🗞️ Kissed by Lady Luck

🏏 While Australia's men's team coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed there won't be a player cull following the 295-run loss to India, he's conceded fitness doubts remain over allrounder Mitchell Marsh's capacity to bowl.

"The people in that changeroom (for Perth Test) are the same people that will be in Adelaide," McDonald said.

The only additional top-order candidate in the Australia squad for the Perth Test was uncapped keeper-batter Josh Inglis who could be deployed as a specialist bat should selectors dictate.

That would leave the auxiliary bowling responsibilities to Labuschagne, Head and part-time spinner Nathan McSweeny (in his second Test) in Marsh's absence.

History suggests the need for a fifth bowler or beyond is minimal for pink ball Tests played at Adelaide Oval.

⛳️ The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open will take place on Thursday, hosted at Kingston Heath Golf Club and The Victoria Golf Club, two renowned Sandbelt courses.

The unique event combines men's, women's, and all-abilities competitions.

Defending champion Joaquín Niemann ($5.5) leads the field, while Australian stars Cameron Smith ($8), Min Woo Lee ($10), Marc Leishman ($12), and last week’s winner Elvis Smylie ($46) aim to secure a win on home soil, leveraging their familiarity with the challenging terrain. Emerging talents like Harry Higgs ($81.0) and Harrison Crowe ($251) also provide intriguing underdog potential in what promises to be a thrilling tournament.

🏀 One spectator has received a lifetime ban and another fan has copped a 10-year ban from all NBL matches at all venues after the integrity unit completed its investigation into an ugly incident involving players and members of the crowd at a match earlier this month. 

As a result of the incident, 36ers star Montrezl Harrell was suspended for three games and fined $3685 after the single member tribunal upheld two charges of striking ($1550 fine each), a charge of engaging in a melee ($585 fine) and a charge of inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator.

Teammate Kendric Davis was also suspended for two matches for inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator.

🏏 Sheffield Shield: Cam Bancroft’s first century of the season - After failing to pass 16 runs in his 11 previous red-ball innings - wasn't enough to help his side to maximum points against South Australia - Match Drawn.

Campbell Kellaway scored his maiden Sheffield Shield century to put Victoria in the box seat of their pink-ball clash with Queensland at the Gabba.

Queensland went to stumps on day three struggling at 3-58 chasing 329 for victory. 

Tasmania are eying their first victory and will consider a sporting declaration on day four after taking a 252-run lead over NSW to stumps, with 6 wickets in hand.

Hunt Returns

✍🏼 Ben Hunt has officially signed with the Broncos on a two-year deal, capping off a shock full-circle moment for the veteran playmaker.

Following a messy contract saga after their 2024 campaign fell in a heap, Hunt was granted a release from the final year of his deal at St George Illawarra earlier this month.

The representative star reportedly phoned Michael Maguire on Tuesday to confirm he'd be joining the Broncos on contract worth an estimated $600,000 per season.

"I've been away for seven years but I've watched every single Broncos game since I've been away - I never thought this would happen, so I'm pretty excited.” - Hunt

MARNUS IS TAKING HEAT!

Marnus Labuschagne has faced significant criticism after his side's opening-Test defeat against India in Perth.

The 30-year-old managed just five runs in the match, which is consistent with a negative trend over the past two years.

His dismissal in the second innings - attempting to leave a ball that came back in and trapped him lbw - has been described as "inexplicable".

His latest failures led Australian sports website CODE to suggest, Labuschagne was "kissed by lady luck" at the start of his career and that he has "ruined himself".

Some stats for your coffee-break: In the opening phase he averaged 54.77 against good-length deliveries from seamers.

That was the third-highest of any Test batter in that period after New Zealand duo Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls (minimum 500 good-length balls).

But since that South Africa series began, Labuschagne has averaged 15.33 against good-length deliveries, which is the third-lowest against that particular length (minimum 300 good-length balls).

He is also more vulnerable to balls in the channel outside off stump. In the first period, he averaged a world-leading 78.55, but that has dropped to 17.50 - the lowest in the world.

⛳️ Rory McIlroy, Scheffler and Xander Schauffele have been nominated for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.

McIlroy won the Zurich Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship in a strong and consistent year on the circuit that included seven top 10s and only one missed cut in 19 events.

American Schauffele won the US PGA Championship and The Open - the first two majors of his career, and did not miss a cut in 22 PGA Tour events, recording 15 top-10 finishes.

Scheffler won seven of the 19 Tour events he entered, including his second major at the Masters in April.

The American, 28, also claimed gold at the Paris Olympics and was the FedEx Cup winner.

The Player of the Year, which is voted for by fellow PGA Tour members, will receive the Jack Nicklaus Award.

The four nominees for the Arnold Palmer Award, presented to the rookie of the year, are Nick Dunlap, Max Greyserman, Jake Knapp and Matthieu Pavon

⚽️ EPL Whispers: Manchester United are keen on Wolves wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, but face competition for Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku, Newcastle may need to sell before pursuing move for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo.

🏈 Aaron Rodgers disputed a report that said he wants to continue his NFL career in 2025 on a team other than the New York Jets.

"... I don't even know if I want to play yet, but New York would be my first option."

🏏 The West Indies' domestic one-day tournament ended without a winner after neither captain turned up for the toss, resulting in a double forfeit.

Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions were scheduled to contest the final of the Super50 Cup on Sunday in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

Bad weather reduced the scheduled 50-over game to a 20-over match, but with neither side taking the field for the delayed start, the final was abandoned.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) said, external no winner would be declared and they would now review tournament regulations to avoid a repeat.

🏏 Ivory Coast claimed the unwanted record of lowest score in men’s T20I history, bowled out for 7 during Sunday’s T20 World Cup regional qualifier against Nigeria in Lagos.

Chasing a 272-run target for victory at Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval, the hosts were rolled for 7 in 7.3 overs, becoming the first nation in men’s T20Is to record a single-digit total.

📸 Photo of the week: An athlete trains before the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup on day 18 of the Neom Beach Games in Saudi Arabia, on 19 November.

🏀 After his Denver Nuggets "got embarrassed" in a 145-118 blowout loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night, coach Michael Malone was adamant this is one game that he won't be "flushing."

"F--- that man, no. No, we're not flushing," Malone said in response to a reporter's question. "You don't flush when you get embarrassed, you don't flush when you gave up 145 points, you don't flush when you didn't play hard, didn't play with effort, physicality, I'm not flushing anything."

*In the NBA, "flushing" a game is a term that refers to not acknowledging a loss after a blowout or embarrassing defeat

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TODAY 

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Feyenoord - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Barcelona v Stade Brestois 29 - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v RB Leipzig - Stan Sport App

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - NSW Men v Tasmania Tigers Men - Kayo Sports

11:30 - NBA Cup - Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks - ESPN

13:00 - Men's NCAA - Kansas Jayhawks v Duke Blue Devils - ESPN 2

14:00 - NBA Cup - Phoenix Suns v Los Angeles Lakers - ESPN

15:00 - Sheffield Shield - Queensland Bulls v Victoria Men - Kayo Sports

18:30 - Test Match - South Africa v Sri Lanka - Fox Sports

THURSDAY 

04:00 - Men's NCAA - Indiana Hoosiers v Louisville Cardinals - ESPN

06:30 - Men's NCAA - Gonzaga Bulldogs v West Virginia Mountaineers - ESPN

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Aston Villa v Juventus - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - AS Monaco v Benfica - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - PSV Eindhoven v Shakhtar Donetsk - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Liverpool v Real Madrid - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Celtic v Club Brugge - Stan Sport App

07:00 - UEFA Champions League - Bologna v Lille OSC - Stan Sport App

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v England - Fox Cricket

09:00 - Men's NCAA - Providence Friars v Oklahoma Sooners - ESPN 2

11:30 - NHL - New York Islanders v Boston Bruins - ESPN 2

11:30 - NBA - Dallas Mavericks v New York Knicks - ESPN

12:00 - PGA Tour of Australasia - Australian Open, Round 1 - Fox Sports

14:00 - NHL - Colorado Avalanche v Vegas Golden Knights - ESPN 2

14:00 - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder - ESPN

18:30 - Test Match - South Africa v Sri Lanka - Fox Cricket

19:30 - NBL - Illawarra Hawks v New Zealand Breakers - ESPN

21:00 - Women's Friendly - Australia v Brazil - Channel 10