England close at 75-0 on a rain-hit first day of the fourth Test against India, Tony Fernandes completes QPR takeover, Andy Murray beats Alex Bogomolov Jr in Cincinnati, plus more.
1755: TENNIS - British number one
Andy Murray beats
Alex Bogomolov Jr 6-2 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals of the
Western & Southern Open,
where he will face David Ferrer or Gilles Simon.
1750: OLYMPICS/FOOTBALL -
BBC Sport's Olly Foster on Twitter:
"UKA Chair Ed Warner tells me governemnt backed 2017 world champs secures 2012 athletics legacy despite #thfc legal challenge."
1746: TENNIS - British number one
Andy Murray relinquishes the break of serve he had in the second set against
Alex Bogomolov Jr. The score is currently 6-2 5-5 in their third-round match at the
Western & Southern Open
in Cincinnati.
1735: RUGBY LEAGUE - Warrington's
Phil Bentham will referee his first
Challenge Cup final
when he takes charge of
Leeds v Wigan at Wembley on Saturday 27 August. "I have refereed in many big games during my career, including internationals, but the Challenge Cup is the most historic and prestigious competition in rugby league, so to have the privilege of refereeing the final at Wembley is something very special," says the 40-year-old.
1715: TENNIS - British number one
Andy Murray leads
Alex Bogomolov Jr 6-2 3-1 in round three of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinatti. The winners will face David Ferrer or Gilles Simon in the quarter-finals.
1710: CRICKET - Play abandoned for the day at The Oval due to rain, with
England 75-0 against India
on day one of the fourth and final Test.
1705: FORMULA 1 -
Robert Kubica is scheduled to
undergo more surgery
later in August as he continues his fight to make a successful return to the sport. The Renault driver
suffered life-threatening multiple injuries
in a crash at the Ronde di Andora Rally in February. His senior doctor Riccardo Ceccarelli said he will need another operation on his right elbow before he can move into a more intensive period of rehabilitation work.
1654: FOOTBALL -
Chelsea manager
Andre Villas-Boas indicates the club will not be held to ransom over
Tottenham midfielder
Luka Modric as he continues to explore alternatives to the club's number one transfer target. "We have approached Tottenham before regarding the player," says Villas-Boas. "I don't know if it's viable or not and to what extent we can go regarding his price because we are speaking about a high amount and nothing else basically. End of story."
1645: ATHLETICS - Sports minister
Hugh Robertson believes
hosting the 2017 World Athletics Championships
would be the perfect legacy for the London Olympic Stadium. "The demand for London 2012 athletics tickets proves the level of public support that exists for world class track and field," says Robertson. "Hosting the 2017 World Athletics Championships would be a wonderful legacy from London 2012 and help us fulfil a commitment made during the bid."
1632: FOOTBALL - Two-time world player of the year
Ronaldinho is back in the Brazil squad
for the first time since November 2010. Coach Mano Menezes includes the 31-year-old playmaker for the friendly against Ghana at Craven Cottage on 5 September.
1626: CRICKET - We're unlikely to see any more play at The Oval, where
England reach 75-0
on day one of the fourth and final Test against
India.
1620: CRICKET -
India clarify that
Praveen Kumar has been ruled out of the fourth Test at The Oval against
England with an ankle injury. It had been thought the seamer was unavailable after bruising his right thumb while batting during India's defeat at Edgbaston, but an India statement said it was a problem in the bowler's right ankle.
1613: FOOTBALL -
Blackburn boss
Steve Kean reveals the club are
close to signing three players
and could even have a new face available for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa. "Last week we had active bids out there and that's progressed," says Kean. "There are bids that have been accepted. We're at a point of having medicals today and tomorrow so that's positive, because it's been slow."
1605: FOOTBALL - Tune into
BBC Radio 5 live with Mark Chapman from 1900 BST for sports news followed by commentary of
Hearts v Tottenham in the Europa League third qualifying round first leg, plus all the other scores.
1558: FOOTBALL - Bristol City manager Keith Millen says Leicester City are still interested in signing summer target
Nicky Maynard. The striker scored twice against them as Bristol City beat them 2-1 on Wednesday. Read more on the
BBC Sport website.
1550: BMX - Three-time world champion
Shanaze Reade says the BMX Olympic test event is the most important race of her year. Read more on the
BBC Sport website.
1543: FOOTBALL - Blackburn Rovers are closing in on the signing of Sporting Lisbon forward
Simon Vukcevic, reports
Sky Sports.
1535: HOCKEY - Reading hockey star
Richard Mantell tells
BBC Sport
he is looking forward to defending the European Championship trophy that England won two years ago. "It is a good opportunity for us to play in a high-pressure situation," says Mantell.
1525: FOOTBALL - An agent mediating in negotiations between Inter Milan and Anzhi Makhachkala over the transfer of
Samuel Eto'o says the deal has stalled, reports Agence France Presse. Representatives of both clubs have been meeting all week but have failed to come to an agreement on a transfer fee.
1520: FOOTBALL - New Chelsea striker
Romelu Lukaku has described his move to Stamford Bridge as a "dream come true". "It's amazing to arrive here in a big club with big ambition. It was just what I was searching for," he told
Chelsea's official website.
1430: ATHLETICS - UK Athletics confirms it will bid to host the
2017 World Athletics Championships at the new Olympic Stadium in London.
1412: FOOTBALL- QPR manager Neil Warnock has describes
Tony Fernandes's takeover
as a "momentous day", adding: "Everybody connected with QPR should be excited."
1359: CRICKET - Rain stops play at the Oval with England 75-0 against India in the fourth Test.
1343: FOOTBALL-
Daily Mirror chief sports writer Oliver Holt:
"Fernandes takeover is great news for QPR and for Warnock. Warnock has already established decent relationship with new owner. Warnock position also strengthed by return of his ally Amit Bhattia as vice chairman. QPR chances of staying up just got whole lot better."
1336: FOOTBALL- Fernandes has
bought a 66% stake in the club
and will work alongside the Mittal family who have retained a 33% share. "I've always wanted to be involved in football and the appeal of a London club, like QPR, was too good an opportunity to turn down," said Fernandes.
1331: FOOTBALL- Malaysian businessman
Tony Fernandes completes his takeover of QPR
1301: FOOTBALL - Chelsea goalkeeper
Petr Cech has been ruled out for three to four weeks after suffering a medial ligament injury in training.
1244: RUGBY UNION- Italy coach
Nick Mallett
has made 11 changes to his starting line-up
for Saturday's World Cup warm-up match against Scotland at Murrayfield with Sergio Parisse, Tommaso Benvenuti, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Andrea Lo Cicero surviving from last weekend's 31-24 win over Japan in Cesena.
1237: FOOTBALL-The confrontation between the Barcelona and Real Madrid squads
in the closing stages of last night's Spanish Super Cup
has dominated the Spanish sports press. "Deplorable Madrid, deplorable Mourinho," read a headline in Barcelona-based sports daily
Mundo Deportivo, while
Marca
spreads the blame further reporting "Mourinho and Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova were also deplorable protagonists in the final free-for-all."
1218: FOOTBALL- The
latest 5 live Football Daily podcast
includes
David Pleat and
Steve Claridge discussing Tottenham's pursuit of Emmanuel Adebayor as well as the situation across North London at Arsenal. You can also hear from
Gus Poyet as Brighton continue their perfect start to the Championship season.
1206: FOOTBALL-Manchester United are to sell off a significant stake in the club in Singapore to partly pay off their £515million debts,
BBC Sports Editor David Bond reports.
It is understood the club have now lodged a listing application with the Singapore Stock Exchange and could float by November.
1138: FORMULA 1 - F1 chief
Bernie Ecclestone is confident Dehli is on course to hold
the maiden Indian Grand Prix
in October. "It will be one of the nicest circuits and will be completed in time," he said.
1047: CRICKET - Andrew Strauss names an unchanged line-up with James Anderson fit despite a minor thigh injury. Ravi Bopara will again bat at number three in place of the injured Jonathan Trott. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads a side missing Praveen Kumar because of the thumb injury he sustained in the third test at The Oval. RP Singh will replace him. For live updates:
BBC 5 live sports extra,
BBC Radio 4 Long Wave & the BBC Sport website.
1041: FOOTBALL - John Obi Mikel's agent says 'sizeable' demand has been made for the release of Mikel's kidnapped father but denies ransom is £80,000.
1034: CRICKET - England have won the toss and decided to bat against India in the fourth and final Test at the Oval. You can follow live ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on
BBC 5 live sports extra,
BBC Radio 4 Long Wave & the BBC Sport website. There will be a live video scorecard on Red Button (not Freeview) and live text commentary on the
BBC Sport website & mobile.
You can also watch the action live on
Sky Sports (subscription required).
1007: ATHLETICS - South African 800 metres world champion Caster Semenya has shrugged off talk of injury, weight issues and a rift in her camp to declare herself ready to defend her title in Daegu.
0951: PARALYMPICS - With just over one year to the opening ceremony of the
Paralympic Games
on 29 August 2012, over 100 British hopefuls from 11 sports are taking part in at "simulation camp" at the University of Bath. Tim Hollingsworth of Paralympics GB says: "The scale of a Paralympic Games is so different to what athletes are used to at their major international competitions. So we aim to familiarise them with what to expect."
0942: CRICKET - Tillakaratne Dilshan is confirmed as Sri Lanka's captain in all forms of the game for the rest of the year, the cricket board said in a statement. Dilshan, had been appointed skipper on a series-to-series basis after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following Sri Lanka's defeat in the World Cup final against India in April.
0928: FOOTBALL - Midfielder Leon Britton says
Swansea must beat teams such as Wigan if the Welsh side want to survive in the Premier League. The Swans host the Latics on Saturday. Read more on the
BBC Sport website.
0923: CRICKET - Victory in the third Test has already assured
England their place as the number one Test side in the world.
BBC Sport's Sam Sheringham
takes a look at some of the unsung heroes in the team's rise to the top.
0917: CRICKET - The fourth Test between
England and India gets under way at 1100 BST at the Oval today. You can follow live ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on
BBC 5 live sports extra,
BBC Radio 4 Long Wave & the BBC Sport website. There will be a live video scorecard on Red Button (not Freeview) and live text commentary on the
BBC Sport website & mobile.
You can also watch the action live on
Sky Sports (subscription required).
0910: FOOTBALL - A timely reminder to watch
Football Focus on Saturday (BBC One & the BBC Sport website from 1215 BST), which includes an interview with Everton midfielder
Mikel Arteta
, who says it is vital the club resist the temptation to sell players like Phil Jagielka and Jack Rodwell if they want to achieve anything this season.
0901: FOOTBALL -Everton chairman Bill Kenwright insists the club's inability to borrow any money from their bank is to blame for a lack of transfer activity this summer, reports
Sky Sports.
0853: FOOTBALL -Derby County manager Nigel Clough tells
BBC Radio Derby
his team put in a "complete" away performance in their win 1-0 over Blackpool.
0845: RUGBY UNION -
South Africa
confirm that
Juan Smith will miss the World Cup as the flanker has not fully recovered from the Achilles tendon surgery he had in February.
0839: FOOTBALL - Sources inform BBC Sport that a takeover of
QPR will be announced at 1330 today on the
club website
- with Tony Fernandes owning 66% of the club, and Lakshmi Mittal owning the other 33%. Mittal will return as vice-chairman, while Fernandes will be chairman. Manager Neil Warnock will be given money to spend by the new board and has their full backing.
0825: CYCLING - Mark Cavendish's HTC-Highroad team target victory in Saturday's opening team time trial at the Vuelta a Espana, which would probably put the British sprinter in the leader's red jersey at the start of the final Grand Tour for the team. HTC-Highroad has announced it will fold at the end of the season.
0819: FOOTBALL - Everton, Blackburn and QPR have made bids to sign Manchester City defender
Nedum Onuoha, according to his representative Kia Joorabchian. "I'm not surprised at this level of interest, because Nedum has proven that he's a very good player," Joorabchian told
BBC Sport's Simon Austin.
0813: TENNIS - Andy Murray says his performance was average but gives himself "10 out of 10" for
beating David Nalbandian 6-4 6-1
in the second round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
0807: FOOTBALL - Former Arsenal midfielder
Cesc Fabregas made his Barcelona debut as a late substitute and helped the Catalans beat Real Madrid in a stormy
Spanish Super Cup
at the Nou Camp. Fabregas's new side won 3-2 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.
0800 BST: Top transfer stories from
Thursday's gossip column:
Chelsea have had a £22m bid for Valencia winger Juan Mata rejected by the Spanish club. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted for the first time that midfielder Luka Modric, a target of Chelsea, could be sold. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United have switched their attention to £20m rated Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Goetze after becoming frustrated in their attempt to sign Inter Milan's playmaker Wesley Sneijder. (Daily Express)
Bookmark with:
What are these?