Harry Brook urges England to make most of ‘good wicket’ after series-best score

Harry Brook may have played like a man without a care in the world en route to a freewheeling 78 not out on a rain-shortened day one of the Sydney Test, but at close of play he was reassuringly phlegmatic on the topic of his own batting output during the live part of this Ashes seres.“We’re in a very good position, three down at the end of play and hopefully we can make the most of that going into tomorrow,” Brook said. “When I first went in it felt like the bounce was fairly steep, but then it started to get a little bit lower and slower and it just generally feels like a good wicket out there.”Brook and Joe Root shared an unbroken 154-run partnership to leave England in a rare position of strength and Brook with his highest score of the series. The post-lunch session in particular was a gripping spectacle as Australia bowled short at Brook and he alternated between skewing a series of pulls and carves up in the air, and nailing the odd one for four or six

Root and Brook star for England before storm halts Ashes charge against Australia

As the rain fell on the Sydney Cricket Ground, cutting the opening day of this fifth Ashes Test into exactly half the number of allotted overs, you could practically hear the champagne corks being popped in the Cricket Australia offices. Perhaps the groundsman’s hut also.The huge losses incurred by the two-dayers in Perth and Melbourne put CA and the SCG on red alert as regards a repeat. Unless something absurd were to happen on the second day – England had reached 211 for three when play was abandoned at 5pm on the first – this series finale should last a fair bit longer.Another cause for administrative optimism was the ease with which Joe Root and Harry Brook built an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 154 runs

England reach 211-3 against Australia on day one of fifth Ashes Test – as it happened

Alex Carey is calling this SCG wicket “a decent track” and reckons good weather on days 2-5 will see a result. That rain storm has passed over Sydney’s north and strong winds are now clearing the clouds at the SCG so there’s still a chance of more cricket this afternoon.Ali Martin reports on what turned into half a day of action to begin the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG.That’s stumps on day one of the fifth Test. England won the day

‘I’m here to win’: darts world champion Luke Littler has ominous warning for rivals

Luke Littler has warned his rivals that he intends to be around for a very long time – and win plenty more PDC world titles – after adding a second crown by defeating the Dutchman Gian van Veen in a one-sided demolition.And the 18-year-old didn’t entirely rule out chasing down Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles after emphatically proving himself as the best darts player on the planet again by winning 7-1.“Obviously it’s so far away,” he said. “I’ve still got 14 to go. Another 15-16 years I’d say

Luke Littler joins pantheon of greats at sport’s biggest pantomime | Sean Ingle

Few sports stars in history are so precocious that their place in the pantheon is assured by the time they are 18. Pelé was one. Nadia Comaneci another. Boris Becker too. Now you can add Luke Littler to that list

Luke Littler 7-1 Gian van Veen: PDC World Championship darts final – as it happened

The winning moment seemed to drain all the strength from his body. He leaned against the drinks table and let it take all his weight, clasped his face in his hands, cried a little. As if only just feeling the shape and hue of the unspeakable thing he had just done. As if some great act of violence had just left his hands. Perhaps it had