TV Guide: Return of the Masters and England try again to win a cricket match

They have finished sopping up the beer from the darts and Ally Pally is back in action again for the Masters snooker. The tournament for the best 16 players marked its 50th anniversary last year, when Shaun Murphy won his second title. The Englishman begins his defence against Wu Yize, one of a record five Chinese players in the field (today, BBC2, 1pm). Zhao Xintong, who became China’s first world champion last year, plays tomorrow against Gary Wilson (BBC4, 7pm).

The first Masters final in 1975 could not have been closer. John Spencer beat Ray Reardon 9-8 on a re-spotted black in the final frame. All three titles won by Paul Hunter in 2001, 02 and 04 also went the distance. Hunter died of cancer 20 years ago, aged 27, and the trophy now bears his name, a poignant reminder of departed youth, though Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and John Higgins won their first Masters titles before Hunter did and remain ranked in the top 10 at the age of 50.

If your frustration levels have not had enough of watching England play cricket, the Under-19 World Cup starts in Zimbabwe and Namibia. England last won this biennial competition in 1998, with a team that included Rob Key, now taking flak over the Ashes, but they were runners-up in 2022. James Rew made 95 in the final and Jacob Bethell opened the batting.

Rew, who last summer became the youngest Englishman to reach 10 first-class hundreds since Denis Compton in 1939 (Bethell made only his first in this week’s Sydney Test), has long been tipped for a senior cap but some feel he isn’t even the best cricketer in his family. Thomas Rew will captain England in their opening match against Pakistan (Friday, Sky Sports Cricket, 7.30am).

The third round of group matches in rugby’s European Champions Cup brings together last season’s finalists. Bordeaux Bègles host Northampton, whom they beat 28-20 in Cardiff last May. They have both won two from two, scored more than 60 points in a league match last week and are packed with internationals. Call this a taster for France v England in the Six Nations. Maybe not Le Crunch but Le Nibble (today, Premier Sports 2, 3.15pm).

The death this week of Terry Yorath will surely be marked at Pride Park when Derby host Leeds in the FA Cup third round (today, TNT Sports 2, noon). The midfielder came on in the Cup final that Leeds lost to Sunderland in 1973 and was then a key member of their league-winning side the next season. Manchester United play Brighton later (TNT Sports 1, 4.30pm), while the round concludes with Liverpool against Barnsley (tomorrow, TNT Sports 1, 7.45pm).

Photograph by Phil Walter/Getty Images