Rishabh Pant blast rocks Australia on 15-wicket day to keep India’s hopes alive

When the fourth Australia-India Test at Melbourne finished with an hour to go on the final day, those who love the long game were sated. The experience was hearty and nutritious, like working your way through a large slice of dense and worthy rye bread. The first two days of the fifth Test here, by contrast, have been a pure sugar rush. Eleven wickets on day one were followed by 15 on day two, as the match careered towards a conclusion though a winner remains unclear.India all out 185 was the first-day story, but somehow that turned into a four-run lead

Luke Littler believes he can break Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world darts titles

Luke Littler believes he can hunt down Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles after becoming the youngest ever PDC world darts champion.The 17-year-old consolidated his status as the biggest star in the game by winning the PDC World Championship with a comprehensive 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Friday’s final at Alexandra Palace in London.Asked what he hoped to achieve next after securing his first world title, Littler told Sky News: “I’ve said previously, if I can win every major title in my career then I’ll be happy. I’d like to add on the world titles, and deep down, if I want to break the record of Phil Taylor, I’ve got the ability to. If I want it, I’m sure I can do it

Let’s champion our mentors as well as sport’s trophy-winners in 2025 | Cath Bishop

As we anticipate what sport will bring us in 2025, we might be tempted to look ahead to the major international tournaments in rugby, cricket and football. But there’s another space to consider, less glamorous but absolutely vital, where sport is making an increasingly significant contribution to society – the growing cadre of sportsmen and women working as mentors in support of young people facing challenges and disadvantages.Organisations such as the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust (DKHT), Dallaglio Rugbyworks, Football Beyond Borders and Streetgames use sportsmen and women to provide support, encouragement and a trusted connection for young people trapped in complex adverse situations around the country. Just turning up at a sports session isn’t enough; it’s about creating a relationship with a trusted mentor within that setting.Successive governments constantly rediscover that there is no straightforward solution to support those “hardest to reach”

Ilona Maher draws record crowd on Bristol bow but Gloucester spoil party

Premiership Women’s Rugby has never seen a debut like Ilona Maher’s for Bristol Bears. The club more than doubled their record attendance with the 9,240 supporters also breaking the crowd record for a standalone PWR regular-season match. Maher’s presence was the cause of the influx of fans with the fixture against Gloucester-Hartpury moved to Ashton Gate from Shaftesbury Park after the USA international’s signing was announced in December.Such is the Maher effect that the game was broadcast across the world, including the US and New Zealand. Supporters had to wait to see the 28-year-old in action as she started from the bench but she entered the fray in the 61st minute to a deafening roar

Australia’s bowlers batter India to keep home fires burning for World Championship tilt

In the very end, it was more fizzle than fizz, though something else had threatened earlier. Mind you, the very end came right in the middle, Australia winning the fifth Test against India halfway through the third day in Sydney.It was not even the middle if you counted overs bowled, the match using 190 of a possible 450 on a pitch that grew less fit for purpose with each passing day. That tallied with the broader contest: early finishes in Perth and Adelaide, rain in Brisbane, all resulting in the third-fewest deliveries ever bowled across a five-Test series.The series outcome is what should be regarded first, Australia going to 3-1 after chasing 162 in Sydney with six wickets in hand

Luke Littler’s rise brings darts huge opportunities – and burning questions | Jonathan Liew

You know what? I reckon this is the year Luke Littler could finally be ready for the Premier League. Obviously we all still want to wrap him up in cotton wool. Obviously we’re all still deeply concerned about how the attention and pressure could affect his game. But my bet – if the evidence of the last 12 months is any guide – is that he might just be able to handle it.Premier League champion, Grand Slam champion, a slew of victories across eight different countries in the Pro Tour, the European Tour and the World Series