MEN’S CRICKET: As New Zealand begin their two match Test series against world number ones Australia in Wellington tomorrow, Andy Balbirnie will captain Ireland when they meet Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi for a one-off Test. The Irish have never won a Test match and lost to the Afghanis by seven wickets when they met in 2019. Afghanistan are currently ranked as the 11^th best Test team in the world, one place above Ireland.

CYCLING: 2022 winner Tadej Pogacar has been confirmed in the start list for this year’s one day Strade Bianche race. Unofficially regarded as the “sixth monument” of the classics season, almost a third of the men’s race, which starts and finishes in the Tuscan city of Siena, is contested on gravel tracks. Demi Vollering, who won last year’s women’s race in a sprint finish with Lotte Kopecky, will also be back to defend her title.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Rangers travel to fourth-placed Kilmarnock tomrrow evening looking to extend their ten match winning run and maintain a two point lead in the Scottish Premiership over Celtic, who are at home to Dundee. Third-placed Hearts face Hibs in the Edinburgh derby, Aberdeen, still without a win under new boss Neil Warnock, are up against St Johnstone and Motherwell visit rock-bottom Livingston.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Five-time Challenge Cup winners Halifax have been drawn at home to amateurs York Acorn from the National Conference in the fifth round of this year’s competition. In the other ties, seven-time winners Widnes host Batley, Swinton take on Sheffield and Featherstone Rovers, who last won the cup in 1983 will face Wakefield Trinity. The twelve Super League clubs do not join the draw until the sixth round.