versus bbc news. i'm martine croxall. the headline —— this is bbc news. devastating monsoon floods in the southern indian state of kerala have left more than 300 people dead and 200 200,000 without homes. mps call for the rules around e—cigarettes to be relaxed — they say they help people to stop smoking. the prisons minister, rory stewart, promises to resign if he fails to reduce the level of drugs and violence in jails within a year. more than half the families who lost

loved ones in the genoa bridge colla pse loved ones in the genoa bridge collapse have accepted the offer of an italian state funeral. before sportsday, what is coming up on bbc news... we'll be finding out more about the relief effort to help the hundreds of thousands hit by the floods in kerala — we'll be speaking to paralympics star jonnie peacock about his latest venture to encourage more people with disabilities to take up sport. and at 10.40 and 11.30 i'll be discussing tomorrow's front pages with my guests tim stanley from the telegraph, and fleet street fox herself — mirror columnist susie boniface. hello and welcome to sportsday. ready to play — ben stokes gives skipper joe root his guarantee as he's

recalled to the england team for the third test against india tomorrow. no problem with pogba — manchester united bossjose mourinho denies reports of a rift between him and star man paul pogba. going for gold — can five—time paralympic champion ellie simmonds turn around her barren run so far at the world para—swimming european championships? also coming up in the programme: he's back once again... tyson fury says he's ready to go in belfast tomorrow night, but as his dad argues with deontay wilder... is a huge heavyweight clash with the wbc champion on the cards? 7 whe two fighters want to fight each other, it's what happens. we talked to each other and we made the fight. hello and welcome to sportsday. good evening. another busy sporting weekend ahead, and one that's going to be a lot busier for ben stokes than he may have thought at the start of the week. having been found not guilty of affray on tuesday, the all—rounder has been included in the england side to face india in the third test which begins at trent bridge tomorrow. andy swiss has more. from the courtroom to the cricket field, ben stokes, back in the england team at the end of a

dramatic week. it was only on tuesday stokes was cleared of affray, and just four days later he will once again represent his country. the unlucky player to make way is sam curran, with five wickets and a half century, being man of the match in the first test. his captain says dropping him was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make, but that stokes is ready to return. we had two days‘ practice to gauge that on, in terms of fitness and making sure he was physically right to play. sat him down last night, just me and him, and asked him, quite brutally and honestly, you know, "are you in the right place to go out and play for england?", and he assured me that he was absolutely ready to go and perform at his best. so, you know, from that perspective, i have no worries or doubts that he would be able to go and deliverjust like he has done so many times for england. as for india, well, lose here and they will lose the series, so the return of england's star all—rounder

is surely all they need, but they say they are looking forward to facing stokes once again. he is a terrific cricketer. we like to play against top cricketers, as simple as that. if he was cleared by the courts, what is the reason for him not to play? if i was in england's position i would have wanted him to play. once again today stokes looked relaxed. posing for photos with the fans, but he knows come tomorrow all eyes will be on his cricketing comeback. andy swiss, bbc news. well, ben stokes will have a new team—mate at durham for next season, another man who has recently been accused of bringing the game into disrepute. cameron bancroft is coming to england. joe lynskey can tell us more. hugh, thank you, yes. these are the images you will remember from six months ago. the brightest star is breaking down in a press conference. they're the images that will stay with australian cricket fans for a lifetime.

all because of the ball—tampering scandal which happened in a match against south africa in march. the man who carried out the act of putting sandpaper on the ball was cameron bancroft — the youngest of the three was given a nine—month ban, three months less than the other two senior players who were deemed to have instigated the plot. well, today durham announced they were prepared to take on the batsman as one of their overseas players for next year's county championship season. now, it's worth remembering that bancroft has never actually been banned from playing county cricket in england — his nine—month suspension predominantly applies to cricket in australia. but that didn't stop another county side, somerset, pulling out of a deal to take him on this season following the scandal. durham's ceo, though, says he believes the members at the riverside will understand the decision. well, one or two might not be happy but i think the vast majority will be. it didn't really come into our

thinking, to be perfectly honest, only insomuch as we have done some due diligence on cameron as we would with any player we sign. it is very important we understand about their character, their personality, will they fit in to our dressing room? it was a very disappointing time for him, surely the biggest mistake he has made in his life, but he has been punished for it. he is young man and we all make mistakes. we all have a reference point. and it has been well chronicled, cameron is a fine young man and he will fit in really well and he is extremely professional, well then we are looking for him to make a big impact next year. well, up until late december when bancroft‘s ban ends the only cricket he's been allowed to play is in the western australia league for willeton district. surroundings nowhere near as glamourous or lucrative as the ones steve smith and david warner have been allowed to enjoy during their bans. they have been given one day contracts in the caribbean premier

league, one of the world's leading t20 franchises. those two were also be vying for a place back in the summer be vying for a place back in the summerfor the be vying for a place back in the summer for the tests in be vying for a place back in the summerfor the tests in england and wales. but as a test player bancroft will only have eyes for the ashes. it's one of the key reasons durham think this decision could pay off, as he'll have the whole summer to prove himself worthy of a place for a test series that because of this scandal will have an extra edge to it. indeed, thank you, joe. i am sure he will want to turn around those headlines written about him. and if you've looked at the papers over the last couple of days you'd think manchester united was a team in turmoil — with plenty of negative headlines regarding united midfielder paul pogba and his managerjose mourinho. it was reported the pair had had a massive fallout and following their premier league

opening win over leicester, pogba claimed "there are things that i cannot say otherwise i will get fined." that added fuel to the fire but mourinho says their relationship couldn't be more positive... we have been together for two years and a couple of weeks, and i've never been so happy with him as i am now. that's the truth. i cannot demand more from him, i cannot ask more from him. he came here on monday, he trained three days. i asked for his support, for his contribution in an important match for us when the team had difficulties. he did it, he did it better and for more time than we could expect. so maybe, finally, some good news for united supporters this summer. however, manchester city fans won't be happy to hear their influential midfielder kevin de bruyne will be out for up to three months after suffering a knee ligament injury in training on wednesday. de bruyne helped belgium finish

third at this summer's world cup and his manager pep guardiola feels the long season may have contributed. of course, for him, for his family, this injury, long time, they would never want that. and especially with the games, and seasons, and games and seasons, the players fell down. they don't rest, they don't have... it was a tough, tough season last season. they come back, show recovery, and we demand, the first morning, "come on, let's go, because we are in the competition," and of course human beings have a limit. and sometimes these kind of things happen. now, a new era begins in women's football this weekend, and the draw has also been made for this season's women's champions league with a few british sides to watch out for.

0ur sports reporter jo currie is here. we will start with that draw because both city and chelsea came close and they will be hoping for more this time around? yes, both making all the way through to the semifinals, and just fell one hurdle too soon for the final. 0ther british team in the draw for the last 32 and that was glasgow city. let's look at who will be playing them. manchester city will be up against the spanish champions from last year, atletico madrid, and that will be a very tough last 32 match. chelsea have a long journey, playing sfk sarajevo, favourites to win that one but quite a journey to get there. whilst glasgow city are playing barcelona, somatio barcelona, not to be confused with barcelona, this is a

tea m confused with barcelona, this is a team in cyprus. and we have more to talk about. i mentioned earlier a new era coming in manchester, manchester city doing so well over the past few years. this has been a long time coming, women's team at manchester united. it has been 13 yea rs. manchester united. it has been 13 years. in 2005 they scrapped the senior women's team they used to have and they have come in for a lot of criticism for not having a women's team. we have seen their neighbours, manchester city, chelsea, all these teams getting involved, but until recently manchester united were not a part of it then earlier this year they said, "right, we will put in an application to be part of the women's championship, which will be the second tier of women's football." they were accepted and the former england captain will manage them and she has managed to attract quite an impressive squad of players, bearing in mind they will be starting in the second division. they have current england players, alex

greenwood, siobhan chamberlain, and they get under way this weekend. playing liverpool, of all people, in the league cup on sunday, and that will be one very big game. we can expect a couple of thousand fans at the match at tranmere for that. big first game coming up, but i guess manchester united fans, fans of this women's team, they will have to wait well for the big successes the club expects, the likes of european titles, of course because they are not even in the top division year. this sort of preparation, how are they feeling about i guess the short to medium term? in every interview so to medium term? in every interview so far the manager has been asked her targets for the first season, and she has said, "we don't really have big targets. yes, the club are investing good money, we have put together this good squad, but we are not under pressure from the club to achieve anything specifically, however, " achieve anything specifically, however," she says, "it would be very nice to be promoted." the only full—time setup in the second division, the fact they have current england players in their squad, they

will be up there come the end of the season will be up there come the end of the season and they may well find themselves in the top division next year. we shall see how things go. more cells are the common women's football, and the under 20s, just like the men, a great result earlier today. yes, they are into the quarterfinals of the women's under 20 world cup taking place over the water in france. they went behind against the netherlands. the netherlands going ahead, but then england started to fight back. the manchester city striker georgia sta nway manchester city striker georgia stanway equalised just manchester city striker georgia sta nway equalised just eight manchester city striker georgia stanway equalised just eight minutes later and then she scored the winner with a few minutes to go. just 19 yea rs with a few minutes to go. just 19 years old, georgia stanway, already making a mark in the league and now on the international stage. england will play germany orjapan in the semifinals and they play later on tonight. ok, jo, thank you so much for updating us. plenty to look forward to with the england under 20s, man united, as we mentioned the champions league as well, but one clu b champions league as well, but one club who can't look forward to the champions league is celtic. after they crashed out

of qualifying this week they'll hope to reach the europa league instead, but it's come as a bitter disappointment to manager brendan rodgers as well as the club's players and fans as andy burke reports... toddled week for celtic, knocked out by aak athens, and also an issue with the belgian defender boyata seemingly going on strike to force a move away from the champions. but celtic have moved to dismiss rf between brendan rodgers and the club's board about a lack of summer tra nsfer club's board about a lack of summer transfer activity. a bit of negativity over the past few weeks but that is something brendan is used to and has dealt with as a manager. there is no map followed with the board, no big fractures within the club. it is a story that i suppose the media are trying to generate but it is not there. we are fine, brendan is working, working with the board, in dialogue with the board. as ever. so i think what i

can tell you now is we won't let this negativity be created and start holding us back. well, celtic today announced the arrival of australia international winger who comes to the club on a two—year loan deal from manchester city and you would think brendan rodgers will hope that is not the last arrival before the tra nsfer is not the last arrival before the transfer window closes at the end of august, daniel arzani, the australian player, that is. bbc news, glasgow. this weekend, tyson fury makes his second appearance in a boxing ring since his return from nearly three years away from the sport. the former heavyweight fights francesco pianeto at windsor park in belfast where dreams will come true for anotherformer world champion northern irishman carl frampton. today's weigh in proved eventful as american heavyweight

deontay wilder firmly set his sights on a much talked about fight with fury... thomas kane has more... the transformation from international football stadium to boxing venue is almost complete ahead of the biggest bill ever held here. over 23,000 fans are said to pack inside windsor park and one interested spectator ringside will be the wbc former champion deontay wilder. the american rolled into town today, and he also exchanged words with tyson fury. he told me that if as expected tyson fury defeats the italian francesco pianeto here tomorrow night, the pair will face—off before the end of the year. as soon as this guy is over, it is done. it is as simple as that, do you know what i mean? when two guys want to fight each other thatis two guys want to fight each other that is what happens. i told him to get with my people, he told me to get with my people, he told me to get with my people, he told me to get with mine, so we got together and it happened overnight, just like that. when two fighters want to fight, they are going to fight. that. when two fighters want to fight, they are going to fightlj that. when two fighters want to fight, they are going to fight. i am

on fire. expect a good performance, because fury's is on fire. his defence is terrified! will using sweet caroline? i will, to all the fans in the crowd. deontay wilder, everybody talking about that. what sort of performance the want to put on frame to witness? i will not put on frame to witness? i will not put on any performance for him. i will put on a performance for the fans, that's it. me and francesco pianeto will go in there, one—on—one, and may the best man win. hopefully that best man is me! he has headlined the likes of las vegas and new york but it has always been carl frampton's dream to do what no other boxer has done before, packed windsor park out. that dream is becoming a reality tomorrow night when he faces the australian. does it feel a little like the night before christmas? yeah. i suppose looking forward to it, then it is done, await off my shoulders, then i will chill out with my team and my family, have some food, start really focusing on the fight now. what kind

of message do you want to send it to the world tomorrow night?” of message do you want to send it to the world tomorrow night? i am still here and they should all be fearful of me, all the top featherweights, you know, i've still got it. from belfast to dublin... ellie simmonds may have won 5 paralympic titles but this year's world para—swimming european championships haven't exactly seen her put in the dominant performances we've become so used to. she has another chance to go for gold this eveing though in dublin. kate grey has more... a roller—coaster week for ellie simmonds in dublin. she lost out in her best event but bounced back winning a silver in the 100 metres breaststroke. this evening she has qualified as fastest and is feeling positive about her performance —— is the second fastest. billy happy with that. i think it wasjust the second fastest. billy happy with that. i think it was just the 400, to be honest. i am looking forward... a lot faster time than expected, it felt really good. —— i

am really happy with that. you never know what will happen, looking at the heat after me. swimmers in fine form this week. anything to play for tonight, i think. form this week. anything to play for tonight, ithink. i have really enjoyed my 100. was so happy to get the silver, really unexpected. just going to get a good swindon now, get some good rest, and give everything tonight, my last race at the europeans, sojust tonight, my last race at the europeans, so just see tonight, my last race at the europeans, sojust see how it goes. alice tai is on target to win her second gold of these championships, having qualified fastest in the freestyle, and the debutant tony short is on the hunt for her first gold in dublin as she goes in the 200 metres individual medley. ok, let's have a quick look at the sport stories making headlines today... gloucester rugby say they are "surprised and extremely disappointed" that the rfu has opened disciplinary proceedings against england fly—half danny cipriani after his arrest injersey earlier this week. his club say cipriani has been "singled out" due to the significant media coverage around the incident.

attacker sasha corbin is named amongst a very strong england netball squad for next month's quad series, corbin returns for her county alongside defender layla guscoth, who's back in the england camp for the first time since 2016. and, finally, rotherham united's new york stadium was the venue today for the funeral of children's entertainer barry chuckle, who died earlier this month, aged 73. barry, part of the chuckle brothers, a mainstay of children's bbc for over 20 years, was an honorary life president of the club, along with brother paul, who helped carry the coffin into the stadium today. now, a week after taking three gold medals home from the european athletics championship, great britain's dina asher—smith will be hoping for more at the diamond league event in birmingham this weekend. after her 100 metre, 200 metre, and four by 100 metre successes in berlin,

asher—smith will race in the 200 in birmingham tomorrow and this — the 200 metres — is the european title and performance she feels most proud of... the most special moment for me, that is what you mean, running 21.8, full stop 21.8. that brings a smile to my face. 0bviously having running when i was 1922.0, face. 0bviously having running when iwas1922.0, in face. 0bviously having running when i was 1922.0, in really hot beijing, in that race were basically everybody, you know, it was an insane race —— when i was 19, running 22.0. and you can watch all the action from birmingham — inclduing the last appearance from britain's olympic and world long jump champion greg rutherford — on bbc one from 1.15. back to cricket, and while the third test will no doubt dominate the headlines over

the next few days, another match is taking centre stage today — it's between a side made up of test match special commentators and a celebrity tailenders side at derby. and they're called tailenders for a reason as you can see from the very first ball of the match as former england spinner monty panesar wasw clean bowled by tms broadcaster charles dagnall, who we should mention did bowl for warwickshire and leicestershire in his previous occupation. so these are live pictures from derby on the bbc red button. the likes of former love island contestant chris hughes, singer felix white, former strictly star harryjudd, and some other former sports stars such as becky adlington, wes brown and rachel yankey. at the moment they need 80 yard, 85, to win the match, and you can follow that on the bbc sport website and app. west brom showing exactly why he was a football player and not a cricketer! —— wears brown showing.

—— wes brown. and just before we go, the nordia masters in sweden is a pretty run of the mill european tour golf event you'd think... but andrew "beef" johnston is no run of the mill character or golfer! after an ugly shot into the water on the 12th, he managed to pitch out way past the hole. however, his trousers seemed to suffer on the boggy ground, so our beef took matters into his own hands. dropping them in front of the crowd. 0ff went the trousers, a bit of bare flesh... and on went the waterproofs! he's one of golf‘s great entertainers and today was clearly no different. though not, today, for the reasons you would have hoped for. and just a reminder of our top story — having been cleared of affray earlier in the week, england's ben stokes will play in the third test against india that starts at trent bridge tomorrow. a decision his skipper joe root called one of the toughest of his career. that's all from sportsday. more on bbc news throughout the evening. with my colleague chris mitchell.

goodbye. good evening. a bit of whether cliche i know but a west— east divide through our weather today, the best of the brakes in the cloud and sunshine further east. a beautiful weather watcher pictures sentin beautiful weather watcher pictures sent ina beautiful weather watcher pictures sent in a crossed norwich illustrating this. then the cloud coming from the atlantic, rain with it. thanks, jean, for perhaps getting a little soggy underfoot to ta ke getting a little soggy underfoot to take this photograph. the rain pouring across western scotland, northern ireland, north—west england and north wales, continuing to move east overnight, bringing quite a lot of cloud as well and the south—westerly flow, all tied into these fronts. it will stay windy particularly into the far north—west and with the cloud around

temperature is not falling very far, so temperature is not falling very far, so it will be a cloudy and windy night in the far north and we will see is no breaks of rain in the northern ireland close to the scottish borders and northern england. a look at the temperatures. compared to last night, a milder one, 12—16d. quite a humid, my day started the weekend. it looks likely saturday will see the best of the drier weather if you have outdoor plans. some of the rain on sunday could be quite heavy and i will come onto that in just a moment. we start onto that in just a moment. we start on sunday on a cloudy zero, for many, outbreaks of light rain still sitting across the scottish borders. northern ireland, north—west england, still windy as well into the far north of scotland but here perhaps some sunshine coming through. the cloud will break up and we will see sunny spells, quite warm. there are your top temperatures. in the sunday, it looks likely we could see an injection of perhaps more tropical air, so that means the rain we see pushing into those west facing gusts

could be quite heavy and places, but not everywhere will get rain on sunday. looks likely again to be across central and southern scotland, northern england, west facing coasts of wales and perhaps the best of the sunshine and warmth in the south—east, clouding over maybe a little by the end of the day. the winds starting to is a touch. 16—24 or 25 degrees, which is 77 fahrenheit, as the daytime maximum. it looks likely any rain we do see will be up into the far north. the best of the warmth continues down to the south. take care. this is bbc news. i'm martine croxall. the headlines at 7pm: devastating monsoon floods in the southern indian state of kerala have left more than 300 people dead and 200,000 homeless. helicopters are being used to airlift children to safety, with roads and even the local airport submerged. officials say it's the worst flooding for decades, and more rain is predicted to fall.

translation: after 36 years, it's the first time that such flooding is happening here. it's a disaster for the whole population. here, mps call for the rules around e—cigarettes to be relaxed. they say they help people to stop smoking. the prisons minister, rory stewart, promises to resign if he fails to reduce the level of drugs and violence in jails within a year. some of the biggest names in music pay tribute to the queen of soul, aretha franklin, who died yesterday.