Sports News

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir has broken her own world record for a women-only half marathon.

The 27-year-old ran one hour five minutes 16 seconds at the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland.

Germany's Melat Yisak Kejeta was second in 1:05:18 with Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw in third with 1:05:19.

In the men's race, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo claimed victory in a championship record time of 58:49.

In the women's race, the top three all ran under Jepchirchir's previous would record of 1:05:34.

The leading group went through 10km in 30:47, while the chances of Ethiopia's Ababel Yeshaneh and Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei suffered when they fell on the third lap as they went on to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

Uganda’s 19-year-old Jacob Kiplimo won the men’s race with a championship record time of 58 minutes and 49 seconds to upset Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie who took silver. Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn finished third.

Kandie was the fastest man over the distance this year having run 58:38 in Prague last month.

Kiplimo’s compatriot Joshua Cheptegei, who holds both the 5,000m and 10,000m world records, finished in a time of 59:21 on his half marathon debut to earn fourth place.

The event was originally scheduled for March but was postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has graduated pace bowler Manraj Johal from its Academy to the professional ranks. Having recently studied at Sandwell College and Oldbury Academy, Johal, who turned 19 yesterday, currently takes the new ball in the Birmingham & District Premier League for West Bromwich Dartmouth and been a Bear since the under 11s age group.

He graduates after a year in the Warwickshire Academy and two years in the Emerging Player Programme (EPP). Warwickshire’s High Performance Manager Paul Greetham, said: “During his time in the pathway, Manraj has shown how determined he is to reach it to the top and he has also proved that he could overcome notable setbacks along the way.

“During lockdown he got stronger and fitter than ever by getting out running along the canals and by working on his skills by bowling to his Dad in his garden. Four years ago he was deselected from the EPP but reacted by winning his place back the following year by having an excellent season in the county age groups and in the additional skill set groups.

“He has demonstrated the character, skill sets and resilience that we want to see in a Warwickshire cricketer and whilst we have high hopes for him with the ball, Manraj offers a lot with the bat and is strong in the field. Manraj has worked very hard to get to earn this rookie contract and it’s for him now to grasp this opportunity and to prove that he can make it in the professional game.”

Johal moved to West Bromwich Dartmouth CC in 2018 from Olton & West Warwickshire CC, which also the first Club of Henry and Ethan Brookes. He was given the new ball later that season and has taken 60 First XI wickets at an average of 20.7 to date. As part of the Club’s partnership with Staffordshire Cricket, Johal played two games in the National County Championship in 2019 in addition to games for Warwickshire Second XI.

“I’ve always played cricket ever since I could remember and it’s always been my goal to play for Warwickshire,” said Johal. “Having worked hard to earn this initial contract and I’m very grateful to everyone who has supported me in the pathway. I fully appreciate that there’s a lot more tough yards ahead to make it as a Bear, but I’m going to give it everything and can’t wait to get started when we return to training next month.”

Ian Westwood, men’s Second Team Coach at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Manraj has a nice repeatable action with a good heavy ball and he has impressed us at every opportunity when he has been around the professional ranks.

“He bowled a lot of overs last year and showed real promise in his performances in the Second XI and for Staffordshire. We invited him on this year’s pre-season tour at La Manga Club and then into the July training programme where he also performed well. Throughout last winter and ahead of this recent season, he has put himself forward for extra sessions, but he has also shown an understanding of how a fast bowler should prepare by dedicating a lot of time to his strength and conditioning.

“We’re delighted to see him come through into the senior men’s squad and are very excited about his potential.”

Rafael Nadal produced one of his finest French Open displays to stun Novak Djokovic and equal Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam men's titles. The second seed Spaniard outclassed world number one Djokovic in a 6-0 6-2 7-5 win, which clinched a record-extending 13th title at Roland Garros.

Questions had been asked about 34-year-old Nadal's level, but he responded with an almost flawless performance. Top seed Djokovic, 33, lost a completed match for the first time in 2020. The Serb was overwhelmed by Nadal's rapid start and produced a despondent display as a result.

Defeat also meant Djokovic, who was bidding for an 18th Grand Slam title, lost ground on Nadal and Federer in their ongoing battle to finish with the most major wins.

Nadal sealed victory after two hours 41 minutes with a kicking ace out wide on his first match point, leaving the Spaniard laughing as he fell to his knees on the court where he has enjoyed unparalleled success.

"A win here means everything for me," said Nadal, who also became the first player to win 100 singles matches at Roland Garros. "Honestly, I don't think about the 20th and equalling Roger, for me it is just a Roland Garros victory.

"I have spent most of the most important moments in my career here. Just to play here is a true inspiration and the love story I have with this city and this court is unforgettable." Few things in the sporting world over the past 15 years have been almost as certain as Nadal winning the French Open men's singles title.

This year, like with so many things across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was more uncertainty. Nadal himself put some doubt on his chances going into a tournament which looked and felt like no other French Open.

Played in cooler weather than usual - with the tournament in October rather than June - and without his usual preparation on the clay courts, Nadal said it represented the toughest test he had ever faced at Roland Garros. But he came through these new challenges to win in arguably the finest fashion yet.

Not only did Nadal win the tournament without dropping a set for a fourth time, it was the manner of his one-sided victory against Djokovic which made it so impressive.

Nadal raised his game to a scarcely believable level from the start, defending ferociously and attacking with equally great effect. Everything he hit at Djokovic landed with pace and precision, leading to just six unforced errors in the opening two sets.

Djokovic looked up to the sky in amazement when Nadal eventually started making a few more mistakes in a more competitive third set - but by then it was too late for even him to turn the match around.

"You showed why you are King of the Clay, I experienced it with my own skin," Djokovic said.

While Nadal had the superior history at Roland Garros, Djokovic had the superior form over the course of a fragmented year. Djokovic had won 37 of his 38 previous matches this year, with his only defeat coming as a result of being defaulted in the infamous US Open fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta last month.

Unlike Nadal, Djokovic had dropped sets in his previous six matches - albeit only three - but looked to be operating at a higher level as he swatted aside tougher opponents than Nadal.

Therefore, many would have considered Djokovic as the slight favourite going into the final.

Djokovic had played with clarity of thought and perfect execution through much of the tournament but looked befuddled and subdued as he was unable to cope with Nadal's ferocious start.

While Djokovic had come back from two sets down to win on four previous occasions, none of those were against Nadal. Even more crucially, none of them were against Nadal at Roland Garros. Better serving and more aggressive returning by the Serb, who was playing fewer of the drop shots that Nadal had read with speed of mind and fleet of foot earlier, made the third set more like the contest the world had expected.

Frailties were still loitering, however, and appeared again when he produced a double fault to hand over the crucial break in the 11th game which enabled Nadal to serve out victory.

"I am not so pleased with the way I played but I was definitely outplayed by a better player on the court," Djokovic said.

Lewis Hamilton equalled the all-time record for career Formula 1 victories by winning the Eifel Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver's win was the 91st of his career and he will surely break Michael Schumacher's record soon.

Hamilton extended his championship lead over team-mate Valtteri Bottas to 69 points after the Finn retired.

Behind Max Verstappen's Red Bull in second, Daniel Ricciardo scored Renault's first podium since returning to F1 as a constructor in 2016. The race had been poised for a close fight between Hamilton and Bottas before the second Mercedes hit trouble at the Nurburgring in Germany.

Hamilton, second on the grid, made a better start than Bottas and dived for the inside at the first corner, pushing him wide, but Bottas held his ground and recovered the lead on the inside of the second corner. That gave Bottas control of the race, but Hamilton pressured him hard and in the end the leader buckled.

Bottas handed the advantage back to Hamilton on lap 13, locking a wheel into Turn One and running wide, allowing Hamilton to close in and pass for the lead around the outside of Turn Two.

Three laps later, the race fell further into Hamilton's lap when a virtual safety car allowed him and Verstappen to pit for fresh tyres and retain their positions ahead of Bottas, and two laps after that Bottas retired with a suspected failure of the MGU-H, part of the hybrid system.

Although Verstappen stole the point for fastest lap from Hamilton on the last lap of the race,

Hamilton's lead is close to three clear race victories with only six races remaining. A seventh world title - which would equal another Schumacher record - is beckoning. Schumacher's son Mick presented Hamilton with one of his father's old helmets, from his last F1 season with Mercedes in 2012, to recognise the achievement.

"I don't know what to say," Hamilton said. "When you grow up watching someone and you idolise them, really, for the quality of the driver they are and what they are continually able to do as a driver and with his team week on week. Seeing his dominance for so long and I don't think anyone - especially me - thought he would get close to this record.

"It's an incredible honour but I could not have done it without this incredible team. A big thank you and huge respect to Michael."

Ricciardo's podium was made possible by Bottas' retirement, as the top two had almost lapped the field before a late safety car was called to recover Lando Norris' McLaren, which had stopped with an engine failure. But the Australian's result was well deserved. Renault have been making steady progress and Ricciardo, who has been outstanding this season, held off Racing Point's Sergio Perez in a battle over the closing laps.

A bet with team principal Cyril Abiteboul means the Frenchman has to have a tattoo in a design of Ricciardo's choosing. Abiteboul can choose size and placement. Ricciardo said he did not know what the design would be, but probably "something with a German flavour".

Norris had been fighting with Perez for fourth on divergent strategies for a while, but the early development of his ultimately terminal engine problem cost him time and he was running fifth before he stopped. Norris' McLaren team-mate Carlos Sainz took fifth instead, ahead of Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly, who was able to pass Ferrari's Charles Leclerc for sixth place as a result of Ferrari's decision not to stop for fresh tyres at the late safety car.

Nico Hulkenberg took an impressive eighth for Racing Point after starting last, following his late substitution for the ill Lance Stroll on Saturday morning. And there were the first points of the season for Haas' Romain Grosjean and Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi in ninth and 10th places.

Six races to go and they start with a new track for F1, Portimao on Portugal's Algarve on 25 October. It is a well-regarded track and the drivers are all looking forward to the challenge. And the weather should be a good deal warmer than the wintry conditions at the Nurburgring this weekend.

The British Basketball League (BBL) has confirmed they are able to get their 2020-21 season underway following assurances from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that appropriate support will be made available to those spectator sports affected by the Government's announcement that fans would not be allowed back into sports venues from 1 October.

BBL and DCMS have been in urgent dialogue since the announcement by the Prime Minister that the planned return of fans to sports venues on 1 October would not be happening. The BBL season had been due to start on 2^nd October with the announcement making a significant impact on the financial viability of the clubs who rely on ticket income throughout the season. 

Full details of the support expected from the Government is to be confirmed but the assurance has meant that plans for the 2020-21 can now resume, with games now scheduled to start on Friday 30 October.

Sir Rodney Walker said, “We extend our thanks to Oliver Dowden, Nigel Huddleston, and DCMS for their swift response in the wake of the decision to not allow fans back into sports venues. This support comes in recognition of the immense work our clubs have done in preparation for the 2020-21 season, not only for competition but also in terms of the extensive work they do in their communities.”

The 2020 London Marathon will involve only elite athletes, with 45,000 'mass-event' runners unable to take part because of coronavirus concerns.

The much-anticipated contest between Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele was due to take place on a bio-secure closed course.

Reduced fields of 30-40 athletes will also compete for the elite women's and wheelchair titles.

The 2021 race, meanwhile, will be on October 3 rather than a date in April.

That calendar shift from the traditional date is designed to maximise the chances of all runners being able to take part in next year's race.

A plan to include the mass-participation event in the 2020 race, deploying high-tech tracking technology to monitor runners' proximity to each other, had been considered.

However, event director Hugh Brasher said that plan had been made impossible by the logistical challenges of managing spectators and emergency service access across London, especially given the recent cancellation of spectator trials at other sporting events.

Instead, it will only be the elite athletes that tackle a spectator-free course - following a different route to the usual one used for the London Marathon.

That route will consist of laps of roughly 1.5 miles, taking in The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Birdcage Walk and the spur road running adjacent to front of Buckingham Palace.

The showdown between four-time winner Kipchoge and Bekele, whose personal best is two seconds slower than Kipchoge's world record of two hours one minute 39 seconds, has now been put on the back burner after the Ethiopian had to pull out through injury.

British Paralympic great David Weir will be aiming for a record ninth win in the wheelchair race.

Kenya's defending champion Brigid Kosgei, who beat Briton Paula Radcliffe's long-standing world record in Chicago in October, will headline the women's field, with course record holder Manuela Schar attempting to follow up her 2019 win in the women's wheelchair race.

Athletes' times in the race will be eligible for Olympic qualification for the postponed Tokyo Games in 2021.

While this year's Tokyo marathon took place in a similar form in March, with only elite runners taking part and spectators restricted in number, other major marathons have been cancelled.

The Berlin and New York races, which were scheduled to be held on September 27 and November 1 respectively, are among those that will not take place in 2020.

Runners with a place in the 2020 race, but not in the elite fields, will be able to compete virtually from any location around the world.

They are invited to run or walk 26.2 miles, taking breaks if required, over the course of 24 hours, logging their progress on the event app.

Last year, the London Marathon raised £66.4m for charities and good causes.

Brasher said: "We believe that tomorrow will see a London Marathon like no other, taking the spirit of the world's greatest marathon to every corner of the globe, with runners raising vital funds for the charities that have been so severely affected by the economic effects of the pandemic."

Kenya’s four-time winner and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge says this year’s unique edition of the London Marathon “can bring hope to the world”.

The race will be run over 19 laps of a closed course, screened from public view, as part of Covid-19 measures. The mass participation element of the race will be run ‘virtually’ with only the elite fields gathering in London.

He said: “We can bring hope to the world that we can train behind the scenes and come back in a strong way.”

Asked about his chances of retaining his title, Kipchoge replied: “Kipchoge admitted that the absence of a crowd, which usually numbers tens of thousands, would make a “huge, huge difference” to the event.

The 35-year-old will be taking on Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, who was just two seconds off his rival’s world record in Berlin last year, in a keenly anticipated duel. The pair have been backed by event director Hugh Brasher to bring the best out of each other despite the forecast wet weather.

“Whatever the conditions, we believe there will be some incredible racing that will live long in people’s memories,” said Brasher. “It could be incredibly quick.”

Four-time Olympic champion, Sir Mo Farah, will be one the pacemakers in the race, although focused on helping a mainly British group achieve the Olympic qualifying time of two hours 11 minutes 30 seconds.

Kipchoge’s world record stands at 2:01:39. His landmark sub-two hour marathon in Austria last year is not classified as a record because of the nature of the pace-making help and other assistance he received in the time-trial event.

Dakota Schuetz, the 24-year-old American scooter champion known globally as ‘Kota’, has joined the Electric Skootr Championship (eSC) as the series' very first ambassador and development rider.

Kota is regarded internationally as one of the freestyle scooter scene’s most successful riders and innovators. He was the International Scooter Association’s first-ever world champion in 2012 and dominated the scooter scene for seven years – winning a further three world titles and over 60 professional competitions.

As a central figure within the international freestyle community, Kota has built a young and dynamic global audience and developed lasting relationships with some of the scooter world’s most influential figures.

In his official capacity as eSC’s first-announced Rider Ambassador, he will help to converge a diverse community of riders, micromobility advocates and sports fans – building a unique audience for the new eSC series.

His international profile will also play a role in attracting and building up a squad of multi-talented riders to eSC ahead of the series’ roll-out in 2021.

Kota joins eSC’s Sustainability Ambassador, 2014 Formula E Champion Lucas di Grassi, and Safety Ambassador Alex Wurz, a two-time Le Mans winner. Kota is the first rider to be announced as a member of a small team working within eSC to develop and refine its prototype electric race eSkootr, ahead of its competitive debut next year.

The eSkootr, which is being developed in partnership with British engineering firm Williams Advanced Engineering, has already undergone its first real-world tests – with Kota providing detailed feedback on fit, feel, ergonomics, handling and power delivery.

The eSkootr begins a more extensive test programme this month, with Kota being joined by a series of additional riders from different sporting backgrounds in order to grow the engineering footprint of the project.

Dakota Schuetz, eSkootr Championship Rider Ambassador said: “Riding scooters is a big part of my life. Over the past 15 years, I’ve helped to develop and shape the freestyle scooter community, its competitions and its riders. I’m very proud about where it’s come from, where it’s going and the potential for the future.

Now, I’m just as excited to embark on this new project, working with the Electric Skootr Championship to grow the world’s first-ever micromobility sport. With eSC, I see all the signs that were present in the freestyle community all those years ago; with eSC’s team and its mission, I feel confident that the journey ahead will be amazing. I’m really looking forward to help to develop and mould a new sport, and to help build a community of riders all over the world.

After testing the first eSkootr, I’m already hugely encouraged by our progress. Everything feels right about the prototype and I believe we’ve already taken a huge step forward in terms of eScooter tech. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.”

eSkootr Championship CEO and co-founder Hrag Sarkissian, said:“You can’t talk about the freestyle scooter world without mentioning the name Kota, so we’re absolutely thrilled to have him join us at the beginning of the eSkootr Championship.

As a figurehead for the sport, he will undoubtedly play a central role in attracting new riders and fans to us. And his appointment marks the next stage in our ambition to form strong relationships with outstanding partners as we continue to develop and grow the eSC.”

Khalil Beschir, eSkootr Championship COO and co-founder, added: “At our first track test, Kota’s skill and experience proved hugely beneficial in providing our engineers with additional insight and direction into the development of our prototype eSkootr chassis.

Even at this early stage, we’ve been massively impressed by his analysis and feedback, and we’re extremely pleased at how he’s already playing a significant role in shaping our development programme. He’s a fantastic addition to the eSC team.”

Launched in July 2020, the Electric Scooter Championship is the world’s first micromobility motorsport series.

Using high-performance race eScooters, designed and built in partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, eSC has been designed to champion progressive micromobility policies and as an advocacy platform promoting smarter, cleaner and safer mobility in our cities.

The series is developing an international sporting calendar and infrastructure that will encourage diversity and inclusivity from a new generation of motorsport competitors worldwide.

Formula E champion Lucas Di Grassi and ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz are founding stakeholders in the organisation.

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to increase the number of Black people in motor racing, naming a group to analyse the causes of a lack of diversity. The six-time Formula 1 world champion said members of his Hamilton Commission "together will make a change" and he will lead the group alongside Dr Hayaatun Sillem, the chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The 14 members include former sports minister Tracey Crouch and ex-McLaren Formula 1 boss Martin Whitmarsh.

Mercedes driver Hamilton, 35, has set the commission the target of identifying the "key barriers to the recruitment and progression of Black people in UK motorsport" and providing "actionable recommendations to overcome them".

A statement said the composition of the commission had been chosen to "represent a wide range of expertise spanning critical areas of influence, including motorsport, engineering, schools, colleges and universities, community/youth groups, as well as major UK political parties". Other members include Professor Alice Gast, the president of Imperial College London and Chi Onwurah, the Labour MP for Newcastle-upon-Tyne and shadow minister for digital, science and technology.

Hamilton is F1's first and only Black driver. The sport's only other non-white competitor is Red Bull's Alexander Albon, a Britain-born Thai. Hamilton said: "What is more concerning is that there are still very few people of colour across the sport as a whole.

"In F1, our teams are much bigger than the athletes that front them, but representation is insufficient across every skill set - from the garage to the engineers in the factories and design departments. Change isn't coming quickly enough and we need to know why.

"This is why I wanted to set up the commission and I'm proud to be working with the Royal Academy of Engineering and our incredible board of commissioners to identify the barriers facing young Black people to take up STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) careers in motorsport.

"We are dedicated to this cause and, together, we will make a change."

Sillem said: "This is a truly unique opportunity to drive transformational change on this crucial issue and, in the process, to learn more about how we can enrich diversity in other parts of engineering and society." Gast said the commission would "not only strengthen Formula 1 and motorsport, but will help bring needed talent into engineering".

"Inclusion and excellence go hand in hand. Lewis is a role model for future stars of engineering and innovation as much as he is a sporting icon and I'm very pleased to be working with him," she added.

Hamilton has been at the forefront of F1's attempts this year to promote an anti-racist and pro-diversity agenda, which includes demonstrations before every grand prix. His Mercedes team have painted their cars black for this season, instead of their trademark silver, as a signal of their commitment to greater diversity and inclusion. Hamilton called the move "an important statement we are willing to change and improve as a business".

The team admitted that "just 3% of our workforce identify as belonging to minority ethnic groups and only 12% of our employees are women".

Mercedes have pledged to increase those numbers and Hamilton has called on all other teams to match that commitment.

F1 as a sport has launched an equality and diversity taskforce to increase opportunity for minority groups and has pledged to work with the Hamilton Commission. Hamilton will publish the findings and recommendations of his commission and take it "directly to key stakeholders who can help implement change".

A statement added: "Commissioners will also support this effort by applying their personal influence to champion the insights and recommendations from the project."

Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Official Charity the Edgbaston Foundation has made a fitting tribute to the late Edgbaston tour guide and friend of the Club Rick Coleman by naming him as the Community Hero for 2020.

The Edgbaston Foundation is also making a lasting tribute to Rick by awarding him a stone in the Bear & Ragged Staff Wall and through renaming its Community Award, which is presented annually to the Warwickshire player which it believes has made the biggest community impact over the course of a year, as the Rick Coleman Community Award. 

Rick, who passed away aged 77 in June, spent 20 years giving schools, cricket clubs and community groups tours of Edgbaston, whilst he also played a key role in development of the Edgbaston Foundation’s cricket-inspired education programme, the Edgbaston Classroom.

Ravi Masih, Head of Community Engagement at Warwickshire CCC and Lead of the Edgbaston Foundation, said: “Rick gave so much time to Warwickshire CCC and in the development of the Edgbaston Foundation and it’s right that his fantastic efforts are never forgotten, through this initial Community Hero accolade and through the newly named Rick Coleman Community Award.

“Even whilst his health affected how often he could get to Edgbaston in the 12 months prior to his passing, Rick still wanted to play his part and earlier this year he supported the Edgbaston Foundation in a joint project with the National Literacy Trust called ‘Young Birmingham Poets’. Here he provided inspiration for the children to create poetry about cricket and Edgbaston Stadium

“He is sorely missed by the many of us who were lucky enough to work with him over the last 20 years and we are very grateful that we can continue working closely with the Coleman family to honour Rick’s great community legacy.”

The Edgbaston Foundation launched its Community Hero accolade in 2019 and presented its first award during the Ashes Test match to Joel Hales-Waller for his support in establishing the Cricket Full Circle programme, which he also volunteered as a delivery coach.

The cricket world is still in mourning after the passing of former Australia batsman Dean Jones whilst he was in Mumbai, where he was working as a commentator covering the Indian Premier League.

Born in Coburg,in Victoria, the stylish middle-order batsman played 52 Tests from 1984 to 1992, averaging 46.55 and winning the Ashes on two occasions. He was also part of the Australia team that won the World Cup in 1987, beating England in a thrilling final.

Best remembered for his innings of 210 in the tied match between Australia and India in 1986, in his 164 one-day internationals, he averaged 44.61.

He also had spells in county cricket with Derbyshire and Durham, and, after retiring from playing, had further careers as a coach and broadcaster.

Following the news of his death Cricket Australia chair Earl Eddings said: "Dean Jones was a hero to a generation of cricketers and will forever be remembered as a legend of this great game.

"Anyone who watched cricket in the 1980s and 1990s will fondly recall his cavalier approach at the crease and the incredible energy and passion he brought to every game he played."

On his Twitter Australia batsman Steve Smith wrote: "Awful to hear the news of Dean Jones passing away in Mumbai. He was a wonderful player for Australia and he will be missed. My thoughts are with his family" Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was "heartbroken" by the news of Jones' passing.

Former England captain Michael Atherton said Jones was a pioneer in cricket and "played the game as it would become in the years after he would retire", whilst another former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted: "This is so sad ... A hero of mine has gone far too soon ... always offered so much advice to us younger players when he played at Derby."

Aaron Finch, Australia limited-overs captain, wrote: "Still in shock hearing the news of Deano's passing. Thoughts are with Jane and the family at this incredibly tough time. A great man with an amazing passion for the game."

He was 59.

As part of the Mayor’s Giving Day in the West Midlands, Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Official Charity, the Edgbaston Foundation, has partnered with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on a new cricketing initiative which is designed to get more children active.

Launched with Warwickshire CEO Stuart Cain and Captain Will Rhodes at Edgbaston Stadium, the Edgbaston Foundation and WMCA are giving away 1,000 children cricket bats across the region over the next year to encourage more youngsters to stay fit and get involved in the game.

To kick start Mayor’s Giving Day this year Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, Warwickshire CEO Stuart Cain and Men’s Team Captain Will Rhodes have already virtually handed over the bats to some of the region’s worthy recipients. The project follows on from previous bat giveaways and last year’s inaugural Mayor’s Cricket Cup at Edgbaston, where West Midlands Mayor Andy Street invited adults and children of all ages and backgrounds to take part in the first of its kind intergenerational tournament on the stadium’s hallowed turf.

Ravi Masih, Head of Community Engagement at Warwickshire CCC and lead of the Edgbaston Foundation, said: “Through the Edgbaston Foundation and Warwickshire CCC we’re committed to using cricket to make a difference within our local community by making the game more accessible than ever before.

“The last few months have been a tough for everyone but getting out into the great outdoors has provided some welcome relief. We hope that by providing more equipment and opportunities like All Stars and the upcoming Dynamos programme, we can get many more youngsters involved in cricket.”

With a further 1,000 cricket sets pledged by the Edgbaston Foundation in collaboration with the WMCA over the next 12 months, it will have taken the charity’s total giveaways to 4000 over four years.

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “Even though we are in different times this year the principle is exactly the same.  The ability to give children and community groups the ability to play sport by donating these bats and balls is part of the combined initiative of ‘giving’. 

“Edgbaston Foundation are supporting the Mayor’s Giving Day for the second year running and as always, I am extremely grateful for all their work within the community and by providing this kit will enable so many young people to be part of this great sport.  Who knows we may see a new star from within our Region.”

Ramla Ali, a boxer who became British champion without her family's knowledge after fleeing civil war in Somalia, has signed a professional deal with Matchroom Boxing.

The 31-year-old, who says she is still aiming to be the first Somali boxer to go to an Olympics, is due to make her professional debut in October.

She started boxing in her early teens after arriving in London as a refugee. "I want to become a world champion," she said. "I hope in doing so people will develop a better view of Somalia."

Ali was a toddler when her family fled the Somali capital Mogadishu in the early 1990s after her elder brother was killed aged 12 by a mortar while playing outside during the civil war.

When the family arrived in London as refugees, having lived in Nairobi in Kenya, Ali was picked on at school for being overweight.

She went to the local gym and tried a boxercise class, but did not tell her family as she thought they would disapprove of the sport for a Muslim girl. When she won the British and English titles in 2016, Ali - who initially represented England before switching to Somalia in 2017 - told her parents she was going out for a run.

Ali, whose mother now supports her boxing, is trained by her husband Richard Moore and will compete at super-bantamweight. She says she "would still love to go" to the postponed Olympic Games, currently scheduled to begin on 23 July 2021, but uncertainty caused by coronavirus made her anxious to compete before then.

"I wanted to get a head start in my professional career so now is the best time to turn pro," Ali added. "I just want to get in the ring and I feel like I can do that sooner being a pro rather than waiting around for an Olympic Games that might not come.

"The Olympic dream is still there but I'm excited to begin my journey in the professional ranks."

Promoter Eddie Hearn said: "Ramla's story is incredible and inspiring. She has gone through so much to get to this point.

"Ramla joins an unrivalled Matchroom stable that boasts some of the very best female fighters on the planet and she is in the perfect place to fulfil her dream of becoming Somalia's first world champion."

Following the Government announcement on September 22 that fans will not be allowed back to sporting events, the BBL (British Basketball League) are currently assessing the impact this will have on professional basketball in the UK.

The UK is a great sporting nation and the positive impact that sport has on communities and on physical and mental health can be seen at all levels from grassroots through to elite levels.

As such, it is no exaggeration to say that the impact of this decision will be deeply felt by all 11 BBL clubs and the communities they operate in.

They say that they recognise that the Government is taking these measures in the interests of the nation’s health and we fully support them in that.

However, to remove the possibility of such a vital source of income only a week before they were due to start their season means they have no option but to call on the Government for immediate support at this crucial time.

“The viability of the league, the only professional men’s basketball league in the UK, is predicated on the ticket income as thousands of fans show their support each week,” a spokesperson said.

“And without this support we are in danger of losing clubs who work in the heart of their communities, as well as the current and future generations of talented sportspeople.”

Footballer Lionel Messi can register his name as a trademark after a nine-year legal battle, the EU's top court has ruled.

The European Court of Justice dismissed an appeal from Spanish cycling company Massi and the EU's intellectual property office, EUIPO.

The Barcelona footballer first applied to trademark his surname as a sportswear brand in 2011.

But Massi argued the similarity between their logos would cause confusion. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that the star player's reputation could be taken into account when weighing up whether the public would be able to tell the difference between the two brands.

In doing so, it upheld a ruling by the EU's General Court in 2018 that the footballer was too well known for confusion to arise.

Massi, which sells cycle clothing and equipment, was successful in its initial challenge to the Barcelona striker's application. But it lost out when Lionel Messi brought an appeal to the General Court, which ruled in his favour.

Messi, 33, who wears the number 10 shirt, has been crowned world football player of the year a record six times and is the world's highest-paid soccer player, according to Forbes. It puts his total earnings for 2020 at $126m (£97m).

In August, he made headlines by sending a fax to his club declaring his intention to leave.

But when Barcelona responded by insisting that any team that took him on would have to honour a €700m (£624m) release clause, he changed his mind, saying he did not want to face "the club I love" in court.

As part of UK Coaching Week 2020, UK Coaching has announced a new public-driven awards initiative to recognise those coaches who delivered sport and physical activity during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown.

Through UK Coaching Heroes, the great British public will be able to nominate coaches who implemented great coaching ideas and made a considerable difference to others despite the adversity we faced because of the pandemic.

One such coach, dubbed the nation’s PE teacher, Joe Wicks, delivered 18 weeks of his fitness show ‘PE with Joe’, helping millions of parents and children stay active whilst schools were closed and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for the NHS.

Nominations are open until the 11 October. Then from the 26 October - 8 November, the public will be able to vote for their favourite coaches from the shortlist of finalists.

Two supporters of the initiative are charities Coach Core Foundation and Dallaglio RugbyWorks – the former delivering inclusive and impactful sports coaching apprenticeships across the UK for 16-24 year olds not in education or employment and the latter offering young people of secondary school age (either excluded or on the verge of exclusion from mainstream education) a chance to succeed and progress onto further education, employment or training. Both charities will benefit from any voluntary donations made through the nominations or public vote process.   

UK Coaching’s Director of Coaching Emma Atkins, said: “As part of this year’s campaign, we wanted to implement a unique way in which coaches could be celebrated and recognised by the public for the unparalleled role they’ve had in helping communities stay happy and healthy in this coronavirus era.

“UK Coaching Heroes is for those of us who have benefitted from great coaching during lockdown to show our appreciation for what coaches have done for us and our wider communities. We have seen coaches go online to keep us connected, active and healthy, and have seen coaches step up to run around their local neighbourhoods to ensure those shielding from COVID-19 have food parcels and other everyday essentials.

“There is also a wonderful opportunity to donate money to two amazing charities, who are ensuring that young people, who are often in vulnerable situations, can excel through coaching apprenticeships and development programmes that will help them succeed in life – and ensure the next generation of great coaches!”  

RugbyWorks’ Managing Director Sarah Mortiboys, said: “We’re delighted to support this activity because we know through our interventions that coaching and mentoring can have a great effect on the lives of young people. By creating person-centred relationships with our young people through rugby, we’re helping them to develop resilience, personal responsibility, an understanding of mental well-being and keeping them engaged in learning and education.

“Any donation to RugbyWorks will help us to support a young person in England or Wales achieve a positive and productive future.”

Coach Core’s Chief Executive Officer Gary Laybourne, added: “At Coach Core, we understand that coaching is a very powerful way of upskilling and developing young people of all ages both professionally and personally, whilst also ensuring they become real assets to their local community. Through our programmes, we use apprenticeships to help target deserving young people living and working in some of the UK’s most challenging areas onto a fantastic, long-term career pathway and then put them back into their own communities so that they can become fantastic, inspiring young coaches helping to change people lives.

“As we all know, coronavirus has had a huge impact on the sport and physical activity sector, with substantial decreases in employment for young people in particular really starting to affect our own programmes. If people could keep us in mind for a donation whilst they are nominating so we can continue the work we do, we would be extremely grateful.

Thank you.”  

UK Coaching Heroes is looking for nominations of people who have:

• Connected people utilising sport and physical activity and had a positive impact on people’s well-being
• Created an environment where people felt empowered and motivated either to get active or to stay active during the covid-19 lockdown
• Made a difference and had an impact on others (eg family member, friend, participant).

UK Coaching Week – which empowers athletes, coaches and the public to celebrate great coaching – this year centres on the need to ‘Support Your Coach’, kicking off with the #GreatCoachingPledge that will call on the nation to give some of their own time, sharing thanks and support for the coaching community.