Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Saturday:
NBA
Streaking Wizards visit Sixers, Spurs battle Clippers
The red-hot Washington Wizards seek their fifth consecutive victory when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers while the San Antonio Spurs try to close the gap on the idle first place Golden State Warriors when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers in two of the 10 games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 2230 GMT/5:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words)
MOTOR RACING
NASCAR ponders how to make Great American Race great again
Amid a gloomy backdrop of an ageing fan base and declining attendance and television ratings NASCAR launches a new season with the Daytona 500 on Sunday wondering how to make the Great American Race great again. (MOTOR-NASCAR/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2130 GMT/4:30 PM ET, by Steve Keating, 550 words)
GOLF
PGA Tour: Honda Classic, Palm Beach Gardens (to 26)
Kaymer one off pace to start second round
Martin Kaymer is one shot behind rookie leaders Cody Gribble and Wesley Bryan going into the second round at Palm Beach Gardens where defending champion Adam Scott and 2016 runner-up Sergio Garcia are four shots off the pace. (GOLF-PGA/, expect by 0030 GMT/7:30 PM ET, 400 words)
European Tour: Jo'burg Open, Johannesburg (to 26)
Rain wreaks havoc in Joburg
JOHANNESBURG – England's Paul Waring was top of the Joburg Open leaderboard at 12 under par on Friday but will have to complete his second round on day three at the rain-hampered event.. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1630 GMT/11:30 AM ET, 250 words)
NHL
Capitals play host to McDavid's Oilers
Alexander Ovechkin's Washington Capitals host Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers while the struggling Carolina Hurricanes try to snap a five-game skid when they host the Ottawa Senators in two of the four games on the National Hockey League schedule. (ICEHOCKEY-NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0630 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
BASEBALL
MLB swings into Spring Training action
Cries of "Play Ball" warm the hearts of Major League Baseball fans on Friday as big league teams square off for the first time in 2017 on Spring Training diamonds in Arizona and Florida. (BASEBALL-MLB/SPRINGTRAINING, expect by 1800 GMT/1 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words)
NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS
Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words)
CRICKET
India v Australia, first test (to 27)
Australia look to bat India out of contest
PUNE, India - Australia already have a second innings lead of 298 against India on a turning track and will look to bat the hosts out of the contest when they resume on 143 for four on the third day of the opening test. (CRICKET-INDIA/ (PIX), expect throughout, by Sudipto Ganguly, 400 words)
New Zealand v South Africa, 3rd ODI (0100)
Pivotal clash in New Zealand-South Africa series at Cake Tin
WELLINGTON - New Zealand and South Africa are locked at one game each as their five-match one-day series moves to the drop-in pitch at Wellington Regional Stadium. (CRICKET-NEWZEALAND/, expect by 1000 GMT/5 AM ET, by Greg Stutchbury, 400 words)
SOCCER
La Liga
Real Betis v Sevilla
SEVILLE- Third-placed Sevilla take on crosstown rivals Real Betis on Saturday looking to leapfrog Barcelona into second and go level on points with leaders Real Madrid. (SOCCER-SPAIN/, expect by 1715 GMT/12:15pm ET, by Richard Martin, 400 words)
Premier League
Chelsea v Swansea City (1500)
Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough (1500)
Everton v Sunderland (1500)
Hull City v Burnley (1500)
West Bromwich Albion v Bournemouth (1500)
Watford v West Ham United (1730)
Chelsea bid to extend lead at the top
LONDON - Chelsea will extend their lead at the top of the standngs to 11 points if they beat struggling Swansea at Stamford Bridge with none of their closest challengers in action. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect first lead at 1715 GMT/2:!% PM Et, by Martyn Herman, 500 words)
Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen v Mainz (1430)
Bayern Munich v Hamburg SV (1430)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (1430)
Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund (1430)
SV Darmstadt 98 v FC Augsburg (1430)
Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt (1730)
Bayern bid to extend lead
BERLIN - Leaders Bayern Munich, five points ahead of Leipzig, bid to move further clear at the top by beating Hamburg as their closest challengers host Cologne. (SOCCER-GERMANY/, expect by 1630 GMT/11:30 ET, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words)
Serie A
Napoli v Atalanta Bergamo (1700)
Juventus v Empoli (1945)
Juve aim to stretch lead, Napoli look to keep pace
MILAN - Juventus host lowly Empoli aiming to extend their seven-point lead over AS Roma, who visit fouth-placed Inter Milan on Sunday, while Napoli are two points further back in third before welcoming fifth-placed Atalanta. (SOCCER-ITALY/ (PIX), expect from 1900 GMT/4 PM ET, by Brian Homewood, 400 words)
Ligue 1
En Avant de Guingamp v Monaco (1600)
Angers v Bastia (1900)
AS Nancy-Lorraine v Toulouse (1900)
Lille v Girondins Bordeaux (1900)
Stade Rennes v Lorient (1900)
Monaco seek to re-establish lead
PARIS - Monaco can re-establish their three-point lead at the top of the standings if they win at Guingamp. (SOCCER-FRANCE/, expect first lead by 1815 GMT/13:15 GMT, 300 words)
RUGBY UNION
Six Nations Championship
Scotland v Wales (1425)
Ireland v France (1650)
LONDON/DUBLIN - Wales look to bounce back from their home defeat by England against a buoyant Scotland team in Edinburgh. France travel to Ireland who should be lifted by their emphatic victory over Italy last time out. (RUGBY UNION-NATIONS/, expect first lead 1630 GMT/11:30 AM ET, by Tom Hayward and Padraic Halpin, 400 words)
Super Rugby - Week One
Sunwolves v Wellington Hurricanes, Tokyo (0415)
Canterbury Crusaders v ACT Brumbies, Christchurch (0635)
NSW Waratahs v Western Force, Sydney (0845)
Cheetahs v Lions, Bloemfontein, (1305)
Kings v Jaguares, Port Elizabeth (1515)
Stormers v Bulls, Cape Town (1730)
The first full Saturday of the season starts with the reigning champion Hurricanes taking on last season's cellar dwellars in Tokyo and climaxes with South Africa's big North-South derby at Newlands. (RUGBY UNION-SUPER/SUNWOLVES, RUGBY UNION-SUPER/CRUSADERS, RUGBY UNION-SUPER/CHEETAHS, RUGBY UNION-SUPER/BULLS, expect from 0630 GMT/2.30 AM ET, 350 words)
We will also run highlights (RUGBY UNION-SUPER/HIGHLIGHTS) with brief updates on each match of the round.
CYCLING
Abu Dhabi tour continues
The overall result is expected to be decided in Saturday's third stage with Tour de France runner-up Romain Bardet, of France, Italians Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru, Spain's Alberto Contador and Colombian Nairo Quintana expected to shine in the mountains. (CYCLING-ABUDHABI/, expect by 1600 GMT/11:AM ET, 300 words)
ASIAN WINTER GAMES
Asian Winter Games, Sapporo (to 26)
The eighth edition of the Asiad for winter sports involves some 1,200 athletes from 32 countries competing in five sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events at 12 competition venues mostly in Sapporo on Japan's northerly Hokkaido island. (GAMES-ASIA/ (PIX), copy on merit) (Asia desk editor: Nick Mulvenney)
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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