New Zealand's top cricketers to start squad training this week: NZC

New Zealand's top cricketers will return to squad training at the country's High Performance Centre in Lincoln this week after a prolonged break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Zealand's top cricketers will return to squad training at the country's High Performance Centre in Lincoln this week after a prolonged break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued on Monday, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced that six national camps will be conducted in the next few months.

"New Zealand's top male and female cricketers will return to squad trainings at the NZC High Performance centre in Lincoln this week, in the first of six national camps scheduled for the coming winter months," read the release from NZC.

"The South Island and Wellington based BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS will train at the Canterbury hub this week, while a larger second camp for players further North will commence at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui from July 19," it added.

Later, New Zealand's women's team's official Twitter handle posted pictures of players training in Lincoln.

"We are back! Our 1st post lockdown camp is underway in Lincoln. Players from @cricketwgtn, @CanterburyCrick and @OtagoVolts are attending the first camp with @aucklandcricket, @ndcricket and @CDCricket players getting set for a camp next week at @BayOvalOfficial #CricketNation," stated the tweet.

New Zealand has been among the least affected by the pandemic, managing to keep the case count to a little over 1500, including more than 1400 recoveries.

Australian newspapers lose defamation appeal against Chris Gayle

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

An Australian media group on Tuesday lost an appeal against an AUD 300,000 ($211,000) defamation payout to West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle after claiming he exposed his genitals to a masseuse.

Gayle was accused by former media group Fairfax, which at the time was publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of exposing his penis and indecently propositioning the woman in a dressing room during the 2015 World Cup in Sydney.

Gayle vigorously denied the allegations, claiming the journalists behind the series of stories published in the newspapers in 2016 were out to "destroy him".

He won the defamation case in October last year after jurors found Fairfax was motivated by malice and had failed to establish a defence of truth.

The publisher appealed the case arguing it did not receive a fair trial and the judge should have discharged the jury after Gayle's barrister attacked the credibility of the massage therapist.

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

A New South Wales court dismissed both appeals.

Gayle caused a stir in Australia in 2016 prior to the Fairfax stories being published when he attempted to flirt with a presenter on live TV, asking her out for a drink and telling her: "Don't blush, baby."

After winning his court case last year, he tried to spark a bidding war for a tell-all interview, promising that "when I break this down to y'all it will be like a movie".

"Biding (sic) starts at $300K for this interview! So much to say & I will" he tweeted to his then 3.75 million followers.

Fairfax newspapers are now owned by commercial broadcaster Nine Entertainment, which purchased the media company last year.

Business Standard