MEN’S FOOTBALL:

South Africa have been fined and deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player in their 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lesotho.

The South Africans have now slipped to second in Group C, behind Benin on goal difference, with only the top team guaranteed a spot at next year’s World Cup.

South Africa face bottom-of-the-table Zimbabwe and Rwanda in their final two qualifiers.

WOMEN’S CRICKET:

Champions Australia begin the defence of their ICC World Cup title against New Zealand in Indore, Madhya Pradesh tomorrow.

The Aussies have won the trophy seven times and never finished outside the top four at the previous 12 tournaments. They come into the competition as the world’s top-ranked one-day team, three places above the White Ferns.

England play their opening match against South Africa on Friday.

WOMEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE:

Despite finishing bottom of the Super League without a point and already being relegated, Warrington have been docked nine points for failing to raise a team for four of their fixtures.

Their disastrous season was emphasised by the automatic 48-0 defeats they received for not playing being lower than the average 63-6 hammerings they received in their other ten league games.

MEN’S FOOTBALL:

Cuba continue their Under-20s World Cup campaign in Valparaiso tomorrow with a Group D game against 2023’s runners-up Italy.

The Cubans lost their opener 3-1 against six-time champions Argentina, while the Italians edged out Australia 1-0.

Tournament debutants New Caledonia went down 9-1 to the United States in their first match on Tuesday morning. None of the British Isles teams qualified for the finals.