Month: July 2025

The 2023-25 World Test Championship has come to a close with South Africa crowned the world’s best Test side by beating Australia in a dramatic final at Lord’s. Aiden Markram’s unbeaten century and a key partnership between captain Temba Bavuma and Siya Kolisi was enough to seal a five-wicket victory in which the Proteas won eight straight Test matches.

The ICC’s new two-year competition has been a mixed success, albeit with some chinks still being ironed out. The format is intended to add greater context to bilateral Test series by introducing points and the chance for the winner of each cycle to meet in a one-off final match. It’s a worthy attempt to make red-ball cricket more competitive in a world dominated by popular T20 tournaments and which has seen many of the game’s best players take up contracts with lucrative domestic Twenty 20 leagues.

But the current system has been criticised for not having a clear structure in which the nine Full Members competing are given similar opportunities to earn points. This is mainly due to the fact that during each of the two years of the World Test Championship, each nation’s fixtures are wildly different from every other team. It’s the reason why a team like Australia could win 19 games in the competition, while India only plays 12, and why the Proteas have earned fewer points than the Indians.

In addition to this, it has been confirmed this week that England will host the next three World Test Championship finals between 2027 and 2031 following the ICC’s Annual Conference in Singapore. That decision will give the ECB another chance to showcase the value of the longer format and its historic, romanticised status as the pinnacle of international cricket.

OLIVIA DUNNE lifts the lid on the tragic injury that ended her Olympic dream.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is proud to be a part of the community and we are working hard to create an even better future for our visitors and the environment.
The family and friends of Liverpool star Robbie Fowler are gathering ahead of his funeral and tributes.

NBA star Damian Lillard is *finally* going to trade that 2012 Subaru he’s been driving around town in.

WNBA star Paige Bueckers just hard-launched her relationship with college basketball player Azzi Fudd, and we learned this week that she comes from a sporty family.

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II ain’t jealous of Sauce Gardner’s new $120 million contract… he told TMZ Sports this week that the Jets superstar’s deal is “great” for the position.

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi rolls up to America’s best grocery store, Publix, with his wife and kids in tow — and he buys some American cereal we all know and love. Plus, the 2025 ESPYs red carpet was full of celebrities and athletes, including Simone Biles, Angela Bassett and Alex Morgan. Also, Olympian Lindsey Vonn reveals who saved her from a gust of wind that nearly exposed her undergarments.

Athlete endorsements allow brands to leverage a popular athlete’s image, influence, and trust with fans to promote and sell products. The effectiveness of an endorsement depends on the authenticity, scope, and reach of a campaign.

A successful endorsement evokes an emotional connection with consumers and fosters loyalty and affinity. It also distinguishes a brand in the market, establishing it as innovative, aspirational, and forward-thinking. For example, when Uniqlo signed tennis superstar Roger Federer to a $250 million decade-long deal in 2022, the company aimed to position itself as a global leader and reaffirmed Federer’s status as a legendary icon.

The key to a successful endorsement is choosing the right athletes and ensuring that campaigns are authentic and aligned with the athlete’s values. In addition, legal professionals need to ensure that contracts define usage rights, protect intellectual property, and limit exposure to liability or reputational damage from unresolved disputes.

Increasingly, companies are leveraging social media and other digital platforms to enhance engagement with their audiences and maximize the impact of their endorsements. This type of personalization allows for more tailored and interactive campaigns that can reinforce an athlete’s authenticity and build trust with fans.

In a similar vein, many endorsement deals go beyond product promotion to support community initiatives and promote positive societal change. For example, when Nike used the image of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in its “Believe in Something” campaign, it was able to connect with younger, socially conscious consumers.

International qualifiers are a hotbed of intense competition and excitement. The results can impact not only the participating teams but entire nations. The process can build national pride, unify communities and encourage heightened engagement from fans around the world. If handled correctly, qualification can bring immense rewards that can benefit a country’s economy and improve the quality of life for its people.

The grueling qualifying tournaments are the lifeblood of football and provide some of the most intense, close competition in the game. They also provide a great opportunity for struggling countries to face genuine challenges and test their mettle against top-quality opponents, which can help them improve their overall standing and eventually qualify for the World Cup.

This year’s qualifying for the 2026 World Cup has kicked off, with groups containing some of Europe’s biggest names. The top two teams from each group will book their place at the tournament, with the highest ranked runners-up progressing to the intercontinental play-offs. New Zealand have been the first benefactors of this system, and are now guaranteed a spot in next summer’s finals.

The other teams will play each other in a brutal pre-eliminary round, where everyone plays each other once and the team with the best record progresses. The 6 best runners-up then form 2 groups of 5 teams where each team faces everyone else once. The 8 1st placed teams then join the other two top-ranked teams from the other 3 groups to create a further 2 tables of 5 teams, where each team also faces each other once (this is completely ridiculous). The 2 teams that rank 3rd and 4th then play each other in another pair of 2-legged ties.

After three exhilarating days of golf, The Masters leaderboard offers a glimpse at who is on top and who has an outstanding chance to win the coveted Green Jacket. Throughout the tournament, players’ scores fluctuate up and down, directly impacting their rankings on the leaderboard. This constant ebb and flow keeps fans engaged and is an important component of the competition.

During the second round, Rory McIlroy surged up the Masters leaderboard and is currently a two-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau. Corey Conners, Patrick Reed and Ludvig Aberg are all in contention and could potentially catch McIlroy on Sunday.

The Masters is notoriously difficult for golfers of all skill levels. Even the best players can find themselves in trouble here if they aren’t precise with their approach shots or don’t putt well. This is why the final round of The Masters is so exciting for fans—and so nerve-wracking for players.

At the end of The Masters, only one player will be crowned champion and awarded the prestigious Green Jacket. In order to make that happen, the winner must have the lowest cumulative score over four rounds. To keep track of the latest Masters scores, click here for a live version of The Masters leaderboard.