Commonwealth Games 2022 LIVE: Laura Muir storms to 1500m gold after England win women’s hockey title
Follow day 10 at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with 45 gold medals up for grabs
A thrilling penultimate day at Birmingham 2022 has delivered more action to this thoroughly entertaining Commonwealth Games, with 45 gold medals in total set to be dished out by the end of the evening.
Tonight was all about Laura Muir, and the Scotland star produced a brilliant kick to win gold in the women’s 1500m final, adding to her 800m bronze from the previous evening. Later, a wide-open men’s 800m final, was won by Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal ahead of Australia’s Peter Bol, with England’s Ben Pattison taking bronze.
Eilish McColgan added to her 10,000m gold with a gutsy silver in the 5,000m and there was further joy as England’s women wrapped up the action at the Alexander Stadium with a dramatic gold in the 4x400m final. It was short lived, however, after the team was disqualified following a lane infringment.
Earlier, home-town hero Matt Hudson-Smith was left disappointed when forced to settle for silver in the men’s 400m, while Victoria Ohuruogu was more upbeat, grabbing a silver in the women’s 400m final. There was drama in the 4x100m relay finals, with England men and Nigeria women prevailing.
In the afternoon, a dramatic men’s cycling road race saw Geraint Thomas fall just short with a late push to break the lead group, leaving New Zealand’s Aaron Gate to sprint clear and win a fourth gold at these Games. And in the result of the day, England pulled off a shock to stun Australia and win Commonwealth gold in the women’s hockey final. Follow all the action throughout the evening below:
England face Australia in netball semi-finals
It is LOUD inside the NEC with the home crowd willing England on.
Australia get the first turnover and are on the board first to dampen the atmosphere a touch before Helen Housby gets England’s first goal to send the vast majority of those watching back to maximum decibel levels.
A properly great noise for this one.
England face Australia in netball semi-finals
To the hottest ticket in town and the netball then.
Geva Mentor thought she’d seen it all in a two-decade international netball career, but she admits the best could be yet to come.
Mentor made her Roses debut at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, won bronzes in Melbourne and Delhi and was part of the famous gold medal winning team on the Gold Coast in 2018.
However, the 37-year-old - who earns her 159th cap today - claims nothing would top a win in Birmingham.
Mentor played a starring role as England beat world champions New Zealand by ten points in their last group game to secure a final four meeting with world number ones Australia, who were stunned by Jamaica‘s Sunshine Girls.
She went toe-to-toe with the Silver Ferns star goal shooter Grace Nweke, 17 years her junior, and put her in her pocket, a masterclass defensive performance according toadmiring coach Jess Thirlby.
“Age is just a number but for me it‘s nice to be able to go out and maybe some of my experience helps,” said Mentor.
“How bloody exciting, if we can do the job on Australia on Saturday and Jamaica can beat New Zealand, it would be a final we’ve never seen before, that’s so refreshing and exciting for netball.”
Wightman blames ‘mental fatigue’ for 1500m defeat
Jake Wightman has been discussing his bronze medal run in the men’s 1500m.
“Initially I was pretty disappointed because I wanted to win,” he said. “But in hindsight if I told myself at this point I’d have a world gold and Commonwealth bronze two weeks later, I’d take that.
“Mentally it was hard to get back up for this. I gave it a go to win it, but I didn’t have it. Just relieved to get something for Scotland because one of us deserved to be on the podium and I’m lucky to be the one to be on it.
“It wasn’t even the pressure it was just the mental fatigue of having had such a high, to come back up and get on it soon again after. I could have easily bombed that and not done even anything. For me I’ve done something so good this season, everything else is a bonus.
“It’s been a good season. I think the finish disappointment will fade away because I’m glad I managed to come back, step up and get a medal.”
India beat England in cricket semi-finals
India are into the final of the Commonwealth Games cricket after seeing off England in a tense semi-final.
Needing 165 to advance to Sunday’s showpiece, England never truly looked like getting there with Nat Sciver’s 41 and Danni Wyatt’s 35 ultimately in vain as India prevailed by four runs.
Earlier, Smriti Mandhana plundered 61 opening the batting to set India on their way and they never looked back with Sneh Rana’s two wickets and three run-outs proving crucial in neutering the England chase.
India will now play either Australia or New Zealand in the final with England facing the loser in the bronze-medal match.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
England need 14 from the final over to make it into the final.
It’s a dot first up, a single off the second and then Katherine Brunt goes for a duck off the third, caught at mid-off.
That should be that.
It’s a brilliant final over from Sneh Rana under all kinds of pressure.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
Again the boundaries are at a premium for England - there have only been four in the last nine overs.
As a result the fun rate climbs ever further.
That’ll do it though! Nat Sciver climbs into a shorter delivery and launches it over square for a maximum.
And that’s four more for the skipper as she tickles one down off her legs.
But that’s all she wrote as an attempt for two comes up short and Sciver is run out for 41.
The captain goes and England still need 14.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
And now the dot-ball pressure pays as Amy Jones goes for 31.
She’s run out to end a 54-run stand with Sciver with Maya Bouchier the next to stride out to the crease.
She’s not had much time in the middle at this tournament but is a quality batter and this moment won’t be too big for her you’d think.
India then want an lbw against Sciver but the review shows a flicker on snicko so the skipper survives. And breathe.
England need 27 from 12 chasing 165.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
A boundary per over gets England home and that’s what this pair are looking for.
India, of course, know that and are keeping their lines and lengths on point.
Deepti Sharma continues the trend with her final delivery as the 17th over goes for just three singles.
The pendulum swings again.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
England are desperate for a boundary here to bring that rising run rate down a little.
Both Sciver and Jones are looking for it but the Indian bowling is tight and the fielding sharp.
That isn’t though as Jones finally gets one through the inner ring and off it runs to the point fence for four priceless runs.
And that’s a beauty as Jones grabs another boundary off the very next ball with a superb reverse sweep around the corner.
33 from 24 is now the equation. Big over for England.
England chasing 165 to beat India in cricket semi-finals
There are five overs to go at Edgbaston and it’s going to be a thriller.
Captain Nat Sciver and keeper Amy Jones came together when opener Danni Wyatt fell but have settled things down, just as you would imagine such an experienced pair would.
A wicket for India would change everything though. How are your nerves?
England require 48 off 30 balls.
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