Commonwealth Games 2022 LIVE: Laura Muir storms to 1500m gold after England win women’s hockey title

Jake Wightman ignored those who advised him to drop his date with home Commonwealth Games destiny and with a lap to go, he probably regretted it.

Two weeks after being crowned world champion, the Scot chose to put his credentials back on the line and run with a target on his back at the Alexander Stadium.

The gamble didn’t bring gold but gutsy bronze in a miracle metric mile that saw eight of the field of 12 run personal bests and Australia’s Ollie Hoare take gold in a Games record time of 3:30.12.

England’s dreams of a maiden Commonwealth Games cricket final against Australia were ended by an upset loss to India in the semi-finals.

Skipper Nat Sciver admitted that she had never even considered the possibility that England would not be going for gold, but it was her run-out that eventually swung this four-run defeat at Edgbaston.

Indian opener Smriti Mandhana laid the platform for India to make 164-5 from their 20 overs, leaving England needing to make the highest successful chase in a women’s T20 international on these shores.

That looked possible while Sciver was in, the all-rounder smashing 41 before taking on a second run which was never on in the penultimate over. She had hit 10 runs off the previous two deliveries, including a six.

And with the prospect of a bronze medal match on Sunday morning to come, the stand-in skipper – who has filled in for the injured Heather Knight – will have to change her focus quickly.

If revenge is a dish best served cold then Australia dished up hosts England a liberal portion of double helpings.

Four years after Helen Housby’s last-gasp heroics denied them netball gold on the Gold Coast, in front of their disbelieving home fans, they plucked the Roses petal by petal in a one-sided Commonwealth Games semi-final.

Jess Thirlby’s team arrived with confidence brimming after a win over world champions New Zealand, in contrast the Diamonds were reeling from a shock defeat to Jamaica, who they now take on in Sunday’s final.

However, they took the lead early and never relinquished it, their high pressure game asking questions that England simply failed to answer.

Matty Lee revealed that he and partner Noah Williams were suffering with cramp as they won gold in the men’s 10-metre synchronised platform event on Friday.

The pair topped the leaderboard after facing close competition from Canada and Australia, who placed second and third, respectively.

Williams has already tasted success in the the 10-metre synchronised, winning a silver medal with Matthew Dixon on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Marfa Ekimova won England’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics as she clinched the all-around title at Arena Birmingham.

The 17-year-old top-scored on hoop and clubs to total 112.300, narrowly ahead of silver medallist Anna Sokolova of Cyprus.

It was Ekimova’s second medal of the Birmingham Games after teaming up with Saffron Severn and Alice Leaper to win a team bronze medal on the opening day of competition on Thursday.

World champion Jake Wightman’s hopes of a summer hat-trick ended after he came third in the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games.

The 28-year-old, who won the 1500m at the World Championships last month, finished behind Australia’s Oliver Hoare and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot in three minutes 30.53 seconds.

Scotland’s Wightman was hoping to win three gold medals this summer and must now focus on the 800m at the European Championships later this month.

Canada have beaten England in the semi-finals of the beach volleyball!

They win 15-21, 21-13, 15-7 and guarantee themselves a medal. The Bello brothers started brilliantly but the last two sets got away from them and they couldn’t recover their early momentum.

A massive moment in the match as Canada win the point at 9-6 with England challenging the decision. The decision stands and seemingly takes the wind of the Bello brothers.

A brilliant Daniel Dearing block gives Canada a four-point lead in the deciding set.

You can’t get a tenser match. Canada think they’ve opened up a two-point advantage but Javier Bello he wins a point when it matters with a brutal smash to cut the deficit back to one.

Canada lead 6-5 in the final set.