WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The new Super League season gets under way on Sunday afternoon with Manchester, under recently signed head coach Oli Parr, taking on the Caledonia Gladiators at Belle Vue’s National Basketball Centre before Newcastle face reigning play-off champions Sheffield. Last season’s league title holders Oaklands Wolves don’t begin their campaign until next weekend. There will only be 10 teams in the competition due to Durham’s resignation.

SPEEDWAY: Sheffield Tigers held on to earn a narrow 46-43 victory over Leicester in Thursday night’s first leg of their semi-final play-off. The Tigers led by 14 points with just three heats remaining but were pegged back by Leicester’s superb rearguard action with Sam Masters top-scoring on 12+1 points. The second leg is scheduled for Monday with the aggregate winners going on to meet Ipswich Witches in the final.

WOMEN’S CRICKET: Australia and India meet in Delhi tomorrow for the final leg of their three-match one-day series. The teams are currently tied at 1-1 after the Indians inflicted the heaviest ever defeat on the Aussies with Wednesday’s 102-run victory. Australia are ranked as the world’s best team, one place above their hosts but the Indians have the top rated batswoman, Smitri Mandhana, who smashed 117 from 91 balls in their midweek win. 

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Hull Kingston Rovers came from behind to beat Warrington 28-20 at Craven Park on Thursday night, sealing their first ever Super League leaders shield and completing the double after their Challenge Cup success in June. Humberside neighbours Hull FC continued their poor home record with a 26-22 defeat against Catalans Dragons that confirmed they will not reach the end of season play-offs.

ATHLETICS: Amy Hunt burst into tears immediately after blazing to a brilliant silver medal in the 200m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

It was Great Britain’s second podium of these championships, achieved in 22.14 seconds behind the United States’ Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, already the 100m champion in Japan, who crossed the line in 21.68s.

Shericka Jackson collected bronze for Jamaica in 22.18s, while Dina Asher-Smith finished fifth.

WOMEN’S TENNIS: Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong is not daunted by the prospect of taking on 18-time winners the United States in the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup tomorrow.

Britain breezed through a quarter-final tie against Japan without dropping a set on Thursday, as Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter won their singles matches against Ena Shibahara and Moyuka Uchijima respectively.

MEN’S CRICKET: Australia captain Pat Cummins has not yet ruled out playing all five Ashes Tests this winter, despite ongoing concerns over his back injury.

Cummins is currently recovering from a “lumbar stress” problem and head coach Andrew McDonald raised eyebrows over his skipper’s likely availability against England when he suggested the seamer would play a “significant” role in the series, rather than a full one.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler thinks tomorrow’s opponents Tottenham are “in a good place” under Thomas Frank following a good start to the season.

Spurs are hunting their fourth win of the Premier League season but face the tricky task of beating Brighton, who are unbeaten on their own patch at Falmer Stadium so far.

The Seagulls have otherwise had an inconsistent start, their only win against Manchester City was sandwiched between a pair of away defeats to Everton and Bournemouth.