Latest - The Wellington Blaze have completed a dominant Super Smash competition with a convincing 75 run win over the Otago Sparks in the final in Hamilton.
Sophie Devine Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Blaze went through the season unbeaten.
After winning the toss Wellington decided to bat first and made 175-4 in their 20 overs.
Sophie Devine scored 92 from 62 balls, while captain Maddie Green scored 55 from 35 balls.
In reply Otago lost the competitions leading run-scorer Suzie Bates in the second over.
They then lost regular wickets before being bowled out for 100 in the 18th over.
Katey Martin and Eden Black top scored with 16 each, while Leigh Kasperek took three wickets for Wellington.
It is Wellington's seveth title.
Northern Brave and Canterbury Kings meet in the men's final later on Saturday.
Ko clings to share of lead in Florida
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko has a share of the lead after the second round of the latest LPGA tournament in Florida.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ko couldn't match her first round nine under par 63 which had given her a two shot lead over American Danielle Kang.
Scoring was tougher on day two with world number three Ko completing a two under par 70, while Kang went two shots better to join her at the top of the leaderboard at the Gainbridge tournament.
The pair have a four shot lead.
Kang won last week's season opening tournament.
Ryan Fox has just made the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic, he's tied for 65th, 12 shots off the lead.
However Danny Lee missed the cut at the PGA event in San Diego.
Fury-Whyte deal done
British boxing promoter Frank Warren has paid the highest purse bid in boxing history for the Tyson Fury-Dillian Whyte heavyweight bout.
Warren's Queensbury Promotions paid $63 million for the fight, $14 million more than Matchroom Boxing's offer.
Whyte will now challenge for a world title for the first time in his career against the undefeated Fury.
The fight is reportedly being targeted for April 23 in the U.K.
Fury won the WBC belt with a victory over American Deontay Wilder in 2020 and then retained it in a rematch last year.
"I can't wait to punch Dillian Whyte's face right in, mate," Fury, said in an Instagram video. "I'm going to give him the best hiding he's ever had in his life. Dillian Whyte, train hard, sucker, because you're getting annihilated, bum."
There had been attempted negotiations to have Whyte and Anthony Joshua step aside to allow Fury to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
It is now expected that Joshua will fight Usyk in a rematch for the IBF, WBA and WBO belts
Cairns leaves hospital
Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns has left Canberra Hospital after 141 days as an inpatient recovering from a spinal stroke.
Cairns suffered the stroke following life-saving treatment for a torn artery in August.
The stroke left the 51-year-old paralysed from the waist down, but since then he has been working on walking again.
Cairns played 62 tests, 215 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches for New Zealand between 1989-2006.
On Twitter he thanks the hospital staff and was looking forward to head home.
However he admitted he still has a los of work to do as an out patient.
After retiring from international cricket he was accused of involvement in matchfixing in India while captaining the Chandigarh Lions in the defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008.
He denied wrongdoing and fought several legal battles to clear his name, winning a libel case against former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi in 2012.
In 2015, Cairns was cleared of perjury in relation to the libel case after being charged by Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, with two of his former team mates, Brendon McCullum and Lou Vincent, testified against him.
All Whites beaten
The All Whites have lost 3-1 to Jordan in Abu Dhabi ending a three-match winning streak for the football side.
Chris Wood Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Captain Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot on the half hour mark but the All Whites struggled to make any more chances in front of goal.
Ali Olwan scored both of Jordan's goals.
New Zealand goalkeeper Michael Woud, who took his place between the sticks when a positive Covid-19 test ruled regular keeper Stefan Marinovic out of contention, couldn't keep the world number 90 ranked side from scoring with ease.
New Zealand's next game is against Uzbekistan on Wednesday.
Corey Peters medals at Super G World Cup
New Plymouth sit skier Corey Peters has finished in third place at the Super G World Cup in Sweden.
![Podium at the Super G World Cup [L-R] Andrew Kurka (USA), Jesper Pedersen (NOR) Corey Peters (NZL).](https://media.rnztools.nz/rnz/image/upload/s--AeLuxqan--/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto,w_576/v1644551268/4LX7HL5_copyright_image_285300?_a=BACCd2AD)
Andrew Kurka (USA), Jesper Pedersen (NOR) Corey Peters (NZL). Photo: Julie Porteous
Due to the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic this is the first Super-G start gate that Corey has been in since February 2019.
"For me I think speed is about being comfortable with it, and the only way to get comfortable with it is constantly training it and constantly racing it. There was definitely some anxiety coming into today, but now a sense of success, and a good feeling to know that after so long out of the game I can still come away with a podium," Peters said.
Peters finished +2.19 behind the leader in the men's sitting category.
"I attacked the top of the course, but unfortunately six gates from the finish I made quite a big mistake which cost me quite a bit of time and potentially a better place on the podium. All in all it was a great day to blow the cobwebs out and continue that preparation for Beijing. For me that is the one that I am eyeing to get on the top step, that's the pinnacle for me this season."
Norway's Jesper Pedersen took the win with Andrew Kurka (USA) finishing in second place.
Toffees go for Lampard
Everton have offered their vacant managerial position to former England midfielder Frank Lampard.
Lampard, 43, has been out of work for a year after being sacked as Chelsea manager last January, leaving the Blues after 18 months in charge.
Portuguese Vitor Pereira and caretaker Duncan Ferguson also had their second interviews for the job today, but the club decided to move for Lampard.
Rafael Benitez was sacked after winning just one of his last 13 games.
The former Liverpool manager lasted less than seven months and a side lacking in confidence lies 16th in the Premier League, just six points above the relegation zone.
Pereira initially looked set to be offered the job after holding "very positive" talks and said club officials were "enthusiastic of what I proposed to them".
But graffiti daubed on Everton's Goodison Park home this week opposed the move and read 'Pereira out, Lampard in'.
-BBC
Perth Scorchers win fourth Big Bash League title
A spectacular knock by Laurie Evans propelled the Perth Scorchers to claim a record fourth Big Bash League title, defeating Sydney Sixers by 79 runs in the final at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.
Thanks to an unbeaten 76 by Evans, the Scorchers amassed 171-6 before comfortably defending the total with veteran seamer Andrew Tye taking three wickets to ensure the target was never threatened.
The Scorchers were reduced to 25-4 after being sent in to bat, with spinner Nathan Lyon (2-24) taking the prized wickets of Mitchell Marsh and New Zealander Colin Munro, who both departed in single digits.
A 104-run partnership between Evans, whose 41-ball knock included four sixes, and Turner (54) restored order to the innings.
In reply, the Sixers lost wickets at regular intervals as pacers Tye (3-15) and Jhye Richardson (2-20) inflicted maximum damage and caused the required run-rate to steadily climb.
Batsman Daniel Hughes, returning from an ankle injury but still visibly restricted, top-scored with 42 before being run-out by Marsh, triggering a collapse which resulted in the side being bowled out for 92.
The loss ends a horror week for the Sydney side, during which batsman Steve Smith's request to play as a Covid-19 replacement was rejected by league organisers after the squad was decimated by injury and illness.
- Reuters
Former Zimbabwe captain banned
Former Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor has been banned from all cricket for three and a half years after admitting he received a $15,000 "deposit" for spot-fixing, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
Brendan Taylor Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Taylor said he was blackmailed and never went through with the arrangement and that he was coerced into accepting the money from an Indian businessman in October 2019.
Spot-fixing refers to manipulation of part of a game to deliver a given outcome for betting purposes.
The 35-year-old added that it took him four months to report the incident to the ICC anti-corruption unit because he feared for his safety.
In addition to four breaches of the ICC anti-corruption code, Taylor was also charged with breaching the anti-doping code after testing positive for the stimulant benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, in an in-competition test conducted on 8 September 2021.
"Brendan is a former international captain who represented Zimbabwe for 17 years," ICC integrity unit general manager Alex Marshall said.
"Over such a long career, he participated in numerous anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping Codes.
"It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations, however he has accepted all charges, which has been reflected in the sanction."
Taylor, who played for Zimbabwe in 34 tests, 205 one-dayers and 45 T20s, retired from international cricket in September.
- Reuters
Tonga out of World Cup qualifiers
The devastating impacts of this month's natural disaster in Tonga has resulted in Tonga withdrawing from taking part in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 OFC preliminary competition.
Photo: Oceania Football Confederation
The large volcanic eruption and tsunami which struck on 15 January has caused widespread damage across much of Tonga and impacted over 80 percent of the population.
Tonga had been set to playoff against the Cook Islands in a single-leg qualifying match to decide who earned the right to contest Group A at the tournament in Qatar, from which Oceania's representative for the intercontinental playoff will be found.
New Zealand is also vying to represent Oceania in the intercontinental playoff.
