Sri Lanka batsmen Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando have made major gains in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings after anchoring their side to a memorable eight-wicket win in Port Elizabeth that helped complete a historic 2-0 series triumph.

The unbroken 163-run stand from the pair enabled Sri Lanka to become the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa and they had individual gains too. An unbeaten 84 from Mendis lifted him to 18th among batsmen while Fernando’s 75 not out helped him jump 35 places and reach 65th position in the list after just two Tests.

Niroshan Dickwella is another Sri Lanka batsman to make a notable improvement in the latest rankings update, moving up eight slots to reach 37th place with his first innings knock of 42 while left-handed opener Lahiru Tharimanne finds himself in the top 100.

Among their bowlers, Suranga Lakmal (up three places to 30th) and Vishwa Fernando (up six places to a career-best 43rd) have advanced after taking four wickets each in the second Test while Kasun Rajitha’s five wickets in the match have helped him move up eight places to 51st position.

The bright spot for South Africa is the continued progress of fast bowler Duanne Olivier, who has moved into the top 20 after only 10 Tests. The 26-year-old’s four wickets in the match have helped him gain three slots to reach 19th position in the list, which has two others fast bowlers from his team ahead of him – Kagiso Rabada in third place and Vernon Philander in fourth.

Meanwhile, South Africa have slipped to third place in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings, losing five points and finishing at 105 after losing both Tests to their lower-ranked opposition. Sri Lanka remain in sixth place, but have moved up to 93 points. New Zealand are second with 107 points and will need to win an upcoming three-Test home series against Bangladesh, starting Thursday, in order to retain second place. The predictor function is available here.

Organizers of a sporting event in Wales have taken the step of banning boys from its national netball competition; saying it was aimed at encouraging more girls to take part while boys' physical strength sometimes put them at an advantage.

The Urdd National Sports Festival, which takes place in Aberystwyth, is one of many annual events it puts on and primary schools were – despite the ruling - told girls will be able to play in the football competition with boys at the same tournament.

Pupils have criticised the move, with some saying: "Netball isn't just for girls, it's for boys and girls. If they're taking away netball from the boys, why don't they take a sport away from the girls?"

Another pupil said: "Why can't boys play netball? I'm normally into football, but I wanted to try something different. If girls are allowed to play football, why can’t we do netball?"

The Urdd Gobaith Cymru was set up in 1922 to provide opportunities for children through the medium of Welsh.

Guy Learmonth has been voted by his fellow athletes as captain of the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for this week’s European Indoor Championships on home soil in Glasgow from 1-3 March.

Learmonth, who made his major senior British international debut at the Championships in Prague four years ago, received the most votes after every member of the record 49-strong team for Glasgow was given the chance to nominate who they would like to be captain.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed a successful indoor season so far, opening up with an indoor 800m personal best of 1:46.98 in Boston before securing his place on the British team for Glasgow with silver at the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this month.

Learmonth follows in the footsteps of fellow Scottish athlete Eilidh Doyle, Andrew Pozzi, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Dai Greene in being chosen captain by his teammates and as part of his role, he will deliver the pre-Championships captain’s speech at the British team meeting.

“It is an absolute honour to be named captain of this incredibly strong British team ahead of a home championships this weekend,” Guy said “It is something that never crossed my mind, so it has come as a total surprise.

To everyone that voted for me, thank you, I am truly humbled. Like every championship, we need to set our goals high. I firmly believe we can finish at the top of that medal table and there is no better place to do it than on home soil. I will do my absolute best on and off the track for the rest of the team and be the best captain I can possible be. Glasgow, get ready, this is going to be one to remember.”

Neil Black, British Athletics Performance Director, said: “I am delighted for Guy that he has been chosen as captain for what is truly a home championships for him. Once again, we have asked selected athletes to choose who they want to lead the team and this will mean an incredible amount to Guy. To know you have the admiration of your peers is a special feeling for any athlete and I have no doubt that he will lead by example on and off the track in Glasgow and go above and beyond in his role as captain.”

José Mourinho has paid fulsome tribute to former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco this week. Mourinho describes himself, Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson as ‘sweet enemies’.

Speaking exclusively to @LaureusSport, Mourinho, who had an intense rivalry with Wenger and Ferguson in England when he was manager of Chelsea, questions whether any team can match Wenger’s success in 2003/04 when Arsenal remained unbeaten in the English Premier League, becoming known as ‘The Invincibles’.

Mourinho says: “Where are the next Invincibles? Today’s football is about results. Who did better than him? I arrived in England and I found 'The Invincibles' and I found Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson very much hurt by that invincible Arsenal season.”

Among Jose Mourinho’s other comments:

• On his rivalry with Wenger: “There were some episodes along the road that I don't like to say I regret, nor should Mr Wenger regret it too, because this is really part of our history….but what I can say is that the real respect is always there.”
• On Wenger’s future: “The Award is very much deserved. I just hope that it’s an Award for what he did until today and that tomorrow or very, very soon, he’s back to where he belongs which is to football.”
• On Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson: “I arrived [in England] with the ambition to win and waiting for me were two of the biggest managers in football history that wanted to try to stop me. We were fighting for same. We were like sweet enemies.”

World indoor and defending European indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi has had his participation at this week’s European Indoor Championships on home soil in Glasgow confirmed.

Pozzi was selected onto the British team for the Championships but having been unable to compete at the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships and not originally expecting to regain fitness in time for Glasgow, it was subject to him proving his fitness in the build-up.

The 26-year-old competed over two rounds at the IAAF World Indoor Tour final in Dusseldorf on Wednesday, finishing fifth, and wishing to compete and defend the European indoor title he won in Belgrade in 2017, he has had his fitness confirmed for Glasgow.

He was one of the stars of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham this time last year, winning gold in a thrilling final, and is one of six selected onto the British team to have claimed gold at the European Indoor Championships previously.

Andrew said: “I thoroughly enjoyed competing again in Dusseldorf last week. It’s been a few days since then and I’m delighted to say that my body has recovered well. To be able to defend my European indoor title is an exciting opportunity and it’s great that we have all decided to go ahead and move on to Glasgow. World indoors last year in Birmingham was so special and now I’m excited to concentrate on what needs to be done in Glasgow in front of another brilliant home crowd.”

A Shropshire boxing coach says winning a Thrive Mental Health Award means helping more people by changing lives through sport.

Bright Star Boxing Club was named Mental Health Star in the Team, Service, Organisation category for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire, Cannock Chase and Tamworth at the recent West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Thrive Awards.

Club development manager Joe Lockley said people became part of a family and a community in Bright Star, with role models they may never have had before.

He said: “Sport can be used as such a vehicle for change – the benefits are so much more than just physical.

The way boxing has supported people is incredible – and actually it’s not just boxing, I think it’s sport in general.

I’ve seen how it can help people – we’ve seen people overcoming addiction, anxiety and depression and people who are really socially isolated starting to feel part of a family, a community.

A lot of us are mental health first-aid trained and we can create that environment and I think we are seen as positive role models for the young people we’re working with.”

Joe said the award was an inspiration onto even bigger and better things.

“Winning this award is absolutely incredible for us and will help spur us on to do more amazing things and hopefully get more referrals from hard to reach groups,” he commented.

Bright Star has helped people at risk of offending, people who have been sexually abused and had a life changing impact on a lot of people.

The academy takes referrals from other organisations and also has sessions running outside the club for women who have been sexually abused, children in care, substance misuse and  children at risk of offending.

Six of the coaches are mental health first aid trained and the academy has shown that with the right volunteers boxing can support high anxiety, depression, offending behaviour and young people struggling with anger and substance misuse.

Young people receive mentoring to help them set goals and free one-one sessions are offered to young people with high anxiety to enable them to take part.