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Republic of Ireland keeper Shay Given will start Aston Villa's FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool, confirms boss Tim Sherwood.

The veteran goalie, who turns 39 on Monday, is behind Brad Guzan in the Premier League but has been Villa's number one choice in the cup competitions.

"Shay plays. Absolutely. He's done nothing wrong Shay, he's a large part of the reason we're in this semi-final," says Sherwood.

"The saves he made against Leicester were fantastic and at the right time. He trains fantastically well and he's pushing Brad all the way for that number one spot."

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Louis Smith is aiming to make the Great Britain team for the World Gymnastics Championships - and perhaps also at the Rio Olympics.

The pommel specialist, and former Strictly Come Dancing champion, has begun training on parallel bars to make himself more versatile.

"The Worlds is the last major competition before the Olympics and I want to prove I'm not just a pommel specialist," Smith told BBC Sport.

"If I could get first place at the Europeans I'd be a serious contender."

Smith is currently in Montpellier where he qualified top for Saturday's European pommel final.

James Anderson has equalled Sir Ian Botham as England's highest Test wicket-taker with his 383rd dismissal in his 100th match.

Anderson had Marlon Samuels caught at gully on the final morning of the first Test in Antigua.

Visit our live page for more reaction.

Snooker legend Steve Davis is attempting his famous black-ball miss in the 1985 World Championship final tonight (see 15:30 entry). So, with that in mind, we want to know what your biggest sport regret is. Get involved on Twitter via #mysportingregret or on BBC Sport's Facebook page. , external

Barbara Poole: I had tickets for Super Saturday at the 2012 Olympics but thought they were for the Monday, so missed it.

James Bedingham: Drinking too many caipirinas in Copacabana during the 2014 World Cup final, AND REMEMBERING NOTHING THE NEXT DAY!

Wee Brenny Rodgers: Bayern losing at home to Chelsea in the Champions League final costing Spurs a place in the Champions League. Ridiculous and as painful as it gets.

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Sir Bradley Wiggins hasn't lost his rock-star appeal, it would seem.

Tickets to see the 34-year-old four-time Olympic champion attempt an Hour Record challenge sold out in seven minutes on Friday.

The 2012 Tour de France winner will attempt to cycle the furthest distance in 60 minutes at the old Olympic Velodrome in June.

The current hour record is 52.491km, set by Australian Rohan Dennis in February.

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Manchester City and England defender Demi Stokes says British players no longer need to play their club football abroad to have successful careers.

The left-back signed for City this season having spent four years playing in the United States.

"Players don't need to leave England any more. A few years ago I did think that was the case," she told BBC Sport's Jo Currie.

"It's a very competitive league. Kids here don't need to go. People just need to stay here. I think they'll be better for it".

Is the Ferrari revival back on? Possibly not. The Italian team are setting the pace after the first practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix - but Mercedes are holding back.

Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finish first and second respectively on day one - Raikkonen 0.202 seconds faster than his teammate.

Lewis Hamilton who currently leads the drivers' championship ended the day in 16th place, one behind team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes's unusual approach to the session - they normally dominate practice - was taken because conditions in the desert were very different from those that will prevail in qualifying and race.

At only 15 years old, Ellie Downie has won bronze for Great Britain at the European Gymnastics Championships.

It is Britain's first ever women's all-around medal at a major international competition.

Downie, the younger sister of fellow gymnast Becky, competing in her first senior international event, made the podium with a score of 56.623.

Four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Claudia Fragapane finished in sixth place.

You can watch Downie's spectacular tumbling right here.

The venues for this year's FA Women's Cup semi-finals have been selected.

Goodison Park will host Everton v Notts County on Sunday, 3 May at 14:00 BST while Chelsea will take on Manchester City at Wycombe Wanderers' Adams Park on Monday, 4 May at 14:00 BST.

This year's final in August will be played at Wembley Stadium for the first time in the competition's history.

'Why is Steve Davis recreating his famous black-ball miss in Sheffield?' I hear you non-snooker fans cry. Because it is that time of the year when World Championship returns to the Steel City.

Yes, the sport's biggest event starts at the Crucible again tomorrow. And BBC Sport will bring you live coverage of the 2015 Snooker World Championship across BBC TV, Red Button, connected TVs, online, tablets and smartphones.

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It's 30 years since Steve Davis went down in snooker folklore for the wrong reasons.

In front of a TV audience of 18.5 million, the then world number one finished off a marathon World Championship by over-cutting the black to effectively hand Dennis Taylor the title.

Davis admits it is the biggest regret of his career, adding he wishes he could go back in time to retake that crucial.

Well now he can! Sort of. The Nugget will attempt to re-pot his final missed black, live on the One Show from Sheffield's Winter Garden tonight….

So, with that in mind, we want to know what your biggest sport regret is. Get involved on Twitter via #mysportingregret or on BBC Sport's Facebook page. , external

It is a matter of when, not if, James Anderson will surpass Sir Ian Botham as England's record Test wicket-taker. Can the Lancastrian beat Beefy's mark today?

Anderson is one short of his record of 383 wickets, which has been untroubled since 1992.

See if he can grab those wickets as England push for victory on the final day of the first Test against the West Indies.

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Reading fans have had to wait nearly nine decades to see their side in an FA Cup semi-final.

A total of 88 years have passed since the heroes of 1927 lost 3-0 to Cardiff City at Molineux in an FA Cup run which included victories against Portsmouth and Manchester United.

That wait will end on Saturday when the Royals take on the holders of the cup - Arsenal - at Wembley.

From Wembley heartbreak to cigarette cards, BBC Sport previews Reading's big day.

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The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has revealed plans for the second phase of their redevelopment of Lord's - the South-Western Project.

A single structure replacement for the Tavern and Allen Stands will have a capacity of 5,520, over 1,400 more than the current two stands.

A new Thomas Lord Building, a new Tavern pub, internal reorganisation of the Pavilion to provide more room for cricket teams and staff and a more pedestrian-friendly entrance at the Grace Gates are also planned, and video of the proposals can be seen here on YouTube., external

Image source, Ronald Koeman Twitter

Meanwhile, Hughes' counterpart on Saturday, Ronald Koeman, has been treating us to some behind-the-scenes action on Twitter.

The Southampton boss was pictured looking very studious at his desk, while also wearing some fetching long socks and boots.

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Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has also joined the Friday press conference party to preview his side's meeting with Southampton on Saturday.

The Potters grabbed a last-gasp draw at West Ham last week but are looking for their first win in five.

"From our point of view I think it's a good opportunity to show where we are," said Hughes, about facing sixth-place Saints.

"They have had a good season and quite rightly so they've received a lot of plaudits.

"We've probably been somewhat under the radar in comparison but I think it's an opportunity for us to show how far we've come as well."

AP McCoy has ridden his first winner of the Scottish Grand National meeting by steering Capard King to victory in the novices handicap hurdle at Ayr for trainer Jonjo O'Neill.

The 11/2 chance was a 91st winner in Scotland for the 19-times champion jockey, who is set to retire at the end of the season next weekend, with one more ride to come today.

As it stands, McCoy doesn't have a mount in tomorrow's big race after intended ride Benvolio was withdrawn because of the ground.

Image source, @KP24 on Twitter

Surrey captain Gareth Batty says it feels "like Christmas Day" with Kevin Pietersen and Kumar Sangakkara set to play in the County Championship.

Batsman Pietersen is back at The Oval as he bids to return to the England set-up while Sri Lanka star Sangakkara has joined on a two-year deal.

"There aren't too many players who can class themselves as greats of the game," Batty, 37, told BBC London.

"We have two this year in Kumar and Kevin. It is a coup for the club."

Surrey begin their Division Two campaign against Glamorgan in Cardiff on Sunday.

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Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic has been speaking to BBC Three Counties' Geoff Doyle about striker Troy Deeney being shortlisted for Championship player of the year.

"He's a great player. A Premier League player who plays in the Championship. If he wins it, he deserves it. He brings character on the field and in the dressing room. He puts himself as leader of the team. I'm sure he can still get better in all areas. There doesn't exist any complete player."

Deeney has scored 20 goals in 40 games for the Hornets, who are in that vicious battle for an automatic promotion place in the Championship.

More team news from Liverpool's Melwood training ground, as Brendan Rodgers confirms striker Daniel Sturridge is a doubt for Wembley.

The 25-year-old sat out of training on Thursday, having not fully recovered from the hip injury which saw him miss Monday's win over Newcastle United.