The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continued on Thursday.
Here, the PA news agency recaps the day’s biggest developments.
0801: The Australian Rugby League Commission announces it intends to restart NRL matches on May 28.
0930: Southampton become the first Premier League team to announce an agreement with their players over wage deferral during the coronavirus pandemic. The players, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff agree to defer part of their salaries for April, May and June.
0959: The Professional Darts Corporation announces the Premier League season will resume on July 30 in Birmingham, with subsequent visits to Belfast, the O2, Leeds, Berlin, Rotterdam, Glasgow and Manchester before the main event in Sheffield on October 15.
1033: Wolves players make a donation to the Wolverhampton NHS Trust to aid the fight against coronavirus. Captain Conor Coady said: “All of us in the squad, the boss and the staff wanted to do something significant to help.”
1048: Manchester United say they are ready to act on further requests from the NHS for use of facilities at Old Trafford. A fleet of Manchester United Foundation vehicles delivered gifts to the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and the NHS Manchester Foundation Trust Charity and the club has also donated medical equipment to the Salford Royal.
1206: The UCI announces senior management are to reduce their salaries or allowances and there is to be a full or partial furlough – at different percentages – for all 130 employees.
1506: The World Snooker Tour announces that the Virtual Betfred World Championship will take place on the same dates as the postponed Betfred World Championship later this month, with 16 of the best Snooker19 esports players taking part.
1545: The International Basketball Federation announces the Olympic qualifying tournaments will be played between June 22 and July 4, 2021, pending IOC approval. A revised FIBA calendar is also confirmed after competitions stopped on March 13.
1529: Livingston came out in support of the SPFL’s proposals to bring an end to the Championship, League One and League Two seasons with immediate effect.
1719: The Austrian Darts Open, set to take place from May 1-3 in Graz, is postponed.
1727: The Scottish FA board extends suspension of football until June 10 at the earliest.
1730: The FA Council votes “overwhelmingly in favour” of ratifying the decision to cancel the season from step three and below of non-league football and tiers three to seven of the women’s football pyramid.
2000 – Raymond Van Barneveld recovers from 6-3 down to beat Phil Taylor 7-6 as the pair played each other in a charity darts match from their living rooms. They raised £15,000 which will be split between NHS charity Heroes and the Haaglanden Food Bank Foundation.
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