Sport

England off to Cricket World Cup flyer with 10-wicket demolition of South Africa
Posted on Friday October 03, 2025

England, 73-0, beat South Africa, 69, by 10 wicketsBeaumont-Jones partnership make short work of chaseEngland romped home with a 10-wicket win in their World Cup opener on Friday, after dismissing opponents South Africa for 69 in 20.4 overs – the third lowest total in their history.South Africa have been a force to be reckoned with in global women’s cricket of late, reaching the final of the T20 World Cup last year and featuring in the semi-finals of the last 50-over competition, so this was a baffling and embarrassing display. Only one batter, wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta, made it into double figures, and six of their batters were clean bowled on a good pitch which rarely behaved unpredictably. Continue reading...

⚽ Keep up with the latest news before the weekend’s action⚽ Premier League: 10 things to look out for | Email BarryThomas Tuchel is due to speak at 11am. No Bellingham, no Foden, no Grealish, no Wharton. Some explaining to do?Noni Madueke and Tino Livramento are both missing with injury. From the last squad, Jarell Quansah and Bukayo Saka come in. Continue reading...

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden left out of England squad but Bukayo Saka returns
Posted on Friday October 03, 2025

Tuchel keeps faith with players who excelled last monthHead coach feels Bellingham is also lacking rhythmThomas Tuchel has kept faith with the England squad that beat Andorra and excelled in Serbia last month and found no place for Jude Bellingham or Phil Foden in his camp for the friendly at home to Wales and the World Cup qualifier in Latvia.Foden was pushing for a recall after rediscovering his form at Manchester City and Bellingham has returned for Real Madrid after shoulder surgery, but the head coach has decided not to pick two of the country’s biggest attacking talents. Bellingham has started only once for his club. Continue reading...

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
Posted on Thursday October 02, 2025

Sunderland eye an upset at Old Trafford, Arsenal hope to settle old scores while West Ham and Everton look bluntUnbeaten in the league since their Friday night opener at Anfield, Bournemouth’s early momentum has been stalled by consecutive draws: at home to Newcastle and at Leeds last week. Fulham visit the Vitality Stadium on Friday, offering Andoni Iraola’s side a presentable chance of recapturing winning ways and going second in the table. After a turbulent summer, Iraola has sought consistency in his team selection. Trailing 2-1 at Leeds, the Bournemouth manager made a triple change to restore three usual starters – David Brooks, Alex Scott and Marcus Tavernier – to his XI and was rewarded with a late leveller. Bournemouth have also maintained defensive stability, conceding just once in four games between the trips to Liverpool and Leeds. Marcos Senesi, often playing in an otherwise brand-new back five, has been key to the team’s continuity. The centre-back earned praise from Iraola for his defensive work and threat at attacking set pieces – as evidenced by his headed assist for Eli Junior Kroupi’s equaliser at Elland Road. Niall McVeighBournemouth v Fulham, Friday 8pm (all times BST)Leeds v Tottenham, Saturday 12.30pmManchester United v Sunderland, Saturday 3pmArsenal v West Ham, Saturday 3pmChelsea v Liverpool, Saturday 5.30pmEverton v Crystal Palace, Sunday 2pm Continue reading...

Unlike his fellow basketball player Brittney Griner, Jarred Shaw has received scant attention after being arrested for a drugs offence overseasWhen Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, stepped down to the lobby in his apartment complex earlier this year to collect a package containing illegally imported cannabis gummies, he thought that the medicine to ease his Crohn’s disease had arrived.It had – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. A video on social media shows Shaw, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.The Indonesian National Police did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Continue reading...

Sonay Kartal’s breakthrough China Open run halted by stellar Noskova
Posted on Friday October 03, 2025

Briton overwhelmed 6-3, 6-4 by the Czech world No 27Kartal leapfrogs Boulter as GB No 2 after tournamentSonay Kartal’s impressive breakthrough run in Beijing came to a difficult end as she was overpowered by Linda Noskova, who thrashed every last ball and played a stellar match to reach the semi-finals of the China Open with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win.The defeat ends the most significant tournament of Kartal’s career to date as the 23-year-old Briton showed, with a series of excellent performances, that she has the game to trouble the best players in the world, reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final with a superb three-set win over world No 5 Mirra Andreeva, her first victory against a top-10 player. Continue reading...

No Beyoncé or K-pop so Argentina v South Africa will have to boost RFU’s bank balance
Posted on Friday October 03, 2025

Twickenham needs to generate more cash but governing body’s grand plans are mired in red tape – just as well the Rugby Championship finale can offer respiteA quick look at Twickenham’s upcoming events and, alas, still no Beyoncé. No Bills, Bills, Bills for Mr Sweeney just yet. In fact, the Rugby Football Union’s ambition to host more concerts and thereby pay for Twickenham’s £660m rebuild has encountered a bit of a delay. It is understood that in July, Richmond council expressed its concern over transport links and told the union further exploratory work is needed.A report, seen by the Guardian, reads: “Given the uncertainty regarding the ability of the rail industry to cater for the predicted increase in passengers, there [are] significant concerns about the additional demand placed on the transport and highway network by event goers and whether this demand can be satisfactorily managed. This is likely to result in a significant nuisance for Twickenham residents.” Continue reading...

‘It’s crazy’: Colwill brothers go from bunk beds and face paint to Cardiff double act
Posted on Friday October 03, 2025

Rubin and Joel Colwill grew up playing two-touch moves in the garden. Now they are putting them into practice at the club they supportThe excitement is etched across the faces of Rubin and Joel Colwill as the brothers discuss playing together for Cardiff. As kids in Neath, about 30 miles north-west of the Welsh capital, they were regulars at Melyn Park, over the road from the family home, and spent hours perfecting two-touch skills in the back garden. “When we were small I got a marker pen and drew a goal on the hallway door and our mother was fuming,” Rubin says, both of them breaking into laughter.They are separated by two and a half years but have always been close and Joel, who turns 21 this month, was best man at Rubin’s wedding this year. Growing up they lived each other’s journeys, both associated with Cardiff from the age of seven, and their parents, Richard and Jodi, ferried them to training. They attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, the same secondary school as Ben Davies, the Wales defender poised to win his 100th cap in their World Cup qualifier against Belgium on 13 October. Then there were the bunk beds. “Yeah, we had a lot of WWE matches on those,” Rubin says, smiling. Continue reading...