Baseball United partners with ECB to launch UAE national team

Baseball United partners with ECB to launch UAE national team
John Miedreich, left, Vice Chairman & Co-Founder of Baseball United with Khalid Al-Zarooni, Vice-Chairman Emirates Cricket Board, and Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder of BU. (Supplied)
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Updated 08 October 2024
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Baseball United partners with ECB to launch UAE national team

Baseball United partners with ECB to launch UAE national team
  • Emirates Cricket Board backs history-making new team that will compete in Baseball United Arab Classic tournament next month
  • Baseball United presented the plan for the team and program to the ECB as part of its grassroots and community development strategy

DUBAI: Baseball United, the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, announced today a plan to form and develop the first national baseball team in the history of the UAE.

Baseball United received official sanctions from the Emirates Cricket Board to manage the UAE National Baseball Team and institute a corresponding development program for baseball in the nation. The Emirates Cricket Board is the governing body for bat and ball sports activities in the UAE.

The new team will compete in international baseball events, beginning with Baseball United’s inaugural Arab Classic tournament, which will take place from Nov. 7-10, 2024, at Baseball United’s new ballpark in Dubai.

Baseball United presented the plan for the team and program to the ECB as part of its grassroots and community development strategy. The new sanctions tout Baseball United’s professional knowledge, expertise and pedigree as a respected international baseball organization, and enable it to oversee player selection, player development and the team’s participation in baseball competitions worldwide.

“Thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan, chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, and the ongoing support of Vice Chairman Khalid Al-Zarooni and General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani, we’ve been able to reach another significant milestone for baseball in this region,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United.

“While our professional league aims to create the gold standard for baseball across the Middle East and South Asia, we believe the most powerful way to grow the game is through the development and enhancement of national team programs in this part of the world. We’ve supported several national teams over the past three years, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and now we are very grateful to build a new program here in our UAE headquarters.”

The new team will now compete with Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia and five other regional nations at Baseball United’s Arab Classic event. Saudi Arabia and the UAE will field national baseball teams for the first time. The tournament will be the largest national baseball team tournament in the history of the region, with all games played at Baseball United’s new ballpark at the Sevens sports and entertainment complex in Dubai.

The UAE National Baseball Team will follow World Baseball Classic eligibility rules and regulations, which will enable broader representation and participation for local residents. In addition to country citizens, WBC rules allow for permanent legal residents and/or players born in the national team’s country or territory to participate in its international events. In addition, players with at least one parent who is, or if deceased, was, a citizen of the national team’s country or territory, or whose parent was born in the national team’s country or territory, are also eligible to play.

“I truly believe this milestone will be an inspiration to countless young players, coaches and fans across the UAE,” Shaikh added. “We are excited to implement our baseball training curriculums and professional protocol, and get to work in developing the most competitive team possible. I have no doubt that the UAE team will make their country proud.”


McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight

McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight
Updated 21 sec ago
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McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight

McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight
  • Summer McIntosh is set to compete in five individual events at the world swimming championships in Singapore
  • McIntosh broke three world records in June, including the 400-meter freestyle
Summer McIntosh won three individual gold medals a year ago at the Olympics, the star in the Paris pool alongside France’s Léon Marchand.
Apparently unsatisfied with three, she’ll go for five gold medals starting Sunday at the world swimming championships in Singapore. Call it a trial run for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
The worlds is the highest profile swim meet since last year’s Olympics, a showcase for newcomers as well veterans who hope to stick around until Los Angeles.
McIntosh will be very busy during the eight days in the pool, packing her schedule with five individual events. She’ll contend with prelims in some events, and she’ll also add relays.
“This means 14 or 15 races she could swim in eight days, demanding races,” Canada’s head coach Iain McDonald told The Associated Press. “It’s a very challenging schedule she’s set for herself.”
The 18-year-old Canadian set three world records in five days in June at the national trials. She broke her own 400-meter individual medley mark, dropping it to 4 minutes, 23.65 seconds, and set the 200 IM record (2:05.70) and the 400 freestyle record (3:54.18).
She was also a mere half-second behind the 200 butterfly record, which has stood since 2009, and just off the 800 freestyle record set last month by American Katie Ledecky.
“She’s such a versatile athlete, it’s kind of tough to nail what her best events are,” McDonald said. “She’s pretty good right across the spectrum.”
Opening day
McIntosh will be the focus on Day 1 of the pool events in Singapore. She swims the 400 freestyle final, and comes back about 30 minutes later for a semifinal of the 200 IM.
Despite holding the world record in the 400 free, she’s never won gold in the event at the Olympics or worlds. This time she’s ready, and credits coach Fred Vergnoux.
“I’m super pumped for the 400 freestyle and I’m really excited to see how I manage doing the double,” McIntosh told Canadian broadcaster the CBC.
McIntosh said Vergnoux has boosted her endurance, pointing more to distance events.
“It’s true that I haven’t been able to do it on world stage yet,” she said of the 400. “I think going into past big meets I haven’t had the confidence in my training and my freestyle in general — technique-wise and endurance-wise — that I have now.”
Ariarne Titmus was the gold medalist in Paris with silver for McIntosh, but the Australian swimmer is taking a year off. It’s Titmus’s record that McIntosh just broke. Ledecky, the bronze medalist in Paris, appears to be McIntosh’s chief rival.
McIntosh will also face Ledecky in the 800, which might be the only race where McIntosh is not favored. It’s probably 50-50, and it might be the biggest race of the championships.
Ledecky set the world record this year of 8:04.12, and McIntosh is right behind, having clocked 8:05.07.
“I think she loves it (the challenge),” Greg Meehan, the US team director, said of Ledecky. “There are always threats coming at you because you’ve set yourself to be the gold standard.”
McIntosh dominates the two IM races, and should also be a favorite in the 200 butterfly.
Ledecky’s best race is the 1,500 where she holds the world record and also has the 23 top times in history in the event — and No. 25, too. McIntosh is not in the field here.
McIntosh, who will swim this fall under Bob Bowman at the University of Texas at Austin, arrived on the scene aged 14 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finishing fourth in the 400 free.
“She’s been such a strong performer through her entire career at such a young age,” McDonald said. “But she always manages to surprise you, upping her game a little bit.”
Attention on Yu
Some of the attention in Singapore will be on 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi. Yu has qualified in the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 butterfly and could face McIntosh in all three finals. Unbelievably, she could win a medal — at 12.
Yu’s time of 2:10.63 in the Chinese championships in May was the fastest by any 12 year old — female or male — in history. She’s also swum 2:06.83 in the 200 fly and 4:35.53 in the 400 IM. Both of those times would have been good for fourth place in last year’s Olympics.
Astoundingly, Yu is 12 to 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at age 12, depending on the event. That’s roughly a half-lap of a 50-meter pool.
“There is always somebody coming up next,” McDonald said.

MLS, playing without Messi, beats Liga MX 3-1 in All-Star Game

MLS, playing without Messi, beats Liga MX 3-1 in All-Star Game
Updated 41 min 43 sec ago
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MLS, playing without Messi, beats Liga MX 3-1 in All-Star Game

MLS, playing without Messi, beats Liga MX 3-1 in All-Star Game
  • The MLS All-Stars won in 2022 and beat Liga MX on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw a year prior
  • Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammate, Jordi Alba, both face possible league suspensions for their team’s next match against Cincinnati on Saturday for missing the All-Star game

AUSTIN: Sam Surridge, Tai Baribo and Brian White scored goals and Major League Soccer defeated Liga MX of Mexico 3-1 in the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday night playing without Lionel Messi.

Messi and his Inter Miami teammate, Jordi Alba, both face possible league suspensions for their team’s next match against Cincinnati on Saturday for missing the All-Star game.

“Messi’s the greatest,” MLS coach Nico Estévez said. “Playing with him and coaching him would be something amazing. But we have to show respect for the guys that showed up today. They did great. It’s a special week, a unique event. Not everyone can enjoy this. I’m fortunate.”

Liga MX’s James Rodríguez also chose not to play in the game played in front of more than 20,000 fans at Q2 Stadium.

MLS has defeated Liga MX three times in four tries. Last year Liga MX won 4-1 in Columbus, Ohio. The MLS All-Stars won in 2022 and beat Liga MX on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw a year prior.

Messi has yet to appear in an MLS All-Star Game. He missed the game last year with an injury. Messi is currently tied with Nashville’s Surridge for the MLS lead in goals with 18.

Surridge scored another goal on Wednesday, from the middle of the box, heading in to the lower right corner a ball directed by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga in the 28th minute.

The opportunity developed after Bouanga had a point-blank attempt stopped by Liga MX goalkeeper Luis Malagon (Club America). Bouanga hustled to retrieve the long rebound and sent it to Surridge.

Before the goal, both teams had attempts rejected with diving stops by Luis Malagón and Austin FC’s Brad Stuver in the 13th and 18th minutes.

MLS went ahead 2-0 in the 51st minute when Diego Rossi (Columbus) passed ahead to Baribo (Philadelphia), whose right footed shot from the center of the box made it to the lower left corner of the goal.

Liga MX closed the gap to 2-1 just 13 minutes later when Gilberto Mora (Club Tijuana) converted a pass from Elias Montiel (Pachuca) from the middle of the box.

“We had moments when we played good soccer,” Liga MX coach André Jardine said.

Liga MX’s bid to tie the match was snubbed when a shot by Diber Cambindo (Necaxa) was stopped by Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver) in the 75th minute.

White (Vancouver) finished the scoring in the 80th minute.

Baribo ranks fourth in MLS with 14 goals and White has scored 11 as they chase Messi and Surridge.

“They are competitive,” Estévez said. “One scores and the other says ‘I have to score.’ Brian in the end said ‘I have to score.’ “

Up next

MLS and Liga MX continue their rivalry with the Leagues Cup that begins on July 29 and concludes Aug. 31. The competition features a new format, with all 18 clubs from Liga MX and the top 18 from MLS competing. Last year all 47 clubs from the two leagues were included.


Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Women’s Euro 2025 final

Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Women’s Euro 2025 final
Updated 24 July 2025
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Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Women’s Euro 2025 final

Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Women’s Euro 2025 final
  • It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati’s most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown
  • The Spaniards will now face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney

ZURICH: Aitana Bonmati netted the only goal of the game late in extra time as world champions Spain edged Germany 1-0 in their Women’s Euro 2025 semifinal on Wednesday to set up a title decider this weekend against England.

A tense game in Zurich was ticking down toward penalties when reigning Ballon d’Or Bonmati struck in the 113th minute, surprising the usually reliable German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post.

It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati’s most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown.

“We knew that the goalkeeper often leaves her near post open in these situations, so I didn’t think twice. I didn’t want the game to go to penalties,” said a beaming Bonmati.

Spain were also grateful to goalkeeper Cata Coll for some vital interventions, including a spectacular double save to deny Klara Buehl and Carlotta Wamser right at the end of normal time, as Germany were agonizingly eliminated.

The Spaniards will now face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney.

If Montse Tome’s side come out on top again, they will become the first nation to hold both the world and European titles at the same time since Germany almost 15 years ago.

Spain had never beaten Germany before, and now they advance to their first-ever Euro final, with the chance to cement their status as the leading force in international women’s football.

“We have made history again today, getting to a first Euro final and beating Germany for the first time,” said Bonmati.

“We are proud to be part of this generation of players, but this is not over yet. We can enjoy this and then tomorrow we need to start thinking about England.”

Germany, meanwhile, had been hoping to avenge their defeat by England in the last Euro final in 2022, but they will not add to their record tally of eight European Championship victories.

“She doesn’t have to take responsibility. She made so many wonderful saves to get us where we are,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said of goalkeeper Berger. “There is no blame, we are very proud of the team.”

Spain should have been the fresher of the two sides, having played their quarter-final against hosts Switzerland a day before Germany got the better of France on penalties after playing almost the whole game with 10 players.

Germany were also missing three starters from that match, with Kathrin Hendrich and Sjoeke Nuesken suspended while right-back Sarai Linder was injured.

Wueck’s team did unsurprisingly have the majority of the 22,432 crowd behind them at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, and they also had Berger in goal.

A star of the win over France, she made a fine save to keep out a shot from Spain’s Esther Gonzalez — her teammate at Gotham FC in the United States — just before the midway point in the first half, tipping the ball over for a corner.

Spain captain Irene Paredes headed against the post from a Claudia Pina corner and Gonzalez was again denied by Berger before half-time.

It was then Germany’s turn to have the best chances in the second half, but Coll made a crucial block from Buehl just after the hour mark, and the Bayern Munich star also curled a free-kick just wide late on.

Then came the stunning double save from Coll right at the end of the allotted four minutes of injury time, as the Barcelona goalkeeper kept out a deflected Buehl shot that was looping in and quickly got up to stop Wamser’s follow-up.

That was a sign that it would not be Germany’s night, and they then saw defender Sophia Kleinherne come off in tears early in extra time after overstretching while trying to stop Salma Paralluelo going clean through on goal.

Spain’s winner eventually came, as Bonmati let a ball from Athenea del Castillo run past her in the area before beating Berger with a shot from a tight angle.

There was still time for Coll to excel again, flying to her left to save from Lea Schueller as Spain held on.


Milan wins crash-marred sprint as Tour approaches Alpine end game

Milan wins crash-marred sprint as Tour approaches Alpine end game
Updated 24 July 2025
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Milan wins crash-marred sprint as Tour approaches Alpine end game

Milan wins crash-marred sprint as Tour approaches Alpine end game
  • On the rain-slick roads at Valence once one rider had fallen his interminable slide across the tarmac sent riders flying like skittles leaving only 10 to contest the sprint
  • The 24-year-old Lidl Trek rider now has 312 points, and is in a powerful position to win the battle for the green jersey in Paris

VALENCE: Italy’s Jonathan Milan escaped a spectacular pile-up of flying bikes and bodies to win stage 17 of the Tour de France in lashing rain on Wednesday, extending his lead in the sprint points race.

Overall leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest rival Jonas Vingegaard (4min 15sec behind) finished safely despite a mass fall 800m from the finish line at Valence at the foot of the Alps.

On the rain-slick roads at Valence once one rider had fallen his interminable slide across the tarmac sent riders flying like skittles leaving only 10 to contest the sprint.

“It was chaotic but incredible. I was expecting a bit of rain. We placed as best as we could and the guys put me in the best spot just before the fall,” said Milan.

This was a second stage win for Milan, who won Italy’s first stage since 2019 on stage eight.

The 24-year-old Lidl Trek rider now has 312 points, and is in a powerful position to win the battle for the green jersey in Paris as Pogacar is second at 240 with only two possible sprints left at 50pts each.

 

As the remaining 164 riders embarked from the sleepy Provence village of Bollene, the collective will of the peloton made for a slow approach of the Alps.

Billed as a sprinters stage on an unusually mild (22C) day the riders were also spared the 50kph winds that had been forecast.

But the rain deprived the stage of a full bunch sprint due to the horrid fall.

Attention now turns to three massive climbs culminating with the ascent to the 2304m altitude Col de la Loze on stage 18 will sort the wheat from the chaff on Thursday’s Queen stage.

Team UAE rider Pogacar seemed unperturbed.

“We can’t get arrogant, we need to keep it simple and stay quiet,” said the 26-year-old.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I have been beaten there before but I have good legs and maybe I’ll get my revenge,” he said.

After 10 opening days of rolling terrain in the north and west of France where Pocacar and Vingegaard kept a watchful eye on each other as emerging riders stole the headlines, week two was where the real fight began.

The defending champion Pogacar attacked the Dane Vingegaard on the first mountain, smacking over two minutes into him on one climb as things looked grim for the Slovenian’s rivals.

The following day on a regular bike on a time-trial Pogacar whacked another 40sec into the Visma star who has however taken over four minutes off the Slovenian on a single stage to win the 2023 Tour.

While Friday’s hellishly-designed five mountains of madness on stage 19 sound the final call for any pretender to knock Pogacar off his high perch.

Unless that is the three ascents of the cobbled roads to the Sacre Coeur Basilica in old Montmartre descend into chaos on Sunday.

Another Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric of Bahrain Victorious said he was confident Pogacar would close out his fourth Tour de France win.

“He was born with a machine inside him, and he was born with the brain to use that machine,” Mohoric said.


Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final

Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final
Updated 24 July 2025
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Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final

Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final
  • Germany’s Euro 2025 campaign had been full of promise, but not matched in substance
  • It was short on defenders against Spain with Sarai Linder joining Gwinn on the injury list and Hendrichs and Nüsken both suspended

German chancellor Friedrich Merz never got to see Germany play at the Women’s European Championship.

“If it goes well we’ll see each other Sunday evening in Basel for the final,” Merz posted on social media before the German team faced World Cup champion Spain in the semifinal match on Wednesday.

It didn’t go quite that well. Aitana Bonmatí scored late in extra time for Spain to win 1-0 and avoid a penalty shootout that the Germany team had been holding out for.

Germany’s Euro 2025 campaign had been full of promise, but not matched in substance.

Merz was filmed watching Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger’s amazing save in the quarterfinal win over France as if he’d never seen it before. He was never so excited during a football game than he’d been watching Germany win on penalties the previous weekend.

A commitment to meet France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, meant Merz couldn’t attend the semifinals in Zurich.

Anyone watching Germany during the tournament was left wondering what the team is really capable of.

A highlight reel would feature a string of fine saves from Berger, committed defending from Franziska Kett, Giovanna Hoffmann and Jule Brand – who are all forward – and only occasional flashes of brilliance in attack, such as Brand’s opening strike in the team’s first game against Poland.

Germany, the eight-time European champion, only nearly reached the final through sheer dogged determination.

Captain Giulia Gwinn was injured against Poland and ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. A 2-1 come-from-behind win over Denmark ensured early progress from the group, before a chastening 4-1 loss to Sweden in the last group game.

Germany had defender Gwinn’s replacement, Carlotta Wamser, sent off early against Sweden for swatting the ball away from goal with her hand, then Kathrin Hendrich sent off early in the quarterfinal match against France for pulling French captain Griedge Mbock back by her hair.

It meant Germany reverted to defensive tactics in both games, protecting Berger’s goal while hoping the likes of Brand and star forward Klara Bühl might score on counterattacks.

Bühl’s corner allowed Sjoeke Nüsken to score the equalizer against France and the team held on despite French dominance to win 6-5 on penalties after Berger’s heroics.

The Germany goalkeeper was feted afterward for her amazing save to stop stand-in captain Janina Minge’s backward header from going into her own net when she leaped backwards and somehow clawed the ball away from the line. Berger also saved two penalties and scored her own spot kick in the shootout.

The win filled the German players and supporters with confidence ahead of the game against Spain, despite the overall performance against France.

“We dominated them from start to finish. Now they’re through. I’m sorry, but they don’t deserve it,” France winger Selma Bacha said.

Germany was short on defenders against Spain with Sarai Linder joining Gwinn on the injury list and Hendrichs and Nüsken both suspended. But it didn’t stop the team defending, with forward helping out at the back, producing timely blocks and committed challenges to frustrate Spain’s star forward. Berger again made a host of saves until she left space at her near post and Bonmatí squeezed the ball through.

It ended Germany’s hopes of a rematch with defending champion England in the final, and left Merz with an opening in his schedule.