Ireland warmed up for the start of the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifier by beating the Netherlands by 30 runs.
The Irish were in trouble at 55-4 but Gary Wilson’s knock of 44 off 32 balls helped them to 156-8 off 20 overs.
The Dutch started well in reply, hitting 37 from the first 29 balls, but a collapse saw three wickets fall for six runs and they were all out for 126.
Essex’s Ryan ten Doeschate scored 46, with Mark Adair and Craig Young taking three wickets apiece.
Having lost the toss, Ireland lost opener Paul Stirling for five and three further wickets fell in the next six overs.
Captain Wilson led his side’s revival, hitting five fours and a six in his innings, ably supported by Harry Tector (21 from 20 balls) and Mark Adair (24 from 13 balls), who hit two sixes.
After a top-order batting collapse, the Netherlands found themselves 43-4 in response and a required run-rate heading towards 10 runs an over.
The damage was mainly done by paceman Young who claimed two wickets in the space of three balls, and went on to finish with 3-21 from his four overs.
As the required rate grew, further wickets tumbled – Adair putting the icing on the Irish cake by claiming three wickets in the last five balls of the innings to finish with 3-28, and the Netherlands were bowled out for 126.
After facing Scotland in another warm-up game on Tuesday, Ireland will take part in the T20 World Cup Qualifier from 18-26 October in Abu Dhabi.
Ireland will face Hong Kong, UAE, Oman, Canada, Jersey and Nigeria in a bid to make the tournament proper in Australia in late 2020.
Roger Federer won silver at London 2012, with Andy Murray taking gold and Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro earning bronze
Roger Federer has confirmed he intends to play in next summer’s Olympics in Tokyo as he chases an elusive gold medal in the men’s singles.
The Swiss great, who turns 39 during the Games, is one of the sport’s most decorated players but he has never won the Olympic singles title.
Federer won silver at London 2012 after losing to Britain’s Andy Murray.
“At the end of the day my heart decided I would love to play the Olympic Games again,” Federer said.
Federer, who missed Rio 2016 through injury, did win a gold medal at Beijing 2008 in the men’s doubles alongside Stan Wawrinka.
In the singles, 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer finished fourth at Sydney 2000, lost in the second round at Athens 2004 and reached the quarter-finals in Beijing.
“I’ve been debating with my team for a few weeks now, months actually, what I should do in the summer after Wimbledon and before the US Open,” added Federer, ranked third in the World.
“I carried the flag twice for Switzerland in Athens and Beijing, I’ve got a gold and a silver, and I would love to play again, so I’m very excited.”
It was a soggy start to the 2019 World Conker Championships, but it failed to dampen competitors’ spirits.
The very British contest has been held in Northamptonshire for 54 years and sees people from around the World compete for the titles of Queen and King Conker.
Jasmine Tetley, 26, from Nottinghamshire, claimed the 2019 title after beating Andy Moore, 53, from Birmingham.
However, their crowning was delayed while their thrones were moved from the flooded main arena.
Image caption Stephen Moore was described as the “most sweet, charming and affable of men”
Stephen Moore – known as the voice of Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’s Marvin the Paranoid Android – has died aged 81.
He also played Adrian Mole’s father on TV, and the dad to Harry Enfield’s grumpy teenager Kevin.
Hitchhiker’s producer and director Dirk Maggs said Moore was the “most sweet, charming and affable of men”.
He paid tribute to “an amazing, varied career”, adding that he was best known for the role of Marvin.
Image caption Moore was the voice of Marvin for five series of Hitchhiker’s on radio, and the 1980s TV adaptation
The first series of Hitchhiker’s appeared on Radio 4 in 1978, and after being adapted for TV in the 1980s, it returned to the airwaves in 2003.
In it Marvin is a failed prototype robot with “genuine people personalities”, which has led him to struggle with severe depression.
Maggs said: “That was the thing that won the hearts of people, Marvin is the most miserable character but people seem to love him.
“It was Stephen’s voice that made that happen.”
Image copyright PA Media
Image caption The prolific actor also played teenage diarist Adrian Mole’s father George on TV
Alongside the paranoid android, Moore had a successful career on stage, TV and in film.
He was Major Robert Steele in Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far.
He played teenage diarist Adrian Mole’s father George on TV, and the dad of Melody and Harmony Parker on children’s show The Queen’s Nose.
Image caption He also played the dad of grumpy teenager Kevin in Harry Enfield sketches
Maggs said: “I’ll always remember the story of him getting locked in a mic cupboard in the Paris studio at the BBC, and they forgot he was in there and went out to lunch.
“He was an infinitely professional actor, would put up with any discomfort and waited to play his part.
“And then outside the working situation he was the most sweet, charming and affable of men.”
Actor Ben Barnes – who worked with Moore in a West End production of The History Boys – wrote on Twitter that “he was a sensitive, brilliant actor and a funny, lovely man”.
Mr Trump has called on China and Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden over his son’s activities in both countries, without any evidence of any wrongdoing.
The issue is central to an impeachment inquiry against the US president.
Mr Trump and his supporters have accused Joe Biden of abusing his power as vice-president to pressure Ukraine to back away from a criminal investigation that could implicate his son who then worked for a Ukrainian energy company.
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Media captionTrump rally’s new hate figures – the Bidens
He has also accused Hunter, 49, of using his position of influence to get China to invest in a fund he was involved in.
The impeachment inquiry begun by opposition Democrats in the US House of Representatives centres on allegations that the president broke the law by soliciting help from a foreign power – Ukraine – for electoral gains.
Electrical cars EV What did Hunter say?
A statement released through Hunter’s lawyer said he would resign by 31 October from the board of BHR (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund Management Company.
It said he joined the board in an unpaid position “based on his interest in seeking ways to bring Chinese capital to international markets”.
The statement said Hunter would “readily comply” with guidelines issued by his father if he was elected president “to address purported conflicts of interest, or the appearance of such conflicts”, and would, “in any event”, agree not to serve on the boards of or work on behalf of foreign-owned companies.
The statement also detailed the nature of his work in Ukraine and China, stressing that there had been no wrongdoing.
Electrical cars EV What has Trump accused the Bidens of doing?
Mr Trump has accused the former US vice-president and his son Hunter of corruption in their political and business dealings in Ukraine and China, without offering specific evidence.
When Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma in 2014, questions were raised about a potential conflict of interest for his father.
Ukraine was undergoing a political transition after its pro-Russia president was forced out of office, while the elder Biden was the Obama administration’s point man for the Eastern European country.
In 2016, Joe Biden pushed the Ukrainian government to fire its top prosecutor, whose office had been scrutinising the oligarch owner of Burisma.
In a speech last year at a think tank, Joe Biden boasted of having forced the prosecutor out by threatening to withhold a billion-dollar loan guarantee to Ukraine.
Mr Trump and his allies accuse Joe Biden of acting to protect his son. However, other Western officials and major financers of Ukraine’s government also wanted the prosecutor dismissed because he was seen as a barrier to anti-corruption efforts.
Electrical cars EV What is the impeachment inquiry?
A Democratic-led inquiry is trying to establish whether Mr Trump withheld nearly $400m (£327m) in aid to nudge Ukraine’s newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky into launching an inquiry into Joe Biden and his son.
In a phone call on 25 July, Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky for help on the issue.
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Media captionWhat we know about Biden-Ukraine corruption claims
A whistleblower raised concerns about the phone call, prompting the launch of a formal impeachment investigation last month.
The White House this month sent an eight-page letter to top Democrat and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, calling the inquiry “constitutionally invalid” and therefore stating that President Trump would not be co-operating.
Gauff held off two break points in her opening service game before breaking Ostapenko in the next to take control of the opening set.
However, 22-year-old Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, hit back in the second set, breaking Gauff three times before levelling the match with an ace.
The teenager rallied in the decider though, breaking twice to lead 5-0. However, Ostapenko saved two match points and then broke Gauff to love to trail 5-2.
Her father and coach, Corey Gauff, then came onto court to give his daughter some encouragement. He said: “Just relax, you’re not going to sprint to the finish line, you’re going to walk to the finish line.
“Trust your shots. Calm down, take your mind to another place, to a practice match. Just play, don’t think about negatives just think about positives. Yesterday if you know you had 5-2 you’d take that, you’re in control.”
She immediately broke back, winning the match and title when Ostapenko sent a forehand long.
“Thank you so much to my family and team for their support, you are always with me every step of the way,” she said.
Ireland’s win over the All Blacks last November was their first on home soil
Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong believes recent results against New Zealand will count for nothing when the sides meet in a World Cup quarter-final next Saturday.
The Leinster prop started Ireland’s wins over the All Blacks in 2016 and last November.
A last eight meeting for Joe Schmidt’s men with the World Cup holders was set up when Japan defeated Scotland 28-21 to top Pool A, with Ireland in second.
“Rugby evolves quickly and the game moves on,” said Furlong.
“I suppose it gives us confidence that we have had results in the past but at the same time it doesn’t guarantee anything.
“It doesn’t mean they’re going to rock up and play with the same plan as before.”
Steve Hansen’s side, winners of the last two World Cups, opened the 2019 tournament in impressive fashion with victory over South Africa before going on to win their group with three wins from three games.
Their final Pool B fixture against Italy was cancelled because of Typhoon Hagibis.
In Pool A, Ireland recovered from their 19-12 defeat by Japan to secure a quarter-final berth with consecutive bonus-point wins over Russia and Samoa.
So far this year Schmidt’s side have struggled to replicate the form that saw them defeat New Zealand for the first time on home soil last year.
“They are so dangerous, you can’t switch off,” added Furlong
“Just working really hard and staying switched on mentally is crucial because they can make something out of nothing with some of the players they have.”
The winners of Saturday’s showdown in Tokyo will meet either England or Australia in the semi-final a week later.
