England batsman Alex Hales has failed a drugs test. Hales, who was named in England's provisional 15-man World Cup squad last week, is understood by ESPNcricinfo to have tested positive for a recreational drug in recent weeks. The England selectors are not thought to have known about the test result at the time the squad was announced.

According to a report in the Guardian, he is currently serving a 21-day ban after returning a second positive test, having pulled out of Nottinghamshire's Royal London Cup campaign, shortly after the World Cup squad was announced, for undisclosed personal reasons.

The drugs violation is understood to have been detected after Hales underwent a routine hair follicle test, which all professional men's cricketers and centrally-contracted women's players undergo at the start and finish of every season. The policy was introduced in 2013 in the wake of the death of Surrey's Tom Maynard, and can detect banned substances in the system for up to three months.

For a first offence, which is treated as a health and welfare issue, players are offered advice and support with only the county director of cricket being notified.

A second violation can invoke a three-week ban and a 5 percent fine of the player's annual salary, at which point the player's county is informed, as well as the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, and PCA chief executive, David Leatherdale.

A third offence, such as that committed by Durham's Jack Burnham in 2017, can lead to dismissal - although in Burnham's case, the club chose instead to ban him for 12 months and give him the chance to revive his career this year.

It is nevertheless another significant black mark for Hales, who was recently banned for six white-ball games (four of them suspended) and fined £17,500 by the ECB for his part in the Bristol brawl that led to Ben Stokes' arrest and subsequent acquittal. England are not obliged to name their final World Cup squad until May 23.

Although the loss of Hales at the World Cup would be significant, as things stand he would have served his suspension. He is still expected to join up with the squad for their training camp in Cardiff at the weekend.

While he is not currently seen as part of the first-choice side, he was set to be the reserve batsman in the squad. He has an outstanding ODI record: only nine men have scored more than his six ODI hundreds for England; only Jason Roy has a higher individual score in the format than the 171 Hales made against Pakistan. With Roy (back spasm) having recently experienced some fitness concerns, there was every chance he would win an opportunity at some stage during the tournament.

Ashley Giles, the England's men's team director, Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire's director of cricket, and the ECB all declined to comment when contacted by ESPNcricinfo.

Clemson and coach Dabo Swinney agreed to a 10-year, $93 million deal on Friday, making it the largest deal in college football history.

Swinney, who has won two national championships with the Tigers, is on par to make the same average salary as Alabama coach Nick Saban. Both are set to average $9.3 over the course of their respective deals.

Swinney, who began his Clemson head coaching career as interim coach in 2008, has led a remarkable rise for a school that had one national championship in its history before he took over from Tommy Bowden.

With his folksy charm and culture centered on his "All In" mentality, Clemson has emerged as a force in college football with no signs of letting up.

With Trevor Lawrence back behind center, Clemson goes into the 2019 season as a heavy favorite to make it back to the College Football Playoff.

Swinney's first deal as full-time head coach at Clemson when he was promoted by then-AD Terry Don Phillips at the end of the 2008 season paid him $800,000 a year.

"He way overpaid me," Swinney quipped Friday to ESPN.

Swinney is set to make $8.25 million in the first two years of the new deal, going all the way up to $10 million in 2028, the last year of the contract.

"I am grateful and humbled by the incredible commitment Clemson has made to me, my family and our football program," Swinney said in a statement. "For more than a decade, we have given our all to provide this world-class university and our incredible fans the championship football program they deserve -- to live up to Best is the Standard.

"With this contract, we make a collective statement that we intend to continue pursuing championships and developing total student-athletes for years to come. Our sustained continuity in vision, people and culture has been a key ingredient to our success, on- and off-the field. I am thankful for the leadership we have at Clemson and appreciate all they do for Clemson Football. I am truly blessed to be your Head Football Coach."

If Swinney were to leave for another collegiate head coaching position in the first two years of his deal, the buyout would be $4 million. But the buyout increases to $6 million if he were to leave for Alabama over the next two years. There is no buyout if he leaves for an NFL job.

"Dabo's leadership of our football program has brought value, exposure and unprecedented levels of success not only to our athletics program but to the entire university," Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement.

"He has demonstrated the ability to consistently achieve at the highest level on and off the field, and he has done so with a commitment to integrity and core principles. This new agreement is evidence of Clemson's steadfast commitment to Dabo and to our football program, and we are thrilled that he and his family will be a part of our community for years to come."

Swinney is entering his 17th overall season at Clemson, including his time as an assistant coach from 2003 to 2007. His 116 head coaching wins at Clemson rank second all-time.

Meanwhile, Radakovich agreed to a contract extension through June 30, 2024. He is set to make $1.2 million for the 2019-20 athletic season, going up to $1.4 million in the final year of the deal.

ESPN's Chris Low contributed to this report.

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Friday’s 28th annual Arnie Knepper Memorial featuring the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League and POWRi Engler Machine & Tool 600cc Outlaw Micro League has been cancelled due to rainfall.

POWRi and Belle-Clair Speedway officials are actively seeking a date for rescheduling.

“The rain gauge at the track shows three inches of rain,” said Brian Thompson of Belle-Clair Speedway. “This spring hasn’t been kind to racing in the Midwest.”

Saturday’s race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 and Sunday’s race at Jacksonville Speedway are both still on.

BROWNSBURG, Ind. – With overnight rain saturating Attica Raceway Park to a point beyond repair, Attica and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 officials were left with no choice but to cancel Friday’s 30th Annual Core & Main Spring Nationals.

The event will not be rescheduled.

“Most of the damage has already been done. We are left with very little drying time,” said Eric Walls, All Star Circuit of Champions Series Director. “Taking everything into consideration, it is in our best interest to cancel tonight’s event. We certainly appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to battle with Mother Nature.”

The All Star Circuit of Champions will try again on Saturday afternoon, April 27, with a visit to Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Jeffrey Earnhardt will embark on a historic first this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, the track where much of the Earnhardt family’s NASCAR legacy was first cemented.

At the same 2.66-mile Alabama behemoth where his grandfather Dale Sr. won 10 times in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and his uncle Dale Jr. took six Cup Series checkered flags, Earnhardt will pull double duty for the first time, racing in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series events.

On the Xfinity Series side, Earnhardt will drive the No. 18 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, seeking his first win of the season after a strong performance at Daytona Int’l Speedway back in February.

Meanwhile, on the Cup Series frontier, the fourth-generation driver will pilot the No. 81 Toyota Camry as Xtreme Concepts Racing – the organization founded by Earnhardt’s sponsor’s CEO, Landon Ash – debuts at NASCAR’s top level just one month after racing in the Xfinity Series at Texas Motor Speedway.

It will make for a busy weekend for the 29-year-old Earnhardt, but it’s a challenge he’s eagerly looking forward to.

“Double duty will definitely be a new experience for me, but it’s something we’ve been preparing for. The JGR cars have been fast every race,” Earnhardt said. “We’ve seen Kyle (Busch) go out and absolutely dominate in the No. 18, and we’ve been able to pull out some really great runs, so I’m excited to have another shot at it, especially after doing so well at Daytona.

“The Cup race will be a bit different. The Xtreme Concepts team is still new and it’s only our first Cup start this year, but we’ve had a lot of help from Joe Gibbs Racing to prepare,” he continued. “If you look back at Texas … that was the first Xfinity race for Xtreme Concepts. We fought for position all day and ended up in the top-10 before it was all over. I think you can look at that and see we aren’t just here to finish.

“We’re here to finish up front and fight for every spot, and it will be the same on Sunday.”

Earnhardt is instantly reminded of the unique atmosphere at Talladega every time he comes to the track, not only because it’s one of the most unpredictable on the schedule, but because of his family’s deep legacy of success there.

“Talladega has always been a special place – not just for me, but the whole Earnhardt family. We’ve all seen the success my grandfather and uncle have had there, and for the most part, it’s treated me well,” said Earnhardt. “There’s something different about Talladega. The fans are so emotionally connected to what is going on, and the feeling you get when you pull into this huge track with all of the campers and people in the infield. You’ll never see or feel that anywhere else.

“I think knowing the family history and what they were both able to accomplish definitely adds to that feeling for me.”

While he knows that the draft creates plenty of opportunities for success at Talladega, Earnhardt also realizes that there’s a bigger picture goal of bringing his two rides home in one piece this weekend.

That doesn’t mean he’s not going to go for it, however.

“This weekend is about putting on a great show and coming out of Talladega with two good finishes between Joe Gibbs Racing and Xtreme Concepts Racing,” Earnhardt noted. “The support from these two groups has been amazing, and the best way for me to show that is to go out, take care of the equipment and be there at the end with a chance to win. We don’t know what to expect at Talladega. You never know how the race is going to play out, but if you can hang around and make it to those final laps, you’ve got a chance to take home a trophy.

“There have been a lot of learning moments this year and I’m sure we have some more coming, but we’ve had fast Toyotas and I know that isn’t going to be any different this week.”

WELCOME, N.C. – ARCA Menards Series regular Joe Graf Jr. has joined Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program.

Graf will pilot the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro in select NASCAR Xfinity Series events this year for the team. In addition, Graf will also work as a marketing and communications intern at RCR. He is currently a freshman at New York University.

The 20-year-old’s first race will be at Michigan Int’l Speedway this June.

“This is an amazing opportunity that wouldn’t be possible without NYU and RCR working together,” said Graf. “For my internship to be with one of the most recognizable teams in NASCAR is unbelievable. To then think that I will also have the opportunity to drive the No. 21 car is really exciting.”

“I am pumped for the opportunity to learn all facets of this business,” continued Graf Jr. “From inside the cockpit to the corporate office. The quality of the RCR organization speaks for itself, especially celebrating their 50th anniversary this season. I am eager to learn, contribute and compete.”

While racing for RCR this season, Graf will also have the chance to learn the science of racing, by spending behind-the-scenes time with the competition and engineering teams. Graf will have the opportunity to attend competition meetings and debriefs, get simulator time, and assist with pit stop practice.

“We’re happy to have Joe joining us in such a unique developmental role as a driver and intern,” said Torrey Galida, president of RCR. “It’s not often that drivers get the opportunity to learn both in and out of the race car, and we hope that’s what Joe is able to do with his dual role here. It’s very helpful for drivers to understand the technical and business side of the sport, and Joe gets that. We’re confident he’s going to be successful both on and off the track for RCR.”

Graf is currently competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, and will balance his internship and starts with RCR with his current race schedule. During his 2018 debut season in ARCA, the Mahwah, N.J., native secured one win, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He was also involved in the closest finish in ARCA history when he placed second at Talladega Superspeedway in a statistical tie.

MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola has compared Manchester City to Usain Bolt and Tiger Woods because of the way they have set a new standard in the Premier League.

City won last season's title with a record 100 points, and will be champions again if they win their final three games of the season.

They have won their last 11 games and must extend that to 14 -- starting at Burnley on Sunday -- to be the first club to defend the title in a decade.

"Before it was easier than last season -- everybody could lose to anybody. This season, two teams won a lot of games. That's the standard we have set," Guardiola told a news conference.

"Like Usain Bolt when he does a 100 metre race -- that's the standard. Other people have to reach it. Like Jack Nicklaus with 18 Grand Slams and Tiger Woods, that's the standard, it's the same.

"One hundred points last season? If you want to compete, you have to do that.

"I say right now, to maintain that level now after what we've done, I'd sign for that. I don't expect more than that.

"To do that we have to push each other, knowing the other teams are at the same level as us, focus on every single game, do what you have to do to win that game, respect the opponents, work hard and improve on what we have done this season -- that's the only way I know."

Kevin De Bruyne is ruled out of the trip to Turf Moor with a hamstring injury, while Fernandinho faces a late test on a knee problem.

City beat Burnley 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season, but Guardiola said he expected a much tougher afternoon away from home.

"Always it is hard there, they do really well what they do," he added. "We have to prepare and we are prepared. It's the end of the season, the last games, and everyone feels pressure.

"Today we have day off and then we prepare for Burnley's tough points."

Big picture

The bottom of the IPL 2019 table has lit up over the last few weeks. Three teams are now tied on eight points after 11 games, and each of them still has a chance to make the playoffs. Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore have put themselves in this position through small tweaks; Royals changed their captain and their batting order, and now have a batting line-up that looks more potent than it did before Steven Smith took over.

The agenda for them against Sunrisers Hyderabad is straightforward - win. They need to win all three of their games to stay in contention. But they have a massive challenge: Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes have left for England, and Smith will soon be gone as well. The stakes are automatically higher as a result.

Sunrisers have lost Jonny Bairstow to England's World Cup camp as well, but at ten points from ten games, they have a match in hand and a slightly higher margin for error - two wins out of four games will still keep them in contention. They also have only minor changes to endure as far as overseas talent goes, and will be looking to wrap up the league stage in good form.

In the news

Buttler, Archer and Stokes will take no further part for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, and Bairstow flew out to England on April 24 following Sunrisers' game against Chennai.

Kane Williamson, who had flown back to New Zealand for personal reasons before the Super Kings match, has returned ahead of the tie.

Previous meeting

Sanju Samson's silken unbeaten 102 helped Royals post 198 in Jaipur, but a 110-run opening stand between David Warner and Bairstow put Sunrisers on course for a win they completed with an over to spare.

Likely XIs

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Shakib Al Hasan/Mohammad Nabi, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk)/Sreevats Goswami (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Sandeep Sharma/Siddarth Kaul

Rajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Rahul Tripathi/Liam Livingstone, 5 Ashton Turner/Ish Sodhi, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 Riyan Parag, 8 Shreyas Gopal, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni/Mahipal Lomror , 10 Varun Aaron, 11 Oshane Thomas

Strategy punt

• Sunrisers are likely to have more comfort in batting at Sawai Mansingh Stadium than the home team - their batsmen have scored more non-boundary runs (47.6%) than any other team and will play at the venue that has had nearly just as many (47%) non-boundary runs. Williamson, Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar should be encouraged to play to their accumulative strengths.

• While Martin Guptill is available to replace Bairstow at the top with Warner, Sunrisers will be well served if they let Williamson return to form in the position where he's had most success for them.

• Royals could be tempted to build their house on legspin: Ish Sodhi and Liam Livingstone will both offer that option, and with Riyan Parag now playing a primarily batting role, Shreyas Gopal might find a buddy at the other end as he could be handed more late-overs duties than before.

Stats that matter

• The last time Royals beat Sunrisers was in 2015. Sunrisers have a 4-0 win record since that game.

• Ajinkya Rahane needs 53 more runs to reach 5,000 in T20s.

• Rashid Khan is two wickets away from 50 wickets for Sunrisers.

• Royals' 74.5% catching efficiency is marginally better than Sunrisers' 73.1%, but their ground fielding has saved a net six runs through this season, as compared to Sunrisers' negative 15.