ICE HOCKEY: Belfast Giants came from behind to win 3-1 at Guildford Flames on Wednesday evening and moved two points clear of Cardiff at the top of the Elite League with a game in hand. Ethan Strang opened the scoring for the Flames before goals from Gabe Best, Mike Lee and David Goodwin sealed victory for the defending champions. Belfast next face bottom club Dundee on Saturday before visiting Manchester on Sunday.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: The Bundesliga’s Hamburg derby kicks off tonight with St Pauli hosting SV Hamburg at the Millerntor. Both teams are struggling with St Pauli bottom of the table, four points adrift of safety with a game in hand and Hamburg four points above the relegation play-off zone but without a win in their last eight away matches. St Pauli won the reverse fixture at the Volkspark 2-0 back in August. 

MEN’S BASKETBALL: London Lions lost all hope of making the EuroCup play-offs after slumping to their fourth successive defeat, 72-73 at home to Ulm on Wednesday night. Shavar Reynolds junior missed two free-throws in the last 10 seconds for the Lions before Mark Smith netted a buzzer-beating two-pointer to give Ulm the win. In Group B Hamburg claimed their first success in fifteen games with a 95-87 victory over Venice.

MEN’S CRICKET: Reigning champions Hobart Hurricanes will face Sydney Sixers in tomorrow’s Big Bash League Challenger semi final after edging past the Melbourne Stars with a three run Duckworth Lewis Stern victory. Chasing 84 to win in seven overs Melbourne fell just short of their target despite needing 26 from the last six balls. Tomorrow’s winners will take on Perth, who topped the table during the regular season, in Sunday’s final.