Australia stunned by South Africa: Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final – as it happened

A few days back I had a bit of a moan that this had been a slightly underwhelming tournament, with a lack of surprises and/or close finishes. Well we still could do with a close finish but we’ve had a couple of big shocks, courtesy of turbo-charged displays from West Indies on Tuesday and now South Africa tonight. The serial champions and holders Australia are heading home, and this tournament is now tantalisingly hard to call. South Africa did everything right today, and another showing like that in the final could finally land them a trophy. Thanks for following

Oisin Murphy turns to counselling amid demands as champion jockey

Oisin Murphy has turned the race for the 2024 Flat riders’ title into a procession and will be crowned as the UK’s champion jockey for the fourth time at Ascot on Saturday, but the Irishman seemed to suggest on Thursday that the demands of securing the title in possibly “the most competitive weighing room in the world” could rule out a challenge for a fifth championship next year.Murphy has taken 744 rides during the current campaign, at least 100 more than any other UK rider, while a 22% strike-rate – the highest of any jockey in the top 20 in the table – had taken him to 162 winners before racing on Thursday, 54 in front of the second-placed rider, Rossa Ryan.His stats are phenomenal, and it has been, on the face of it, a comfortable, almost freewheeling success. Murphy’s latest championship, though, is also his first since receiving a 14-month suspension in December 2021, having twice failed a pre-racing breath test for alcohol and also misled the British Horseracing Authority over a trip abroad which breached Covid restrictions in 2020.Murphy is an intensely thoughtful and analytical rider, who assesses his own performances and the form of top-level and day-to-day racing in granular detail

Ben Ainslie and Ineos Britannia crew plot dramatic America’s Cup comeback

Twenty-four hours can be a long time on the water. When the sea state off Barcelona changed on Tuesday, the balance of the 37th America’s Cup shifted with it. All of a sudden, Ineos Britannia, who were trailing Emirates Team New Zealand 4-0 in the best-of-13 series, were swept back into contention. The America’s Cup is a competition for sailboat builders as well as sailors, and the subtle design differences between the two AC75 yachts gave the British team an advantage in the heavier weather. Soon enough, they had pulled the score back to 4-2

Collingwood insists England have belief to chase down ‘tough’ Pakistan target

Paul Collingwood insisted England had not given up hope of beating Pakistan despite ending the third day of the second Test on a near-exhausted pitch on 36 for two, still 261 runs from a distant and testing target. “We’ll still have belief,” the assistant coach said. “It’ll be a hell of a chase, but we’ve got to be realistic – it’s a tough ask.”England’s pursuit started dismally, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley both falling within the first four overs. Their only real cause for optimism is the ease – at least once he had benefited from two dropped catches while still in single figures – with which Salman Agha scored 63 late-innings runs as Pakistan reached 221 in their second knock

What’s brown, shiny and boasts a sexy sheen of scandal? Welcome to the world of conkers | Emma John

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom-friend of the Boden gilet. Leaves shed from trees in a blaze of colour, and make their way straight for train tracks. Autumnal light rears up at acute angles, a dazzling reminder that it’s always too early to put away your sunglasses.It’s this time of year when sports fans’ thoughts turn naturally to one of the great annual showpiece tournaments.We’re talking, of course, about the World Conker Championships, which has generated more media interest in the past week than England’s men’s and women’s cricket teams combined

Pakistan v England: second men’s cricket Test, day three – as it happened

Simon Burnton’s report from Multan has landed:The contest between bat and ball has been captivating in this Test match, much more so than the run scorin’ record tumblin’ of the first game. It’ll all be over tomorrow either way, Pakistan will level the series with one to play or England will win it with a run chase for the ages. Again. Can both of those things be true? I’m not sure, but I am tired. Tired but happy