Invasive! Gerard calls out ump proximity
AFL: Gerard Whateley believes the umpire at the end of the Pies / Cats game needed to give Jack Crisp more space as he prepared for a match winning shot on goal.
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ABC News
19 minutes ago
- ABC News
Is World Test Championship cricket's pinnacle?
Samantha Donovan: The Australian men's cricket team is taking to field at Lord's in London this evening for what could be the final day of the World Test Championship against South Africa. The Aussies are just in front but either side could win. The concept of a World Championship for Test cricket is relatively new and this is just the third time a final has been held. Commentators though say it's still too early to tell if the new format has been successful in revitalising the oldest form of the game. Luke Radford prepared this report. Luke Radford: It's patience, it's tactics, it's endurance, it's skill, it's poetry, it's Test cricket. Cricket Commentary: He's pitched up and he's bowled it all over the place right through bales go flying and Pat Cummins has got the wicket. Luke Radford: In London with the final of the World Test Championship on a knife's edge, Australian Katie Power is getting ready to head to Lord's for day three. Katie Power: It is being played at Lord's which is like Melbourne Cricket Club MCC is like the birthing place of cricket. Such a beautiful game with like such nuance in it as well. Luke Radford: But while it's considered the pinnacle of the sport, Test cricket is in decline around the world. Grounds are dwindling and shorter versions of the game like 2020 are taking over. Malcolm Conn is a former cricket writer for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. Malcolm Conn: The reality is that the biggest competition in the world by the length of the straight is the IPL because all the best players play in the IPL. That generates enormous amounts of money in terms of television rights. Luke Radford: The IPL or Indian Premier League is a 2020 competition that pays the world's best players huge amounts of money. It's so big that some countries send teams full of reserve players to play Test matches so their biggest stars can play 2020 cricket. But cricket's governing body, the ICC, didn't want Test matches to die and out of concern was born the World Test Championship. This is just the third time a final has been held and it's between Australia and South Africa. Luke Radford: The way works is that the nine best countries in the world all play six Test matches. Three at home, three away. The top two then play the final at a neutral ground. Malcolm Conn says while it sounds like a great concept on paper, it has issues. Malcolm Conn: The main one which benefited South Africa was that they didn't play any of the big three, I suppose you would say, in Australia, India or England on their way through to the Test Championship. Luke Radford: The bigger problem is that despite its lofty title, players and fans alike think when it comes to Test cricket, being world champion doesn't actually mean you're the best in the world. Malcolm Conn says it's different for every country. Malcolm Conn: I think the pinnacle for Australian cricket would be actually to beat India in India because it's such a difficult thing to do. Australia's only won one Test series there since 1969. So if you're an Australian cricketer, you would love that. Luke Radford: Despite these issues, this year's World Test Championship final has been a classic so far. And if South Africa can win, it'll be a huge moment for a country that's struggled on the cricket stage for more than a decade. So is the concept worth sticking with? Malcolm Conn says it's too early to know. Malcolm Conn: I think the jury's still out. I think that while it has given Test cricket some publicity, I think that it's a little bit of a token gesture when you really do have to try and get the fabulously wealthy India and well-off countries like Australia and England and then the rest of the Test playing nations can hardly afford to play Test cricket. Samantha Donovan: That report from Luke Radford.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles can build on 13th game in Perth to achieve genuine AFL fixture reform
At the risk of putting the mozz on the campaign to reduce travel inequity throughout the AFL, it's been an incredibly positive 12 months and the momentum is charging in the right direction. Remember last season when an argument was raised that the WA clubs getting access to business class seats was evidence that they aren't disadvantaged by travel? Fremantle and West Coast shot down that claim with immense power and precision, and have since locked away an extra game in WA from 2025-27 while creating more opportunities for extra games into the future. The Dockers and Eagles have long felt like they were banging their heads against a wall in regards to travel, but some of those bricks are starting to crumble. They were constantly getting fixtured to play in Geelong, Tasmania, Canberra or the Northern Territory and even the lack of direct flights to Gold Coast, had them spending extra time en-route to games. But now they've worked out a deal to take charter flights around Australia and have convinced the AFL to predominantly schedule day matches when on the road so they can fly home later that night. Finding somewhere to train in Victoria has been a constant problem .But the Dockers were granted access to both Marvel Stadium and the MCG at times this season. They're small but significant wins.. From little things, big things grow. And the biggest thing is having more games in Perth. Eagles fans will hate this, but last weekend's loss to North Melbourne was the perfect result for the travel campaign. The Kangaroos gave up a home game and still won. Had they sold two games and lost both, there would have been an immediate cry from the other side of the country that the move was too big an advantage for the WA clubs. Fremantle beat North Melbourne in Victoria last year and have started this round clearly higher than them on the ladder, so there's likely to be less angst if the Dockers win on Saturday. Fremantle beat Gold Coast and GWS on the road before the bye so would have gone into the Roos' clash as favourites regardless of location. Both WA clubs know how important this deal is. The Dockers missed the finals by one win last season. Carlton finished eighth and played 17 games in Victoria. Fremantle played only 12 in WA. The Blues flew 13,588km throughout last season. Fremantle covered 53,784km for their interstate flights. Those flights, lost hours and lost days add up. It feels like the AFL and the clubs are starting to gain an appreciation for the plight of a travelling team. This month's AFL appointments will only increase that understanding. Brisbane CEO Greg Swann is now running footy. He started his career in Victoria at Collingwood and Carlton but then spent a decade in Queensland. He understands the travel challenge. Sydney CEO Tom Harley is also moving to the AFL as Chief Operating Officer. His portfolio is large but includes Competition Structure plus strategic initiatives including Gather Round and Tasmania. His focus will be on more than just Victoria. Chairman Richard Goyder is from Western Australia. Former Docker Matt de Boer joined the AFL Commission in 2023. They're key voices in key positions. Even the Victorian clubs are filled with influential people who understand travel and will find it hard to keep a straight face if they argue against change. Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo previously worked at West Coast. Bombers coach Brad Scott played for Brisbane. Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell played and then was an assistant at the Eagles. Ross Lyon coached Fremantle before returning to St Kilda. Geelong coach Chris Scott is a former Dockers assistant and played his entire career at the Lions. Craig McRae also played for Brisbane. Michael Voss was his captain. Voss then coached Brisbane before heading to South Australia where he worked for Port Adelaide and then getting appointed as Carlton coach. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is a former Adelaide captain. That's a large group of key people across a range of Victorian clubs. Other developments include club CEOs travelling to Perth for a meeting last year. They'll soon gather on the Gold Coast for another meeting. Those discussions have nearly always been in Victoria. Everyone knows the AFL isn't an even competition. There are compromises and inequity everywhere you look Victorian clubs have an advantage when it comes to re-signing players or recruiting them through trades/free agency. Why? Because the majority of draftees come from Victoria and we're constantly seeing players asking to go home. Not having to travel to win a premiership is a clear advantage. Victorian clubs have won the flag in eight of the last 10 grand finals where they've played an interstate opponent. When all of the evidence is laid out, it is hard to argue against. Which means building momentum by mounting a compelling argument that others can't shoot down is so important when trying to instigate change. The message is getting through and it's not just Fremantle and West Coast who are shouting from the rooftops. Momentum has never been stronger for travel/fixture reform.
Daily Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Trainer James Cummings to train in Hong Kong from 2026-27
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. James Cummings has withdrawn his application for the famous Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick after accepting an offer to train in Hong Kong. Cummings flew to Hong Kong on Tuesday to front a press conference this morning in which the Hong Kong Jockey Club confirmed the trainer would move there for the start of the 2026-27 season. It's a real coup for Hong Kong racing to secure one of Sydney's most outstanding trainers. Cummings' tenure as Godolphin's private trainer comes to an end on July 31. He will take a 'sabbatical'' from training before he moves to Hong Kong next year. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'This wasn't a decision I made lightly. With the upcoming conclusion of my exclusive role at Godolphin, I have carefully considered the right path forward,'' Cummings said. 'While continuing to train in Australia was my intention, the opportunity in Hong Kong presented a unique and respected environment to challenge myself and grow further as a trainer. This is a progression to the next stage of my career in a new jurisdiction.'' Cummings said he was privileged to lead a 'talented and committed team' at Godolphin since 2017. 'In deciding not to train next season, I also wanted to be fair to my staff by giving them the opportunity to commit to a long-term role with another stable,'' he said. 'To the owners who had already been forthcoming in their support, I want to express my sincerest appreciation. 'I felt it would be unfair to continue, only to step away and leave the team and yearlings without guidance during a pivotal stage in their development.' Cummings has been reconsidering his future since Godolphin Australia recently made a bombshell announcement that it was moving to a public training model from August 1. The trainer had lodged an application to take over the vacant Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick. The Australian Turf Club's board of directors is due to meet this week to discuss which trainer will be allocated the 60-boxes at Leilani Lodge where Bart Cummings trained so successfully for more than 40 years. An original Hall of Fame inductee, Bart Cummings prepared some of his greatest champions out of Leilani Lodge including Saintly, So You Think, Beau Zam, Shaftesbury Avenue, Sky Chase, Campaign King, Dane Ripper and many others. The nation's leading trainer, Ciaron Maher, and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team are the clear favourites to be given the keys to the Randwick stables which have been vacant since the licence of James's father, Anthony Cummings, was revoked earlier this year. The famous Leilani Lodge stables at Randwick. • Comeback star can give Cummings a Golden send-off in Stradbroke James Cummings is only 37 years of age and has already trained 52 career Group 1 winners including two with his legendary grandfather, Bart. To put this achievement into context, Bart Cummings and Tommy Smith didn't train their 50th Group 1 winner until they turned 45. Chris Waller may rewrite all the training records but he didn't get to 50 big race wins until he was 42. In fact, the only other trainer to reach 50 Group 1 wins before the age of 40 was Lee Freedman who was 38. Cummings has been Godolphin's trainer since 2017 and has been hugely successful for the global racing and breeding giant, preparing 48 Group 1 winners for the 'Blue Army' and more than $200 million prizemoney. Anamoe has been Godolphin's best horse during the Cummings era winning nine Group 1 races including the 2022 Cox Plate and earning Horse of the Year honours in 2022-23. Cummings trained a Golden Slipper quinella in 2019 with Kiamichi and Microphone, and the winners of the Golden Eagle (Colette, 2019), Doncaster Mile (Cascadian, 2021), Epsom Handicap (Hartnell, 2018), Tancred Stakes (Avilius, 2019) and two Golden Roses with Broadsiding (2024) and Bivouac (2019). The champion trainer also enjoyed tremendous success for Godolphin interstate preparing the winners of the All Star Mile (Tom Kitten, 2025), two Australian Cups (Cascadian 2023, 2024), three Newmarket Handicaps (Bivouac, 2020, In Secret, 2023 and Cylinder, 2024), two VRC Oaks (Zardozi, 2024 and Willowy, 2021), two Caulfield Guineas (Anamoe, 2021 and Golden Mile, 2022) and the Stradbroke Handicap (Trekking, 2019). Originally published as James Cummings accepts offer to train in Hong Kong from the 2026-27 season
