England-West Indies box set saves the best drama for thrilling finale | Ali Martin

Jason Holder comes out on top in battle of the box-office captain all-rounders in a Test where the absence of a crowd did not diminish the excitement

It has been a remarkable and at times emotional week in the bubble, one that – after a four‑month wait – has reminded us just how ruddy glorious Test cricket can be.

Lewis Hamilton vows to spend life fighting racism after black power salute

• British driver says ‘a lot of work’ needs to be done
• Hamilton makes salute after Styrian Grand Prix win

Lewis Hamilton said he is in a lifelong struggle to fight racism after he gave the black power salute following his win at the Styrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton raised his right fist in the gesture made famous by the athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympic Games when he climbed from his car and again when he was on the podium.

Toby Alderweireld punishes Arsenal errors to give Spurs derby glory

José Mourinho had said he could not wait for the season to finish and, given the gloomy mood that shadowed Tottenham into this derby and the state of the Premier League table, it was easy to see why. Yet there was a dose of unexpected cheer at the expense of their nearest and dearest rivals when Spurs found a way to turn the tide of a second half that was slipping away from them.

The decisive blow was struck late on by Toby Alderweireld, who rose to flick Son Heung-min’s corner into the roof of the net. Defensively, Arsenal broke down – why was Kieran Tierney marking Alderweireld? – and it meant Spurs had done enough. It was not a vintage performance from them and there remain doubts over the cohesion of their attacking football. But this was a day when Mourinho needed a result and he got one.

Playing for Jack Charlton was a joy. He gave us moments we will never forget | Kevin Sheedy

The Ireland camp under Charlton was a place where fools were not suffered, Guinness flowed – and team spirit bloomed

Watching and reading the tributes to Jack Charlton has been very moving. It was sad knowing a great man had passed away. But generally, when I think of Jack it just brings a smile to my face, partly because he gave me some of the best football moments of my life with the Republic of Ireland but also because just being in his company was great.

Player welfare must be more than a slogan in packed rugby year ahead | Ugo Monye

The unprecedented amount of rugby set to be played in the next 12 months is going to take a huge physical toll on players

The fixtures for the Premiership’s restart give better clarity to the shape of the rugby calendar for the foreseeable future. We may not know who England will be playing in the autumn yet – and there is always the threat of a Covid-19 spike – but a second wave notwithstanding, the next year will bring a glut of top-level rugby.

Restarting in mid-August will mean almost exactly 12 months of nonstop rugby. Great for fans, clubs and unions who have been so badly hit financially. Good for the sponsors, all kinds of stakeholders and for the players, who I know are desperate to get back to doing what they are good at.

Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke spells double trouble for 10-man Leicester

There simply was no better time for Dominic Solanke to score his first Premier League goals in a Bournemouth shirt. The striker’s double ensured Eddie Howe’s side rallied from behind to dent Leicester’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League with an improbable victory that relights their fight for survival.

Solanke scored in the league for the first time in 788 days before wrapping up a priceless victory with his second goal but it was a sore evening for Leicester, who imploded after being reduced to 10 men when Caglar Soyuncu’s minute of madness handed Bournemouth a lifeline.

West Indies hold on for famous win over England after dramatic first Test

• England 204 & 313; West Indies 318 & 200-6
• Jermaine Blackwood hits 95 to lead West Indies to victory

The maverick that is Jermaine Blackwood drove West Indies to a famous victory; he also flicked and cut impishly in pursuit of the 200 runs that were required while hitting a magnificent 95. As a consequence Jason Holder’s tenacious team, who seem to be bonded ever closer by the lockdown experience rather than driven to distraction, prevailed by four wickets in a game that got better and better as the days went by.

For those following from afar the intensity and commitment of the players of both sides made for a fine contest. Given the weirdness of the preparations there were bound to be aberrations, caused by rustiness along the way. Yet the event was a clear success for the England and Wales Cricket Board, notwithstanding the outcome.

UK Sport denies win-at-any-cost Olympic mentality after testing revelations

• Experimental trial conducted on 91 athletes before London 2012
• Questions raised about excessive medication in British sport

UK Sport has denied seeking to win Olympic medals at any cost following revelations it secretly spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on testing an experimental substance on 91 elite athletes before London 2012.

The substance, a synthetic version of a naturally occurring body acid called ketones developed by researchers at Oxford University with a $10m grant from the US military, led to 28 of the athletes having symptoms from gastroenteritis to vomiting, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Manchester City v Uefa: a tangled tale about to reach its final verdict | David Conn

On Monday the court of arbitration for sport will announce its verdict on the club’s appeal against their two-year Champions League ban

Jofra Archer proves his point but Jermaine Blackwood has the last laugh | Andy Bull

The fast bowler, goaded by Tino Best, produced a superb spell for England but Blackwood made a telling point of his own

Farewell to Barry Geraghty, the smiling champion of Cheltenham | Greg Wood

The 40-year-old, who has announced his retirement, won 43 times at the Festival over 24 years and will be hugely missed

Police arrest 12-year-old boy after racist messages are sent to Wilfried Zaha

• Crystal Palace forward received threats before Villa match
• Zaha offered support on Twitter by Ian Wright
  

Stokes says he understands Root's sleepless nights after loss to West Indies

• Stokes stands by his calls to omit Stuart Broad and bat first
• Jason Holder says lack of crowd helped tourists’ run chase

Lewis Hamilton wins Styrian GP from pole after Ferraris collide on first lap

• Mercedes teammate Bottas is second, Verstappen third
• Leclerc apologises for hitting Ferrari teammate Vettel

After a stunning shakedown to open the season with the Austrian Grand Prix, Formula One’s follow-up at the Red Bull Ring proved an altogether more sedate affair. Lewis Hamilton brought breathtaking spectacle to qualifying at the Styrian Grand Prix but on race day he delivered the familiar craft and control to deliver a consummate victory.

Having made his statement on the track, the world champion did so once more on the podium where the Mercedes driver made the black power salute, his commitment to fighting racism again uncompromisingly displayed.

LeBron James will not wear social justice message on jersey for NBA restart

• Lakers star says messages do not ‘resonate with my mission’
• NBA introduced initiative following recent anti-racism protests

LeBron James says his thoughts on social justice can’t be contained on the back of a basketball jersey. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar won’t wear one of the NBA-approved social justice messages on the back of his jersey when the NBA resumes competition later this month in the Orlando bubble.

“It was no disrespect to the list that was handed down to all the players,” James told reporters on Saturday. “I commend anyone that decides to put something on the back of their jersey. It’s just something that didn’t seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal.”

Oxted gives Cieren Fallon first Group One victory in July Cup

• Son of Kieren Fallon triumphs in his second Group One ride
• Fallon Jr: ‘My dad’s very proud and helped me a lot this year’

Cieren Fallon’s father had been riding for nearly 10 years by the time he won his first Group One race, in May 1997. The son of Kieren, the six-time champion, is setting a brisker pace. In his third season with a licence and still officially an apprentice, Fallon Jr took the July Cup aboard Oxted here on Saturday with the assurance of a rider with many years’ experience under his belt. No one could have guessed it was his second Group One ride.

Oxted has provided the 21-year-old with the biggest win of his career on three occasions: in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last September and then in the Group Three Abernant Stakes at Newmarket before Saturday’s breakthrough at the highest level.

Manu Tuilagi set to move to Sale and keep England career alive

• Centre to link up with Van Rensburg and bolster Sale title push
• Tuilagi leaves Leicester after refusing to accept pay cut
  

José Mourinho wins but derby leaves fog of confusion over north London | Jonathan Wilson

Key questions about both sides’ forwards went unanswered in a game where Spurs and Arsenal showed their flaws

Jack Charlton: a footballing giant who was forever a man of the people | Kevin Mitchell

The World Cup winner went down the pit at 15 and was loved unconditionally for his impish wit and unbounded generosity

Summer finally arrives at England's clubs where they live for cricket | Andy Bull

Some 300,000 club cricketers were left frustrated by the Covid-19 lockdown, but their time has come at last

By midday, I was getting twitchy. The sun was out, the sky was blue and the season was starting. “There can be no summer in this land without cricket,” wrote Neville Cardus, and now, on 11 July, three months or so after the first swallows, summer was here at last. They were playing cricket again, at the clubs and in the villages, friendlies mainly, since the government’s sudden change of mind on whether they should be able to play or not had left so little time for anyone to arrange competitive fixtures. There are around 300,000 cricketers in England. It seemed strange, on a Saturday such as this, to limit myself to only the 11 of them playing in an empty ground outside Southampton.

Jack Charlton obituary

Leeds United footballer and member of the victorious 1966 World Cup England squad, he went on to manage the Republic of Ireland

Jack Charlton, who has died aged 85 after suffering from lymphoma and dementia, spent a large part of his life in the shadow of his younger brother, Bobby, whom he always referred to as “our kid”. But he had a stellar footballing career in his own right, winning a World Cup medal with England in 1966 and multiple honours with the formidable Leeds United side of the late 1960s and early 70s.

Unlike his brother he also became a successful big-club manager after retiring as a player, peaking with a remarkable and colourful 10-year stint in charge of the Republic of Ireland, taking them twice to the World Cup finals, including, in 1990, to a quarter-final.

Transfers provide a silver lining for WSL and may soon have a Bronze hue

Top clubs have been the most active in the market and Manchester City could land two England full-backs

In what will be a seven-month stretch without domestic women’s football, interest in the comings and goings at clubs is reaching a new peak. The unpredictability of the effects of Covid-19 has added spice to the current transfer window.

The window opened on 19 June but until the past week the announcements had come in no more than a steady trickle as the pandemic curtailed the ability of clubs to do business. Medicals, photographs and even the signing of a contract have had to be done remotely, externally or delayed.

Sophie Bradley-Auckland suspends Liverpool return to manage care home

• Captain’s family owns Covid-19-threatened home in Nottingham
• ‘I can’t return until a risk isn’t posed on the care home’

The Liverpool Women captain, Sophie Bradley-Auckland, will not be returning to the squad for the time being as she helps her family run their care home amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the club said on Sunday.

The defender, named the club’s player of the year last year, is also the manager of Edenhurst care home in Nottingham, a business run by her family for generations.

Pablo Hernández sinks Swansea to put Leeds on verge of Premier League

Marcelo Bielsa felt Leeds had taken a “step forward” to winning promotion after Pablo Hernández’s late winner secured a 1-0 victory at Swansea.

On a day when Leeds paid tribute to club great Jack Charlton, who died at the age of 85 on Friday, Bielsa’s side moved to within four points of ending their 16-year wait to play in the top flight of English football.

Mahmoud Trezeguet downs Crystal Palace to keep Aston Villa's hopes alive

Aston Villa are not going to go down without a fight after all. They started slowly here but ended up dominant, fully deserving of the three points secured by two goals from Mahmoud Trezeguet. It has been a long time since a Villa forward scored one goal, let alone a pair, so Dean Smith’s side were grateful for the Egyptian’s sharpness, which ended a streak of 10 leagues games without a win.

Villa are still in the relegation zone but only four points below West Ham and Watford. Their remaining matches are against Everton, Arsenal and West Ham. They cannot count on any of those sides being as vulnerable as Palace, who sagged to their fifth straight defeat here. The visitors played like a team who want the season to finish; it may be over for Christian Benteke, who was shown a red card after the final whistle for kicking out at Ezri Konsa as the players headed for the tunnel.

Raúl Jiménez boosts Wolves' European hopes and sinks sorry Everton

It is correct to begin by hailing the victors, particularly when they are as good as this. For anyone seeking a snapshot of Wolves’ identity under Nuno Espírito Santo, this match would be a fair case study. They had not been at their best in the previous week, looking sluggish enough to suggest their top-six credentials were at severe risk, but after a slow start they pulled clear and should have won by more.

Solid, methodical, supremely drilled and allowed to spark into life around the final third: the now-familiar notes were all hit and there remains, for now at least, the hope that next season’s Champions League will dance to their tune.

Norwich relegated from Premier League as West Ham's Antonio hits four

Would Daniel Farke do it differently if he was allowed another go? Norwich’s manager has stuck to his principles all season, trusting in the players who won promotion last year and insisting on an expansive style, but it is not hard to feel that a touch more pragmatism would not have gone amiss in a scrap for survival.

Weaknesses are ruthlessly exposed at this level and Norwich’s inability to cover up their flaws has been their undoing, dragging them back down to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Raheem Sterling stoops to conquer Brighton with Manchester City hat-trick

On the horizon where beauty and sadism meet, Manchester City tore Brighton to ornate, sumptuous shreds. It was luxurious, it was cruel, it was pointless and yet in a strange way seemed to mean everything. Everyone knows that City’s biggest battles lie further afield: in the Champions League, and in the Lausanne courtroom where they will learn their fate on Monday. And here, with nothing tangible to play for in the league, City could simply play for the joy of playing, abetted by an opposition more than happy to let them do so.

Raheem Sterling bagged a hat-trick, Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva added one each, but by then everyone was having too much fun to keep counting. For all the muted celebrations and multiple substitutions, giving the whole affair the feel of an international friendly against a small island nation with a precious vote on the Fifa executive committee, City’s intensity was irrepressible and irresistible. Perhaps, on reflection, this is the best way to enjoy Pep Guardiola’s baroque creation: no fans, no background noise, no forced narratives. Just football as its own lavish end.

Sheffield United on target for Europe as McGoldrick dents Chelsea’s hopes

Sheffield United’s quest for European football was boosted by a convincing win that may prove a telling body blow to Chelsea’s hopes of Champions League qualification. Chris Wilder’s side move up to sixth, while Frank Lampard’s remain in third on 60 points.

Yet as Leicester – who have 59 – and Manchester United – 58 – have a game in hand, suddenly Chelsea’s destiny is beyond their control. Wilder was understandably pleased. “It was a really good performance - it had to be, we were pretty close to our maximum,” said the manager. “The players look like they’re enjoying their football - the attitude of the team is great.”

Burnley's Jay Rodriguez ends Liverpool's perfect Anfield record

Fortress Anfield has been rebuilt to such an impregnable extent under Jürgen Klopp that any breach constitutes a shock. Liverpool’s hopes of finessing a glorious Premier League season with a flawless home record ended at the feet of Jay Rodriguez and the hands of Nick Pope as Burnley became the first visitors since Leicester in January 2019 to leave Anfield with a point.

Pope was inspired and the main reason the champions’ run of 24 consecutive home league wins is over. Liverpool were aiming to become the first top flight team since Sunderland in 1891-92 to complete a campaign with a 100% home record but Burnley’s organisation, strength and rousing finish put paid to that.

Barcelona and Vidal keep pressure on as Ronaldo rescues Juventus

• Lacklustre Barça win 1-0 at Real Valladolid
• Cristiano Ronaldo scores penalties after two handballs
  

Lionel Messi notched a 20th assist of the season to help a lacklustre Barcelona secure a 1-0 win away to Real Valladolid on Saturday, maintaining the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal struck the only goal of the game in the 15th minute, firing into the net off the post after being played in by Messi, who now has almost as many assists in the league as his 22 goals. Yet Barça failed to build on their early advantage and were forced to grind out the victory. Valladolid were twice foiled by Marc-André ter Stegen.

The win takes second-placed Barcelona on to 79 points after 36 games, one behind Real Madrid who can restore their four-point advantage when they visit Granada on Monday.

A late goal by Diego Costa ensured 10-man Atlético Madrid clinched a Champions League berth after edging Real Betis 1-0. Costa used his chest to knock in a free-kick in the 74th minute after his team lost Mario Hermoso to ared card for a hard tackle from behind.

'Good luck Joe': Stokes welcomes back Root after sleepless night during West Indies defeat – video

Ben Stokes said he now understands why Joe Root struggles to sleep during Test matches, but insisted there were no regrets over the two big calls he made at the start of England’s four-wicket defeat to West Indies.

 'Joe is one of the best players in the world so he is a big miss when he doesn’t play. Next week I don’t need to make any of the decisions, so good luck Joe,' Stokes said. 'Last night was the only night that I really struggled to sleep because there was a lot to think about: how the game is going to end up, what’s going to happen. I can see why Joe loses a lot of sleep because he’s got to do that every game.'

'It didn't resonate' : LeBron James won't wear jersey message at NBA restart – video

LeBron James has said that he will not wear a social justice message on the back of his jersey when the NBA resumes later this month. ‘It was no disrespect to the list that was handed down to all the players,’ James told reporters on Saturday. ‘I commend anyone that decides to put something on the back of their jersey. It’s just something that didn’t seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal’

Jack Charlton: England World Cup winner dies aged 85 – video obituary

Jack Charlton, a World Cup winner with England and a former Republic of Ireland manager, has died aged 85.

Charlton, the elder brother of Bobby, played 35 times for England as a central defender, including all six matches at the 1966 World Cup. He spent his whole playing career at Leeds United and after retiring as a player became a successful manager. 

He started with Middlesbrough, but is arguably best remembered as a manager for his work with the Republic of Ireland

Ebony Rainford-Brent and Michael Holding on experiences of racism – video

Milan's thrilling win over Juve shows Pioli will be a hard act to follow | Nicky Bandini

Ralf Rangnick will replace him next season but Stefano Pioli has been so effective fans feel he is deserving of a longer run

José Mourinho 'very happy' with clash between Son and Lloris – video

The Fiver | New normals featuring ruffled former Football Weekly panellists

Barcelona after Lionel Messi, Juventus and José Mourinho – Football Weekly

The Spin | Tim Killick, the bespectacled rogue who got clattered for 34 in an over

He was revered by peers but has remained notorious for being on the wrong end of Ted Alletson and brushes with the law

On this week in 1910, precisely 110 years ago, Ernest Killick, universally known as Tim, took seven wickets for 10 runs in 7.2 overs while playing for Sussex in a County Championship match against Essex. The circumstances were unusual, Essex going for fast runs in an unsuccessful effort to force victory, but the achievement wasn’t unique.

“These remarkable figures flattered his bowling, for the Essex men made no attempt to play a normal game, but hit practically at everything,” the Guardian reported. “Still Killick bowled well. Every season he accomplishes several of these performances with the ball.” The previous year he took seven for 39 against Derbyshire; in 1907 five wickets for two runs in 6.1 overs against Hampshire; in 1905 four for two against Nottinghamshire; in 1901 six for 17 against Somerset.

The Fiver | A sequence the untrained eye could easily mistake for a dirty protest

David Squires on … Wigan Athletic going into administration

This week’s cartoon looks at the sad story of the famous club, featuring Dave Whelan, the new owners and Rick Parry’s feet

Mason Greenwood and the Manchester United renaissance – Football Weekly

The Breakdown | Six Nations may decide to take the pay-TV money and run

Hard times have enhanced the attraction of a £300m deal with CVC that would take the game away from millions of fans

As the Six Nations contemplate an autumn international campaign without New Zealand and South Africa, who are likely to remain at home because of travel restrictions, the attraction of a deal with CVC becomes greater.

A £300m bounty at a time when the pandemic has forced the game to make its deepest cuts in the professional era could be the difference between floating and going under.

Sir Everton Weekes, spectacular Steffi Graf and Lothar Matthäus loses it

Plus: Gooch and Smith, a journey into the mind of Roy Keane, the best of Nate Diaz and the Fash FC saga in full

Jack Charlton: an exceptional leader who had Ireland dancing in the streets | Paul Doyle

The celebrations were more memorable than the matches but Jack Charlton leaves an indelible mark on Irish football

Jack Charlton was to the Republic of Ireland what Pelé was to Brazil. He defined the national team to the world, establishing a style against which all of the country’s sides since have been measured, for better or worse. Charlton, Ireland’s first foreign manager, even helped to alter society.

The beauty of a game depends on the beholder. For nearly 10 years Charlton’s Ireland were hard to watch and harrowing to play against, yet they gave unprecedented joy to millions. He was fortunate that during his reign Ireland had some of the greatest players in their history but it took an exceptional leader to rally them. The manager, a surprising appointment, brought a charisma and a clarity of vision that had been missing.

Adored like Ali: why Roger Federer is the champion of the world – in a tiebreak | Kevin Mitchell

Nadal and Djokovic have plausible claims to be the greatest of the past 50 years but their serene, ruthless rival aces it for me

Calm Mason Greenwood can avoid Exciting Teenage Talent implosion | Barney Ronay

Manchester United’s home-produced forward is 18 and scoring for fun. The post-pandemic mini-season is the perfect time to be a teenage prodigy

At times this week it has been tempting, but not that tempting, to feel a bit sorry for Mason Greenwood. Brilliant teenage striker plays for Manchester United. Brilliant teenage striker scores in three league games in a row. Brilliant teenage striker has a way of moving around the pitch that suggests he’s playing with the benefit of a half-second delay, a man with a slightly more refined understanding of angles and gravity.

Meanwhile the world outside has turned into a pre-zombie apocalypse montage sequence. The Euros have been cancelled. And large parts of the country are sitting around losing themselves in six weeks of reheated microwave football.

Trump wanted to 'Kaepernick' Bubba Wallace. Instead he made him too big to fail

The president’s baseless attack on Nascar’s only Black driver strengthened the athlete rather than weaken him