Joe Williams

The News •

Man whose incredible baseball odyssey went viral in 2019 sets off on next adventure

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.That would all change when he decided to take a teaching job in South Korea in 2014. It was a choice that sent him down the path towards an incredible adventure that saw him throw out the first pitch at a Major League ballpark, make numerous television appearances and a host of new friends in America.Six years on, Joey is at it again, dec...
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"It's absolutely amazing!" - Portsmouth Force celebrate winning national award

Portsmouth Force have beaten over 700 clubs to be awarded Community Club of the Year by Basketball England. The club has been named as the southern region community club of the year for two years in a row but the national award comes after it has continued to ingratiate itself in the community, including running sessions for SEN children.Force run numerous sessions and teams for all ages and abilities, culminating in their senior men's team which compete in the National Basketball League. It doe...
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Portsmouth Force unveil new head coach as it sets its sights on promotion

It was a recruitment process that saw candidates applying from around the world, including coaches based in Australia and Spain. However, the answer was much closer to home as the club looks to implement a tried and tested strategy.Rob Milner, Chairman of Portsmouth Force, said: “We had some really high quality individuals, both locally and in the near local area, who were up for coming on board. Craig's obviously coached with us for many years and been part of the club. He's also the lead coach...
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"Not the smartest thing to do!" Hampshire's new captain on succeeding James Vince

However, Ben Brown has the experience and composure to take it in his stride. When James Vince decided to step down as red ball captain after a decade in the role, Hampshire turned to the 36-year old wicket keeper to take on the mantle.While excited for the challenge, Brown believes it will be a squad effort to mitigate the loss of Vince. He said: “It's probably not the smartest thing to do, taking over from Vincey! He's done an incredible job at Hampshire, he's a generational player and an amaz...
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"It's proper cricket" - why it's time to get excited for the County Championship

While Ben Stokes and Brendan McCollum continue to keep test cricket in the headlines with their swashbuckling tactics on the international stage, domestic first class cricket can feel a bit slept on. Perhaps not helped by the ECB’s schedule which has the Vitality Blast and The Hundred in the peak of summer with the Rothesay County Championship bookending it either side.It is set to be an exciting season though, a number of teams will be looking to end Surrey’s dominance with last year’s victory...
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I tried Portsmouth's fun new indoor golf simulator and managed not to break anything

Par Society, an indoor golf experience on Limberline Spur, Portsmouth, opened its doors to customers on March 3 and owner Sam Tozer-Goldacre has been pleased with the response so far. I visited on Friday, March 7 to give the simulator a go and see if the 40 points of data on offer could help identify why I am bad at golf.While I have not played in quite a while, I do usually try to get out a few times a year, and I love playing even though I'm not the best. The idea of being able to pop along to...
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Son who saved his mum's life has "spectacular" time with his Pompey hero Callum Lang

On Tuesday, February 11, Dempsey was given a special night at Fratton Park where he met all the players before walking out onto the pitch with Callum Lang ahead of the 2-1 victory against Cardiff. Alicia was delighted with how the night went and how welcoming everyone was to her and Dempsey. She said: “It was amazing from start to finish. Dempsey went into the managers office and met John Mousinho and he was lovely with him. He asked him for advice for the game and what they should do and Dempse...
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"I had to do a double take!" - Pompey star visits fan who spent Christmas in QA

Mick Clifford, from North End, was taken aback when Marlon Pack walked into the Lotus Rehab Centre at Queen Alexandra Hospital to wish him a Merry Christmas. The unexpected visit was a real boost for Nick who was also gifted a signed shirt.Mick said: “ It was a real shock to see Marlon at the hospital, I had to do a double take! I have been in hospital for about 10 weeks now after being diagnosed with Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) so it was a great surprise and morale booster to spend some time wit...
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Call to arms as unbeaten Force face crucial stretch of home games

The next three weeks will prove crucial to their endeavour as they face Bath, Surrey 89ers, and Plymouth Raiders in successive weekends at the Ravelin Sports Centre in Portsmouth. The run of games starts with Bath on Saturday, November 30 at 6.30pm.He said: “It’s the biggest period of home basketball in Portsmouth for decades. The next three weeks could be the difference for us getting Division Two basketball, which we have not had since the 80s. “To have three games in a row is unusual but it’s...
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Unique course gives basketball hopefuls a pathway to professional game

Starting in September 2025, a new Elite Basketball course will be on offer to students at City of Portsmouth College as it continues its partnership with Portsmouth Force, a local basketball club. The course is only the second of its kind in the area to offer basketball hopefuls a pathway to the professional game and not just on the playing side.Jack Moore, a sports teacher at the college, is delighted to be introducing the course in Portsmouth. He said: “There was a gap in the market for a bask...
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I tried snooker and surprisingly didn't make a complete fool of myself

An outdated perception undoubtedly, but snooker appears to be going through somewhat of a crisis with young people drawn to the louder and more accessible game of pool. I was invited down to Waterlooville Sports Bar by the Portsmouth singles champion, Nick Fegan, so he could show me the ropes. Beyond the opportunity to showcase my lack of sporting skill, it was a chance to get Nick’s perspective on the future of the game.For Nick, the game has been a big part of his life from a young age. He sai...
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Excitement builds as Portsmouth looks to celebrate it's double champions

A damp and drizzly Sunday has not tempered the passion of Portsmouth fans as they gather on Southsea Common to celebrate the amazing achievements of the 2023/24 season. Portsmouth Football Club, in collaboration with the council, are putting on the ceremony to mark the promotion of the men’s and women’s teams from their respective leagues. The ceremony is taking place between 1pm and 4pm with live entertainment on offer before the players expected to arrive around 2pm. Hardy Portsmouth fans have...
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WATCH: Michael Eisner reflects on Pompey's incredible season

Sign up to our daily newsletterSign upThank you for signing up!Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.Subscription OffersSorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later.Submitting...This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply.Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company has owned Portsmo...
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WATCH: Emotional Pompey captain reflects on "proudest" moment of his career

Sign up to our daily newsletterSign upThank you for signing up!Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.Subscription OffersSorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later.Submitting...This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply.Marlon Pack came through the ranks at Portsmouth before...
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Abbott looks ahead to season of potential milestones with 600 wickets on the horizon

Kyle Abbott has had a landmark off-season with the arrival of his first boy, and now he is aiming for a landmark season with 600 first class wickets within touching distance. The 36-year-old South African bowler is currently sitting on 597 wickets, 367 of which have come for Hampshire in the County Championship. With the new season starting on Friday, April 5, Abbott is raring to get going.The bowler usually spends his winters in South Africa, but the arrival of their child led to him to stay in...
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"The squad is good enough to win all three formats": Dawson targets Hampshire titles

Liam Dawson is coming off a busy and successful winter where he featured in the Big Bash and ILT20, before playing a prominent role in winning the SA20 with the Eastern Cape. The 34-year-old allrounder is now eager to get the English season started with Hampshire opening their County Championship campaign away to Durham on Friday, April 5.The 2023 season proved to be a fruitful one for Dawson, especially in the County Championship where he picked up 840 runs and 49 wickets, the most wickets take...
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Orr loving life with "ambitious" Hampshire after contentious move from rivals Sussex

Ali Orr's move from Sussex to Hampshire County Cricket Club in the off-season caused quite a stir at the Hove based club. The 22-year-old batsman had come through the youth ranks at Sussex and was seen as one of their most promising players. The decision to let him leave led to former England and Sussex players, Ian Gould and Chris Adams, resigning from their backroom roles due to their unhappiness with the decision. Sussex's loss is Hampshire's gain as Orr looks to hit the ground running.While...
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Vince "desperate" to end Hampshire's 51 year County Championship wait

The heavy downpours of rain and fierce winds can mean only one thing, the cricket season is just around the corner. However, a rainy late March morning has not dampened spirits amongst a group of players who have shown they have what it takes to challenge in red and white ball cricket. Hampshire Cricket Club captain, James Vince, is eager to get started as he looks to lift a trophy which has eluded the club for 51 years. Vince is starting his ninth season as captain for Hampshire, a period which...
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I played bowls for the first time and it took me by surprise

But how true is this stereotype? Jackie Buckley, the chair of Waterlooville Bowling Club, believes that bowls should be for all ages and invited me down to experience it first hand. I am not someone that would turn down the opportunity to play sport, whether it is playing or watching, I love all sport. However, if I am being completely honest, I have yet to find a sport that I am particularly good at. At the age of 36, any dreams of an athletic career have all but dwindled but there always remai...
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"We are all a bit shocked": basketball club delighted with community award

Portsmouth Force has been awarded the Community Club of the Year for the southern region by Basketball England, triumphing over a number of clubs in a region that includes the south-east and south-west. The club has grown exponentially since being taken over by chairman, Rob Milner, who wanted to ensure his children had somewhere to play. It now has nearly 400 players and 14 teams across varying age groups. In 2022 they entered Portsmouth's first senior men's team into the National Basketball Le...
TheCricketer •

Zak Crawley puts successful summer down to learning to deal with pressure | The Cricketer

Zak Crawley puts successful summer down to "learning to deal with pressure"

Despite criticism from some corners, England head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes kept faith in the opener, who repaid them as the leading run-scorer in the Ashes series

Zak Crawley has revealed how his failures in international cricket has helped him deal with pressure and led him to thrive in England's Bazball ethos.

The 25-year-old opener is coming off a successful summer where he was one of the stars
TheCricketer •

Travis Head set to fly to India as Australia receive fitness boost | The Cricketer

Travis Head set to fly to India as Australia receive fitness boost

The 29-year-old batter has not featured since fracturing his left hand against South Africa on September 15

Travis Head has given Australia an injury boost with the batter set to join the World Cup squad in India this week.

The 29-year-old has not featured since fracturing his left hand against South Africa on September 15.

Head's presence would be a welcome sight to an Australian team that has struggled in their opening enco
TheCricketer •

India-Pakistan World Cup clash breaks cricket streaming record | The Cricketer

Disney+ Hotstar, the official streaming partner of the World Cup in India, has reported that it reached 35million concurrent viewers during the match between the two rivals

The World Cup clash between India and Pakistan has smashed the record for the most viewers watching a cricket stream at one time.

Disney+ Hotstar, the official streaming partner of the World Cup in India, has reported that it reached 35million concurrent viewers during the match between the two rivals.

The much-anticipated
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