WORLD OF SPORT

CYCLING:

Great Britain’s Simon Yates took victory in the Giro d’Italia stage two time trial around Budapest.

The 29-year-old Team BikeExchange-Jayco rider finished the 9.2kilometres course in 11 minutes and 50 seconds, with stage one winner Mathieu van der Poel three seconds behind.

The result sees Yates reduce Van der Poel’s overall lead to 11 seconds.

BASKETBALL:

Glasgow Rocks face an uphill struggle to reach the BBL Championship play-off final after succumbing to a 105-84 loss to Leicester Riders in their first leg yesterday.

Rocks, the seventh seeds, had a 54-43 lead early in the second half but the Riders quickly took control and stamped their authority on the contest.

CRICKET:

Ben Stokes has revealed it was he who initiated talks with new managing director Rob Key over becoming England’s new Test captain. The 30-year-old said: ‘After the news about Joe (Root) and speculation about who was going to do it, I phoned Rob a few days later and said: “I just want to make you aware, if the opportunity is there, I’m ready for it”. Just to stop any “Will he? Won’t he?” talk.’

Although an apppointment is yet to be made in terms of vice-captaincy, this is not something that would need to be done until the Test against New Zealand on June 2.

Stokes added: ‘There are so many I could look at. What should be considered is if it is a more senior player or one of the younger guys.’