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Updates as the Test at Marrara Cricket Ground continuesPlay starts in Darwin at 10am ACST/10.30am AESTAny thoughts? Email Geoff60th over: Australia 178-5 (Green 49, Webster 0) Beau Webster to the middle, blocks his first three balls.There it is for Bangladesh! And still with a lead of 50. Mehidy comes around the wicket, floats his off-breaks in, straightens them down the line. Carey goes down the wrong line, more leg stump, even though that ball pitches more on middle. It turns away slightly, grazes the edge, and is well caught. Such a dangerous player gone, and now Bangladesh are one wicket away from the bowlers. Continue reading...

Men’s and women’s 4x100 teams complete wins in styleHunt will aim for fourth gold in mixed relay on SundayNo sooner had Amy Hunt won a staggering third European gold medal in five days than she pointed at the superwomen guiding her closer to history. “We’re the fantastic four,” she said.It was hard to argue with that, especially after watching Britain’s 4x100m women power to glory in 42.05secs, more than 10 metres clear of Switzerland and Poland. Continue reading...

Argentinian powers to 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victoryHeat and humidity take toll on DjokovicFery holds off Duckworth 6-4, 2-6 7-6(4)The scoreboard did not yet indicate that anything was awry, but even as Novak Djokovic led by a set in his opening match at the Cincinnati Open, he was already struggling badly.From the second set onwards, he spent much of his time between points squatting and bending over as he desperately tried to catch his breath in the notorious Ohioan humidity. He was eventually dispatched 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by Thiago Agustín Tirante of Argentina, who took this golden opportunity to register the biggest win of his career. Continue reading...

23-year-old hits home run on first pitch in majorsBáez drives in five during 8-4 victory over CubsRookie was called up from Triple-A earlier in dayJoshua Báez became the first player to hit three home runs in his first three at-bats in the major leagues, leading the St Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.The 23-year-old left fielder, called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day, hit the first pitch he saw into the Wrigley Field bleachers, then homered in his next two at-bats. He also drove in five runs. Continue reading...

Issac Henry, Carlo Tizzano, Charlie Cale and Massimo de Lutiis repay faith shown by Wallabies coach and highlight squad’s strength in depthThe Wallabies have problems, but they are of the good variety. In the return Test against Japan in Townsville on Saturday, they produced their most promising performance in 12 months, and not a moment too soon.The 56-17 victory included a professional, five-tries-to-none second half and a number of standout performances that will have the new coach, Les Kiss, wondering just how to craft this side into the best version of itself. Continue reading...

In spite of a 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, the new head coach at St James’ Park showed signs he is on the right path, and is closing in on Benfica’s Amar DedicReasons to be fearful or cause to be cheerful? Newcastle fans among a crowd in excess of 39,000 at St James’ Park on Saturday had much to debate as they headed home from a slightly underwhelming 2-1 friendly defeat by Bayer Leverkusen.The bad news is that a suddenly youthful team still coming to terms with life without this summer’s departed stars, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, look more than a little undercooked before Liverpool’s visit on Premier League duty next Sunday. Continue reading...

Wembley curtain-raiser can offer clues but it is no reliable pointer to a season – its winners have not landed the title since 2018The doubt for anyone when a long-strived-for goal has been achieved is hunger. Arsenal waited 22 years for their 14th league title and, compounding the yearning, finished second three times in a row before finally lifting the Premier League trophy in May. The physical exertions of last season were immense – as seen by Declan Rice’s clear exhaustion and Bukayo Saka’s intermittent contributions at the World Cup, where William Saliba picked up a back injury – but so too was the emotional strain.The first weeks of a new season after a major tournament, especially the World Cup, are often a little erratic anyway, but this feels like a particularly unpredictable start to a campaign. Nine of the 20 Premier League clubs have changed manager this summer. For the first time in 40 years, none of the five big managerial beasts of the Premier League era – Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – will be in charge of a club. There are unknowns and uncertainty everywhere, even at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta may be the longest-serving manager in the league but there are questions even there; it would be no great surprise if Arsenal were to start slowly. Continue reading...

Lankshear ends Lincoln’s nine-month unbeaten runMillwall start with 2-0 win over 10-man Bristol CityWill Lankshear scored a second-half double on his debut as Middlesbrough fought back to kick off their Championship campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, ending promoted Lincoln’s remarkable nine-month unbeaten run.The Imps – playing their first second-tier match in 65 years – made a strong start and opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Adam Reach. But the former Tottenham forward Lankshear marked his first league appearance since his move to the Riverside by equalising just after the hour and then stabbing in a stoppage-time winner. Continue reading...

19-year-old killed on Friday by collision with van‘We will continue to hold Fin in our hearts’Finlay Tarling’s NSN Development team withdrew from the Volta a Portugal on Saturday, the day after the death of the 19-year-old British rider in an accident during the race.Tarling, the younger brother of the Ineos rider Josh, was reportedly involved in a head-on collision with a vehicle unconnected with the event that was travelling in the opposite direction. Continue reading...

Belgian would be first non-Scot in role since Berti VogtsScotland face Slovenia on 26 September in Nations LeagueThe Scottish Football Association hopes to name the Belgian Sébastien Pocognoli as the successor to Steve Clarke as manager early next week. The 39-year-old, who was sacked by Monaco in June, will become the country’s first non-Scottish manager since Berti Vogts, who was in charge from 2002-04.Clarke’s abrupt departure came as Scotland exited the World Cup at the group stage. He had signed a four-year contract extension immediately before the tournament. It quickly became clear the SFA would turn towards a foreign manager; Jon Dahl Tomasson and Kasper Hjulmand were linked with the position. Continue reading...