It was a difficult day for the batters all told as the Dukes ball worked its magic in soggy conditionsMy son, doing Georgraphy revision, tells me there was a 2.5 magnitude earthquake in Derbyshire last night. Perhaps that rattled the slip cauldron, as reported BTL. Leicestershire 22-0Durham have won the toss and will bat. Looks brisk. Continue reading...

Ominous Barcelona side are in the way to another Champions League final but recent missteps pale against her achievementsEmma Hayes steps into the technical area at the Estadi Olímpic on Saturday after a draining few weeks on and off the pitch. The task is huge. Over two legs, Hayes must navigate Chelsea past a Barcelona side who are laden with World Cup …

Wolves captain has relished his journey from university and futsal to the Premier League – now he is targeting a spot at Euro 2024Maximilian Kilman is reflecting on the days when, long before evolving into one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders at Wolves, fierce derbies largely comprised playing in varsity matches for the University of …

Race distance seen as pinnacle of human achievement since time of ancient Greece is no longer the finishing line for what body can endureThe Olympic marathon held 120 years ago saw 32 people start, 14 finish, the winner disqualified for spending most of the race in a car, and another competitor undergo emergency surgery for the damage caused by inhaling dust …

An Irish-trained horse has not won one of the most coveted prizes in UK jumps racing since Queen Victoria was on the throneIn the spring of 1869, Queen Victoria was approaching the halfway mark of what would eventually be a 64-year reign, Sir Henry Morton Stanley was preparing to head for Africa to seek out Dr Livingstone, and a horse called Huntsman won the …

AI to be used to help judges and to identify sporting talentOne video presented showed AI capturing diver in real timeIt was an unlikely setting for a revolution. But at Lee Valley VeloPark, where Team GB’s cyclists dominated at London 2012, the International Olympic Committee on Friday set the wheels in motion for how artificial intelligence could …

Lock hopes for a repeat of deafening support at Twickenham as favourites England take on Ireland in Women’s Six NationsThe England lock Zoe Aldcroft calls for the ball as soon as she sees Sarah Beckett has punctured the France defence. The forward offloads to Aldcroft, who beats Émilie Boulard to weave her way to the line for England’s fifth try in the …

One of Premiership’s most vaunted coaches is earning rave reviews for swashbuckling style – to rivals’ dismayLook back through the archives and it becomes clear what kind of a player Sam Vesty was. “Probably not the most fashionable,” according to his former Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill, but as the Australian Matt O’Connor, who would …

A potential pointer to future home arrives, Ronnie O’Sullivan eyes more glory and champion Luca Brecel returns out of formFor the snooker purists, it was the sight nobody wanted to see just days out from the most prestigious ­tournament on the sport’s calendar. Debate has raged for years about whether or not the world championship will ­eventually have …

Popular winger has died at the age of 71James scored 10 goals in 54 appearances for WalesThe former Wales winger Leighton James has died at the age of 71.James’s former clubs Burnley and Swansea – where he spent 13 years of a colourful 19-year senior career – were among those to pay tribute to a gifted player who won 54 caps for his country. Continue …

World No 1 beats Raducanu 7-6 (2), 6-3 at Stuttgart OpenSwiatek will face Elena Rybakina in semi-finalEmma Raducanu’s progress in the Stuttgart Open was halted in straight sets by the world No 1, Iga Swiatek.The Polish four-time grand slam champion, in her 100th week on top of the world rankings, prevailed 7-6 (2), 6-3 to set up a semi-final with …

World champion beat Hamilton by 13 seconds in Shanghai SprintRed Bull driver now leads Formula One standings by 15 pointsRed Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen won the first sprint race of the Formula One season at the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday. Verstappen beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton by 13.043 seconds in the 19-lap race at the Shanghai …

Quiet man of British athletics on overhauling Farah, taking a risk in running London and Olympic hopes for Paris and beyondThe changing of the guard usually takes place at Buckingham Palace. But at last year’s London Marathon it happened on Tower Bridge, as Emile Cairess blasted past Mo Farah on the way to finishing as the top British athlete in the …

High prices, rescheduled kick-offs, glaring inequality, PSR confusion – all are riling supporters, yet their loyalty abidesIt is about an hour before kick-off at Stamford Bridge and Everton fans are milling outside the gate that leads to the away end. It’s a Monday night and people look tired, having just been dispatched from their coaches at the end of …

Manager says midfielder asked to leave City two seasons beforePochettino confirms Enzo Fernández is playing with a herniaPep Guardiola has described Cole Palmer as the “decisive player of the season” and said Manchester City must find a way of negating him in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. Guardiola also revealed that Palmer asked to …

ED CHAMBERLIN: It seems that a week on from three magnificent days at Aintree, a debate continues to rage over the race around which the festival is built.

JACK GAUGHAN AND KIERAN GILL: Palmer faces his former City for the third time at Wembley today as Chelsea aim to thwart City's quest to become the first club to win consecutive do

SAMI MOKBEL: It is April and Arsenal appear to be running out of steam. Again. For the third consecutive season the Gunners are stuttering at the business end of the season.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: The Aston Villa goalkeeper is the biggest wind-up merchant in world football and is disliked in France in much the same way Maradona was in England.

KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: Luton possess that power in the way they can totally dismiss whatever disappointments they have suffered in the previous match. Lose 2-0 to Arsenal? Doesn't matter.