Sport in brief

Rugby Union

Germany beat Portugal 16-13 to set up a 2019 World Cup qualifying play-off against Samoa. The winner of the two-legged play-off will qualify for Japan next year. The runner-up will go to the repechage tournament in November. Germany actually lost all five matches this year in the Rugby Europe Championship. But then Romania, Spain, and Belgium had points docked for fielding ineligible players and Germany moved into the European play-off spot. Elsewhere, Tonga defeated Samoa 28-18 in their Pacific Nations Cup clash in Fiji.

Cricket

Sri Lanka held up play for almost an hour having been penalised five penalty runs ahead of the third day of the second Test against the West Indies, after umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould ruled that they had altered the condition of the ball.

The umpires changed the match ball, which was 44.3 overs old, ahead of the third day in St Lucia, prompting Sri Lanka’s players to stay in their dressing room. After discussions between officials and the players, match referee Javagal Srinath upheld Gould and Dar’s decision, with the five penalty runs taking the West Indies to 123 for two in response to the tourists’ 253. The hosts were eventually bowled out for 300.

In Holland, Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie and captain Gary Wilson posted half-centuries as Ireland beat Scotland by 46 runs in their Twenty20 Tri-Series clash. Chasing 205, Scotland finished on 159 for five.

Motorcycling

Jorge Lorenzo took his first pole position since joining Ducati at the Catalonia MotoGP. The Spaniard will start today’s race ahead of points leader Marc Marquez, followed by Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso.