Today’s Sports News: What You Need To Know – RNZ

Latest – Martin Guptill hit an unbeaten 79 to guid Auckland to a four wicket win over central Districts in their Super Smash T20 game in Palmerston North.

Chasing Central’s total of 168-5, the Aces were struggling on 54-3, but Guptill remained at the crease to see them home.

He picked up the tempo in the 17th over and needed nine off the last over before Lockie Ferguson got them home with a six off the penultimate ball.

Auckland improve to fourth in the standings just behind the Stags.

Earlier the Central Hinds got their first win of the season beat Auckland by 14 runs.

Today Otago and Wellington are involved in a double header in Queenstown.

No play at Centurion

No play was possible on the second day of the first test between South Africa and India at Centurion Park as heavy rain meant frustration for both sides seeking to gain the upper hand in the three-match series.

India were to resume on an imposing 272 for three, but persistent rain meant the umpires called the day off at 2pm local time with no prospect of play.

Better weather is forecast for the next two days, but India will have to quicken the pace of their innings if they are to drive home their advantage.

Opener KL Rahul was superb on day one as he made an unbeaten 122 and when play resumes he will be joined at the crease by Ajinkya Rahane on 40.

They will want to post a big first-innings score and potentially bat only once in the test if they are not to run out of time in their quest for victory.

South Africa will feel in the match too if they can wrap up the Indian innings quickly on the third day, but will have to bowl a lot better than on Sunday, when only seamer Lungi Ngidi (3-45) was among the wickets.

India are seeking a first test series win in South Africa with matches in Johannesburg and Cape Town to follow.

-Reuters

Ski star out with Covid

Double Olympic gold medallist Mikaela Shiffrin has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this week’s World Cup races in Lienz, Austria.

American Shiffrin, the overall World Cup leader, is a strong contender for gold in February’s Beijing Winter Olympics after winning the giant slalom in Pyeongchang in 2018 and slalom at the 2014 Games.

“I wanted to let you all know that I’m doing well, but unfortunately I had a positive COVID test. I’m following protocol and isolating and I will miss Lienz,” Shiffrin posted on Twitter.

Lienz is due to host women’s giant slalom and slalom races on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin claimed her 72nd World Cup win in Courchevel, France last week, winning the giant slalom.

New Zealand’s Alice Robinson is scheduled to race in Austria this week.

-Reuters

Record number of Covid cases in EPL

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp reiterated the need for five substitutions in the Premier League to protect players amid a demanding schedule and rising COVID-19 cases but conceded he did not see all clubs agreeing to make a change.

Top flight leagues in Europe adopted the rule to increase the number of substitutions per game to five to ease the workload on players amid the COVID-19 pandemic but Premier League clubs voted against the motion.

Fifteen Premier League games have already been postponed this month due to coronavirus outbreaks leading to a fixture pile-up, while a lack of available players has forced those who recovered from COVID-19 to play more minutes.

The Premier League had a record 103 COVID-19 cases in the past week.

“You need 14 votes to change it — there’s something wrong. As an example, I’m not sure how many Burnley players play international football. When our players have three games, they have no game,” Klopp said.

“We are talking about an issue that some clubs and some players definitely have but it’s decided by other teams. Because we make a competition of it, they say no. That’s a real problem.

-Reuters

Black Jack still leads

The Monaco registered maxi Black Jack continues to lead the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Black Jack has just reached the Tasmania east coast with less than 200 miles to go.

New South Wales boat LawConnect is 4 miles back.

The leaders are expected in Hobart Tuesday afternoon.

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