Eight years ago today, Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera rubbing sandpaper on the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were later found to have known about the plan. All three players were sent home in disgrace, with Smith and Warner banned for 12 months and Bancroft for nine.

The incident, which became known as Sandpapergate, prompted then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to call it a "shocking disappointment". It is widely viewed as one of the worst scandals in Australian sporting history.

In October, Australia will return to Cape Town to face South Africa in a Test match at the same ground for the first time since the incident.

236cm
The height of U.S. college basketball player Olivier Rioux. The 20-year-old Canadian plays for the Florida Gators and now holds the record as the tallest player ever to appear in the NCAA Tournament. Florida, the tournament’s defending champions, were upset by Iowa 73-72 yesterday. To read more about the NCAA Tournament, otherwise known as March Madness, scroll down to the two-minute section for an explainer.

"Miami was challenging for me. I feel disappointment, bitterness and responsibility for my performance on the court of course. I've also learned a lot of important lessons and I think that's very human. That being said, after many months of working together with my coach Wim Fissette, I've decided to take a different path."
Women’s tennis player Iga Świątek in a post on Instagram announcing she is parting ways with her coach Wim Fissette. Świątek’s decision to split with Fissette came after she lost her first match at this year’s Miami Open to fellow Pole Magda Linette in three sets (1-6, 7-5, 6-3). The Belgian coach had worked with Świątek since 2024.

When the NBA is broadcast on the U.S. network NBC, it has a theme song called ‘Roundball Rock’. The music was parodied on SNL in 2011, with Tim Robinson and Jason Sudeikis singing made-up lyrics including “gimme the ball ‘cause I’m gonna dunk it!”

⛳ British golfer Matt Fitzpatrick claimed the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday, finishing ahead of American David Lipsky by one shot. The win was a timely one for the Englishman, who had led last week's Players Championship by a shot with two holes to play before losing to Cameron Young. Fitzpatrick's performances across the past two weeks have made him a contender heading into the Masters, which is the first major of the year and begins on 9 April. 

🎾 American tennis player Sebastian Korda has produced a surprise upset and knocked world number one Carlos Alcaraz out of the Miami Open. Korda, ranked 36th in the world, won the third round match in three sets (6-3, 5-7, 6-4). He lost serve when attempting to close out in the second set, but held his nerve in the third to seal his first career win over a world number one. Meanwhile, Talia Gibson, the last remaining Aussie in either the men’s or women’s singles draw, was beaten in straight sets by reigning Aus Open champ Elena Rybakina.

🏉The NRL’s Wests Tigers have been dealt an early-season blow with captain Jarome Luai set to miss four weeks with a knee injury. The playmaker sustained the medial ligament injury in the second half of Saturday's 20-16 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Tigers sit fifth on the ladder with one win and one loss. Separately, St George Illawarra Dragons forward Ryan Couchman faces the NRL judiciary tonight after a hip-drop-style tackle that is suspected to have ended Parramatta forward J'Maine Hopgood's season.

🏉 In the AFL, Port Adelaide Power captain Connor Rozee faces an extended stint on the sidelines after scans confirmed a high-grade hamstring tendon rupture, likely requiring surgery. The 26-year-old was hurt in Sunday's win over Essendon. In other AFL news, Gold Coast Suns forward Bailey Humphrey will fight a two-match ban at the tribunal tonight after being charged for a sling tackle on Richmond's Maurice Rioli.

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New Zealand Cricket last week rejected an invitation to field teams in an expanded Big Bash League, announcing it would instead launch its own privately-owned T20 competition as early as January 2027. 

The decision comes as Cricket Australia weighs up whether to sell stakes in its BBL and WBBL teams to private investors, in what CEO Todd Greenberg has called one of the biggest decisions in the sport's history.

Greenberg's push for private investment is driven by a need to keep pace with rival overseas leagues, which are increasingly luring players with bigger pay cheques. On New Zealand's decision to go it alone, Greenberg said: "History will be the judge."

England's cricket organisation raised £500 million ($AU1 billion) by selling stakes in the franchises in its domestic short-form competition, The Hundred, last year.

That impact has been felt in player salaries, with Australian Beth Mooney fetching £210,000 ($AU40,000) at the competition's auction this month, much more than the top WBBL overseas players earned last season, according to cricket.com.au. Mooney’s deal is more than three times the top salary allowed under the competition’s previous rules, £65,000.

The decision to privatise the BBL and WBBL ultimately rests with Australia's six state associations, who hold long-term leases on the teams. There is not yet uniform agreement, though Cricket Victoria has called CA's proposal a "compelling offer." States are expected to formalise their positions next month.

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‘March Madness’ is in full swing in the U.S. 

Here’s what you need to know about one of the biggest events in global sport.

March Madness is the annual U.S. college basketball tournament, where 68 teams compete in a single-elimination bracket to crown a national champion. 

Lose once and you’re out, win and you advance.

The Round of 16 is known as the Sweet 16, followed by the Elite Eight and the Final Four.

The men’s tournament has been played since 1939, while the women’s tournament began in 1982.

A major part of the spectacle for fans is the “bracket”, where fans try to predict every result before the tournament begins. It’s so difficult that no one has ever publicly recorded a perfect bracket. According to the NCAA, the most successful bracket for this year’s men’s tournament lasted 44 matches, while there is one bracket still intact in the women’s tournament.  

The Sweet 16 begins this week, with 16 teams remaining from the original 68.

The biggest storyline so far is the exit of defending champion Florida, who were knocked out in the second round by Iowa on a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Duke is the overall number one seed and are led by freshman Cameron Boozer, who has already posted 41 points and 24 rebounds across the first two rounds. Arizona has also impressed after winning both the Big 12 regular season and tournament conference titles, while Michigan’s 19-1 conference record has it firmly in contention.

Nebraska is the surprise, reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history after never previously winning an NCAA Tournament game.

The men's Final Four is on 4 April in Indianapolis, with the championship game on 6 April.

UConn enters the Sweet 16 as heavy favourites to go back-to-back and complete an undefeated season. The Huskies are the most successful program in women’s college basketball history, with 12 national championships.

They are led by Azzi Fudd, who scored 34 points in their second-round win over Syracuse.

Texas is also in strong form, with Madison Booker setting a school tournament record with 40 points against Oregon. Virginia has emerged as a surprise contender after overturning a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to upset Iowa and reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000.

The women’s Final Four will be held on 3 April in Phoenix, with the championship game on 5 April.

In Australia, you can watch college basketball on ESPN via Disney+, Kayo, and Foxtel.