The New South Wales Supreme Court found insufficient evidence following allegations that the batsman had exposed himself to a massage therapist during the 2015 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2017

Chris Gayle prevailed in his defamation case against Fairfax Media, after a four-person jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found that there was insufficient evidence to prove he exposed himself to a massage therapist in a Sydney dressing room during the 2015 World Cup.After deliberating for a little less than two hours, the jury concluded that Fairfax Media – which publishes , and the – had not justified its January 2016 report of the allegation on either the basis of truth or of qualified privilege, which weighs up the public interest value of published information and whether or not the media outlet acted reasonably.The massage therapist who made the allegation, Leanne Russell, testified in court last week that she cried uncontrollably after Gayle pulled down his towel to expose himself while saying “is this what you’re looking for?” during a training session at Drummoyne Oval. Both Gayle and his team-mate Dwayne Smith gave evidence denying that the episode took place.Russell had contacted the sports editor of the , Chloe Saltau, to tell her story after she saw the infamous interview of Gayle by the broadcaster Mel McLaughlin in January 2016. Russell also said that the incident with Gayle had followed another, when Smith had sent her a text message saying “sexy” while she had been giving him a massage.Speaking for Gayle, barrister Bruce McClintock said Russell had been “bitter” and “vengeful” in targeting Gayle. Russell, who now works as an executive assistant for the AFL, stated in her evidence that she had wanted to take a stand for women in sport. “I was sick of being treated that way,” Russell said in evidence. “I was someone who had forged my career in sport. I would never be as successful as I would be if I was a man.”Russell had made a verbal complaint at the time to the West Indies team manager Richie Richardson, who had then sent an email to the team requesting them to “please at all times, treat her in a respectable and professional way”. In his evidence, Gayle had insisted the incident “did not happen”.After the verdict was read out, Gayle spoke of his relief outside court. “I’m a good man,” he said. “I’m not guilty.”Following the verdict, Fairfax Media indicated concerns with the conduct of the case and that the company would be considering an appeal. “Fairfax Media is concerned with the conduct of the trial to the extent that on Friday it sought an order that the Jury be discharged and a new trial ordered,” a spokesperson said.”The Judge [Justice Lucy McCallum] accepted that the Jury had been misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, but declined to discharge the Jury. Fairfax believes that it did not get a fair trial. It is seriously considering its appeal rights.”

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has shared when Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane could quit Spurs with talks over his sale "set to accelerate".

Will Harry Kane leave Tottenham?

The 29-year-old is currently attracting real interest from a host of top clubs both in Europe and domestically, with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain and league rivals Man United linked.

Kane's contract is slowly winding down as he enters the final 12 months of his Spurs deal, and with no sign of an extension despite a mammoth reported contract offer, chairman Daniel Levy may well have to contemplate selling this window.

This isn't the first time he's been linked with a move away from north London, as treble-winners Man City attempted to sign him all the way back in 2021, even making bids in excess of £100 million.

Ange Posteocoglou, speaking on the rumours of Kane potentially leaving, admitted that the saga is an unwelcome distraction during his pre-season preparations.

"Fair to say I am not relaxed about it," said Postecoglou to the media recently.

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club."

Bayern in particular are thought to be hot on Kane's trail with Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol recently saying on a live broadcast that they're growing increasingly confident.

Now, O'Rourke has shared his own update in a piece for Football Insider. The journalist writes that Kane could be out the door pretty soon, giving a timeline of exactly when he could depart.

O'Rourke suggests that the forward may quit Tottenham before the start of next season, specifically August 13 when Spurs take on Brentford in their Premier League opener.

He adds that negotiations over the sale of Kane are "set to accelerate" with Levy now willing to cash in on their talismanic star.

How good is Harry Kane?

Having scored 30 league goals in 38 starts last season, Kane's importance to this Spurs side is unparalleled.

The Three Lions superstar became England's all-time top goalscorer recently, beating Wayne Rooney's previous record, while Kane is also Tottenham's best ever goalscorer after overtaking the legendary Jimmy Greaves.

"We are talking about a world class striker,” said former Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte last season.

“He deserves the best because he's a great worker, hard worker… this is not normal because usually the players that have talent many times don't like to work hard because they have talent.

“When you see him work in this way, and for sure you have the desire to continue to work, to work very hard."

USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah is set to return for Milan after nearly a month on the sideline due to a muscle injury

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• Musah missed four games through injury
• Returned to training midweek
• Set to be fit for Empoli clash at weekend

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After suffering a muscle injury against Newcastle in the Champions League in December, the Rossoneri midfielder is set to return to action at the weekend. He was pictured training Thursday, and is set to be fit ahead of the contest.

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  Musah has missed four-straight matches for Milan, but lucky for him, they're in stunning form. They've unbeaten in five-straight across all competitions, outscoring their opponents 12-5 along the way. With the 21-year-old back in the fold, though, Stefano Pioli has the ability to express more versatility in the center of the pitch.

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  Musah, who moved to the San Siro side from Valencia last August, has made 18 appearances for Milan this season, starting in 12 of the matches.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MUSAH AND MILAN

  The contest against Empoli is on Sunday, but looking ahead, the Rossoneri don't return to European action until February with a Champions League clash with Gio Reyna and Dortmund on the cards. They return to Coppa Italia action against Atalanta on January 10, followed four days later by a crucial Serie A match vs Jose Mourinho and Roma.

Sunderland are reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a permanent move for full-back Colin Dagba.

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer ahead of their Championship opener on Sunday at home to Ipswich Town, looking to go one better following a top-six finish last time out.

The club have brought in a number of players in recent weeks, with fees paid for Jenson Seelt, Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham and Eliezer Mayenda from PSV Eindhoven, Central Coast Mariners, Birmingham City and FC Sochaux respectively.

Meanwhile, teenager Luis Semedo and former Blackburn Rovers man Bradley Dack have both made the move to The Stadium of Light on free transfers. In total, Sunderland have spent just under €5m on transfers, but it looks as if that could soon go up with a possible move for Dagba.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato in the last 48 hours, Sunderland and Paris Saint-Germain are in discussions over the transfer of Dagba.

It is believed that the two sides are in talks over a permanent deal, with Dagba’s future at the Parc des Princes ‘blocked’.

Who is Colin Dagba?

Dagba made the move to PSG’s academy as a teenager back in 2016 from Boulogne and progressed into the first team setup two years later.

Now 24 years of age, the Frenchman is primarily a right-back who can also turn out at left-back or as a right-midfielder and was once valued at €18m by Transfermarkt. That figure has dropped to €4.5m, with Dagba’s £22,000-a-week contract having two years left to run.

Sponsored by Nike, Dagba has made 77 senior appearances across all competitions for PSG over the years, scoring one goal and providing six assists.

He has won three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups, one French League Cup and three French Super Cups during his time with PSG but spent last season on loan with RC Strasbourg, turning out on 21 occasions in the French top flight.

Dagba was once hailed by centre-back Presnel Kimpembe for his display in the Champions League against Bayern Munich, saying:

"I want to say, I am proud. Even though we lost, it remains very positive. For me, it means a lot to be able to have PSG youth products on the pitch, it shows that there is soul in this club.

"Colin showed what he was capable of, I am very proud of him. Collectively we did the job, but I would like to congratulate him because he was hyper-focused."

At Sunderland, Mowbray currently has Trai Hume and Niall Huggins as right-back options, so Dagba could come in and rival the pair while also offering an alternative option at left-back to Dennis Cirkin.

He was even labelled as a wonderkid who managers should look to sign on Football Manager back in 2020, and by the looks of things, a move to The Stadium of Light may well be on the cards for Dagba, making this one to watch over the coming days.

How do you celebrate skittling the opposition out for 62? If you’re Wellington’s Michael Papps and Luke Woodcock, you put on the biggest opening partnership in your country’s first-class history. The pair added 432 together, a record in New Zealand first-class cricket, and the second-highest stand for any wicket in the Plunket Shield. In the process, Papps, at 38 years 114 days, became the oldest player from New Zealand to score a triple-century.Following his marathon 316 (553 minutes, 435 balls, 51 fours and a six), Papps said forget records, he was just hoping to avoid bagging a duck – like five out of the top seven from Auckland did. “I was just hoping to get off the mark and anything else was a bonus, to be honest,” Papps said at stumps on day two, according to . “Our guys bowled really well yesterday, and, certainly, there were periods where their guys got it right and it was difficult.”It was kissing through, there was some good pace in it, particularly Lockie Ferguson, but it’s a good wicket. If you [bowlers] don’t get it right, it’s good for scoring.””I’m obviously pretty pleased, but pretty knackered now, to be honest. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I was in a pretty clear mind most of the innings. We got ourselves in a good position and I just wanted to keep pushing that on for the guys.”Batting with a familiar partner helped, Papps said. “Woody and I know each other pretty well. We’ve batted together a lot over the past couple of years. It’s always good to keep feeding off each other and keep the momentum going.”Wellington eventually declared on 553 for 3. Auckland did better in their second innings, closing the second day at 73 for 1, but the deficit still stood at 418.

Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Dawid Malan also hit half-centuries on a productive day in the middle, but the quality of the bowling was a world away from what will greet England next week

George Dobell in Townsville16-Nov-2017
ScorecardTownsville is, in many ways, a ferocious place.Oh, it’s pretty. It has a mountain range, a shoreline and beautiful forests. The shops and bars seem nice, too.But the sun is brutal and the wind is fierce. It doesn’t rain for years at a time – literally – and the land provides a home for snakes, wild dogs, scorpions and spiders so large it’s hard to believe they’re not ponies on the way to a fancy dress party. “Don’t worry,” the locals tell you. “The bigger they are the less poisonous they are.” But these spiders can beat you to death. They can wait for you in a dark carpark, steal your wallet and demand protection money from local businesses.But even though there’s something that can burn, bite, poison or sting you just about every square inch, it’s still preferable to be on land than in the water. Because if you find yourself in the water round here (lakes or sea, anyway; the shower is fine once you’ve checked for spiders) you’re in real trouble. You’ll be sharing with sharks, crocodiles and jelly-fish all of which will delight in killing you. Beaches in Queensland have been shut 50 times in recent weeks for one of the above and, at present in Townsville, there is a warning about a four metre croc (described as a “problem crocodile” as opposed to all those laidback easy-going ones) that is lurking close to shore.The bats have rabies, the koalas have chlamydia and even the magpies – vast, pterodactyl-like creatures that threaten to carry you off in their talons – have been known to kill. “Ah, don’t worry,” a local said on Thursday. “The worst those spiders can do is paralyse you.” It’ll be a miracle if any of us get out alive.But, for a few hours on Thursday, the middle at the Riverway Stadium looked like paradise. For batsmen, at least. The pitch was gentle, the bowling even more so and Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman seized the opportunity with both hands.Stoneman has looked fine all trip. He has passed 50 every time he has come to the crease and here became the first man on the tour to register a century. He gave one chance – Nick Larkin, at gully, put him down on 41 off Simon Milenko; Larkin, the one man with a first-class hundred in this CA side, sustained a fracture and will not feature in the rest of this match – but generally looked utterly in command. He doesn’t hook – he tends to duck the bouncer – but he pulls nicely, cuts very well and has a lovely, fluid drive. There were many jokes about Australians never having heard of several of this England squad when they arrived: it seems safe to suggest they’ll know the Stoneman name before he heads home.Underlining England’s mantra about going on to convert good starts in match-defining scores, Stoneman didn’t even take off his helmet to acknowledge the applause when he reached three figures: a century can’t be seen as a destination by England on this tour; it has to be a landmark on the way to a more distant goal. He was angry with himself – punching his bat in frustration – for scuffing a return catch to the legspinner Daniel Fallins shortly after tea.Cook’s innings might be more significant. With England’s batting line-up lacking experience in these conditions – the likely top nine will, excluding him, have a combination of six Test caps in Australia between them – his knowledge of three previous tours provides reassurance. He has looked horribly out of form until this innings, but here looked comfortable and confident. From his very first delivery, when the ball thudded against the middle of his defensive bat, his movements were more certain, his judgement more precise.He looked furious with himself for his dismissal – attempting to guide a cut behind point, he managed only an edge – and for missing out on a hundred, but this was a good step forward from him. He, and the England management, will sleep a little easier as a result.The one nagging worry – and it nagged particularly hard as Dawid Malan and Joe Root settled in against unthreatening spin bowling in the final session – is that this surface and this opposition will bear little comparison to that anticipated in Brisbane. It’s like preparing for an artic trek by buying yourself a cornetto. England may still be in for a shock in Brisbane.Opinion is divided over whether this represents a desperately cynical ploy from Cricket Australia or simply reflects the shallowing depth of their playing reserves. If it is the latter, they have a significant problem lurking just below the surface. If it is the former, there might be a certain poetic justice if this tactic came back to bite Cricket Australia on the backside like one of those spiders that lurks under the toilet bowl round these parts (yes, nowhere is safe). While it is undeniably true that the standard of opposition – and the pace of surfaces – will increase sharply next week, it may be that England have had the opportunity to acclimatise, gain confidence and form ahead of the serious business ahead.James Vince was the one man to fail to take advantage. Since the 82 he made to start the tour – a non-first-class innings that saw him dropped twice – he has fallen between 26 and 33 in his three subsequent innings. He has time to play the ball and is wonderfully easy on the eye, but there is a vulnerability that renders his selection at No. 3 quite a risk. While he was given not out here initially, the umpires consulted and it was eventually decided he had played one off his pad to short leg. He looked aghast at the decision. Or, perhaps, at having missed out. Batting in first-class cricket in Australia has rarely looked as comfortable.

The 18-year old leads rally with Siddesh Lad before Andhra strike back; Madhya Pradesh recover after TN inflict early blows and Baroda firm against Odisha

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-20170:36

Pathan: Prithvi Shaw’s initiation much like Tendulkar’s

Prithvi Shaw’s fifth century in his seventh first-class match provided the thrust for Mumbai, but they couldn’t build on, slipping to 248 for 6 at stumps against Andhra in Ongole. That the hosts made inroads was because of the twin-threat posed by seamers B Ayyappa (3 for 87) and P Vijay Kumar (2 for 55).Put into bat, Mumbai wobbled, losing Jay Bista and Shreyas Iyer (0) inside three deliveries. From 20 for 2 they slumped to 64 for 3 when vice-captain Surya Kumar Yadav was caught behind off Ayyappa. Shaw then teamed up with Siddhesh Lad (86), fresh from a second-innings rescue-act against Baroda, to add 125 before yet another stutter.Ayyappa came back to remove Shaw in the 61st over. When Aditya Tare, the captain, fell for a duck, Mumbai were precariously placed at 193 for 5. Lad and Abhishek Nayar, though, put on 55 runs, but frustratingly for Mumbai, they couldn’t carry on as Lad’s dismissal in the penultimate over of the day set them back further.Madhya Pradesh recovered from 67 for 5 to post a more respectable 224 for 7 on the opening day against Tamil Nadu in Indore. K Vignesh and M Mohammed, the seam bowling duo, inflicted maximum damage, but MP were rescued by the two Ankits – Sharma (75*) and Dane (63) – through a 120-run stand. Offspinner Washington Sundar made a couple of late strikes, including one to remove Dane, but Sharma and Mihir Hirwani couldn’t be dislodged.In the morning, Mohammed (2 for 46) removed openers Aditya Shrivastava and Rajat Patidar before Vignesh got into the act. In the space of six overs, he removed Shubham Sharma, Harpreet Singh Bhatia and captain Devendra Bundela to knock half the side out. He finished the day with figures of 19-7-27-3.Kedar Devdhar’s seventh first-class hundred led Baroda’s dominant batting performance against Odisha in Vadodara. Two other batsmen – Aditya Waghmode (52) and captain Deepak Hooda (51) – made half-centuries as Baroda ended on 281 for 3.In fact, it wasn’t until the 51st over that Odisha, who elected to bowl, had their first breakthrough as seamer Basant Mohanty dismissed Waghmode. They would account for another Baroda batsmen in the next four overs, as Biplab Samantray sent back Devdhar, whose 150-ball 104 included 15 fours and a six.A 70-run stand for the fourth wicket between Hooda and Vishnu Solanki (46*) meant Baroda would consolidate their position further before Hooda fell in the 73rd over. Solanki and Swapnil Singh, though, made sure Odisha didn’t have the satisfaction of another late wicket.

Wicketkeeper BJ Watling is a doubt for New Zealand’s opening Test against West Indies due to a hip injury with the uncapped Tom Blundell in line for a debut if Watling is not available.The problem has forced Watling to sit out the last two rounds of Plunket Shield matches for Northern Districts. He will play as a batsman only against Auckland this week before what will effectively be a fitness test against Otago at the end of the month where he will have to keep wicket to be available for the first Test in Wellington on December 1.

New Zealand squads

Test squad

Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling

New Zealand A
Martin Guptill (capt), Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Neil Broom, Tom Bruce, Lockie Ferguson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jeet Raval, George Worker

If Watling can’t take his place at the Basin Reserve – it would be the first Test he has missed since Headingley against England in 2013 – it would likely mean a first cap for 27-year-old Blundell ahead of handing the gloves to one-day keeper Tom Latham. Blundell has previously played one T20I and has been included in the New Zealand A side to face West Indies in their warm-up match from November 25.The cloud over Watling was the only uncertainty in a settled 12-man New Zealand squad, resuming Test cricket for the first time since March, although one further player will be added to the party following the A side’s fixture. Colin de Grandhomme has retained his place as the seam-bowling allrounder while Matt Henry is the extra pace bowler behind the established trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.West Indies could face a lively welcome to their tour with the New Zealand A side including three rapid pacemen in Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson and Scott Kuggeleijn. Ferguson recently took a career-best match haul of 12 for 78 against Otago.Martin Guptill will captain the A side which also includes incumbent Test opener Jeet Raval alongside Colin Munro after his successful limited-overs tour of India and legspinner Todd Astle who was forced home from that trip with a groin strain.”While the Blackcaps squad doesn’t have too many surprises, this NZ A team certainly shows that we have depth and quality players who are pushing for higher honours,” selector Gavin Larsen said.”Watching the three quickest bowlers in NZ operating together will certainly be exciting, and all three have plenty to play for. We are looking to develop Martin’s leadership capabilities and the NZ A match is another good opportunity.”

Arsenal secured their first piece of silverware of the season yesterday, but had to do so without their main marksman once again…

Is Gabriel Jesus injured?

With Gabriel Jesus having undergone knee surgery just last week, the Brazilian limped about Wembley Stadium as he watched his side battle from a goal down to defeat Manchester City on penalties.

Whilst the initial synopsis suggested his absence would only stretch to "a few weeks", when he suffered the same fate in December 2022, he did not play again until mid-March.

Therefore, the recent report by TEAMtalk makes perfect sense, as it notes that the Gunners have enquired about the possibility of signing Montpellier forward Elye Wahi.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

With the persisting ailments plaguing the 26-year-old, perhaps such an acquisition could prove instrumental in ensuring there is little to no drop in quality when Jesus inevitably gets injured again during the campaign. However, it is noted that the French outfit will demand a lofty fee of €40m (£34m) for his services.

How good is Elye Wahi?

When fit, few forwards suit Mikel Arteta's system as perfectly as Jesus. He is tricky, deceptively strong, creative and clinical, with the athleticism and intelligence to lead a press too.

Last campaign also saw him post 11 goals and assist a further seven across just 26 Premier League appearances, outlining how their offensive threat skyrockets when he is in the team.

However, peering back through his entire injury history, it is clear to see that the recent bout of trauma is not merely misfortune. He has a record of struggling with his fitness, and therefore it could be argued that he alone cannot be trusted to lead the line for a full campaign.

That suggests that the potential swoop for Wahi could prove incredibly profitable, to offer a fine alternative for when Jesus is absent, and potentially one day usurp him.

After all, he does show steady signs of improvement with each passing year, thriving in his homeland with pace, power and prolific finishing.

Last season saw the 20-year-old post 19 goals and assist a further six in Ligue 1 alone, building upon his ten-goal haul from the term prior. Given his natural goalscoring progression, the 2023/24 season could see the Frenchman shatter records.

However, Wahi offers far more than just a focal point, as his speed and link-up play is mightily impressive for someone so young. Whilst he might offer a wildly different style to Jesus, he could prove just as effective in leading that press that makes the Brazilian so invaluable.

The young forward posted 0.7 key passes per game last campaign in the French top-flight, alongside an admirable 71% pass accuracy to emphasise his ability to bring others into the game, via Sofascore.

Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo has also emphasised his physical assets in the past, stating: "He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

After that fine showing against their title rivals, Arteta seemingly has little to worry about going into the new Premier League season. However, the fitness of Jesus remains a sole issue that could be solved with one final foray into the market.

Weston McKennie has been billed as a “wizard”, with the USMNT star showcasing his stunning ball control during a warm-up session at Juventus.

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American star shining again in ItalyConfidence restored to his gameHas clambered back aboard the showboatWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international has always been a technically-gifted performer, with those qualities allowing him to leave his homeland and the academy ranks at FC Dallas when making a move to Europe in 2016. McKennie has gone on to spend time in Germany with Schalke and Italy at Juve.

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He has also taken in a Premier League loan spell at Leeds – suffering relegation during his time at Elland Road – and showed off his double-footed control party trick while in English football. There was not much else for Leeds fans to get excited about during that time.

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

McKennie returned to Juventus in the summer of 2023 and has worked his way back into favour this season. Confidence has been restored to his game, allowing the 25-year-old to showboat again when readying himself for Serie A action.