17/12/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 17, 2025

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Australia goes for the jugular

BEN STOKES has called on England to “show a bit of dog” in the must-win third Ashes Test against Australia today after “raw” conversations following heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane. The tourists have crashed to consecutive eight-wicket losses and must snap a 17-match winless streak in Australia at Adelaide Oval to keep the five-match series alive. They have made just one change with Josh Tongue replacing fellow quick Gus Atkinson, while off-spinning allrounder Will Jacks kept his place ahead of Shoaib Bashir. England skipper Stokes said after the Gabba defeat that Australia was “no place for weak men” and admitted to “raw” dressing room conversations in the aftermath. “We don’t do getting into rooms and have big things up on the screen. We have proper, meaningful conversations. What’s been said has been said,” he told English media. “I’ve done all the talking over the last two days that I needed to. All that stuff’s done now, so it’s about what gets seen out on the field in Adelaide this week.” Stokes was called “the most competitive person I’ve ever come across” by former England captain Alastair Cook last week and the 34-year-old allrounder demanded more fight from his team. “It’s just about trying to fight in every situation that you find yourself in, understanding the situation and what you feel is required for your team,“ said Stokes. “Just look at your opposition every single time and show a bit of dog. That’s fight to me. You’re giving yourself the best possible chance if you’ve got a bit of dog in you.” He cited England’s battling third Test win against India at Lord’s in July as an example of the grit he wanted to see in Adelaide, with the hosts winning by 22 runs deep into day five after a time wasting row. “That’s exactly what I’m on about,“ he said. “We were probably in a situation where we would have to be absolutely perfect to win that game and we were. “The attitude and the mentality towards that specific situation is what gave us the best chance of winning that game.” Since arriving in Australia, England have been under intense media scrutiny and faced hostile crowds at Perth and Brisbane. Just five of the players used so far had previously played an Ashes series in Australia and Stokes acknowledged it had been confronting for the newcomers. “Honestly, I think so,“ he said. “Now I feel everyone has experienced that and probably at its highest level, so we all know what it’s going to be like. “So for the next three games there isn’t going to be any of that ‘I didn’t expect this’ or ‘it’s the first time I’ve had this’.” – AFP Stokes calls on Lions to ‘show a bit of dog’ Australian Open and Roland Garros and reached the semifinals of Wimbledon. The Belarusian won four trophies overall and recorded 63 victories over the season. As she retained the year-end No. 1 ranking for a second straight year, Sabalenka also set a single season prize money record of US$15 million (RM62m), the WTA said. Amanda Anisimova was voted the Most Improved Player, having also been nominated for Player of the Year. Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic received the Comeback Player of the Year award after becoming a mother in April 2024 and producing a strong run of results.

ATP to roll out new heat policy in 2026 season THE ATP Tour said it will introduce a new heat policy that will come into effect from 2026 after a string of retirements due to soaring temperatures and punishing humidity at the Shanghai Masters earlier this season. The governing body of men’s tennis said the rule, based on the internationally recognised Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index used to measure human heat stress in direct sunlight, had “clear thresholds” for cooling measures and suspension of play. “The new heat rule provides a structured, medically supported approach to managing extreme heat, with the objective of safeguarding player health,” the ATP said yesterday. It added the rule would also improve conditions for fans, officials, ball persons and tournament staff. If the WBGT reaches 30.1°C or higher in the first two sets of a best of-three-set singles match, a 10 minute cooling break after the second set can be requested by either player and will apply to both competitors. During breaks, players can hydrate, change clothing, shower and receive coaching under the supervision of ATP medical staff, the governing body added. Play will be suspended when the WBGT goes past 32.2°C. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner’s Shanghai title defence ended in agony in October when the Italian struggled to walk due to cramp in his right thigh before he retired in the deciding set of his third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor. At the same event, Novak Djokovic vomited during his encounter with Yannick Hanfmann while Holger Rune was heard asking an official during a medical timeout in his meeting with Ugo Humbert if players had to“die on court”amid the heat and humidity. The need for a formal ATP heat rule had sprung up in August in Cincinnati when Arthur Rinderknech collapsed on court during a match in sweltering conditions, before handing Felix Auger-Aliassime the victory. Previously, ATP regulations stated that decisions on the suspension of play due to adverse weather conditions – including extreme heat – lie with an onsite ATP supervisor who coordinates with medical teams at the venue as well as local authorities. The new rule aligns the ATP with the WTA. The four Grand Slams have also formally implemented the rules that allow for extended breaks and match suspensions. – Reuters

Australia’s Pat Cummins bowls during yesterday’s training at the Adelaide Oval ahead of the third Ashes Test. – AFPPIC

Khawaja left out as Cummins, Lyon back for 3rd Ashes Test C APTAIN Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon have returned to the Australia XI for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide but opener Usman Khawaja has been left out, leaving his Test career at a cross-roads. said he could still see a place in the Test squad for the 85-Test opener, who has a batting average of 43.56 but has not scored a fifty since posting 232 against Sri Lanka in Galle last January. “I think the selectors have been quite adamant we’re picking a side each week. It doesn’t mean it has to be the same side every week,” said Cummins.

Cummins returns from a back injury after missing the opening Tests in Perth and Brisbane, while Lyon is back after being dropped for the second Test at the Gabba which Australia won by eight wickets. The duo replace pace bowlers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser in the Australian attack, joining Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Khawaja missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, leaving Travis Head and Jake Weatherald to open the batting. While Khawaja remained with the squad and was fit to return, Cummins confirmed selectors had decided to stick with Head and Weatherald following the new combination’s promising start. “I think the big thing that’s shifted on us is probably Travis opening after that first Test and how good that’s looked with Weathers (Weatherald),” Cummins told reporters at Adelaide Oval yesterday. “We were pretty happy with that batting lineup and it didn’t feel like it needed to change, the middle order.” Khawaja will turn 39 tomorrow but Cummins 17 top-10s in 2025 and did not miss a cut while bringing his career major tally to four with the PGA Championship and British Open titles that left him a US Open triumph away from becoming only the seventh golfer to complete the career Grand Slam. “Scottie’s consistent level of success has been nothing short of spectacular as he continues to chase history on the PGA Tour, and we’re excited to see what he will deliver in 2026,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in a press release. South African Aldrich Potgieter received the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year after a season in which he was the only rookie to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs. Potgieter, one of five rookies to win on the PGA

“One of Ussie’s great strengths is he’s scored runs at the top and he’s scored runs in the middle. If we didn’t think he’d be good enough to come straight back in then he wouldn’t be here in the squad with us. “So, absolutely I can see a path back at some point if needed.” Cummins confirmed Josh Inglish will remain at No. 7 in the batting, having come in to the middle order at Brisbane following Head’s promotion. Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and need only draw the match in Adelaide to retain the urn. Australia held a 2-0 lead in the last Ashes in England in 2023 before the hosts rallied to draw the series 2-2. Cummins said lessons had been learned from that series. “We probably let a couple of those (winning opportunities) slide, particularly at Headingley and The Oval,” he said. “You just can’t let them go.” – Reuters Tour this season, is the third South African winner of the award, joining Ernie Els (1994) and Trevor Immelman (2006). Sabalenka comes out tops WORLD No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been named WTA Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after spending the entire year at the top of the rankings, the governing body of women’s tennis announced yesterday. Sabalenka capped a dominant 2025 campaign by successfully defending her US Open title, leading the tour in match wins and titles, reaching nine finals. She finished as runner-up at the

SHORTS

Fourth straight award for Scottie SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, who counted two majors among his six titles in 2025, has been voted the PGA Tour Player of the Year for a fourth consecutive season, the PGA Tour said yesterday. Scheffler, who joins Tiger Woods (1999-2003) as the only two players to win the award four or more straight times, beat Tommy Fleetwood, Ben Griffin and Rory McIlroy for the Jack Nicklaus Award, which is determined by a vote of PGA Tour members. World No. 1 Scheffler recorded a PGA Tour-best