Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has been fined A$5,000 (£3,000) for his on-air comments criticising an umpiring decision while playing for the Melbourne Stars during a Big Bash League semi-final.

Pieteren was wearing a microphone when he slated the umpire's decision to turn down a caught behind appeal against Perth Scorchers batsman Sam Whiteman in the Twenty20 tournament match on 24 January.

"That was a shocker, an absolute shocker," Pietersen was heard saying while fielding during the Scorchers' run chase. 

Meanwhile, Pietersen says he will not enter this year's Indian Premier League auction. 

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Image source, Getty Images

Are you ready? 

We all obviously love the rugby element of the Six Nations but here are the key questions  you need to answer for the weekend ahead: 

• Is your rugby shirt clean?
• Where is that daffodil head-dress?
• Has the face paint you bought last year dried up and if, so where can you re-stock?
• Have you got enough beer in the fridge?
• Where will you be watching? 
• Who will you be supporting?
• Who is going to win?

Get in touch using #bbcsportsday...

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Huddersfield showed their promotion credentials with an impressive home win over Brighton, who missed the chance to extend their Championship lead.

The Seagulls remain one point ahead of second-placed Newcastle.

Tommy Smith's angled shot put the hosts in front before Tomer Hemed rounded the goalkeeper to equalise.

Nahki Wells fired into the top corner and Elias Kachunga nodded in to make it 3-1 before half-time, and Lewis Dunk's red card added to Brighton's misery.

Jo Currie
BBC Sport

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England Women’s all time record goal scorer Kelly Smith has announced she’s pregnant with her first child.

Smith - who retired from football last month - with not play in her own celebratory match on the 19th of February as a result.

The game, which will feature the current Arsenal side vs Smith’s All Star XI will still go ahead.

Her statement reads, "My partner and I are ecstatically happy and joyfully getting ready for our baby’s arrival.

"So, although I won’t be on the pitch, I will be on the side lines coaching my All Star team and I will also be speaking and engaging with the crowd.

"It will be a fabulous match!"

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Marco Silva. who has been in charge at Hull City for just under a month, says his players are just starting to understand what  he wants. 

"It is important, I give confidence to the squad. We need to maintain our focus, but most importantly, we have to continue to work together.”  

Silva has also reported no fresh injury worries ahead of Liverpool's visit to the KCOM Stadium. 

And that's all from Marco for today... 

Blimey! Busy morning... 

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Hull City manager Marco Silva is now speaking to the media. They face Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at home tomorrow afternoon. 

First he brings us a little update on injuries and team news. 

"Kamil Grosicki and Alfred N’Diaye are available tomorrow. They are fit if I decide to include them in the team. Dieumerci Mbokani will also come back in the squad. He trained with us yesterday".

Hull, who are currently in 19th place in the Premier League, recognise the challenge they face from fourth placed Liverpool. But they are taking confidence from their performance during the 0-0 draw against Manchester United on Wednesday. 

"Liverpool are a great team with a great coach. To take points tomorrow, we will need to maintain our performance levels. We need to show the same attitude and spirit that we showed against Manchester United. We need to fight and play better than them". 

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has been talking about striker Callum Wilson, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The 24-year-old, who suffered a similar setback last season in his right knee, injured himself in training and is expected to be out for six months.

"He worked so hard to get back so to see him suffer an injury again is heartbreaking. If anyone can come back, he can," said Howe.

"He will see a specialist today, after that we'll know more about the extent of his injury and his recovery time after that."  

Image source, PA

Image source, Getty Images

Some team news from Tony Pulis ahead of their home tie with Stoke. 

"Jonny Evans won't be fit again unfortunately. We are really disappointed with how long it's taking for Jonny to get back".

Pulis also reveals there was an offer for striker Saloman Rondon from an unnammed Chinese club. 

"There was an offer. Clubs in China seem to be offering money for every Premier League forward though".

The former Stoke manager has some kind words about his previous club.

"I have great respect for Stoke City. It'll be tough and we will have to be at our best to get a result. It's a big game on Saturday. We need our supporters to come and get behind us like they have done this season".

Richard Conway
BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent

Fifa has hired the Swiss-based company Sportradar to run its match-fixing monitoring service.

The comes after Fifa's head of security, Ralf Mutschke, left the governing body last year. body.

“Preserving the integrity of the game is paramount," said Fifa President Gianni Infantino.

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West Brom boss Tony Pulis is also speaking to the press and has been asked about the FA ban of Saido Berahino in September.

Berahino is now with Stoke, whose boss Mark Hughes earlier confirmed his new striker had served an eight-week FA suspension last year. This follows a Daily Mail report that he had failed an out-of-competition test for a recreational drug.

"Saido served a ban while he was here but I won't comment why. He didn't play for me because he wasn't fit enough," said Pulis. 

"Saido is no longer an Albion player. It's one for Stoke to handle. This football club looked after Saido very well while he was here. The club looks after all the players. 

"Saido was one of the main reasons this club stayed in the Premier League two seasons ago. In his own mind he wanted to move."  

It's a question many football fans have been wondering this season. Why - in N'Golo Kante - did Arsenal not sign the type of player their team was crying out for?

Defensive midfielder Kante left Leicester to join Arsenal's rivals Chelsea last summer, with the Gunners signing Granit Xhaka instead.  

So did Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger think about signing his fellow Frenchman? "Yes," he says. "When he was in France, when he was at Leicester."

So why didn't it happen? Wenger explains: "I cannot explain everything but it is obvious when you look at where he has gone. Transfers is transfers and you cannot explain absolutely everything."

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been talking about Chelsea's good record against his team ahead of  Saturday's trip to Stamford Bridge.

"The history always gives confidence to a team.

"For years we had to sell our best players and Chelsea bought the best players. We changed this run by beating them at home and we have another opportunity to change that run away tomorrow.

"When you beat them 3-0 I didn't expect them to go 13 games unbeaten. they have found a better balance.

"Kante has a huge impact in that team. Hazard and Costa have come back to good form and they are very efficient going forward.

Image source, Reuters

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed reports his players were given two days off after their shock 2-1 defeat by Watford on Tuesday night.

"We had one day off (since the Watford defeat), not a couple of days. That was always planned," said the Frenchman.

On serving his four-match touchline ban:

"We have sorted it out with Chelsea. I can communicate (with my bench). 

"I don't think it will have a huge impact. I trust my assistant Steve Bould and I don't think it is an explanation for the other night.

On Saturday's trip to Chelsea:

"I believe the most important thing is we turn up with a positive performance. We've shown we can beat Chelsea. What's at stake here is how we repsond.

"We will be more on alert than we were against Watford."

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says midfielder Aaron Ramsey will be out for three weeks with a calf strain.

"Overall from the other night we lose Aaron Ramsey. He is expected to be out for 21 days. We are a bit short at the moment but we have young players who can do well. 

"Olivier Giroud has a test - he should be alright. Maybe Danny Welbeck will come back in the group. The players were very down and frustrated after the Watford defeat."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Hughes has been speaking about his past results against West Brom.

"West Brom are maybe my bogey team, but I think the Club's record is actually decent," he said. 

"West Brom are playing well, and it will be a closely contested fixture".

The boss brings us some team news:

Xherdan Shaqiri is still unavailable and Glen Johnson is unlikely to feature. Geoff Cameron and Jon Walters are making progress but will not make it to full fitness by tomorrow. 

Mame Diouf and Wilfried Bony will be in the squad after they have both returned from Afcon duties.  

"Those two have strengthened us up" said Hughes.

That's all from the Stoke boss today. 

Arsene Wenger is up next. 

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Following on from that, Stoke boss Mark Hughes was asked if the reports throw Berahino's selection potential into doubt for the upcoming fixture at the Hawthorns.

"Why wouldn't I play him?" said Hughes. 

"He is in line to be involved. He came on to good effect on Wednesday and there is no reason why he shouldn't be involved tomorrow". 

He has also been speaking about Peter Crouch's landmark 100th Premier League goal, (followed by his trademark robot dance), during their 1-1 draw with Everton on Wednesday.

"I think everybody who was present enjoyed the moment. He obliged with his moves. The goal was actually a great goalscorers goal. 

"Maybe he should have played more for his country", Hughes added. 

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Mark Hughes has been asked about allegations  in the Daily Mail this morning about Stoke's new signing Saido Berahino - they say he was banned in September. 

Hughes says, "We are aware of it clearly - there was an FA disciplinary matter and Saido had an eight-week suspension, I believe. 

"We were aware of that before we signed him. In terms of more detail you would probably need to refer back to his former club, West Brom. 

"We aren't in a position to give any more details as we don't have them. He had issues at his previous club for 18 months, which this is obviously a part of. 

"As with all players we did our research on him before we signed him, but that didn't change our thinking at all. We are pleased with what he is producing and he is looking forward to the game tomorrow."

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre will leave the club at the end of February to join German side 1860 Munich.

The 53-year-old has spent 10 years at Anfield, joining the club in 2007 as commercial director and being added to the club's board of directors in 2009.

In 2011 he became managing director and was made chief executive in 2013. 

 "This has always been more than just a job for me because of the emotional connection I have with the place," said Ayre.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has arrived and is immediately reflecting on the 21-year career of Frank Lampard, who retired from football yesterday. 

"He has been a fantastic player for a long time, and it is always sad when a top player retires. 

"You always sensed that Frank was in love with the game, and the impact he has had on the English game, and the world game to be fair, has been huge. 

"He has scored almost double the amount of goals as I did, and he is a midfielder. It is an unbelievable record to be honest. His manner and standing in the game is really high, and we all wish him all the very best for the future. Let's hope he stays in football."

We are expecting to hear from Mark Hughes soon ahead of their Premier League match away to West Brom on Saturday. 

Will keep you posted...