Jake Ball is set to make his England debut against Pakistan at Lord’s today after captain Alastair Cook confirmed his place in the side a day before the start of the first Test.

The Pakistan team has had to endure a barrage of reminders of the events of six years ago.

Adapting quickly to playing conditions at the Rio Olympics will pose the biggest challenge for players, says India’s Saina Nehwal, who is aiming to better the badminton bronze she won in London four years ago.

Russian long jumper Darya Klishina was ecstatic when word came through that athletics’ ruling body had cleared her to compete at the Rio Olympics despite a blanket ban on the country’s track and field team.

A pure gold rugby ball, made in honour of Japan’s shock win over South Africa at last year’s rugby World Cup, went on sale in Tokyo yesterday for 38 million yen ($360,000).

Britain’s heavyweight IBF world champion Anthony Joshua is classy enough to go on and become undisputed champion, former king of the ring Lennox Lewis told the Press Association on Tuesday.

England coach Eddie Jones has said the team are now “back to zero” after last month’s historic 3-0 Test series win over his native Australia.

Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao plans to come out of retirement to fight, his promoter said Tuesday, though the boxer said no fight has yet been set.

San Antonio Spurs star power forward Tim Duncan, one of the best players in NBA history, announced his retirement Monday, ending a brilliant 19-season career that included five league titles.

New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady yesterday lost a bid for a new hearing before a US appeals court on his “Deflategate” four-game suspension, a decision that could mark the end of his legal fight.

Overall leader Chris Froome produced another surprise attack to gain time on his Tour de France rivals as Peter Sagan won yesterday’s blustery 11th stage.

Its moon-like summit looms large from miles away, a perverse, rocky oddity in the lush Provence region, intimidating the riders as they pedal towards Bedoin, where the ascent starts. It is time for the Ventoux.