Key events
Athletics: In the high jump final, England’s Morgan Lake has just failed with her first attempt at 1.85m. She was mighty close but after a few wobbles the bar fell. Five athletes have cleared that height so she’ll have to dust herself off and go again. Australia’s Eleanor Patterson is among those to have cleared it, along with Jamaica’s Lamara Distin, who looks good.
Bowls: What drama in the women’s pairs! With the score at 18-17 to England and Australia set to take two points from the 18th and final end, Amy Paharaoh saves England’s skin with her final bowl – clattering one of Australia’s bowls out of play and ensuring that Australia can only tie at 18-18. The Leamington Spa crowd are loving this. That means we go into a 19th end.
Gymnastics gold for Wales in the hoop final!
Gemma Frizelle becomes Wales’s first gymnast to win hoop gold at the Commonwealth Games. Silver for Cyprus’s Anna Solokova and bronze for Canada’s Carmel Kallemaa.
Bowls: We’re into the 17th end of the women’s pairs and England and Australia are locked in the tightest battle for gold. It’s 18-17 to England but this could go down to the last bowl.
Cricket: England’s women’s T20 team begin their semi-final against India in 20 minutes’ time at Edgbaston. The winner will face either Australia or New Zealand, who play in the other semi at 6pm (BST). England won all three of their group matches, whereas India won two out of three, losing to Australia. The last time England met India in T20 cricket, England won, at Chelmsford, to seal a 2-1 series win a year ago.
Jamaica into netball final!
Netball: What a performance by Jamaica! They thrashed the world champions New Zealand 67-51, with a 100% shooting record. Captain Jhaniele Fowler scored 54 from 54. Take a bow. They will face either England or Australia in the final. They lock horns at 2.30pm.
Athletics: The women’s high jump final has just, erm, leapt into action at the Alexander Stadium. The two favourites are from Australia, Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanour Patterson, both of whom have personal bests of 2.02m. Jamaica’s Lamara Distin has gone close to 2m before, though, as has England’s Morgan Lake. They’re starting down at 1.71m. I’ll keep you updated.
Bowls: It’s now a see-saw battle between Australia and England in the women’s pairs gold medal match. Kristina Krstic and Ellen Ryan fought back from 11-2 down to lead England’s Sophie Tolchard and Amy Pharaoh 16-12, but the host nation have taken four to level the score at 16-16 with four ends to go.
Netball: With 11 minutes remaining in the semi-final, Jamaica have increased their lead to 58-37. The Silver Ferns need a miracle. Jamaica are heading to the final, where they will face either England or Australia, who play at 2.30pm (BST).
If, like Sachin Nakrani, your holiday plans were ruined by a delay at the passport office, get over to Birmingham pronto – the Commonwealth Games might provide the entertainment you need.
Bowls: After 12 ends Australia have battled back from 11-2 down to level the score at 12-12 with England in the women’s pairs gold-medal match. The match finishes after 18 ends so it really is building towards a tense finish.
Netball: There’s a bit of an upset developing in the netball semi-final, where Jamaica are leading the world champions, New Zealand, 44-28 in the third quarter. Jamaica are no mugs – they are ranked fourth in the world – but the manner in which they have raced out of the blocks in this match is surprising. New Zealand look shocked. Jhaniele Fowler has scored a perfect 38 from 38. Incredible.
Preamble
Morning. There are 33 gold medals to be won on day nine of the Commonwealth Games. It’s why it is being called ‘Super Saturday’ by some, including our very own Sean Ingle.
The weekend excitement begins at 11am on Saturday when England’s women cricketers take on India in the T20 semi-finals at Edgbaston. They are heavy favourites after winning their group ahead of New Zealand, with victory likely to see them facing Australia in Sunday’s finals.
The action skips to the track at 1.10pm as the world 1500m champion Wightman takes on a high-class field which includes Kenya’s Timothy Cheruyiot and his Scottish teammate Josh Kerr, the silver and bronze medallists at last year’s Olympics.
Just over an hour later all eyes will be on the NEC Arena as England’s netballers take on Australia in a rematch of the 2018 final on the Gold Coast.
England’s men will also face Australia in the hockey at 8.15pm, although they will be underdogs against a side looking for their seventh straight title. Then the action switches back to the track, where Keely Hodgkinson and Zharnel Hughes will hope to win a second and third track gold of the day for England.
We’ll bring you updates on all the stories that develop throughout the day. The bowling action is already under way in Leamington Spa, where England’s Sophie Tolchard and Amy Pharaoh lead Australia’s Kristina Krstic and Ellen Ryan 11-10 in the gold medal match of the women’s pairs. Remarkably, Australia have battled back from 11-2 down. Stay tuned.
