Australia beat England by five wickets in second ODI to win Women’s Ashes – as it happened
Right, that’s it from me. I’m going to try and get a couple of hours sleep before morning. Thanks to anyone out there for tuning in, and to Ravi for his tweets! A disappointing game for England, who are yet to win a match this series, but a pleasing one for Australia, who WIN THE ASHES and can delight in seeing Perry back to her best with bat and ball. We’ll be back late on Monday night.Have a lovely day.Well, that wasn’t a box-office thriller. Australia used their innings to safely row towards the shore rather than try any fancy detours. England’s bowling was adequate, did the job , but without much ballast from the batters. A few problems for England at the top order, they’re so reliant on Heather Knight which puts a huge responsibility on her shoulders. We wait, incidentally, to hear any news on Kate Cross’s injury - who took two wickets.They’ve already rattled through the media presentations - the player of the match is Ellyse Perry; Heather Knight is disappointed in what might have been on a slow pitch; Meg Lanning would have liked to finish a little bit better with the bat but is very happy, says Perry is bowling better than she’s seen her bowl for a long time.
Mack Hansen makes instant impact as Ireland aim for Total Farrell
The trip to Paris already feels like the potential crux of this tournament, which feels like a faintly ridiculous statement to make after 80 minutes of play. But for Ireland and their long-agonising supporters, it may just be time to start believing the hype. It was a measure of Ireland’s dominance that a normally edgy crowd had begun to relax well before the end.Ruthless Ireland obliterate injury-hit Wales to lay down Six Nations markerRead moreTen minutes from time the Mexican waves were already swooping around the stadium and a little air had drained from the place.At which point, as if to chide Ireland for their contentment, Taine Basham promptly pilfered a late try after a rare moment of slackness from Tadhg Beirne. Still, the magnificent Beirne had more than earned his little late siesta, and in a way so had Ireland.Certainly you might argue that the scoreline flattered the losers, not the victors. Ireland could have put the game to bed within 20 minutes, but even without the points their supremacy deserved, the way they made Wales suffer during that opening quarter would tell later on.It was a great day for Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose at centre, for Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, for Andrew Conway and his two tries, for Jack Conan who won a crucial breakdown penalty late in the first half just as Wales were threatening to strike back.Indeed, pretty much the only Irishman who was not enjoying himself was Rob Baloucoune: left out in favour of Mack Hansen, and now forced to watch the debutant rip up the defending Six Nations champions.Doubtless the talented Baloucoune will get a chance to add to his two Ireland caps before long. But here it was Hansen who seized his chance and seized the moment, earning the man-of-the-match award (probably out of sentiment as much as anything else) and almost certainly an extended run in the side. He made 94 metres, more than anyone else, two clean breaks and the sumptuous assist for Aki’s early try.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Cardiff (Elliott, 76 mins)
That’s a cracker! The ball comes in from the left and Elliott, in a worrying amount of space after McGuinness slips, takes a lovely first touch before hammering a volley inside the near post!15 - Trent Alexander-Arnold has recorded his 15th assist of the season across all competitions; this is the most by any Premier League player in 2021-22, as well as the joint-most for Alexander-Arnold in a single season of his career (also 15 in 18-19 and 19-20). Pinpoint.
Rory McIlroy discounting past glories as he chases third Dubai Desert Classic
Rory McIlroy publicly places little stock in two previous wins at the Dubai Desert Classic but one can be certain the rest of those vying for the famous trophy are well aware of his record at the Emirates Club. Should he prevail here, McIlroy would join Ernie Els as a three-times Desert Classic champion.“I live in Ernie’s old house in Florida,” said McIlroy. “It would be nice to do something else sort of intertwined with him.”Relief as Prince Andrew relinquishes membership of Royal & Ancient ClubRead moreMcIlroy’s 69 – one stroke more than the best round in an 81-strong third-round field – puts him in the final group in his second start of 2022. Justin Harding produced his highest score of the week, 71, but still leads McIlroy’s 10 under par by two. Tommy Fleetwood and Erik van Rooyen are firmly part of this equation at minus nine. Yet given his status and previous glories, all eyes are fixed on McIlroy.“I’m excited,” said McIlroy. “I had a really good chance in 2018 here and let it slip through my fingers. It is good to give myself another opportunity.”Rory McIlroy publicly places little stock in two previous wins at the Dubai Desert Classic but one can be certain the rest of those vying for the famous trophy are well aware of his record at the Emirates Club. Should he prevail here, McIlroy would join Ernie Els as a three-times Desert Classic champion.“I live in Ernie’s old house in Florida,” said McIlroy. “It would be nice to do something else sort of intertwined with him.”Relief as Prince Andrew relinquishes membership of Royal & Ancient ClubRead moreMcIlroy’s 69 – one stroke more than the best round in an 81-strong third-round field – puts him in the final group in his second start of 2022. Justin Harding produced his highest score of the week, 71, but still leads McIlroy’s 10 under par by two. Tommy Fleetwood and Erik van Rooyen are firmly part of this equation at minus nine. Yet given his status and previous glories, all eyes are fixed on McIlroy.“I’m excited,” said McIlroy. “I had a really good chance in 2018 here and let it slip through my fingers. It is good to give myself another opportunity.”
Scotland can build momentum from famous victory over auld enemy
It was a second successive victory over England for the first time since 1984 – they went on to win their second grand slam that year – and a third in five meetings with England.If there are plenty of hurdles in the way before such thoughts can be entertained this year, Scotland will head to Cardiff next Saturday with a huge spring in their step. This was far from a perfect performance as their coach, Gregor Townsend, will no doubt point out when the analysis begins in earnest. But after the victories in Llanelli, Twickenham and Paris in the past 16 months, and another tight squeeze against Australia in the autumn, the belief coursing through the tartan ranks is palpable. The encouraging thing is they can play much better than this, but victory was everything. Momentum is firmly with them.Scotland edge out England after Luke Cowan-Dickie’s blunderRead moreScotland enjoyed more possession and territory than any other side in the Six Nations last year. Here, though, they were living off scraps for the first hour. After 50 minutes they had spent seven seconds in England’s 22.The home side had one real opportunity to score a try and they took it with alacrity. It started with a quick lineout routine and when Maro Itoje rushed up in defence, Stuart Hogg did brilliantly to skip around the England lock’s tackle and slip the charging Darcy Graham through a gap between Nick Isiekwe and Elliot Daly. The Edinburgh wing sized up the situation, stepped inside Joe Marchant and found the supporting Ben White on an inside support line.What a moment for the 23-year-old London Irish scrum-half. His inclusion in the squad – ahead of the more experienced George Horne – and then the matchday 23, given the form of Edinburgh’s Ben Vellacott, raised a few eyebrows north of the border.When Ali Price went off for an HIA after 12 minutes, those concerns only heightened further. One wondered if Townsend had taken an unnecessary gamble.No wonder White was grinning as he was handed his coat on the sidelines following Price’s return. A 12-minute cameo and a debut try.
Earlier, we saw cross-country skier Alexander Bolshunov secure
Earlier, we saw cross-country skier Alexander Bolshunov secure gold in the 30km skiathlon. In his press conference, the Russian athlete hit back at reporters “hinting at doping” by querying his dominant performance.“We have clean sportsmen, clean athletes who are at the Olympics who do doping tests almost every day,” Bolshunov said. “I believe it’s wrong to ask us these questions – you don’t achieve these results all of a sudden, you don’t become an Olympic champion, because it takes years and years of training.”The ROC cross-country skiing coach, Yuri Borodavko, was banned by the Russian ski federation for two years in 2010 for being “involved in doping cases”. He has always denied any involvement, and maintains that his suspension was a formality.
Winter Olympics day two: curling, ski jumping, luge and freestyle skiing – live!
In the fourth leg, neither USA’s Ethan Cepuran or Switzerland’s Livio Wenger can get close to the podium. I’m also disappointed that Wenger didn’t take to the rink in a knee-length padded coat.The final pair before we take a 15-minute break (why, I’m not sure) are Dutchman Patrick Roest and Italy’s Andrea Giovannini. Roest is on track to overtake Engebråten at halfway but looking weary – can he hold on?He certainly can – in fact, he sets a new Olympic record of 6min 9.31s, half a second quicker than his Norwegian rival. That will take some beating.
Southend West: byelection win for Tories in seat of killed MP
Jamaica will enter a four-man bobsleigh team in the Olympics for the first time in 24 years after nicking the final qualifying spot, offering a feelgood reboot for the island nation whose debut at the 1988 Calgary Games inspired the Disney film Cool Runnings. Just making it to Beijing might seem like accomplishment enough for Shanwayne Stephens, the team’s 31-year-old pilot and Royal Air Force lance corporal who emigrated to Great Britain with his family in 2002: certainly after improvised training methods at the height of the pandemic that included pushing his girlfriend’s Mini Cooper around the streets of Peterborough. But having touched down in China after undergoing their final preparations at the University of Bath, his goal is plain. “It’s got to be medalling,” Stephens says. “It’s everybody’s dream, it’s what we’re here to do. So why not aim high?” BAG