Minnesota Twins bench coach Mike Bell, the brother of Cincinnati Reds manager David, has died following a short battle with cancer.
The Twins announced Bell's passing aged 46 in a statement on Friday.
Bell, who was appointed to Minnesota's coaching staff prior to the 2020 season, had missed spring training after being diagnosed with kidney cancer earlier this year.
"The Minnesota Twins are devastated by the loss of Mike Bell," a team statement read.
"In his short time with our club, Mike had an indelibly positive impact - not only on the quality of our team on the field, but most importantly upon everyone whom he met.
"Widely respected in our game, all who knew Mike, on and off the field, are better for the experience."
The Twins said "at the request of the Bell family" they would fulfil Friday's preseason game against the Atlanta Braves "in honour of Mike".
As well as being the brother of Reds manager David, Bell was the son of five-time All-Star Buddy and grandson of four-time All-Star Gus.
Bell had a short playing career in Cincinnati before a 13-year association with the Arizona Diamondbacks in a variety of roles.
Wales were crowned Six Nations champions as Scotland denied France with a dramatic long-awaited 27-23 victory in Paris on Friday despite Finn Russell's red card.
Les Bleus had to score four tries or more and win by a margin of at least 21 points to end their 11-year wait for the title, but they were denied in a pulsating final match of the tournament on a rainy evening.
France led 13-10 at half-time courtesy of a Brice Dulin score after Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe's somewhat contentious opening try at the Stade de France.
Damian Penaud scored a classy second France try early in the second half, but David Cherry touched down on the hour mark to put Scotland back in front and leave Les Bleus' title hopes hanging by a thread.
Swan Rebbadj's try gave Fabien Galthie's side the lead once again before Russell, who booted 10 points, was shown a red card for making contact with Dulin's neck with his arm.
France then had Baptiste Serin sent to the sin bin and there was a stunning twist with the clock in the red, as Van der Merwe claimed a decisive double to give Scotland a first win in Paris since 1999.
James Harden has been declared fit to return for the Brooklyn Nets against the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
The nine-time All-Star missed the Nets' previous game at the league-leading Utah Jazz earlier this week due to neck soreness.
Coach Steve Nash said: "It was the smartest and safest decision to protect him from himself and take him out of the lineup, because he's struggling."
Harden was initially listed as questionable for the game in Detroit, but he was later upgraded to available.
The Jazz game was only the second Harden has missed since arriving in Brooklyn from the Houston Rockets, both of which have been lost. He has a 23-7 record in 30 starts for the Nets.
With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the other members of the team's 'big three', enduring extended spells on the sidelines, Harden has been Nash's key man.
He has averaged 25.4 points in 38.5 minutes per game since his trade, as well as 11.5 assists and 8.7 rebounds for 11 triple-doubles.
Brooklyn are 30-15 on the year, third in the East behind the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Virat Kohli had few complaints about India's performance against England on Friday, acknowledging Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow "blew us away".
India set England 337 to win and level the three-match ODI series, a total the tourists sped to carried by Stokes and Bairstow.
While opener Bairstow contributed 124, Stokes stole the show with 99 off just 52 balls - including 49 off the next 11 after reaching his half-century. He has averaged 56.4 over 42 ODI innings since the start of 2017.
The stand of 175 - after Bairstow and Jason Roy had put on 110 for the first wicket - saw England have two hundred partnerships in the same ODI for the first time since the Cricket World Cup in June 2019.
Although Stokes and Bairstow fell in consecutive overs and briefly gave India hope, Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone completed a six-wicket triumph with 39 balls to spare.
"I think we set up quite a decent total on the board," said captain Kohli, who scored 66 and remains one century shy of Sachin Tendulkar's record of 20 in men's ODIs in India.
"But England found a way to get that 100-run partnership and we hardly had any chances come our way.
"I thought they batted brilliantly well tonight. Yes, we did not execute some things as well as we wanted to, but that was some of the most amazing batting that you're going to see while chasing a total.
"You have to give credit where it's due and tonight they totally blew us away with that partnership of Jonny and Ben Stokes.
"We didn't even have a chance, that's how good they were together and they thoroughly deserved to win."
Bairstow has 20 sixes over his past three ODI innings against India and no England batsman has more maximums against them in this format than his 26.
The Yorkshire wicketkeeper was enthused by Kohli's praise, responding: "I'll take that! It's very kind of him to say that.
"He's been one of the best players around the world for a period of time. I'm very pleased, and likewise, pleased to be striking the ball the way I am at the moment."
Bairstow and Roy now have 13 century stands together, the most by an England pairing, while no opening partnership in men's ODIs can top their average of 61.6 (from 20 innings or more).
It is certainly a role Bairstow is enjoying, as he added: "I'm happy. Since opening the batting, I've got 11 [centuries], I think I've only opened 56, 57 times.
"I'm happy with those figures but those figures mean nothing if you don't keep converting them in the future. I'm happy with how I'm playing my cricket at the moment, really enjoying it."
Valtteri Bottas was left "puzzled" by Mercedes' "undriveable" W12 as Max Verstappen set the pace in both practice sessions at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday
Red Bull driver Verstappen topped the timesheets ahead of Mercedes' Bottas in FP1 and McLaren's Lando Norris in FP2 in Sakhir.
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth and third respectively after team principal Toto Wolff said the best the Silver Arrows could hope for would be to match Red Bull's pace.
Bottas said of Mercedes' new car on the eve of qualifying for the first race of 2021: "The last long run we did was pretty inconsistent, and I couldn't really put any laps together, and the car, as I said, felt undriveable at times.
"A bit puzzled, but it's Friday and that's why we practice."
Dutchman Verstappen, who clocked a quickest lap of one minute, 30.847 seconds, knows Red Bull must build on an encouraging start when it really matters.
He said: "I was really happy but tomorrow is again a different day, even more windy, which with these cars is quite more tricky, so again we'll have to try and be on it, but again, a good start to the weekend,
"I was also really [happy] before, but of course, now we have to show what we can do in qualifying."
The drivers had to contend with a sandstorm in practice and face more testing conditions over the weekend, with high winds and temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius forecast.
Verstappen added: "Of course, with the heat, it's not easy to find a really good balance around the whole lap. I think it's a positive day.
"There are still things to look into what we can look better for tomorrow, but again, also tomorrow, I think it's going to be even more windy so that will be even more difficult to drive.
"That's the same for everyone, so we'll see what happens."
Virgil van Dijk will ultimately make the decision on his participation at the upcoming Euros, according to his Netherlands defensive partner Matthijs de Ligt.
Liverpool star Van Dijk has been out since October, with the centre-back having sustained a serious knee injury after a challenge from Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Jurgen Klopp has consistently stressed caution over the return of Van Dijk, who stepped up his rehabilitation at a facility in Dubai before heading back to Merseyside.
It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old will be fit to play again before the season is out, and as such his participation in the Euros is doubtful.
Netherlands boss Frank de Boer claimed in the build-up to Wednesday's defeat to Turkey that Van Dijk had another eight weeks left on his recovery, with the Oranje coach claiming he was not relying on the former Southampton and Celtic man to return in time for the tournament.
De Ligt, however, was less pessimistic, with the Juventus defender revealing Van Dijk is in good spirits, and will return when he feels the time is right.
"We had a meeting yesterday, [Van Dijk] was there too," De Ligt said on Friday.
"He looked very good, he seemed very fresh and free. Of course, I don't know how he feels physically, he doesn't really want to put any pressure on himself either.
"He has a clear mind and looks at it day by day. He is calm and wants to see where he's at, at moment the Euros are starting. I think it's important for him to be calm, and to be able to recuperate from his injury without any pressure from us or from the country.
"He will decide if he will be at the Euros. If he's there, he’s there. If he's not there, other guys will have to fill his shoes. But yesterday he looked well."
With Inter's Stefan de Vrij having contracted coronavirus, De Ligt's former Ajax team-mate Daley Blind partnered the 21-year-old in defence against Turkey.
It was neither of the duo's finest performances, with Burak Yilmaz scoring a hat-trick in a 4-2 win for Netherlands' World Cup qualification rivals.
Asked who he would prefer to have next to him should Van Dijk fail to make the Euros, De Ligt replied: "That's a question that’s not really relevant to me.
"In the end, it's the manager who decides who plays, what we need. In possession, Daley is one of the best defenders I have ever played with.
"Stefan plays in Italy, is more physical and is stronger than Daley. So it might also depend on our opponents. We also have Nathan Ake and other guys. There are enough options.
"I might not even be playing. That's something the manager decides, that depends on the game. We simply have to respect the manager's decisions."
Chris Gunter has been lauded as "a manager's dream" by Wales caretaker boss Robert Page ahead of the full-back winning his 100th international cap.
Charlton Athletic defender Gunter will bring up the landmark when Wales take on Mexico in a friendly at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.
Gunter is the first Welshman to achieve the feat, and will be six clear of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who is next on the list of Wales' most-capped players, ahead of Neville Southall (92) and Gareth Bale (87).
The 31-year-old made his debut in 2007, and Page, who is standing in as Wales boss due to Ryan Giggs' suspension, was full of praise for Gunter.
"I keep saying that every time I work with him, I'm more impressed," said Page.
"He's a model professional, he is a manager's dream. He just gets on with his work, he trains as he plays and he's thoroughly deserved his 100 caps and all the credit he's going to get from having achieved that.
"Good people in the game, you want to see them do well and he's certainly one of them."
For his part, Gunter said it was difficult to describe the emotion of his achievement.
"It's tough to put into words. If you asked me potentially afterwards then there might be something a bit more emotional," he said.
"I'm very proud, it means the world to me to represent the country and do what I know so many people would love to do.
"It's something you never take for granted. You've given your life to hopefully performing for your country."
The omens for Gunter marking the milestone with a win are not great, however. This will be the fifth meeting between the teams, with Wales yet to register a victory.
Indeed, Wales have not scored in either of their last two matches against Mexico, with the last Welshman to net against them John Charles in a May 1962 friendly.
Wales lost to Belgium in their opening World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, with the Czech Republic next up on Tuesday.
Asked if he had discussed the performance with Giggs, Page said: "Absolutely, I spoke with Ryan, of course.
"He was pleased with the second half. We made the change at half-time to be a little bit more positive in our press, get a little bit higher up the pitch and we just didn't want to camp on the edge of our box and allow attack after attack and he absolutely agreed with that.
"There's aspects that he's pleased with and things we can do better on but overall he was pleased."
It remains unclear as to whether Giggs will be in charge when the Euros roll around, though Page insists he is not focusing on taking the role for the tournament.
"No. I'm not interested in that," he added. "It's for other people to make those decisions, we're not worrying about that."
Ben Stokes was proud that England stuck to their values as they roared back from a series-opening defeat to thrash India on Friday.
Moved up to bat at three in the absence of Joe Root, Stokes thrilled with a 52-ball 99 in Pune as the tourists won by six wickets with 39 deliveries to spare, Jonny Bairstow having scored a century as England comfortably chased down India's 336-6.
The result came on the heels of Tuesday's chastening 66-run loss, when England collapsed to 251 all out as Stokes scored just one run from 11 balls, and means the series will go to a decider on Sunday.
Stokes was delighted to see England produce such a classy response to that setback, even in the absence of injured captain Eoin Morgan, as his side stayed true to their attacking principles.
"I think the most pleasing thing for us as a team is we didn't go away from our values," he said, having built on the platform laid by Bairstow and Jason Roy's 110-run opening stand. "We were bitterly disappointed after the first ODI.
"It was a great chase and I'm happy we were able to go over the line fairly easily despite India putting up a big total.
"It was a better wicket but we don't really fear any totals to be honest. It would have been easy to rein ourselves in after the last game but from a personal and team point of view, it was important to play as we do.
"We speak about match-ups in our changing room and my match-up was with the spinners to take the risk, just let Jonny keep going on with his business. He's in unbelievable form.
"The amount of runs they [Roy and Bairstow] have scored is obviously amazing, but if you look at the way they have scored it's even better – best in the world in my opinion."
Pune will again play host to the third and final match this weekend.
England's victory on Friday also ensured that a 3-0 series defeat will be avoided, meaning India cannot leapfrog into top spot in the ODI rankings.
Ben Stokes' stunning innings and a century from Jonny Bairstow led England to a dominant six-wicket ODI victory over India in Pune on Friday.
While Bairstow was unquestionably impressive in compiling his 124, Stokes' 99 came at a blistering pace, requiring just 52 balls as he bludgeoned 10 sixes.
India had set England 337 to win and level the three-match series, with the tourists – deprived of the injured Eoin Morgan's services – wasting little time, getting the job done with 39 balls to spare.
Bairstow and Jason Roy put on 110 for the first wicket to lay the foundations, with the former then enjoying a front-row seat for the Stokes show as they combined for 175 runs.
It meant that, by the time Stokes and Bairstow fell in consecutive overs, England only required another 50 to seal the win, with Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone finishing things off.
All the fireworks in England's innings eclipsed what had been a solid 50 overs from the hosts, for whom KL Rahul top-scored on 108, with Rishabh Pant providing eye-catching entertainment in the form of a 40-ball 77 to help India to 336-6.
Having put themselves in a strong position to chase down 318 in the first match before collapsing to 251 all out, England made sure they had an even firmer footing this time to ensure a late-innings wobble would not prove pivotal.
Bairstow's 18 boundaries included seven maximums, with Roy's 55 coming at roughly a run a ball to further cement England's excellent start.
Stokes, having survived an early run-out scare, escalated things drastically with a display of explosive hitting that had India chasing their tails.
Krunal Pandya, who enjoyed such a fine debut in the opening clash, came in for particularly harsh punishment as he posted figures of 0-72 off six overs, while Kuldeep Yadav (0-84 off 10) conceded eight sixes, including three in a row at the hands of Stokes in a punishing 33rd over.
England's procession was slowed but not halted by a flurry of wickets across the 36th and 37th overs, with Stokes agonisingly falling short of a deserved century before Bairstow and Jos Buttler also had to go.
But it only delayed the inevitable, Malan and Livingstone steadying the ship and getting England across the line to set up a series decider on Sunday.
STOKES CAPITALISES ON LET-OFF
There was a mightily close run-out call against Stokes in the 26th over, when he was on 33.
He soon accelerated his knock at break-neck speed, having brought up his 50 off 40 deliveries before adding another 49 from only 12.
Stokes' dismissal, caught behind by Pant off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, saw him denied the third-fastest century in ODIs for England.
SERIES SET FOR FINALE IT DESERVES
This was a mouthwatering series on paper, pitting the world's best two one-day teams against one another, and it has delivered on the field across the first two matches.
World champions England flexed their muscles on Friday, having been chastened by an opening loss in which India showed why they are so highly fancied.
A winner will be crowned this weekend and, having seen the best of both sides, how fitting it would be if they could each bring their 'A' game on Sunday.
The 2023 Tour de France will start in the Spanish city of Bilbao.
Organisers of the most prestigious Grand Tour race on Friday confirmed the event in two years' time will get under way in the Basque Country.
It will be the second time the Grand Depart has been staged in Spain, with the riders having set off in San Sebastian back in 1992.
The Tour will get going in Bilbao on July 1, with an opening loop stage before a second day within the borders of the Basque Country.
A big crowd will be expected for the start of the race on a day which will mark the 120th anniversary of the race.
As many as 21 Tour de France stage winners have hailed from the Basque Country, almost a third of the 66 Spanish riders to have achieved that feat.
Justin Harding's remarkable run of form at Karen Country Club finally came to an end as a disappointing final day opened the door for Daniel Van Tonder to claim a dramatic play-off triumph at the Kenya Savannah Classic.
Harding had won the Magical Kenya Open at the same course on Sunday and was in pole position to claim back-to-back titles in quick succession heading into Friday's play.
The South African held a three-stroke lead over a clutch of players including compatriot Van Tonder and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond.
But as most of the field shot low in the final round, Harding was way off the pace.
The 35-year-old, who had claimed to have "a good game plan around here", carded three birdies and three bogeys to approach the 18th at even par.
A double-bogey then capped a miserable day and knocked Harding out of the top 10, two over for the day and 15 under for the tournament in 13th.
Janewattananond appeared set to be the man to capitalise as he claimed a narrow lead with a run of six birdies in seven holes from the seventh.
But a bogey at the 16th, where he had scored an incredible birdie putt 24 hours earlier, knocked him back down to a seven-under 64, which Van Tonder matched.
Janewattananond had missed a 17-foot chance at the last, but the drama was only just getting started as the pair could not be separated through the first two play-off holes.
Van Tonder could not convert putts on either occasion but escape thos miscues unpunished, a brilliant approach shot teeing up a simple finish for his first European Tour title.
Haiti kicked off the second day of the First Round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022 with a 2-0 home victory against Belize.
The home side dominated the proceedings in Port-au-Prince in the first half but was unable to beat Belize goalkeeper Woodrow West until the 50th minute, with Ricardo Ade getting free in the box to head in a corner kick.
It was another corner kick that doubled Haiti’s lead, with Steven Seance taking advantage of some confusion in the box to knock in another in the 80th minute.
Belize now makes the quick trip to the Dominican Republic for a contest with the Turks and Caicos Islands, who also serve as Haiti’s next opponent when qualification resumes in June.
Meanwhile, the Guus Hiddink era got off to a strong start for Curacao, which beat Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 5-0.
Curacao applied a press from the opening window and forced a turnover that Juninho Bacuna was able to tap in for the opener. Anthony van den Hurk then scored in his debut in the 17th minute, with Bacuna adding his second of the night in the 35th minute.
Jarchino Antonio sent the teams into the Ergilio Hato Stadium locker rooms at 4-0 with a goal just before the halftime break, before Curacao capped things in the 87th minute with Leandro Bacuna spurring a counter-attack and Elson Hooi finishing the move.
Trinidad and Tobago also enjoyed a big win Thursday, getting past Guyana, 3-0. Levi Garcia got things started early with a lovely individual goal, squeezing past the defenders and the end line and then firing home in the seventh minute.
A free-kick from Ryan Telfer deflected off CB Sheldon Bateau’s thigh and into the goal in the 15th minute to extend the Trinidad and Tobago lead.
It was three when Telfer pounced on an error from Guyana GK Akel Clarke in the 44th minute, with the goalkeeper fumbling an attempt to collect and Telfer able to finish into the open net.
Canada kept pace with Suriname atop Group B, seeing off a challenge from Bermuda with a 5-1 win.
Alphonso Davies whipped in a free-kick from the right side in the 19th minute that found Cyle Larin and went in for the opening goal.
In the 27th minute, Davies came down the left side of Canada’s attack and beat Bermuda GK Dale Eve to a ball. He once again connected with Larin, who was able to power his finish into the net before Eve fully recovered.
Richie Laryea added to the lead, surging forward from left-back in the 53rd minute and scoring the first goal of his national team career.
Milan Borjan kept his net clean for more than an hour but dropped a ball that Kane Crichlow pounced on to bring one back. But Davies and Larin linked up once again in the 68th minute to complete Larin’s hat trick and Theo Corbeanu scored in his debut after his run took Bermuda by surprise and Liam Millar found him in the box.
Panama and Barbados looked destined for a scoreless draw with both teams getting opportunities but sending them wide of the goal or off the post.
Then, in the 82nd minute, Jair Catuy’s run into the box went unchecked and Jose Murillo found him for a diving header that put the 2018 FIFA World Cup participant in the lead.
Thomas Christiansen’s squad saw out the 1-0 result to open qualification with a victory.
In the nightcap at the Estadio Cuscatlan, El Salvador scored a goal in each half to claim a 2-0 win over Grenada.
Gerson Mayen brought a ball down in the box, used his left foot to move horizontally with the ball and then beat Grenada GK Jason Belfon.
Mayen turned provider on the second goal, as El Salvador scored just one minute into the second half on a break.
Mayen’s through ball found David Tony Rugamas, whose shot took a deflection and landed in the goal.
El Salvador now travels to meet Montserrat, while Grenada returns to St. George’s to welcome the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Cristiano Ronaldo scores free-kicks all the time in training, making his poor dead-ball returns for Juventus a mystery.
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo has embellished his phenomenal career record with 95 goals in 123 appearances for Juve across all competitions.
However, his attempts when faced with a defensive wall leave plenty to be desired and have become a subject of mild derision.
According to Opta, Ronaldo has had 72 shots from free-kicks in Juve colours, scoring once.
His only successful free-kick came during last July's derby against Torino – his 43rd attempt.
"In training, they all go in," Juve's third-choice goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio told Tuttosport.
"Why doesn't he score them in a match? I don't know, obviously in a match it's different than in training, but I don't know. Bad luck maybe."
The unheralded Pinsoglio came through the youth ranks at Juventus but is now 31, having made the vast bulk of his career appearances across loan spells at five different club and a brief permanent switch to Vicenza.
Nevertheless, he has forged an unlikely friendship with one of the greatest footballers of all time, to the extent his close relationship with Ronaldo is mocked by team-mates.
"I have a beautiful friendship with him, my team-mates make fun of me saying that I'll go to the Euros with the Portugal staff and Cristiano," he added.
"Ronaldo is a simple guy, not a star, he's quiet, he likes to laugh and joke."
The Brumbies returned to the top of the Super Rugby Australia standings as they ran out 42-14 victors over Western Force.
The Reds inflicted the Brumbies' first defeat of the season last time out, but Dan McKellar's team bounced back in comprehensive fashion on Friday.
Taking advantage of Tevita Kuridrani's booking, Len Ikitau went over twice in six minutes to open the scoring at the GIO Stadium in Canberra.
Having already lost fly-half Jake McIntyre to injury, the Force were no match for their rampant hosts – Cadeyrn Neville and Andy Muirhead scoring before half-time.
Lachlan Lonergan got in on the act after Henry Taefu had put Western Force onto the scoresheet, with Ian Prior dotting down for the visitors before Muirhead helped himself to his second try late on.
The win takes the Brumbies above the Reds, who are two points behind the Canberra team, while Western Force sit fourth with just one win to their name.
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