Sport

Today's sports news: what you need to know

19:08 pm on 8 September 2019

Latest - Australia's taken a giant step towards retaining the Ashes in the fourth cricket test in Manchester after they left England needing 365 runs to win with eight wickets remaining heading into the final day.

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has taken both second innings wickets. Photo: Photosport

After declaring their second innings on 186-6, with a lead of 382, Australia heaped the pressure on England as Pat Cummins took two wickets in two balls to leave Joe Root's side reeling, before the hosts regained some composure to reach 18-2 at the close.

Victory for Australia, who bowled England out for 301 early in the day, would ensure they retain the urn, taking a 2-1 series lead into the final test at The Oval in London.

Although England's astounding comeback win at Headingley will give them some hope, the winning target looks well out of reach for the hosts who must hope they can somehow bat through the day to foil the tourists.

Australia had half an hour at the end of the day to attack England's top order and paceman Cummins had instant success.

With the third ball, Rory Burns found a leading edge and looped his shot to Travis Head at mid-off and then, with the next ball, he clean bowled England skipper Root.

With England's two top scorers from the first innings back in the pavilion, Australian tails were up but Jason Roy kept out the hat-trick ball and England made it to stumps with no further casualties.

Koroi steers Otago to Ranfurly Shield win

Otago have shaken off a dogged challenge from Taranaki to secure a 35-27 Ranfurly Shield win in Dunedin.

Jesse Parete Photo: Photosport

First-five Vilimoni Koroi steered Otago to victory with a 20-point contribution which included a key try early in the second half, three conversions from out wide, and three penalties.

A converted Jona Nareki try two minutes from halftime gave Otago a narrow 17-13 lead at the break, a margin extended by Koroi's try three minutes after the restart.

Taranaki regained the lead at 27-24 with tries to Stephen Perofeta and Teihorangi Walden, and looked dangerous with 14 minutes remaining.

But two Koroi penalties and another Nareki try were enough to see Otago home.

Earlier, Canterbury showed they have regained some momentum with a 32-22 win over defending provincial rugby champions Auckland.

After opening the season with a three-loss streak, Canterbury found form with an 80-0 win over Southland last week, backing that up with a four-try, bonus-point win over Auckland at Eden Park on Sunday.

Billy Harmon scored a brace for Canterbury, who led 20-10 at halftime.

Rovers fight back to steal Chatham Cup victory

Napier City Rovers have staged a remarkable comeback to defeat a 10-man Melville United 3-2 and win the Chatham Cup for the first time since 2002.

Jonny McNamara of Napier City Rovers Photo: Photosport

Melville United, who were looking to win the Chatham Cup for the first time, held the lead for most of the match after Federico Marquez scored a brilliant solo goal in the 12th minute.

But they were on the back foot after being reduced to 10 men in the 65th minute when Mark Jones erarned a second yellow.

Jonny McNamara and Liam Schofield both netted for Rovers in the final 10 minutes, then Melville's Aaron Scott scored an unlikely equaliser with four minutes remaining.

With a minute left in regulation play, Japanese midfielder Sho Goto fired a volley that hit the crossbar and went in to secure Rovers the win.

Earlier, Auckland side Eastern Suburbs accounted for Christchurch's Coastal Spirit 4-0 to win the women's Kate Sheppard Cup, Hannah Pilley and Tayla O'Brien scoring a brace apiece.

Price best placed of New Zealanders at Burghley

Defending champion Tim Price is the best placed of the New Zealand riders after the cross country round at the Burghley Horse Trials in England.

Tim Price competing on Ringwood Sky Boy at the 2018 Burghley Horse Trials. Photo: Libby Law Photography/ESNZ

Price is seventh on his mount Bango with Britain's Pippa Funnell at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final showjumping round.

Caroline Powell is the next best of the New Zealanders, she is in 19th place riding On the Brash.

Price won the event last year on Ringwood Sky Boy but he failed to complete the cross-country section this year.

Ferrari on pole but qualifying under investigation

Charles Leclerc put Ferrari on pole position for their home Italian Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday in a qualifying session that ended in farce and with drivers under investigation.

Charles Leclerc has put Ferrari on pole position for the Monza F1. Photo: Photosport

Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton joined the 21-year-old Monegasque on the front row for Mercedes, with Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas third and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel fourth.

The last lap saw nine drivers cruising around, weaving and braking but with nobody willing to take the lead, and only McLaren's Carlos Sainz making it to the line in time for a final fast lap.

The almost laughable scenes at the end were precipitated by the fact that a slipstream - where one car gains an advantage by closely following another - at Monza can be worth about 0.3secs a lap, invaluable when the times are so close around a circuit with only six effective corners.

Teams had been warned that drivers could face penalties for driving unnecessarily slowly on their out laps and the end to qualifying is being investigated by governing body the FIA.

Hattrick for Kane

England captain Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as they cruised to a 4-nil win over Bulgaria at Wembley in a Euro 2020 football qualifier.

Gareth Southgate's side made it three wins from three with 14 goals scored, barely needing to break sweat as they comfortably cleared another obstacle in their path to next year's showpiece.

Bottom of the table English premier league football side Watford have sacked Spanish manager Javi Gracia replacing him with countryman Quique Sanchez Flores who was in charge at the London club in the 2015-16 season.

Watford have reappointed Quique Sanchez Flores as manager after announcing the exit of Javi Gracia.

Sanchez was in charge of Watford for the 2015-16 campaign before leaving at the end of the season.