Toss: Afghanistan opted to bat v West Indies

In a must-win T20I, Afghanistan decided to try a new tack by batting first against West Indies at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, with the coin falling in Rashid Khan's favour once again.

Afghanistan had lost the first T20I while chasing, which perhaps prompted the change in tactics, though the home team will likely have to contend with dew when bowling second. West Indies had won the first T20I comfortably - by 30 runs - despite bowling second, and victory here will seal the series for them. Evin Lewis played the defining innings in the first game hitting 68 off 41, while captain Kieron Pollard had a good outing with bat and ball.

The only point of worry for West Indies was Fabian Allen, who had hobbled off the field in the second innings. Cricket West Indies confirmed that Allen had a Grade 1 posterior cruciate ligament sprain on his right knee, and would be out of action for two weeks. Allen will remain in India for his rehabilitation. Keemo Paul replaced Allen in the West Indies squad for the last two T20Is, and has been drafted into the XI for this game.

Afghanistan also had one change, bringing in the young right-arm pacer Karim Janat in place of left-arm quick Fareed Ahmad.

The match is being played on one of the pitches that are slightly off-center, making one of the square boundaries closer than the other. There is less grass than there was on offer for the first T20I, which could bring spinners into play more.

"We're just trying to do something different," Rashid said. "On a wicket like this, having a good total on the board is tough to chase. We have bowling as our strength. We just need to focus on playing good cricket. What happened in the ODIs is past, today we have a chance to come back in the series."

Pollard was happy to be bowling first. "Fresh wicket again, so not really sure what it's going to do," he said. "Great opportunity to bowl first. When you put runs on the board, the batsmen have to chase it, so we have to try and suffocate them. Hopefully the guys can go out and tick all the boxes and the result will take care of itself."

The result in the first T20I also meant Afghanistan haven't yet notched a victory in the tour so far, having lost 3-0 in the ODIs.

West Indies: 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Kesrick Williams, 10 Hayden Walsh, 11 Sheldon Cottrell

Afghanistan: 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Asghar Afghan, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Gulbadin Naib, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Karim Janat, 10 Naveen ul Haq, 11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque is pleased that his side is getting to play more Test matches courtesy the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Bangladesh are slated to play against Pakistan, Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand next year as part of the 2019-2021 championship, and a Test each against Zimbabwe and Ireland outside of it.

It is a jump from the number of Test matches that they were previously playing, which had prompted many complaints from administrators, players and coaches about the long gaps between Tests. Mominul, who is treated as a Test specialist, and therefore has to deal with long breaks between Test matches, said that the gulf between Bangladesh and India in the longest format was mainly a result of the difference in the number of matches the two teams tend to play.

"We are happy," Mominul said. "The WTC is a huge opportunity for those who play Tests. It is a huge competition. If the ICC didn't arrange this competition, we wouldn't get many Tests. It will be better for everyone.

"We have to play a lot of Test matches. If you see in the last seven months, we have played only two Tests. We don't play Tests like other teams. I think it is the main difference [between the two sides]."

Pressed for answers about Bangladesh's big defeat in Indore, where their batsmen wilted under the pressure exerted by the "No.1 bowling attack in the world", Mominul said that the opening batsmen could have made life a little easier for the rest of the line-up had they played out the first hour.

"The bowling attack was challenging. It would be easier for the rest of the batting line-up if the openers played out the first 15 to 20 overs.

"India have a threatening attack, but we also failed as a batting unit. They are the No. 1 bowling attack in the world. We couldn't latch on to our chances also."

Mominul also said that they were considering promoting Mushfiqur Rahim up the batting order, after his scores of 43 and 64 in this game. "Promoting Mushfiqur would be a positive sign, if the team management decides to. I think we can have that line of thinking."

Despite a disappointing second season at Nebraska, coach Scott Frost has received a two-year contract extension through 2026, the school announced Saturday morning.

Frost, who initially agreed to a seven-year, $35 million contract to coach his alma mater, is just 8-13 at the helm. The financial terms of his original agreement will remain through the extension, which runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

"Coach Frost has shown tremendous leadership in beginning to rebuild our football program," university chancellor Ronnie Green and athletic director Bill Moos said in a joint statement. "We appreciate that a change of this nature will not happen overnight. We are committed to Scott and the direction he is taking this program. Scott is the right coach at the right time for this program. We are excited for the heights to which he will take Nebraska football and the tremendous impact he will have in the development of our student athletes."

Nebraska began the 2019 season ranked 24th in the Associated Press Top 25 but enters Saturday's game against Wisconsin at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play. The Huskers haven't had three consecutive losing seasons since a stretch of six straight from 1956 to 1961.

Frost, 44, coached UCF to a 13-0 season and a Peach Bowl championship in 2017, when he received heavy interest from Power 5 schools. He ultimately chose to return to Nebraska, where he finished his college career, going 24-2 as a Huskers quarterback and helping the team to a share of the national championship in 1997.

Around this time of the college football year, we start to get tunnel vision. Most every story you read, nearly every segment you see or hear, is about either the national title race or the coaching carousel. Sprinkle in some Heisman talk here and there, too.

There's good reason for this, of course -- who's going to win the sport's ultimate prize (team and individual) and who's going to coach each team next year are basically No. 1 and 1a on the list of the sport's most important questions. However, this sport's biggest strength is its depth and richness; the further you burrow into this universe, the more reward you find. So we do ourselves a disservice by spending most of our energy on just a few topics.

Consider this column a palate cleanser -- a reminder of what else is going on in the college football world at the moment. There will be plenty of time to argue about Bama in the weeks to come, but here's everything else we can talk about now instead.

Nine questions about 10 teams

With 130 teams in the FBS, there are at any given moment 130 different emotional arcs and 130 narrative arcs playing out. (Like I said, this sport is rich.) Good, bad or somewhere in between, let's check in on some of them.

What is Michigan?
Remember a few weeks ago when Michigan's 2019 was a total disaster? When the offense lacked an identity, the defense was leaky and the team was a lost cause after a blowout loss to Wisconsin? The Wolverines found themselves in the second half of a tight loss at Penn State, then blew out Notre Dame and Maryland. Hassan Haskins' emergence brought more pop to the run game, and the defense is back to normal.

Now, after a bye week, comes the stretch that could define the season in a great or terrible way: Michigan State, at Indiana, Ohio State. SP+ gives them an 8% chance of winning out and a 9% chance of losing out. Were the past two and a half games an indicator of things to come? A brief hot streak before another loss of identity?

Can Virginia seal the deal (and end the streak)?
It was written in the prophecy: The ACC Coastal will enjoy seven different champions in seven years. From 2013 to '18, we got the first six: Duke, then Georgia Tech, then North Carolina, then Virginia Tech, then Miami, then Pitt. Bronco Mendenhall's Hoos are the last of the set. But to fulfill this prophecy, they might have to do something they haven't done since 2003: beat Virginia Tech. Gosh, what could possibly go wrong? (The answer: everything. Everything could go wrong.)

Can Nebraska save year two?
Not going to lie: Although I was demonstrably skeptical about Nebraska's offseason hype and its chances of competing for the Big Ten title, I still expected improvement. But in head coach Scott Frost's second season, the Huskers are 4-5 and have slid from 49th in SP+ in 2018 to 57th this season. SP+ gives them only a 23% chance of getting to six wins. Turning a program around takes a while sometimes, but this has been an extremely disappointing fall in Lincoln.

Can we talk for a minute about what Air Force and Navy have done?
There seemed to have been a serious service-academy changing of the guard. After 20 years of Air Force and Navy trading the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy back and forth, Army won it in both 2017 and 2018 and was favored to do the same this fall. But while the Black Knights are 4-6, Air Force and Navy have bounced back spectacularly. The two teams are a combined 14-3 (and one of Air Force's two losses was to Navy), and both rank in the SP+ top 40. This wasn't a rebound, it was an outright surge.

What the hell, Missouri?
Four weeks ago, Missouri was 5-1 and 10th in SP+ following a dominant string of home performances. But the Tigers suffered appalling no-shows in losses at Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and a banged-up offense got shut out at Georgia. Their next three games: Florida, Tennessee, at Arkansas. They could rebound now that they're finally back at home, or they could further the collapse. I have no idea which is more likely because I'm not sure I've seen this sudden a collapse before.

Is Oklahoma State fully weaponized again?
OSU needed some late-year heroics just to reach a bowl last fall and stood at just 4-3 with star receiver Tylan Wallace out for the season with a knee injury. But just as things were looking listless again this season, the Cowboys rebounded with wins over both Iowa State and TCU, and now they get games against Kansas and WVU before a visit from Oklahoma. Quarterback Spencer Sanders looked brilliant in those two wins, and the defense is making plays. Look out for the Pokes.

Why the malaise in Palo Alto?
In the past 10 seasons, the Stanford Cardinal have not won fewer than eight games or ranked worse than 35th in SP+. They are currently 4-5 and 75th. The defense is mediocre, the offense is just bad, and not even the special teams unit, great for years, is producing much quality. The Cardinal lost by 18 at home to UCLA. What the heck happened? And do they have any chance of salvaging bowl eligibility? (SP+ says no, not really.)

Is BYU's annual existential crisis going to have a happy ending?
Each year in BYU country, there is an ongoing debate about the Cougars' football independence -- whether it's been a good thing, what's on the horizon, etc. Thanks in part to QB injuries, this year has seen an even bigger roller coaster than normal. BYU has beaten Tennessee, USC and Boise State, gotten thumped by Utah and Washington and lost to an iffy Toledo team. But the Cougars have won three straight, with two more surefire wins (Idaho State, UMass) ahead. And after all that, a 9-4 finish is still a possibility.

How does year zero finish up for Geoff Collins and Georgia Tech?
It was clear from the start that this was going to be a prototypical year zero in Atlanta -- too much turnover, not enough proven talent. The goal in these situations is simple: Put the pieces in the right places for 2020 and beyond and hopefully play better in November than September. Following a loss to The Citadel in September, Tech in its past three games has beaten Miami and nearly beaten Virginia. Play better in November: Check. Now can they keep it up?

Actually, one more question: Are you ready for some emotionally fraught rivalry games?
You might have noticed a through line in a lot of the questions above: There are a lot of huge rivalry games this year. Virginia might need to beat Virginia Tech to win the Coastal ... Missouri might need to beat Arkansas to save bowl eligibility (Arkansas is terrible, but, well, so is Mizzou conqueror Vanderbilt) ... Michigan might need to beat Michigan State and/or Ohio State to keep this from feeling like a lost season ... Stanford might need to beat Cal to reach a bowl.

It doesn't stop there. Minnesota will have to beat Iowa and Wisconsin to keep this dark horse national title run going ... Mississippi State and Arizona might need Egg Bowl and Territorial Cup wins to make bowls ... same for Army (against Navy) and NC State (against UNC).

The only thing that can make Rivalry Week even better is a heaping helping of anxiety. We should have loads of it.

Eleven players you really need to watch in the coming weeks

Here are a few players -- at least one from each offensive and defensive unit -- you should really catch a glimpse of between now and the end of the year. Some will be major stars in future seasons, and some have only a few games left.

QB Kedon Slovis, USC
To be sure, the freshman has had an up-and-down season. He has battled through injury, was brilliant against Stanford, Colorado and Arizona State and was far less than brilliant against BYU and Oregon. But as the primary QB in only seven of USC's 10 games, he has thrown for 2,321 yards, with 20 touchdowns and only nine picks. His 156.1 passer rating ranks a healthy 22nd among qualified QBs.

He's also a deft manipulator of space. Watch when he leaves the pocket -- he almost never scrambles upfield, but he's among the best in college football at using his feet to put defenders in bad positions. As soon as they commit to going after him, he hits the man they left open. He's brilliant at it. I realize he might be playing under a new head coach soon, depending on how these next few games go, but I think he's got as much potential as any of this game's good, young QBs (of which there are many).

OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas
For all of Texas' defensive struggles this year, the offense has come together. Sam Ehlinger is on pace for 3,500 passing yards and 750 non-sack rushing yards, and after years in flux, the offensive line is delivering. At the heart of that development is the 6-foot-7, 300-pound Cosmi, a redshirt sophomore and blindside protector who has started all but one game in his career.

WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty
First-year Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze has engineered a lovely offensive turnaround; the Flames have gone from 96th to 62nd in offensive SP+ and have averaged 45 points per game over the past month. Of course, Freeze inherited some lovely pieces, namely quarterback Stephen Calvert and Gandy-Golden, a 6-4, 220-pound senior who has 64 catches for 1,244 yards. You can catch him when Liberty faces Virginia in Week 13.

S Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
You could diplomatically call the OSU defense a work in progress. The sophomore- and junior-heavy unit has ranked in or around the 50s in defensive SP+ for most of 2019, but it made big plays in each of the Cowboys' past two games (both wins), and by "it," I mean Harvell-Peel. The sophomore had 13.5 tackles, a tackle for loss, two picks and eight breakups in these two wins.

RB/KR Javon Leake, Maryland
Maryland's season has fallen apart, but you can't blame Leake. He had 60 combined carries and catches for 415 yards during the Terps' five-game losing streak, and he's been one of the two or three best kick returners in the country. Maryland is not bowling, so you've got two more chances to watch him: against Nebraska in Week 13 and against Michigan State in Week 14.

QB Malcolm Perry, Navy
We'll talk about Navy's turnaround more below, but Perry has been the best option QB in the country. He oscillated between QB and skill positions in his first three seasons, but as a full-time quarterback, he has posted 1,074 non-sack rushing yards (7.1 per carry) and has upgraded his passing: 722 yards, 55% completion rate, 24.9 yards per completion. This Navy offense is humming again, and he's why.

WR Whop Philyor, Indiana
Indiana has seven wins for just the second time in 26 seasons and is ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 1994. The Hoosiers have done this despite injury issues at QB. But it helps when you've got Whop. After a quiet start, the junior has exploded for 42 catches for 584 yards in the past five games, and IU has risen to 16th in passing SP+. And now he gets spotlight time with games against Penn State and Michigan.

LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State
Oregon State is still clinging to bowl hopes thanks to a solid offense and major playmaking talent at linebacker. Rashed had a combined seven tackles for loss in wins over Cal and Arizona and is up to 18.5 for the season, most in the country. And he's well-rounded -- third in the country in sacks (12) and fourth in run stuffs (20). He'll give the Beavers a fighting chance against Arizona State on Saturday.

CB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
You should've probably already known about this electric 5-9 junior -- in 2017 and '18, he logged 15 TFLs (as a corner!), nine interceptions and 18 pass breakups. He has been dynamite for a while. But he and 8-1 Tech have peaked of late: He's on pace for career highs in TFLs, INTs and PBUs, and the Bulldogs have lost only to Texas this season.

DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami
It isn't a surprise that a Manny Diaz defense has produced another breakout star up front. This redshirt freshman from Coconut Creek had seven sacks in the Canes' wins over Pitt and Florida State, bringing him to 12 for the season. QB Jarren Williams has probably been the most responsible for The U's three-game win streak, but Rousseau is No. 2 on that list.

DT Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
SDSU is as SDSU as ever this year -- 125th in offensive SP+, 19th in defensive SP+ -- and with his incredible motor, this redshirt freshman is absolutely perfect for the Rocky Long defense. He's got six TFLs and eight run stuffs, but his most impressive trait is that he's always near the ball. As an interior lineman. Only one Aztec linebacker has more tackles than him.

Week 12 playlist

Here are 10 games -- at least one from each weekend time slot -- you should pay attention to if you want to get the absolute most out of the weekend, from both an information and entertainment perspective.

All times Eastern.

Friday

Fresno State at San Diego State (9:30 p.m., ESPN2). The Friday slate is light but features a pair of key Group of Five division battles -- first Louisiana Tech at Marshall, then this one. SDSU can lock down a MWC West title with strong performances tonight and next Saturday at Hawaii.

SP+ projection: San Diego State 27, Fresno State 24

Early Saturday

Indiana at No. 9 Penn State (noon, ABC). What a whiplash game for Penn State -- Indiana's quick-passing game couldn't be more of a lurch from last week against Minnesota. It's also a trap game: Before the big showdown in Columbus, the Nittany Lions have to survive the best IU team in years.

SP+ projection: PSU 33, IU 22

Michigan State at No. 15 Michigan (noon, Fox). On paper, this one shouldn't be very interesting. But ... well ... you know ...

SP+ projection: Michigan 28, MSU 15

Saturday afternoon

No. 4 Georgia at No. 12 Auburn (3:30 p.m., CBS). We went out of our way not to talk about the national title race above, but there's no avoiding how big this game is. Auburn's defense was nearly enough to take down LSU, and now the Tigers get a shot at another nicely perched contender.

SP+ projection: UGA 25, Auburn 20

No. 23 Navy at No. 16 Notre Dame (2:30 p.m., NBC). I'm just saying ... Navy has beaten Notre Dame four times under Ken Niumatalolo, and this is starting to look like Niumatalolo's best team. The Irish were pretty clinical against Duke last week; they'll have to be even more so on Saturday afternoon.

SP+ projection: ND 30, Navy 26

No. 8 Minnesota at No. 20 Iowa (4 p.m., Fox). Congratulations, Gophers! You just won your biggest game in years! You now get to go to Kinnick Stadium, a place known for being rather unkind to top teams (and a place where you've won once in 30 years)! This isn't a potential hangover game at all!

SP+ projection: Minnesota 27, Iowa 24

No. 19 Texas at Iowa State (3:30 p.m., FS1). ISU and Baylor are almost the same team, per SP+: 21st and 18th, respectively, overall; 30th and 34th on offense; 18th and 14th on D. But while BU has gone 5-0 in one-score finishes, ISU has gone 1-4. The Cyclones' best team in years might end up 6-6 if it can't get past Texas.

SP+ projection: ISU 34, Texas 27

Saturday evening

No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 13 Baylor (7:30 p.m., ABC). Finally, a marquee game for Baylor. The CFP committee is obviously in wait-and-see mode with Matt Rhule's Bears, but this one will say a lot. (It will also say a lot about an OU team that hasn't looked brilliant in a few weeks.)

SP+ projection: Oklahoma 35, Baylor 27

UCLA at No. 7 Utah (8 p.m., Fox). With most of the big games coming earlier in the day, here's a prime chance to watch a Utah team that has been on a rampage since a loss to USC. It's also a chance to see if UCLA can stay on an upward trajectory after three straight wins.

SP+ projection: Utah 40, UCLA 16

Late Saturday

USC at California (11 p.m., FS1). As solid as my guy Kedon Slovis has been at times, the QB has still proved he can be tricked. And while Cal's defense isn't quite as strong as it was last year, it still has Evan Weaver, Cameron Goode and plenty of tricks to throw at him.

SP+ projection: USC 33, Cal 20

With MLB free agency underway, the offseason is going to pick up steam. What are the big questions facing all 30 teams?

Here's a look at the AL West, where the Astros continue to loom, the A's always seem to find a way to contend and the Angels appear poised to go for it.

Team-by-team offseason previews: NL East | NL Central | NL West | AL East | AL Central

Houston Astros: How high will Houston's payroll go?

2019 record: 107-55
2020 World Series odds: 4-1

Astros owner Jim Crane has paid lip service to the idea of tracking superstar free-agent Gerrit Cole, but that's likely all it is. There simply does not appear to be the kind of financial flexibility the Astros would need to commit to a $300 million deal, or whatever the final number on Cole turns out to be. And Houston has some key roster spots to address this winter -- catcher, bullpen -- and little wiggle room against the tax line with which to address them.

According to Cot's Contracts, Houston currently projects to carry an MLB-high payroll of $228.9 million for its 40-man roster next season. That number can and will change as moves are made and arbitration-eligible players are dealt with. Still, it sure looks like Houston will have to wade into luxury-tax territory (approximately $208 million) to not only keep its group together, but to fill in missing pieces with veteran options. This year's free-agent chase for Houston takes on added importance because for the first time since Jeff Luhnow's rebuild blossomed, there doesn't appear to be the kind of prospect depth required to swing the kind of splashy deadline trades that the Astros have made to land win-now talents like Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke.

That's not to say that Houston doesn't have a number of quality, MLB-ready prospects in the system. It's more to say that given their looming payroll constraints, Luhnow will need those cost-efficient prospects to hold down key roles in 2020. The return of Lance McCullers Jr. from Tommy John surgery will be key for the rotation, but so too will the continued progress of in-house pitching prospects such as Jose Urquidy, Forrest Whitley, Bryan Abreu and Rogelio Armenteros.

All of these calculations have to be made under the cloud of an MLB investigation into alleged sign-stealing malfeasance that could carry with it stiff penalties. -- Bradford Doolittle

Oakland Athletics: Can the A's short-circuit the Astros' bid to dominate the West?

2019 record: 97-65
2020 World Series odds: 30-1

After consecutive wild-card appearances, you can ask if the A's are just amid another one of their short runs, or if they have the core talent to challenge the Astros. With Matt Chapman and Matt Olson locked down for years to come, the lineup has anchors to win with. The A's also have top prospects Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk, as well as a fully healed Sean Manaea for a full season. Put that together with Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas and veteran Mike Fiers as starting pitching may finally be a recognized strength instead of a winter question mark.

With those strengths going for them, what's on the A's to-do list? Perhaps more than anything else, seeing if they can get MVP candidate Marcus Semien to keep close to his East Bay roots before he becomes a free agent after 2020. However that plays out, they could also see if there's a major outfield bat in their price range to take over in either corner. Assuming Billy Beane & Co. are working around their usual budget constraints, the A's might have to be careful, but they're also on the cusp of unseating the Astros -- super-team status or not -- and making a play for the AL West division title in the next several seasons. Play their cards right, and they could put the Astros in their rear-view mirror. -- Christina Kahrl

Texas Rangers: How will they build excitement for their new digs?

2019 record: 78-84
2020 World Series odds: 150-1

The Rangers, who have spent the last three years navigating baseball's dreaded middle space, do not possess a roster that is on the verge of contention. What they do have, however, is a forthcoming new stadium that was partially funded by the City of Arlington, and, one would think, the desire to create some excitement around it with a star, particularly one from Texas.

Did someone say Anthony Rendon?

The Rangers have been in search of a permanent third baseman ever since Adrian Beltre played his final season in 2018. Rendon, a Houston native who has turned himself into a perennial MVP candidate, would be ideal. But the competition for his services will be stiff, which means the chances of landing him are probably slim. Given that, the Rangers must navigate free agency with caution.

They have a litany of questions outside of third base. Their catchers have been astoundingly bad offensively. Rougned Odor, Delino DeShields Jr. and Nomar Mazara have not developed the way they would have hoped. And their pitching staff, outside of the surprising contributions from Lance Lynn and Mike Minor, leaves a lot to be desired. The Rangers, in other words, are not one or perhaps even two stars away; the gap between them and the in-state, division-rival Astros remains massive. They can't place another bad contract on their payroll. -- Alden Gonzalez

Los Angeles Angels: Can they land an ace?

2019 record: 72-90
2020 World Series odds: 75-1

Sometimes, on rare occasions, it's actually very simple -- and this, friends, is one of those times. The only way the Angels can conceivably compete for a division title next season is to land either Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg. That's it. They want to win now, have a desperate need for elite starting pitching and -- given the lack of depth on their 40-man roster and the dearth of impact talent in their farm system -- can only really attain it through free agency.

Landing Strasburg, a San Diego native with a checkered injury history who might simply reunite with the Washington Nationals, seems unlikely. Cole, an Orange County native who grew up visiting Angel Stadium, appears to be the prime target. The Angels need at least two starting pitchers, but acquiring an ace will be their foremost priority. They saved $13 million by recently cutting ties with longtime right fielder Kole Calhoun, and Angels owner Arte Moreno has proclaimed that the budget will increase.

The Angels are coming off a 90-loss season and have made the playoffs only once since 2010. But they have a celebrated new manager in Joe Maddon. They employ the best player in the game in Mike Trout, and one of its most captivating ones in Shohei Ohtani, who will return to a two-way role. The back end of their bullpen looks promising. Their position-player club also includes Andrelton Simmons and Justin Upton and the up-and-coming Jo Adell. There's some legitimate talent there. But they need starting pitching. More specifically, they need Cole or Strasburg. -- Gonzalez

Seattle Mariners: Is Jerry Dipoto willing to be patient?

2019 record: 68-94
2020 World Series odds: 300-1

This past season was basically a cleansing for the Mariners, a baseball version of no red meat, no sugar and a lot of raw vegetables. They gave Ichiro Suzuki a final sendoff in Japan, then suffered through Felix Hernandez's final season in Seattle (he went 1-8 with a 6.40 ERA). Along the way, veterans Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion were traded away. By September, youngsters J.P. Crawford, Shed Long and Kyle Lewis were in the lineup and Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn saw time in the rotation. Others, like first baseman Evan White and starter Logan Gilbert, should be ready early in 2020.

But this is Trader Jerry we're talking about, and while the team's general manager has said it's time to let the youngsters play in 2020, there are still a lot of holes to fill. The rotation is a mess after Marco Gonzales and Yusei Kukuchi (who had a 5.46 ERA his first season in the majors), especially if Sheffield and Dunn need time in Triple-A. The Mariners shuffled through a mind-numbing 40 pitchers, and the top returning reliever is, umm, Brandon Brennan? He had 47 innings and a 4.56 ERA. They need a first baseman and Mallex Smith (.635 OPS) was hardly the answer in center field. In other words, even if it's making moves around the edges, expect Dipoto to be busy as usual. -- David Schoenfield

SYDNEY, Australia — Matt Dumesny claimed round four of the Ultimate Speedway Challenge for sprint cars Saturday night at Valvoline Raceway.

Dumesney drove his No. n57 to a dominant victory in the 30-lap feature on the historic Australian dirt track, beating Jordyn Brazier to the checkered flag in a battle of second-generation Australian stars.

Jessie Attard, Marcus Dumesny and Troy Little rounded out the top five.

Matthew Jackson won the 30-lap speed car feature and Andrew Espener topped the late model event.

The finish:

Matt Dumesny, Jordyn Brazier, Jessie Attard, Marcus Dumesny, Troy Little, Daniel Cassidy, Grant Tunks, Michael Saller, Ben Atkinson, Warren Ferguson, James Thompson, Michael Stewart, Brett Sullivan, Jeremy Cross, Max Dumesny, Daniel Sayre, Thomas Jeffrey, Luke Stirton, Andy Caruana.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The Americas Rallycross Championship is no more.

Created by the International Management Group to fill the void when the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship folded in 2018, series officials announced in a statement posted on the Americas Rallycross Champions website and social media Friday evening, the series will not return next season.

“After consultation with a wide group of stakeholders and interested parties, IMG has taken the difficult decision to not extend the Americas Rallycross Championship beyond the 2019 season,” the statement said. “We would like to thank our passionate fans, teams, drivers, partners and event hosts for their support and participation in Americas Rallycross.”

Well known American driver Steve Arpin, a staple in Rallycross competition for nearly a decade, and the driver and general manager for Loenbro Motorsports, addressed the loss of the series and the future of the sport in North America.

“It’s a shame to see Americas Rallycross end,” Arpin said in a statement. “We had high hopes for the series and the potential it could have had to the sport of rallycross in the US. Moving forward, Loenbro Motorsports remains committed to the sport and is working to ensure it continues to grow while we explore opportunities for 2020 and beyond.

“Even with this unfortunate news, given recent meetings and conversations, we look forward to what the future holds for rallycross in America.”

Edwin van der Sar has signed a new long-term deal as Ajax chief executive, ending suggestions he could be Manchester United's new director of football.

United are searching for a director of football with Van der Sar having been previously linked with the role.

The former United keeper had said last month that he was interested in the job, but has now committed his future to Ajax until 2023.

"Very happy with my contract extension at this beautiful club," Van der Sar said via Twitter. "I started as a goalie in 1991, 3 years ago I became Ajax CEO. We've had some difficult moments, but the good times are definitely back."

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Van der Sar spent six years at Old Trafford between 2005 and 2011, where he won four Premier League titles and the Champions League.

United, who have won five of their last six games in all competitions, travel to Sheffield United in the Premier League after the international break on Nov. 24.

The giant strides made by India in the pace-bowling department in recent years were evident in their series sweep of South Africa, with the trio of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma out-bowling their South African counterparts by a distance. The three fast bowlers took the majority of wickets in India's innings and 130-run victory against Bangladesh in the Indore Test too, accounting for 14 of the 19 wickets Bangladesh lost to bowlers. Speaking to Harsha Bhogle for host broadcaster Star Sports after the game, the pacers indulged in light-hearted banter with each other, with Shami suggesting biryani was behind his success, Ishant mock-complaining about how no one treated him like a "senior", and Umesh talking with glee about being given the license to do exactly as he wanted when batting. Excerpts here:

You (Shami) bowl very well in the first innings of course, but this 'second innings Shami' nickname that you have got, you're the best in the world in the second innings. What's the secret behind that?
Shami: There is no secret. We keep trying to pump each other up, and keep pushing each other, all the fast bowlers. It's a difficult job, but we push each other, we joke with each other, that feels very nice. When we are on the ground together, we never feel like we aren't enjoying others' success. That's special. There's lots of things to say, but...

What are the things you can't say? You (Ishant) are a senior after all!
Ishant: No, they don't treat me like a senior at all (laughter). There's no senior-junior here. But like Shami said, we enjoy each others' success a lot. Yes, there's healthy competition in the team, which should be there, because that's when your performance improves. But at the same time, if you enjoy each others' success, and whatever you spot of the others' bowling you go and tell them, things become much easier as a team.

You've played almost 100 Tests. Is this your best phase as a bowler?
Ishant: It's difficult to say. I've been playing for a long time. I'm only 31, but the body sometimes feels old (chuckles), after bowling so much. But yes, the way I'm getting wickets, and bowling in good areas, I'm bowling in different ways, so I'm enjoying it quite a lot.

And you (Umesh) are strolling up and bowling 140-145 kph...
Ishant: Come, come, it's your turn.

Umesh: It's in the genes and handed down by my family. Whatever I've learned from my father in childhood, he made me run around a lot and do lots of things, which is why I've reached where I am today. I try to maintain it.

You guys have changed the face of Indian bowling from the time when new-ball bowlers would bowl a couple of overs and then be taken off...
Umesh: Yes, earlier pacers would bowl only a few overs and then the spinners would come on with turning tracks. But the way all the bowlers are bowling together, we know what our strong point is, what our areas are and we plan that way. We try, for the first 10-15 overs or how much ever we bowl, if we can each take a wicket, then it'll be better for our spinners. And our confidence is high since we'll get to bowl again. If we take wickets, we'll get more bowling, which is good for us.

"The batting coach and captain tell me to just enjoy batting. Lower down, if we can make 25-30 runs, it's good for the team. If four of us can contribute 100 runs, it'll be great for the team" Umesh Yadav on his batting

He (Umesh) is bowling well, but what about his batting? The boundaries seem smaller now.

Shami: His power makes the boundaries in India seem small. The team has given him the full freedom - 'Play the way you want'. When we go to bat, we don't have any restrictions about what we have to do. If you are a batsman, you will naturally try to stay at the crease for as long as you can and score as many runs for the team as possible. That is very good, but for him, he has the freedom that he doesn't need to stay at the crease or block, he just needs to hit. He can do whatever he wants!

We generally show highlights of your bowling, but we were showing your sixes package on air just now...
Umesh: Actually it's like what Shami said. The batting coach and captain tell me to just enjoy batting. Lower down, if we can make 25-30 runs, it's good for the team. If four of us can contribute 100 runs, it'll be great for the team. But in the last match in Ranchi, against South Africa, the captain told me that we need to score runs quickly. He told me to go and do whatever I could. I just tried, and for anyone, if you start middling the ball, your confidence soars. I just tried to carry that forward. I am trying to do whatever my team needs. There have been times, like in England, where I had to stay at the crease and I did that too. But it's my time to enjoy now, so I'm enjoying.

Excited about the pink-ball Test? They say it moves a lot, but how much more will you make the ball do?
Ishant: That Shami has to say, because when he played with the pink ball, he got five wickets in 11 overs. (Referring to a CAB Super League final in June 2016 between Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore, which was played at Eden Gardens. Shami took 5 for 42 in 13.4 overs in the first innings, for Mohun Bagan, in the first pink-ball match played in India.)

I've been asking him, 'What are you doing that whenever you hit the pads, it's out. If someone pulls, it's caught. We're tired of just beating the bat' So tell us Shami, we are tired with just beating the bat! (laughter)

Shami: Well... the best thing that is there in my mind is that from the side of the captain and coaches I've been given complete freedom.

Ishant: That way, even we have the freedom!

Shami: And the biggest thing is that I'm bowling with you guys. I don't even need to think too much. I just need to focus on the one thing you need to do in Tests: put it in a good area. I do just that and you guys make it much easier for me, so there's no pressure on me.

Ishant: We have asked you something else, you're giving a different answer! (laughter) We are saying that the areas you're bowling in, we're bowling in them too. But when you hit the pads it's in line with the stumps, and when we hit the pads, it's missing the stumps. Why does this happen!

Shami: Well people say it's biryani ka kamaal [It's down to the wonders of eating biryani]. No, it doesn't happen like that of course. But it's just luck and God's grace. One thing is that the line and length I'm focusing on is being executed. I'm getting success from that so I try to repeat that.

Ishant: Well bowled Shami.

Shami: Thank you.

Following Myles Garrett's indefinite suspension, former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley expressed his belief that the incident was a reflection of coach Freddie Kitchens' leadership.

"This to me, this comes back to coaching," Haley told SiriusXM Radio on Friday. "This falls squarely right on the head coach. Because the head coach talks to every assistant coach, who then talk to their groups of players. And there's an old saying in coaching: 'You're either coaching it or you're allowing it to happen.'"

Garrett was suspended following Thursday's melee in which he ripped the helmet off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph before swinging and hitting him in the head with it. Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi also was suspended one game for shoving Rudolph in the back and to the ground.

A source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Garrett will appeal the suspension.

Haley said he didn't view what happened Thursday as a "fluke" incident.

"If you're not coaching it, you're allowing it to happen, and when I watch the Cleveland Browns, I see a lot of stuff being allowed to happen, whether it's clown shoes, visors, whatever it may be," Haley told SiriusXM. "Myles Garrett hitting the quarterback low, hitting the quarterback in the head, it's happening too much."

Haley said the discipline problem has existed for the Browns for a few years.

Haley's comments also come with some baggage. He was fired as Browns offensive coordinator in October 2018 after less than one year on the job, with Kitchens taking over the role before being hired as head coach after the season.

Asked about Haley's comments Friday, Kitchens declined to engage.

"I don't really give much thought into what Todd says," Kitchens said. "I'm not even gonna respond to it. I know the way we continue to talk about maintaining our composure, and we have to do a better job of maintaining our composure -- everybody."

Shortly after the NFL's ruling, Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam issued a statement saying what happened Thursday was "not reflective of the core values we strive for as an organization."

Kitchens said the team will continue to support Garrett.

"He understands the magnitude of what occurred last night, and he's very remorseful, he's very sorry for his actions," Kitchens said. "He understands that he let himself down, that he let his teammates down, he let his organization down.

"We look at our team as a family. And in a family, sometimes family members make mistakes. You support them in every way that you can, even if it's an egregious mistake."

Information from ESPN's Jake Trotter and Brooke Pryor was used in this report.