Sri Lanka v England: second Test, day one – live!

Wayne Rooney finally feels free to enjoy pulling on an England shirt

• Returning forward sometimes tried ‘too hard’ for England
• ‘There were times when I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should’

Wayne Rooney, almost for old time’s sake, ended up addressing pressure. This is a player who had grown used to lugging the weight of expectation during an England career that will extend to a 120th cap on Thursday night. Yet the late cameo the DC United striker enjoys against the United States on his first appearance for the national team in 734 days will be different.

For Rooney, this may be a throwback. A chance for the world to recall the tearaway who ripped into Turkey at the Stadium of Light on a first competitive start, or rampaged through all-comers so startlingly en route to the quarter-finals at Euro 2004 in Portugal. At 33, the body will inevitably lack the energy of youth. Time may have dulled some of the zest but the mind will be free. Liberated.

Caught on tape: the story behind Australian cricket's greatest fall | Geoff Lemon

In an extract from his new book, Geoff Lemon recalls the moment Australia’s sporting reputation was scuffed forever

You know it’s serious when Mluleki Ntsabo isn’t smiling. The South African Broadcasting Corporation commentator is small in stature and huge in energy, beaming a high-wattage grin as he booms away in English on the main mics or Xhosa on the update line. But as I walked into the broadcast area on the third afternoon of the Cape Town Test in March 2018, he came bouncing round the doorway behind me like a rubber ball, rebounding off the far wall, his face stern as he rushed along. “Did you see?” he asked with urgency. “Cameron Bancroft has something on the ball.”

We piled into our commentary box where the ABC and SABC were running a joint broadcast. On the gantry outside our window were the three lead Supersport camera operators, adjusting and aiming their artillery-sized lenses, making fine calibrations beyond our understanding. They were chattering away on their walkie-talkies, coordinating with the other cameras all around the ground. There were close to 30 cameras overall, each with a part to play.

Japan captain Leitch says his side will not bow down at Twickenham

• Rank outsiders Japan believe they can beat England
• Eddie Jones says his side need to be aggressive or risk an upset

The Japan captain, Michael Leitch, insists his side are targeting nothing less than victory against England on Saturday, claiming Eddie Jones would not have it any other way.

NFL moves Rams-Chiefs game from Mexico City to LA over condition of field

• League says Azteca Stadium turf ‘does not meet NFL standards’
• Decision comes just six days before game due to be played

The NFL has moved the Los Angeles Rams’ Monday night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs from Mexico City to LA due to the poor condition of the field at Azteca Stadium.

The league announced the extraordinary decision on Tuesday, six days before one of the most anticipated regular-season games of the year. In a news release, the league said it determined that the recently re-sodded field “does not meet NFL standards for playability and consistency, and will not meet those standards by next Monday.”

Tributes flow for UK Sport’s ‘incredible’ departing CEO Liz Nicholl

• Nicholl to step down after spearheading huge success
• Katherine Grainger praises ‘tireless work, humour, resilience’

For the past eight years Liz Nicholl has been one of the most powerful figures in British sport, the high priestess of UK Sport’s controversial no-compromise approach and a guiding and steady hand behind Team GB’s unparalleled success at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. But there were tears in the UK Sport office on Tuesday after she announced that she will step down as chief executive next summer after 20 years at the organisation.

Nicholl’s successor will be named in the spring, with the England Hockey chief executive, Sally Munday, seen as an early frontrunner. Andy Parkinson, the highly respected CEO of British rowing, and UK Sport’s current chief operating officer Simon Morton, who some regard as Nicholl’s anointed son, are also expected to throw their hats into the ring. Whoever takes charge, however, will have huge shoes to fill.

Alyssa Healy blasts Australia past New Zealand and into WWT20 semi-finals

• Australia 153-7; New Zealand 120 all out (17.2 overs)
• Healy scores 53 off 38 balls to set up 33-run victory

“You come at the king,” declared The Wire’s beloved Omar Little when addressing a failed assassin, “you best not miss.” Replace king with queen, and that’s just what Amelia Kerr did when putting down the easiest of chances to dismiss Alyssa Healy in the third over of Australia’s innings. The red-hot opener needed no further invitation to smash yet another half-century, laying the foundation for a 33-run win to sew up the three-times champions’ World Twenty20 semi-final berth.

The White Ferns rallied commendably with the ball and later with the bat after slumping to 13-3 in pursuit of 153-7, but Healy’s sharp gloves – with a rapid stumping then a brilliant catch – killed off the resistance to all-but end the Kiwis’ campaign in straight sets.

Carlsen and Caruana still deadlocked after YouTube 'leak' controversy

Amy Jones looking to seize World Twenty20 chance with both gloves

• England’s wicketkeeper impressed against Bangladesh
• ‘This is a great opportunity for me to show what I can do’

Wicketkeeper Amy Jones says England are relieved to have finally got their World Twenty20 campaign under way and said their seven-wicket victory against Bangladesh on Monday had been “convincing”.

“It’s been very frustrating with all the rain around and we’ve had to be a bit creative with training – batting under the stands and stuff like that,” Jones said. “I’m glad we managed to stay confident and wait for our chance.”

Talking Horses: Chelmsford night card abandoned after lights go out

Racing at Chelmsford was abandoned after a power failure caused a virtual blackout during the running of the third race

Racing at Chelmsford on Tuesday night was abandoned after a power failure caused a virtual blackout during the running of the third race. The floodlights at the Essex circuit went out with about two and a half furlongs to run of the feature race on the card. That seven-furlong event was declared void and the rest of the meeting called off, as the course remained in darkness.

Dinnage will be one of most powerful women in sport as Premier League chief

• Susanna Dinnage to replace Richard Scudamore in January
• Head of Discovery’s Animal Planet will be new chief executive

The television executive Susanna Dinnage is to become one of the most powerful women in professional sport after being named Richard Scudamore’s successor at the Premier League.

Dinnage will take up her role as chief executive at the beginning of next year. She is currently the global president of Animal Planet, part of the Discovery group of TV channels. She replaces Scudamore, who will step down from his position as executive chairman after nearly 20 years in charge.

Roger Federer shrugs off loss to Kei Nishikori to blow away Dominic Thiem

• Federer beats Thiem 6-2, 6-3 in just over one hour
• World No 3 refutes allegations of preferential treatment

England's Eddie Jones to boycott 'waste of time' referees' meetings

• England coach fed up with inconsistent decisions
• George Kruis to miss Japan and Australia Tests



Eddie Jones is so disillusioned about inconsistent decisions in Tests he plans to boycott all official meetings relating to the game’s laws. England’s coach believes a failure to stick to agreed protocols is undermining rugby and that attending talks on such issues is now “a waste of time.”

John Hastings retires from cricket over fears he may bleed to death

• Inconclusive tests lead fast bowler to make decision
• Former international coughs up blood when bowling

Australian bowler John Hastings has retired from cricket after doctors warned him he could bleed to death while out in the middle.

The popular 33-year-old, who represented Australia across all three formats, pulled the pin after extensive testing could not determine the cause of him coughing up blood whenever he bowls.

Rory McIlroy could lose European Tour slot and Ryder Cup captain chance

• McIlroy set to play only two European Tour events in 2019
• Unbroken membership needed for future Ryder Cup captains

Rory McIlroy’s decision to focus on the United States from the start of 2019 marks a significant blow to the European Tour as it prepares for its season-ending event in Dubai. McIlroy has left the prospect he will not become a full European Tour member for a year as a live one.

England providing ‘public service’ to other nations, says Eddie Jones

• Comments come after Gary Graham switched to Scotland
• ‘We are providing players to Scotland, Wales, Ireland’

Scotland, Ireland and Wales should be grateful to England for supplying them with ready-made Test players, according to Eddie Jones, following the decision of the Newcastle flanker Gary Graham to abandon his quest for a red rose cap and instead pursue an international career north of Hadrian’s Wall.

MLB looks at claims Mariners management called Latino players 'lazy and stupid'

• Former employee makes allegations in social media posts
• Seattle Mariners say accusations are baseless and untrue

Major League Baseball is investigating claims made against the Seattle Mariners by the team’s recently fired training and conditioning director, who said team management had disparaged Latino players.

The Mariners denied the allegations in a statement on Monday following Twitter and Instagram posts from Lorena Martin in which she claimed general manager Jerry Dipoto, manager Scott Servais and director of player development Andy McKay had called Latino players “lazy, dumb and stupid, especially the Dominicans.”

The Spin | England reaping the benefits of Lions tours that turn tyros into Test players

Four of England’s winning Test team in Galle were on a successful Lions tour to Sri Lanka two years ago and this is one part of ECB planning that should be praised

As the projected costs of The Hundred mount, tripling from the original estimate of £13m up to £40m – and counting – budgets are being slashed at ECB Towers. Gone is Andrew Strauss’s pet North-South series, gone is the not-so-mourned Pace Programme, gone are the Overseas Placements that so benefited Ollie Pope and Mason Crane in consecutive winters in Sydney.

But still hanging on, whether by thread or rope, is the Lions Programme, perhaps English cricket’s most secret and deadly weapon. The first part of this winter’s tour starts on Sunday against Pakistan A, with a four-day match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Five one day and two Twenty20 games follow over the next three weeks, ricocheting between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Pope has been dispatched from the main England tour to get more match practice than he would twiddling his thumbs on the sidelines in Sri Lanka. Then, after Christmas, the Lions head to India.

$100 to not see games? The Warriors' 'In the Building' pass is Silicon Valley in ticket form

Golden State games will be sold out for the foreseeable future, but they’ve discovered a new way to sell the experience: offering fans passes that don’t include a view of the court

From Craig Cathcart to André Gomes: 10 underrated Premier League players

Underrated they may be but from the Premier League’s unsung heroes are quietly going about their business

David Squires on … Mourinho, Ederson and all the Manchester derby fallout

Our resident cartoonist picks over the bones of Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over their city rivals

Bullying and backstabbing: the Ottawa Senators are pro sport's biggest mess

A beloved NHL franchise has drifted away from its fans and into another reality as the team’s owner has alienated fans

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho set to make full England debut against USA

• Callum Wilson and Lewis Dunk in line for first caps against US
• England may field different team for Croatia tie three days later

Jadon Sancho is expected to make his first start for England against the USA on Thursday , with Gareth Southgate considering selecting completely different teams for the friendly and the Nations League match against Croatia three days later.

Real Madrid appoint Santiago Solari as permanent head coach

• Solari handed contract until June 2021
• Argentinian oversaw four wins as interim coach

Robert Rowan, Brentford’s technical director, dies aged 28

• Club confirms sudden death of key staff member
• Rowan was appointed to new role in February

Brentford have announced the death of Robert Rowan, the club’s technical director, at the age of 28.

The next goal for women’s football is to help clubs balance the books | Suzanne Wrack

A first professional league has changed the women’s game but how stable are the foundations of the pyramid?

The first fully professional women’s league in the world, with a semi-professional second tier, is a huge step forward. For the first time, girls playing in playgrounds and schools, no matter the obstacles they may face, can see a pathway to a career in the game. The quality of the product is getting better and better. With Women’s Super League players not needing a job to make ends meet, technical and fitness levels are only going to continue to improve.

But how stable are the foundations of this restructured pyramid which marks a new era for the domestic game? What are the commercial prospects? And what is needed to steady the ship?

Uefa warns Manchester City it could reopen FFP investigation from 2014

• City were fined £49m for breaching rules
• Uefa says case could be reopened in light of recent allegations

‘Footballers can feel lost in real life’: the network encouraging clubs to care

Premier Sports Network was founded to address off-field player welfare. Its latest conference drew a capacity audience

The lineup invited up on stage carried considerable clout. The Premier Sports Network offered a platform to figures as wide-ranging as the former England midfielder Ryan Mason, on coping with premature retirement, to Mauricio Sulaiman, the president of the World Boxing Council. Jermaine Pennant and David Cotterill spoke eloquently about careers touched by controversy and depression, while Nicky Butt, Manchester United’s academy manager, talked of Sir Alex Ferguson “the forward thinker” and addressed the pressures placed on the next generation.

Yet it was arguably the make-up of the audience, crammed into the ballroom at the Corinthia hotel on London’s embankment, which demonstrated sport’s increasing commitment to off-field player welfare. There were representatives of 17 top-flight clubs and 25 from further down the pyramid, alongside administrative figures from the Football Association and Johan Cruyff Institute, Premier League and RFU, NFL and Premiership Rugby.

Harry Kewell leaves Notts County amid flurry of Football League sackings

• Former Australia forward dismissed after 10 weeks at helm
• AFC Wimbledon, Swindon and Shrewsbury all sack managers

Harry Kewell has been sacked by Notts County after just over two months at the helm. The former Australia forward was appointed to replace Kevin Nolan at the end of August but saw his side win just three out of 14 matches under his stewardship.

Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge charged by FA over alleged betting breaches

• Striker insists he has ‘never gambled on football’
• Charge believed to relate to loan move to West Brom

Daniel Sturridge has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the Football Association betting rules in January, although the Liverpool striker insists that he has “never gambled on football”.

Even if this is found to be true a guilty verdict could still be returned due to the rules Sturridge is alleged to have contravened being wider than directly betting on the sport.

Rock-solid John Stones shows quiet magnificence for Manchester City | Barney Ronay

The England defender, who has regularly been picked out for his mistakes in the past, often goes unnoticed when at his best

John Stones didn’t make much of an impression in the Manchester derby: didn’t register on the headline stats, wasn’t singled out in the post-match montage, didn’t come steaming across to launch a heroic goal-bound siege-tackle, or head the ball away with a conical white bandage twined around his bloodstained brow.

This is usually a good sign when it comes to Stones, a player who only ever seems to get picked out when he makes a mistake, and whose recent run of form in a reconfigured defence provides another convincing argument City may just be ready to reach down and hit a deeper gear this season.

The 100 best footballers in the world 2017

Our panel of 169 experts from 63 nations compile a list of the greatest male players in 2017. Click on an individual to read more about their year.

Jockey narrowly avoids getting trampled after jogging on to track – video

A young jockey has narrowly avoided injury after running on to a track in front of a pack of oncoming racehorses. Evan Daly, 18, was preparing for a race later in the meeting at Navan, in the Republic of Ireland and said he had not noticed the horses because he was wearing headphones

José Mourinho: People who don't understand football analyse with statistics – video

Thousands of Leicester City fans march to honour Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha – video

Thousands of Leicester City fans marched on Saturday to honour former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others, who were killed when their helicopter crashed following Leicester's previous home match against West Ham. 

Fans gathered in Jubilee Square and marched towards the team's King Power Stadium  ahead of their match with Burnley waving Leicester City and Thai flags, with others holding up banners.

Boca Juniors v River Plate: the fiercest rivalry in football – video

Rassie Erasmus 'teaches' Springboks new tackle after Farrell controversy – video

Leicester City players attend Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's Bangkok funeral – video

Football transfer rumours: Wigan Athletic's Nick Powell to Leipzig?

Today’s fluff has freedom of movement

Today’s Mill is jam-packed with players poised to swap the continent for Britain, and vice versa. That could all change after Brexit – with some reports suggesting Premier League sides would be restricted to just 12 (twelve!) overseas players. If it comes to pass, we can surely expect plenty of last-ditch passport applications and searches for British grandparents.

One man who could be boarding the last plane out of Luton is Aaron Ramsey. Milan have been linked with everyone from Arsène Wenger to Gunnersaurus since boardroom big cheese Ivan Gazidis rocked up at the San Siro, but with the Welsh midfielder out of contract in the summer, this could be a goer. Milan also like the look of Southampton’s Manolo Gabbiadini while Arsenal, who haven’t read the Brexit memo, want Lille’s Nicolas Pépé to cover for the crocked Danny Welbeck.

The Fiver | A contemptuous disregard for simplistic gauges of a team's success

Sports quiz of the week: Wayne Rooney, City v United and Formula 1

Who scored? Who stripped? Who is out of action?

Wayne Rooney is likely to win his final England cap later this month. His first game for England ended in a 3-1 defeat to Australia. Which other young striker made his international debut that night, scored England’s only goal of the game and never played for his country again?

Rickie Lambert

Francis Jeffers

David Nugent

James Beattie

Where are England playing New Zealand at rugby this weekend?

Bradford and Bath

London and Leeds

Manchester and Cardiff

Wigan and Sheffield

When it comes to the Manchester derby, what makes Ernest Mangnall unique?

He scored for both sides in the derby in 1935 (a fine header for United and a scrappy own goal for City)

He is the only man to have managed both clubs

He is the only player to have been sold from one club to the other

He is the only United player who has gone on to manage City

If it was Singapore in 2008, United Arab Emirates in 2009, South Korea in 2010 and India in 2011, where will it be in 2020?

South Africa

Vietnam

Wales

Turkey

Why will Aldershot Town have to do without midfielder James Rowe for the next few months?

After winning Britain’s Got Talent with his ukulele playing, he "wants to concentrate on music for a while"

He has stepped away from football for a few months to star in a pantomime

He has gone to Buenos Aires “to watch the Copa Libertadores final and check out Argentina”

He was injured by a bottle of Ribena

The Women’s World Twenty20 begins this weekend. Who are the hosts and reigning champions?

England

Australia

India

West Indies

Bradley Stoke Town FC signed a new player this week. What is he called?

Donald Trump

Obama Barracks

Michel Barnier

Bradley Stokes

Huddersfield's victory on Monday night means that every team in the Premier League has won a game this season. Who scored Huddersfield's winner?

A Huddersfield player

A Newcastle player (on loan from Chelsea)

A Cardiff City player (on loan from Liverpool )

A Fulham player (on loan from Manchester United)

Fernando Ovelar scored a goal for Cerro Porteño against Club Olimpia in the Paraguayan Superclásico this week. What is unusual about Ovelar’s goal?

He was the referee

He is also the club’s owner

He is just 14 years old

He played the first half for Olimpia but was signed for Cerro Porteño at half-time

Who is the only player to have scored at Anfield and the Etihad this season?

David Silva

Danny Ings

Callum Wilson

Wesley Hoedt

Zeki Celik was shown a yellow card for stripping Neymar of which item of clothing in Lille’s defeat to PSG?

A hat

A snood

A necklace

A glove

Who said: "I wanted to do something different. I want to give the people what they want – blood, sweat and tears. I can do it all"?

José Mourinho

Tony Bellew

Floyd Mayweather

Wayne Rooney

12 and above.

You are a true credit to yourself. Have a cracking weekend. You've earned it

1 and above.

That's not very good.

2 and above.

That's not a great score but it's something to build on next week

3 and above.

That's not a great score but it's something to build on next week

4 and above.

You've done OK there. Not great but not embarrassing either

5 and above.

You've done well there. Give yourself a thumbs up

6 and above.

You've done well there. Give yourself a thumbs up

7 and above.

You've done well there. Give yourself a thumbs up. Enjoy the weekend

8 and above.

You've done very well there. Enjoy the weekend

9 and above.

You've done very, very well there. Enjoy the weekend

10 and above.

You've done very, very, very well there. Have a cracking weekend

0 and above.

That's not very good.

11 and above.

You are a credit to yourself. Have a cracking weekend. You've earned it

Confusion over Owen Farrell’s tackle is widespread and understandable | The Breakdown

Kurtley Beale’s expression said it all when he was asked about the controversial hit, and his incredulity is shared by many

When Kurtley Beale was asked this week about Owen Farrell’s challenge on André Esterhuizen, his first thought was to glance in the direction of Australia’s media officer. The Wallabies’ playmaker clearly had a view, but with Twickenham their final destination this month, it needed to be placed in a diplomatic bag.

Beale, like other players, coaches and fans, was confused. He pointed out that a few years ago Farrell’s tackle was unlikely to have been deemed fair as the outside-half led with his shoulder and made a cursory effort at best to wrap his left arm around the Springbok replacement. It would have merited a penalty at least with a card of either colour an option.

England v All Blacks, delicious drop shots and teen strikers | Classic YouTube

This week’s roundup also features a monumental high school football comeback and vintage Australian motorsport mayhem

Ed Smith’s clever picks have given England a Ferguson-style makeover | The Spin

National selector is doing a brilliant job by using rotation to craft bespoke XIs as the former Man Utd manager once did

Which match has featured the most Ballon d'Or winners on one pitch? | The Knowledge

David Squires on … a European Super League and other life-affirming stories

Our cartoonist on the possibility of impoverished big clubs finally stumbling upon a way to make some money

Rugby union: talking points from the second round of autumn Tests

England take heart from All Blacks defeat, Springboks’ power will test Scotland’s growing optimism and Italy prove a point

In 2012 England also went 15-0 up on New Zealand at Twickenham and went on to win 38-21. This time they could not score a point after the 25th minute, instead allowing the All Blacks to snatch a 16-15 victory in a classic encounter of its type. Which team, though, is on the steeper upward curve? If the heavy rain was a leveller, there was no disguising the fact England, after a tough year, are on the way back. They now know they can ruffle the All Blacks, even with a patched-up pack, and South Africa’s two shuddering recent games against New Zealand also showed the world’s No 1 side are not invincible. Brodie Retallick may have had the last laugh at Twickenham but the All Black pack will have to dig deep again to avoid being ambushed in Dublin on Saturday. Robert Kitson

Despite the superlatives, hype and awards, Lionel Messi is underrated | Sean Ingle

He may have won five Ballons d’Or since he made his debut 15 years ago this week but the Argentinian is underappreciated

In his new book, Nothing is Real, a collection of essays that stretch and soar across a career spanning five decades, the acclaimed music journalist David Hepworth starts with an essay that tickles and provokes. The Beatles, he suggests, were underrated. Yes, you read that right. Underrated.

You may have raised an eyebrow, given that barely a month goes by without the Fab Four topping some poll or other. But Hepworth maintains that “the richness of their golden period has never been equalled”, with “listeners ricocheting from one hook to another like a metal ball in one of Bally’s machines”. And he insists that for all the “garlands that posterity has placed upon their brow” their genius is underappreciated.

Joe Root can make England team his own as winter of rare content beckons | Tim de Lisle

After the Test win over Sri Lanka in Galle, England have the chance to polish a tarnished record while for Root the new-look side look easier to lead

Tony Bellew leaves the ring for the quiet life as plain Anthony | Kevin Mitchell

After Oleksandr Usyk brought his 34-fight career to an end in Manchester, the Liverpool boxer is aiming to ‘lead a normal life’