Australia and England "will play the first day-night Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval in December next year, adding a bold new ingredient to one of cricket's oldest and fiercest rivalries."
The pink ball Test from Dec. 2-6 "will be the second match" of the '17-18 series with Brisbane's Gabba hosting the opener from Nov. 23-27.
Perth will host the third Test from Dec. 14-18 either at the new Perth Stadium or, if the 60,000-seat arena is not ready in time, back at the 15,000-capacity Waca.
Melbourne and Sydney will stage the traditional Boxing Day (Dec. 26-30) and New Year's (Jan. 4-8) matches, respectively, to round out the series (REUTERS, 12/12).
The fifth and final Test match between India and England "will start as per schedule" on Dec. 16 at the Chepauk stadium despite the severe cyclone Vardah that lashed the Tamil Nadu capital on Monday.
Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Secretary Kashi Viswanathan said that although the center strip and the outfield "have not been affected by the cyclone, the sight screen has been badly damaged, the bulbs of the floodlights blown off and a number of air-conditioners damaged" (PTI, 12/13).
Organizers of the UBS Hong Kong Open are “doing all we can” to find a new date for next year to avoid another clash with the Longines Hong Kong Int'l Races.
A source said, "I’d say there is an 80 percent chance, with the week before or the week after looking the most likely."
The Hong Kong Jockey Club "turned up the pressure" on the European Tour, the title sponsor, and Hong Kong Golf Club by saying it is “not in the best interests of both events” to be held in the same week (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 12/13).
The Celtic eSports League launched Monday as gamers from around the U.K. and Ireland "will be matched" with professional football clubs.
Eight esports teams in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland "will compete for the Community Cup this week, with full league competition slated to begin in early 2017." The inaugural league "will be sponsored by Sportego, an Ireland-based global fantasy sports development platform" that helps football clubs "gamify" their matchday (SPORT TECHIE, 12/12).
