MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Five Super League clubs begin their seasons tomorrow evening when the Challenge Cup third round kicks-off with Huddersfield at Hunslet, St Helens visiting Workington, Hull FC travelling to Salford and 2025’s runners-up Warrington at Sheffield. 

Tonight’s other fixture sees last year’s winners Hull KR in Castleford to face part-timers Lock Lane. 21-time champions Wigan play at Rochdale Hornets on Sunday.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: London Lions suffered yet another EuroCup buzzer-beating defeat after going down 86-85 at Group B’s top team Bourg-en-Bresse on Wednesday evening. 

The Lions led by eight points with less than a minute to go before Assemian Mousare sank a last second three-pointer for the Frenchmen. 

London end their European season at the Copper Box next week against Lithuania’s Panevezys, who also failed to reach the play-offs.

MEN’S CRICKET: England face India in Saturday’s final of the Under-19s One Day World Cup in Harare. 

Both teams take 100 per cent records into the tournament decider after the English beat defending champions Australia by 27 runs in their semi-final and India set a new run chase record, smashing their way to 311-3 with over eight overs to spare, as they cruised to a seven wicket win over Afghanistan on Wednesday.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Airdrieonians host St Mirren in the Scottish Cup fifth round’s opening match tomorrow evening before champions Aberdeen meet Motherwell in Saturday’s all Premiership clash. 

The other ties see Rangers against Queen’s Park in a Glasgow derby, Dundee United face League Two’s Spartans, Dunfermline take on Kelty, Celtic play Dundee, Stenhousemuir meet Falkirk and Partick at Elgin, the lowest ranked club left in the competition.