IT'S MIDDAY. THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE ` GET OUT AND STAY OUT ` AS A MONSTER STORM BARRELS CLOSER. A MILLION PEOPLE TOLD TO FLEE THE U.S. COAST. WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE? THE AUSTRALIAN CARTOONIST AT THE CENTRE OF A RACE ROW SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIS DEPICTION OF SERENA WILLIAMS. AND MOMENTS OF MAGIC. A DAY OF HIGH EMOTION AT THE OVAL AS JAMES ANDERSON'S HAILED AS ENGLAND'S GREATEST WICKET TAKER. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 AHI AHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH HURRICANE FLORENCE SET TO MAKE LANDFALL. THE CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE IS PREDICTED TO BE THE WORST IN 20 YEARS. A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED IN NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA. THE ABC'S STEVE OSUNSAMI WITH THE LATEST. FROM CHARLESTON TO COLUMBIA TONIGHT AND FROM MYRTLE BEACH INTO NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA, MORE THAN A MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE ARE HEADING ONE WAY ` AWAY FROM DANGER. ENOUGH CLOTHES FOR A WEEK IN CASE WE CAN'T COME BACK RIGHT AWAY. JENNIFER FORTE AND HER SON ROBBIE PILED THEIR DOG INTO THE CAR AND DIDN'T LOOK BACK. HER NEIGHBOURHOOD FLOODS DURING STORMS. THEY'RE HEADED TO GREENVILLE. THE SESSONS FAMILY IS ALREADY ON THE ROAD. WE'RE ESCAPING HURRICANE FLORENCE. WE LIVE IN WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THEY WERE STUCK IN TRAFFIC TODAY ON THEIR WAY TO ASHEVILLE. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY OUT THERE IN THE PATH OF HURRICANE FLORENCE. THE EYE OF THE STORM IS ONLY GETTING BIGGER. AND HURRICANE SUPPLIES, LIKE BOTTLES OF WATER, ARE GETTING SMALLER. THE GOVERNORS OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA SAY THEIR EVACUATIONS ARE MANDATORY. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY COVER MOST OF THE COASTLINE. THIS STORM IS A MONSTER. IT'S BIG AND IT'S VICIOUS. WE ARE IN A VERY DEADLY AND IMPORTANT GAME OF CHESS WITH HURRICANE FLORENCE. BUT SO MANY FAMILIES ON THE ROADS TONIGHT ARE HEADED TO CITIES LIKE RALEIGH, WHERE FORECASTERS WORRY THE STORM COULD STALL AND BRING 35 INCHES OF FLOODING RAINS. JEFF NICHOLLS TOLD US HIS WIFE WANTS TO LEAVE, BUT HE WANTS TO STAY. IT CAN DIVIDE FAMILIES WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO LEAVE AND SOMEONE WANTS TO STAY. THE JOHNSONS ARE HAVING A SIMILAR DEBATE. SHE WANTS TO OBEY THE EVACUATION ORDER; HE'S NOT SO SURE. YOU GUYS HAVEN'T REALLY DECIDED? NOT AS OF YET. WE'RE PACKING LIKE WE'RE LEAVING, BUT WE'RE HOPING WE GET TO STAY. THE HEAD OF THE PIKE RIVER RECOVERY AGENCY SAYS THEY'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO GIVING THE FAMILIES CLOSURE. THE GROUP'S LOOKING AT THREE RE-ENTRY OPTIONS IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER THE BODIES OF THE 29 WORKERS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE MINE EXPLOSION NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO. KEVIN PATTINSON SAYS THE FULL RISK ASSESSMENTS ARE ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY. IF ALL GOES WELL, WE'VE COMMITTED TO THE MINISTER THAT WE'LL GIVE HIM A RECOMMENDATION BY THE END OF OCTOBER. NOW, THAT'S ONLY THE RECOMMENDATION. HE WILL THEN STILL TAKE ADVICE AND CONSIDER THAT. AND IF ALL GOES WELL, WE COULD BE RE-ENTERING THE MINE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR. NEW FIGURES SHOW THAT AUCKLAND'S FUEL TAX IS GENERATING MORE THAN $400,000 EACH DAY. THE 11� CENTS PER LITRE LEVY CAUSED DIVISION WHEN INTRODUCED, WITH SOME MOTORISTS QUEUING AT FUEL STATIONS BEFORE THE PRICE HIKE. AUCKLAND MAYOR PHIL GOFF SAYS THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO FUND TRANSPORT PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY. THE TAX IS EXPECTED TO RAISE $1.5B OVER THE NEXT DECADE. THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER IS CALLING FOR A STUDY INTO FOETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER. IT'S A CONDITION CAUSED BY DRINKING DURING PREGNANCY AND CAN LEAD TO BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS AND OTHER ISSUES. JUDGE ANDREW BECROFT SAYS OVERSEAS RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT THOSE WITH THE DISORDER ARE OVER-REPRESENTED IN CRIME STATISTICS, BUT SAYS THERE'S NO DATA IN NEW ZEALAND. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE OUTSTRIPPING US IN THE WESTERN WORLD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND APPROACH TO THIS. WE SHOULDN'T BE LAGGING BEHIND. I THINK WE SHOULD ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND GET A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE. A DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE SAYS IT'S TIME NEW ZEALAND ADDRESSES THE PROBLEMS DISABLED PEOPLE FACE WITH THEIR KIWISAVER ACCOUNTS. TIM FAIRHALL, A 39-YEAR-OLD MAN WITH DOWN SYNDROME, IS GOING TO PARLIAMENT TODAY IN A BID TO GET EARLY ACCESS TO HIS KIWISAVER. UNDER CURRENT GUIDELINES, KIWISAVER PARTICIPANTS ARE ALLOWED TO WITHDRAW FUNDS AS A LUMP SUM AT THE AGE OF 65. BUT TIM'S CONDITION CAUSES HIM TO AGE FASTER THAN MOST. SITUATIONS LIKE THE ONE THAT TIM FACES AND HIS MUM JUST SEEM TO PASS PEOPLE BY. THEY DON'T LOOK AT LIFE THROUGH OUR LENS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT. AND THAT MAKES IT VERY FRUSTRATING, BUT ALSO VERY STRESSFUL. BECAUSE ALWAYS YOU'RE LOOKING AT GOVERNMENT POLICY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICY, 'WHERE DO WE FIT IN?' TIM FAIRHALL WILL ARGUE HIS CASE BEFORE A SELECT COMMITTEE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALISED FOLLOWING TWO SEPARATE CRASHES JUST METRES APART IN DUNEDIN'S CBD THIS MORNING. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE INTERSECTION OF YORK PLACE AND SMITH STREET AROUND 8.30, WHERE A POLICE CAR CRASHED INTO A SCHOOL BUS. METRES DOWN THE ROAD, A WOMAN WAS TRAPPED BETWEEN TWO CARS THAT HAD ALSO CRASHED. THE ROAD WAS BLOCKED FOR SOME TIME BUT HAS SINCE REOPENED. ACROSS THE TASMAN, AN AUSTRALIAN CARTOONIST HAS BEEN CONDEMNED FOR HIS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN TENNIS LEGEND SERENA WILLIAMS. THE CARTOON BY MARK KNIGHT DEPICTS WILLIAMS MID-US OPEN MELTDOWN. BUT CRITICS HAVE SLAMMED IT AS RACIST. CHANNEL NINE'S BRETT MCLEOD HAS THE DETAILS. ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST POPULAR CARTOONISTS DRAWING FIRE FROM THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR AUTHOR. TO HAVE JK ROWLING TROLLING ME IS... WELL, IT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T EXPECT IN LIFE. THE HARRY POTTER WRITER IS JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS WHO'VE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA CONDEMNING THIS DEPICTION OF SERENA WILLIAMS AT THE US OPEN, A REACTION THE CARTOONIST DIDN'T ANTICIPATE. ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, WHO I HAVE ADMIRED AND DRAWN MANY TIMES, HAVING A DUMMY-SPIT. AND I CAN SAY THAT WHEN I DREW THE CARTOON IT WAS LIKE, 'YEAH, THAT'S NOT BAD', AND OFF IT WENT. THE US ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS REFERENCED A RACIST PAST WHEN IT CALLED IT A 'REPUGNANT' CARTOON WHICH EXUDES RACIST AND SEXIST CARICATURES OF BOTH WOMEN. BUT WILLIAMS' DEPICTION IS 'UNNECESSARILY SAMBO-LIKE'. HER FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE ONE OF SOMEBODY HAVING A DUMMY-SPIT. I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE DONE IT ANY OTHER WAY. I SUPPORT HIM ON IT. IT'S A GREAT CARTOON. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RACISM THERE AT ALL. MARK KNIGHT HAS THE SUPPORT OF HIS NEWSCORP CHIEFS, WHO'VE DISMISSED THE ONLINE ATTACKS. IN THIS WORLD OF PERPETUAL OUTRAGE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR VICTIMHOOD, NOTHING SURPRISES ME. THE DAUGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED THAT RESPONSE 'UNFORTUNATE'. I'D SAY IN MY DEFENCE I'M NOT A RACIST. (CHUCKLES) I'VE DONE CARTOONS SUPPORTING ADAM GOODES IN HIS BOOING SITUATION. AS MARK KNIGHT GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, HE SAYS HE WON'T BE REFERENCING HIMSELF IN TOMORROW'S CARTOON. BUT HE MAY RETHINK JUST WHAT HE DEPICTS IN FUTURE DRAWINGS. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSE HE'S BEEN GETTING. MY FAMILY ARE WORRIED AND UPSET AT THE THREATS THAT WE'RE GETTING. IS IT GOING TO AFFECT ME IN THE FUTURE? MAYBE IT WILL. MAYBE I WILL HAVE TO PULL MY PUNCHES. HE'LL LEAVE THE LAST WORD TO HIS FAMOUS CARTOON PIG. READS: WHAT HAVE YOU GONE AND DONE NOW? AND WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM THE SERENA WILLIAMS CONTROVERSY LATER IN SPORT. RUSSIA HAS KICKED OFF WHAT'S THOUGHT TO BE ITS LARGEST WAR GAMES SINCE THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION. AT LEAST 300,000 TROOPS FROM RUSSIA, CHINA AND MONGOLIA WILL TAKE PART IN THE WEEK-LONG EVENT DUBBED THE VOSTOK 2018 EXERCISES. DEFENCE ANALYSTS SAY THE JOINT EXERCISES ARE BEING STAGED AS A SHOW OF STRENGTH FOR THE US AND NATO. HOWEVER, CHINA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY INSISTS THE GAMES AREN'T DIRECTED AT ANY COUNTRY AND WILL INSTEAD FOCUS ON DEFENCE, FIREPOWER STRIKES AND COUNTERATTACK. A SCHOOL OF BRIGHTLY COLOURED WHITEBAIT IS LEADING THE FIGHT TO SAVE OUR NATIVE FISH. DYED PINK AND ORANGE, THEY'VE BEEN SENT SWIMMING UP A TOWN CULVERT NEAR NELSON TO SEE IF RECENT IMPROVEMENTS AIMED AT MAKING IT MORE FISH-FRIENDLY ARE WORKING. OUR NELSON REPORTER KAITLIN RUDDOCK WAS THERE. IT LOOKS LIKE A CHOP SUEY SERVED UNDERWATER, BUT THIS IS SPECIALLY COLOURED WHITEBAIT, AND THEY'VE GOT A JOB TO DO. THEY ARE REALLY EASY TO SPOT IN THE CULVERT WHEN THEY'RE BRIGHT PINK OR BROWN. HUNDREDS OF THE FLUORESCENT FISH RELEASED INTO THE RESERVOIR CREEK CULVERT IN RICHMOND TO BATTLE UPSTREAM. 74% OF NEW ZEALAND'S FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES ARE IN DECLINE, AND UPSTREAM BARRIERS ARE STOPPING THEM FROM GETTING TO THEIR HABITAT THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THEIR LIFE CYCLE. BACK IN APRIL, THE TASMAN DISTRICT COUNCIL STEPPED IN TO HELP. IN THIS CULVERT IS FIXED THESE FLEXIBLE BAFFLES. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS CREATE RESTING POOLS IN THE CULVERT, LOW VELOCITY AREAS FOR THE FISH TO BURST SWIM AND REST, BURST SWIM AND REST. THE WHITEBAIT RELEASED HERE NOW HAVE A 136M JOURNEY UP THE CULVERT, THEY'LL BE MONITORED OVER 48 HOURS. BY THEN, IT'S HOPED THE MAJORITY WILL HAVE MADE IT OUT HERE AT THE OTHER SIDE. NIWA AND DOC RECENTLY RELEASED NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING WATERWAYS SWIMMABLE. BUT ONE FRESHWATER EXPERT SAYS TOUGHER RULES ARE NEEDED. THERE'S A LOT OF THESE THINGS BEING PUT IN AND VERY VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, MEASUREMENT OF ACTUALLY IF THEY WORK OR NOT. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO NOT ALLOW THEM TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO YOU SHOULD NEVER... UNDER THE FRESHWATER FISHERIES ACT, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO IMPEDE THE PASSAGE OF NATIVE FISH. WE HAVE A MANTRA THAT THE BEST CULVERT IS ACTUALLY A BRIDGE. AND SO THAT'S CORRECT. BUT IN THE WORLD OF REALITY, BRIDGES ARE EXPENSIVE, THEY HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED TO TAKE A LOT OF LOAD, ALL THAT SORT OF THING. TASMAN DISTRICT COUNCIL SAYS LONG CULVERTS LIKE THIS WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST, AND IT'S HOPED THESE LITTLE SWIMMERS WILL HELP MAKE TRAVELLING EASIER IN THOSE THAT REMAIN. KAITLIN RUDDOCK, 1 NEWS STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` SHUSED SOCIAL MEDIA TO CROWD FUND FOR HER FIREFIGHTING HUSBAND AND CREWE AND RAISED OVER $10,000. SO WHY IS SHE BEING INVESTIGATED? A TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER CAPTURED ON VIDEO. A FAMILY HIKE IS INTERRUPTED AND THEY FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED WHEN A BEAR CHARGES. AND JAMES ANDERSON LEAVES IT LATE TO TAKE HIS RECORD WICKET, BECOMING THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FAST BOWLER IN TEST CRICKET HISTORY. AT LEAST 53 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER A PACKED BUS WENT OFF A ROAD IN SOUTHERN INDIA. REPORTS SAY THE BUS WAS SPEEDING AND VEERED OFF THE NARROW ROAD AFTER THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL. THE BUS WAS ALLEGEDLY OVERCROWDED, CARRYING ALMOST 90 PEOPLE ` FAR IN EXCESS OF ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 60. ELECTRIC CARS ARE BEING HAILED AS THE FUTURE AND A WAY TO CURB POLLUTION IN OUR CITIES WHILE CUTTING GLOBAL WARMING. PLANS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES ARE UNDERWAY IN BRITAIN, WITH NEARLY $200M BEING USED TO FUND RESEARCH INTO LOW CARBON TECHNOLOGY. THE BBC'S TOM BURRIDGE REPORTS. DIRTY AIR IS ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME. SO TODAY A GREEN VEHICLE SUMMIT IN BIRMINGHAM, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS SAYING MORE ABOUT HOW IT PLANS TO GET MORE OF US TO DRIVE ELECTRIC. THE ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS IN BRITAIN WORKING TO DEVELOP THESE VEHICLES ARE IN A RACE. THERE WILL BE MORE GOVERNMENT MONEY AND INVESTMENT FROM INDUSTRY BECAUSE IMPROVING THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND E-VEHICLES OFFERS HUGE ECONOMIC REWARDS. THESE ROBOTS AT BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY ARE LEARNING. THEIR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL ALLOW THEM TO TAKE APART AN ELECTRIC CAR BATTERY. THOSE TEACHING THE ROBOTS ARE PART OF A TEAM RESEARCHING HOW ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES CAN BE SAFELY RECYCLED. BUT UP TILL NOW, VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEIR FUNDING HAS COME FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION. AND INDUSTRY WANTS GUARANTEES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO PLUG THE GAP. WE MUST HAVE REAL COMMITMENT TO REPLACING EUROPEAN FUNDING IN OUR UNIVERSITIES. WE'VE SEEN SOME VERY VALUABLE STEPS ON HORIZON FUNDING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SHORT RUN, BUT THIS KIND OF INDUSTRY REQUIRES SERIOUS INVESTMENT ` IN BATTERY CHARGING, IN THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT IS GOING TO DRIVE THESE CARS TO THE FUTURE. THE INVESTMENT FUNDING IN OUR UNIVERSITIES MUST BE THERE, AND WE DO NEED TO SEE MORE. GOING GREEN NEEDS GLOBAL SOLUTIONS. AND TODAY THERE'S A BRITISH PITCH ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BE PART OF AN ELECTRIC REVOLUTION. A WOMAN IN CALIFORNIA IS SUSPECTED OF INVENTING A FAKE FIREFIGHTER HUSBAND TO SCAM DONORS OUT OF THOUSAND OF DOLLARS AND SUPPLIES. SHE'S BEEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SOLICIT DONATIONS, WHICH SHE SAYS WERE FOR FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING THE DEADLY WILDFIRES. THE ABC'S PAULA FARIS INVESTIGATES. THIS MORNING POLICE SAY THIS WOMAN, ASHLEY BEMIS, PRETENDED TO HAVE A FIREFIGHTER HUSBAND. BUT HE WAS FAKE. IT WAS ALL TO SCAM PEOPLE INTO GIVING HER MONEY AND SUPPLIES UNDER THE GUISE THAT IT WAS TO HELP FIRE CREWS WHO WERE BATTLING THAT DEADLY HOLY WILDFIRE. CLOTHING ITEMS, THAT COULD BE THINGS TO SLEEP, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DONATED. BEMIS ALLEGEDLY USED A FACEBOOK GROUP TO PLEAD FOR HELP FOR THE MAN SHE CLAIMED WAS HER HUSBAND, CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTER SHANE GOODMAN AND HIS FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS. THE ONLY PROBLEM ` GOODMAN DOES NOT EXIST. BEMIS IS ACCUSED OF RECEIVING OVER $11,000 IN DONATIONS AND SUPPLIES OVER THE LAST MONTH, INCLUDING... AND ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS... INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM TO FIREFIGHTERS. INVESTIGATORS SAY SHE USED THE HOLY FIRE TO... SOMETHING EXPERTS SAY TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO NATURAL DISASTERS LIKE WILDFIRES AND HURRICANES. WE CAN VET CHARITIES, BUT WE CAN'T VET INDIVIDUALS. SO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE'S GENEROSITIES, PARTICULARLY DURING TIMES WHEN OUR EMOTIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH. IN BEMIS' CASE, POLICE SAY THEY'VE LEARNT MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE LEARNT THEY'VE BEEN SCAMMED BY HER OVER THE YEARS. SHE ALLEGEDLY ADMITTING TO FAKING A PREGNANCY TO RECEIVE BABY SHOWER GIFTS, EVEN POSING WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PREGNANT BELLY. AND LATER, SHE USED HER BOSS' SON TO CONVINCE PEOPLE SHE'D HAD A DAUGHTER. IT WAS MEANT TO BE A RELAXING FAMILY HIKE, BUT IT WENT HORRIBLY WRONG WHEN ONE FAMILY WAS CHASED BY A BEAR IN CALIFORNIA. THE PARTY SAW THE BEAR FORAGING WHILE ON THE MONROVIA FALLS TRACK AND STOPPED TO SHOOT THIS VIDEO WHEN SUDDENLY THE BEAR CLIMBED ON TO THE TRAIL, CHASING AND CORNERING THEM. THEY SAY THEY WERE LUCKY TO ESCAPE AFTER MAKING A LOT OF NOISE AND CONVINCING THE BEAR TO STEP OFF THE TRAIL. TO SPORT, AND ENGLAND HAVE BEATEN INDIA BY 118 RUNS TO WIN THE FIFTH AND FINAL TEST AT THE OVAL IN LONDON. IT COMPLETES A 4-1 SERIES VICTORY FOR THE HOME SIDE. AND IT SAW ENGLAND VETERAN JAMES ANDERSON MAKE HISTORY BY SETTING A NEW RECORD FOR TEST WICKETS TAKEN BY A PACE BOWLER. HERE'S THE BBC'S JOE WILSON. IN RECENT TIMES ENGLISH CRICKET HAS BUILT FLOODLIGHTS AND LEFT THE HIGHLIGHTS TO JAMES ANDERSON ` NOT JUST HIS HAIR. BUT LOOK AT INDIA. THE FINAL DAY OF THE ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL SUMMER BECAME A BELATED CELEBRATION OF THEIR BATTING. KL RAHUL'S 100 FEATURED HIS FULL RANGE OF FLICKS AND TRICKS. AND AFTER ALL THAT EMOTION OF MONDAY FOR ENGLAND, THIS WAS, YES, BACK DOWN TO EARTH. ALISTAIR COOK WAS THERE, ON PATROL, FIELDING, REFLECTING AND GENERALLY WATCHING AN EXTRAORDINARY EXHIBITION OF YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE. THIS IS HOW RISHABH PANT ARRIVED AT HIS FIRST TEST MATCH 100. HE'S GONE FOR IT! HE'S GOT IT. CONDITIONS HERE DID FEEL DECIDEDLY SEPTEMBER-ISH, AND WHEN THE FLOODLIGHTS ARE ON AND THE SKY IS GREY, THAT'S NORMALLY A JAMES ANDERSON KIND OF DAY. ANDERSON WANTED ONE WICKET TO BECOME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FAST BOWLER IN HISTORY. INDIA WEREN'T PLAYING ALONG WITH THAT. SO STEP FORWARD, ADIL RASHID. RAHUL BOWLED FOR 149. THEN YOUNG PANT CHANCED HIS ARM ONCE TOO OFTEN. MOEEN ALI'S UNDER THAT, ISN'T HE? GOT IT. NOW THE RACE. COULD ANDERSON GET HIS MAGIC MOMENT BEFORE INDIA WERE ALL OUT? AH! THE FINAL WICKET OF THE SUMMER WON THE MATCH AND GAVE ANDERSON THE RECORD ` 564 CAREER WICKETS. AND NO TEST MATCH HAS EVER DONE ENDINGS QUITE LIKE THIS ONE. THE FALLOUT FROM SERENA WILLIAMS' U.S. OPEN CONTROVERSY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING, WITH REPORTS UMPIRES WILL REFUSE TO OFFICIATE HER MATCHES. REPORTS OUT OF THE UK SAY OFFICIALS COULD BOYCOTT THE AMERICAN AFTER HER TREATMENT OF CARLOS RAMOS. MEANWHILE, ONE OF WILLIAMS' BIGGEST DEFENDERS AFTER THE POLARISING INCIDENT HAS SOFTENED HER STANCE. TENNIS LEGEND BILLIE JEAN KING SAYS THERE WAS FAULT ON BOTH SIDES. HE DID NOT CONTROL THE MATCH. THAT'S YOUR JOB. SO I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT SERENA WAS OUTTA LINE. NO QUESTION. NO ONE'S SAYING SHE WAS A GOOD SPORT, OK? IF THEY ARE, THEY'RE CRAZY. SHE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF LINE, SHE KNOWS IT. THE POINT IS HE AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION. NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS STAR KALYN PONGA HAS MADE HISTORY, BECOMING THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO WIN THE NRL'S PLAYERS' CHAMPION AWARD. THE 20-YEAR-OLD FULLBACK RECEIVED THE PRIZE, VOTED FOR BY NRL PLAYERS, IN SYDNEY LAST NIGHT. PONGA WAS ALSO NAMED IN THE PLAYERS' DREAM TEAM ALONGSIDE KIWIS ESAN MARSTERS, JAMAYNE ISAAKO AND NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA. AND YEARS OF NEGATIVE HEADLINES SEEM TO HAVE FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH CONTROVERSIAL NRL STAR JOSH DUGAN. THE CRONULLA PLAYER BROKE DOWN IN FRONT OF MEDIA, FRUSTRATED HIS BEHIND-THE-SCENES COMMUNITY WORK GOES UNNOTICED. CHANNEL NINE'S NEIL BREEN HAS THE STORY. IT WAS THE MOMENT ONE OF RUGBY LEAGUE'S HARD MEN CRACKED. JOSH DUGAN POURING HIS HEART OUT ABOUT THE YEARS OF TORMENT HE BELIEVES HE'S RECEIVED FROM THE MEDIA. I THINK I'VE BEEN AN EASY TARGET SINCE 2013. AND I CAN'T SEE THAT CHANGING. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? COS THAT'S WHEN I GOT SACKED FROM CANBERRA. DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH STUFF I DO OUTSIDE OF FOOTY. YOU KNOW, I RAISED OVER 15 GRAND FOR A YOUNG BOY NOT THAT LONG AGO. VOICE TREMBLES: VISITED HIM IN HOSPITAL. HE PASSED AWAY. YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT THAT. IT'S ONLY THE BAD STUFF, SO I'M USED TO IT. HE'S ENDURED AN INJURY-RIDDLED YEAR AT THE SHARKS. BUT IT'S THE SCRUTINY ON HIS OFF-FIELD BEHAVIOUR WHICH REALLY HURTS. DUGAN FEARS NOTHING HE DOES WILL CHANGE THE NEGATIVE PERCEPTION OF HIM. I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I'VE GOT MY DIPLOMA IN COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL WORK. I'M BEEN DOING STUFF IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS. THINGS YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT. I UNDERSTAND PLAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, AND I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS AS WELL, WHICH I HAVE BEEN. I'VE COPPED A LOT OF BRUNT FOR THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE, AND I'VE ACCEPTED THAT AND MOVED ON FROM THAT. BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T HELP WHEN NEGATIVITY SELLS PAPERS MORE THAN A GOOD-FEEL STORY WOULD. SHARKS CO-CAPTAIN PAUL GALLEN KNOWS THE FEELING. I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE MEDIA INTO YA, OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL MEDIA IMPLICATIONS WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG. THEY'RE INTO YA, AND YOU'VE JUST GOTTA NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT. AND I THINK DOOGS DOES AT TIMES, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY WEARING THIN ON HIM. LIFE IN RUGBY LEAGUE'S FISH BOWL TAKING A HEAVY TOLL. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT. BUT FIRST, LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES IN THE U.S. AS POWERFUL HURRICANE FLORENCE NEARS LANDFALL. AN AUSTRALIAN CARTOONIST HAS BEEN ACCUSED AS RACIST FOR A DEPICTION OF SERENA WILLIAMS MID-MELTDOWN AT THE U.S. OPEN. MAISEY RIKA'S 'RUAIMOKO', FEATURING ANIKA MOA ACCOMPANIES TODAY'S WEATHER. THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE 1NEW MIDDAY TEAM, E NOHO RA. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018