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Solbakken happy to face Morocco

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Morocco Team Picture during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON final match between Senegal and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on 18 January 2026 ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix

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Graeme Jackson

Thursday Apr 16, 2026. 10:49

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Norway national team coach Stale Solbakken says he is happy to face Morocco in a 2026 FIFA World Cup warm-up match.

Norway, who are returning to the global stage for the first time since 1998, will face the Atlas Lions in a friendly game at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sunday 7 June.

The Europeans have been drawn in Group I alongside France, Iraq and Senegal – with Solbakken noting that taking on Morocco will serve as great preparation for their clash with the Teranga Lions, set for the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on the morning of Monday 23 June.

“We’ve been working to prepare for a match against an opponent like this before the World Cup, and we’re very happy to be facing Morocco,” Solbakken told the Norwegian Football Federation’s website.

He added, “They are a good team, somewhat similar to Senegal, and they present a different kind of challenge compared to what we’re used to, and they play on another continent. So this match is ideal for us.”

Morocco, who reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first African team to do so, will play Brazil (Sunday 14 June), Scotland (Saturday 20 June) and Haiti (Thursday 25 June) in Group C at the 2026 tournament.

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Commonwealth Games 2026: Gymnast Ruby Evans wins first gold for Wales

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Ruby Evans in her gymnastic routine

Gymnast Ruby Evans has won Wales’ first Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with victory in the floor final.

Evans, 19, performed the final routine of the women’s programme and defeated England’s Abigail Martin into silver, with her team-mate Shantae-Eve Amankwaah securing bronze.

Evans left the arena in tears on Sunday after her disappointing sixth in the all-round individual competition, that after Wales finished fourth in the team event.

Now, after Welsh identical twins Abigail and Emily Roper won bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other on Monday, Evans has delivered gold.

It was the first victory for Team Wales in Scotland and a ninth medal alongside two silver and six bronze.

There is also a guaranteed podium position for boxer Connor Williams after he reached the semi-finals.

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Saltburn-Norton match investigated over alleged ‘finger clicking’ cheating

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Tech Billionaire Takeover

An amateur cricket match has made global headlines after a fielder was accused of cheating by clicking his fingers to get a wicket.

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has started an investigation into a second XI Division 2 game between Saltburn and Norton.

A viral video on social media appears to show a Saltburn fielder clicking his fingers as the ball passes Noman Shabir’s bat before being caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes. Saltburn appeal and the umpire gives Shabir out.

It has been suggested that the finger-clicking was designed to trick the umpire into thinking the batter edged the ball.

Saltburn won by 159 runs and are top of Division 2 by 17 points.

“The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday,” the league said in a statement on X.

“A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”

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Last week Bowes took eight catches in Saltburn’s 22-run win over Shildon Railway. The men’s Test record for catches by a keeper in an innings is seven.

Bowes leads the league standings with 31 catches, 10 more than any other player.

Rory Cotterill, who captained Middlesbrough second XI during a 29-run defeat by Saltburn last month, responded to a social media post containing the video and alleged two further incidents of cheating by Saltburn in that match.

The original video of the incident has had more than three million views on X, with publications in Australia and New Zealand among those to report it.

The BBC has contacted the league and Saltburn. Norton declined to comment.

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West Indies v Pakistan: Justin Greaves takes five wickets for none in incredible spell

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Steve Borthwick

First Test, Tarouba (day three of five)

West Indies 311 (Hope 92; Ali 4-50) & 126-7 (Chanderpaul 35, Abbas 3-14)

Pakistan 282 (Masood 109; Greaves 5-27)

West Indies lead by 155 runs

Scorecard

West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves took five wickets without conceding a run in an incredible spell of bowling on day three of the first Test against Pakistan.

Greaves, who is playing in his 17th Test, claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul to help dismiss Pakistan for 282 in response to West Indies’ first-innings total of 311.

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The 32-year-old Barbadian’s spell – five consecutive wicket maidens – was all the more remarkable given he had bowled six overs earlier in the day for 27 runs without taking a wicket.

“When I came on captain Roston Chase just said ‘continue to be disciplined in what you are doing’ and to see if I can get some wickets for the team,” Greaves said.

“The ball nipped around and I got some reward. Anytime I get the ball in hand the team looks to me to be that solid player for them [and] try to dig us out of situations.

“To get five wickets for the first time in Test cricket, I’m really happy, but there’s still a lot of work to do in the game.”

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was Greaves’ first wicket at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad when he was bowled for 109 in the 64th over following a superb set-up.

Greaves had pushed the ball wide to the left-hander from over the wicket before he tailed a delivery back into Masood who played down the wrong line and inside edged on to his stumps.

Aamer Jamal had his middle stump uprooted in Greaves’ next over as the seamer speared one through his defences.

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Greaves then trapped Ali Usman lbw before he had Mohammed Rizwan and Mohammad Abbas both caught behind as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 38 runs.

West Indies reached stumps on day three on 126-7 in their second innings – a lead of 155 runs – to leave the match finely poised.

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