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Captain Temba Bavuma drags South Africa back into their Test series against Australia but did his side bat on too long on day three? Bavuma, who emerged in the gloom at 12-2 on day one, batted for 552 minutes across three days in making his highest Test score, allowing the Proteas to declare on 425-9 with half an hour to play having been 110-6 earlier on day three. Kagiso Rabada.

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Pakistan (302/9) beat England (215 all out) Arafat Minhas scores 59, then takes six for 40 After the embarrassment of their English summer this was a welcome sight for Pakistan. A contest in front of their own, no Ollie Robinson to wobble down a lethal Dukes ball, and a format they are far more comfortable with. The result was an impressive victory against England, who fell 87 runs short in.

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Mark Allen says that retiring from snooker is "something I have been contemplating for a while" following his 4-2 loss to Jordan Brown in the Northern Ireland Open. An emotional Mark Allen said retiring from snooker is "something I have been contemplating for a while" following his first-round loss to Jordan Brown in the Northern Ireland Open. Allen was beaten 4-2 by fellow Antrim man Brown in his first event.

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The Eagles quarterback’s recent health issues highlight how football’s toughness culture puts its players at risk Jalen Hurts is likely to miss the rest of the season after an ultrasound revealed blood clots in his lungs. Thankfully, he’s now restricted from playing for the immediate future, meaning he won’t be risking serious complications – or even his life – as he did when he played in their Week 5 loss.

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Snooker's World Championship without Ronnie O'Sullivan is hard to conceive, after years of him being so often the central figure at the Crucible. But it may not be far away. However, the seven-time winner at the Crucible now faces a battle to maintain his place within the 16-man group guaranteed automatic entry to the World Championship. Already down at number 13 in the world rankings, O'Sullivan fell in the first.

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Football is obsessed by its annual award, but cricket seems less enthusiastic about crowning its own best player in the world It’s time for the Ballon d’Or because it’s always time for the Ballon d’Or. Once the golden ball is presented at the London Palladium this month to Harry Kane/Lamine Yamal/Lionel Messi (let us know in the comments!), the debate will quickly switch to next year’s contenders, continuing football’s unhealthy.