Golf: A scheduled meeting of the G20 countries in Turkey next November has forced two European Tour events to be switched. The Turkish Airlines Open – which had been due to take place between November 12 and 15, 2015 – has now moved to October 29 to November 1 to avoid a clash with the G20 meeting in Antalya. The BMW Masters in Shanghai has now switched slots with the Turkish Airlines Open, meaning that event is now the penultimate one in the Tour’s Race to Dubai.
Cricket: Skipper Steve Smith scored a controlled 133, Mitchell Johnson a game-changing 88 and Australia’s tail wagged vigorously as the hosts barged their way back into the second test against India on day three in Brisbane yesterday. The hosts took a first innings lead of 97 after being dismissed for 505 after tea and India had shaved 71 runs off the deficit by the close of play at the cost of one second innings wicket. Murali Vijay, who contributed 144 to India’s first innings tally of 408, departed for 27, leaving Shikhar Dhawan (26 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara, who had made 15, to resume on day four 26 runs behind.
Rugby League: New Zealand scrum-half Shaun Johnson has capped a memorable 12 months by winning the 2014 Rugby League World Golden Boot – seeing off the challenge of union convert Sam Burgess for the honour. The New Zealand Warriors playmaker, who broke England’s hearts with a last-minute try and conversion in the semi-finals of the 2013 World Cup, produced a man-of-the-match performance in the 2014 Four Nations Series final in Wellington last month as the Kiwis defeated Australia to lift the title – a performance that impressed the 13-man Golden Boot voting panel. For the second successive year, English forward Burgess came second in the voting.
Basketball: Galatasaray reached the second group stage of basketball’s Euroleague with a 79-74 home win over Olympiakos Piraeus with former NBA guard Carlos Arroyo holding his nerve in a tense finish to net a game-high 24 points. Galatasaray progressed at the expense of Lithuanian debutants Neptunas Klaipeda, who needed a win at already eliminated Valencia to advance but suffered a 103-65 drubbing by the Spanish side. Galatasaray were playing the first of three home games behind closed doors after they were given a ban for last month’s violence in front of their Abdi Ikpeci arena in which a Red Star Belgrade fan was killed as rival supporters clashed.
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Golf: Brooke Henderson (picture), a 17-year-old Canadian who was golf’s top-ranked female amateur, announced her decision to turn professional and sign up with sports management company IMG (International Management Group). “I am really excited to begin my professional career in 2015 and proud to represent Canada along the way,” Henderson, a native of Smiths Falls, Ontario, said in a statement. “I realise what a big step it is to play professionally.” Henderson has won more than 50 tournaments as an amateur, including three professional titles, and claimed the individual crown this year at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship where she led Canada to the silver medal.