If you were forwarded this email (hi! welcome!), you can sign up for the newsletter here.
Good afternoon,
It may not be summer yet, but Australiaโs national cricket teams are back in full swing.
Yesterday, the womenโs team sealed a series victory against Bangladesh with a nine-wicket win in the second of three ODIs. Georgia Voll starred with 131 runs. The third and final ODI will be played on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the menโs team is leading South Africa by 133 runs after three days of Test cricket. Day Four of the first Test begins at 6:30pm tonight with Nic Maddinson and Travis Head opening the batting in Australiaโs second innings.


Iโve got 10 seconds
Stat of the day
2 hours, 20 minutes, and 38 seconds
Thatโs how long it took two-time Olympian Izzi Batt-Doyle to run the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, setting a new Australian record for the womenโs marathon. Batt-Doyle beat the previous national record by 46 seconds. (For those doing the maths, it is about 3:20 per km.) The 31-year-old finished sixth in the womenโs race and improved her own personal best by over two minutes.

Izzi Batt-Doyle ahead of the Paris Olympics (AAP)
Quote of the day
โI believe that my body is still peaking.โ
Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge after winning the Melbourne Marathon in a course-record time of two hours, nine minutes and 10 seconds. The 41-year-old Kenyan claimed his first marathon win since Berlin in 2023, and the 17th of his career. Kipchoge added: โThe oldest athlete is still competing but I am happy to run with the Gen Zs.โ

Kipchoge crosses the line in Melbourne (Getty)
Random fact of the day
The record for the oldest swimming world champion belongs to Brazilโs Nicholas Santos, who was 42 years and 303 days old when he won the menโs 50m butterfly at the 2022 FINA World Championships. He announced his retirement after that race.

Iโve got 30 seconds
In case you missed itโฆ
๐๏ธ Aussie racing driver Brodie Kostecki has won his second Bathurst 1000 after race leader Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel on the final lap of Sundayโs 161-lap race. Kostecki looked out of contention after a disastrous pit stop dropped him from first to fifth, but he fought back following a late safety car. De Pasqualeโs fuel drama handed Kostecki and his racing partner Todd Hazelwood the lead, with Will Brown and Scott Pyne finishing second and Zach Bates and Aaron Seton third. An emotional Kostecki told his team over the radio: โI love you guysโ.

Kostecki and Hazelwood celebrate victory on Mt Panorama (Getty)
๐ Perth Bears CEO Anthony de Ceglie has stepped down, less than a year before the clubโs planned entry into the NRL in 2027. De Ceglie led the expansion club through its start-up phase, securing commercial partnerships, launching merchandise and attracting more than 20,000 foundation members. General manager of football Gareth Holmes will take over as interim CEO while the club considers its next steps. De Ceglie said he had โno doubtโ the Perth Bears would โcontinue to grow and grow, and become a behemoth of the national sporting stageโ.

Former Perth Bears CEO Anthony de Ceglie (Getty)
๐ The Wallabies remain winless at Aucklandโs Eden Park since 1986 after losing 50-19 to New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup. Australia led 7-0 early and trailed by just three points at half-time, but the All Blacks pulled away with four second-half tries. The result extends New Zealandโs winning streak against Australia to 12 matches. The teams will meet again on Australian soil on Saturday afternoon, with the Wallaroos taking on Scotland at midday.

All Blacks captain Codie Taylor raises the Bledisloe Cup (Getty)
๐๏ธ A crowd of 5,114 watched the Sydney Swans take on Carlton at Henson Park in Sundayโs Pride Round clash. Thatโs well above the AFLWโs average attendance of roughly 3,300 per game this season. The Swans couldnโt quite match the crowdโs energy, losing to Carlton by 27 points despite Chloe Molloy kicking three goals. Carlton captain Abbie McKay left the field with an ankle injury in the final quarter, but coach Mathew Buck said the decision not to return her was precautionary. The win strengthens Carltonโs top-four hopes, while Sydney will next face Collingwood on Sunday.

Abbie McKay of the Blues runs the ball (Getty)
Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

A message from A-Leagues
The A-Leagues are back this week, kicking off Friday 16 October with Sydney FC taking on Western Sydney Wanderers, before the Ninja A-League Women season begins on Saturday.
You donโt need to know every player to enjoy the atmosphere, so round up your mates and make a game day of it. A limited allocation of tickets is available from $5 for juniors, $25 for adults and $50 for families (2 adults + 2 juniors).

Iโve got 1 minute

Charles Leclerc, Red Bullโs head of racing Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen, and Kimi Antonelli celebrate on the podium (Getty)
F1: Verstappen wins in Singapore as Antonelli edges closer to title
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, finishing seven seconds ahead of Ferrariโs Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, Mercedesโ Kimi Antonelli moved closer to a historic world title.
What happened
Verstappen dominated the weekend, qualifying first for both Saturdayโs Sprint race and Sundayโs Grand Prix before winning both races. Leclerc and Antonelli finished second and third, respectively.
It was Verstappenโs first Singapore Grand Prix victory.
Meanwhile, Australian Oscar Piastri finished fifth, behind his McLaren teammate and reigning world champion Lando Norris in fourth.
Antonelli closing in on championship
With six races remaining on the 2026 F1 season, Antonelli is closing in on his first world championship. If successful, he would become the youngest driver to win an F1 title.
The 20-year-old leads the driversโ standings with 340 points, ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell on 238 points. The record for the youngest world champion currently belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won his first title in 2010.
The next race is the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, running from 23-25 October.
Antonelli could clinch the title there if several conditions are met:
He wins the race
Russell finishes ninth or lower
Ferrariโs Lewis Hamilton finishes outside the top four

Help us grow!
Enjoying the newsletter?
If you are, why not share the love with your friends? Weโd love your help in getting the word out there.
Send them this link to sign up.

Iโve got 2 minutes

Carltonโs Lachie Cowan (left) and Will Hayward (right) (Getty)
Two AFL players went to hospital on the weekend. What happened?
Carlton players Lachie Cowan and Will Hayward both received hospital treatment on Sunday morning. The AFL club says the two cases were separate, and both players have since been discharged.
Hereโs what to know.
Background
On Sunday, 7News were first to report that police and ambulance crews were called to Haywardโs South Yarra home early Sunday morning. The publication also alleged that an illicit drug in the form of a white powder was being used by some players at a party on Saturday night. Those claims are unconfirmed.
What happened
Carlton released a statement on Sunday afternoon confirming that Cowan and Hayward had been admitted to hospital โunder separate circumstancesโ.
According to the club, Cowan received medical treatment and underwent observation, while Hayward received stitches for a minor cut to the head. Both were discharged on Sunday morning.
TDA asked Carlton if illicit drugs were involved. The club did not comment on this.
Ambulance Victoria said paramedics responded to an incident in South Yarra at about 5.15am on Sunday. Advanced Life Support paramedics attended, and a man in his 20s was taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition. The statement did not name the patient.
Response
Speaking on radio show Nova 100 this morning, Independent Federal MP Andrew Wilkie said: โThis is more evidence that the AFL havenโt yet cleaned up their act...The players have got to do better to act like the role models and the elite sports people they are.โ
Wilkieโs comments come after five Sydney Swans players were suspended in August for a โserious breachโ of the clubโs standards. A Victoria police investigation into allegations of sexual assault linked to some of the players is ongoing.

Looking backโฆ
AFLW (Round 9)
Who: Western Bulldogs v Essendon
Result: Western Bulldogs won 65-22
Who: St Kilda v Collingwood
Result: St Kilda won 39-37
Who: Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles
Result: Port Adelaide won 26-22
Who: Geelong v GWS Giants
Result: Geelong won 96-33
Who: Richmond v Adelaide
Result: Adelaide won 62-30
Who: Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne
Result: Gold Coast Suns won 61-39
Who: North Melbourne v Fremantle
Result: North Melbourne won 58-30
Who: Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions
Result: Hawthorn won 65-40
Who: Sydney Swans v Carlton
Result: Carlton won 59-32
NBL (Round 4)
Who: Illawarra Hawks v Tasmania JackJumpers
Result: Tasmania JackJumpers won 122-112
Who: South East Melbourne Phoenix v Melbourne United
Result: Melbourne United won 104-99
Who: Perth Wildcats v New Zealand Breakers
Result: Perth Wildcats won 100-84
Who: Sydney Kings v Adelaide 36ers
Result: Adelaide 36ers won 84-78
Who: Illawarra Hawks v Cairns Taipans
Result: Cairns Taipans won 110-100
Australia v Bangladesh (Womenโs ODI Series)
Who: Australia v Bangladesh (1st ODI)
Result: Australia won by seven wickets
Who: Australia v Bangladesh (2nd ODI)
Result: Australia won by nine wickets (Australia win series 2-0)
Bledisloe Cup (First Test)
Who: New Zealand v Australia
Result: All Blacks won 50-19
WNBA Playoffs (Semifinals)
Who: Dream v Liberty (Game 3, Dream led 2-0)
Result: Dream won 85-83 (Dream win series 3-0)
Who: Valkyries v Aces (Game 3, Valkyries led 2-0)
Result: Valkyries won 87-77 (Valkyries win series 3-0)
Australia Cup (Final)
Who: South Melbourne v Melbourne Victory
Result: South Melbourne won 1-1 (4-3 on penalties)

Looking forwardโฆ (All times are AEDT)
Test Cricket
Who: South Africa v Australia
(First Test, Day 4)
Time: 6:30pm tonight
Where to watch: Fox Cricket, Kayo




