Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 1700 hours:

EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Day 2 of fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England.

*Report of Chinese Taipei Open Badminton tournament. *Report of India's FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match against Oman.

*Report of Pro Kabaddi League. *Report of US Open.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-SA-COACH Sleepless nights and a lot of work for SA Team Director ahead of India tour

Johannesburg, Sep 5 (PTI) South Africa's newly-appointed interim Team Director Enoch Nkwe says he is enduring a lot of sleepless nights to find the "best formula" for his side to perform well during the tough tour of India starting next week.

SPO-SWIMMING-COACH Swimming coach sacked for alleged molestation, Sports Minister promises stern action

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) A Goa-based swimming coach has been sacked after a minor girl accused him of molesting her, a purported video of which went viral on social media, prompting Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju to also step in and promise stringent action.

SPO-SA-REPLACEMENT Linde replaces Smuts in South Africa's T20I squad for India series

Johannesburg, Sept 5 (PTI) Uncapped left-arm spinner George Linde was on Thursday named as replacement for all-rounder Jon-Jon Trevor Smuts in South Africa's squad for the three-match T20 International series against India, starting September 15.

SPO-LD IND A India A suffer series' first loss despite Dhawan's 52

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 5 (PTI) Opener Shikhar Dhawan was back amongst the runs with a brisk 52 off 43 balls but it wasn't enough to get India A over the line against South Africa A in a rain-hit unofficial fourth ODI, ending the visitors' losing streak here on Thursday.

SPO-SHOOT-ELAVENIL Intense competition has helped in Indian shooting's rise, feels Elavenil

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Her transition from the junior to senior circuit might seem effortless given the continuing gold rush but fast-rising shooting ace Elavenil Valarivan says taking aim in the elite league is a very different ball game.

SPO-JAFFER-RAHUL Disappointed by Rahul's struggle, it's like a jigsaw puzzle: Jaffer

Mumbai, Sep 5 (PTI) K L Rahul's struggling run in the opening slot has left former India opener Wasim Jaffer baffled and he feels the Karnataka player seems caught in an unsolved jigsaw puzzle despite having the ability to do well.

SPO-ATP-IND Prajnesh advances to quarterfinals at Jinan Open

Jinan (China), Sep 5 (PTI) Top seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran booked a singles quarterfinal berth at the Jinan Open with a hard-fought win over Chinese Taipei's Tung-Lin Wu, here on Thursday.

SPO-IND-RABADA Rabada counting on South Africa's past experience to thrive in India

Pretoria, Sep 5 (PTI) South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada says his team will look to use the past experience of playing in the sub-continent when they take on India in the upcoming tour beginning September 15.