EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY KIERAN GILL: What made Ben Wilmot's winner even more impressive was the England Under-21 international was making his first Championship start for Swansea.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE AJINOMOTO STADIUM: Tears, beers and cheers for departing stars of the game here in Japan, as several glittering eras all ended at once.

Dan Biggar held his nerve to kick a match-winning 85th minute penalty as Northampton produced a stunning Champions Cup fightback to beat Benetton 35-32 in Italy.

The BBC unveiled their six-strong shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year on Monday. The public will vote on December 15 with the winner crowned in Aberdeen that night.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

Sportsmail runs the rule over every player from the two sides after England survive a late Wales onslaught and win 33-30 at Twickenham to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.

Australia may have retained the urn but couldn't do enough to win the 2019 Ashes series as England clinched a 135-run fifth Test victory to level the scores.

The biggest cricket summer in living memory provided an unforgettable World Cup triumph and one of the greatest Tests of all time at Headingley. 

RICHARD GIBSON: As the ghost writer of a soon-to-be-published memoir of Ben Stokes' summer, I have been given the privilege of re-living these momentous events through his eyes.

Stokes struck an unbeaten 84 in the final against New Zealand on the way to England's maiden World Cup title and then crashed a barely-believable 135 not out to keep the Ashes alive at Headingley.

The Ashes star was seen with his hand in wife Clare Stokes' face at the Professional Cricketers' Association Awards Anniversary party in London last Wednesday.

England's top cricketer was seen with his hand on Clare Stokes's face at the Professional Cricketers' Association party in London last Wednesday.

Stokes has enjoyed an unforgettable year, playing a starring role in the historic World Cup victory at Lord's then producing one of Test cricket's greatest ever innings in the Third Ashes Test.

Ben Stokes has revealed being sledged relentlessly by David Warner was the motivation behind his stunning match-winning century against Australia at Headingley in August.

In the first of our series looking back at the greatest moments of the sporting year, we reflect on Ben Stokes's incredible innings in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

With another year's end came another installment of SPOTY, as England cricket star Ben Stokes picked up the honour. Sportsmail went behind the scenes to capture the special moments on reel.

Stokes' incredible performances in the World Cup, not least in the Lord's final, and his unforgettable match-winning century in the Ashes Test at Headingley saw him land the prestigious prize.

EXCLUSIVE BY LAWRENCE BOOTH: Stokes and Leach pulled off an incredible run chase at Headingley in 2019 by chasing more than they had ever managed to keep Ashes alive.

Ben Stokes is glued to the aftermath of his miracle at Headingley on television and, revealingly, finds his thoughts immediately turning to the opposition. 'I remember watching this in The Test,' says Stokes.

Stokes was due to be playing with Smith this month for the Rajasthan Royals but the IPL has been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

While playing in England, for the likes of Tottenham, QPR and Fulham, he had picked up a questionable reputation - he had the flair to dazzle opponents but his attitude was brought into the spotlight.

ADAM SHERGOLD AT GRIFFIN PARK: Brentford recorded a seventh straight home win to claim a 3-1 victory in the west London derby against Queen Park Rangers and cut the gap to the top.

Derby County are to offer a new deal to forward Mason Bennett, who has attracted interest from Millwall. The 23-year-old is out of contract in the summer. Derby wanted to sign Jack Clarke.

Bent, who has not had a club since his release by Derby at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, revealed his decision to hang up his boots during an interview on talkSPORT on Thursday afternoon.

Even Liverpool fans might laugh about it now. When your side is top of the league with eight wins from as many games, what really do you care about the past?

CHRIS SUTTON - FA CUP VERDICT: People from the North East live and breathe football. Walk around Newcastle city centre on any given day, and you'll see black and white stripes aplenty.

Mason Bennett was filmed being sick in a pub toilet by his new Derby captain Tom Huddlestone just hours before crashing his car and being arrested for drink-driving.

Bennett, who has been on loan at Millwall since January, was involved in a drunken car crash back in September with three Derby team-mates has infuriated the club's fans once again.

INSIGHT - MARTIN KEOWN: As the ultimate tactician, Pep Guardiola tries to push the boundaries, and we saw an incredibly fluid set-up from Manchester City.

Ryan Giggs' Wales side now trail Group E leaders Hungary by six points after defeat in Budapest, albeit with a game in hand, and are three adrift of Slovakia and Croatia in the race for a top-two spot.

Raheem Sterling will miss Thursday's Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley after an altercation with Joe Gomez at St George's Park.

The retired Jamaican sprinter, 32, cut a dapper figure in a bright white ensemble as he enjoyed a sun-soaked break in Formentera, Spain with girlfriend Kasi J. Bennet on Thursday.

Athlete Usain Bolt has confirmed his girlfriend Kasi Bennett is expecting his first child with girlfriend Kasi Bennett.

Usain Bolt, 33, and his long-term girlfriend, Kasi Bennett, 30, put on a luxury gender reveal bash at Peter's Rock in Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday night.

Goals either side of half-time saw Tunisia and Angola share the points in their first game of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations at the Suez Army Stadium on Monday night.

Morocco captain Medhi Benatia made a generous gesture by personally paying for a village to watch the Atlas Lions' African Cup of Nations game against South Africa. 

Cameroon have finished second in Group F of the Africa Cup of Nations after being held to a goalless draw by Benin, who secured their passage to knockout phase for the first time.

Senegal reached the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2006 on Wednesday night courtesy of a 1-0 win over Benin in the quarter-finals.

Ramy Bensebaini was involved in a bizarre altercation with Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha during Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final victory over Ivory Coast on Thursday.

According to Samsung, the phone will be released on February 14 for $1,380 - several hundred dollars more than Apple's most expensive iPhone 11 Pro model. It will be available on

After flaunting two new tattoos earlier this week, Ashley Benson spent the afternoon bundled up in a chic biker jacket for a shopping trip in New York City on Friday, which included Stella McCartney.

With about three clicks of the mouse I have just transferred another free £20 into my bank account. A welcome boost. In total I have accumulated £240 – and it’s taken next to no effort on my part at all.

Her new movie Sergio starts streaming this Friday on Netflix .

The statement from the Mehbooba Mufti government on Monday comes as a jolt to Hindus who comprise more than 28 per cent of the state's population.

Several exit polls have predicted that Mamata Banerjee will return to power in the state

Of the 44 of the 294 constituencies, the Trinamool had forged ahead in 25

TMC is leading in 146 of the 204 constituencies

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC is set for a monumental win in the state, brushing aside the challenge from a Congress-CPI(M) combine

Banerjee's current triumph comes even as multi-crore scams like Saradha and Narada have dented the image of her party

Despite the Narada sting and Saradha scam, the TMC government sailed through due to its laser-like focus on primary areas