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🏏 The Big Bash League returns for its 14th Season

Australia’s summer staple, the Big Bash League (BBL), is back for its 14th edition, running from 15 December to 27 January. With eight teams competing over six weeks, the tournament promises thrilling action featuring top Australian and international T20 players.

The tournament kicks off in Perth with the Scorchers facing the Melbourne Stars. Matches will be played daily across Australia, excluding 24 and 25 December. The group stage concludes on 19 January, followed by a knockout series that culminates in the final on 27 January.

This season retains the shorter format introduced last year, addressing concerns over the previous schedule’s length. Each team plays 10 group matches—against three teams twice and four teams once—before the top four progress to the knockouts. The Qualifier, Knockout, and Challenger rounds will determine the finalists.

Defending champions Brisbane Heat, led by Usman Khawaja, aim to repeat last season’s success under new coach Johan Botha. Five-time champions Perth Scorchers remain the team to beat, while Tim Paine takes charge of the Adelaide Strikers.

With 44 matches featuring electrifying talent, the 2024 BBL promises to deliver another unforgettable summer of cricket.

🏏 The Brisbane Test begins Saturday, with the series tied at 1-1.

Hazlewood Targets Brisbane Return Amid Marsh’s Adelaide Blunder

Josh Hazlewood ramped up his Brisbane Test bid with a full-run session at Allan Border Field, recovering from the side strain that ruled him out in Adelaide. The 32-year-old bowled alongside Mitchell Starc under the watchful eye of bowling coach Dan Vettori.

"Josh is a level character," said Mitch Marsh. "He’ll do everything to be ready, but selectors have the final call."

Hazlewood’s fitness test left Australia’s batters without practice against the potential new-ball pair. If fit, he’s likely to replace Scott Boland despite Boland’s five-wicket haul in Adelaide.

Marsh also reflected on his dismissal blunder in Adelaide, walking without consulting Travis Head despite replays showing no edge. "I had a ‘mare," Marsh admitted. "The replay came up, and the head went into the hands. My bad."

Battling a back niggle, Marsh assured reporters he’s ready for Jasprit Bumrah in Brisbane. "Against the best bowler in the world, you’ve got to apply pressure your way," he said, emphasizing Australia’s approach against India’s attack.

👨‍🌾 The Wicket: The Gabba's curator has handed Australia the best possible news ahead of the third Test, predicting a return to the pre-Christmas window usually bringing with it more life and bounce.

👀 India watch: Injury doubt Jasprit Bumrah got through 30 minutes of bowling unscathed, while Rohit Sharma showed signs he could open the batting.

🥊 Tim Tszyu has apologised to Australia for his shock world title defeat and says he wants to reconnect with his Aussie fans before launching another mission to climb boxing’s mountain.

Tszyu has kept a low profile since the second loss of his career, but has a simple message for Australia. 

“I let a lot of people down,” he said. 

“We’re all in this journey together, and so many people are invested in me emotionally and it was such a let down on my behalf.”

“No technology, no stats, no numbers. Just pure grind. That’s what I want to do at the start of next year.”

🏉 icymi: A team from Papua New Guinea will enter the NRL from 2028 after officially being granted a licence by the league.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape met in Sydney on Thursday to shake hands over the deal, the culmination of two years of planning.

The as-yet-unnamed team is seen as key diplomatic tool for Australia to strengthen ties in the hotly-contested Pacific, and will cost the Australian taxpayer $600 million over 10 years.

It will be either the NRL's 18th or 19th franchise, pending further expansion plans into Perth.

Players will be granted tax incentives to relocate to PNG, and will live in a secure compound in Port Moresby to be organised and funded by the PNG Government.

Initial estimates suggest that players will therefore be able to pocket almost double the amount of money they would on the same salary in Australia.

The 10-year deal with the Australian government will commence now and run until the end of 2034.

⚽️ Euro Football: Man UNited moved up to fifth in the Europa League table, with a big 2-1 comeback win vs Viktoria Plzeň.

Hojlund scores twice for Red Devils after Vydra capitalised on Onana howler

Former Barcelona youngster Marc Guiu caught the eye as he helped fire Chelsea into the knockout stage of the Uefa Conference League with a 3-1 victory against Astana in Kazakhstan.

🏈 Legendary American football coach Bill Belichick has returned to the game after a year out but not as a coach in the NFL.

The 72-year-old, who won a record six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, has become head coach of the University of North Carolina.

Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels programme that has not won a conference title since 1980.

🏟️ Some of the stadiums [yet to be built]for the Saudi Arabia hosted World Cup in 2034 look insane!!

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium is to be built on top of a cliff, some 200 metres above ground, and is set to have a capacity of 46,979 ⬇️

As was the case with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 2034 edition, may need to be a winter tournament for temperatures to be cool enough.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host the 2030 men's World Cup - but the opening matches will be held in South America to mark the centenary of the Fifa World Cup.

🏏 Stokes Admits Ashes Focus Needs Adjustment

England captain Ben Stokes concedes he placed "too much emphasis" on next year’s Ashes in Australia and plans to "tone down expectations" moving forward.

"In interviews in the summer and stuff like that a lot was pointed towards the Ashes, which was a long way away," Stokes admitted. "You do always have one eye on that but we have six more Tests before that... when the Ashes is our next series, then we will focus on it."

England, aiming for a 3-0 series sweep in New Zealand, to close their record-breaking 17-Test year.

🇰🇷 Only in South Korea: Netflix series "Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die" features 8 vs 8 scrum battle contest between each team (best of 3 with the defensive scrum winning if it holds out for 20 seconds)!

🏍️ MotoGP Set for Brazilian Return in 2026

MotoGP will race in Brazil for the first time in over 20 years, with Goiania’s Ayrton Senna circuit hosting from 2026 to 2030 under a new five-year deal.

"Brazil is a global player and somewhere we have always believed deserves a space on our calendar," said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports.

The move underscores MotoGP’s focus on South America, with Argentina already on the 2025 schedule. Brazil last hosted MotoGP in Rio de Janeiro from 1995 to 2004.

❤️ A body has been found in the search for former England rugby international Tom Voyce, who went missing in an area flooded during Storm Darragh.

Formal identification is yet to take place, but Mr Voyce's next of kin have been notified. 

Concerns were raised after Mr Voyce, who was capped nine times for England from 2001 until 2006, had not returned home from being out with friends on Saturday evening.

🏀 As the Golden State Warriors search for another superstar to pair with Steph Curry, they reportedly have two big names on their radar — LeBron James and Jimmy Butler. 

Talk surrounding the future of James and what’s next for the four-time MVP seemingly won’t go away.

Bucks v Hawks & Thunder v Rockets are the two semi finals of the NBA Cup in Vegas, to be played out over the weekend, with the final on Thursday 00:30 AEDT.

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TODAY

07:00 - UEFA Europa League Group Stage - Ajax Amsterdam v Lazio (Stan Sport App)

12:15 - NFL - San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Rams (ESPN)

14:00 - NHL - Seattle Kraken v Boston Bruins (ESPN 2)

19:30 - NBL - Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks (ESPN)

19:35 - A-League Men - Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United (Paramount+)

SATURDAY

03:00 - T20 Series - South Africa v Pakistan (Fox Cricket)

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v England (Fox Sports)

11:00 - NHL - Carolina Hurricanes v Ottawa Senators (ESPN)

11:20 - Test Match - Australia v India (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)

15:00 - A-League Men - Wellington Phoenix v Macarthur FC Bulls (Paramount+)

17:00 - A-League Men - Sydney FC v Western United (10 Bold)

17:30 - NBL - Adelaide 36ers v New Zealand Breakers (ESPN)

20:00 - NBL - Cairns Taipans v Perth Wildcats (ESPN)

SUNDAY 

02:00 - Premier League - Liverpool v Fulham (Optus Sport)

02:00 - Premier League - Arsenal v Everton (Optus Sport)

02:00 - Premier League - Newcastle United v Leicester City (Optus Sport)

03:00 - T20 Series - South Africa v Pakistan (Fox Cricket)

04:30 - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (Optus Sport)

08:30 - NBA Cup Semi-Final - Milwaukee Bucks v Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v England (Fox Sports)

11:20 - Test Match - Australia v India (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)

12:30 - NBA Cup Semi-Final - Oklahoma City Thunder v Houston Rockets (ESPN)

14:30 - NBL - South East Melbourne Phoenix v Melbourne United (Channel 10)

16:30 - NBL - Sydney Kings v Brisbane Bullets (10 Bold)

17:00 - A-League Men - Melbourne City v Auckland FC (Paramount+)

19:15 - Big Bash League - Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars (Channel 7, Fox Cricket)