Cycling

Cyclists have been keeping busy throughout this lockdown period, turning virtual to keep themselves fit during an uneasy time, using platforms such as Zwift. AusCycling has recently partnered with Zwift to continue the development of Cycling Esport in Australia. As a result, AusCycling SA will be holding online events tomorrow night at 7:00 pm, on Zwift.

The events include both, Men and Women’s Lockdown Loops, consisting of four-12 lap races with different weights for each gender. It’s hard racing and very entertaining to watch.

Baseball

Adelaide will host 12 Australian Baseball League games across a week period in January. Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide will battle it out in a four-team hub at West Beach from January 14-20. The games will be a part of an international broadcast.

The event will also showcase Australia’s top female athletes in two 2021 Women’s Showcase matches.

Basketball

South Australian legend Laura Hodges has signed the first WNBL collective bargaining agreement in the competition’s 41^st season along with Lauren Jackson. The agreement will look to establish professional standards for WNBL players, featuring minimum wage rises for roster and development players over the next three years, along with private health insurance, healthcare and physiotherapy for interstate games involving travel. Hodges is a four-time Olympian and is currently an ABPA board member.

Football (the round ball kind)

South Australia’s Chelsie Dawber and 2018 Shirley Brown Winner Charlotte Grant have been selected to form part of a 23-player squad for the first-ever Women’s Talent Identification Camp to be held in Canberra from November 22-26. Dawber has just come off an impressive WNPLSA season which saw her add 34 goals to her name for Adelaide City. Grant and Dawber are both contracted to the Adelaide United Women for the upcoming W-League season.

Both players will be hoping to impress in the camp, taking them one step closer to representing Australia in the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held on New Zealand and home soil in 2023.

Rugby

The Wallabies have squandered a perfect opportunity to win the Tri-Nations Title after drawing 15-15 to Argentina in Newcastle on Saturday. New Zealand are now joined by Australia and Argentina who are now all on six points.

The All Blacks will battle it out against the Pumas, this Saturday, 7:15pm in Newcastle. Argentina still has two games left to play, with the All Blacks and Wallabies having only a game each left, in what may come down to the final games in deciding the Tri-Nations Title. The Wallabies’ next match will be against Argentina on December 5, looking to avenge their disappointing result.

Surfing

After the tragic death of surfing figure John Shimooka, a GoFundMe page has been set up by friends, raising money to take care of his 21-year-old son Brandon Shimooka. A total of $52,381 has been raised out of the $60,000 target, in a span of four days. Shimooka reached a world ranking of 19 in 1995 and had been working for Surfing NSW for the last three years.

Cricket

WBBL

The Adelaide Strikers topped off their WBBL campaign, winning by three runs against the Perth Scorchers in a tense match, 159/6 to 156/7. It came down to the wire, where the Scorchers needed 42 runs from 37 deliveries, yet despite the Scorchers strong grip on the game, they let it slip, losing five wickets in the span of 18 balls.

Amanda – Jade Wellington grabbed player of the match, after going for 48 runs from 25 balls, posting a batting strike rate of 192.00.  Despite the result, the Strikers will not be making an appearance in this year’s WBBL finals.

BBL

South Aussie’s Spencer Johnson has signed his first BBL contract for the Adelaide Strikers. The 24-year-old previously spent three seasons playing for the Redbacks. Johnson has been likened to possess a “Mitchell Starc mould” and will look to make the most of his opportunity for the Strikers.

Swimming

The World-Anti-Doping Agency is reportedly looking at a potential proposal that will end the practice of suspending athletes who unknowingly test positive for minor levels of banned substances.

This would be a massive step for Shayna Jack’s pursuit of competing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Last week, Jack’s four-year ban was halved due to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling the swimmer had consumed the illicit drug Ligandrol without knowledge.