Chamari Athapaththu was again the star for Sri Lanka as they earned a historic Twenty20 international series win against England.

Athapaththu claimed figures of three for 21 as the hosts were bowled out for 116 before whacking 44 to fire her side to a seven-wicket victory, which sealed a memorable 2-1 series success in the decider at Derby.

The Sri Lanka captain hit a half-century in Saturday’s win at Chelmsford and again brought the fireworks, plundering two sixes and five fours in her 28-ball innings.

It meant that England lost a T20 series to a team other than Australia for the first time since 2010, while also losing a first-ever white-ball series to Sri Lanka.

The opening ball of the match set the tone for England’s disappointing innings as Danni Wyatt slapped a gentle long hop straight to cover and it got worse after a calamitous run out at the end of the second over, where Maia Bouchier and Alice Capsey were both at the same end.

They never got to grips with Sri Lanka’s array of slower bowlers, with skipper Athapaththu taking three  wickets and Udeshika Prabodhani and Kavisha Dilhari both claiming two victims apiece.

Bouchier top scored with 23 while Danielle Gibson added 21 late as England failed to see out their overs.

Athapaththu came out firing and did the leg work of Sri Lanka’s chase in the first seven overs, hitting Kate Cross and 17-year-old Mahika Gaur over the ropes in an array of boundaries.

Her dismissal with score on 65 could have opened the door for England, but they could not make regular inroads and the visitors got over the line with 18 balls to spare.

All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones believes he could be ready to play in the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener Thursday night if he reaches a contract extension with the defending Super Bowl champions.

“I've been keeping in contact with my teammates. I've been working out every day, doing similar things to what they're doing in training camp,” Jones said Wednesday. “I'll be ready when the time comes.”

The Chiefs open the NFL season Thursday night against the visiting Detroit Lions.

“Hopefully it gets worked out,” Jones said. “It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life.

“I've said that multiple time on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at.”

Jones finished third in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season while playing a major role in the Chiefs' second Super Bowl title in four years.

The 29-year-old tied a career high with 15.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games and registered two more in Kansas City's win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game.

The seven-year veteran has been named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons, while his 56.5 sacks since 2018 are the fourth most in the NFL over that stretch.

“We're going to continue to press on and work hard,” Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said. “A lot of respect on both sides of this thing.

“It’s been well-stated how we feel about Chris and he feels the same thing. We’re just going to keep working on this thing.”

Lionel Messi heads the list of nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.

Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were also included on the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious prize published by organisers France Football on Wednesday.

Messi, already a record seven-time winner of the annual prize for world player of the year, is again the favourite.

The 36-year-old, who now plays his club football with Inter Miami, was his country’s chief inspiration as they triumphed in Qatar last winter, scoring seven goals in the tournament.

Haaland, who scored a remarkable 52 goals for treble-winning Manchester City last season, is one of seven players from the successful City side to make the list.

Former captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is now at Barcelona, another World Cup-winner in Julian Alvarez, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva were the others.

England captain Harry Kane is rewarded after scoring 40 goals for club and country before switching Tottenham for Bayern Munich. England team-mates Bellingham, who is now at Real Madrid, and Saka, of Arsenal, also enjoyed strong campaigns.

Other notable Premier League inclusions are Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard.

Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, was not nominated for the first time since 2003.

England’s Rachel Daly, Georgia Stanway, Millie Bright and Mary Earps are on the shortlist for the women’s award following their run to the World Cup final.

Goalkeeper Earps won the Golden Glove after keeping four clean sheets in the tournament while Daly was also the top scorer in the Women’s Super League last season.

Aitana Bonmati of champions Spain is widely considered the favourite for the prize but team-mate Olga Carmona, scorer of the winning goal in the final, is also nominated.

Bellingham is also on the shortlist for the men’s young player of the year prize. New Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund, of Denmark, and Barcelona trio Gavi, Pedri and Alejandro Balde are also candidates.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale is nominated for goalkeeper of the year along with Martinez. They will face competition from Ederson of Manchester City and United’s former Inter Milan stopper Andre Onana, who is also on the list for the main award.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on October 30.

England will have to defend a below-par score of 116 if they are to win their Twenty20 international series against Sri Lanka.

With the three-match contest tied at 1-1, the hosts were bowled out for a disappointing 116 after being invited to bat first in the decider at Derby.

They never got to grips with Sri Lanka’s array of slower bowlers, with Chamari Athapaththu taking three for 21 and Udeshika Prabodhani and Kavisha Dilhari both claiming two wickets apiece.

Maia Bouchier top scored with 23 while Danielle Gibson added 21 late as England were skittled in the 19th over.

The innings could not have got off to a worse start as Danni Wyatt planted a gentle wide delivery from Inoshi Fernando straight to cover.

The Sri Lankans were celebrating again at the end of the second over when a calamitous mix-up between Bouchier and Alice Capsey saw both batters at the same end, with the latter ran out.

Bouchier and captain Heather Knight did some repair work, sharing a 30-run stand in four overs, but that came to an end when Bouchier holed out to long-on.

Knight (18) and Amy Jones (20) soon followed as England slipped to 72 for five in the 11th over and it looked like they would struggle to get to 100.

But Gibson hit three fours in her 15-ball innings to get them to three figures before a flurry of late wickets saw them fail to see out their overs.

Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny is refusing to bemoan his luck as he prepares to take on the might of France without his emerging star striker.

Irish fans were licking their lips in anticipation when 18-year-old Evan Ferguson plundered a Premier League hat-trick for Brighton against Newcastle on Saturday evening just days before he was due at the Parc des Princes for a showdown with the World Cup runners-up.

However, a knee injury has forced his withdrawal from the squad for the game and the home clash with Netherlands which follows it on Sunday, much to the disappointment of Kenny, whose reign has been punctuated by misfortune ever since he lost frontmen Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly to what proved to be false positive Covid-19 tests in the run up to their Euro 2020 play-off in Slovakia.

Asked if he was due a change of luck, the manager said: “No, I don’t really look at it like that. I’m very privileged to manage Ireland, very privileged.

“The attacking players that are missing, five of them – Michael Obafemi, Troy Parrott, Mikey Johnston, Callum Robinson and Evan Ferguson, of course – the five players are missing, but because we’ve given 18 players their debut in that period over the last two years, it’s increased the level of squad depth and it means that we still have a strong team.

“I’m happy with the team that we have tomorrow night, very happy with it and I’m happy with the options that we have.

“We know many people don’t give us much of a chance – I understand why, we understand that. But we’re going to give ourselves every opportunity to prepare well and perform to the level that we need to to put in a really strong performance tomorrow night.”

The odds are stacked against Ireland as they attempt to resurrect their Group B campaign, which so far has yielded just three points from as many games, a run which includes a 1-0 home defeat by the French in Dublin.

Didier Deschamps’ men are ranked second by FIFA, while the Republic have slipped to 53rd, and they realistically need to win at least one of the two games this week if they are to keep their campaign alive.

Asked if the trip to Paris was his toughest game to date as Ireland boss, Kenny said: “I would say it is, yes. I’d say that’s most likely accurate.

“France have been to the last two World Cup finals. They won the World Cup, then obviously lost last year on penalties to win two World Cups in a row, so they’re definitely within the two best teams in the world, if not the best.

“We obviously respect their talent and to come into their backyard, into their home arena and play them presents a stiff challenge and one that we understand is difficult.

“But we’re very excited by it as well and we understand that it’s an opportunity for us.”

Skipper John Egan is expected to be fit after shaking off knee and ankle problems, while Andrew Omobamidele, who was drafted in as cover for the Sheffield United man, has now joined the squad in Paris after being given compassionate leave following the death of his grandfather.

Aryna Sabalenka flexed her muscles as the incoming world number one by beating Chinese youngster Zheng Qinwen to reach the US Open semi-finals.

The second seed from Belarus will take over from Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings on Monday, ending the Pole’s 75-week reign.

She cruised into the last four at Flushing Meadows for the third straight year with a commanding 6-1 6-4 victory in an hour and 13 minutes.

Zheng, 20, playing in her first grand slam quarter-final, won just four of the first 24 points of the match as Sabalenka raced into a 5-0 lead.

She stopped the bleeding by holding serve in the sixth game, but Sabalenka wrapped up the first set in only 27 minutes.

Zheng, seeded 23, restored some pride in the second but a break in the seventh game ensured Sabalenka became the first woman to reach the semi-finals of all four grand slams in the same year since Serena Williams in 2016.

The 25-year-old has dropped just 21 games in the 10 sets she has played over five rounds in New York.

She said: “I definitely played great tennis. I’m super happy with the performance tonight and to give myself a chance to do better in the semis.

“I’m going to do everything I can to stay until the end.”

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min says he cannot wait to play with £47.5million deadline-day signing Brennan Johnson.

The two players could be in direct opposition on Thursday when Johnson’s Wales host Son’s South Korea in a Cardiff friendly.

After international duty, the pair are set to line up in the same side for the first time as Spurs seek to build on their promising start under Ange Postecoglou at home to Sheffield United on September 16.

“Brennan is another new player. He showed his quality last year at Nottingham Forest and I can’t wait to see him with my eyes,” Son said of his new team-mate who will be expected to fill some of the goals void left by Harry Kane’s summer exit.

“He’s a very good player and he has a very good talent. Welcome to Spurs! I can’t wait to play with him.

“It’s only been four games and we’re looking to keep going in a positive way with our new signing Brennan.

“When he comes to Spurs he wants to improve and go to the next step. He will feel the pressure but I can’t wait to have him in our team playing even better fast and attacking football.”

Son became captain of his country in 2019 and guided them to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He was handed the same role at Spurs following Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich last month.

“It’s a great honour and privilege to be captain for club and country,” said Son, who scored a hat-trick in Tottenham’s 5-2 weekend win at Burnley.

“Being a captain is not about words. It’s by actions.

“I have to prove it and show to my team-mates and the team that I can be the leader of the team on and off the pitch.

“I have great players around me with my country and at Tottenham. It was great to score at the weekend.

“But I’m always calm and I never rush when I’m not scoring for a few games because I have 10 players behind me and that’s why we all love football. They help me to become a better person, player and captain.”

South Korea are managed by former Tottenham hero Jurgen Klinsmann and the World Cup winner believes they can end their trophy drought under new boss Postecoglou.

Spurs have not won a trophy since the 2008 League Cup.

The former Germany striker said: “We all know what’s happening in the league and how dominant Man City is at the moment and how difficult it is.

“I look at last year and Arsenal were amazing but I see a team that is not less quality than Arsenal in this Spurs side.

“They have a fantastic coach now, a manager who is a good people person and why can’t they surprise a lot of people this year?

“Son’s goal and his team-mates’ goal is to win trophies. It’s been a long time for Spurs but you start every year with this goal and ambition in mind. The players and coach have that.

“I’m a follower and I keep my fingers crossed as one of their biggest fans. I hope they are successful and win something.”

Forwards coach John Dalziel has challenged Scotland not to let physical South Africa “kill” their natural flair game in what he expects to be a style war in Sunday’s World Cup showdown in Marseille.

The Scots have become one of the most swashbuckling, fast-paced attacking teams on the planet while the Springboks are renowned for their power game.
Dalziel insists the Scots are intent on ensuring their opponents do not squeeze the life out of them at Stade Velodrome.

“We’ve got to meet them on the gain line defensively, and we’ve also got to express our attacking game on them, we’ve got to be able bring the speed we want to play at – the speed we have become famous for – into this match,” he said at a press conference in Nice on Wednesday afternoon.

“Tactically, it’s one against the other. They’re going to slow us down and kill us on the floor and we’re going to look to keep the pace high, and whoever comes out on the best side of that is going to go a long way to winning the game.”

Dalziel has been busy trying to plot the downfall of the on-form Boks, and he believes Scotland – ranked fifth in the world – are now operating at a level where they genuinely fancy their chances of pulling off a victory.

“It is very challenging, very daunting, but it is something we’ve had our mind on for a long time and we have been building towards that,” he said.

“We believe we’ve moved away from being a Scotland team who goes to event with hope, to having genuine belief.

“We believe we have a strong squad but we don’t believe we are anywhere near our potential yet.

“We believe there is huge growth in this young squad, and we’re taking a lot of learning from game to game, which means every game we have we are getting better.

“We believe that everything is ahead of this group, and we genuinely believe we can exit this group (which also contains world number one Ireland, Tonga and Romania) and progress through in this World Cup.

“The Scottish psyche, we like being underdogs. We worry sometimes when we become favourites.

“But I don’t think the players worry about it too much either way – they prepare very well and they know they have the game.

“It is just about being able to spin all the plates at once in total team performance, and I think this is what it is going to take in the pool we’re in – four consistent, high-level performances.”

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 6.

Another award for Bukayo Saka.

Port Vale were not happy with boyhood fan Robbie Williams changing his allegiance to Tottenham.

Jordan Henderson was back on England duty.

Aaron Ramsdale turned on the style.

Gary Neville received a gift.

Erling Haaland linked up with Norway.

The World Cup countdown was on.

George North was looking forward to his fourth World Cup.

Uruguay checked out the local area.

Romania had one voice.

Ireland were hard at it in the gym.

Harry Brook was added to England’s ODI squad.

Jason Roy reflected on the Hundred.

Promoter Frank Warren has launched an appeal to have Daniel Dubois’ world heavyweight title defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last month declared a no-contest and force an immediate rematch.

Dubois floored Usyk in the fifth round of their fight in Poland but it was declared a low blow, giving the Ukrainian time to recover before he went on to stop the Londoner in the ninth round.

The WBA confirmed receipt of the appeal in a short statement, which read: “Daniel Dubois’ team sent a formal appeal for last August 26 fight, in which he lost by knockout in nine rounds against Oleksandr Usyk in Wroclaw, Poland.

“The WBA, now that it has received a formal appeal from Dubois’ team, will proceed with a review as per the regulations.

“Any decision made regarding this situation will be made under WBA rules and communicated in a timely and appropriate manner.”

Usyk was given almost four minutes’ recovery time by Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon following the blow, which Dubois and his team insisted was legal as it appeared to land on the champion’s belt line.

Dubois, who later tired and was stopped by Usyk, subsequently failed to attend the post-fight press conference at which both Warren and his trainer Don Charles criticised the referee’s decision.

Even if the WBA determine the result of the contest should not change, Dubois and his team hope they will mandate an immediate rematch in order to settle the controversy.

Scotland back-rower Matt Fagerson is savouring the “special” experience of finally being at a World Cup alongside his big brother Zander after the agony of being left at home in 2019.

The 25-year-old Glasgow forward was a notable omission from Gregor Townsend’s squad for the global showpiece four years ago but quickly cast aside his own disappointment to support his sibling – two years his senior – who got the nod to go to Japan.

This time the pair are in France together, representing their family on the sport’s biggest stage of all. Their loved ones are due to arrive in the host nation later this week ahead of Sunday’s first pool match against South Africa in Marseille.

“It’s pretty special,” said the younger Fagerson. “I was gutted in 2019 but obviously I had to change that when Zander was there. I was cheering on the squad from home.

“To finally get the call from Gregor this time was pretty special and it was an emotional time with what happened four years ago so I’m hugely excited to be here, especially with Zander being here as well.

“He has his kids coming out, and my fiancee is coming out so to be able to share this experience with the family will be huge.

“There are not many times you’ll get to play with your brother at a World Cup so any time we get the opportunity it will be a very special occasion.”

Fagerson is almost certain to be in the 23-man squad for the showdown with South Africa and appears to be vying with his in-form Glasgow colleague Jack Dempsey for the number eight jersey.

The Sprinboks go into the tournament in scintillating form and having climbed to second in the world rankings following recent thumping wins over Wales and New Zealand.

“Everyone is super-excited as we have all been gearing up for this game through the whole of pre-season and now we are a couple of days away,” said Fagerson.

“They are obviously a great team and are second in the world at the minute and reigning world champions so it will be a huge task for us but one we are very much looking forward to.

“We will need to be on it from minute one as we know what they can bring. They are a very physical side and they showed that against the All Blacks but the way this group has grown over the last two to three years and particularly over this last pre-season, it’s a challenge we are ready for.”

After finishing third in an encouraging Six Nations campaign, Scotland won three of their four summer Tests, with their only defeat a narrow one away to France last month in which they came agonisingly close to winning after being 27-10 down.

Fagerson feels the Scots – ranked fifth in the world – have arrived at the tournament with momentum and resilience. 

“We had a really good Six Nations this year which led into the Tests in the summer,” he said. 

“We’ve shown that even when we do go down on the scoreboard we can claw it back. We obviously don’t want to be going behind in the first 20 minutes on Sunday but we are a team with a lot of fight.

Scotland have been training in sweltering heat this week but Fagerson feels his team – who visited their World Cup base on the Cote d’Azur twice previously over the summer – are prepared for what promises to be an intoxicating occasion inside Stade Velodrome.   

“The heat will make the ball a bit more greasy, playing in the UK it’s colder, but the hot conditions make it more greasy,” he said.

“The crowds will play a huge part as well, we know the French are pretty loud, especially when we go out to play in Marseille.”

BBC’s director of sport Barbara Slater has announced she will be retiring next spring after 14 years in the role.

Slater, a former Olympic gymnast, made history at the corporation when she became the first female appointed to the top sports executive position.

During her time in the role, she has overseen 14 men’s and women’s football World Cups and European Championships, seven Olympic Games and was in charge during the boycott by sports presenters and pundits in support of Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker earlier this year.

BBC director-general Tim Davie hailed Slater as a “pioneer, innovator and outstanding leader” who kept the broadcaster at the “forefront of sport for a generation”.

Reflecting on her four decades at the BBC, Slater said: “It was this week 40 years ago that I first walked through the doors at Broadcasting House.

“A career in BBC Sport has been an absolute passion, never just a job.

“Since joining in 1983 I’ve been privileged to have had such amazing opportunities and the delight of working with such talented colleagues and partners.

“There are a huge number of people to thank, and so many magical memories to reflect upon.”

The sport’s director noted a number of standout moments in the role included leading BBC’s Sports relocation to Salford and overseeing the company’s drive towards digital.

She added: “I also hope that in showcasing the brilliance of women’s sport the BBC has played its part in changing attitudes, increasing its profile and inspiring the next generation.

“I must also make special mention of the Olympic Games having been a competitor in 1976 and then leading the sport teams covering a home Games in 2012.

“It was a monumental achievement for the BBC and everyone involved, as the UK hosted a sensational Olympics in London.

“I will be following the BBC’s coverage of Paris next summer, this time as a proud sports fan.”

In March, Slater issued an apology to staff after the sports schedule was disrupted by presenters and pundits boycotting their shows in solidarity with Lineker after he was temporarily taken off air after tweeting a criticism of the language used by the Government to promote its asylum plans, saying it was not dissimilar to that used in 1930s Germany.

Lineker later returned to air and Davie said the corporation had commissioned an independent review of its social media guidelines, particularly for freelancers.

Following the announcement of Slater’s departure, Davie said: “Barbara has had an extraordinary career at the BBC, a pioneer, innovator and outstanding leader, she has kept the BBC at the forefront of sport for a generation.

“I wish her well.

“She will leave the BBC with a tremendous legacy.”

The BBC’s chief content officer Charlotte Moore added: “Barbara has had an extraordinary career at the BBC and leaves a legacy few will ever be able to replicate.

“She is a much-respected leader, a real trailblazer for women in the industry who can proudly say she has inspired the next generation.”

Slater joined the BBC in 1983 as a trainee assistant producer in the natural history unit before moving into BBC Sport, specialising in outside broadcasts and overseeing the production of a range of sports, including tennis and golf.

She moved up the ranks to roles including becoming head of production and head of general sports before being appointed as director of sport in April 2009.

In 2014, she was awarded an OBE for services to sport broadcasting following on from the BBC’s broadcast of the 2012 London Olympics.