
Cricket's Hall of Fame inducts Dhoni, Mir, Smith, Amla, Hayden, Vettori and Taylor
LONDON (AP) — Two-time world champion Mahendra Singh Dhoni led the 2025 class of seven cricketers into the ICC Hall of Fame on Monday.
He was joined by Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, South Africa's most successful captain and second highest test scorer, Matthew Hayden of Australia, Daniel Vettori of New Zealand, Sarah Taylor of England, and Sana Mir, the first woman from Pakistan to be inducted.
'From dreaming as a little girl that one day there would even be a women's team in our country to now standing here, inducted among the very legends I idolized long before I ever held a bat or a ball, this is a moment I couldn't have dared to imagine,' Mir said.
Nobody has captained India in more matches than Dhoni. Under his leadership, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and topped the test rankings for 18 months in between. He was named to the ODI and T20 world teams of the decade at the end of 2019.
Smith became South Africa's youngest captain at 22. He led in a world record 109 tests and won 53, including the Proteas' first series win in Australia in 2008-09 in which he played with a broken hand.
Amla spent 13 hours scoring South Africa's first triple century, 311 against England at the Oval in 2012. He also rose to No. 1 in the ODI rankings.
Hayden was an opening batter for Australia for 16 years. He briefly took Brian Lara's test record with 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth, and hit three centuries while winning the 2007 ODI World Cup.
Vettori became the youngest man to debut for New Zealand in tests at 18 in 1997, and the left-arm spinner became only the third man in history to take 300 test wickets and hit 4,000 runs.
Taylor set the standard for women wicketkeepers with a record 232 dismissals across the formats. She was a key contributor in England's ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup double in 2009 and another ODI World Cup triumph in 2017.
Mir led Pakistan for seven of her 15 years in the team, winning two Asian Games. She started as a pace bowler but a stress fracture forced her to switch to off-spin. She retired as Pakistan's leading wicket-taker in ODIs and second highest in T20s.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

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New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault
LONDON, Ont. – The prosecution described Michael McLeod as the 'architect' of the 'group sexual activity' at the center of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial and said he told 'outright lies' to portray the complainant as the aggressor in the sexual interactions of the night and advance a 'false narrative.' Advertisement Attorney Meaghan Cunningham provided Justice Maria Carroccia an outline of the Crown's argument, showing a power point in a closing submission on Wednesday that she said will demonstrate E.M. did not voluntarily agree to the charged sexual acts of the night. Cunningham began that presentation by telling Carroccia that she intended to prove E.M. did not want to engage in group sex and that McLeod repeatedly lied about his role as the orchestrator of the alleged incident. McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote are all charged with sexual assault after an alleged incident in June 2018 in which a 20-year-old woman — known as E.M., whose identity is protected by a publication ban — has said she was sexually assaulted over the span of several hours in a London, Ont., hotel room. The players were in town for a Hockey Canada event celebrating their 2018 World Junior Championship victory. McLeod is also facing a second charge for 'being a party to the offense' for what the Crown has asserted was his role 'assisting and encouraging his teammates to engage sexually' with E.M. All five players have pleaded not guilty. Cunningham highlighted that a key factual difference between the Crown and defense cases is what prompted McLeod's teammates to come to his hotel room after he and E.M. had consensual sex. She said that the factual issue will 'shape how the evidence is viewed.' The defense has asserted E.M. encouraged McLeod to invite his teammates in seeking what McLeod's attorney David Humphrey described as a 'wild night.' E.M. said that she did not know McLeod was inviting others and was 'surprised' when other men showed up in the room. Cunningham said there was no evidence to suggest that E.M. encouraged McLeod to invite teammates back to his room and laid out five elements to demonstrate why Carroccia should accept E.M.'s version of events – that she did not want group sex and was surprised by men entering the room. She pointed to 1) McLeod's 2018 police interview, 2) the June 20 text exchange between McLeod and E.M., 3) E.M.'s testimony, 4) the witness testimony of Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, and 5) McLeod's actions in 'recruiting' others to his room. Advertisement Cunningham said that McLeod was well prepared for his November 2018 interview with London Police, which took place under negotiated terms in Toronto with his attorney in the room, and yet did not make any mention of E.M. encouraging him to text his teammates. He also did not disclose the text messages he sent to a 19-person group chat and to Raddysh in the early-morning hours of June 19, 2018. He texted the group chat 'Who wants a 3 way quick' with a follow-up message providing his hotel room number. He also texted Raddysh separately to ask if he wanted a 'gummer,' which is slang for oral sex. Cunningham asked why McLeod would omit these messages in his interview with Detective Steve Newton and why, if it was true that E.M. was the initiator, he wouldn't disclose that in the interview, considering that would bolster his narrative. 'There is no logical or plausible reason why he wouldn't if it was a true fact,' Cunningham said. 'McLeod lies repeatedly to Detective Newton in that interview but it's the Crown's position that he's doing that in furtherance of a false narrative about what happened. The false narrative that Mr. McLeod is trying to craft is that he and his friends are completely innocent and that (E.M) was the instigator and the one demanding sexual activity.' In the interview, McLeod initially told Newton he didn't know why guys 'kept showing up in his room.' When asked directly whether he texted teammates, McLeod acknowledged he texted teammates he was ordering food and had a girl in his room. Cunningham said that if E.M. was the instigator of the group sexual activity, McLeod also would not have expressed the surprise and shock he conveyed to Newton in his interview about what he said was her sexually aggressive nature. 'It's not just that he forgot, it's not just that he didn't mention that he sent those texts. He outright lies to Detective Newton,' Cunningham said. 'He lies to Detective Newton repeatedly but in particular he lies to Detective Newton about the text message he sent or didn't send that night.' Advertisement Cunningham showed Carroccia the text exchange between McLeod and E.M. from June 20, 2018. In that exchange, in which McLeod asks E.M. if she went to the police, E.M. tells him she was OK going home with him but that she didn't expect others to come to the hotel room. She said she felt the players were making fun of and taking advantage of her. McLeod responded, Cunningham said, by re-framing what she said and responding that he was 'sorry that she was embarrassed' but warned about the serious 'implications' if the police matter moved forward. Cunningham said that if E.M. wasn't the instigator, as multiple players had testified, McLeod should have expressed surprise that she was upset about the other players joining them in the hotel room. Cunningham said E.M. was pressed repeatedly on the suggestion that she had prompted McLeod to invite others back to the hotel in pursuit of a 'wild night' but 'never wavered' in her testimony that she was surprised when players arrived in the room. 'Time and again she is pushed on this very same issue and her evidence is always the same, that she was surprised when other people started coming into the room and she does not think she would have ever asked for him to invite other people,' Cunningham said. Cunningham said that Raddysh and Katchouk both testified about E.M.'s behavior that was consistent with the Crown's assertion that E.M. was not seeking group sex. Both players said that they observed E.M. in bed, with the covers up to her shoulders and neck, and that she did not participate in any conversation beyond asking Katchouk for a bite of pizza. She said this was behavior consistent with someone who felt uncomfortable, not someone who was looking to engage others sexually. She said that if the defense theory was true that she was asking McLeod to ask his teammates to come over for group sex — and wanting to engage in group sex — Raddysh and Katchouk's testimony defies logic. Advertisement 'It would make no sense she would make absolutely no effort to engage or attempt to engage with Mr. Katchouk or Mr. Raddysh, not a single offer,' Cunningham said. Cunningham also pointed out that the testimony of both Raddysh and Katchouk differed significantly from other witnesses about E.M.'s behavior that night. Crown witnesses Tyler Steenbergen, Brett Howden and defense witness Carter Hart all testified that E.M. was the aggressor, asking players to have sex with her and insulting them when they declined. When Carroccia pointed out this divergence in stories, Cunningham replied: 'I agree these things are irreconcilable and someone's not telling the truth,' Cunningham said. She noted that Raddysh and Katchouk's description 'is completely at odds' with the testimony of the players who were on the June 26, 2018, group chat. In that group chat, players strategized how to handle the impending Hockey Canada investigation and discussed what to tell investigators. Cunningham said that they were the only two players who saw E.M. in Room 209 that night who were not on that June 26, 2018, group text chain. Cunningham pointed to McLeod's actions from the night to make the case that he was the instigator instead, and facilitated a group sexual encounter unbeknownst to E.M. Cunningham used a visual display of the '3 way quick' and 'gummer' text messages, sent at 2:10 and 2:15 a.m. respectively. She said McLeod made no efforts to vet who came to the room or took any efforts to get people to leave, but instead was 'trying to drum up more business' and 'recruit more people.' Cunningham cited McLeod's phone call to Hart, his recruitment of Katchouk from the hallway and his knocking on Raddysh's door as evidence of this. '(E.M.) was doing nothing either verbally or through her actions to communicate that she was at all interested in engaging in sexual activity with them,' Cunningham said. 'But the evidence does establish that someone was offering sex to Mr. McLeod's teammates in Room 209 and it wasn't (E.M.).' Advertisement Cunningham ended with the fact that by McLeod's own admissions, he said he was consistently checking in on her throughout the night, telling Detective Newton in his 2018 interview that he and his teammates had a 'no phones' policy and that at one point he 'calmed her down' because he said she was upset no one was having sex with her. Cunningham said McLeod was intervening to 'take some responsibility for managing the room' while all the events were unfolding. 'The reason he is doing that is because this was his idea to begin with,' Cunningham said. 'He set this up.' Earlier in the day, the defense teams finished their closing arguments. Julianna Greenspan, who represents Foote, said that her client performed the splits over E.M. as a 'party trick' that was both 'non-threatening,' not sexual and a 'momentary interaction.' Foote is accused of doing the splits over E.M. while she was lying on her back, grazing his genitals over her face. Greenspan said that E.M. was seeking sexual encounters and attention and that Hart's testimony that she was laughing was 'consistent with her performative behavior in the room generally.' 'In plain language, Mr. Hart's evidence was, this was in a playful manner, this was a playful trick, and (E.M.) was absolutely in on it,' Greenspan said. Greenspan spent significant time returning to the issue of E.M. referring to the players as 'men' throughout her testimony, painting the decision as intentional. Greenspan hammered this point repeatedly in cross-examination, but reinforced on Wednesday that E.M. had 'an axe to grind.' Greenspan undermined the credibility of Crown witnesses Brett Howden and Tyler Steenbergen, both of whom said Foote asked in a phone call to leave his name out of what happened in the hotel room prior to the players' participation in the Hockey Canada investigation. Advertisement Greenspan said Howden was in 'protect Howden mode' and suggested that Steenbergen was influenced by Henein Hutchison investigator Danielle Robitaille in his 2022 interview with Hockey Canada; she described that as 'an investigation intended to support and corroborate the complainant's civil lawsuit, one that Hockey Canada had just settled.' Greenspan ended her closing argument by suggesting that the intense level of publicity and interest in the case has compromised the presumption of innocence and subjected the players, their families and their legal teams to unfair treatment, such as bullying and taunting. Lisa Carnelos, attorney for Dubé, finished her closing submissions on Wednesday by arguing that her client did not engage in any collusion via the group chat he participated in with teammates on June 26, 2018 — 'This is the most lame attempt at collusion I've ever seen in my life,' she said — or in either of the phone calls he had with Tyler Steenbergen and Brett Howden. She explained the group chat as 'the banter of young men' who were 'confused' and 'expressing nervousness and shock.' Carnelos described the phone calls Dube had with both Howden and Steenbergen prior to the Hockey Canada investigation — asking them to leave his name out of interviews with Hockey Canada about the incident — as 'innocuous,' and 'context specific.' (Steenbergen testified that Dube asked him not to mention what Dube did in the room to investigators, adding that he wanted to speak for himself. Howden previously told investigators that Dube made the same request of him.) Carnelos suggested it was 'reasonable' that the call was about Dubé's desire to call Hockey Canada staff member Shawn Bullock to tell Bullock himself about what happened. Carnelos also suggested that the Hockey Canada and London Police reopened their investigations as a result of a 'media frenzy' and described the situation as a 'political hot potato.' — The Athletic's Dan Robson contributed reporting remotely from Toronto. (Courtroom sketch of Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham and Justice Maria Carroccia from earlier in the trial by Alexandra Newbould / The Canadian Press via AP)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sky's Angel Reese shatters Tina Charles' WNBA record by 6 games
The post Sky's Angel Reese shatters Tina Charles' WNBA record by 6 games appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Sky are off to a nightmare start in 2025, but there are still some silver linings mixed in with all of the losses. On Tuesday night, second-year big Angel Reese continued to set records as she gets off to a torrid start to her career on the glass. Advertisement Against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, Reese eclipsed 500 career points and 500 career rebounds in just 38 games. That passes Tina Charles for the fastest player to reach those marks according to Underdog WNBA. Charles took 44 games to get there, so Reese blew that record out of the water. She has become a double-double machine early in her career and is already one of the best rebounders in the WNBA, so it isn't necessarily a surprise to see her get to this point. Charles is one of the legends of the WNBA, so Reese is already in good company. The 2012 WNBA MVP is a surefire Hall of Fame player, so Reese will be thrilled to be mentioned in the same breath as her. From a team standpoint, things have gone very poorly for the Sky so far this season, Chicago is now 0-4 on the season after blowing a big second-half lead against the Phoenix Mercury in a 94-89 loss on Tuesday night and are quickly slipping behind many others in the playoff race. Advertisement Individually, Reese has had a bit of an up-and-down start to the year. On one hand, she is averaging 10 points and 14 rebounds per game with three double-doubles in four games. However, she is shooting just 13-for-42 from the field despite most of her volume coming in the paint. Reese also has 17 turnovers in four games, which is far too many for a big on the interior. Reese's offensive game is clearly still a work in progress, but she is still a plus player as a rebounder who creates extra possessions for her team on the glass. As she continues to grow, that part of her game will continue to be an asset for the Sky.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘I didn't like the attitude': Thomas Tuchel lays into England squad after drab 1-0 win over Andorra
Thomas Tuchel had some choice words for his side after a listless win over Andorra (AFP via Getty Images) England manager Thomas Tuchel made his displeasure clear after his side laboured to a dull and dispiriting 1-0 win over Andorra, the world's 173rd-ranked side. England had several chances, particularly in the first half, but failed to break down a dogged Andorran defence, only making a breakthrough as Noni Madueke - a rare bright spark - teed up Harry Kane in the 50th minute. Advertisement The captain's 72nd international goal spared England's blushes but they could not build on their lead, with jeers accompanying their exit at half-time and a smattering of boos at the final whistle. A visibly cross Tuchel told ITV after the game, 'We're not happy with the performance, of course. We started quite well in the first 20 or 25 minutes, but that was the only time it felt like it was only a matter of time. 'We created a lot of chances, half-chances and set pieces. But we completely lost our momentum and couldn't get it back from the whole of the first half. 'There was a lack of urgency, quality and energy.' Advertisement The game was held at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, with Andorra's home ground not deemed ready to host, and England appeared sluggish in the heat as the match wore on. Asked about his debrief to the squad, Tuchel replied, 'It's what I've said to you just now. I told them I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I did not like the attitude with which we ended this game. It felt almost like [he shrugged dismissively], 'We have to play it until the 93rd minute.' 'It's still a World Cup qualifier away from home. I didn't like it at all. The players know all this because I said it in the dressing-room. 'It's also necessary to have a look in detail, watch the match again, and we will let them know tomorrow what we want from them. Advertisement 'We can just admit it that it's not what we expect from us,' Tuchel continued. 'We need to look at it in detail and do better on Tuesday.' England face Senegal in a friendly next Tuesday, a significantly tougher test against potential opposition at next summer's World Cup. He offered some praise for Madueke, who had the chance to double England's lead late on, but his back-line pass drifted across the front of goal and was then not turned in by substitute Anthony Gordon. Asked whether the Chelsea player had advanced his cause to feature in next summer's squad, the German said, 'He was maybe over the course of the match the most dangerous, the most active. I could feel his hunger and desire to [follow the plan]. Yeah, he was one of the few [to follow it].'