Football news  

Irvine sacked as manager of Preston

Derek Shaw, the chairman, says he was forced to act because club have picked up only seven points over past two months

• Hughes gives Notts County added belief

• Hughton enjoys room at the top despite draw

Arsenal hoping for good news on Fabregas

Captain will undergo a scan on his torn hamstring today with club fearing the midfielder could be out until late January

• Fàbregas declares open season

• Fabregas sinks Villa with captain's cameo

Chelsea grateful to unlucky Fulham

Chelsea 2 Fulham 1: Carlo Ancelotti’s side go five points clear despite paucity of their attacking play in London derby

• Berbatov: Chelsea are the only threat to United

• Ancelotti turns to Cole for confidence boost

Redknapp refuses to set targets too high

Tottenham 2 West Ham United 0: goals from Luka Modric and Jermain Defoe suggest top four place is achievable

• Gomes keeps rampant Fulham at bay

• Tax charge ‘farcical,’ says angry Redknapp

Cricket news  

Cook wins the game of patience

South Africa v England: opening batsman shows monastic restraint on day three to score his tenth Test hundred

Hard work pays off for Essex openers

Changes made by Alastair Cook under the supervision of Graham Gooch were integral to first hundred against South Africa

2009: Ashes fever grips the nation again

England won back the most cherished prize after a hard-fought contest against Australia. Patrick Kidd relives the thrills

Sangakkara signs for Lancashire

The Sri Lanka captain follows Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya as the county's overseas player

Rugby news  

Foden senses chance to break for limelight

Northampton player wants to prove a point to England now he has settled in his role at full back

Venter's unbeaten run comes to an end

London Irish 23 Saracens 19: Toby Booth hails smart play as Irish earn rub of the green against Premiership leaders

Crane try a bonus for returning Cockerill

Leicester 32 Sale Sharks 6: Guinness Premiership champions able to exploit their dominance at the set-piece

Parks’ passion is to land silverware

Glasgow fly half insists club's strongest squad can keep winning, stay top of the Magners League and claim more trophies

More sport  

Van Barneveld defies odds to finish up on cloud nine

Darts: Dutchman lands nine-dart finish for the second consecutive year to defeat Brendan Dolan 4-0 at Alexandra Palace

Murdoch determined to end years of frustration

Great Britain curler is still haunted by his loss to Markku Uusipaavalniemi at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

Lewis looking to develop angry edge

Darts: No 8 seed believes he can claim overall win after defeating Wes Newton 4-2 in the second round of World Championship

Waddell puts up language barrier

Darts: the commentator has a unique way of describing the action: alliteration, pun and history lesson are rolled into one

Racing and Betting News  

Big Buck's tightens grip on World Hurdle with authoritative win

Reigning champion sees off Karabak and Diamond Harry, the young pretender, in emphatic fashion at Newbury

Friend brings Thomas change of fortune

Nicholls-trained chaser enters Gold Cup picture by seeing off the best of the Irish in rearranged Lexus Chase

Dream Alliance proves Welsh National treasure

Horse and jockey overcome serious injury to land valuable staying chase at Chepstow for trainer Philip Hobbs

Kauto Star reaches new heights at Kempton

Four-time King George winner now ranks among the all-time greats after breathtaking display in Christmas showpiece