England captain Ben Stokes returned to training with Durham on Saturday following a team curfew breach that ruled him out of the second Test against New Zealand.
The 35-year-old all-rounder and pace bowler Gus Atkinson are unavailable for Wednesday’s match at The Oval pending a disciplinary investigation.
Both players broke a midnight curfew following the first Test victory over the Black Caps last Sunday.
They were present in the early hours of Monday morning when a member of security staff was allegedly struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Domestic return permitted
Despite being suspended from international duties by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), both men are free to play domestic cricket.
The Durham star bowled in the middle at Chester-le-Street during his county’s Championship match against Derbyshire.
He subsequently batted in the nets alongside batting coach Dale Benkenstein and international team-mate Emilio Gay.
This paves the way for the suspended duo to feature in the next round of County Championship matches starting on Friday.
Captaincy future uncertain
Initial speculation suggested the veteran player was considering retirement in the immediate aftermath of the disciplinary incident.
However, his swift return to the nets strongly indicates a resolute desire to resume his playing career.
England director of cricket Rob Key recently confirmed he expects the talismanic leader to play international cricket again.
“I don’t see why not.”
That was the definitive response from Key when questioned about the player’s international future.
But the managing director offered no guarantees regarding the prospect of him retaining the captaincy he has held since 2022.
“There are a lot of things to happen before then. We’ve got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly.”
Key added that no official decisions will be made until the ongoing disciplinary process is completely concluded.
The ECB maintains all options remain open, explicitly denying reports that the skipper has already been asked to stand down.
An outcome from the investigation is not expected before the second Test begins, with head coach Brendon McCullum scheduled to address the media on Monday.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is confident the highly anticipated heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will take place in the UK this November, with Wembley Stadium the clear favourite to host.
The monumental clash between the British heavyweights has long been craved by boxing fans and appears closer than ever to becoming a reality.
Both fighters must first navigate summer tune-up bouts to keep the lucrative showdown on track.
The former Olympian makes his ring return on 25 July against Albanian Kristian Prenga, while the ‘Gypsy King’ plans to fight in Dublin on 1 August.
Contractual push for a British blockbuster
There had been ongoing speculation the fight could be staged in Saudi Arabia or the United States, given the involvement of boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh.
However, the Matchroom Boxing boss insists existing agreements mandate a domestic setting.
“The contract is very clear. It specifically states the fight must take place in the UK,” Hearn confirmed.
“We also understand that Turki Alalshikh is paying for the fight, so if he comes up with a plan to stage the fight somewhere else, there will be a sensible conversation and a renegotiation of that contract if we want to move forward with that.”
Hearn emphasised that the clause was intentionally included to guarantee the biggest fight in British boxing history happens on home soil.
Wembley leads the stadium race
Wembley is currently the leading candidate to stage the event, remaining ahead of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
The national stadium previously hosted a record-breaking crowd of 98,128 when the Watford-born fighter suffered a shock defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
A precise date remains unconfirmed, but organisers are targeting a Saturday night in the middle of November.
Concerns over staging an outdoor stadium event deep into the British autumn have been quickly dismissed by Joshua’s camp.
Hearn referenced Conor Benn’s recent rematch victory over Chris Eubank Jr at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as proof that winter conditions are no barrier.
“That fight can take place in the snow – I don’t really care, as long as it takes place,” he joked.
Captain George Furbank scored two tries in his final home game as Northampton Saints defeated Leicester Tigers 45-31 in a thrilling East Midlands derby at Franklin’s Gardens to reach the Premiership final.
The England international, who departs for Harlequins next season, ensured his current club has an opportunity to secure a second consecutive domestic title at Twickenham.
The hosts emerged victorious from an absorbing semi-final that featured an incredible first-half hat-trick from Tom Litchfield.
The table-topping Saints will now meet either defending champions Bath or Exeter Chiefs in the showpiece event.
Litchfield sets play-off record in frantic start
A bustling run from Henry Pollock laid the foundation for the fastest try ever scored in a Premiership play-off match.
Litchfield scythed through the opposition resistance after just 87 seconds to ignite the ferocious local rivalry.
The visitors responded swiftly through Hanro Liebenberg, who powered over in his final appearance for the Leicestershire club.
Fit-again full-back Freddie Steward then stretched over to give Geoff Parling’s side a momentary lead, remarkably scoring with the same hand that required thumb surgery just weeks ago.
Furbank finishes the job after first-half fireworks
A defensive mix-up allowed Litchfield to pounce for his second try before Tommy Freeman produced a spectacular solo effort.
The lightning-fast winger smartly side-footed a pinpoint Fin Smith cross-kick to extend the home advantage.
Ollie Hassell-Collins hit back for the fourth-placed Tigers, finishing well out wide following a clever kick from Billy Searle.
However, Litchfield muscled over with a last-gasp effort before the break to complete his treble and secure a 26-19 half-time lead.
Saints march on to Twickenham
The frenetic pace continued after the interval as the departing home skipper crossed the whitewash to consolidate the advantage.
Orlando Bailey and a second score from Hassell-Collins briefly kept the contest alive for the visitors.
Ultimately, Archie McParland’s fine effort and another clinical finish from Furbank sealed a memorable victory in front of a raucous home crowd.
The result sends the 2024 champions back to Twickenham, rewarding a spectacular regular season campaign where they finished comfortably at the summit of the standings.
Former two-time world champion Gudaf Tsegay has been suspended for four months after testing positive for a prohibited substance used to treat a medical condition.
The 29-year-old returned a positive out-of-competition test for a metabolite of Letrozole last December.
Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor primarily used in breast cancer treatment that helps lower estrogen levels.
The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist promptly responded to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in January with supporting medical documents explaining the prescription.
Retroactive exemption denied
World Athletics confirmed the prescribed treatment met international standard requirements for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) subsequently rejected the Ethiopian distance runner’s application for a retroactive exemption.
This led the former 5,000m and 10,000m world title holder to enter a formal case resolution agreement with both governing bodies.
Reduced sanction explained
An official statement confirmed a reduced suspension was applied under rules concerning no significant fault or negligence by the athlete.
The AIU noted that a four-month ban was “considered appropriate” under these specific regulatory guidelines.
This leniency reflects her prompt admission and the recognition that a TUE would have been granted had she requested it in advance.
Her period of ineligibility has been backdated to 1 June and will officially conclude on 30 September.
New Zealand’s all-time leading run-scorer Kane Williamson has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket.
The sudden decision brings the curtain down on a glittering career that saw the prolific right-hander dominate bowling attacks across all formats.
His departure leaves a significant void in the Black Caps’ batting lineup ahead of their upcoming international fixtures.
A generational talent steps away
The former captain will be best remembered for leading his nation to glory in the inaugural World Test Championship final against India in 2021.
Widely regarded as one of the finest batters of his era, the 35-year-old accumulated records with an elegant technique and a famously calm demeanour.
He steps away having amassed more Test runs than any other player in New Zealand’s history, cementing his status as a modern great.
End of an era for the Black Caps
Although he stepped down from the Test captaincy in recent years, his influence within the dressing room remained unparalleled.
The veteran batter consistently delivered on the biggest stages, frequently guiding his team deep into major World Cup tournaments.
Cricket New Zealand is expected to release a formal tribute detailing his extraordinary contributions to the national side over the coming days.
Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has reportedly been expelled from a California golf club following allegations of nonconsensual physical contact with a female employee.
The incident is alleged to have occurred earlier this spring at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe.
According to Golf Digest, the 55-year-old made inappropriate advances towards a staff member inside the clubhouse.
The employee reportedly rejected the approach and immediately escalated the matter to her supervisors.
Club confirms decisive action
Following a swift independent investigation into the claims, officials confronted the American golfer on the course and instructed him to leave.
The Farms released a statement confirming the dismissal of an individual, though they chose not to name the player directly.
Following a staff member report of member misconduct, the club provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident and took decisive action.
This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.
Representatives for the veteran golfer have publicly dismissed the severity of the allegations.
Any misunderstanding has been cleared up.
Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.
Stepping away from the sport
The former world number two has only made one competitive appearance this year while dealing with an undisclosed family issue.
His extended absence means he missed both the Masters and the PGA Championship, while he is no longer exempt for the upcoming US Open.
This latest controversy adds to a turbulent period for the prominent LIV Golf figure.
The left-hander faced intense backlash in 2022 after admitting he used the Saudi-backed breakaway league to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.
He has also endured extensive public scrutiny regarding his personal finances and gambling habits in recent years.
A 2023 autobiography by noted gambler Billy Walters alleged that the Californian had wagered more than $1bn (£790m) on sports over a 30-year period.
Bangladesh secured a landmark first ODI series victory against six-time world champions Australia by clinching a five-wicket win in a rain-hit match in Dhaka.
The hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after comfortably chasing down a revised target of 192 from 41 overs.
Stand-in captain Josh Inglis watched his side endure a catastrophic start after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
Historic top-order collapse
The touring side suffered a spectacular batting failure, losing their top three batters without scoring a single run.
Pace duo Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman dismantled the top order, dismissing Matthew Short, Cooper Connolly, and Matthew Renshaw for ducks.
In a stunning statistical rarity, it was only the fourth time in international cricket history that a team has lost all three opening batters for zero.
The visitors found themselves reeling at 81-6 before Marnus Labuschagne and Xavier Bartlett mounted a crucial recovery.
Labuschagne anchors the innings
The resilient middle-order pair combined for a 103-run partnership to drag their struggling team towards a respectable total of 187-8.
Labuschagne compiled a patient, unbeaten 55 from 85 deliveries to stabilise the visitors.
Bartlett also struck a vital half-century before being bowled by Ahmed, shortly before a torrential downpour forced a three-hour delay.
Hosts cruise to target
Despite losing opening batter Tanzid Hasan to a two-ball duck, the home side faced little difficulty in navigating the revised run chase.
Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto laid the foundation with crucial knocks of 42 runs each.
An unbeaten partnership between Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz ultimately guided the Tigers across the finish line.
This latest defeat compounds a miserable tour for the reigning World Cup holders, who continue to struggle without injured regular captain Mitchell Marsh.
French sailor and reigning Vendee Globe champion Charlie Dalin has died at the age of 42 following a long battle with a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer.
The accomplished yachtsman secured his historic victory in the 2024-25 edition of the non-stop round-the-world race while actively undergoing immunotherapy treatment.
He completed the gruelling 24,300-mile route in an astonishing 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.
That incredible feat shattered the previous record set by Armel Le Cleac’h in 2017 by more than nine days.
A profound loss for the sailing community
“It is with deep sadness that my family and I announce the passing of my husband, Charlie Dalin, following a long illness.”
That poignant message was shared with AFP on Thursday by his wife, Perrine Le Pape.
She and their son, Oscar, had famously joined the record-breaker aboard his boat as he crossed the finish line to claim the 10th edition of the legendary solo race in January 2025.
Overcoming heartbreak and illness
The French mariner had previously suffered bitter disappointment during the 2020-21 competition.
Despite crossing the line first on that occasion, he was ultimately relegated to second place after Yannick Bestaven received a time bonus for assisting in a mid-ocean rescue.
Medical struggles then forced the offshore specialist to withdraw from the Transat Jacques Vabre in late 2023.
It was only last October that he publicly revealed his diagnosis in a deeply personal book.
Within those pages, the oceanic racer chronicled his fight with the disease, confirming he had received life-extending treatment throughout his monumental globe-conquering voyage.