India were scrapping to stay afloat in the World Test Championship final after a top-order collapse left Australia in the driving seat on day two of the World Test Championship final.

Australia were all out for 469 in their first innings, Steve Smith following in the footsteps of first-day centurion Travis Head to post 121, and then snapped up key wickets to establish a dominant position.

Each of their seam quartet struck as India lurched to 71 for four in the 19th over, before spinner Nathan Lyon joined the party and ended a battling fifth-wicket stand.

Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja doubled the score before the latter nicked Lyon to slip for 48. By stumps India were 318 behind on 151 for five, with plenty of work to do retain a realistic chance of succeeding New Zealand as red-ball world champions.

Australia arrived in the morning already boasting a healthy position on 327 for three. At that stage, they were surely hoping to clear 500, but India landed a few handy blows of their own as they took the last seven wickets for 108.

With 10 overs before lunch to work their magic, the Australian seamers made short work of the India openers. Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.

Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly-judged leave.

Boland filled his boots against England Down Under in 2021/22, taking a remarkable six for seven on debut at the MCG, and he made a compelling case for holding his spot at Edgbaston next week with 11 high-quality overs with the Dukes ball.

India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps, but their struggles continued after the break.

Cheteshwar Pujara belied his years of experience in English climes by repeating Gill’s error, shaping to leave all-rounder Cameron Green and paying the price with his off-stump. Kohli’s exit left India in strife but he was at least guilty only of receiving a brutish delivery from Mitchell Starc.

The left-armer was expensive, shipping 52 from nine overs, but showed off his ability to deliver big moments when he got one to explode off a length at Kohli and rap the thumb of his bottom hand as it sprayed to slip.

India’s position left a lot to be desired but, with Australians sensing blood Rahane’s perseverance and Jadeja’s counter-attacking nature served them well. They put on 71 together, parted only when Lyon offered a change of pace. He forced Jadeja into an unusually defensive stroke and clipped the outside edge to break the stand.

Smith had earlier brought up his 31st Test century, his seventh in England and his third at the Oval. Resuming on 95, he dispatched his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary to reach three figures with minimal fuss.

India made regular inroads to keep the game moving forwards, Head departing for a classy 163 as Siraj got him brushing to the keeper with a bumper aimed at the ribs and Smith ending a five-and-a-half hour stay with an uncharacteristically loose prod that canoned into his stumps.

Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley believes his old club need to sign two forwards who can outscore James Tavernier or they will not stop Celtic dominating Scottish football.

Right-back Tavernier was the club’s top league goalscorer last term with 16 goals and his total in all competitions of 18 was the same as Antonio Colak.

Fashion Sakala and the now departed Alfredo Morelos both hit 12 while Celtic’s main striker Kyogo Furuhashi weighed in with 34 goals on the way to the club’s fifth treble in seven seasons.

Hateley said: “We need two strikers that can score more than a right-back to win anything. It’s as simple as that.

“We need strikers that can get more goals than the captain to have a chance of competing at the very top. And that doesn’t come cheap.

“I think you need to bring in three strikers that are all credible and can produce.”

Colak’s future looks unclear after he only scored four goals and struggled for fitness following Michael Beale’s arrival, while Sakala played in a central role at times and on the wing on other occasions.

On Sakala, Hateley said: “He’s a young lad so he will develop as time goes on but if you are working with top goalscorers, your game comes on a lot quicker. I think he would probably become more of a squad player.

“The key now is to get two strikers in the team. It’s now easier because Alfredo has left the club because it was always difficult to play another player with Alfredo. He was the lone wolf with players playing around him but Michael now has the ability to play with two strikers, different formations.”

Hateley does not necessarily believe Ange Postecoglou’s departure from Celtic Park to Tottenham is in itself an opportunity for Rangers.

“You could say so but the structure that Celtic have in place, I don’t think a lot will change,” he said.

“I don’t know if Ange can take players with him but what Ange has done has been absolutely phenomenal, and the way the board have trusted him in his methodology and his way of thinking has been commendable.

“Top coaches like a challenge and they like to challenge the best. Ange has produced that. It’s always great competition, if you have two great teams on the pitch who are competing to prove who has the edge, and it’s the same with managers. You need managers to push each other.”

Hateley was promoting the Glasgow European Capital of Sport 2023 Refugee Football Tournament, which will feature players from more than 50 nations at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on July 2.

The former England striker said: “Refugees are coming to all different parts of the world and trying to find homes and friendships and where better to come than Glasgow, Scotland? Always welcoming, hence why I am still here.

“Football is a medium where friendships are built so it’s an important factor. It’s a fantastic initiative.”

Celtic should bring Brendan Rodgers back “in a heartbeat” if their old manager is keen on a return to Glasgow, according to former Hoops full-back Mark Wilson.

Rodgers is favourite to replace Ange Postecoglou as Celtic boss following the Greek-born Australian’s departure to Tottenham.

The former Liverpool manager has previously stated he would be open to a return to Celtic Park if the timing was right, but accepted he might not be welcomed by fans who were hurt by the manner of his sudden exit to Leicester in February 2019 after winning seven domestic trophies out of seven.

There are reports that Rodgers would prefer a longer break after losing his job as Foxes manager in early April but talk of a return is lingering.

“If Celtic have got the option to bring him back, I would in a heartbeat, I really would,” Wilson said.

“Brendan Rodgers is a top-tier manager, his history shows that. You don’t get the Liverpool job if you’re not a top-tier manager, you don’t get the success in Glasgow he had if you’re not a top-class manager.

“He had a style of football here that the supporters and players bought into, possession-based. It was terrific to watch and it yielded trophies, year after year.

“Of course the baggage he has with some Celtic fans, the way he left, would be hard to dissolve. But football is a results-driven business and if he came back and started well, and there were a few good signings in the door, I think a lot of that bad feeling would quickly evaporate.”

Postecoglou’s departure days after clinching the treble has impacted some Celtic fans in similar fashion.

“It’s where are in the world of football,” Wilson said. “We are here in the Scottish Premiership, which is a fantastic league, entertaining, we all love it.

“But when you are just across the border from the richest league in the world, really anybody that is successful here is going to go to England.

“I know we hate saying it but the resources and the lure of the English Premier League is too much for our players, managers and chairmen who get offers for players. Managers are no different.

“When their stock is as high as Ange Postecoglou’s, and you get offered a job like Spurs, how can you blame anyone for going south of the border?”

Wilson was promoting the Glasgow European Capital of Sport 2023 Refugee Football Tournament, which will feature players from more than 50 nations at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on July 2.

“It’s an outstanding initiative, it gives everybody the opportunity to play, particularly in Glasgow where we are so diverse,” he said.

“And the football pitch brings everybody together, it doesn’t matter their race, religion, background, ethnicity, to have this tournament to bring all parties together, is going to be a fantastic occasion.

“I do a lot of work in Glasgow myself with charities and we have a lot of participants who are refugees, young refugees, and they can get signposted to the next level.”

Ollie Pope admits England are searching for a way to burst Steve Smith’s bubble in the Ashes, after the “stubborn” Australian notched up yet another century in the World Test Championship final.

Smith ground India’s bowlers down with a meticulous 121 at Pope’s home of the Oval, the 31st ton of his career and a seventh in English conditions that have served him well over the years.

It took India 268 deliveries and over five-and-a-half hours to end the 34-year-old’s knock, as his trademark bloody-mindedness once again came to the fore.

It was reminiscent of some of Smith’s epic occupations against England, against whom he has scored three double centuries, and Pope believes finding a way to derail his famed concentration could be the key to preventing more of the same this summer.

“He loves batting in England, over the years he averages over 60 here now. It’s obvious he knows these conditions and he knows his game inside out, so there’s a lot of respect for him,” said Pope.

“But there’s also a lot of talented bowlers in our changing room who have worked out ways we can challenge him. I can’t say too much but there’s probably slightly different plans this time.

“He’s got his routines – his slightly longer routines – before he faces each ball and he won’t be ready until he’s done all those routines. What’s made him successful is that stubbornness and that stubbornness for runs as well. That’s exactly the bubble we’ve got to try and get him out of.

“Steve Smith is a highly-skilled batter and scores a lot of runs but I think for him we might be looking at even quirkier ways to challenge him, test him out and make him as uncomfortable as we possibly can to try and get his wicket.”

While Smith’s Ashes record makes him a clear and obvious target, Pope is still looking to make his mark on the famous rivalry.

He was nursing a dislocated shoulder during the last series here in 2019 and endured a miserable time Down Under in 2021/22, making just 67 runs in three matches.

The 25-year-old’s status has soared since then, elevated to the crucial number three position by Ben Stokes and subsequently establishing himself as the skipper’s heir apparent.

He cracked a career-best 205 against Ireland in his final pre-Ashes innings and is certain he is a different prospect to the one who stumbled last time around.

Speaking at an event with England sponsors Radox, Pope said: “I’ve worked really hard and I’m definitely a better player than I was in the last Ashes. Hopefully I can show that in the runs I score.

“I’ve got a lot more experience, I know my game a lot better. I’ve worked hard at my game from a technical point of view, just to make everything slightly smaller in terms of less hand movement and less foot movement, a stiller base.

“From a mental point, obviously with this McCullum-Stokes era, I feel like it’s allowed me just to go and play rather than have to worry about getting out the whole time and what’s going to be said to me.

“The last Ashes was tough. I kind of assumed Jonny Bairstow was going to be playing the first Test, I found out the night before, probably about 9pm that I was playing. When you’re not certain, it’s quite hard to actually mentally properly prepare yourself.

“We’ve got a changing room now where everyone knows their position and everyone is having a lot of fun in that changing room, enjoying each other’s company. It just creates a really good environment that gives you every possible chance of success and that has been produced from the guys at the top.”

:: Ollie Pope was speaking on behalf of Radox, the Official shower gel of England Cricket.

British number one Dan Evans suffered a surprise loss in the Surbiton Trophy second round.

The world number 25 kicked off his preparations for Wimbledon early at the Challenger event in south London, but, after winning his last-32 match on Tuesday, he was beaten in straight sets by Canadian Gabriel Diallo.

The world number 146 won 7-5 6-2 to book a quarter-final place against Jurij Rodionov.

Evans, who was the first seed at Surbiton, is due to head to the Challenger event in Nottingham next week and his exit opens the draw up for Andy Murray.

The two-time Wimbledon champion who faces Australian Jason Kubler in Friday’s last-eight tie, is the second seed and will be eyeing his first grass title since winning at SW19 in 2016.

There were mixed results in the women’s ITF tournament, with seven Britons in action.

Katie Boulter came from a set down to beat compatriot Sonny Kartal 3-6 6-3 6-4 while Lily Miyazaki won another all-British affair, winning 6-4 7-5 against Eden Silva.

Isabelle Lacy did not have to go on court to advance as her opponent Sachia Vickery pulled out while Katie Swan was leading 5-3 in the first set when Oceane Dodin retired injured.

Harriet Dart headed out as she lost 6-4 6-7 (5) 6-4 to Tatjana Maria.

Karolina Muchova saved a match point to stun Aryna Sabalenka and reach her first grand slam final at the French Open.

The unseeded Czech fought back from 5-2 down in the deciding set to claim a 7-6 (5) 6-7 (5) 7-5 victory in a tremendous contest lasting three hours and 13 minutes.

Sabalenka, who was bidding to win back-to-back slam titles after lifting the Australian Open trophy, appeared to have turned things in her favour but tightened up in sight of the line and Muchova made her pay.

At 43 in the world, the 26-year-old is the fourth lowest-ranked woman to reach the final here, while it is the fifth year in a row that the final will feature an unseeded player.

A delighted Muchova said: “I don’t really know what happened. The atmosphere, it’s unbelievable. I just tried to keep fighting and it worked. I’m so happy.”

The Czech was playing in her second slam semi-final having also reached the last four at the Australian Open in 2021, but injuries severely restricted her last year, with her ranking dropping outside the top 200.

Muchova has been climbing rapidly this year, though, and can break into the top 10 by lifting the trophy.

Sabalenka, who has found attention more on her off-court views than her tennis this fortnight, made the faster start but Muchova grew steadily into the match and made the first big move, breaking for 5-4.

Back came Sabalenka immediately, though, a forehand winner saving a set point and then more crunching groundstrokes earning her the break.

It was a compelling contest between the raw power and aggression of Sabalenka and the more subtle skills of Muchova, who gave a masterful display of using angles and changes of direction as well as being very willing to come to the net.

She is not averse to a winner, too, and produced one from the top drawer on her second set point at 6-5 in the tie-break, drilling a backhand down the line.

Muchova then exploited her opponent’s disappointment to break at the start of the second, and the old Sabalenka might have fallen away quickly in a barrage of errors.

But the Belarusian has beaten her biggest rivals this season with an unshakeable commitment to attacking tennis and she regrouped well.

From 0-2 she moved a break ahead at 4-3 only for Muchova to bounce back, but Sabalenka confidently served twice to stay in the match, setting up another tie-break.

Nerves were evident from both and Sabalenka double-faulted on her first set point but powered away an overhead on the second.

The second seed probed for an immediate break at the start of the decider and, although Muchova did superbly to withstand that, a break for 4-2 gave Sabalenka some daylight.

The match appeared over when she forced a first match point at 5-2 but Muchova saved it confidently, and Sabalenka then became edgy, throwing in her worst service game of the match.

At 5-5, Sabalenka, who overcame serving yips last year, sent down back-to-back double faults and Muchova seized her opportunity.

Dalvin Cook's run with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be over, as NFL.com reports the team intends to release the four-time Pro Bowl running back after six seasons.

The Vikings plan to make the move official on Friday while they make a last-ditch attempt to find a trade partner for Cook, who is slated to count $14.1 million against the salary cap this season. Releasing the 27-year-old will save Minnesota $9 million.

Cook should have no shortage of suitors once on the open market after putting together another productive season in 2022. The Florida State product rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns while playing in all 17 regular-season games, and added 295 yards and two touchdowns on 39 receptions.

A second-round pick of Minnesota in 2017, Cook is one of two players to record 1,000 or more rushing yards in each of the last four seasons, along with Cleveland Browns standout Nick Chubb. Cook's 5,024 rushing yards since 2019 are the third most in the league behind Chubb (5,345) and Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry (6,042).

Cook's 5,993 career rushing yards are also the third most among Vikings players behind Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith, the only two other players in franchise history with four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Alexander Mattison, who served as Cook's backup in each of the last four seasons, is expected to take over as the Vikings' No. 1 back after re-signing with the team in March on a two-year, $7 million deal. Minnesota also added UAB's DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of this year's draft. 

Ross County defender Jack Baldwin admits he had an emotional moment with his family after the Staggies’ great escape following their sacrifices for his career.

The Essex native moved his family up to the Highlands after joining from Bristol Rovers two years ago and did not want to think too much about the ramifications if County lost their top-flight status.

His team were facing that prospect after going three goals down on aggregate in the first half of the second leg of the cinch Premiership play-off final against Partick Thistle on Sunday.

County fought back in the final 20 minutes and got the advantage in the penalty shootout only for Baldwin’s spot-kick to be saved. But they eventually prevailed in sudden death to spark a pitch invasion from the Dingwall fans.

“The overriding emotion was relief, obviously with the way it ended and personally missing the penalty,” the 29-year-old told the PA news agency.

“Conceding the goal was a bit of a kick early on but we had scored five goals in the previous two home games so we knew if we could score we would give ourselves a chance, because the boys create chances and love playing here.

“I am just delighted for everyone involved in the club. It’s a family-oriented club, everyone works so hard from the backroom staff to the coaching staff and players. Everyone off the pitch probably does three jobs. It’s fantastic for the club, the community and the area in general to keep our Premiership status.”

The former Hartlepool, Peterborough, Sunderland and Salford centre-back added: “We have moved a long way from home. I think you need to immerse yourself in the community and the team you play for, the club you represent.

“My family were on the pitch at the end with me and I was welling up and getting emotional, because they have sacrificed a lot for me to come up and play football here. Kids starting new schools, wife leaving home and making new friends, miles away. It does mean a lot, for sure.

“I have two kids, aged six and nine. My nine-year-old girl is probably in her fifth or sixth different school so far because we have done a lot of moving. It’s a fantastic area to raise a young family. They are loving being up here, they are loving everything about the Highlands.

“The ramifications for the club if we went down would have been massive so I am sure there would have been lot of conversations. It’s not something you wanted to think about too much. But thankfully we are not in that position.”

Dundee have confirmed the signing of Charlie Reilly from Albion Rovers on a two-year contract.

The 21-year-old was recently named PFA Scotland League 2 Player of the Year and was on the shortlist for the players’ and Scottish Football Writers’ young player awards.

Reilly hit 24 goals and provided 19 assists in 43 games last season despite Rovers finishing bottom of the table and losing their league status.

The former Hamilton and Partick Thistle player was training with Dundee last season while playing for Rovers.

He told the club’s website: “I am delighted to get it over the line, it’s been a long time coming and I can’t wait to get started.

“The club felt right for me, I’ve been in training for a long time and the boys were good with me and it just felt right.

“Being in at the club for training last season helped massively while I was at Albion. It helped me a lot fitness wise and in a lot of other ways too.

“I’ve had good conversations with the gaffer and he’s shown belief in me, he knows what I can do. I’m really excited to work with him and to get started.”

Manager Tony Docherty added: “I have worked with Charlie previously and have seen him in action. I was impressed with him, with his ability and athleticism. The numbers and nominations he got last season speak volumes about him.

“I know I’m getting a player with talent and an eye for goal, but I know I’m getting a player with the right attitude. He’s committed to the club, moving up to the area, which is a big thing for me.

“I think he’s a player when the Dundee fans see him in full flow they will really enjoy watching him. I am delighted that he has chosen to sign for us.”

Manchester City defender John Stones could cap a remarkable turnaround from a virtual outcast to being at the cutting edge of Pep Guardiola’s masterplan with a Champions League victory.

Three years ago the 29-year-old’s future was uncertain. He had made just 24 appearances in the 2019-20 season and the club had spent over £100million on centre-backs Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias.

That summer Guardiola admitted there was a distinct possibility a player lacking confidence could leave and he did not play a minute in seven of the eight opening league games of the next season.

But over the course of three seasons he has turned things around so much he is now seen as an integral part of his manager’s latest tactical tweak, with the current fashion for a defender to play as a midfielder when the side is in possession.

“It was probably one of the hardest times in my career,” said Stones of that period in 2020.

“I literally went back to firstly looking at myself, being super-critical of myself and what I could do better on the football pitch, and then looking into every fine detail, down to what food, what training, what extras.

“That’s come down to doing stuff here and then going home and doing work, even late at night, or straight after the training, finding these small margins, putting them all together to kind of break where I was at after coming back to playing.

“Yeah, (it was a) big learning curve for me and maybe who I am today.”

In that time period a number of players have left, with Guardiola’s propensity for dispensing with full-backs a little too close for comfort at times for Stones.

But the former Everton defender never considered seeking opportunities elsewhere.

“I never thought about that. I think as soon as you accept that or have that mindset then you have killed yourself,” he added.

“I always wanted to stay, I have stayed and I absolutely love it. I wanted to prove to myself. I didn’t say to anyone ‘It was because I want to prove to you’.

“I think, if anything, you have to prove to yourself first and foremost that you deserve to be here, you are good enough to be here, and what you bring to the team.”

The goals of Erling Haaland have helped propel City to a second Champions League final in three years where they start as strong favourites against Inter Milan in Istanbul.

But Stones’ role and that, to a lesser extent, of Rico Lewis in stepping forward has added another dimension to an already multi-layered team.

“People have always said from a young age that they can see me playing in there. I still do love playing as a centre-half and I’ve absolutely loved this role as well,” said the Barnsley-born defender.

“I think I have showed myself that I’m able to do it, maybe showing some attributes that I didn’t know that I had.

“But the manager has seen (something) in me and ultimately I think I’m just trying to show what I can do in there and be able to help the team ultimately win with my attributes.”

City may be the favourites but Stones insists they will not be under-estimating Inter, a team who finished in third 18 points behind Serie A champions Napoli.

“They’re in the Champions League final for a reason,” he added.

“No matter who we’re playing, no matter what league they’re in, we give the team the respect that they deserve because even the FA Cup, let’s make an example of that, there’s giant-killers, smaller teams in League One and League Two that beat Premier League winners.

“That’s where the respect (comes from) that every team deserves.

“They’ve got incredible players. How they played in a big occasion, in a derby game in the Champions League semi-final (against AC Milan) is never easy.

“We know what we’re up against, they are an incredible team.”