Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 6 January 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start off with Cricket: The World Test Championship final is still five months away but it is already playing on the mind of Australia skipper Pat Cummins, saying the defence of their title is a huge goal after conquering India. Australia surged into a June showdown against South Africa at Lord’s with a six-wicket victory in the fifth Test against India in Sydney yesterday. The thrilling win sealed a first series triumph against their Indian rivals in a decade. It also confirmed their place in a clash against the Proteas for the championship.

And, in more cricket news, India coach Gautam Gambhir said veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still have a future in the team if they want it, despite disappointing returns on the test tour of Australia. The tourists went down 3-1 in the series after losing the fifth test by six wickets on Sunday. Rohit was rested for the match at his request, while Kohli made 17 and six in his two innings in Sydney. Gambhir said they still have the hunger and the passion and can hopefully continue to take Indian cricket forward.

# Tennis: World number nine Daria Kasatkina swept into the Adelaide International second round, but Paris Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic crashed to her third straight defeat of the season. Russia’s Kasatkina, runner-up at the last two editions of the Australian Open warm-up event, beat Australia’s Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-3. She will next face last year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon junior runner-up Emerson Jones. Croatia’s Vekic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, saw her Australian Open build-up go from bad to worse with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

Staying with tennis news, the reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova pulled out of this month’s Australian Open over a back injury. The 29-year-old Czech will also sit out this week’s Adelaide International. Krejcikova won the Wimbledon title last year, three years after lifting the French Open trophy. She has also won seven Grand Slam doubles titles including two at the Australian Open, and three major mixed doubles titles, all at Melbourne. The Australian Open begins on January 12.

# And Soccer: Amad Diallo struck a late equaliser for Manchester United which held Premier League leaders Liverpool to a thrilling 2-all draw at Anfield yesterday. United had gone ahead in the 52nd minute when Lisandro Martinez found the net from a tight angle. But Liverpool responded seven minutes later with Cody Gakpo equalised before Mohamed Salah put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot. Liverpool remain in control of the title race with 46 points from 19 games. United moved up a place to 13th with 23 points.

Stay tuned for more news………….