Sports
Substitutes in cricket: ECB’s new County Championship rule could be changed
Most complaints have been around the strictness of the rules, rather than the principle itself or specific cases.
Somerset coach Jason Kerr said Tom Kohler-Cadmore was unable to hold a bat and Lewis Goldsworthy had a severe hamstring tear after their injuries last weekend, while Yorkshire seamers Jhye Richardson and Jack White had food poisoning.
Moores said seamer Fergus O’Neill was unable to bowl on the final day against Glamorgan but was already down on pace the previous day. O’Neill was replaced by Lyndon James, who took two wickets in a 192-run win.
Glamorgan’s Carlson said his complaints were “no slight on Notts whatsoever”.
“A guy who hadn’t played cricket for three days to then come in and bowl, obviously that’s an advantage,” he added.
“The thinking behind bringing in the rule is sound, but I think it has to be ironed out in terms of the way it does get done.”
The ECB has implemented more relaxed restrictions than other nations.
It wants to keep the quality of cricket high by not having players with serious injuries struggling through matches – as seen with England’s Chris Woakes in the fifth Test against India last summer.
In Australia the ‘stand-down period’ – the period a replaced player is then unavailable for – during the most recent season was 12 days, but in the UK it is only eight.
There is also no stand-down period for players whose team do not play in the next round of fixtures – as is the case with Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan and Yorkshire this week – or for the final round in a season.
The Australian laws also only allowed one substitute per match and ruled that any change had to be made before the end of day two, thus reducing the advantage of a fresh player coming into a four-day match late on.
When explaining the rules last month, ECB head of cricket operations Alan Fordham said the governing body would be relying on the co-operation of the counties in not pushing the rules to gain an advantage.
“If teams are going to start pushing at the edges of the regulation then it risks the chance we will have to backpedal,” he said.
The Detroit Tigers and standout rookie third baseman Kevin McGonigle have agreed to an eight-year contract extension, the club announced on Wednesday. The deal is worth $150 million guaranteed and includes escalators that could push the total value to $160 million. It kicks in for 2027 and will run through the 2034 season.
McGonigle’s deal is the latest in a recent spate of long-term extensions for young players with little or no MLB service time. His pact is larger than the recent one signed by young shortstop Konnor Griffin and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 21-year-old McGonigle is a former No. 37 overall draft pick out of a Pennsylvania high school who’s thus far enjoying a highly productive rookie campaign in Detroit.
Through the first 17 games of his MLB career, McGonigle has an OBP of .417 with more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight). He’s also slugging .492 with six doubles and an OPS+ of 162. Thanks to strong quality-of-contact measures, McGonigle boasts an expected slugging of .546, which puts him in the 90th percentile of MLB hitters in projectable power. That’s in addition to his running the bases well and playing sound defense at short and third for a Tigers team with designs on making the playoffs for a third straight year.
“Since I’ve been drafted by the Tigers, the way I am, I’m loyal,” McGonigle said at a press conference Wednesday. “I want to stick in one spot and help a team to win a World Series.”
Coming into the 2026 season, CBS Sports ranked McGonigle as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball. Here’s part of our write-up:
McGonigle is probably the single most polished hitter not already in the majors. He’s a lefty who, when he’s in his stance, resembles a mirrored version of Jose Altuve. There are some skill-set similarities too. McGonigle can hit the ball wherever, whenever, and often with gusto behind it. He’s mindful of the zone, and last year he walked 13 times more than he struck out combined across three levels. McGonigle has shown headiness on the basepaths in the past, though last year he wasn’t as successful in volume or efficiency. Defensively, he may play shortstop at the onset of his big-league career as a necessity to get his bat in the lineup. McGonigle seems unlikely to remain at the six much beyond that, however, with second base appearing to be his long-term home. It won’t matter. If he hits like he’s demonstrated he can throughout his professional career, the Tigers will be pleased all the same.
The eight-year extension buys out multiple free agent years from McGonigle and all but ensures he’ll remain in Detroit through at least his age-29 season. From McGonigle’s standpoint, he gets a life-changing guarantee, and he can still test the free-agent market before he turns 30 years of age. For the Tigers, it’s bound to be a highly popular move for a fan base that’s primed to be frustrated by ace Tarik Skubal‘s likely departure via free agency next offseason.
McGonigle becomes the fifth player to whom the Tigers are committed beyond the current season. Marquee offseason addition Framber Valdez will be owed $42.8 million for the 2027 season, and he has a $35 million player option for 2028. Javier Báez is owed $27 million for the final year of his contract in 2027. Colt Keith is under contract through at least 2029 with three additional club options. Finally, reliever Kyle Finnegan will make $9.5 million next season. The Tigers also have 2027 options on Kenley Jansen and Drew Anderson. Overall, that comes to just more than $80 million committed for 2027, which means the Tigers have plenty of room to add salary this coming winter.
At this writing, McGonigle and the Tigers have won four in a row to reach 8-9 on the season after a slow start.
Spring prospect extensions
Apr 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The LIV Golf logo is on display along the 10th hole during the second round of LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images Speculation over the future of LIV Golf ran rampant after league executives reportedly were summoned to New York for an emergency summit.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is on the verge of cutting its support for the league and that an announcement could come as soon as Thursday.
LIV Golf members are currently in Mexico City preparing to play the sixth event on the 2026 calendar, starting on Thursday. Golfer Sergio Garcia told reporters there Wednesday that the players “have not heard anything.”
All outward appearances indicated the event was proceeding as planned, with LIV Golf posting interviews and tee times on social media.
Garcia said a shutdown would be contrary to what they have heard from Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi PIF.
“That is not what Yasir told us at the beginning of the year, that he is behind us, that they have a project of many years,” said Garcia, translated from Spanish.
The PIF has reportedly poured more than $5 billion into LIV Golf since it launched in 2022, luring stars like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson with lucrative contracts and massive tournament purses.
LIV Golf’s potential demise would not come as a total shock given the circuit’s stagnant television ratings and its inability to attract any big names of late, coupled with the recent departures of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed back to the PGA Tour.
After Mexico City, there are nine events remaining on the schedule in LIV Golf’s fourth season.
–Field Level Media
Familiarity with playing conditions and players breeds confidence, especially for a player going through a lean patch with the bat. Punjab Kings’ middle-order batter Nehal Wadhera is hoping that his return to the Wankhede Stadium for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash with the Mumbai Indians on Thursday will help him regain form and produce a big knock. Wadhera, who has scored 3, 10, and 14 runs in the three matches in which PBKS have batted this season, has played two seasons for the Mumbai Indians from 2023-24 and is quite familiar with the Wankhede Stadium and the current MI squad, barring a few players.
The 25-year-old batting all-rounder from Ludhiana in Punjab is brimming with confidence on his return to Wankhede.
“I have played here for two years, so I know the conditions well. I have played with everyone here. I have played a lot of these bowlers in the nets too. I know I am short of runs, but I am hoping that the time will come when I am also scoring well. I am in good touch, though. I think it is a matter of one innings, and then it will start from there,” said Wadhera in the pre-match press conference at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Wadhera said the team will take confidence from their good record against the Mumbai Indians over the year — among the eight IPL-founding teams, PBKS are the only one with an equal head-to-head record with MI, with both teams having won 17 matches in the 34 they have played so far.
“Just like a bowler who is doing well has lots of confidence in bowling or a batter who is doing well has confidence in his batting, similarly, a team. If a team has a good winning record against another team, that also carries forward the momentum.
“So we are in a very positive frame of mind. It is not only that, but last year we won against them in the semifinals, and this time too they same set of bowlers, the same team.
“So, we also have an idea of what plan they will come up with, which plan of action they will come up with, and we already have an idea. It is an added advantage that last year, if we did well against their plans, then this year also we will do well,” said Wadhera.
The middle-order batter who bowls leg-break when required agreed that Punjab Kings have started from where they left off last year, though they were disappointed at losing the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“We are exactly where we left, we are carrying up the same momentum. Though we lost the final last year, we are still dominating every team like we did last year. We are following the same routine, there is the same atmosphere basically, which we had last year,” he said.
Wadhera praised head coach Ricky Ponting and skipper Shreyas Iyer for instilling a positive outlook among the players and giving them confidence to play freely. He said Ponting always tells the players to follow their natural game without bothering about failure.
Wadhera said interacting with a legend like Ponting is a big gain for players like him who have not played for India. “He is a great batsman and has captained Australia to multiple World Cup titles, so he brings a lot to the conversation. He always asked the players to be positive in their outlook and that results will come,” said Wadhera.
The 25-year-old batter from Punjab said skipper Shreyas Iyer’s one-on-one interactions with the players also have a good impact on the players. “Just the other day, I was having a conversation with him, and he told me to play my natural game without bothering about pressure. ‘You play your natural game, I am there to take up the pressure, he told me,” said Wadhera.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Tushar Deshpande’s Brilliant Final Act Ensures Thrilling Win For RR Over Gujarat Titans
Topics mentioned in this article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini, who was sentenced to life in prison, insists he is innocent of the 2021 murder his in-laws.
Serafini did a recent interview with “Dateline,” where the ex-Minnesota Twins hurler claimed to Keith Morrison that he was not the one who killed Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood five years ago.
“I don’t understand it at all,” Serafini said to Morrison. “I believed in the justice system. And the justice system failed.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Pitcher Dan Serafini of the Minnesota Twins poses for the camera on Photo Day during spring training at Hammond Stadium at Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. (GETTY)
Serafini was accused of surprising Spohr and Wood in Lake Tahoe, California, at their home in 2021, where he murdered them in the belief he would acquire a piece of their fortune via his then-wife, Erin Spohr.
Prosecutors said Serafini had snuck into the Lake Tahoe home while the married couple was out on the lake. He was allegedly hiding in a closet with a gun for several hours awaiting their return.
BRIAN WALSHE TO BE SENTENCED FOR MURDERING, DISMEMBERING WIFE WHO DISAPPEARED ON NEW YEAR’S DAY 2023
When they got back, Serafini allegedly shot them both in the head, but Wood survived after being left for dead. However, she died by suicide in 2023.
Serafini was eventually found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder as well as first-degree burglary in 2025 after a trial that lasted weeks. In February, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Circumstantial case and I believe that the circumstantial stuff that they had was just making up a story. They had no proof, no anything,” he told Morrison.
Dan Serafini of Italy delivers a pitch during a World Baseball Classic game against Canada at Rogers Centre in Toronto on March 9, 2009. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Serafini also felt the jury didn’t like him for the way he was acting in court, though he alleges he was just following his lawyers’ advice.
“They just didn’t like me, they didn’t like my lifestyle,” Serafini explained. “They didn’t like the way I acted in court, which I didn’t act any way. I sat there like I was supposed to because my lawyers told me to [not] react, [not] respond. ‘Sit there like nothing’s bothering you.’ And I did. And I got crucified for it.”
The full “Dateline” special with Serafini will air on Friday night.
Dan Serafini #50 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 11, 2003. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Serafini was a first-round draft choice by the Twins in 1992, eventually making his major league debut in 1996. He allowed five runs on seven hits, including a home run, and two walks across 4.1 innings.
Serafini also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies in his seven years in the big leagues.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
MUMBAI: In a big blow to the Mumbai Indians, already reeling after three straight defeats, their former captain and star opener Rohit Sharma is set to miss the team’s fifth match of IPL 2026 against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium due to a recurrence of a hamstring injury, TOI has learnt.Rohit sustained the injury during Mumbai Indians’ previous clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the same venue. Providing an update ahead of the pre-match press conference, addressed by Naman Dhir, an MI spokesperson said, “The medical staff is assessing him. An official update will be given when available.” During the team’s training session later in the evening, Rohit was seen jogging at the Wankhede Stadium.
The MI spokesperson also confirmed that England allrounder Will Jacks, who has not featured in the IPL so far, “is on his way and will join the team soon.”Rohit picked up the injury during the second innings against RCB and retired hurt in the sixth over of the chase. MI went on to lose the match, their third defeat in four games this season. He walked off after scoring 19 off 13 balls, with two fours and a six, following a lengthy on-field treatment by the team physio before a delivery by Rasikh Salam.Teammate Sherfane Rutherford said after the game, “I’m not entirely sure yet – perhaps it’s a bit of a hamstring issue – but I can’t say for certain. I was in the dugout, so I don’t have much information on it.”Rohit, who recently completed 15 years with MI, has scored 137 runs in four matches, including a half-century. However, the 38-year-old has had a history of hamstring issues, having missed games in IPL 2020 and parts of the 2016-17 season due to similar injuries.
Could now be the perfect time to add another Major League Baseball franchise north of the border? Vancouver mayor Ken Sim seems to think so.
A day after announcing the intention to bring a motion to city council aiming to bring an MLB team to Vancouver, Sim joined Sportsnet’s Blair & Barker to discuss why the time is right and why the city is right.
“I can tell you, our council, the councillors in my party are very excited about it,” Sim said. “But there is a lot of excitement.
“You look at what happened last year with the magical run that the Jays had, you could tell there’s a huge appetite (for baseball) right across this country, and specifically in Vancouver,” Sim said, referring to the popularity of the Toronto Blue Jays and baseball as a whole in the city, particularly during the team’s run to the World Series last year.
“Vancouver’s right, and we want to make that when this opportunity comes up, we’re not flat-footed. We’re being proactive as a city council to make sure that … we have our ducks in a row. That we’re not the bottleneck that stops a team from coming to Vancouver.
Sim is set to put forth the motion on April 22, and although MLB hasn’t clearly expressed that expansion is in the works, the mayor says the intention for the time being is to make sure the city is prepared for when it is.
Commissioner Rob Manfred has mentioned that he would like to grow the league to 32 teams, saying in January that “I would like to expand. I think 32 would be good for (MLB),” and that he would like to set the wheels in motion before his term ends in January 2029, when he has made it clear he will retire.
“I truly believe in being proactive. These are short windows, and at the end of the day, one of the big reasons why we have to wrap this up as a city is we have to show Major League Baseball that Vancouver is a credible location and the city’s on board,” Sim said. “This is part of keeping it on the commissioner’s timeline.”
Although he’s taken only the first few steps toward possible expansion to the city, Sim believes that, should the motion go through, Vancouver would stand a good chance at locking down a team because of its unique geography.
“We’re the gateway to Asia, and so we could actually be quite strategic for Major League Baseball as they’re looking at expanding in other markets digitally,” he said. “We’re unique in Vancouver. (We have) a lot of (things) the other cities that are looking for expansion teams just don’t have.”
Additionally, Manfred said in an interview with Sportsnet in October that “another city in Canada clearly could work for us,” when he was asked about the possibility of expansion to Vancouver.
Before anything concrete comes together, however, a few key details will have to be hammered out. For one, Sim said that no location for a potential new stadium has been decided and that he’s “leaving it up to the bidders.”
“Any party that puts in an expression of interest — show us where they want the location and show us how they’re going to fund it, and show us why it’s gonna be great to not only win the bid, but also why it would be great for the residents of Vancouver and the region and Western Canada,” Sim said.
Sim made it clear that the city won’t allocate public funding in the form of subsidies or tax breaks, and will instead put that in the hands of any interested parties. Rather, he hopes that putting the motion forward will give potential bidders the opportunity to “put their name in the hat and show us why they should be the partner,” in an effort to show MLB that both the city and the interested party are working in tandem, should the window for expansion open.
“We’re looking for parties to show us where they’re at right now, where their interest lies, and how they’re gonna do it,” Sim said. “And then, from there, we can start fleshing this out and have a credible bid presented in front of Major League Baseball.”
France manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed that striker Hugo Ekitike will miss the World Cup after suffering a suspected Achilles injury during Liverpool FC’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old forward was taken off on a stretcher at Anfield, raising fears of a long-term absence that could also affect the start of next season.
Ekitike underwent scans on Wednesday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Deschamps confirmed the setback in a statement released by the French Football Federation.
“Hugo suffered a serious injury on Tuesday evening against PSG. The severity of his injury will unfortunately prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and participating in the World Cup,” he said.
“Hugo is one of the dozen young players who have made their debuts with the national team in recent months. He had perfectly integrated into the group, both on the pitch and off it. This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the France team.
“His disappointment is immense. Hugo will regain his top form, I’m convinced of it. But I wanted to express all my support to him, as well as that of the entire staff. We know he’ll be fully behind the France team, and we’re all thinking of him very strongly.”
Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July and has impressed in his debut season, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in all competitions.
Speaking after the defeat, Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the injury looked serious.
“I think we could all see that it didn’t look well and didn’t look good. Let’s wait and see what it will be. But we could all see it didn’t look good,” he said.
“In the second half, he went home so I haven’t seen him yet. Losing a game is already very hard, especially in the way we lost it, but again – as it seems to be – losing a player is something we’ve had so many times this season.
“It’s especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially not at this moment of time in the season.”
Earlier this year, Ekitike became only the second player after Kenny Dalglish to score in five different competitions in his debut season for Liverpool.
He made his France debut last September and was expected to be part of Deschamps’ squad for this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Liverpool have also been hit by several other injuries this season. Defender Giovanni Leoni and full-back Conor Bradley are ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Wataru Endo remain sidelined, while striker Alexander Isak has only recently returned from an ankle injury suffered in December.
BENGALURU: The early phase of IPL has largely belonged to emerging talent and young turks. But the midweek fixture at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here was different. It turned out to be a vintage Wednesday. Two experienced exponents of the sport from Royal Challengers Bengaluru came out to show Lucknow Super Giants how the job is done.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Two seasoned campaigners led the charge. The 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/27) set the tone with a masterclass in swing bowling, exploiting movement early before nailing his yorkers at the death. At the other end, 35-year-old Josh Hazlewood (1/20) was relentless, operating on probing lengths that proved difficult to read. On a spongy surface, RCB’s pacers — with Rasikh Dar (4/24) joining the party — used the short ball to unsettle the opposition before bundling LSG out for a modest 146.
Chasing a below-par target, RCB did flirt with a wobble but eventually sealed a five-wicket win in 15.1 overs, maintaining their unbeaten run at home this season.Phil Salt fell early, but Virat Kohli, coming in as an Impact Player for Suyash Sharma, quickly found his rhythm. Consecutive boundaries off Mohammed Shami showcased his trademark wristwork and timing. Kohli raced to 34 off his first 14 deliveries, putting the chase firmly on track.However, disciplined bowling from Avesh Khan, coupled with wickets at the other end, slowed the tempo. Kohli was denied a half-century, falling for 49 (34b; 6×4, 1×6), caught by Nicholas Pooran at long-on. But the others ensured the job was done with plenty to spare.
RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood celebrates with teammates after taking a LSG wicket. (Pic credit: IPL)
Earlier, LSG’s sluggish start to the IPL season showed little sign of improvement as their batting unit faltered again. On the eve of the clash, the franchise’s global cricket director, Tom Moody, had hoped the venue’s run-friendly reputation would act as a tonic. Instead, LSG’s struggles deepened.RCB’s tactic of using short-pitched deliveries effectively unsettled the batters. Hazlewood brought control at the top, Bhuvneshwar was incisive, and Rasikh starred with clever variations that left batters guessing.LSG never quite recovered after an early setback. Aiden Markram fell in the fourth over, miscuing a full toss from Rasikh to Devdutt Padikkal at covers. From there, it became a slow-paced procession. The batters struggled to gauge the pace of the wicket, often committing too early. RCB tightened the screws with 15 dot balls in the Powerplay, setting the tone for the collapse.Pooran’s lean run continued as he fell to Hazlewood, dragging a short ball back onto his stumps while attempting a pull. Mitchell Marsh (40; 32b; 3×4, 2×6) and Ayush Badoni (38) offered brief resistance, stitching together a 36-run stand to steady the innings. But Krunal Pandya (2/38) broke through, deceiving Marsh with a quicker delivery that crashed into the stumps before removing Abdul Samad in his next over.Mukul Choudhary’s 39 added some late respectability, but the innings never gained real momentum.
INJURY SCARE FOR RISHABH PANT
Rishabh Pant’s difficult outing was compounded by an injury scare. He was first beaten outside off by Hazlewood before being struck on the right abdomen by a rising short ball. Attempting to counterattack, he then inside-edged onto his left elbow, leaving him in visible discomfort. After receiving treatment, Pant walked off, only to return in the 16th over with LSG in trouble at 118/5. Still not fully at ease, the LSG skipper struggled for timing and was eventually dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar after facing just three deliveries.
Welcome to Fully Fit 2026, GOLF’s new platform for providing you with real-golfer insights into what 2026 gear might be best suited for your game. To this end, we assembled six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and ran them through the gauntlet of six full-bag fittings (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. Our hope: that you might see shades of your own game in one of our panelists’ and take some learnings and inspiration from their fitting experiences. In this installment (below), Jack Hirsh details the one club he can’t live without from Fully Fit 2026, his Cobra 3DP MB 5-iron. You may browse each of our panelists’ full 2026 dream bags here:
Jake Morrow (0 handicap) | Johnny Wunder (2) | Wadeh Maroun (2) | Jack Hirsh (2.4) | Maddi MacClurg (5.6) | Sean Zak (7.8)
MORE FULLY FIT: Fully Fit hub page | Why we’re ‘testing’ golf clubs differently this year | Inside 6 days of fittings and testing | Browse 2026 drivers | Browse 2026 irons | How 5 days of club fittings changed my mind on golf equipment
My golf bag is ever-changing. Week to week, I’ll have different clubs; hell, there was a stretch where I played a different set every day, even playing a set once that had a different brand for all 14 slots in the bag. There is, however, one single club that you won’t see leave my true gamer bag; my Ping hybrid.
Currently, the G440 4-hybrid has dominated its place in the bag, and the 5-hybrid still wants to join the party, but I’ve had a Ping hybrid in the bag dating all the way back to the G410. Replaced by a G425, G430, and now the G440 series.
It just does what I need it to do
The biggest reason why the Ping hybrid is so important to my bag is the consistency that it delivers. Sure, they’ve gotten faster over the years, definitely easier to launch, too, but they’ve always been extremely consistent. Spin values across the face stay very true, and some of that is due to the more shallow profile that a Ping hybrid provides, which is also a great visual for me behind the golf ball.
My hybrids are all built to do one job: go up, and go left. All I want is a big high-tower draw that lands softly on the green. In the current bag, that’s at about 220 yards, but I can also float it down to 210 or absolutely rip one to about 230 when I need to.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
Another advantage of the new G440, and one of the reasons that I upgraded, was that they’ve now gone with a progressive face angle. Using Arccos player data, they realized that a player using a 7-hybrid isn’t the same player using a 2-hybrid.
They took that knowledge and transformed the lineup so the 2-hybrid has more right-bias in it, and the higher lofted hybrids are meant to help turn the ball over. The 4-hybrid falls right in the middle. Where my G430 and previous 4-hybrids were a little bit shut, the G440 4-hybrid is very square, which is a helpful visual to see behind the ball. I play my hybrids in the standard loft, flat setting to help start the ball a bit right and let it draw back.
Another huge benefit for me with the hybrid, particularly in this distance category, is the ability to hit it from anywhere. You can tell when you look at the face of my hybrid that it’s been well-loved, but lots of those marks are from me using the hybrid out of fairway bunkers, in the trees, off of some concrete-like conditions, and even a couple of balls in some bushes.
There is nothing I am afraid of going after if I have the chance to bring out the hybrid. The club definitely comes away with some war wounds, but I’m a big believer in the tools-not-jewels strategy on course.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
The Final Build
Thanks to Adam Harding of the Ping truck, my hybrid also gets a little bit of tour-sauce credit with a custom blacked-out face. That’s something the internet made controversial when I posted about it, but they didn’t understand the rules.
To me, it makes an incredible difference. Blacking out the score lines hides the loft on the face. That’s actually counterintuitive to how I like to set up the rest of my bag, but with the hybrids, it just works. It worked even better on the 5-hybrid we built, and in that case, it helps to make the face not look so closed.
I match my G440 4-hybrid up with a Fujikura Ventus HB Red Velocore + 9X. I’ve now installed this exact shaft in about 8 different clubs, and I absolutely love what it offers. Since the very first swing I took with it, there was something special about the shaft.
It’s a slightly differnet profile than it’s wood shaft counter-part so to me it feels a little bit softer in the hands while remaining stiff enough to really attack the transition in my swing, and it provides a stiffer tip section than you would think with a softer mid that allows for assistance in launch, but also remains stable enough to be able to flight the ball down or get a bit more steep on the ball too. It’s a wonderful pairing for a hybrid for players like myself who really need the hybrid to work different flights and create some more scoring ability.
My final build specs
Ping G440 4-Hybrid (23° Loft)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Red Velocore + 9X
Length: 39.25″ EOG
Ping Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel: FLAT, Standard Loft
Swingweight: D3
If you buy a linked product,
GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.
PING G440 Custom Hybrid
The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.
ROUNDED SOLE
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings
CARBONFLY WRAP
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG.
View Product
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire will miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea FC after receiving an extra one-match ban for his red card against AFC Bournemouth last month.
The 33-year-old England international was sent off in the 78th minute of the 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium after pulling down Evanilson in the penalty area, which also led to a spot-kick.
After the match, the Football Association charged Maguire with improper conduct over comments he made to fourth official Matt Donohue while leaving the pitch.
In addition to his suspension, Maguire has been fined £30,000. The FA said he “acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards the fourth official following his dismissal”.
According to the written report, Donohue stated that Maguire approached him and shouted: “You’re a joke. You’re all a ******* joke” as he walked off.
Maguire denied directing the words at the official. He said: “As I left the field of play following my dismissal I said something along the lines of ‘it is a ******** joke’. I am certain that I did not call the fourth official or any match official, a joke or use any other form of insult.”
However, the defender admitted his behaviour was inappropriate and apologised.
The regulatory commission considered giving him a two-match ban but decided on one extra game, taking into account mitigating factors, including his acceptance of the charge.
Manchester United will also be without Lisandro Martinez for the trip to Stamford Bridge after he was sent off for violent conduct in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United on Monday, where he was penalised for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
Manager Michael Carrick described the decision as “one of the worst” he has seen and hinted that the club could appeal.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt is also expected to miss the game due to a long-term back injury.
With these absences, Carrick may have to rely on young defenders Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro as his only recognised centre-backs.
Manchester United are currently third in the Premier League, level on points with Aston Villa and three points ahead of Liverpool FC in fifth, with six matches remaining.
A win for Chelsea would reduce the gap to four points and put United’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League under serious pressure.
HDB Financial Services Q4 Results 2026 | HDB Financial Services Results Today | HDB Share News
Hays Travel Bishop Auckland trekking Rockies for charity
Average mortgage payment tops $2,000 for first time, Realtor.com says
Why Israel is blocking foreign journalists from entering
Bitcoin: We’re Entering The Most Dangerous Phase
Alan Cumming Brands Baftas Ceremony A ‘Triggering S**tshow’
HDB Financial Services Q4 Results 2026 | HDB Financial Services Results Today | HDB Share News
HDB Financial Share q4 result 2026 I HDB Financial SHARE DIVIDEND I HDB Financial DIVIDEND I HDBFS
![Tom Lee: Important Warning To All Ethereum Holders - The Bottom Is Already In [2026 Prediction]](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/1776284749_maxresdefault-80x80.jpg)
Tom Lee: Important Warning To All Ethereum Holders – The Bottom Is Already In [2026 Prediction]
-
Politics5 days agoUS brings back mandatory military draft registration
-
Sports5 days agoMan United discover Nico Schlotterbeck transfer fee as defender reaches Dortmund agreement
-
Fashion5 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Veronica Beard
-
Politics6 days agoMalcolm In The Middle OG Turned Down ‘Buckets Of Money’ To Appear In Reboot
-
Politics3 days agoWorld Cup exit makes Italy enter crisis mode
-
Crypto World6 days agoCanary Capital Files SEC Registration for PEPE ETF
-
Business5 days agoTesla Model Y Tops China Auto Sales in March 2026 With 39,827 Registrations, Beating Cheaper EVs and Gas Cars
-
Crypto World2 days agoThe SEC Conditionalises DeFi Platforms to Be Avoided for Broker Registration
-
Crypto World2 days agoSEC Signals Exemption for Crypto Interfaces From Broker Registration
-
News Videos14 hours agoSecure crypto trading starts with an FIU-registered
-
NewsBeat3 days agoPep Guardiola and Gary Neville agree over Arsenal title problem that benefits Man City
-
Business5 days agoOpenAI Halts Stargate UK Data Centre Project Over Energy Costs and Copyright Row
-
Business4 days agoIreland Fuel Protests Enter Day 5 as Blockades Spark Shortages and Government Prepares Support Package
-
Politics6 days agoLBC Presenter Mocks Trump Over Iran War Failures
-
Crypto World5 days agoFederal judge blocks Arizona from bringing criminal charges against Kalshi
-
NewsBeat4 days agoJD Vance announces ‘no agreement’ with Iran over nuclear weapons fear
-
NewsBeat2 days agoTrump and Pope Leo: Behind their disagreement over Iran war
-
Crypto World2 days agoSEC Proposes Certain Crypto Interfaces Don’t Need to Register as Brokers
-
Tech6 days agoA version of Windows 10 released a decade ago is now eligible for additional security patches
-
Business5 days agoIMF retains floor for precautionary balances at SDR 20 billion
You must be logged in to post a comment Login