Cricket: The first England player who commits to Bangladesh tour

Moeen Ali has become the first England player to confirm unreservedly that he will be available for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh. The future of the tour was in the balance after an attack on a Dhaka cafe in July killed 20 — mostly foreign — hostages, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility. But all-rounder Ali, speaking in Cardiff on Saturday ahead of England's fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) against Pakistan in the Welsh capital on Sunday, said: “If selected, I'll definitely go. “I'm pretty happy with everything and really looking forward to it,” the Worcestershire off-spinner and left-handed batsman added. “I've been there a few times, five or six.” Following the Dhaka attack, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) sent an inspection team to Bangladesh led by long-serving security chief Reg Dickason. After he reported back, the ECB said last month that the tour, which includes three ODIs and two Test match fixtures in October and November, would go ahead as planned.“My view is you're not safe anywhere these days,” said Ali. “I think you can be anywhere and still not be safe.” England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who was with the Sri Lanka squad when their bus came under armed attack in Lahore in 2009, has also said he intends to travel to Bangladesh. But England one-day captain Eoin Morgan, who was among a group of players given a security briefing by Dickason, said Friday he had still to make up his mind. Meanwhile wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow told several British newspapers: “I've not made a 100 percent decision but I know within my mind that I have a lot of faith in Reggie. I've been on a heck of a lot of tours with him, he's known me since I was a young boy. So I've got a lot of faith in him.” Ali said he had no qualms about anyone taking their time over deciding whether or not to commit to the tour. “It's really tough (to decide), even for myself. “Everyone's different, and has their own views on things — and as a team, you back other other's decisions. “It's up to the individual. There's no pressure on anyone — it's up to that person and how he feels. 

South Africa will have to perform with atleast six black players

South Africa's national cricket team will have to place a minimum average of six black players with immediate effect. Although, this is the first time they have been introduced for the national cricket team. The official targets are a minimum of fifty four percent black players (effectively six players other than white) with eighteen percent black players, which equates to two players in a team of 11. This effectively means an average maximum of five white players in a team. CSA president Chris Nenzani described the targets as “very attainable” and said the South African team was already meeting them. The targets will be measured as an average across all three forms of the game (Tests, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 internationals) over the course of a season. The team that beat New Zealand in the second Test in Centurion met the target exactly. There were two black Africans in Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada and four other players of color, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander and Dane Piedt. Nenzani found that the ODI team which competed in series against Australia and the Windies in the West Indies recently had up to eight players of color in the team.

Schweinsteiger departs from United's Euro Squad

Schweinsteiger departs from club's squad for the Europa League group stage. Schweinsteiger has been forced to train with United's reserve this season as new boss Jose Mourinho looks to sell the German World Cup winner. The thirty two years old has now to participate under Mourinho, who has told the former Bayern Munich star it will be “very difficult” to give him any playing time this season. Schweinsteiger enlisted in United's Premier League squad but he will be ineligible to play in Europe after being excluded from the list of 27 players submitted to UEFA.

Tennis: Djokovic celebrating his win against Mikhail after 32 mins

Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes Friday when Mikhail Youzhny retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in three years. Defending champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury. The outcome completed a bizarre first week for world number one Djokovic. After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury. “I have never had this happen before in my Grand Slam career, getting a walkover and the next match lasting just half an hour,” said Djokovic. The top seed next faces Britain's world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time. Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time since 2013 – the year of his last New York title – with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov. “Andrey is always a tough opponent, he returns well and has good shots from the baseline,” said fourth seed Nadal who faces France's Lucas Pouille for a quarter-final slot. “I had a fantastic first set, a little trouble with my serve in the second but the third was key so I'm very happy.” Djokovic's very brief encounter had been preceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women's eighth seed Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat Japan's Naomi Osaka.

Football: Loew eyes Germany's rising stars on road to Russia

With Manuel Neuer confirmed as his new captain, Joachim Loew plans to blood Germany's next generation as part of his team's preparations to defend their World Cup title in Russia. Germany's journey to the 2018 finals starts on Sunday at Oslo's Ullevaal Stadium in their opening qualifier against Norway.  Since winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, head coach Loew has lost five experienced veterans, each of whom made more than 100 appearances for Germany. Philipp Lahm, Miroslav Klose, Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and now Bastian Schweinsteiger, who bowed out in Wednesday's 2-0 friendly win over Finland, have all retired from international football. With them went the collective experience of 604 caps and 152 goals. But Germany's next crop of talent is knocking at the door. Loew has said they will get their chance on the road to Russia, in forthcoming qualifiers and friendlies, plus next June's Confederations Cup, against the likes of Portugal, Mexico, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and hosts Russia. Hoffenheim defender Niklas Suele made his debut against Finland while Schalke 04's Max Meyer and Bayer Leverkusen's Julian Brandt also started in Moenchengladbach. All three are still only 20.