• Live updates from the 10pm GMT start in Christchurch
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77th over: England 332-5 (Brook 140, Stokes 41) Stokes nails a cover drive off O’Rourke … but Kane Williamson pulls off a cracking dive to his right to collect before firing a throw at the striker’s end. The England captain is forced to turn back and launch himself to make his ground.

76th over: England 329-5 (Brook 138, Stokes 41) Nathan Smith, very impressive on day two, is in from the other end. Brook is quick into his work, though, driving through point for his first boundary of the morning. Then comes the immaculate forward defence, quite possibly my favourite shot of his (a bit boring, I know). I reckon he could thrive at No 3.

Sinn Féin and Fine Gael both scored 21% in the poll, slightly ahead of Fianna Fáil on 19%

An exit poll in Ireland suggests a dead heat between Sinn Féin and the taoiseach’s party Fine Gael in the general election, with Fianna Fáil only slightly behind.

The survey of first preference votes is the first real indication of how Ireland voted after three weeks of canvassing in the snap election called by Simon Harris.

• Wales 1-1 Republic of Ireland (Woodham 20; Clark 35og)
• Woodham strike cancelled out by keeper Clark’s own goal

The Republic of Ireland came from behind against Wales in Cardiff to ensure there will be a mouthwatering conclusion to their Euro 2025 playoff next week. A 1-1 draw sees the tie finely balanced after an own goal from the Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark cancelled out Lily Woodham’s opener.

This encounter caught the eye as soon as it became clear that these two close rivals would meet. Both have had differing fortunes in recent years. While Wales are still attempting to reach their first major tournament, the Republic of Ireland cleared that hurdle in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup and are looking to back that achievement up with a first ever appearance at a European Championship.

President suggests bringing Kyiv-controlled land into western military pact could stop ‘hot stage’ of war

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia.

Speaking to Sky News, the Ukrainian president said that such a proposal has “never been considered” by Ukraine because it has never “officially” been offered.

• Euro 2025 playoff first leg: Northern Ireland 0-4 Norway
• Graham Hansen 7 26, Hansen 14, Bergsvand 67

One way of making sure the best teams compete at major tournaments, regardless of qualification hiccups, is to seed a playoff draw. Northern Ireland are the latest victims of that very scenario, after Norway cantered to a first leg win in Larne. There was at least proof, if necessary, that the European Championship will be a better place for the involvement of Caroline Graham Hansen. A major tournament without her would feel preposterous.

There were questions over how on earth Norway ended up in a playoff in the first place; Gemma Grainger’s team had shown their contempt for their necessary environment within 26 minutes, by which stage they were 3-0 ahead. It got no better for Northern Ireland thereafter. A deficit of four goals will prove insurmountable, barring a form of sporting miracle.

• Premier League updates from 8pm GMT kick-off
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Russell Martin’s turn to talk to Sky. “It’s exciting for Joe Lumley … Alex McCarthy played through the pain barrier for us on Sunday, he’d had an injection … I love and admire that about him, because he didn’t have to do that, but he did … the reaction to the game has not been very good, he’s had a very stiff knee this week … so we have to make big decisions … we really trust Joe … it’s an amazing opportunity for him … we have certain principles we want to live by … energy and momentum is really important … when and where we flex and adapt … the feeling and temperature of the game.”

Fabian Hürzeler speaks to Sky Sports. “When you watch our games you see we play in some phases very good, but in some we struggle … the next step is to play consistently for 90 minutes in all phases of the game … today we have another opportunity to prove it … we are in the right direction … the place in the table is confirmation … but the League is so unpredictable … every day is special.”

The author has been named winner of the LGBTQ book prize for his second novel, having won the Polari first book award in 2023. This year’s debut award goes to Nicola Dinan, with Sarah Hagger-Holt taking the children’s prize

Jon Ransom has taken home a Polari prize for the second year running, with his second novel The Gallopers winning 2024’s overall prize for books that “push the boundaries of LGBTQ fiction.”

Last year, the author’s debut novel The Whale Tattoo won the Polari first book prize, which has this year been won by Nicola Dinan for her novel Bellies. Meanwhile Sarah Hagger-Holt has been awarded the biannual Polari children’s and YA prize for her children’s story The Fights That Make Us.

About 200 passengers, mostly women, were on vessel that sunk in Niger River

At least 27 people have died and more than 100 are missing after a boat capsized in northern Nigeria, authorities have said.

About 200 passengers were on the boat that was going from the state of Kogi to neighbouring state of Niger when it capsized on the Niger River, the Niger state emergency management agency spokesperson, Ibrahim Audu, told the Associated Press.

An overreliance on Guardiola’s genius has sent champions down a diverging path to Slot’s revamped Liverpool

On this week’s episode of the Rest is Football podcast, the Manchester City midfielder Rodri was asked if he ever fancies emulating Pep Guardiola and becoming a coach. “No,” comes the firm response. “I see Pep, and I don’t know if I want that for the next period of my life. I see Txiki’s face and I like it more. More clean and relaxed.”

Of course Rodri has made no secret in the past of his admiration for City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, and his desire to go down that career path after he retires. All the same, there is a faintly damning quality to his words. Imagine being so hard-working, so ruthlessly dedicated to your job, that even Rodri starts to think: whoa fella, bit much.

The ceasefire in Lebanon, the aftermath of floods in Valencia, Russian airstrikes in Kyiv and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade: the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists

• Dutchman ‘proud’ and ‘excited’ to join on deal to 2027
• First game will be against West Ham on Tuesday

Ruud van Nistelrooy has described himself as “proud” and “excited” after being confirmed as the manager of Leicester on a contract to June 2027, less than three weeks after he left Manchester United.

Van Nistelrooy will not take charge of Saturday’s game at Brentford and instead will be in the stands at the Gtech Community Stadium as first-team coach, Ben Dawson, leads the side, supported by the coaches Danny Alcock and Andy Hughes. Van Nistelrooy will be presented by Leicester on Monday and his first game will be at home to West Ham on Tuesday.

• Bears fire third-year head coach per multiple reports
• Chicago suffered sixth straight defeat on Thursday
• OC Thomas Brown will serve as interim head coach

The Chicago Bears fired third-year head coach Matt Eberflus on Friday, multiple media outlets reported.

The reports came less than 24 hours after Eberflus experienced a sixth straight defeat and third consecutive loss decided on the final play. The Bears fell to 4-8 on the season.

Litigants say AI company used their articles to train its popular ChatGPT software without authorization

Canada’s major news organizations have sued tech firm OpenAI for potentially billions of dollars, alleging the company is “strip-mining journalism” and unjustly enriching itself by using news articles to train its popular ChatGPT software.

The suit, filed on Friday in Ontario’s superior court of justice, calls for punitive damages, a share of profits made by OpenAI from using the news organizations’ articles, and an injunction barring the San Francisco-based company from using any of the news articles in the future.

Marvel has decided to take Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson right back to the superhero stone age with its latest iteration, in which he will basically have no power at all

There’s a weird thing about superheroes. They tend to be a little bit more intriguing when they actually have superpowers. Yes, there is the odd exception: Batman has managed to navigate a Gotham City filled with supervillains who vacillate between the distinctly non-magical (Penguin, Carmine Falcone) and the utterly bonkers (Poison Ivy, Clayface), without having any powers of his own – unless you count his uncanny ability to weaponise extreme wealth and a voice like he has been gargling gravel. Iron Man may not be filled with radioactive spider venom or gamma rays, but he does develop technology that would make Elon Musk sweat as if he’s just realised his latest rocket is running on Windows Vista.

Then there’s just about everyone else in the Marvel universe – and they all seem to have some kind of deal going on, whether it be Doctor Strange’s mystical, extra-dimensional shenanigans or Captain Marvel’s cosmic power-ups. Which is why it’s downright weird that the studio has decided to take the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, right back to the superhero stone age with its latest iteration.

The forthcoming Captain America: Brave New World will see Wilson attempting to discover the truth behind an international conspiracy after Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross is elected as US president. It’s a return to the espionage-themed era of earlier Captain America films such as 2014’s The Winter Soldier, and to a lesser extent, 2016’s Civil War. Asked to explain how he is going to manage fighting the good fight without access to the super serum that Wilson decided not to take during the events of Disney+ spin-off The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Mackie suggested he would use his intellect to make up for any shortfall in firepower.

Emma Hayes is keen for her Olympic champions to keep progressing in Saturday’s friendly meeting with England

Lindsey Horan’s nails are painted gold and she gives an embarrassed laugh when asked whether they are a celebration of the US team’s Olympic gold in Paris, a statement to Saturday’s opposition of their status. “No, it was supposed to be brown chrome,” she says, going a little red. “It was a translation problem.”

Her manager, Emma Hayes, sitting beside her at Tottenham’s training ground before the game against England at Wembley, chips in: “She has got the most incredible necklace, though.” The five Olympic rings hang round Horan’s neck in gold and the captain promises she will get Hayes one.

• World champion says he will maintain ruthless style
• Lando Norris takes pole for Saturday’s sprint race

Max Verstappen has defiantly dismissed criticism of his driving in the aftermath of winning his fourth Formula One world title in Las Vegas last weekend.

Speaking before this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate round, the Red Bull driver bullishly insisted he would not change his ruthless style, which has been both penalised and criticised.

The song cycle’s exploration of madness, death, sex and trauma redefined music – and singing. But how do you hiss, whisper and sing at the same time?

Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire broke the mould of what both chamber music and singing could be. Scored for five musicians playing eight instruments between them and a singer instructed not to sing, it was the perfect musical manifestation of expressionism, the cultural movement of the early 1900’s where creatives across the disciplines sought to capture the essence of emotions rather than physical realities.

The work’s 21 poems explore themes of madness, death, sex, dreams, trauma and nostalgia through the character of Pierrot and his partners in crime, Harlequin and Columbine. The music – one of Schoenberg’s earliest moves towards atonality (the absence of a key, as we’d understand it) – can feel unsettling and haunting, yet has moments of breathtaking beauty, calm and a heady dose of romanticism to boot. However, it is the singer’s employment of sprechgesang – literally speak-sing – that even 100 years later, can still sound completely out of this world.

• Serb wanted someone who had played at the very top
• Djokovic confident he is still fit enough to win more slams

Novak Djokovic has revealed Andy Murray was caught off guard when asked to be his new coach, but feels the link-up can only be good for tennis.

Murray retired after this summer’s Olympics at the age of 37 after finally admitting defeat in his battle against injury. It had been suggested Murray would one day return to tennis and become a coach, due to his love of the sport, hard work and tactical acumen.

Terminally ill adults with less than six months to live will be given right to die under proposed legislation

• Assisted dying bill – latest live updates

MPs have taken a historic step toward legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by backing a bill that would give some terminally ill people the right to end their own lives.

Campaigners in favour of the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill said it was a significant move towards giving people more choice over the way they die, after the Commons backed the bill by 330 votes for to 275 against.

• Manchester City manager ‘asked for that challenge’
• Guardiola would walk away only if he felt of no benefit

Pep Guardiola believes he has avoided the sack at Manchester City after five consecutive losses and a draw because eight years of success there have given him a “margin”.

City threw away a three-goal lead in Tuesday’s 3-3 draw with Feyenoord when ending their run of defeats and travel to Liverpool on Sunday knowing they will trail Arne Slot’s leaders by 11 points if they lose.

• Gjert Ingebrigtsen used to coach Jakob and his brothers
• He ‘punched and kicked’ Jakob since he was a schoolboy

Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s father will stand trial next year on charges that include abusing the double Olympic ­champion and threatening to “beat ­him to death”.

Ingebrigtsen, who won gold medals over 1500m in Tokyo and 5,000m in Paris, also alleges that his father and former coach, Gjert, “punched and kicked” him over a 10-year period from when he was a schoolboy.