
Fin Smith sets England autumn ultimatum to hit form
England fly-half Fin Smith says an under-par autumn would trigger fundamental questions about the team's direction.

England fly-half Fin Smith says an under-par autumn would trigger fundamental questions about the team's direction.

The pick of the action from Cardiff as England dashed to a target of 146 against Sri Lanka to wrap up a T20 series win with a game to spare.

Banton and Brook lead England home in style Big hitting leaves Sri Lanka looking out of their depth England extended their extraordinary hex over Sri Lanka to a 14th game, with the tourists looking as out of their depth as the balls that were repeatedly deposited into the River Taff as their opponents cantered to their target of 146 to win by six wickets, with 47 balls remaining. More than a dozen years have passed since Sri Lanka, crowned world champions in the format a month earlier, beat England by nine runs at the Oval. They have lost every meeting since and with this one also the series, and while much about this game contrasted with Tuesday’s first encounter in Southampton – starting with England winning the toss and choosing to chase – the outcome did not: another emphatic home win, sealed in the end in slapdash style: no-ball, wide, single, wide, single, muted celebration. Continue reading...

HMRC wins challenge over John Griffin’s claim to be non-dom despite having lived in England since childhood The founder of Addison Lee owes £20.5m in tax after a tribunal dismissed a claim that he should be treated as a nom-dom despite living in the UK since childhood. John Griffin had argued he should be treated as a nom-dom due to his connection to Ireland, saying: “I was and am besotted with Ireland, infatuated with Ireland. I believe that I have always been and am Irish.” Continue reading...

England's impressive T20 form continues as they thrash Sri Lanka by six wickets in Cardiff to seal the series with a match to spare.

England comfortably chase a below-par target of 146 to thrash Sri Lanka by six wickets and seal the three-match T20 series with a game to spare.

An 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment target has been backed by England's former national cancer director.

Latest score from the second T20 international between England and Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket.

A new study reveals that an important pollinator is rapidly losing genetic diversity in Britain. Moss carder bumblebees were once widespread across the UK, living in flower-rich meadows, marshes and heathlands, where they pollinated a wide variety of plants. However, the loss of these habitats has caused the species to retreat into strongholds along the country's coasts and islands.

Chelsea forward back in form after World Cup snub Alex Scott and Morgan Gibbs-White also in contention Thomas Tuchel is considering an England recall for Cole Palmer and could include Alex Scott in his squad for the Nations League. Tuchel’s first selection since the World Cup will be confirmed on Friday morning and the head coach has been weighing up claims from a host of players who failed to earn a place in his plans last summer. Palmer was one of those to miss out after struggling for form and fitness but the Chelsea attacker has started the season with four goals and two assists , raising optimism around his hopes of inclusion. Continue reading...


King Charles hosted a private summit Thursday with some of the most prominent names in AI and UK government.

Stones' injury highlights the risks of relying on injury-prone players, impacting both Inter's strategy and England's national team plans.

Over-by-over updates from Cardiff, 6.30pm BST start The Spin: AI is reshaping cricket | And email Daniel Brook is 288 not out, in terms of the last time he was dismissed in this format. He’s an absolute joke, good enough to go down as one of the best we’ve ever seen if he keeps focused and working hard. Er, it’s raining. Hopefully not for long, but it’s coming down more heavily than is optimal. Continue reading...

Exclusive: The Green leader has not spoken publicly about the motion, which is likely to be debated at the party’s conference in October The Greens are pushing Zack Polanski to take a stance on a potential party policy stating “Zionism is racism”, with some fearing it could alienate Jewish supporters if it was passed. Polanski, who leads the Greens in England and Wales, has not spoken publicly about the motion, which came top of a members’ vote of policy motions to be debated at the party conference in Brighton at the start of October, and is thus almost certain to feature. Continue reading...

Before Thomas Tuchel names his first squad since the World Cup on Friday, BBC Sport looks at the big questions facing the England boss.

Cole Palmer's outstanding form this season has put him in a strong position for an England recall, with the Chelsea man the most likely to be included from all the big names left out of the World Cup squad.

Palmer's resurgence highlights the importance of adaptable management in maximizing player potential and shaping future national team strategies.

Without the unflinching commitment of managers, social workers and those who work in them, they won’t be proper homes, writes John Burton I congratulate the Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism for exposing the disgraceful state of residential childcare and the use of illegal children’s homes ( Councils pay more than £125m a year placing vulnerable children in illegal care homes in England, 8 September ). However, this is a symptom not a cause. While there are good private children’s homes (I’ve worked with some), they are defined by personal and family commitment, not profit. The same relationships are required whoever runs a children’s home, whether a charitable organisation or local authority. Without the personal, unflinching commitment of councillors, managers, social workers and, crucially, the grownups who work in the home, it can’t be a loving home. Continue reading...

It is hard to know whether haters will ever accept manager’s failed tactical shift against Argentina but positive start to preparation for Euros might help Thomas Tuchel has been back around the Premier League grounds this season and it is worth dwelling on one particular interaction he had with a colleague inside a VIP enclosure, which has doubtless been repeated elsewhere. “People are killing me,” the England manager said. At which point he might have added: Still . It is two months since England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina in the United States and the emotion tied up in it continues to swirl. Heartbreak, pain, frustration; everything in this kind of area has touched everybody with an investment in the team. It was a result to leave scars that may never heal. Continue reading...