CHICAGO -- In three years and nearly four weeks in Chicago, Cubs Gold Glove outfielder Jason Heyward has experienced just about all the ups and downs a baseball player can endure. From the high of giving a historic Game 7 World Series speech to the low of struggling mightily on offense, Heyward has felt it all.

So far in 2019, he has never looked better at the plate. His home run and walk percentages this season are the highest of his career, and his strikeout percentage is his lowest. He is slashing .333/.450/.587 and producing in a way that some at the top of the Cubs order are not.

In a lengthy chat with ESPN.com, Heyward opened up about, well, everything.

How do you stay even-keeled through the highs and lows?

It's something that's happened over time. It's not easy to do. At a young age, I was able to realize who I am to my teammates and the kind of effect I can have on the people around me. That helps.

At 14 years old, I went to having a pretty good grasp on the game to going to play against guys that are 18, 19 and then getting drafted. You go from batting third in the lineup to batting eighth or ninth and then sitting out some games. So it's different than what you're used to. So I've been through it all before. It prepares you.

In 2009, I was Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. At the start of that season, I went to big league camp, hit over .300 and played in, like, every game. People said it was impressive for an 18-, 19-year-old, but I started out slow at high-A. So it's not happening as you think it should happen.

If we win, I don't care. I know I can help my team win regardless of the night I'm having. Even if I'm bad on offense, bad on defense, I can come in here and help someone else out. It's about winning.

The public sees a stoic face. What does a frustrated Jason Heyward look like?

Anything you can name. There's hitting stuff. There's breaking stuff. There are times you take stuff home, but I feel like the past two and a half years, I found new ways to deal with it. Also, different surroundings matter. In Atlanta for five years, I figured out how to deal with stuff. In St. Louis, I remember a game where I made two errors in a Lance Lynn start. Then in his next game, I made another error because I was trying so hard for him, but we ended up winning the game. I hit a home run to tie the game, and then we won in extras, but afterward, I went right up to him and said, "Hey, brother, I'm sorry." He said, "Relax. We won the game. You're doing a lot better than we've ever had out there." So it was me not knowing how my new surroundings are going to react to me -- that's a big thing.

I just care about my teammates. So you ask how does it manifest with me? The one thing is I don't like to let my teammates down.

What was it like with that contract [eight years, $184 million] when you had your struggles, compared to the successes? Do the struggles always feel worse than the successes feel good?

The contract is separate. People are going to focus on that, as they should, because if there's one thing people can relate to, it's money. But it's hard for them to relate to anything else we do or professional sports in general. Baseball is a highly paid sport, but it's difficult.

"I just care about my teammates. ... The one thing is I don't like to let my teammates down." Jason Heyward

I chose to be here. I wanted to be here, but there are certain things that you don't realize how they are until you get here. So it's another adjustment. It's another lineup. It's another manager. It's another front office and game plan for the organization. Those are things you have to adjust to. I don't care what anyone says. It's just different.

Struggling felt like I was letting people down. I was letting the city down, which is the case. You can't say it's not the case, but contributing in some way is just being me. Go out, play the game and do what I can do on a nightly basis. Bottom line: It's great to just contribute. The fan base we have, no matter how things are going, they're looking for something positive. They're looking for the positive stuff, and they're ready to cheer. In other places, when things are going bad, they're going bad. At Wrigley, we were 2-7 going into that opener, and our fans were right there like it's a playoff game.

Could every hitter learn what you've learned from struggling: that there are other ways to contribute?

It helps you stay sane, knowing that everyone goes through it. It's part of the game, but there are other ways to help a team win, and it's going to come up big. I feel like sometimes I have to remind Rizz [Anthony Rizzo] that. He'll make a great defensive play or a great baserunning play, and I remind him about it.

Because he'll still beat himself up at the plate?

100 percent. Because that makes him him. What he puts into the game, it's amazing. I feel like it's part of the reason this team has been so successful. So many guys helping the team besides on offense at the plate.

You talked recently about physical adjustments at the plate, but what about mentally? Have you organized your strike zone at a high level so far this season?

Honestly, that's me. The stuff I'm doing now is not new to me. I've done it before, as far as the feel and approach right now. The biggest thing is just getting ready to hit so I'm not searching for the baseball. You have to be ready to hit, give yourself time and be in attack position to be able to track. Then I can say I'm not swinging at this pitch or that pitch because you can see it that much earlier. Just trying to keep a similar feel for as long as possible.

What has it been like having three hitting coaches in three years? It has to be difficult on some level, right?

In all fairness to all sides on that, this is a hard team to coach for because there are so many great players. The hardest part of three coaches in three years is for the young guys. They're still figuring themselves out, the game is still figuring them out, so a new voice isn't easy to do. But we have so many stand-up guys here, it's great seeing them trying to develop relationships.

Chili [Davis] had a different vibe or perspective because he was a player. He had a player mindset, and that's a tough approach to bring to young guys because they haven't been one yet.

Can you put into words the work you've put in to be successful at this game, especially in Chicago?

That's just me. That's how I got here in the first place. I'm always looking for ways to simplify and be better. This past offseason, I was in Chicago more, working out at Wrigley more often. Then I went to Atlanta because I can take care of my body there, get certain treatments or whatnot, acupuncture and things.

As far as the workload goes, I've had to dial back some. There were offseasons when I worked out almost every day. Now I have to do it differently. Baseball has consumed my life. By choice, it has consumed my life. ... There's been a lot of sleep lost over baseball. I feel like I've given a lot of my life to baseball. Chicago helps me separate it even more, living here and enjoying life.

You don't talk a lot about your Game 7 speech, but what do you think that's going to be like years from now, knowing you'll forever be linked to the moment the Cubs won the World Series?

There is definitely pride in it. It comes from knowing how special that group is. I don't shy away from that, but at the same time, there is still work to be done until I'm done playing. I'll look back at that stuff when it's all over. It was a special time in my life for a lot of reasons. There's more to it than people know, but I'll always be proud of it.

Tell me about some relationships. What's it like with Theo Epstein? He signed you.

Theo is underrated all the way around. We talked more this past offseason because he was curious, he was hungry to have those conversations. And I wanted to talk. That was three years for me being here. I wanted to share, not necessarily how to do things better but just what I'm seeing. I think it's helpful for them and for me.

What about Joe Maddon?

He and I could sit here and talk baseball all day. I told him, he's a baseball genius. I was talking to him on the phone before spring training, and he told me I could come to him with any questions, and I told him I don't need to because you already know. You have it mapped out in your head. I think the same way. I'm just here to rally the troops and tell them to be ready based on what Joe wants. I've seen Chipper do that, Yadier Molina, David Ross. They have to be that voice.

It is not an easy job to have in this city, to manage this team. Winning a World Series for the first time in 108 years, going to the postseason four times, all these things, and he doesn't have a contract. That's the nature of our business. I have a lot of respect for him.

This is new for me. In Atlanta, you're not talking to the GM. You're not sitting down talking to the president of the team. It was kind of surreal at first. ... They stay positive for us. It's refreshing.

Who's your guy on the team you turn to for whatever these days?

Honestly, I can go to anyone at this point. Now, as far as who I think the game with on the field and relax and enjoy off the field, I would say Javy [Baez]. Zo [Ben Zobrist] as well, for sure, because we have the same mindset. When it comes to on the field, in the game, you think of 60 feet, 6 inches, and the outfield is this or that, but we're thinking of more stuff as the game is going on. It's fun playing with people like that. Rizzo, too. We're always trying to get ahead and thinking outside the box while we're trying to have fun and compete. There's more to it than what people see, and we enjoy that stuff.

MLB is investigating racist messages sent to your teammate Carl Edwards Jr. You've been around the game a long time. I imagine this doesn't surprise you?

That's happened my whole life. Everywhere I've played, that's happened. It's not a surprise. It's a way of life. As I get older, I appreciate my dad even more for preparing me for sports and this lifestyle. He told me, "As you go to the next level, I'm not going to always be with you. Things are going to happen. I don't want to hear if someone calls you the N-word or swears at you, talking about your mom or any of that stuff. Just understand it's going to happen the higher you go." It's way easier said than done, especially at 15 years old.

It's funny because this year I've had a nice individual start to the season, but there's still negative stuff. I know you can't make everyone happy. The racial stuff is always going to be there. I just ignore it.

If there is anything positive about it, today it's opening people's eyes to what's been going on forever.

Are you in a better place today than a year or two ago?

I am because I always try to be better. That's how I live. I want to take advantage of the moments because they aren't going to last forever. Hopefully these last five years I'll make the most of it on and off the field. I love the city of Chicago. My family and I are enjoying the city more and more. On top of that, it goes without saying: Be a great baseball player and win.

A guide to Sunday’s 26.2-mile action in the UK capital, including key contenders, race day schedule, course map and TV info

The elite fields for Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon are stacked. While it feels like we say that every year, the 39th edition of the iconic race in the UK capital really does take things up another notch.

While Eliud Kipchoge versus Mo Farah is billed as the big head-to-head in the men’s race, the line-up includes a total of seven sub-2:05 runners, plus former winner Daniel Wanjiru and world half-marathon record-holder Abraham Kiptum.

The women’s field is even stronger with six athletes who have run below 2:20 and that’s despite the late withdrawal of three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba, who has announced that she is expecting her second child.

In defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot, New York winner Mary Keitany, Chicago champion Brigid Kosgei and Berlin winner Gladys Cherono, the race has four reigning World Marathon Majors champions and they are all sub-2:19 runners.

Six-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir returns to take on the elite wheelchair race for the 20th consecutive time, aiming for his ninth victory, while Australia’s Commonwealth champion Madison de Rozario is also back to defend her women’s title.

Switzerland’s Rio Paralympic marathon champion Marcel Hug and the in-form Daniel Romanchuk are among Weir’s rivals, with the 20-year-old American having added victory in Boston earlier this month to his wins in Chicago and New York last year. Switzerland’s Manuela Schär has won in Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Boston and heads to the race in London looking to make it six wins in a row in the World Marathon Majors.

London is again hosting the World Para Athletics Marathon Championships and five medal events – including the two wheelchair races – are on the programme. Britain’s Derek Rae will be seeking further success in the T46 event after his World Cup victory last year, while para triathlete Charlotte Ellis makes her debut for British Athletics in the T12 class after running a PB of 3:25:55 in Manchester in 2018.

Alongside Farah, Weir, Rae and Ellis, other British athletes aiming to make an impact are Callum Hawkins, as he returns to marathon action for the first time since his dramatic collapse at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and Charlotte Purdue, who like Hawkins has sights on the Doha World Championships and Tokyo Olympics.

For our full in-depth elite race previews, check out the April 25 edition of AW magazine, which also includes athlete profiles, a course guide, facts and stats, an interview with race director Hugh Brasher and a look ahead to the mini marathon and masters contenders.

Race day schedule

08:40 – Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon
09:05 – Elite wheelchair races
09:10 – World Para Athletics Marathon Championships ambulant athlete races
09:25 – Elite women’s race
10:10 – Elite men’s race, British Athletics & England Athletics Marathon Championships and start of the mass race

Key contenders and ones to watch

(For our full lists, see the April 25 edition of AW magazine)

MEN

1 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
PB: 2:01:39
After his wins in 2015, 2016 and 2018, another victory in London would see the marathon great become the most successful elite male runner in the history of the event and continue his unbeaten record there. The 34-year-old hasn’t raced since his world record in Berlin and going by that performance, his 2:03:05 from 2016 might not remain the London course record for much longer.

8 Mo Farah (GBR)
PB: 2:05:11
The European record-holder warmed up for his third London Marathon by retaining his title at The Vitality Big Half in March, clocking 61:15 to beat his training partner Bashir Abdi and Daniel Wanjiru. The Briton has improved his marathon PB by more than three minutes since his debut 2:08:21 in the UK capital in 2014, with his performance in Chicago last year securing him a maiden major marathon victory.

3 Mosinet Geremew (ETH)
PB: 2:04:00
The Ethiopian won last year’s Dubai Marathon in 2:04:00, beating his compatriot Leul Gebresilassie by two seconds, and went on to finish runner-up to Mo Farah in Chicago in October. The 2017 Berlin Marathon saw him finish third behind winner Eliud Kipchoge and his most recent result is a Lisbon half-marathon win in 59:36.

7 Shura Kitata (ETH)
PB: 2:04:49
He might only be 22 but the Ethiopian’s marathon CV already includes Frankfurt and Rome wins from 2017, plus a runner-up finish in New York in November after his second place between Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah in London. A half-marathon PB of 59:17 in Philadelphia in September was followed by a win in Houston in January.

13 Dewi Griffiths (GBR)
PB: 2:09:49
Ran a 2:09:49 marathon debut in Frankfurt in 2017 to move to second on the Welsh all-time rankings behind Steve Jones but has struggled with injury since. Returning to top form, he was just 11 seconds off his half-marathon PB with 62:44 in Houston in January and ran 63:17 to finish fourth at The Big Half as he continued his preparations for a marathon comeback.

15 Callum Hawkins (GBR)
PB: 2:10:17
The Scot returns to the marathon for the first time since his collapse at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when he looked set to win before his fall with just 2km left. His CV so far is impressive, clocking 2:10:52 when debuting in London in 2016 which improved to 2:10:17 for fourth at the London 2017 World Championships the following year. The Olympic ninth-placer was due to run the Fukuoka Marathon in December but withdrew due to a hamstring niggle and ran 28:55 in Valencia in January for an official 10km PB, though the 26-year-old has clocked faster 10km splits as part of a half-marathon.

WOMEN

Women’s profiles by Paul Halford

101 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)
PB: 2:18:31
The defending champion lies seventh on the all-time list with her time from 12 months ago when she passed Mary Keitany in the closing stages. Since making her marathon debut here two years ago with fourth, the reigning Olympic 5000m champion won in Frankfurt later that year and finished second in New York last autumn behind Keitany to show great consistency. She arrives here off the back of a half-marathon PB of 66:34 in Lisbon last month.

102 Mary Keitany (KEN)
PB: 2:17:01
When she took her third title here in 2017, she broke Paula Radcliffe’s record for a women-only marathon with 2:17:01. She struggled to fifth here last year after audaciously going below world-record pace for the first half, but she bounced back to claim her fourth New York Marathon title last autumn. The latter win secured her third World Marathon Majors series victory.

103 Gladys Cherono (KEN)
PB: 2:18:11
When winning her third Berlin Marathon title last September, she went to sixth on the world all-time list. Although making little impact globally until her thirties, the 35-year-old is making up for lost time since winning the world half-marathon title in 2014. Last year’s quickest female marathoner was fourth here last year, although her most recent race resulted in just a sixth place in the Houston Half in January.

105 Brigid Kosgei (KEN)
PB: 2:18:35
The 2018 Chicago Marathon champion comes into the race in great form, with a win in the Houston Half in January in 65:50 followed by one in Bahrain in 65:28. Last year’s London runner-up climbed into the all-time top 10 with her time in Chicago. With five wins and three seconds from her first nine marathons, she will be tough to beat.

120 Charlotte Purdue (GBR)
PB: 2:29:23
The former junior prodigy at track and cross country has found her niche at this distance. She made her marathon debut three years ago here with 2:32:48 and improved to her current PB the following year. She set a PB of 69:46 in the Marugame Half Marathon in February and shortly afterwards won The Big Half in London.

121 Lily Partridge (GBR)
PB: 2:29:24
Last year’s UK No.1 achieved her PB when finishing eighth and top Brit in London last year. She was fifth in The Big Half, one of two 72-minute half-marathons for her this spring, although she should be in better shape if recent hip and glute problems subside.

Course map

(Click to enlarge)

TV guide

BBC live coverage for fans in the UK:
08:30-10:00 – BBC Two
08:30-14:30 – Uninterrupted coverage, Connected TV & online
08:55-12:25 – Elite races, BBC Red Button, Connected TV and online
09:00-13:00 – Uninterrupted coverage, BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
10:00-14:30 – BBC One

Check out our website and social media channels for updates, while our next magazine will feature in-depth coverage.

Official app

The official 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon App is available to download for iPhone and android.

Use it to access race day information as well as track runners and elite race split times, leaderboard positions and results.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Chad Bryant Racing has announced that Ty Majeski will drive the team’s No. 22 Ford in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event at Talladega Superspeedway.

Talladega is an 11th-hour addition for Majeski and the CBR team after the veteran ARCA Menards Series organization announced last month that Majeski, a Midwest short track standout, would compete in five events this season.

In addition to Talladega, Majeski will now compete in six races total. Following Friday’s race, Majeski will return at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May then race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June), Michigan Int’l Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and the season-finale at Kansas Speedway in October.

“I found out Monday that I would be making my ARCA debut at Talladega and I’m excited about that,” said Majeski. “Chad Bryant Racing has proven to have exceptional restrictor plate cars and I look forward to the opportunity to showcase that.

“I also embrace the opportunity to work with my teammate Joe Graf Jr. and hope that we can draft together and put ourselves in a position to battle it out for the win. That would be the best-case scenario this week.”

A native of Seymour, Wis., Majeski has long been considered one of the stoutest stock car talents of the past decade with four ARCA Midwest Tour super late model championships and triumphs in prestigious events like the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, Florida Governor’s Cup, Oktoberfest 200 and the Rattler 250.

From the short track scene, Majeski ran a limited ARCA schedule from 2016 – 2017 before being elevated to a 12-race NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign in 2018. In nine ARCA starts, Majeski earned two top-five and seven top-10 finishes, including a career-best second place finish at Kansas Speedway in 2017 driving for Cunningham Motorsports, the predecessor of Chad Bryant Racing.

Veteran ARCA and former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief Paul Andrews will lead Majeski’s efforts.

“I’m very happy to have Ty driving for us at Talladega,” said team principal Chad Bryant. “With him driving at Talladega it provides a chance to jumpstart our relationship and get the mojo back moving between Ty and Paul (Andrews.)

“Ty came to Cunningham Motorsports in 2016 and got off to a fast start and did some amazing things in a short amount of time.

“Ty may be driving under a new team name, but a lot of the fundamentals from his time at Cunningham Motorsports are still in place today. I expect him and Paul (Andrews) to pick up where they left off and be an asset to our two-car program throughout the 2019 season.”

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The 35th running of One Lap of America will feature the Travis vs. Bilko show, courtesy of Yokohama Tire and Subaru of America.

Yokohama is sponsoring the two drivers in the contest, which runs May 4-11, and Subaru Motorsports USA will provide a pair of WRX STI Type RA vehicles for a head-to-head showdown.

Nitro Circus ringleader Travis Pastrana and fellow Nitro Circus member Blake “Bilko” Williams, both Team Yokohama members and the winners of last year’s Stock Touring division in a Subaru WRX STI, are back again with a twist. This time, instead of being teammates, Pastrana and Williams are taking each other on in the eight-day, 3,379-mile race.

“Travis and Bilko are both super competitors so I’m sure they’ll put on a show in this classic race,” said Fardad Niknam, Yokohama’s senior director of consumer product planning and product marketing. “They’ll be on the new ADVAN A052 tires for One Lap 2019, so it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top.”

“The WRX STI Type RA was designed to be track-ready without sacrificing comfort for the street,” said William Stokes, motorsports manager for Subaru of America. “With One Lap demanding both serious track performance and long-distance highway driving, Travis and Bilko will definitely be putting their cars to the test.”

“Last year’s One Lap event was a blast,” Pastrana said. “Bilko and I got a chance to experience the event and push the Subaru WRX STI and Yokohama tires to the limits. We decided at the end of last year’s event that we had to do it again…but on different teams. This year is going to be even better.”

Pastrana is ready. His co-driver this time is author and former Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell.

“I’m going with the ‘Lone Survivor,’” he said. “He’s mentally tough and has experience behind the wheel.”

Williams is going with his friend, Nitro Circus athlete and X Games gold medalist, Josh “Sheeny” Sheehan.

“Last year was such an awesome time,” said Williams. “I had a blast battling with the competition and also the on-going rivalry with Travis. I can’t thank Yokohama, Nitro Circus and Subaru Motorsports USA enough for the support, and the crew from One Lap for putting on such a rad event!”

One Lap of America started in the early 1970s when auto journalist Brock Yates created the now infamous Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash – a flat out, no-holds-barred race from New York City to Redondo Beach, California. In 1992, Yates configured the Cannonball One Lap of America into the format it uses today: nearly 24 hours a day of driving with competitions taking place as time trials on race tracks throughout the country.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Hometown Lenders Inc. will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

“We are incredibly excited to be a part of this weekend’s GEICO 500. Hometown Lenders is always looking for opportunities to support great people, so the partnership with Starcom Racing is such a great fit,” said John Taylor, president of Hometown Lenders. “I’ve grown up watching NASCAR and to be a part of the sport is a dream come true. The Hometown family will be pulling hard for Landon this weekend.”

Hometown Lenders, an independently-owned full-eagle lender based in Huntsville, Ala., offers a complete range of conforming, non-conforming and government loan programs, as well as a variety of options to help your family successfully budget your mortgage.

“We enjoy partnering with companies who possess the same business values as StarCom. We, too, believe in face-to-face business and building relationships with our partners and clients, so we know we are a great fit,” said Michael Kohler, StarCom Racing CEO.

Four years ago at Malahide, Oman clinched T20I status with a five-wicket win over Namibia in a playoff match at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier. On Wednesday in Windhoek, it was practically deja vu as a four-wicket win over Namibia secured Oman ODI status for the first time in the country's history, a result that head coach Duleep Mendis has hailed as a historic moment.

"I think it is something huge," Mendis told ESPNcricinfo after the win. "I think you can't ask anything more than this. With all the hard work the boys have gone through the last 5-6 years, they have climbed up the ladder and to get ODI status in Namibia I think it is the biggest achievement. It is the pinnacle that we have reached now.

"The build-up and the hard work that the boys did over the years, I think we should give the credit not only to the boys but to the cricket board as well. Oman Cricket board, which is headed by Mr Kanak Khimji and the board of directors, we should thank all of them for all the backing and support that they have given us."

Going undefeated through the first four matches to secure ODI status with a match still in hand in round-robin play is especially sweet for Oman considering the heartbreak of 14 months ago. At the last WCL Division Two tournament held at the same venue, Oman recorded two wins and three defeats, to miss out on the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.

Two of those losses went down to the wire, including a heartbreaker against Namibia in which they had the hosts 65 for 7 chasing a target of 166 but could not close out the match. The other came against UAE, when Oman were 92 for 3 chasing a target of 160 before a run-out sparked a dramatic collapse of 7 for 21. Those two games in particular have served as motivation for the team on their return to Namibia.

"Last time, those two defeats to UAE and Namibia, those still linger in my mind and in most of the players' minds," Mendis said. "Those were very bad failures because we came so close but could not complete it. With those failures, I think the boys have learned a lot. That's why they don't want to give in."

Following their historic T20I win at Malahide, Oman made an even bigger splash in March 2016 at Dharamsala when they stunned Ireland on the opening day of play. Yet in 50-over cricket, they were mired in Division Five of the World Cricket League. It took three consecutive promotions at Jersey in May 2016, Los Angeles in November 2016, Uganda in May 2017 to get them within touching distance of ODI status.

After last year's stumble in Windhoek, they rebounded on home soil to go undefeated in November at WCL Division Three and have continued their unbeaten WCL run through to Namibia. Through it all, there have been a host of characters who have come and gone - the likes of former captains Sultan Ahmed and Ajay Lalcheta, and perhaps most notably the slingy quick Munis Ansari. Oman Cricket director Pankaj Khimji says that establishing a family-oriented squad culture has maintained stability in performance in spite of player turnover across the last three years.

"The most gratifying part of this 2016-2019 journey has been the journey itself," Khimji said. "It's the step by step, that we kept on growing and building a team and the building of this family. There have been individuals who have moved on, the new individuals who have come on. We have come in with three new blooded players and they have made the difference in today's game, the No. 5, 6, and 7.

"There's nothing more gratifying than when you see young blood coming in and making a mark and the old guys, the same person [Zeeshan Siddiqui] who hit the winning runs in Ireland against Namibia is now the analyst in the team. So it's nice that we're building a family of good individuals who are coming together and making a great, great impression in cricket."

Oman joins their desert gulf neighbour UAE as well as Scotland, Nepal and USA in the upcoming Cricket World Cup League Two, due to start in July 2019. Two other teams are yet to be confirmed in the competition, with Namibia, Canada, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea all still in with a chance. Oman will play 36 ODIs in the new League Two through to 2021, and Mendis is eager for his team to have the opportunity, especially with the spectacular Oman Cricket Academy available as a host venue.

"It's fantastic and I can't express my feeling," Mendis said. "One thing I can tell you, in the ODIs in the next three years, we will certainly make an impact."

ORNSKOLDSVIK, Sweden -- Jack Hughes, the consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2019 NHL draft, had a record-breaking day at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

Hughes scored three goals and added an assist during a 6-0 win over Finland on Thursday, setting the United States record for career points and tying the U.S. record for points in a single tournament.

Hughes has 28 points in 12 career games at U18 Worlds, passing Phil Kessel, who had 26 points in 14 games at the event in 2004 and 2005. The U.S. advanced to the tournament's semifinal with the victory over Finland.

Hughes currently leads all players in the tournament with 16 points in just five games. That tied Kessel's U.S. single-tournament mark from 2005, when he had 16 points in six games.

"To be honest, I didn't even know those numbers," Hughes said when asked if he used the records for motivation. "We're here for gold medals. I just try to produce to help my team win. I usually know those stats, but this tournament I only have one thing on my mind."

The Orlando, Florida, native is now three points shy of tying Alex Ovechkin's career scoring record of 31, set over 14 games in two tournaments in 2002 and 2003. The single-tournament points record is held by Nikita Kucherov, who had 21 in seven games at the 2011 event.

Hughes already set the U.S. National Team Development Program's career points record, shattering Clayton Keller's previous record of 189. Hughes is at 224 points in his two years at the NTDP. Kessel, Patrick Kane and Auston Matthews are among the other players Hughes has passed on the career list.

In addition to Hughes's scoring barrage, Cole Caufield added another goal to his single-tournament total. His 12 goals rank second only to Ovechkin's 14, scored during the 2002 World U18 Championship.

The U.S. will meet Russia in the semifinal Saturday.

The Sacramento Kings and NBA announced Thursday that they have started a joint investigation into the allegations made in a civil suit against coach Luke Walton that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2014.

"The Kings and the NBA take these allegations very seriously and will collaborate to conduct a complete and thorough investigation," the team and league said in a statement.

The Kings' investigation will be led by Sue Ann Van Dermyden, the founding partner of Sacramento law firm Van Dermyden Maddux, and Jennifer Doughty, a senior associate attorney at the firm.

The NBA's investigation will be led by Elizabeth Maringer, the league's senior vice president and assistant general counsel, integrity and investigations.

Kelli Tennant -- a former host on Spectrum SportsNet LA, the Lakers' regional sports network -- alleges that Walton, then an assistant with the Golden State Warriors who was in Los Angeles on a road trip, sexually assaulted her in a Santa Monica, California, hotel room. Tennant's attorney says that happened in 2014.

On Tuesday, Tennant said she was terrified Walton was going to rape her and that she hadn't gone public with the allegations sooner because she was scared.

Tennant had a working relationship with Walton stemming from his time as a guest analyst on Spectrum. In the lawsuit, she alleges that she met with him at the Casa Del Mar Hotel to drop off a copy of her book, "a guide for student-athletes making the transition into a world after sports," for which he wrote the foreword.

Tennant alleges that Walton invited her up to his room, where he pinned her to the bed and forcibly kissed and groped her.

Tennant said she did not go to the police or talk with officials at Spectrum at the time because she was only 25 and was scared.

Walton's attorney, Mark Baute, called the allegations "baseless" and said Tennant was "an opportunist."

"These claims are false and Luke's innocence will be proven in court," Baute said in a statement Wednesday. "[Tuesday's] press conference was a poorly staged attempt to portray the accuser as a viable spokesperson for an important movement. Her lawyers want to create a public circus to distract from their complete lack of evidence to support their outrageous claims. We will not try this case in the media or pay them a dime."

The Kings hired Walton earlier this month, shortly after he and the Lakers mutually parted ways.

Ireland international Bundee Aki has apologised for 'liking' an anti-gay social media post by Israel Folau.

Connacht centre Aki says he liked the comment by Folau without realising the substance of the post.

Folau has appealed against his sacking by Rugby Australia after saying "hell awaits" gay people on social media.

"I've family members, friends, and I've worked with many people who are gay and I have nothing but love and respect for everyone of them," said Aki.

"I do want to apologise for any confusion or offence this may have caused anyone and I will pay more attention to what I 'like' in future."

Aki issued a statement via social media saying: "I just want to address that I mistakenly liked Israel Folau's post without paying any attention to the content. When I realised what the post was about I immediately unliked it straight away, as it does not reflect my views as a Christian.

"Yes I do believe in God but my belief is that he is a God of kindness, peace and loves people in all aspects."

Folau, 30, has contested Rugby Australia's decision to sack him and his future will be decided at a code of conduct hearing on 4 May.

The committed Christian was expected to play for the Wallabies at this year's World Cup in Japan.