James Anderson is enjoying the thrill ride of Ben Stokes' England captaincy and the challenge of "thinking differently", ahead of the third and final Test against Pakistan.
The 40-year-old has impressed in the tourists' first two matches and will be rested for the last encounter, with an eye on England's trip to New Zealand in the new year.
With 177 caps, Anderson is second only to India great Sachin Tendulkar for all-time Test appearances, and he has posted eight wickets at 18.50 while in Pakistan.
His efforts come amid a more aggressive approach to the long-form game favoured by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, which Anderson says is having a galvanising effect on all England's bowlers.
"I love thinking about the game, thinking about plans, and Ben is that sort of captain," Anderson said. "All he thinks about is taking wickets.
"He's not bothered about trying to dry the run rate up or control the game. He wants to take wickets. You see that with the fields he sets. That then rubs off on you as a bowler.
"This seems to be working for this group of bowlers, and we've got a nice mix of bowlers. I've found it refreshing thinking differently, even though I've played a lot of games."
The third Test begins on Saturday, with Anderson expecting England to head in with the same positive approach that has brought two wins so far, as instilled by captain and coach.
"As long as you're getting hit in the right areas, they don't care if you go for the odd four," Anderson said, quoted by Cricinfo. "That gives you confidence to bowl, knowing that you don't have to fret about how many runs you're going for.
"If that's the way you're trying to get people out, with catchers in front of the wicket as they have been out here, then they're completely fine with it."
Emma Raducanu is working with a new coach as she heads towards the 2023 season, reports said on Friday.
The 2021 US Open winner, who turned 20 in November, has had a growing list of coaches and is seeking the right formula to make an alliance successful.
She has turned for now to German Sebastian Sachs, a 30-year-old who previously worked with Victoria Azarenka, as a member of the Belarusian's team, before becoming the main coach of Julia Goerges and latterly Belinda Bencic.
Olympic champion Bencic recently appointed Dmitry Tursunov, who had been working with Raducanu, and Sachs has headed in the opposite direction by joining up with the British youngster.
As well as Russian former ATP top-20 player Tursunov, Raducanu has had coaching spells under the tutelage of Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz and the Lawn Tennis Association's Iain Bates in the past two years.
Raducanu and her team have yet to formally announce Sachs' role, but reports have indicated he has been with her this week in Abu Dhabi. Her management have yet to confirm whether this is a trial or a full-time appointment.
The one-time grand slam winner had a match on Friday against Ons Jabeur at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition event, losing 5-7 6-3 10-8 to the 2022 Wimbledon and US Open runner-up.
After parting company with Raducanu, Tursunov said getting the best out of the Briton would be "minimum a one-year project but... probably a two-and-a-half-year project to be on the safe side", and reasoned that her game remained "very raw".
"It's going to take some time, but as I said to her and to pretty much everyone on her team: I think you just need to have one voice and just try that for a bit," Tursunov said.
Raducanu has not reached a final since her dazzling Flushing Meadows victory, and she finished the 2022 season at 76th in the WTA rankings.
Kylian Mbappe's 15-year-old brother Ethan made his first senior appearance for Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly against Paris FC on Friday.
Ethan Mbappe replaced midfielder Fabian Ruiz as Christophe Galtier rang the changes at half-time, after Nordi Mukiele had given PSG a 1-0 lead at the Camp des Loges training centre.
The Ligue 1 champions went on to claim a 2-1 victory, with the teenager featuring alongside senior players including Sergio Ramos, Marco Verratti and Renato Sanches.
Ethan Mbappe joined PSG from AS Bondy in 2017 before signing a new three-year contract with the club in June 2021.
The midfielder, who was called up to France's under-16 squad last year, took to Instagram after the game, writing: "Very excited for my debut in the pros."
With Kylian Mbappe looking to cap another fine World Cup campaign by leading France to a second successive triumph at the tournament on Sunday, it could be a particularly memorable week in the Mbappe household.
Italy boss Roberto Mancini described the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic as "not fair" as he hailed his great friend for showing the heart of a lion in his battle with leukaemia.
The pair were team-mates at Sampdoria and Lazio, with Mancini also coaching Mihajlovic at Lazio before taking the then 35-year-old with him to Inter in 2004.
They had a great bond, winning the Scudetto together with Sven-Goran Eriksson's team in 1999-2000, and doing so again at Inter in 2006, as player and coach.
Mihajlovic's death was announced on Friday, coming as a huge jolt to the football community in Italy, where the former Yugoslavia international spent most of his career.
After his playing days ended, Mihajlovic became Mancini's Inter assistant before having spells as a head coach with Bologna, Catania, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Milan, Torino and, finally, Bologna for a second time.
During the 2015-16 season, Mancini and Mihajlovic were rival bosses in the same city as Mancini led Inter and Mihajlovic was in charge of Milan.
Mihajlovic was ousted as Bologna boss in September of this year, after a slow start to the season.
"This is a day I never wanted to live, because I lost a friend with whom I shared almost 30 years of my life, on and off the pitch," said Mancini, Italy's Euro 2020-winning head coach, in quotes reported by the Italian Football Federation's official website.
"It's not fair that such a terrible disease took away a 53-year-old lad, who fought like a lion until the last moment, as he was used to doing on the pitch.
"And this is exactly how Sinisa will always remain by my side, even if he is no longer there, as he did in Genoa [with Sampdoria], in Rome [with Lazio] and in Milan [at Inter] and subsequently also when we took different paths."
Mihajlovic was first diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019 and underwent a bone marrow transplant in October of that year, returning to the Bologna dugout just six weeks later.
When he discovered a problem in March of this year, former hard-man defender Mihajlovic said the leukaemia was "very courageous in returning to face an opponent like me".
Brittney Griner intends to play in the WNBA next season, having returned to the United States following her release from a Russian prison.
Griner was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on February 17 for bringing under a gram of cannabis oil into Russia in vape cartridges.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist said she made an "honest mistake", while her lawyers argued she was using cannabis for medicinal purposes and was unaware cannabis oil was outlawed in Russia.
Griner was subsequently jailed for nine years for drug possession and drug smuggling with criminal intent, but she was released in a prisoner exchange that saw convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout return to Russia last week.
In a statement posted to her Instagram account on Friday, the eight-time WNBA All-Star confirmed she plans to play for the Phoenix Mercury in 2023.
"It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn," Griner said.
"I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.
"I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury this season.
"In doing so, I look forward to being able to say 'thank you' to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon."
In her social media post, Griner also thanked those who had advocated for her release, including "the Phoenix Mercury, the players of the WNBA and my entire WNBA family", as well as US president Joe Biden.
When announcing Griner's return, Biden said the 32-year-old had been "unjustly detained" and described the conditions she endured as "intolerable".
The Phoenix Mercury suffered a first-round exit in the WNBA Playoffs in August and are set to begin their 2023 campaign against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19.
Greg Norman has vowed to remain with LIV Golf despite Rory McIlroy's criticism, adding the door remains open for the world number one to defect down the line.
In addition, the double major champion revealed the Saudi-funded breakaway tour has held discussions with Justin Thomas, though he did not say whether the two-time PGA Championship winner would switch his allegiance.
Since its inception in 2021, LIV Golf has sparked a bitter civil war in the sport, with McIlroy and Tiger Woods launching stinging rebukes against Norman and his allies.
There were calls earlier this month for the Australian to quit, with the pair suggesting reconciliation could be on the table if he was to stand down.
But Norman says he will resist such calls, telling Bunkered magazine: "Rory and Tiger have no idea what they're talking about. None whatsoever.
"I have got the full support from my chairman. There has never been one thing to suggest otherwise. They're trying to bait me into a public back-and-forth. I'm not going down that childish path.
"You're already seeing LIV is a leader. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour, they're followers. They've basically copied our homework."
Norman did suggest that McIlroy would be welcomed with open arms if he was to change his tune though, while praising Thomas for his conduct in not criticising LIV Golf after he was approached to join.
"Our door is open for everybody," he added. "We're not the PGA Tour. We're not like that. We exist for the players, so we will always have an open door, whether that's for Rory or Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas or whoever.
"We talked to JT [Thomas], we sat down with him and gave him the full presentation. If you notice, he's not said much negative about what we're doing, presumably because he knows it and understands it."
West Indies superstar Andre Russell says he fears the new T10 format of the game could threaten T20 cricket and, eventually, Test cricket.
“To be honest, T10 cricket can be a threat because you can watch three games in a day, it’s less stress on the body and bowlers just come and bowl two overs,” he told reporters in Australia on Wednesday ahead of the first of four games he will play for the Melbourne Renegades in the ongoing Big Bash League.
“T20 is always going to be ultimate but I just think the amount of cricket at the moment means the players’ availability is going to be a big issue,” he added.
The 2022 edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 league concluded last week, and the competition saw a host of marquee names including Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Eoin Morgan and Adil Rashid taking part.
The number of T10 leagues is steadily increasing, and earlier this year, Cricket West Indies (CWI) became the first full-member board to start its own league, called the 6ixty. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have already announced that next year, they will be starting their own T10 league known as the ‘Lanka T10 League.’
“Most players, it’s going to make them want to leave the longer format with the direction T10 leagues are going. There are a lot of different T10 leagues in different parts of the world and they announced that just before the finals in Abu Dhabi.”
Russell himself has not played a single red-ball game since 2014 but the veteran is hoping that all players don’t fall into the short-format trap.
“I just hope that players still believe in red-ball cricket, still believe in Test cricket and still want to play those formats because the older generation, they will come out and watch five days of cricket. That’s where it all started.”
The European Super League remains "very much alive" despite the latest legal setback, claims the chief executive of the company behind the breakaway.
Bernd Reichart, the CEO of A22 Sports Management, was speaking at an economic forum event in Spain attended by Real Madrid and Barcelona presidents Florentino Perez and Joan Laporta.
The two clubs, who along with Juventus are the holdouts of the 2021 attempt, saw an argument that UEFA's governance is an illegal monopoly on continental football struck down by the European Court of Justice on Thursday.
But Reichart has refuted the idea the competition's hopes of coming to fruition are at an end, pointing out the ruling is non-binding, with a final decision due next year.
"The Super League isn't dead, not at all, it's very much alive," he said. "We'll keep working until the judgement.
"We are still convinced that UEFA can't be everything at once. They organise the competition, they regulate the competition, and at the same time they control access to the market.
Doctors with the New York Jets will not clear quarterback Mike White from his rib injury, forcing the team to turn back to Zach Wilson as the starter under center this week.
White suffered an unspecified injury to his ribs during last week’s 20-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
After undergoing treatment and practising all week, he had planned to play in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, but he will instead be held back by the team’s medical staff.
On Thursday, White was asked by reporters if he had any doubts that he would be starting on Sunday, and replied: "No, no, none at all."
Speaking on Friday, however, Jets coach Robert Saleh said: "Mike White, who is an absolute warrior and has been doing everything he can this week to find another option to get him on the football field, to find someone who will clear him for contact, has exhausted every measure he can because he wants to be out there for his team-mates."
With White ruled out, the Jets turn to Wilson, who has been inactive for the last three games after being benched.
Wilson has started 20 games for the Jets since being selected No. 2 overall out of BYU in 2021. New York are 8-12 in those games, and Wilson has completed just 55.6 per cent of his passes, with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
The 7-6 Jets remain in the playoff hunt in the AFC but are looking to end a two-game skid on Sunday when they host the Lions, who have won five of their last six games and are also fighting for a playoff spot at 6-7.
France's World Cup squad is calmer and more experienced than the one that won in Russia, according to Ousmane Dembele.
Didier Deschamps' side will become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962 if they overcome Argentina in Sunday's final at Lusail Stadium.
Dembele was an unused substitute when France beat Croatia 4-2 in the 2018 final but the Barcelona man has emerged as a key part of the team in Qatar.
Despite injuries to Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba leaving France short of key players, Dembele feels the squad is more at ease this time around.
"It's not a dream yet. We're calmer and have more experience. We want to prepare well for this final," he said at a press conference on Friday.
"It will be a great day. We are ready for this fight against a difficult opponent. Argentina are better than they were in 2018.
"In 2018 there were more crazy people in this team. There is a very nice atmosphere in 2022 too, but it is not comparable."
With France opting against naming a replacement for Benzema after he left their camp with a thigh injury last month, reports have suggested the Ballon d'Or winner could make a shock return for Sunday's game.
Deschamps refused to comment on those suggestions on Thursday, and Dembele claimed to be in the dark regarding the striker's availability.
"I don't know. I'm not the coach," Dembele said. "I think Benzema got injured and I don't have an explanation."
Ousmane Dembele says France are "taking precautions" ahead of Sunday's World Cup final with Argentina after two more key players were struck down by illness.
Les Blues were without Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano for Wednesday's 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco due to a sickness bug in the camp.
Rabiot missed out on the squad entirely while Upamecano was an unused substitute, as was Kingsley Coman, who was also suffering from a fever on the day of the game.
Midfielder Rabiot and defender Upamecano are understood to have now recovered in time for this weekend's final at Lusail Stadium.
However, according to widespread reports, central-defensive duo Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate trained away from the team on Friday after falling ill.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Theo Hernandez are also said to have missed the full session two days out from the final as they are recovering from minor injuries.
Despite potentially losing more players to illness and injury, Dembele insists France are not overly concerned at this stage.
"It doesn't worry us," he said at a news conference on Friday. "With Dayot, after a day I went to see him with my mask on and he was much better.
"For the players and the staff, it doesn't worry us, we are just taking precautions.
"We are not afraid of the virus. Dayot and Adrien had headaches and stomach aches. I made them honey and ginger tea. We hope everyone will be better for the final."
France are already without the likes of Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez and Christopher Nkunku through injury.
Les Blues are aiming to become just the third ever side to retain the trophy, while Argentina are seeking a first world crown in 36 years.
Ben Stokes is relishing the chance to see Rehan Ahmed in action after naming the teenager as England's youngest ever men's Test debutant.
The spinner, aged 18 years and 126 days, will face Pakistan in the third and final red-ball match of the tourists' series, having been drafted in alongside wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
Ahmed's inclusion sees him break the long-standing record of former captain Brian Close, who made his bow at 18 years and 149 days in 1949.
Stokes, who previously said he would not hand caps out easily, insists Ahmed has earned his place in the team for their last game.
"I think it's a good opportunity for us to not only look at him, but for him to come in and experience what it's like to play international cricket," he said.
"We obviously brought him into the squad to try and get him amongst us and experience what it's like being in this cricket team, and we've been very impressed with what we've seen.
"He's got a lot of skill with both bat and ball, so it's great to be able to bring someone with the talent and the excitement that he has into the squad and see what he's got this week.
"I think being at such a young age, it's great to see someone who has so much freedom in what they do and the way that he bats.
"He likes to get on with it and show what he's about and almost, not show off, but show what he can do. He's got a vast array of shots, and obviously a wrist-spinner is great to be able to have in your team.
"It's exciting times for Rehan especially, and he was very excited when we gave him the nod that he was going to play last night."
Christian McCaffrey reflected on riding a "wild rollercoaster" this season after he helped the San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West title in just his eighth game with the team.
All-Pro running back McCaffrey joined the 49ers in a blockbuster trade from the Carolina Panthers back in October.
His arrival has served as a catalyst for a surge from San Francisco that has seen them win seven successive games to move to 10-4 and clinch the division title for the first time since 2019, despite losing top two quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance to injury and being forced to turn to rookie Brock Purdy.
McCaffrey was the focal point of the attack as the 49ers sealed the NFC West with a 21-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.
He rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added another 30 yards receiving on six catches.
The former eighth overall pick finds himself in the thick of the Super Bowl hunt, having been traded from a Panthers team that started 1-5.
Asked about his campaign, McCaffrey said: "It's hard to put into words. It's been a wild rollercoaster, and obviously we still have a lot more left.
"But it's nice to be able to celebrate this one with an amazing group of guys, and I'm just so fortunate to be a part of this team."
While the 49ers enjoyed raucous celebrations and sported their division title hats and t-shirts, they still have many more mountains to scale in pursuit of an elusive sixth Super Bowl title.
"This isn't our final goal by any means," head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
"I'm very proud of our team and what we accomplished throughout the year to get to this.
"Our goal is to get into the tournament [the playoffs], and we accomplished that today, but now it's all trying to set that up to be the best situation we can and hopefully get some of our guys back, too, in the process."
Zlatko Dalic is optimistic Luka Modric will play for Croatia at Euro 2024.
Modric won the Ballon d'Or after leading Croatia to the World Cup final in Russia four years ago, and the Real Madrid star enjoyed another fine tournament as Dalic's men reached the final four in Qatar.
However, the 37-year-old was unable to inspire his team to a semi-final victory over Argentina on Tuesday, leading to suggestions he may retire from the international game.
Modric refused to give anything away regarding his future after the defeat, and Dalic is hopeful he will stay on for at least another 18 months.
"I hope that he [Modric] will be there [at Euro 2024]," Dalic said. "I am looking forward to it.
"It is not certain that he will there be and he will personally decide how he feels. I personally feel that he will be, but it ultimately is his decision."
Croatia started their World Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw against Morocco in Group F, and they face the African side again in Saturday's bronze-medal match.
Walid Regragui's outfit have been the surprise package of the tournament, with Dalic comparing their stunning run to Croatia's surge to the 2018 final.
"Morocco remind me of us four and a half years ago," he said. "Nobody expected them to be this high, but they got to where they are with their quality and emotions.
"From game to game, they only grew and I think we are in for a much more difficult match than the one from the opening group.
"We have full and great respect for them. They show unity and are not afraid of anyone."
Morocco captured the imagination of football fans around the world during their World Cup campaign, which saw them stun Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
They suffered a 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-final on Wednesday and boss Regragui is struggling to get excited about the third-place play-off.
"It is a little bit difficult," he said. "It is very complicated for both teams. You are so disappointed; you have just lost a semi-final and then two days later you have to go back out there.
"It is like the booby prize. I'm sorry for speaking like this. I understand it should be important, I understand it is better to finish third than fourth, but, for me, my takeaway is just that we didn't get to the final.
"Even if we did get to the final, and I finished second, I would be saying the same thing to you.
"We want to be as positive as possible, especially for our fans. Finishing third would be great for our image."
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