Connect with us

SportsNews

Steve Smith rewrites record books during spin-tackling masterclass at Galle against Sri Lanka

Published

on

Steve Smith. (Photo- cricket.com.au X/@cricket.com.au) © Provided by Asian News International (ANI)

Galle [Sri Lanka], February 8 (ANI): Star Australian batter Steve Smith re-wrote record books with another brilliant century against Sri Lanka during the second Test at Galle.

On Friday, Smith put on a masterclass in playing spin, ending day two at 120* in 239 balls, with nine fours and a six, putting Aussies in a commanding position.

With his century, Smith surpassed legendary Australian batter and former captain Ricky Ponting to be the team’s leading run-getter in Asia. In 24 Tests in Asia, Smith has scored 1,983 runs at an average of 53.59, with seven centuries and eight fifties in 42 innings and best score of 178*.

Ponting slid down to second, with 1,889 runs in 28 matches and 48 innings, which includes five centuries and 10 fifties. His best score in Asian conditions is 150.

Smith is also the sixth Aussie to reach the 17,000 international runs mark. In 348 international matches, he has scored 17,016 runs at an average of 48.06, with 48 centuries and 80 fifties. His best score is 239. At the top of the run-scoring charts is Ponting, with 27,368 runs in 559 international matches and 667 innings at an average of 45.84. This included 7 centuries and 146 fifties, with the best score of 257.

With 36 Test tons, Smith has now joined England’s Joe Root and Indian legend Rahul Dravid as joint-fifth-highest century maker in Tests.

Also, this is Smith’s 17th Test century away from home, equalling with West Indies great Brian Lara and outdoing Indian batting icon Virat Kohli (16 centuries). Sachin Tendulkar (29) has most Test centuries away from home. This is his seventh century in Asia, joining New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Root as the third-highest century-maker in Tests in Asia, with Alastair Cook, former England opener, at the top with nine tons in Asia.

Smith has centuries in four successive Tests now, starting from the fourth Test against India, a Boxing Day clash at Melbourne. Once sitting outside the top 10 of ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 run-getters, Smith is now at sixth spot. In 19 Tests, he has scored 1,313 runs at an average of 42.35, with five centuries and four fifties. His best score is 141.

Coming to the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Half-centuries from Kusal Mendis (85 in 139 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and Dinesh Chandimal (74 in 163 balls, with six fours and a six) took Sri Lanka to 257 in 97.4 overs.

Mitchell Starc (3/27), Matthew Kuhnemann (3/63), and Nathan Lyon (3/96) were top wicket-takers for Australia.

In their first innings, Australia lost Travis Head (21), Marnus Labuschagne (4), and Usman Khawaja (36) early, leaving the team struggling at 91/3. However, centuries from Alex Carey (139* in 156 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes) and Smith (120* in 239 balls, with nine fours and a six) took Australia to 330/3 at the end of day two, leading by 73 runs. (ANI)

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info

).

SportsNews

EPL: Fulham must move on from defeat to Manchester City — Iwobi

Published

on

Alex Iwobi says Fulham must stay positive despite their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

Marco Silva’s side put up a spirited display in the encounter, and were unlucky not to get at least one point.

Iwobi started the fight back by scoring the second goal for Fulham early in the second half.

The versatile midfielder’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze then rose from the bench to score two more goals for the Cottagers.

Manchester City, however, held on to go home with maximum points.

Iwobi stated that they deserved more from the game.

“I feel disappointed because we didn’t get anything out of the fighting spirit that we showed, but I think we have to take the positivity from the game,” Iwobi told the club’s official website.

Fulham will be away to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

Continue Reading

SportsNews

EPL: Guardiola names team that impresses him everyday

Published

on

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has named the Premier League club that has impressed him so much this season.

The Spaniard said that Enzo Maresca’s side have really impressed him with the improvement they make everyday.

Speaking after Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Guardiola pointed out that a team must remain consistent to win the title.

Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just two points behind Arsenal with the victory over Fulham, but the Gunners could maintain their five points lead with a win over Brentford on Wednesday night.

“Chelsea impresses me more and more every day with Enzo [Maresca], but it’s long,” he told reporters after the win.

“Premier League is so long, many things will happen. We won six Premier Leagues, four or five when we in December, January or February we were behind.

“The team who wins the Premier League is the team who grows during the months and this is what we try to do. No injuries, it’s so long.

“But at the same time, if we push, we will be better and push ourselves and control the situations better, the emotions and we will see what happens.”

Continue Reading

SportsNews

Outrage As ‘Biological Male’ Wins World’s Strongest Woman Event in Texas (Photos)

Published

on

The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman final has sparked outrage after an alleged transgender athlete won gold.

American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain’s Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.

According to Mail Online, Thompson walked off the podium, appearing to say ‘this is bulls***,’ while Booker celebrated. The Brit has since been crowned the ‘true World’s Strongest Woman’ by her coach and some of her peers.

Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World’s Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one – not even the organizers – knew about Booker’s background.

Details on the American are not clear, but the publication sighted a YouTube video – uploaded to what appears to be Booker’s YouTube channel in September 2017, with Booker saying: ‘Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.

‘I’m 21-year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.’

On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram that read ‘Protect Women’s Sports.’ She wrote alongside the picture: ‘I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.

But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.

This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.

‘What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack.

‘My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.

‘I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025’

Continue Reading

Trending