China emerges as key growth market for ICC in bid to expand cricket worldwide

Chinese runner Zhao Jiaju became the first athlete to complete the 330km Tor des Géants in under 66 hours on Wednesday, breaking the course record to claim victory in Italy using a “fragmented sleep” strategy. Wearing bib No 1, he crossed the finish line in Courmayeur at 9.55am with a winning time of 65 hours, 55 minutes and 22 seconds, making history as the first Asian competitor to win the event. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most gruelling ultra-trail races, the flagship event offers...

Although he cheesed off some of his England players when he accused them of being “sloppy” and committing “lots of technical mistakes” following their World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway this summer, Thomas Tuchel’s angst perhaps stemmed from the knowledge that a much tougher test was around the corner. So it would prove, the head coach’s team punch-drunk by the end of their semi-final capitulation against Argentina. For Tuchel two months ago, and indeed Alex Ferguson after the 1983...

The Asian Games get officially under way on Saturday with the opening ceremony in Nagoya, although early rounds in several sports have already taken place. Hong Kong’s men began their football campaign on Wednesday, losing 2-0 to hosts Japan, while their female counterparts started two days earlier with a 5-1 defeat at the hands of China. It will not be until Sunday that the first gold is handed out, with triathlon and road cycling the most likely candidates to get their athletes on the podium...

Douglas Whyte heaped praise on his former fierce rival Zac Purton after the nine-time champion jockey helped get his season up and running with a Happy Valley double on Wednesday night. Live Wire’s success in the Class Four Community Chest Cup (1,200m) was an easy watch for Whyte, but it was the complete opposite when it came to Young Arrow in the second section of the Class Four Lido Handicap (1,200m). Forced to settle back early, Purton again had to steady his mount heading out of the back...

The Philippines Tennis Association (Philta) has filed a ⁠request with the ⁠WTA on behalf of ⁠Alexandra Eala, requesting an exemption from the mandatory China Open so that the world No 18 can represent her country at the Asian Games. Eala, who has become a fan favourite ‌with wins over some of the biggest names on the circuit including Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, is the highest-ranked player in the women’s singles draw at the Asian Games, which begin on Saturday and conclude on October...

Hong Kong’s decades-old tennis facilities at Victoria Park will be redeveloped, the city’s leader said on Wednesday, a move that could open the way to holding bigger tournaments in the future. Speaking during his annual Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the plan was “to strengthen the promotion of ‘sports and mega-events’.” At the moment, Hong Kong holds the rights to stage a WTA and an ATP tournament, both at the 250 level. The first of those is the Prudential Hong Kong Open...

The MoonPay X Games League will hold its inaugural winter draft this week, ⁠betting that a team-based format and ⁠closer ties with the Olympic movement can build on ⁠strong audience growth for action sports, CEO Jeremy Bloom said. Eileen Gu, the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history with three golds and three silvers, is expected to be selected first overall. The draft follows the debut of the X Games Summer League, which featured teams representing Los Angeles, New York, Sao Paulo...

Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting has been cancelled because of the state funeral for Hong Kong’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa. In a brief statement on Wednesday, the Hong Kong Jockey Club said the 10-race card would not go ahead as a mark of respect for Tung, who was also the vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Tung’s vigil will be held on Saturday, with a public memorial and funeral set to take place on Sunday. “In deference to the...

Hugh Bowman is weighing up whether to undergo surgery or keep his Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) hopes alive with a short-term solution, after scans revealed the top Australian jockey has a labral tear in his right hip. The 46-year-old faces at least four months out of the saddle if he opts for surgery, but a cortisone injection would only force him out of action for a few weeks. Bowman rode at the season opener at Sha Tin on September 6, guiding Joyful Joy to victory, but was forced out...

Mount Everest, known to all, understood by few – including someone who has been up and down the treacherous peak almost 20 times. More than 7,500 individuals have reached the top of the highest mountain on Earth since it was first conquered by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953, and there have been more than 15,780 successful ascents, with climbers and guides returning for repeated attempts. It has also claimed the lives of at least 346 people, which is the number since records...

Jay Rooney BUNTA BABY - R7 (5) Won three C&D races last term and gets an ideal set-up to swoop late here   Owen Goulding GIANT LEAP - R4 (4) Lurks on a dangerous mark, has a 10lb claimer up and trialled well leading in   Paul Lally LIVE WIRE - R4 (3) Got off the mark to end last season and has trialled well ahead of this run   Phillip Woo DAN ATTACK - R2 (8) Has solid Happy Valley 1,200m form and does go well fresh   Trackwork Spy LIVE WIRE - R4 (3) Game win to break his maiden on final start of...

Phurba Tenjing Sherpa has climbed Mount Everest 18 times over the years but fears he may now be a dying breed, with climate change one day making it unscalable and societal change leaving fewer willing to risk its dangers. The 37-year-old, who runs his own business guiding people up and down Earth’s highest peak, said one of the biggest challenge his industry faced was the fact “the Sherpa community is no longer climbing”. While the veteran guide said he had never been to school, he believed the...