Two days out from a Test match that England cannot afford to lose, a metaphorical passing of the baton took place on the Lord's outfield. James Anderson, the captor of 103 Test wickets at 23.89 on this hallowed ground, walked almost unnoticed past a press huddle beneath the Media Centre, where the new Lord of Lord's was sheepishly holding forth on the Test debut that he has still yet to make.

For the second time this season - or even the third, if you take his ODI and World Cup debuts as incremental step-ups in expectation - Jofra Archer is braced to make another Rumsfeldian leap into the known unknown.

His methods, his mien, have been so scrutinised and mined for so long, it is once again all too easy to overlook the truth of his situation. Archer is not the messiah, he is a 24-year-old international rookie whose evisceration of Gloucestershire twos at Blackstone last week can't entirely disguise the fact that he has not played first-class cricket for 11 months and counting.

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"I've got to make my debut first. If selected, I'll probably be over the moon," Archer said, with typical deadpan accuracy, when quizzed on his readiness for action. "I don't know how to feel as yet."

But when you've won a World Cup at the first time of asking, and done it the hard way too, by claiming 20 wickets at 23.05 before withstanding unconscionable pressure to close out the decisive Super Over in the most emotionally fraught sporting finale of all time, ordinary expectations no longer apply. If General Melchett were presiding over the tactics for the coming week, he'd be granting permission to get really rather carried away.

No pressure then, Jofra. It's only England's 18 years of home Ashes hegemony at stake.

"What I would say is don't expect any miracles firstly," Archer said. "I can't work miracles - I'll try to, but I don't think that's how it might pan out. I'll try my best and I can only give my best."

Nice try, but it's not going to wash. Archer's challenge in the coming days is not to play down the expectation, but to reframe it to manageable proportions.

For Australia, certainly, are ready and waiting. Justin Langer, their coach, has declared himself "really curious" to see how Archer goes, speaking in bullish tones of getting him into his "second, third and fourth spells" and testing his physical endurance in the wake of a much-reported side strain that left him in "excruciating" pain at the latter end of his white-ball stint (but which, he now reports, is "never better" after a week's R&R in Barbados).

And yet, not for the first time this summer, Archer has exuded a sense of belonging ahead of his grand unveiling, and one that belies his softly spoken responses.

Part of that, you sense, stems from his obvious delight in doing what he does for a living. After all, it is not for nothing that Archer's "Jofradamus" reputation precedes him in the media - his litany of archival tweets wouldn't be capable of "predicting" each and every event in this summer's itinerary were it not for the fact that he has clearly been emotionally invested in the rhythms of his sport for years.

And as a consequence, he may not be able to tell you yet how he will feel to walk through the Long Room in his whites to open the bowling in a Lord's Ashes Test, but you can be surer than most debutants that he'll have an idea of what to do when he gets there.

"I'm probably more ready than I've ever been," he said. "I've bowled 50 overs in one game already for Sussex [on his Championship debut against Essex in August 2016] and I'm usually the one bowling the most overs anyway. I think Justin Langer has another thing coming."

And therein lies an under-appreciated truth about the groundwork to Archer's career. For all that he has made his mark globally with his pace and variety in 24-ball outings on the global T20 circuit, it was his red-ball education for Sussex that earned him those opportunities in the first place. And for all that his three first-class seasons at Hove pale in the public imagination compared to his subsequent white-ball exploits, a haul of 131 wickets at 23.44 is not an insubstantial body of work.

"I've played a lot more red-ball than I have white-ball. I do think it's my preferred format anyway," he said. "Test cricket is pretty much almost the same as first-class. You know what you've got to do, you know what your strengths are. Especially to stick with them.

"Red-ball isn't really shown on TV so a lot of people won't know, and looking at the scorecard, it doesn't really tell the full story of how a game panned out anyway. But it was actually the first format I played in when I started at Sussex. It was a bit hard to get into the white-ball team, I think I played the second half of the red-ball season and only two white-ball games."

As for the Lord's factor - such a significant aspect for your average aspirational debutant - well, without being glib about such things, it's safe to presume that the old ground will harbour nothing but happy memories following that unforgettable last visit in the World Cup final, if not serve up anything approaching such all-or-nothing jeopardy over the coming five days, no matter how many times he is sent back to the well by an insuperable Steve Smith.

"It was a really, really good day," he said. "I think it's a good thing most of the guys that were in the Test team were part of it as well, so I don't think I'm the only person that will feel that way. But when I came in today it looked a bit different. All the World Cup boards were down. It just looked normal again. It's a good ground to come back to and hopefully we can keep up our winning ways here."

Those winning ways, incidentally, don't quite extend to his only visit here for Sussex in red-ball cricket - but on a personal level he is exonerated for their 55-run defeat against Middlesex in August 2018. With eight wickets in the match, including 5 for 69 in the second innings, he not only carried his side close, but made a strong early acquaintance with the infamous Lord's slope.

"I think the slope did have a hand in some of the dismissals," he said. "If one nips down the slope it's a good ball, if it doesn't nip down the slope it's still a good ball. The margin of error sometimes can be a lot bigger than at most other grounds."

Whether that might help him to formulate a specific plan against Smith, however, remains to be seen.

"I think my ideas will be the same as the guys, it's just that the guys haven't been successful. He played really well at Edgbaston, I think he had a day out - or days out - but Lord's is a bit different to Edgbaston. Hopefully one can do a bit more coming down the slope and hopefully he gets out for 90 runs less."

Justin Langer has said that having six fit-and-firing fast bowlers at his disposal is a "luxury" that he cannot recall enjoying at any previous point of his coaching career, but reiterated that Australia must not get complacent about their resources with four Ashes Tests still to come in the space of five weeks.

Eyebrows were raised among England fans when both Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were omitted from Australia's attack for the first Test at Edgbaston, but that selection was richly vindicated in a 251-run win that has given them the lead in an away Ashes series for the first time since 2005.

And, understandably, Langer was keeping his cards close to his chest with 48 hours to go until the series resumes at Lord's. "The same as last time, we want to keep England guessing as long as we can," he said. "We're pretty clear with the team that we think will win this next Test match, we'll see that when the toss goes up. Unless you can ask Painey [Tim Paine] the same question and he gives it away."

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The broad strategy, however, is unmistakable and ruthless - very similar in outlook, in fact, to the one that England themselves used in Australia in 2010-11, their last successful campaign on Australian soil.

Bat as long as possible, with Steven Smith leading the line at Edgbaston but the tailenders - not least Peter Siddle - playing a vital role in the first innings, and bowl as dry as possible - with Siddle's line-and-length earning selection ahead of Starc due to his tendency to go for runs in red-ball cricket in exchange for his wicket-taking deliveries.

And, in the event of attrition taking its toll in the course of the series - as it did nine years ago with Stuart Broad going lame during the Brisbane Test and Steven Finn proving too expensive for the team tacticians after Perth - ensure that the fast-bowling bench-strength (Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan on that occasion) is hungry and ready for action.

The condensed Ashes itinerary, Langer admitted, was having a "big impact" on the selection of their Test XI, and with just a three-day turnaround to the second Test at Headingley on August 22, it was only going to get more acute.

"We know that back-to-back Tests are always hard," he said. "We were lucky in the first Test that our fast bowlers didn't have to bowl much in the second innings, as Nathan [Lyon] bowled very well and the way the game panned out. But it's certainly something that's on our mind. It will be on England's mind as well. You've got to get through back-to-back Test matches, that's why Test series are hard, Ashes series are hard.

"Why we're fortunate at the moment is that we've got six fit-and-healthy fast bowlers. I've been coaching for about 10 years now and I can't ever remember having that luxury, but it could change like that so we're not getting carried away with it.

"The fact that we had Josh and Mitch Starc on the bench last Test match, it doesn't happen very often, so we won't get complacent with it, we'll just be happy we're in that spot."

One reason why Australia may yet name an unchanged XI lies in the success of Australia's lower order - not least Siddle, whose critical innings of 44 helped rescue Australia from 122 for 8 and give Smith an obdurate ally en route to arguably the finest Test century of his career.

"Test cricket is a big game of chess," Langer said. "I thought Siddle's batting was the big difference in the Test match, and that was one of our game plans at the start of the summer.

"We saw how frustrating it was with England's tail in the first innings, it's the same with us," he added. "You always have the strategy, the strategy of every team will be the same, but then you have to put it into practice.

"The boys have done that, the bowlers have probably hit more balls in this series than they have in their whole life. Hopefully it pays dividends, and it's not just talk about it."

Wide receiver Rishard Matthews announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, two days after he was released by the New Orleans Saints with a "left team" designation.

In an Instagram post, Matthews wrote that he was fed up by feeling he was disposable as an NFL player and that although he will always be a fan of the NFL, he will not miss the "fakeness" or "brainwashing" that he endured in the league.

In a statement titled "No Longer Exist," Matthews wrote:

"The game has given me and family so much but that No Longer Exist ... Beating your body up over and over for groups of people to give out a small % of the earnings that they don't even need me No Longer Exist ... The endless training & hours away from my family No Longer Exist ...

"The brainwashing & dividing of culture for a small piece of jewelry No Longer Exist ... Being around too much Ego to even understand that someone has the same skin as you No Longer Exist ... People using me for Entertainment and not understanding that i Am a Black Man in America No Longer Exist

"As a receiver, people controlling your success No Longer Exist ... Being around just pure fakeness No Longer Exist ... The crowds cheering No Longer Exist ... The Touchdowns, Big Catches Fun Times No Longer Exist ... All the people that never talk to you then hit you up for tickets when they see you're close to them thinking you get them for free & act crazy when you can't get them for them No Longer Exist (lol)

"I am thankful to have become financially free but that income No Longer Exist (lol) ... It was cool being a Professional Football Player and getting to play a kids game for work I will always be a fan of the best sport in the world but for me that Kids game No Longer Exist"

On Saturday, Saints coach Sean Payton confirmed that it was Matthews' decision to leave the team, adding, "It's not for everyone."

Matthews, 29, joined the Saints in June after a minicamp tryout. But he was playing with the backup units throughout training camp. He caught one pass for 7 yards while playing 20 snaps in Friday night's preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

Matthews was the Tennessee Titans' top receiver from the 2016 and 2017 seasons, but he asked for his release last year because of a diminished role and wound up catching just five passes for 24 yards in a total of eight games with the Titans and New York Jets.

Matthews also requested a trade before his final season with the Miami Dolphins in 2015 while skipping voluntary workouts, but he stayed with the team for one more season.

The 6-foot, 217-pounder has 230 career catches for 3,160 yards and 21 touchdowns in seven years.

ESPN's Mike Triplett contributed to this report.

Philadelphia Phillies starter Jake Arrieta says he hopes to have a conversation with the team in the coming days to decide whether he needs to rest to take care of a bone spur in his elbow.

Arrieta's remarks came after an ineffective performance Sunday night in San Francisco.

"I don't necessarily want to make a decision right now," Arrieta told NBC Sports' Jim Salisbury on Sunday night. "We'll have the off day Monday and maybe have a conversation on Tuesday."

The plan had been for Arrieta to pitch through the injury, with manager Gabe Kapler saying last month, "It's always worth considering if Jake at 85 percent of himself is a better option than what we have at Triple-A."

Arrieta -- who has a 5.02 ERA in his last 10 starts with a .302 opponents' average -- has not made it through the sixth inning of a start since June and said Sunday that his elbow "hurts every day."

The Phillies enter Monday nine games back in the NL East and two games back in the wild-card.

Arrieta, a 33-year-old right-hander, will be a free agent after the 2020 season. Suffering an injury to the elbow ligament through repeated outings with the bone spur would have big impact on his free agency.

Arrieta has one year left on his three-year deal with the Phillies that will pay him $20 million next season. He could also opt out of his contract this fall. If he does that, the Phillies will have the choice of voiding the opt-out by guaranteeing $20 million in salary for 2021 and 2022 -- leaving him three years at $60 million for 2020 through 2022.

The Cincinnati Reds have claimed infielder Freddy Galvis off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, the National League team announced Monday.

Cincinnati's Amir Garrett will begin serving his eight-game suspension on Monday to make room for Galvis on the 25-man roster.

Galvis, 29, was hitting .267 with 18 homers and 54 RBI for Toronto this season. By waiving him, the Jays will be able to give more playing time to rookies Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio.

Galvis had signed a $4 million, one-year deal with the Blue Jays in January. Cincinnati will now hold a $5.5 million club option on Galvis for the 2020 season.

Entering Monday's games, the Reds are five games out of a playoff spot in the packed NL wild-card race.

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball will open its 2020 season March 26, its earliest start other than international games. The schedule also features a late April series in Puerto Rico between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.

Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers, opens March 31. This is the first new ballpark since the Atlanta Braves' SunTrust Park opened in 2017. Globe Life will be the seventh big league stadium with a retractable roof, after those in Toronto, Arizona, Seattle, Houston, Milwaukee and Miami. Tampa Bay has a fixed roof.

The commissioner's office also said Monday all 30 teams could play on Opening Day for the first time since 1968. A full slate was scheduled in 2018 but two games were postponed. The 2020 regular season is to end Sept. 27, putting the World Series on track for Oct. 20-28.

The Angels host the Dodgers on July 10-11 heading into the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 -- giving both teams a rare Sunday off on July 12.

Previously announced, the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals will play two games in London in June. The New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox will play Aug. 13 at a ballpark next to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. A Little League Classic between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles is set for Aug. 23 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The American League Opening Day games are: Yankees at Baltimore; Kansas City at the White Sox; Detroit at Cleveland; the Angels at Houston; Minnesota at Oakland; Texas at Seattle; and Boston at Toronto.

In the National League, it's: Atlanta at Arizona; St. Louis at Cincinnati; San Francisco at the Dodgers; Philadelphia at Miami; the Cubs at Milwaukee; Washington at the Mets; and Colorado at San Diego. The one interleague matchup has Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay.

Ex-GB international runner and coach Phil Banning pleads guilty to 18 counts of indecent assault

Phil Banning, the former director of coaching for Wales and UK indoor 1500m champion, has been jailed for seven and a half years for abusing young athletes.

On Monday (August 12) Hampshire Constabulary said 68-year-old Banning, from Penhow, Wales, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of indecent assault relating to four girls who were under the age of 16 at the time of the offences, including one girl who was under 13.

Described as ‘sinister’, Banning is said to have ‘manipulated, abused and violated’ schoolgirls during the 1970s and 1980s in Andover.

After an international career which saw him represent Great Britain at the 1975 European Indoor Championships, Banning returned to Andover Athletics Club as a qualified coach where he met the four girls.

“Under the guise of acting as coach and mentor, he was pursuing a regime of abuse against certain members of the club,” prosecutor Tim Moores told Winchester Crown Court.

The court heard that Banning would assault the girls during car rides home after training, as well as during sports massages. One of the girls is said to have been aged just 11 years old when she was assaulted in Banning’s car.

According to Hampshire Constabulary, Banning – who must sign on the sex offenders register for life – mouthed ‘sorry’ to the women in court as he was sentenced.

“Welsh Athletics acknowledges the conviction and subsequent sentence handed down to Phil Banning following his appearance at Winchester Crown Court,” read a statement from the governing body. “Officers of Welsh Athletics have been liaising closely with UK Athletics and the Gwent and Hampshire police forces throughout the extended investigation which has led to this verdict.

“Whilst this conviction does not relate to Mr Banning’s time working as a coach in Wales, we encourage anyone with any concerns or further information to contact the NSPCC on their 24 hour helpline 0808 800 5000.

“Welsh Athletics would like to stress the importance that it places on Safeguarding and Child Protection, and will continue to work with UK Athletics, the Child Protection in Sport Unit (NSPCC) and our member clubs to ensure that the sport remains a safe environment for junior and senior athletes alike.”

As a GB international athlete, Banning set a British indoor record of 3:42.2 when winning the 1975 UK indoor title ahead of Steve Ovett and then improved that mark to 3:41.9 in winning the UK v Belgium match at Cosford.

That was the quickest time in Europe that year but he dropped out during the European Indoor Championships and was never at the same level again.

More on the case can be found here.

BBC Scotland will screen live matches online from the new Super6 season.

One tie from each round of fixtures will be shown on the BBC Sport Scotland website, with the feature live games played at 14:00 UK time on Sundays.

The final of the Super6 will also be televised live on BBC Scotland over the weekend of 27-29 March 2020.

Every Super6 team will have at least three matches broadcast live, with the season kicking off on 9 November after the World Cup.

The six sides will play 20 competitive matches each season made up of 10 Super6 fixtures, played home and away, two Super6 play-off fixtures and eight cross-border matches.

The competition involves Ayrshire Bulls, Southern Knights, Boroughmuir Bears, Watsonians, Stirling County and Heriot.

"Super6 is a bold new competition that is designed to bridge the gap between the domestic and the professional game in Scotland," said Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson.

BBC Scotland's sport commissioning executive Grigor Stirling said: It's an exciting addition to the game in this country and we're delighted we'll be showing matches on the BBC Scotland sport site, with the added bonus of broadcasting the final live on the BBC Scotland channel."

Gareth Anscombe has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup after injuring a knee in Wales' 33-19 defeat by England.

Fly-half Anscombe, 28, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and hobbled off in the first half of the World Cup warm-up at Twickenham.

No timescale has been given on his return.

His absence leaves Dan Biggar, Jarrod Evans and Rhys Patchell as the three fly-halves in Wales' extended World Cup squad.

Wales have already lost British and Irish Lions back-rower Taulupe Faletau to a collarbone problem, while Cardiff Blues scrum-half Tomas Williams is awaiting a scan on a shoulder injury.

It is a major blow for Wales with Anscombe having established himself as Warren Gatland's first choice 10 ahead of Biggar during the last year.

Biggar replaced Anscombe against England and is in pole position to be the starting fly-half at the World Cup in Japan.

With Anscombe ruled out, there are 40 players in Gatland's World Cup squad which will be reduced to the final 31-strong party at the beginning of September.

It is also a blow for Anscombe's new side Ospreys after he joined from Cardiff Blues in April 2019, with the New Zealand-born player in danger of missing most of the 2019-20 season.

In the build-up to the England game, Gatland said criticism of Wales playing four warm-ups was "fair".

Wales play England again in Cardiff on Saturday, 17 August followed by another double-header against Ireland in Cardiff on 31 August and 7 September in Dublin as they prepare for the World Cup in Japan.

Wales' Pool D campaign begins against Georgia in Tokyo on Monday, 23 September followed by games against Australia, Fiji and Uruguay.

Analysis

Former Wales fly-half and captain Jonathan Davies

It's very disappointing, mainly for Gareth Anscombe himself and the squad. That's the risk you take when you're playing these friendlies, you've got to watch out for injuries.

Taulupe Faletau is a world-class player and you want to have your best players available during the World Cup, so to lose Faletau and then Anscombe is two big players and two big blows.

They are two tremendous footballers and for me I think perhaps that's what Wales are lacking.

If they pick Dan Biggar it will affect Wales' style of play a great deal because they are different types of player. In the Six Nations Anscombe played football and then Dan came on to close the game.

Jarrod Evans and Rhys Patchell have the opportunity now to step up in training and those two are very similar to the way Anscombe plays.

Northampton flanker Lewis Ludlam and uncapped Bath wing Ruaridh McConnochie have earned shock call-ups to England's Rugby World Cup squad, with centre Ben Te'o a glaring omission.

The inexperienced pair are included in coach Eddie Jones' 31-man group, along with another Test rookie in Gloucester scrum-half Willi Heinz.

Te'o was involved in an off-field incident at the training camp in Italy.

Versatile back Piers Francis is included at his expense.

The World Cup in Japan runs from 20 September to 2 November, with Jones naming his squad weeks in advance of the World Rugby deadline of 8 September.

"We have taken the decision to go early because of what we learned from previous campaigns," he said.

"We want the squad to know early and now we can get on and be the best prepared England side there has ever been, ready to win the World Cup."

England World Cup squad

Forwards: Dan Cole (Leicester, 86 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter, 12), Tom Curry (Sale, 11), Ellis Genge (Leicester, 10), Jamie George (Saracens, 37), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 27), George Kruis (Saracens, 32), Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 59), Courtney Lawes (Northampton, 72), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton, 1), Joe Marler (Harlequins, 58), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 22), Jack Singleton (Saracens, 1), Sam Underhill (Bath, 9), Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 42), Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 53), Mark Wilson (Newcastle/Sale, 13).

Backs: Joe Cokanasiga (Bath, 5), Elliot Daly (Saracens, 31), Owen Farrell (Saracens, 70), George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 56), Piers Francis (Northampton, 5), Willi Heinz (Gloucester, 1), Jonathan Joseph (Bath, 41), Jonny May (Leicester, 45), Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath, uncapped), Jack Nowell (Exeter, 33), Henry Slade (Exeter, 22), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester, 33), Anthony Watson (Bath, 34), Ben Youngs (Leicester, 86).

Duo's dramatic rise

Ludlam's rise to the World Cup squad has been meteoric. He was included in a training squad for the first time in June, and has impressed enough to make the plane to Japan, with Brad Shields missing out.

World Cup-winning scrum-half Matt Dawson said the 23-year-old "just looks like an international player" during his impressive debut against Wales on Sunday.

McConnochie's elevation has been even more dramatic. The former sevens player only switched to the XV-a-side game a year ago, but enjoyed a breakthrough season at The Rec.

Jones' decision to select only two tighthead props in Kyle Sinckler and Dan Cole and two scrum-halves in Heinz and Ben Youngs has freed up a place.

McConnochie, 27, is included as one of six back-three players, along with Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson, Jonny May and Jack Nowell, although Nowell is struggling with injury.

Like McConnochie and Heinz, hooker Jack Singleton is named just 24 hours after winning his first cap.

Te'o and Shields miss out

Conversely, Te'o's fall from grace has been drastic. The cross-code star has long been a favourite of Jones, having been fast-tracked into the set-up for the tour of Australia in 2016 before he had played club rugby in England.

Even when injury restricted his involvement at Worcester, Te'o was still regularly drafted into England camps by Jones.

But he was not involved in the build-up to the game against Wales, with Jones telling the BBC on Saturday that Te'o "was not in the best 31".

While Jones has refused to confirm or deny whether Te'o was involved in an altercation in Treviso, it is understood the player was the aggressor in an incident involving Mike Brown.

Brad Shields' absence is also notable. The former New Zealand Under-20 flanker was fast-tracked into the side in the summer of 2018 by Jones, but is currently sidelined with a foot problem.

Jones had already omitted a string of experienced players, with former captains Dylan Hartley and Chris Robshaw missing out, along with Brown, Danny Care, Nathan Hughes and Danny Cipriani.

"A lot of good players have missed out. We feel for them. I feel for them personally," Jones said.

"But the World Cup is an incredible tournament where opportunities can present themselves, and all those players who have missed out have been told they have to be ready."

Analysis

Paul Grayson, former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

Ludlam has watched, sat behind some good players. He is 23, physically mature, and when the door opens you have got to be ready.

When you get the chance, you have to step up and he has done that. He showed tenacity and an understanding of the team dynamic [against Wales].

He carried the ball in attack, made plenty of tackles in defence, and showed the physical resilience when he got that stinger to the shoulder. He got off the ground, got away from the physio, got back into the defensive line even, to paint the picture that there is no gap.