England Test tour schedule for Pakistan finally confirmed 17 days before start

The schedule for England’s Test series in Pakistan has finally been confirmed, just 17 days before play gets under way, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) deciding to move only the second game, which, like the first, will now be played in Multan.The original schedule was announced precisely 11 weeks ago in July, with the first Test in Multan, the second in Karachi and the third in Rawalpindi. But after it became clear that major renovation work on the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, being undertaken with February’s Champions Trophy in mind, would not be completed in time, various options were considered.These included playing the second game in Rawalpindi, keeping it in Karachi but playing it behind closed doors, and even playing one of the Tests in Abu Dhabi. The eventual solution allowed the PCB to present the change as “minor adjustments” and means that any international flights booked in July will not need to be changed

Sublime Sydney surge into AFL grand final with crushing win over Port Adelaide

The SCG has hosted some nerve-shredding finals over the years, but this year’s preliminary final was a jolly romp. By early in the second quarter, it was obvious that the game was being played completely on Sydney’s terms. All the signs were there – a stack of uncontested marks, plenty of space, that Sydney swagger and a febrile crowd. They’ve been tardy starters this year, but they quickly gained the upper hand and never forfeited control.They went into Friday night’s game as warm favourites, with the only real doubts concerning their dire recent record against Port Adelaide

Sydney Swans beat Port Adelaide Power to reach AFL grand final – as it happened

That’s it from me, folks. The thunder has been shaken down from the sky and Sydney are through to their fifth grand final under John Longmire. Tune in tomorrow to see if it’s the Cats or the Lions they face off against at the MCG next Saturday. Thanks for your company tonight and stay tuned for Jonathan Horn’s glorious prose which is incoming!And then there were three 👀#AFLFinals | #AFLSwansPower pic.twitter

Surrey seal title as Somerset fold against Lancashire: county cricket day four – as it happened

And, with the covers on at Old Trafford, and the bread rolls gone, time to sign off. Huge congratulations to Surrey – the outstanding team of the Championship – who, for all their advantages, play brilliant cricket and care about the red-ball game. Commiserations to Somerset, who met a Lancashire side who suddenly found their mojo. Congratulations also to promoted Sussex, and bad luck to Kent, time to lick your wounds in the party division.We’ll be back for the final time next Thursday, with one more promotion place and one more relegation place to sort out, and a trophy to hand over at Chelmsford

Surrey celebrate third straight County Championship title after Somerset loss

Surrey had to wait just 43 balls on Friday morning before they were crowned the 2024 County Champions, as Somerset, their only possible challengers, slipped away like a soggy sandcastle at Old Trafford.The Surrey squad, watching in the dressing room at the Oval, hugged and punched the air. Maybe it lacked the piquancy of winning the title on the pitch, but who was going to turn their nose up at a third Championship in a row, the first time any club have done that since Yorkshire under Brian Close in 1966, 67 and 68? Rory Burns, who has played in every one of Surrey’s 13 championship games, alongside Dom Sibley and Jordan Clark, and who passed 1,000 runs for the season against Durham this week, wins his fourth pennant as captain.It is a magnificent achievement by a club who, though they may have the resources other clubs can only dream of, take red-ball cricket seriously, value it and their supporters, invest in homegrown players and have, in their retiring director of cricket Alec Stewart, one of county cricket’s giants.“You don’t often get a cuddle and a bit of a tear from Stewie,” Surrey head coach, Gareth Batty, told the BBC afterwards, “but when the Lancs boys got the final wicket there was a big outburst of emotion

Scrivens wants new dawn for underdogs Sunrisers in Heyhoe Flint Trophy final

Grace Scrivens says she is undaunted by Sunrisers’ underdog status going into Saturday’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final against South East Stars at Leicester.Reaching the final caps a fairytale turnaround for the Sunrisers, who failed to win a match in the first three editions of the competition but notched a surprising seven-wicket success in their semi-final last weekend against the table-topping Northern Diamonds.South East Stars are also making a first-time appearance in the final, but are previous holders of the 20-over title, the Charlotte Edwards Cup.“We can take incredible confidence coming out of that semi-final,” Scrivens, her team’s captain, said. “It’s probably the least stressful game of cricket I’ve ever watched as a Sunriser