SA player Dane Piedt eyes cricket career in USA
Johannesburg
In an unusual move, South Africa off-spinner Dane Piedt is giving up his career in the ICC elite member nation and will move to the USA, with dreams of guiding the associate into a World Cup one day. Piedt, who has played nine times for South Africa, will leave for the United States in the next few months to be part of the new Minor League T20 tournament, which is due to launch this summer. “The USA were given ODI status last year so it’s not completely out of the question,” Piedt told ESPNcricinfo.
London
Eight West Ham players have virus symptoms
West Ham have eight players in self-isolation after showing mild symptoms of the coronavirus, according to the club’s vice-chairwoman Karren Brady. The Hammers are the latest Premier League club to be hit by the pandemic. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi — both now recovered — and several unnamed Leicester players tested positive for the virus.
Rome
UEFA chief believes season can still be saved
The head of UEFA said European football leagues were still looking at all options and not ruling out finishing this season — if the coronavirus pandemic subsides. “We could start again in mid-May, in June or even late June,” Aleksander Ceferin told Italy’s La Repubblica daily. However, Ceferin did not say when UEFA will issue a final ruling and stressed that consultations with the main leagues and clubs were still underway.
Turin
Ronaldo agrees to ^3.8 million wage cut
Juventus and Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted a ^3.8 million wage cut from the Italian champions as the club deals with the closure of all matches due to the coronavirus crisis in the country.
According to Tuttosport, the move came after a conversation between club captain Giorgio Chiellini and the rest of the squad. Negotiations are still on between Chiellini and the squad with club president Andre Agnelli and chief football office Fabio Paratici for further wage cuts.
Paris
Four Russian athletes accused of doping
Four Russian athletes, including two former Olympics champions, have been charged with doping based on evidence from the bombshell McLaren report, the Athletics Integrity Unit (IAU) said. Andrey Silnov, the 2008 Olympics high jump champion, and 2012 Olympics 400m hurdle champion Natalia Antyukh will have to face a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The same fate awaits 1,500m runner Yelena Soboleva, the silver medallist at the 2007 world championships, and hammer thrower Oksana Kondratyeva. Agencies
