BRUMMIE BITES: England para-cyclist Sophie Unwin stripped of medal

The 2022 Commonwealth Games got underway in on Friday with plenty of sporting action on display.

England and other host nations were in the medals after successful outings in the velodrome and gymnasium. 

Sportsmail brings you a round up of some of the biggest stories from day one at the Commonwealth Games. 

Home heroes net big win

England's netball team got the defence of their 2018 title off to the perfect start with a 74-22 demolition of Trinidad and Tobago. 

Birmingham-born wing defence Stacey Francis-Bayman felt the force of the home support even before she came on as a substitute, saying: ‘We've never been cheered so loudly for a warm-up!'

England netball team got their Commonwealth Games off to the perfect start in Birmingham

Heather Knight to sit-out T20 opener

Captain Heather Knight will miss England's opening T20 match against Sri Lanka on Saturday with a hip injury.

Nat Sciver will stand in as skipper. 

The format made its Games debut on Friday, with Australia recovering from a seemingly hopeless position to record a stunning three-wicket win over India.

First doping ban hits

Ghana boxer Shakul Samed has become the first athlete to fail a drugs test at Birmingham 2022. 

The light heavyweight, 23, is out of the Games after testing positive for furosemide — a banned masking agent and diuretic.

Samed had been due to fight Rosalba Jean Luc of Mauritius last night. 

Tearful Unwin stripped of bronze 

England productos para adelgazar-cyclist Sophie Unwin was left in tears after being stripped of a bronze medal following an administrative error.

A tearful Sophie Unwin (right) poses with what is believed to be a borrowed bronze medal

India's United front

Those in attendance at the velodrome may have thought they'd turned up to the wrong sport — as India's men's sprint cyling team lined up with team members named Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam and David Beckham Elkatohchoongo.

No sign yet of Sir Alex, however... 

All eyes on Brit pool party

GET ready for the Duel in the Pool Part III, with Scotland's Duncan Scott and England's Tom Dean (left) set for a battle of Britain to claim swimming's 200m freestyle title this evening. 

The pair are 1-1 after epic contests at the Olympics last year and British Championships in April.