Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest- Ryan Fox revealed a missed cut last week may have been the key to his success as he carded a 69 on day two to open up a three-shot lead heading into the weekend at the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

The Kiwi was suffering with back trouble at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship and missed out on the weekend by one shot seven days ago.

A weekend of treatment looks to have done the trick, however, and after an opening 63 in round one of the second consecutive event at Al Hamra Golf Club, he moved to 12 under on day two to lead the way from Oliver Bekker - who carded a course-record 62 - two more South Africans in Justin Harding and Zander Lombard, Italy's Francesco Laporta, Spaniard Pablo Larrazábal and Australian Jason Scrivener.

A 2016 European Challenge Tour graduate, Fox won the 2019 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth but is still seeking a first 72-hole stroke play win on the DP World Tour.

Fox started the day with a two-shot lead and while he made five pars to start his second round, he put approaches to five feet at the sixth and ninth to turn in 34.

He dropped a shot on the 12th but then got up and down from the sand at the driveable par-four 13th, took advantage of the par-five next and put his tee-shot to 14 feet at the 15th for a hat-trick of gains.

Sand off the tee at the 16th led to a bogey but he recovered the shot from 13 feet on the next before finding water on the last for a closing bogey.

Appeal over Russian figure skater's doping suspension

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said it had received applications from the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency appealing a decision to lift Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's doping suspension.

The 15-year-old, who became the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics en route to winning a team figure skating gold with the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on Monday, tested positive for banned heart drug Trimetazidine in a urine sample collected by Russian authorities on 25 December.

However, medals for that event, in which the United States and Japan finished second and third, have yet to be handed out after Olympic officials discovered her positive test.

Russia's own anti-doping agency, RUSADA, had provisionally suspended Valieva after they were informed of the positive test but then lifted the ban a day later, allowing Valieva to continue her participation at the Beijing Games.

CAS said that a panel of arbitrators will be "appointed shortly" to decide the matter and that the date and time of the decision will be announced after a hearing.

CAS's ruling will not only determine if the ROC will be disqualified from the team event, thus losing their gold medal, but also if Valieva will be allowed to compete in the women's individual competition which begins next Tuesday.

Valieva, who is one of the youngest Olympians ever to test positive for a banned substance, skated in practice earlier on Friday.

Russian athletes are already competing in Beijing as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) - without their national flag and anthem - due to past sanctions for state-sponsored doping.

- Reuters

International cricket can return to Headingley after racism scandal

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) lifted an international match ban on Yorkshire County Cricket Club subject to further requirements, in the wake of a racism scandal involving former player Azeem Rafiq.

Yorkshire were barred from hosting any international games after Rafiq, a player of Pakistani descent, alleged last year that he was a victim of institutional racism at the club.

The explosive allegations led to a number of resignations at Yorkshire CCC, with Kamlesh Patel taking over as chairman from Roger Hutton.

"The ECB lifted the suspension on Yorkshire hosting international and major cricket matches at Headingley. The decision follows a rigorous review of progress made against several criteria set out in November 2021 to tackle racism at the club," the governing body said in a statement.

The ECB added that Yorkshire must "resolve issues relating to rules changes and decisions at the club which have been subject to procedural flaws", along with "amendments to club rules relating to the appointment and operation of the Board".

Headingley is due to host a test against New Zealand in June as well as a one-day international against South Africa in July.

"We have worked night and day to bring about tangible change at Yorkshire, and the removal of the sanctions has validated and reignited our drive for positive progress," added Patel.

- Reuters

Australian shooter Caitlin Bassett retires

Australian champion Caitlin Bassett has announced her retirement from netball.

Bassett, 33, represented her country on 102 occasions, debuting against England in Newcastle in 2008.

The former Australian captain's career highlights include two Netball World Cup victories (2011 and 2015) and a Commonwealth Games gold medal (2014).

A prolific goal shooter, Bassett scored the winning goal in the 2011 Netball World Cup final to secure victory 58-57 against the Silver Ferns.

Bassett began her professional career in her home state of Western Australia with the Perth Orioles then the West Coast Fever from 2005 to 2016.

She joined the Sunshine Coast Lightning in 2017, where she was a critical attacking player in a successful era, winning consecutive premierships and capping off the 2018 title with an MVP performance in the Grand Final against her former club the Fever.

From 2019 to 2020 Bassett signed with Sydney-based GIANTS Netball, before playing for the Waikato Bay Plenty of Magic for the 2021 ANZ Premiership season.

Australian Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich, who also coached Bassett at West Coast Fever, said she is a champion of the game.

"Caitlin's accuracy under extreme pressure, her ability to position under the most physical pressure and her passion for the game made her a major asset to the Diamonds and a threat to all opposition teams."

Black Caps captain wants answers

Kane Williamson is so tired of dealing with an injured elbow that at times he wants to "cut it off", the frustrated New Zealand cricket captain said.

The 31-year-old has been battling a tendon injury in his left elbow over the last 15 months and will sit out the two-test series against South Africa, which begins in Christchurch next week.

It kept him out of a test match in India in December and the home series against Bangladesh, and his frustration was palpable as he shared his thoughts on the long-standing issue.

"Cut it off ... I've thought about that a few times," Williamson told reporters after the medical team shot down his idea of playing the home series against South Africa.

"Everyone seems to have a different story with this sort of injury, so I was certainly hopeful. But not to be, and it's a tough pill to swallow, to be honest," said the batsman.

Williamson has reached out to India great Sachin Tendulkar and Australia's Steve Smith to find out how they overcame their tennis elbow injuries, but is still looking for an answer.

"I've heard a number of stories of people who have got through it, and those were certainly encouraging at the start. I'm just really curious about my end point," he said. "But everyone has been pretty unanimous that there will be one, but it's just putting in the time and effort to basically seeing the back of it."

Williamson is doing light batting sessions every couple of days as part of his rehabilitation and does not require pain medicines.

Coach Gary Stead has brushed off concerns that the batsman could be permanently plagued by the injury.

Williamson is now eyeing a return ahead of next month's limited-overs home series against the Netherlands followed by the Indian Premier League with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

- Reuters

West Ham stand by Kurt Zouma

West Ham United coach David Moyes said disgraced Kurt Zouma remains available to play against Leicester City in the Premier League at the weekend, despite further action being taken after a video emerged showing the defender abusing his pet cats.

Animal charity the RSPCA have taken Zouma's cats into their care after a video filmed by Zouma's brother Yoan and posted on social media showing the West Ham defender dropping a tabby cat and kicking it across the floor went viral.

Zouma was picked for West Ham's midweek Premier League clash with Watford - to widespread condemnation - but Moyes insisted that any reaction to the defender's inclusion will not affect his thinking ahead of the weekend.

"He is available to play," Moyes said. "There are different views whether he should be available. We decided he should. I stand by that.

"I'd say right away that we're completely upset by it as well. There's nobody more disappointed than me or the club itself.

"For the West Ham supporters disappointed by it, I've got to say we're really disappointed by it as well. We're making sure animal charities will benefit from it. It's a terrible situation, nobody's hiding it, but we are trying to make some good come from bad."

Calls for Zouma to be sacked grew after Moyes selected him for the1-0 win over Watford, with another club sponsor, Experience Kissimmee, saying it has ended its sponsorship after learning that the player had started the game.

An online petition to have Zouma prosecuted has been signed by over 310,000 people, while the player's brother Yoan has been dropped by his fifth-tier club Dagenham & Redbridge.

- Reuters

Hazelwood guides Australia to victory

Paceman Josh Hazlewood claimed career-best Twenty20 international figures of 4-12 to guide Australia to a 20 run victory against Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, in the rain-affected opener of the five-match series.

Australia comfortably defended a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern adjusted target score of 143, with spinner Adam Zampa (3-18) inflicting early damage before Hazlewood iced the game with late wickets.

The tourists ended on 122-8 after 19 overs, with the chase reduced after rain interrupted in the 15th over.

The Sri Lankans struggled to adjust to the pace of the wicket, with opener Pathum Nissanka (36) making the only meaningful contribution before being caught off Zampa.

The hosts have experienced a tumultuous month in which the men's team went from winning the Ashes to unceremoniously parting ways with head coach Justin Langer, who resigned citing a lack of support from senior players.

The second match, on Sunday, will also be played in Sydney before the series moves to Canberra and Melbourne.

- Reuters