Sources tell SN that there have been haven’t been many meaningful negotiations on a new deal for the 62-year-old Finebaum, whose TV/radio career has skyrocketed since he joined the Worldwide Leader in 2013.

The Lakers grabbed a second-round pick from the 76ers on the eve of the 2018 NBA Draft.

Taylor Hall became just the second player in the last 20 years to score a point in 26 straight games.

Patrick Reed will be looking to make birdies in bunches this week at the Travelers Championship.

England assistant manager reveals the influences and considerations that led to England’s decision to play a back three in Russia

It was over dinner one night in Sochi when the idea was crystallised. Gareth Southgate was with his assistant, Steve Holland, as he often tended to be last summer. They had the European Under-21 Championship to follow in Poland and, simultaneously, the Confederations Cup in Russia. Then one night, in a restaurant on the Black Sea, the discussion turned to England’s plans for the World Cup and changing the entire shape of the side.

By that stage, the two men masterminding England’s World Cup campaign were using their time in Russia to look at potential training bases. “We hadn’t qualified, of course, but without taking liberties we were looking at what might be a good place and experiencing the different climates,” Holland recalls of the conversations that led to England employing their current 3–3–2–2 formation. “We spent about four weeks on the road in Russia, the two of us. We went back to watch the under-21s when the England games were on and then came back for the Confederations Cup. We spent a lot of time on a plane but it really gave us the opportunity to speak about what we had learned over the year.”

Ichiro in the Home Run Derby? Mariners manager Scott Servais is in support of it.

The Cavaliers are likely to keep Kevin Love regardless of LeBron James’ decision this summer.

Amid the din, Iran’s footballers collapsed to the floor exhausted and someone decided to put Y Viva España on the PA system. Spain had lived, but dangerously. Iran had been defeated, but only just.

Three times Carlos Queiroz’s team might have scored: the first had hit the side-netting, subs and staff running from the bench before they realised it had gone wide; the second was ruled out for offside, but not before celebrations were well under way; and the third flew over the bar from six yards, Mehdi Taremi barely able to believe it.

• England Women, 250-3, beat South Africa, 129-6, by 121 runs
• Tammy Beaumont hits 116 in world record total

Another day produced another record. in fact a slew of them. England demolished South Africa by 121 runs to begin their T20 tri-series campaign in rampaging style. But that margin, the biggest ever, warrants only a passing mention, such was the mismatch at Taunton with Heather Knight’s side posting a world record 250 for three, led by Tammy Beaumont’s third international century in nine days.

From the earliest exchanges on a rock-hard surface this was all about the records, which included the opener claiming the fastest T20 ton for an England woman, lowering the mark from 52 to 47 balls. She and Danielle Wyatt (56) combined for 147 at the top, equalling England’s highest partnership in the format.

The series may be lost but England’s final tour stop in South Africa has particular resonance for Eddie Jones. It was here, in the shadow of Table Mountain, that the Rugby Football Union approached him to become England’s head coach at the end of 2015, making his return to the Cape with a squad battling to avoid a 3-0 defeat by the Springboks more than a touch ironic.

Having spent barely a fortnight in charge of the locally based Stormers before agreeing to relocate to Twickenham, Jones badly needs to recapture his winning touch. The match also presents an intriguing dilemma selection-wise, with Danny Cipriani among those keenly awaiting the team announcement for Saturday’s third Test.