General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: May 20, 2026, 11:46 PM ET

Cricket

England’s T20 preparations continued positively as Alice Capsey hit an unbeaten 74 to anchor a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand, while Lauren Bell’s 2-23 stifled the tourists. The win provides a boost ahead of the T20 World Cup, though questions linger after Darren Gough questioned the appointment of Marcus North as England’s new selector, arguing it could further divide the national team from the domestic game. In other cricket news, Scotland’s Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign ended on a low with a heavy ODI defeat by USA in Nepal, and Glamorgan secured their captain’s future with a two-year contract extension for Kiran Carlson through 2028.

College Sports

Missouri’s football program provided a positive update on All-America running back Ahmad Hardy, who is back in Columbia just over a week after being shot in Mississippi, with a short video showing the start of his rehabilitation. The college sports landscape saw other shifts: Kentucky and Gonzaga mutually agreed to discontinue their men’s basketball series, ending scheduled games over the next two seasons. Kansas baseball, meanwhile, has transformed into a national power by aggressively recruiting from the junior college ranks, becoming one of the sport’s top programs through the transfer portal.

Cycling & Golf

Spanish cyclist Jaume Guardeno’s recovery took a serious turn as he was transferred to a neurological clinic specializing in severe injuries following a March crash with a vehicle. On the Giro d’Italia, Ecuador’s Jhonatan Narvaez claimed stage 11 victory, continuing an extraordinary race for him and his team while retaining the overall lead. In golf, LIV Golf is with a new business model despite a report indicating the league is laying groundwork for potential bankruptcy in the U.S., even as bettors look for value at the CJ Cup where Scottie Scheffler is the heavy favorite.

Tennis & Olympic Sports

French Open preparations were overshadowed by a player protest, as the world’s leading men planned to limit media interviews to 15 minutes to object to prize money levels. On the court, Britain’s Toby Samuel staved off a tough qualifier by beating David Goffin to move within one win of a first Grand Slam singles appearance. to the 2028 Olympics, Liverpool was awarded the 2030 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, a significant coup for the city’s sporting portfolio. The controversy surrounding a high school state meet disqualification in North Carolina also sparked debate, with Jeffri Chadiha arguing officials should reverse a vague taunting penalty that stripped a team of a title.

Motorsports & Combat Sports

Kevin Harvick’s NASCAR career culminated in a Hall of Fame election, recognizing a journey that began under a cloud in the early 2000s and now includes a successful broadcasting role. In MMA, Ronda Rousey’s return to the octagon generated a record 17 million viewers on Netflix, underscoring her enduring drawing power. The world of rugby league was hit by tragedy as South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow announced his immediate retirement at age 30 after a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Rugby Union

Ulster Rugby is fine-tuning its preparations for Friday’s Challenge Cup final against Montpellier, where a quartet of injured stars—Iain Henderson, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Herring, and Jacob Stockdale—will still play a leadership role despite missing the match. The province also strengthened its coaching staff by appointing former New Zealand international Clarke Dermody as forwards coach. As the final approaches, BBC Sport NI spoke to members of Ulster’s last trophy-winning team from 2006, reflecting on a “special time, special team” as current players aim to end a 18-year trophy drought.

Football & Miscellaneous

Cardiff City committed to a long-term future for left-back Joel Bagan, who had been out of contract next month, by signing him to a new deal. In women’s basketball, the Fighting Irish landed a major recruiting coup with the commitment of Eve Long, the No. 5 overall recruit and top forward in the 2027 class. The transfer portal’s impact on college football was analyzed, with the conclusion that it has largely killed traditional quarterback competitions as programs invest heavily in portal acquisitions to secure immediate starters. Finally, Olympic skeleton champions Matt Weston and Tabitha Stoecker discussed capitalizing on a post-Games surge in interest for their niche sport, while the controversial Enhanced Games—the “Steroid Olympics”—are forcing sport to confront ethical questions about performance enhancement this weekend.