Proteas survive early scare
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ABC News
23 minutes ago
- ABC News
Alice Springs man to play in Norway's Homeless World Cup soccer tournament
A young man from Alice Springs who has experienced homelessness for most of his life is travelling to Norway to represent Australia in a week-long street soccer tournament. About 450 men and women from 40 countries are coming together for the 20th anniversary of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo next week to raise awareness and challenge attitudes about homelessness. Eighteen-year-old Lesley Thompson moved from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs when he was about six years old and said he would often walk the streets or stay with family members because it was not safe for him to sleep at home. "Sometimes I'd go walk along in the middle of the night to my other family camp. They live far away outside the town. "I'd walk all the way there, sleep there for one night, and I'd go back to my other camp where I live." Mr Thompson still moves between different family members' houses, yards and mattresses and has no permanent address. According to NT Shelter, the territory has 12 times the national average rate of homelessness, with 6 per cent of all people in the NT experiencing homelessness. Mr Thompson is one of more than 2,000 people experiencing homelessness in the Northern Territory on any given day. He said it was hard to survive. "Sometimes you got to sleep outside with maybe one blanket or two, or maybe with no mattress," he said. "Sometimes you have to look for your family, so you can ask them to give you money to buy food, but sometimes they say nothing." In the NT, 20 per cent of Aboriginal people are experiencing homelessness, and family and domestic violence is one of the top reasons people seek support from homelessness services. Mr Thompson said he first started playing soccer at 10 years old at the Gap Youth Centre in Alice Springs. That was where he said he was approached to play in the Homeless World Cup. "I was playing and this guy walked up to me … he said, 'Hey, you want to play soccer for overseas? Show yourself, play for Australia?" he said. "He showed me a map and a video of people playing, showed me what the different places look like." Co-founder of the Big Issue Street Soccer Program and the Australian "Street Socceroos" coach, George Halkias, said the tournament was "the opportunity of a lifetime". "It's a very special and unique sporting [event] … it celebrates the power of people to overcome adversity and show what they can do when they're given an opportunity," he said. "It's very special for the players who represent their country because obviously they've had a journey and a few different challenges and life experiences. "[Players can] learn new lessons, build new skills and just develop that self confidence … all these experiences help them grow and develop, and people like Lesley become great role models and inspire their peers and other people in their local communities." Mr Halkias said the host cities and countries created a respectful atmosphere to allow people to learn about mental illness, substance abuse, disability and long-term unemployment. Mr Thompson said after the tournament, he wanted to become a ranger in central Australia. "I like staying out bush much better than being in town … I like nature and taking care of animals," he said. Though finding secure housing would likely continue to be a challenge for Mr Thompson, he said he dreamed of one day owning a home of his own. "And I don't want my family to fight there," he said. "When they drink I need them to go sleep somewhere else, I don't want them to make no mess in my house or fight … I want to live peacefully." Mr Thompson had a message for other people experiencing homelessness. "Don't give up for your life," he said. "Do something with your life and by doing something you'll get somewhere. "Stop going in circle, just go forward." Mr Thompson wanted to "help other families to stop drinking and fighting". "Our people do not need to do that," he said.
News.com.au
31 minutes ago
- News.com.au
The NBL has secured its next broadcast rights deal that will stream the competition onto Disney+
Sundays will remain home to the NBL on free-to-air television, with all 166 games of season 2025-26 to remain live on Kayo Sports after the league locked in a new broadcast deal that will extend its partnership with ESPN onto Disney+. But, after months of negotiations and a long back and forth, hopes the new Ignite Cup in-season tournament would take pride of place in prime time on the Seven Network on Wednesday nights have been dashed. CODE Sports has been told the the two parties were unable to reach agreement on which medium the games would be broadcast on. Network 10 will broadcast two games every Sunday — one on its main channel at 2.30pm AEDT, the other on the rebranded 10 Drama at 4.30pm AEDT. With an estimated 3.7 million subscribers, ESPN's move to Disney+ has opened up a huge new audience for the NBL, which has built its monumental rise on a sporting and entertainment product that has become the most family-friendly in the country. All games can be watched on ESPN through Kayo, Foxtel and Fetch TV in Australia, and Sky in New Zealand. 'We are thrilled to extend our distribution agreement with ESPN, and will continue to work closely together to ensure even more people can connect and access live NBL games,' NBL Group chief executive David Stevenson said. 'This new agreement reflects the NBL's remarkable evolution and increasing popularity, and marks another big step forward in the growth of our league. 'Our Broadcast audiences have grown by 106 per cent over the past three seasons and we are confident this new deal will ensure that trend continues as we continue to be the fastest growing professional sporting league in the country.' Every game of the league's pre-season tournament, the NBL Blitz, which begins next Wednesday, will be shown live on ESPN from Canberra, while the Ignite Cup will be a Wednesday night ESPN special throughout the season. Interest in the NBL has never been higher, with massive off-season moves, including five-time MVP Bryce Cotton's monumental move from Perth to Adelaide and Boomers great Matthew Dellavedova's shift from Melbourne to Sydney, along with the return of NBA firebrand Montrezl Harrell to Adelaide, Olympic hero Jack McVeigh's million-dollar Cairns coup and the arrival of two-time NBA champion Javale McGee at champion Illawarra. 'We have seen the biggest off-season shake-up in history, which has created a wave of anticipation unlike anything we've seen before,' Stevenson said. 'All 10 teams have a legitimate chance of winning the championship and I firmly believe the NBL26 season will be one of the best ever.' The season tips off on September 18, with Melbourne United taking on bitter rival Tasmania.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Australia thumped by South Africa in opening ODI as Mitch Marsh stars at top of the order
A career-best haul from veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj has inspired South Africa to a crushing 98-run win over Australia in the first ODI in Cairns. With Australia cruising at 0-60 chasing the Proteas' 8-296, Maharaj wreaked havoc during a stunning spell as the hosts lost 6-29 in 55 balls at Cazaly's Stadium. The 35-year-old bowled his 10 overs unchanged — at one stage with figures of 5-9 — to finish with 5-33. It was the first five-wicket haul of his ODI career and he was aptly named player of the match. Maharaj's efforts were the fourth-best ODI numbers by a South African bowler in Australia. 'In the T20s, coming off a similar wicket, there was a little bit of turn as the game went on,' Maharaj said. Debutant Prenelan Subrayen, a right-arm offspinner, started Australia's collapse by getting the dangerous Travis Head stumped for 27. 'My life was made easier when Prenelan got the first wicket, he bowled exceptionally well on debut,' Maharaj said. 'I just tried to utilise the conditions and use the angles of the crease and fortunately enough, I got the reward.' Captain Mitch Marsh played a lone hand from the top as none of Australia's middle-order reached double figures. While Marsh remained at the crease, Australia had an outside chance of pulling off a remarkable win. But when Marsh fell for 88 to Nandre Burger (2-54), it was only a matter of time before the Proteas secured victory and bowled Australia out for 198 in the 41st over. 'Keshav's an outstanding bowler, and certainly a little bit more spin than we expected,' Marsh said. 'At times you have to take your hats off to someone like him, he won them the game.' His performance was even enough to convince England great Michael Vaughan that he should earn a recall into Australia's Test squad for the Ashes. 'Mitch Marsh to open in the Ashes … Wouldn't be the worst shout,' he wrote, as Aussie selectors face the conundrum of who to pair with Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Spin, unexpectedly, dominated in Cairns, after Travis Head's part-timers also proved hard to handle. Australia's aggressive opening batter took 4-57, claiming opener Ryan Rickelton (33), as well as Tristan Stubbs (zero) and rising star Dewald Brevis (six) within three balls. The Proteas need no reminder of Head's bowling capabilities after he took two crucial wickets in Australia's thrilling World Cup semi-final win in 2023. Rickelton made a productive start with World Test Championship final hero Aiden Markram, the pair putting on 92 for the opening wicket. Markram (82) played flawlessly for his first 80 balls, but fell to a stock-standard delivery from Ben Dwarshuis (2-53) when seemingly headed for a fourth ODI century. WTC-winning captain Temba Bavuma returned for his first match since the historic final at Lord's two months ago, crafting a patient 65 before being bowled by Dwarshuis when trying to lift the run-rate with four overs left. Allrounder Wiaan Mulder, fresh off his extraordinary 367 not out in a Test against Zimbabwe last month, delivered in the final overs with a blazing unbeaten 31. Earlier, South Africa suffered a major blow, losing spearhead Kagiso Rabada for the three-match series. The 30-year-old will miss the 50-over games in north Queensland due to an ankle injury. Australia fielded first after captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and elected to send the Proteas in to bat. When captaining Australia, Marsh has won the toss 21 times and chosen to field every time. Australia opted to play Alex Carey as a specialist batter, electing to use Josh Inglis as the wicketkeeper instead of their Test gloveman. But Carey and Inglis both fell to Maharaj, playing poor shots to get out. The second ODI will take place in Mackay on Friday.
