgios features heavily.

🎾 Novak Djokovic's chances of playing two key tournaments take a blow as the US confirms foreign air travellers will still need to be vaccinated to enter the country for at least the next three months.

🥊 YouTuber Jake Paul has signed a deal to fight in the PFL. He plans to fight twice in 2023 — once in boxing and once in mixed martial arts. He also owns a stake in the League.

⚽️ Manchester United are prepared to offer 4m euros to take Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix on loan for the rest of the season but the Spanish club wants 12-13m euros for the 23-year-old Portugal international. (Relevo - in Spanish)

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📺 Live sport 👇🏼

TODAY

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester City (Optus Sport 1) - Nice little SGM on this one, on Dabble - Haaland the machine!

🏀 07:00 - EuroLeague - KK Partizan v AS Monaco Basket (Fox Sports)

⛳️ 10:00 - PGA TOUR - Tournament of Champions, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🏏 10:30 - Test Match - Australia v South Africa (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)

🏒 11:00 - NHL - Columbus Blue Jackets v Washington Capitals (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - Dallas Mavericks v Boston Celtics (ESPN)

🏏 13:00 - NZ Super Smash - Northern Brave v Otago Volts (Fox Sports)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Clippers (ESPN)

🏒 14:00 - NHL - Vegas Golden Knights v Pittsburgh Penguins (ESPN 2)

🏏 16:00 - Test Match - Pakistan v New Zealand (Fox Sports)

🏏 18:30 - Big Bash League - Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers (Fox Cricket)

🏀 19:30 - NBL - Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks (ESPN)

⚽️ 22:30 - A-League Men - Perth Glory v Western Sydney Wanderers (Paramount+)

SATURDAY

🏉 06:45 - Premiership Rugby - Gloucester Rugby v Saracens (Stan Sport)

🏀 06:45 - EuroLeague - Real Madrid Basketball v Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (Fox Sports)

🏏 10:30 - Test Match - Australia v South Africa (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)

🏒 11:00 - NHL - Washington Capitals v Nashville Predators (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - New Orleans Pelicans v Brooklyn Nets (ESPN)

🏏 11:40 - NZ Super Smash - Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags (Fox Sports)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Phoenix Suns v Miami Heat (ESPN)

14:00 - NHL - Anaheim Ducks v San Jose Sharks (ESPN 2)

⚽️ 17:00 - A-League Men - Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United (Paramount+)

🏀 17:30 - NBL - Tasmania JackJumpers v Melbourne United (ESPN)

🏏 18:05 - Big Bash League - Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 19:45 - A-League Men - Melbourne City v Western United FC (10 Bold or Paramount+)

🏀 20:00 - NBL - Sydney Kings v Perth Wildcats (ESPN)

🏏 21:15 - Big Bash League - Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 23:30 - FA Cup Third Round Proper - Tottenham v Portsmouth (Paramount+)

🏏 00:30 - T20 Series - India v Sri Lanka (Fox Cricket)

SUNDAY

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - A.C. Monza v Inter Milan (beIN SPORTS 3)

🏈 08:30 - NFL - Las Vegas Raiders v Kansas City Chiefs (ESPN)

🏀 10:00 - NBA - San Antonio Spurs v Boston Celtics (ESPN 2)

🏏 10:30 - Test Match - Australia v South Africa (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)

🏈 12:15 - NFL - Jacksonville Jaguars v Tennessee Titans (ESPN)

🏏 12:40 - NZ Super Smash - Auckland Aces v Canterbury Kings (Fox Sports)

🏀 14:00 - NBL - Adelaide 36ers v New Zealand Breakers (10 Peach, ESPN 2)

⚽️ 15:00 - A-League Men - Macarthur FC Bulls v Newcastle Jets (10 Bold or Paramount+)

🏀 16:00 - NBL - Cairns Taipans v South East Melbourne Phoenix (10 Peach, ESPN 2)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League - Sydney Thunder v Sydney Sixers (Fox Cricket or Channel 7)