Related items

• Magnificent Matthews leads Melbourne Renegades Women to maiden WBBL title

  Hayley Matthews provided the latest example of her exploits as a big game player when she played a starring role to help the Melbourne Renegades Women defeat the Brisbane Heat Women by seven runs via the DLS method in the final of the 2024 Women’s Big Bash League at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

  Matthews first made a crucial 61-ball 69 at the top of the innings as the Renegades posted 141-9 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Heat.

  

  Her innings included eight fours and was crucial as the Heat bowlers were picking up wickets in quick succession at the other end.

  In fact, the only other Renegades batters to reach double figures were Georgia Wareham with 21 and Naomi Stalenberg with 16.

  Charli Knott and Grace Parsons were the main threats with the ball with 3-28 and 2-29, respectively.

  The Heat, after a rain delay during their reply, were set a revised target of 98 off 12 overs.

  Despite the best efforts of captain Jess Jonassen who made 44* off 28 balls, the Heat fell just short of their target, reaching 90-6 off 12 overs.

  Matthews led the way with 2-24 from her maximum three overs and was named player of the match.

   

• Australia victory a 'relief but enjoyable', says Ireland captain Doris

  Caelan Doris said Ireland's victory over Australia in their final Autumn Nations Series campaign came with "relief, but also enjoyment" at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. 

  Ireland earned a hard-fought 22-19 win to earn their third victory on the spin after starting their campaign with a first home defeat in more than three years to New Zealand. 

  In what was Joe Schmidt's first match in Dublin since leaving the Ireland job in 2019, his Wallabies side threatened to spoil the Irish Rugby Football Union's 150th anniversary celebrations.

  Australia had led for much of the contest and held a 13-5 advantage at the interval thanks to Max Jorgensen's try and some superb kicking from Noah Lolesio.

  But Gus McCarthy's try clinched an Irish win, with Josh van der Flier and Doris also scoring tries for the hosts. 

  "There's relief, but there's also enjoyment there too. It's a quality side, they are Joe Schmidt-coached, and we knew it was going to be top class," Doris said. 

  "Their attack was right up there, and it was a test for our defence. It was back and forth throughout, and we're delighted with the outcome.

  "It felt like we dominated possession and territory, but there was quite a lot of inaccuracy in their 22 and half. We turned it around and it was better in the second half."

  The encounter also saw Cian Healy become the most-capped player when he came off the bench to win his 134th cap and surpass former captain Brian O'Driscoll.

  For Schmidt, it was an unhappy return to Irish soil, though he can be happy with his side's display. 

  While he was disappointed to lose in Ireland, his Wallabies side again proved themselves a dangerous outfit, though he said he knew Saturday's hosts had a performance like that in them. 

  "I already knew that this group of young men had it in them. It was just for them to find it and galvanise each other," Schmidt said.

  "I felt at times in that first half we didn't quite capitalise on some of the line breaks that we made. Max Jorgensen's try was really well worked.

  "In the second half my one disappointment around the game is I felt we got quite conservative.

  "When you do that against Ireland and you are hanging on, you've a four-point lead and you're hoping that's enough, but we tried to do that from too far out.

  "I don't know what the territory or possession stats were but we were having to work very hard."

• T&T's Nicholas Paul secures silver, bronze in Round two of UCI Track Champions League

  Trinidad and Tobago’s ace cyclist Nicholas Paul delivered an impressive performance at the second leg of the UCI Track Champions League, securing a second-place finish in the men’s sprint final at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in the Netherlands on Friday.

  Paul’s journey to the final was marked by a brilliant semi-final victory, where he stunned then-sprint leader Australian Matthew Richardson, who had amassed 64 points.

  However, in the final, Paul faced Dutch Olympic champion Harrie Lavreysen, who was racing before his home crowd.

  Lavreysen delivered a dominant performance, taking control from start to finish to claim victory and ascend to the top of the leaderboard with 71 points, while Paul’s second-place finish boosted his overall tally to 58 points, maintaining his third position in the standings.

  Paul’s semi-final ride showcased his tactical acumen and explosive power. He caught his competitors off guard with an early move, creating a significant gap and maintaining his composure to secure a commanding win.

  Paul also earned a podium spot in the keirin event, finishing third behind winner Cristian Ortega of Colombia and Lavreysen, who settled for second in a thrilling final.

  This performance builds on Paul’s results from the first leg of the Champions League in France last week, where he finished third in the sprint and fifth in the keirin.

  The competition continues on Saturday for the third round, where Paul will aim to climb further up the leaderboard and improve his impressive form against the world’s best cyclists.