Shishkin will bid to tee up a shot at the Cheltenham Gold Cup when he headlines a maximum field of five for Saturday’s Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury.

Nicky Henderson’s dual Cheltenham Festival hero was in the process of running a huge race in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and was still to be headed when stumbling after the second-last and unseating Nico de Boinville.

The 10-year-old returned from that race with a sore splint, but the master of Seven Barrows reports his charge to be firing on all cylinders ahead of his scheduled outing in the weekend’s Grade Two contest.

“He’s very much on course for Saturday, I’m very happy with him,” said Henderson.

“Considering everything, Kempton was his first run of the year and it was going to be a very good run. It might have been a winning one for all we know.

“Either way it was a great comeback run, he’ll have tightened up a bit for that, he’s ready for this weekend and away we go, I hope.”

Dan Skelton has entered Protektorat on the back of his fine run in defeat behind L’Homme Presse in Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase, while Paul Nicholls has given Hitman the option of providing Ditcheat with a record-extending 11th win.

Kim Bailey’s Does He Know and Anthony Honeyball’s veterans’ chase series champion Sam Brown are the others in the mix after Monday’s entries.

In the other Grade Two on the card, the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase, Venetia Williams’ Funambule Sivola will attempt to leave some recent disappointments behind him in search of a hat-trick in the race.

The winner in both 2022 and 2023, he will arrive at the Berkshire track with questions to answer. However, similar comments applied last season before he bounced back to form with an impressive three-and-a-half-length success.

Harry Fry has kept Boothill’s powder dry in recent weeks in favour of a crack at this, with Alan King’s Edwardstone arguably the biggest name in the line-up, dropping back in trip after a below-par display in Kempton’s Silviniaco Conti Chase.

Editeur Du Gite (Gary Moore), track-and-trip winner Amarillo Sky (Joe Tizzard) and the Skelton-trained Calico complete the list of six possibles.

Aaron Wainwright has highlighted energy and accuracy as key ingredients for Wales when they tackle Guinness Six Nations rivals England at Twickenham.

It is 12 years since Wales beat England away from home in the tournament, a Triple Crown-clinching victory that was secured by centre Scott Williams’ late try.

Wales went on to win the title and secure a Grand Slam that campaign, but apart from their 2015 World Cup pool win, Twickenham has not been a happy hunting ground during recent seasons.

Seven successive defeats – albeit five of them by six points or less – mean that Wales will arrive as underdogs to south-west London next Saturday.

But despite losing a pulsating Six Nations opener 27-26 to Scotland in Cardiff, Wales’ remarkable second-half fightback saw them end the game with two losing bonus points.

Changes can be expected for the England clash, with fit-again centre George North, scrum-half Tomos Williams, hooker Elliot Dee and prop Keiron Assiratti among those likely to come under strong consideration from head coach Warren Gatland.

Given the impact made by Wales’ substitutes – Williams, Dee and Assiratti all went on for the second half and played key roles during a memorable burst of 26 unanswered points – it would be a major surprise if they are not promoted to starting XV duty.

Had Wales defeated Scotland, it would have been the biggest comeback to win a game in Six Nations history, easily surpassing them overturning a 16-point deficit against France in 2019.

And it would also have threatened the all-time Test record held by Korea, courtesy of beating Chile 38-36 eight years ago after they had trailed by 29 points in Santiago.

“Another five minutes, and we probably would have got the win,” Wales number eight and player of the match Wainwright said.

“A game of two halves sums it up perfectly. It was not the start we wanted, but we showed what we can do when we start putting some stuff together.

“We knew we had to keep digging in after they scored early, because there was still a long way to go.

“That was one of the encouraging things – how we kept fighting and put ourselves in with a chance to win. That is going to give us momentum for next week.

“We need to take the energy of the second-half and build that within ourselves, make sure we are ready from the first whistle and make sure it doesn’t take a first-half like that to get going. It will give us confidence.

“Looking back at the second-half performance, if we can replicate that for the full 80 minutes that is exciting.

“They were perhaps panicking a bit, and a bit more composure from us in the dying moments could have turned it. Next weekend we need to go with full energy and accuracy.

“We need to be more accurate. Going for the corner, a tap-play move, we weren’t accurate enough, didn’t keep the ball.

“Whether it is execution or role knowledge, we need to fix that, and doing it from the first whistle will be key.”

Wainwright’s only previous Twickenham appearance was a World Cup warm-up game in 2019 that Wales lost 33-19.

On their last Six Nations visit two years ago, it was a four-point reversal, although Wales went close after trailing by 17-0 at one stage.

France prop up the Guinness Six Nations table for the first time in over a decade while Wales narrowly missed out on a record-breaking comeback win.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key statistics from the opening weekend.

Les Bleus feeling the blues

A 38-17 home defeat at the hands of Ireland left France bottom of the men’s standings for the first time since they finished with the wooden spoon in 2013.

In the Six Nations era, it was the first time they have conceded five tries in a home game and only once have they conceded more points at home, losing 43-35 to Wales in 2001 – indeed it is only the sixth time they have conceded 30 or more at home.

A 21-point margin made it by far their heaviest home defeat – they have lost only 14 of 61 such games and it is only the fourth by double figures. England won 24-13 in 2008 and 31-21 in 2016 while Wales won 16-6 in 2013.

For Ireland, it was only a fourth Six Nations win in France and beat their record points total away to Les Bleus, previously set in a 43-31 loss in 2006.

Wales fightback falls just short

Last place was assured for Les Bleus as Saturday’s two games both finished close, Wales and Italy gaining losing bonus points.

It did not look like being that way when Warren Gatland’s side trailed 27-0 to Scotland shortly after half-time, but James Botham’s try sparked a remarkable comeback that came up just short of setting a new Six Nations record.

Wales’ own win over France in 2019, when they trailed 16-0 at half-time before winning 24-19 with two George North tries, was the largest deficit previously overcome to win a game in the Six Nations or its predecessors. Scotland drew games from 31-0 down against England in 2019 and 25-6 against Wales in 2001.

Had Wales managed to finish the job on Saturday it would have matched the third-largest comeback win in Test history.

Korea’s 38-36 victory over Chile in 2016 holds the record, having trailed by 29 points at 36-7. Fiji recovered from 28-0 and 31-3 down to beat Tonga 41-38 in 2010 and Chile were on the receiving end of another stunning comeback in 2007, leading Uruguay 27-0 at the break but losing 35-34.

England’s win did not require the same drama even as they trailed twice in the first half in Rome. The visitors pulled out to a 10-point lead before Monty Ioane’s converted try four minutes beyond the regulation 80 made the final score 27-24 and earned Italy’s bonus point.

Gigginstown House Stud are leaning towards trying to win their own Ryanair Chase with Conflated.

A faller in that race two years ago at the Cheltenham Festival, the former Irish Gold Cup and Savills Chase hero stepped up in trip for a shot at the Gold Cup 12 months ago, where he finished an honourable third behind Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.

Although sent off the 20-1 outsider when tasked with taking on Galopin Des Champs again in the latest edition of the Irish Gold Cup on Saturday, Gordon Elliott’s 10-year-old more than played his part and was far from completely out of the equation when unseating Jack Kennedy at the final fence.

Conflated currently heads the market for the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham, but with the owners having dual winner Delta Work also in the mix for that contest and having proven he is still a capable Grade One performer, the gelding is likely to be pitched into a Ryanair with an open feel following the setback suffered by long-time ante-post favourite Allaho.

“He gave Jack the same unseat as he gave Sam Ewing at Christmas (in the Savills Chase). It was the same corner of the same fence,” explained Gigginstown’s Eddie O’Leary.

“He was running a huge race regardless and we had just dropped in behind in that moment.

“It will be more than likely be the Ryanair (next, at Cheltenham) – he’s still in the mix for both, but it will more than likely be the Ryanair.”

He went on “We believe he is a quick three-miler who might not get an extended three miles on a staying track in heavy ground, but he’s a quick three-miler and the Ryanair should suit him down to the ground.

“You have to get three miles to win a Ryanair so hopefully that will be the race. Otherwise we have the Cross Country. But I would say it would be the Ryanair.”

Gigginstown went into the Dublin Racing Festival with the favourites for the first two Grade Ones on day one and although neither Predators Gold or Storm Heart came home with the first prize, they both left with their reputations intact by finishing second.

Storm Heart will now head to the Triumph Hurdle where he is a best price of 12-1, while O’Leary believes his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Predators Gold may drop back in distance slightly for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park next month.

“They are both entitled to go on the next day and see what happens,” said O’Leary.

“Storm Heart will go on to the Triumph all being well.

“I imagine Predators Gold didn’t quite settle well enough to get that trip and he’ll likely go for the Baring Bingham over two and a half.”

India head coach Rahul Dravid has praised England’s ‘Bazball’ approach, even if the word itself leaves him cold.

Dravid saw his side square the five-match series 1-1 with a 106-run victory in Visakhapatnam, with Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin taking three wickets each to dent England’s reputation as unstoppable chasers.

Dravid was known as ‘the Wall’ during his playing days, a nod to his watertight technique, but he has been impressed by the way the tourists have utilised their attacking methods on turning pitches.

“I think they’re playing very well. Whether you call it ‘Bazball’ or whatever you want to call it, it’s not,” he said.

“I know it’s just a term, and I’m not sure how happy they are about it, but they are playing really good cricket. It’s not like wild slogging, they are actually showing some very good skills.

“Some of the shots they are playing require a lot of ability. You can’t just come here and execute those things by saying ‘I want to play attackingly’. I think there’s more to it than just attacking cricket.

“I have seen at times they know when to pull back and they know when to attack. They’re playing slightly differently, no doubt about it. They know how to find that balance and we know we’re up against a challenge that we’re looking forward to.”

Bumrah won a deserved player-of-the-match award for his match figures of nine for 91, including a game-defining spell of vicious reverse swing in the first innings.

The image of him sending two of Ollie Pope’s stumps flying in opposite directions encapsulated his brilliance in a single frame.

“As a youngster that was the first delivery I learned in tennis-ball cricket,” Bumrah recalled.

“I used to feel that was the only way to take wickets. I look to solve the problem, every wicket is different and I have to use what I have in my armoury.”

Martin Odegaard hit back at critics who claimed Arsenal over celebrated their victory over 10-man Liverpool – insisting they will remain “humble” throughout their Premier League title challenge.

The Gunners moved to within two points of Jurgen Klopp’s leaders following a 3-1 win over 10-man Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for Arsenal before Gabriel Magalhaes’ unfortunate own goal levelled for the visitors on the stroke of half-time.

A mix-up between Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk allowed Gabriel Martinelli to restore Arsenal’s lead in the second half, with substitute Leandro Trossard making sure of the points in stoppage time after Ibrahima Konate had been sent off.

Odegaard then led the celebrations, taking the camera off the club’s photographer to snap the jubilant reactions to a result that put Mikel Arteta’s men right back into title contention.

Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was unhappy with what he saw.

“Just get down the tunnel. You’ve won a game, three points, you’ve been brilliant. Back in the title race, get down the tunnel. I’m serious, honestly,” he said – before later adding on X, formerly known as Twitter: “By all means enjoy it, but enjoy it by being disciplined!”

Carragher also changed his X profile picture to one of Odegaard using the camera, but the Arsenal captain was not about to apologise for his post-match celebrations.

Asked if it is possible to over celebrate after such a big win, the Norway international replied: “No, I think everyone who loves football, who understands football, they know how much it means to win this game.

“And if you’re not allowed to celebrate when you win a game, when are you allowed to celebrate? We’re happy with the win and we’ll stay humble.

“We keep working hard and we prepare for the next one but of course you have to be happy when you win.

“It was a massive game. As you say it could have been eight points (if we’d lost) and it would look a lot more difficult then but we showed up, the fans were unbelievable.

“I think we all did this together. You see the club, how together we are, all the players, staff, supporters, everything. So yeah, brilliant to see.”

For Liverpool, it was just a second league defeat of the campaign and Klopp admits overcoming a loss can prove more of a challenge when it does not happen often.

“We didn’t lose recently an awful lot of football games, we know that,” he said.

“That means dealing with defeats is a challenge – for humankind actually. Nobody here expects, in our dressing room at least, that we just will fly over Burnley or whatever.

“They fight for their targets, it’s a really talented group, unlucky in moments and stuff like this. But it’s a home game and we can turn things around, meaning the first step, and then we will see.

“(After Sunday) Nobody celebrates the champion and nobody is relegated as far as I know, so we have all the chance to create our own destiny. Let’s see what happens.”

Ben Stokes felt England were let down by technology at a crucial moment as they slipped to a series-levelling defeat against India but refused to blame the result on “if, buts and maybes”.

The tourists were bowled out for 292 on day four of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, going down by 106 runs as they fell well short of a history-making chase.

Opener Zak Crawley looked the man most likely to do something special and his dismissal for 73 just before lunch turned the game decisively in India’s favour.

Kuldeep Yadav’s lbw shout was initially turned down by experienced umpire Marais Erasmus, who judged the ball to missing leg stump, but DRS surprisingly ruled in the bowler’s favour when ball-tracking suggested it was going on to hit.

England lost Jonny Bairstow in the next over and never quite recovered, with Stokes making it clear he felt Crawley was the victim of a HawkEye glitch.

“My personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion. That’s where I stand on it,” the England captain said when questioned about the decision.

“Technology in the game is obviously there and everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100 per cent. That’s why we have the ‘umpire’s call’, that’s why it’s in place.

“So when it’s not 100 per cent, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say ‘I think the technology has got it wrong’. I will say that, but in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes I am not going to say that’s the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted.

“You can’t really do much with things that have been and gone. You can’t really overturn a decision that has been made.”

England’s score was the second highest fourth-innings total any overseas team have scored in Indian conditions, but the scale of their target was simply too great to overcome without a big century to build around.

Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley were all battling against illness that emerged in the camp overnight, along with the injured Jack Leach at the team hotel, leaving Stokes proud of the fight his side put up.

“There’s a bit of a virus going round, a couple of guys woke up not feeling great,” he said.

“It’s not ideal, you want everyone to be feeling great but I’m proud that the guys who were feeling under the weather didn’t shy away and gave it their best.

“We had full belief in ourselves that we could chase that down. Taking on challenges like that is what we are about. In moments like this, when you have scoreboard pressure, that is when we get the best out of ourselves as individuals. Unfortunately, this time we didn’t get on the right side of the result.”

A quick scan of their second-innings boundary count – 42 fours and four sixes – tells the story of how England went about their business in a match that ended with four full sessions unused.

It was the kind of aggressive display which has become par for the course under Stokes’ leadership and even dismissals like Joe Root’s for 16, an agricultural heave from the side’s most elegant player, do not give Stokes pause for thought.

“I think our approach is what we’re known for, the way in which we play,” he said.

“Regardless of the situation, we want to stay very true to ourselves. I was happy with the way we went about that chase. That’s exactly how we play cricket. It won’t always work but a loss is a loss; you don’t get any points losing by five and you don’t get less for losing by 100.”

England will travel onwards to Abu Dhabi for a break on Wednesday, before returning to India for the third Test in Rajkot on February 15.

Liverpool’s unenviable search for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement is still in its infancy but there has been no shortage of potential successors touted both publicly and privately.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, a former Reds midfielder, continues to lead the bookmakers’ odds, followed by Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting’s Ruben Amorim.

However, as they did with the appointment of Klopp in 2015, the club will take a scientific approach and not just go for the man who appears to be the best fit.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how Liverpool will go about their search.

Where do they start?

Where Fenway Sports Group always start, with the data. Since buying the club in 2010 the American owners have instigated an analytical model for many aspects of the business, most notably in relation to their transfer policy which they modelled on a system pioneered by their Boston Red Sox baseball team. “The way we operate as a football club is to ensure that we’ve looked at all the information, all the data, we’ve done our proper due diligence and then we’ll make a decision,” said chief executive Billy Hogan.

How will that work?

Will Spearman, a Harvard PhD graduate in particle physics, was last year appointed successor to departing director of research Ian Gordon, a key figure in the data department since 2012, and will be significantly involved in identifying key areas which are not always immediately visible to casual observers of a manager’s style and performance.

Who else is involved?

Mike Gordon, FSG president, is the group’s main ‘football guy’ and the man who has been the transatlantic bridge between the two parties. It was he who received the bombshell phone call from Klopp saying he would be leaving at the end of the season. Gordon was the man who led the identification and pursuit of Klopp after Brendan Rodgers was sacked and will assume that key role for the ownership again. Theo Epstein, the former president of baseball operations for MLB team the Chicago Cubs and ex-general manager of the Red Sox, has joined FSG as a senior adviser and is likely to be involved in the consultation, as will Hogan to a lesser degree.

And what of the main candidates?

Alonso has been the favourite from the moment Klopp’s departure was announced. The former Spain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder has extensive, top-level playing experience and this season has displayed a key FSG metric in elevating underrated players to a higher level having guided Leverkusen, unbeaten all season, to the top of the Bundesliga. His football is not as direct or as press-heavy as Klopp’s so there would be some adaptation required by the current squad. Brighton’s De Zerbi has impressed since his arrival in England last season and his place on the list is largely due to the similarities in his style with Klopp’s, however results have been up and down recently having scored four in a victory over Tottenham yet lost 4-0 to Luton. Amorim’s Sporting, who also have a similar pressing style, are two points off the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga with a match in hand having dropped just eight points all season.

Neil Warnock has been appointed as Aberdeen manager until the end of the season.

The 75-year-old takes over from Barry Robson, who was dismissed last Wednesday, with the club currently sat eighth in the cinch Premiership.

Warnock said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge here at Aberdeen.

“I’ve made no secret of the fact I’ve always wanted to manage in Scotland so when I spoke to (chairman) Dave (Cormack) and (chief executive) Alan (Burrows) and they asked me to help out it just felt like the right opportunity.

“By all accounts there is a good group of lads here and it’s my job now to get the best out of them.

“Aberdeen is a big club with clear ambition and I’m hoping that during my time here the supporters will get behind the team and I can put a smile on their faces.”

Tyronn Lue and Kawhi Leonard both hailed the Los Angeles Clippers' mindset after a hard-fought 103-95 win over the Miami Heat.

The Clippers won for an eighth time in nine games as they moved to 33-15, and kept hold of third place in a fiercely contested Western Conference.

Leonard's double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds led the Clippers, while James Harden contributed 21 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

"It's just having that mindset that we're going to try to win every game," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said as his team improved to 25-5 since the start of December.

"I give guys credit. They've been doing that. We have a lot of talent.

"We have a lot of guys willing to sacrifice to do whatever it takes to win, and that's what we did."

Leonard suggested the Clippers were not at their very best, but still managed to get the job done.

"You get those mental blocks at this stage but we've been staying afloat," he said.

"Appreciate everybody coming out and playing and staying locked-in. Those are the things that I'm happy about."

The Heat, meanwhile, have lost eight of their last 10 outings. They have scored less than 100 points on 12 occasions this season.

"We have to figure out how to make it flow," Bam Adebayo said. "You have to make it flow or it's not going to work. We've been in worse situations."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra added: "There are some things offensively you can do with better pace and better intention.

"That's not exclusive to us. And we'll work on that and we'll get better."

For the second time in 12 months, Kaipo Marshall produced some fifth-rubber heroics to lead Barbados to victory and keep them in World Group II of the Davis Cup, tennis' premier male team competition. Marshall repelled the challenge of Rowland Phillips 6-4 1-6 6-2 to clinch a 3-2 victory over hosts Jamaica at the Eric Bell Centre in Kingston on Sunday.

"I'm super happy. These types of matches make you dig as deep as possible, especially with the fact that I didn't serve well this tie," Marshall explained having hit 12 double faults in the match.

Not even a lengthy rain delay when the Barbadian was leading 4-0 in the third could thwart his quest for glory, and by the time the match resumed just after 6:30pm Jamaica time, the majority of the partisan crowd had left the venue as the 21-year-old converted on his second match point to complete victory in two hours and 14 minutes, with the Barbados team racing on to court in short but rapturous celebrations.

It was only Marshall's second triumph in nine Davis Cup singles matches but his previous win came in similar do-or-die circumstances against Pacific Oceania in Bridgetown last year.

"I think I've had a crazy rollercoaster of a year since then, but that match definitely helped me in this match," he said.
The win keeps Barbados in Group II while Jamaica have been relegated to Group III.

Non-playing captain, Noel Rutherford said he was disappointed but not so heartbroken at the result. "You have to give credit to the Bajan team," he said.

"I thought we had it when we levelled it all after Blaise came out firing;, I thought we would have closed it off in the final singles but that wasn't to be, this kid came out fighting and you have to give him credit."

Blaise Bicknell won both his singles matches, but defeat in doubles alongside Phillips, plus wins for Darian King and Marshall over Phillips were enough to take Barbados to the win.

The Denver Nuggets must be at their best from the first minute as they aim to defend their NBA title, so says Jamal Murray.

Denver, led by the imperious Nikola Jokic (29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) overturned a double-digit deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 112-103 on Sunday.

The reigning NBA champions are fourth in a competitive Western Conference, in which three of the top four teams are all on 35 wins.

However, Murray, who chipped in with 21 points and 10 assists, wants to see the Nuggets sharpen up from the off, and not have to work their way back into games as often.

"I think we should just be a little bit more on point to start the game, not to have to kick it into another gear," Murray said.

"I think we've just got to be a little more conscious, a little more aware of the task at hand each and every night that we're going to get their best shot.

"We can give our best shot, as well, from the start."

It was a sentiment echoed by coach Michael Malone, who pointed out his team's defensive improvement throughout the game.

"Our defense got better as the game went along," Malone said.

"We had zero defense. We had a little bit of defense. We got a lot more defense. And we had great defense."

While the Trail Blazers sit next to last in the West, with a 15-35 record, Anfernee Simons - who contributed 26 points to their total - took plenty of positives.

"I thought we played well for the majority of the game, all the game, to be honest with you," Simons said.

"They're a good team. They made runs. They’re a championship team. They're a veteran team.

"We rolled out with a lot of young guys and sometimes that's just what happens.

"So, I'm just glad that we stuck with it and continued to play hard. Overall, I'm pretty happy about how we played today."

Dual Champion Hurdle hero Hardy Eustace has died at the age of 27.

The hugely popular gelding was trained by the late Dessie Hughes to win 14 times in a 48-race career, including a trio of Cheltenham Festival victories.

Having landed the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in 2003 under Kieran Kelly, he returned 12 months later to make all in the Champion Hurdle at 33-1, partnered by Conor O’Dwyer.

Hardy Eustace was a 7-2 joint-favourite for the same race in 2005 when showing tremendous battling qualities to get the better of Harchibald and Brave Inca in one of the most memorable Champion Hurdles of recent times.

He was retired from racing in 2009 and had been at the Irish National Stud since 2015.

Hardy Eustace’s owner, Lar Byrne, said: “It’s a very sad day to announce the passing of the legend Hardy Eustace.

“Hardy gave us so many special days out and will forever be remembered as a once in a lifetime horse for all the Byrne family.

“Hardy made us many special friends over his racing career and retirement. Thanks for all the great memories Hardy.”

Sandra Hughes, daughter of Dessie, stated: “Hardy was a horse of a lifetime for my dad. He was a beautiful horse with a huge heart who loved racing. We will cherish the memories.”

O’Dwyer added: “I am very sad to hear the sad news of his passing, but he had a wonderful life and wonderful retirement. He was a huge part of my career and it was an honour to be associated with him.”

Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale commented: “That era of Irish two-mile hurdlers; Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, Harchibald, Macs Joy and others lives long in the memory and coincided with an upturn in Irish fortunes at Cheltenham that we still see today.

“He was a lovely, gentle horse who lived out his days receiving the greatest of care from all the team here. He will be deeply missed by everyone at the Irish National Stud.”

England ran out of miracles as their hopes of making history ended in a thumping 106-run defeat in the second Test against India.

The odds were stacked against the tourists from the start but they pitched up on day four in Visakhapatnam with real belief that they could do the unthinkable by chasing 399 – a target no England side has ever reached before and more than any side has ever made batting last on Indian soil.

Instead, their knack of turning cricketing logic on its head deserted them and they were knocked over for 292 to level the five-match series at 1-1.

They decisive moment came just before lunch, when top-scorer Zak Crawley (73) and fourth-innings dangerman Jonny Bairstow both fell lbw in the space of five deliveries. That turned an already dominant position into a bulletproof one for India, leaving England captain Ben Stokes as their last roadblock to victory.

He has rescued plenty of lost causes over the years but was only just getting started when he was brilliantly run out by a side-on direct hit from Shreyas Iyer. Stokes was slow off the mark and paid for his hesitation, but it still needed a perfect throw from the fielder.

Stokes was not alone in playing a part in his own downfall, with Joe Root ending a brief and chaotic innings with an unusually ugly shot.

England went down fighting but an India side with the two highest scores of the match, Yashavi Jaiswal (209) and Shubman Gill (104), and the best bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, who took match figures of nine for 91, were worthy winners.

Despite having two full days to reach their mammoth target, England made no secret about their attacking intentions. The first session showed that was not just talk, with 127 runs scored and 86 in boundaries, but the price tag of five wickets was too steep to bear.

Rehan Ahmed, promoted late on Sunday evening as England’s so-called ‘nighthawk’, was the first when he stayed back to Axar Patel and fell lbw for 23. But his contribution was always likely to be a bonus and the arrival of Ollie Pope felt like the start of the real contest.

From the moment he stroked his first ball for four through cover his intent was clear but despite five quickfire boundaries, all off Patel, he looked error-prone. The mistake came when he slashed at a good ball from Ashwin, who had Rohit Sharma to thank for a sharp one-handed catch at slip.

Crawley was showing greater authority at the other end, converting his overnight score of 29 into a polished half-century. Twice he showed the full face of the bat and drove star seamer Bumrah back down the ground and he used his long stride well to manufacture a half-volley off Patel.

Root, who has been troubled by a painful finger injury, is more than capable of the same kind of control but did not look himself during a short stay. Two of his first three balls went for four, a perfectly timed reverse sweep followed by a ricochet off the glove, and he charged down the pitch to belt Patel for six.

The next ball was perilously close to pinning him lbw, saved by a whisker on DRS, and he was gone in Ashwin’s next over. Rather than relying on timing he threw the kitchen sink at a slog-sweep and sprayed a leading edge off the toe end.

Crawley now had the responsibility of making the big century England needed to stay alive but it was not to be. Mis-reading the wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav as he attacked from a leg-stump line, he was given lbw after a smart review by Sharma.

That was more than enough to give Indian the upper hand but Bumrah had one more up his sleeve. Bairstow was the victim this time, beaten by a sliver of movement off the pitch that trapped him in front.

The afternoon began with a lofty 205 still needed and Stokes carrying a familiar burden. He looked in determined mood but paid dearly for easing into what looked a regulation single to midwicket. Iyer only had a split second to get everything right but his pick-up and throw was outstanding.

A dejected Stokes stopped to speak to Ben Foakes before departing but, although the wicketkeeper shared an eighth-wicket stand of 55 with Tom Hartley, England’s race was run. Both men fell for 36, with Hartley last to fall when Bumrah ploughed down his off stump.

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