Well, it’s been a very interesting first day of Ashes cricket at the Adelaide Oval.

Australia’s Steve Smith withdrew from the lineup just before the start of play due to nausea and dizziness from inner ear issues.

Smith’s absence means that Usman Khawaja has been called back into the team. Khawaja went into bat fourth and made a statement, scoring a brilliant 82 runs.

Now at the time of writing, Australia are 5-244 with Alex Carey and Josh Inglis at the crease.

$4.17 million
The amount the Kolkata Knight Riders, a team in the Indian Premier League, paid for Australian cricketer Cameron Green at an auction last night for the 2026 season. The figure makes Green the most expensive overseas player in the league’s history. That being said, the 26-year-old will only take home $3 million because of a new rule that caps the amount overseas players can be paid. The remainder of the money will go to the Indian cricket governing body’s player development program.

"Every fighter knows this moment will come; you just never know when. I spent my whole life chasing something. Not belts, not money, not headlines. But that feeling, the one you get when the world doubts you, and you keep showing up, and you keep proving everyone wrong.”
American boxer Terence Crawford announcing his retirement from the sport in a video via social media. The 38-year-old retires as a world champion in five different weight divisions with a professional record of 42 wins and zero losses. He is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

On this day in 1991, the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Miami Heat 148-80. The 68-point margin was the biggest in NBA history until 2021, when the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79 (73 points).

⛷️ Rosie Fordham has made history in Switzerland, recording Australia’s best-ever individual World Cup cross-country skiing result. The Sydney-born athlete finished 13th in the 10km Freestyle in Davos, becoming the first Australian to ever crack the top 20. It continues a breakout year for Fordham, who also won silver at the U23 World Championships and is set to compete at the Winter Olympics in February. 

🏏 The Hobart Hurricanes have kicked off their Big Bash League title defence with a thrilling four-wicket win over the Sydney Thunder. In a rematch of last season’s final, the reigning champs chased down the total of 180 runs set by the Thunder with just one ball to spare. Early fireworks from Mitchell Owen (32 runs) and Nikhil Chaudhary (41) set the platform, before Chris Jordan and skipper Nathan Ellis held their nerve in a dramatic final over to hit the winning runs. 

⚽ A man has been sentenced to 21-and-a-half years in prison for driving a van into crowds at Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade earlier this year. The attack in May injured over 130 people. Prosecutors said Paul Doyle, a former Royal Marine, flew into a "rage" because heavy crowds blocked him from picking up a friend. The judge rejected his claim of panic, describing footage of him using the vehicle as a weapon as "truly shocking." Victims detailed life-changing physical and emotional scars, with one saying the sight of red shirts is now unbearable.

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As the number one provider for sport in Australia*, Deakin offers cutting-edge courses across exercise and sport science, sport management, business, and more. With world-class facilities, a stacked network of industry partners, and over 270 elite athletes currently studying, you’ll be learning alongside the best.

With Brisbane 2032 in sight, there has never been a better time.

Tom Silvagni, the son of former AFL player Stephen Silvagni, has been sentenced to six years and two months in jail for rape. 

In the sentencing, the judge commended Silvagni’s victim for her “real integrity and courage.” 

Silvagni’s name previously could not be published by media outlets because a suppression order was in place. 

His brother, Jack, currently plays for St Kilda.

Earlier this month, Silvagni was found guilty of raping a woman in 2024. The jury heard he raped the complainant at his home. 

The victim testified that she was in a dark bedroom on 14 January 2024 when Silvagni snuck in, climbed into bed, and penetrated her without consent, pretending to be a man she had previously had consensual sex with.

Silvagni was sentenced today to six years and two months in jail, and will serve a non-parole period of three years and three months. The maximum penalty for the offence of rape is 25 years’ imprisonment.

Judge Greg Lyon described Silvagni’s crimes as “marked by planning, cunning and strategy”. 

He added: "Whilst you have no prior convictions and you have not offended further and have no matters outstanding, you have demonstrated no remorse and no insight into any aspect of your wrongdoing.”

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FIFA has announced a new category of "more affordable" tickets for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

The decision follows criticism from fan groups regarding the initial pricing structure, which would have seen the cheapest group-stage tickets cost approximately $US250 ($AU377).

The governing body has introduced a "supporter entry tier" priced at $US60 ($AU90). These tickets will be available for all 104 matches of the tournament, however, the supply is limited. 

This tier will make up 10% of the allocation for each competing nation. For teams like England and Scotland, this equates to roughly 400 tickets per group match.

FIFA stated these tickets are intended for "loyal fans," with individual Football Associations responsible for defining eligibility criteria and distribution.

The move has met resistance from supporter groups. Tom Greatrex, chair of the UK’s Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), told BBC Sport the announcement was a "hollow gesture," and noted that the majority of tickets remain at the original price points. 

Under the previous structure, which the FSA had called “scandalous”, the cheapest ticket for the final was listed at over $AU6,270.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the move but urged FIFA to "do more" to maintain affordability for genuine supporters.

Separately, organisers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics announced their own ticketing strategy for the U.S. market earlier this week.

At least one million tickets for the Games will be priced at a flat rate of $US28 ($AU42).

Organisers said every sport will have tickets available at this price point, and one-third of all tickets will cost under $US100 ($AU150). LA28 chief Allison Katz-Mayfield said a random draw system would be used to ensure the "fairest way" for the public to access tickets.