🗞 Spin to win

December 17, 2019

Morning.

I hope everyone got through their work party relatively unscathed. Just keep your head down for a day or two and it'll all blow over.

In today's edition of SJ;

🏏 The BBL is up and running

🥊Jeff Horn's shot at redemption

⚽️ Pogba's week long hangover

🏏 Cricket

Spin it to win it - BBL is underway

An unbeaten half-century by captain Callum Ferguson has lifted Sydney Thunder to a 29-run win over Brisbane Heat in Tuesday’s Big Bash League season opener.

The 35-year-old got the first chance to wear the Golden Cap as the tournament’s leading run-scorer in the field after belting 73 not out off just 44 balls at the Gabba.

Leg spinner Mitch Swepson was the pick of the bowlers for the Heat with 2-11 but surprisingly only bowled two overs in the Thunder’s innings.

Over $60m was traded on Betfair in the match, Origin was under $5m for context.

He just can’t help himself: KP takes another pot shot at ‘dump’ Brisbane

If he was made of chocolate, he'd eat himself!

Ellyse Perry named ICC women's player of the year, Alyssa Healy wins T20 award

Australia has been well represented in the ICC's annual women's cricket awards, but it is star all-rounder Ellyse Perry who shone brightest, winning the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint medal for women's cricketer of the year. (abc)

⛳️ Australian PGA Championship

On the heels of Tiger Woods and Team USA’s epic comeback to win their eighth straight Cup is the 2019 Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

The tournament, which has a $1.5 million purse, will begin Thursday, Dec. 19 and end Sunday, Dec. 22.

A pair of Australian members of Ernie Els’ International team, Adam Scott (6.5) and two-time defending champion Cameron Smith (7.0), are the biggest names in the field, alongside heavy-hitting youngster Cameron Champ (17.0) and his fellow Americans Stewart Cink and Smylie Kaufman.

🏉 NRL

This Raiders 12 days of Christmas is so good and a must watch guys...

Canberra Raiders have officially won Christmas. 🎁(Turn 🔊 up)

Fox Sports have tallied up teams performances over the last 10 years - How did your team get on?

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have locked in star five-eighth Cody Walker on a two-year contract extension — and now they can set their sights on securing Latrell Mitchell.

🥊 Boxing

"Let's get ready to rummm...."

South African heavyweight champion Ruann Visser (18-2-0) fell through the ropes before the first bell, and his title fight against Tian Fick was called off in Cape Town.

Jeff Horn vs Michael Zerafa 2: Horn responds to 'stressed out' Zerafa

Jeff Horn gets a chance at redemption on Wednesday night (AEDT) in Brisbane as he takes on Michael Zerafa in a bitter middleweight rematch. 

"He's been very disrespectful, but I think that's him as a person to be honest," Horn told (Sporting News). 

"He gets stressed out with the occasion coming up and just spurts rubbish and throws crap on the wall. 

The bad blood between the pair has been simmering since Horn activated a rematch clause in his contract after he was beaten in a ninth round knockout by Zerafa in August. 

The fight is tonight, TV coverage from the Brisbane Convention Centre starts 7pm AEDT, with the main event expected at 9pm.

Elsewhere; Tyson Fury has accepted Anthony Joshua's offer to spar him in preparing for his rematch with Deontay Wilder!

🇺🇸 'Merica

How did he get away with this?

Like something from a classroom chalkboard, ESPN commentator Booger McFarland once again captured the internet’s attention for all the wrong reasons after some analysis took an unexpected turn.

Sports Business Journal has named the NBA’s Golden State Warriors “Franchise of the Decade.”

The backstory: When Kleiner Perkins partner Joe Lacob and a group of investors dropped a shocking $450 million to buy the Warriors in 2010, it was the most anyone had spent for an NBA team. But following a hugely successful decade in which the team won three titles and changed the game of basketball.

Forbes, have the franchise valued at US$3.5Billion

Rookie mistake: NFL rookie D’Andre Walker shocks followers with ludicrous dinner bill (foxsports)

Easy Breesy

⚽️ ICYMI

Mikel Arteta (1.20) is Arsenal's first choice to become Manager and personal terms have been agreed. The final sticking point is agreeing compensation with Man City. If they can’t agree then Vieira is possible.

It's been reported that Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to take on the job at Everton.

Paul Pogba was given permission to attend his brother's wedding this weekend and then missed training with an "illness". Delaying his comeback, following 3 months out with an injury.

🏍 MotoGP

Aprilia MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone provisionally suspended after failing drugs test

Governing body the FIM announced the suspension for the former factory Ducati rider on Tuesday, which comes some four weeks after the 2019 season finale at Valencia.

Today's Sport

🎯 PDC World Darts

⚽️ Bundesliga

⚽️ League Cup - Villa v Liverpool (Liverpool's first of two games in 2 days across two continents)

🏀 NBA

🏏 BBL - Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers

⚽️ El Clásico - Barcelona v Real Madrid (6am Thursday AEDT)

Back on Friday