The 2021 NBA trade deadline is just two days away, and teams at the top and bottom of the standings are lining up to make their moves. While there isn't a superstar on the market who'll redefine the race for the championship -- not after James Harden was already traded from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets in January -- there could potentially be smaller moves made to bolster contenders and help teams on the fringe of the play-in race make one more big push.

With that in mind, we asked our experts to answer five big questions heading into Thursday's deadline, including which teams they're watching most closely, who could be moved and what are their bold predictions.

MORE: Six underrated prospects who could thrive after a trade

1. What are you watching most closely this week?

Tim Bontemps: What happens with Kyle Lowry. In a trade market devoid of game-changing players, Lowry has the potential to be a swing piece in the title chase. If he leaves Toronto and winds up on either the Philadelphia 76ers or Miami Heat, he could completely change the landscape of the Eastern Conference. It's hard to see any other player being moved who could have a similar impact.

Kirk Goldsberry: Can the Lakers get some shooting help? They rank 27th in the league in 3-point production and 22nd in 3-point percentage. Their current fleet of shooters doesn't scare anyone, and in an era increasingly defined by long-range offense, the purple and gold need some additional perimeter firepower for this title defense.

Tim MacMahon: What will the rebuilding Rockets do? First-year general manager Rafael Stone has added a lot of draft capital while dealing almost all of last season's starting lineup, headlined by the bundle of picks acquired from Brooklyn in the James Harden trade. Perhaps the Rockets can add more draft compensation by flipping Victor Oladipo, whom Houston hopes it can trade to a team that values his Bird rights instead of just as a rental. Houston is also aggressively looking to cash in some of those draft picks for a player who can be a long-term foundation piece, such as 25-year-old Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon.

Bobby Marks: Lowry and the Raptors, who've lost eight consecutive games and find themselves on the outside of the play-in tournament (three games in the loss column behind Chicago). Lowry is on an expiring $30.5M contract and can dictate if he wants to pursue a championship with a team like Philadelphia or finish the season with the Raptors. Lowry does not have a no-trade clause and Toronto is free to ship him off to any of the other 29 teams. However, because he is considered the best player to ever don a Raptors uniform and helped lead Toronto to a championship in 2019, Lowry has control over the identity of his next destination.

Royce Young: Will fringe teams make moves to plan ahead or hope for a play-in appearance? The new season structure could dramatically impact the trade deadline, with more teams holding on to their players. It could cause a deadline supply-and-demand issue, with quality players hard to find.

2. Which title contender most needs to make a move?

Goldsberry: The Sixers need offensive help. Even though the Doc Rivers/Daryl Morey era is off to a great start, Philly needs to bolster its offense to compete with Brooklyn and Milwaukee, who both boast top-five offenses. Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons are a great trio, but if Philly could add one or two more potent perimeter threats -- like say, Lowry -- that would elevate its chances to come out of the East.

MacMahon: Needs might be a bit strong, but the 76ers absolutely should be aggressive in their pursuit of Philly native Lowry, a playoff-proven leader who seemingly would be a great fit with franchise cornerstones Embiid and Simmons. Daryl Morey's history with the Rockets certainly indicates that the 76ers will make a splash before the deadline.

Bontemps: All of them? The interesting thing about this season is all of these contending teams have flaws. The Lakers and Sixers need offense. The Nets need defense. The Clippers need someone who can organize an offense. The Bucks need depth. The Heat and Celtics need power forwards. The Nuggets and Blazers both feel a piece short. Even in a market where there isn't a ton of interesting stuff to be had, all of them should be looking to make moves.

Marks: Since the Celtics are not title contenders, I am going to pick Philadelphia. I know Doc Rivers has been on the record saying that he loves his team and getting Embiid back healthy should be the primary focus. However, this 76ers team checks the boxes when it comes to pieces to put into a trade: $30 million in expiring contracts, an $8.3 million trade exception, two prized young players in Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, and the ability to trade two first-round picks. Yes, it takes two to tango when it comes to making a trade, but the 76ers should not be content when it comes to their roster at the deadline, especially if a player like Lowry becomes available.

Young: I'm keeping the Denver Nuggets in the "title contender" category, despite it being a little iffy, because they were in the NBA's final four last season and still have a top-15 player on the roster. The Nuggets are clearly missing elements to generate consistency, and are in need of shooting and scoring options to supplement Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.

3. Which likely lottery team most needs to make a move?

MacMahon: It's time for a roster reset in Orlando, which looks likely to finish with top-five lottery odds after squeaking into the playoffs the past two seasons. According to a source, Evan Fournier has made it clear that he has no intention to re-sign with the Magic as a free agent this summer, so Orlando might as well get something in return for a player efficiently averaging 19.1 points per game. Gordon, who has a season remaining on his contract, is commanding a lot of interest.

Marks: I don't want to say that Orlando has to make a move, but the Magic have the trade pieces to retool their roster and start planning toward next season. The Magic have been decimated this season by injuries and are headed to the lottery as a result. Because of his expiring contract, Fournier is more of a short-term rental but could help a playoff team looking for additional shooting. The time is now if Orlando is looking to maximize its return in a deal for Gordon, who is under contract through 2021-22.

Young: The Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Presti is in the middle of reconfiguring the roster, but there are a few veteran players whom other teams might value. Al Horford could be tough to move because of his remaining salary, but George Hill and Mike Muscala are very available and could be considerable boosts to good teams. And no, Presti would not say he has enough future draft picks already.

Bontemps: The Orlando Magic have typically been hesitant to make any significant moves. That needs to change this year. Fournier is on an expiring contract, and Gordon plays the same position as injured forward Jonathan Isaac. Both should be traded by Thursday to allow this team a chance to actually rebuild, rather than stay on the treadmill of fighting for the 8-seed.

Goldsberry: Even after shipping out P.J. Tucker, Houston is still sitting on some tradable contracts that could not only help contenders but could also fetch return pieces to fuel the Rockets' rebuild. Shipping out Oladipo, Danuel House or even Eric Gordon could help Houston eventually pull itself out of this post-Harden nightmare.

4. What is a trade (or type of trade) you most want to see happen?

Marks: I want to see Dallas take a swing and acquire Andre Drummond. This Mavericks team can beat the best on any given night, but I am concerned if Kristaps Porzingis can hold up for the remainder of the season. The time to find help for Luka Doncic is now, not in the offseason. The Mavericks could offer Cleveland the expiring contract of James Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein, but the challenge comes in cobbling together an additional $3 million in salary with a player who is not part of the rotation. A combination of Johnson and Dwight Powell works, but Cleveland would be inheriting the $11.1 million owed to Powell in 2021-22 and 2022-23. With Jarrett Allen likely to command a salary close to $20 million in free agency, taking on Powell without the help of a third team should be a nonstarter for the Cavaliers.

Young: Oladipo to Denver. The Nuggets would need to match salary, so it would need to be Gary Harris and an incentivizing young player for the Rockets such as RJ Hampton or Zeke Nnaji. But the Nuggets are in a window with Jokic and Murray and need to maximize the opportunity. They have slipped some this season after running to the West finals and we all know time is short in the NBA. A healthy-ish Oladipo could bump the Nuggets firmly back into the championship conversation.

Bontemps: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Talen Horton-Tucker for Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Hawks need defense, and will get that in both KCP and THT (plus it was fun to write those abbreviated names back-to-back). The Lakers, meanwhile, need another creator and shot-maker, and Bogdanovic would provide both. Plus he'd be able to start long-term for them, something he'd like. He'd also give a team facing a lot of difficult financial decisions this summer some cost certainty, given he's under contract for the next three seasons.

Goldsberry: Miami getting another star before the stretch run. The Heat have emerged as a defensive powerhouse, but their offense just hasn't clicked this season. Whether it's Lowry, Oladipo or some other player, I would love to see the Heat import another star who could propel this group back into contention and make the East even more fascinating.

MacMahon: The Nuggets are a cut below contender status now, but maybe that can change if Denver uses one of its intriguing developmental players to make an immediate upgrade. It makes sense for the Nuggets to be aggressive even if it's just a rental. When you have a player performing at an MVP level, as Nikola Jokic is, you must be in win-now mode.

5. What's your bold trade deadline prediction?

Young: Toronto blows it up. It's been a long time coming, but with their aging and expensive core, the Raptors need to pivot to what they hope is an abbreviated rebuild. Lowry is a Raptors legend, but his time will come to an end and he will move along to another Eastern team to make a run at another Finals.

Bontemps: Lowry gets traded. After losing eight games in a row, it's hard to argue Toronto is a realistic contender to make noise in the East. As a result, the Raptors should move Lowry to a contender and allow themselves a chance to quickly pivot around their young core of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.

Goldsberry: Boston doesn't get a deal done. The Celtics are .500 and need help especially in their frontcourt. However, this front office is quickly earning a reputation for the deals it doesn't make, and the trade deadline is a notoriously tough time to acquire meaningful new pieces at fair prices. The Celtics might be looking to add pieces, but they won't allow themselves to get fleeced. In turn, they will end up empty-handed.

MacMahon: The Celtics, leery of paying luxury tax for a team that entered the week at .500, don't find a fit for their massive trade exception. Harrison Barnes would make a lot of sense, but the Kings shouldn't move him unless they get a significant return.

Marks: Lowry gets traded to Philadelphia for a package of Danny Green, Mike Scott, Vincent Poirier, Thybulle and the 76ers' 2023 unprotected first-round pick.

With Opening Day right around the corner, we wanted to figure out who will be the best players of the 2021 MLB season.

To create our annual MLB Rank list of the top 100 players in the sport, we presented a panel of ESPN baseball experts with multiple pairings of the biggest names in the game and asked simply, "Which player will be better in 2021?"

The middle portion of our list -- Nos. 50-26 -- features seven shortstops, a pair of former Cy Young Award winners who crossed paths in the 2020 World Series, and an outfielder whose blockbuster free-agent signing was among this offseason's most significant moves. Alongside each player below, you'll find a relevant stat or storyline to put his position on the list into context.

On Monday, we revealed Nos. 100-51, featuring rising stars like reigning National League Rookie of the Year Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers and a trio of young hitters in Chicago -- Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez -- who help make the White Sox one of the American League's most exciting teams.

On Wednesday, we'll conclude our three-part series with a top 25 countdown.

More: Nos. 100-51 | Who's next? (ESPN+) | 2020 rankings

50. Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

2020 rank: 94

Why he's here: Ryu continued his rise into the conversation of the best starters in the major leagues during his first season with the Blue Jays. He posted a 2.69 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 12 starts in 2020 and helped to justify the hefty four-year, $80 million deal Toronto handed the 33-year-old lefty after a breakout 2019 campaign in L.A.. Much of Toronto's hope of leaping to contender status in the AL this season lies upon the shoulders of Ryu. -- Joon Lee

49. Gleyber Torres, SS, New York Yankees

2020 rank: 32

Why he's here: Torres had an underwhelming 2020, particularly in terms of defense and his physical conditioning. The 24-year-old, who looks to reclaim his spot among the most talked about young talent in baseball, played only 42 games last year due to a strained left quadriceps and left hamstring, hitting three homers with 16 RBIs, and committing nine errors. -- Marly Rivera

48. Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

2020 rank: 20

Why he's here: After bashing an all-time rookie record 53 home runs in 2019 and becoming an instant fan favorite, the "Polar Bear" wasn't quite as prodigious in 2020 with 16 in 57 games as he started slowly (before heating up with 10 home runs in September). With a better start in 2021, look for him to chase 50 again. -- David Schoenfield

47. Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox

2020 rank: 27

Why he's here: The Red Sox expect Devers to be one of the team's offensive linchpins as the third baseman enters his fifth season in the majors. Devers struggled in his first 15 games of 2020, hitting .175, but looked more to form over the last 41, hitting .291. If Boston hopes to make the playoffs, it will need the 24-year-old to look more like he did in 2019, when he hit .311/.361/.555 with 32 homers and 115 RBIs.-- Lee

46. Luis Castillo, SP, Cincinnati Reds

2020 rank: 55

Why he's here: Few pitchers have the raw arsenal that Castillo features. He gets so much attention for his changeup, which is one of the game's bet, that you sometimes forget that last season, Castillo also averaged over 97 mph on his four-seamer. He also commands those tools. Last season, only five qualifiers yielded a lower rate of barrels than Castillo and only three gave up a lower average launch angle. -- Bradford Doolittle

45. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

2020 rank: 64

Why he's here: Maybe he's no longer the MVP candidate he was with the Diamondbacks (two seconds and a third), but he's still one of the best all-around first basemen and hit .304/.417/.466 in 2020. He had a career-low strikeout rate, perhaps sacrificing some power for a higher batting average. -- Schoenfield

44. Javier Baez, SS, Chicago Cubs

2020 rank: 21

Why he's here: It could be a pressure-filled season for Baez if he doesn't sign a long-term contract with the team this spring. He'll be a free agent after this season and should rebound from a horrendous 2020 showing. His inability to take walks puts the onus on him to slug. One positive is his defense almost never suffers when he slumps at the plate. -- Jesse Rogers

43. Jose Abreu, 1B, Chicago White Sox

2020 rank: Not ranked Why he's here: Abreu has become the heart and soul of the emerging White Sox, a status he has reached with his personality every bit as much as his performance. And the latter is nothing to sneeze at. Last season, Abreu won his second straight RBI crown en route to winning the AL MVP award. He's entering his age-34 season and Chicago has young corner prospects like Andrew Vaughn and Jake Burger waiting in the wings. Yet if the mark of an aging masher is slowing bat speed, Abreu's 2020 season suggested that is going to age gracefully. -- Doolittle

42. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox

2020 rank: 28

Why he's here: Once ranked the top prospect in all of baseball, Bogaerts has lived up to the massive hype that preceded him by becoming one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball and anchoring the Boston lineup in 2020 with a 300/.364/.502 line including 11 homers in 56 games. At 28 years old, Bogaerts finds himself a leader in the Red Sox clubhouse as one of the last centerpieces remaining from the 2018 World Series champion squad. -- Lee

41. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

2020 rank: 95

Why he's here: Seventy-five games into his major league career, Bichette, who just turned 23 this month, has already compiled 44 extra-base hits -- just 10 fewer than the record for a player's first 75 games, set by Joe DiMaggio. He was OPS'ing 1.063 through his first 14 games before sustaining a knee injury last year, then struggled upon returning with the COVID-19-shortened season winding down. A full season of full health could be a lot of fun for Blue Jays fans. -- Gonzalez

40. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Atlanta Braves

2020 rank: Not ranked

Why he's here: The Braves love him so much at the plate, they don't mind sending him out to left field -- at least until the DH returns to the NL. He thrived in 2020 and is likely to do so again simply because he's one of those professional hitters whose slumps don't last very long. Plus, the Braves' lineup is dynamic, meaning he doesn't have to carry the team at the plate. A big contract received this past winter will allow Ozuna to relax and do what he does best: rake. -- Rogers

39. Tyler Glasnow, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

2020 rank: 66

Why he's here: We've seen glimpses of dominance from the 6-foot-8 right-hander with the upper 90s fastball and wipeout curveball. He had a 1.78 ERA in 12 starts in 2019 and fanned 91 batters in 57⅓ innings in 2020, but hasn't put it together over a full season and wasn't great in the 2020 postseason despite the Rays' World Series run (6.28 ERA). This ranking predicts it all comes together. -- Schoenfield

38. Jack Flaherty, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

2020 rank: 22

Why he's here: Flaherty looked like a statistical doppleganger for peak-level Bob Gibson for much of the 2019 season. So when he morphed into a replacement-level hurler in 2020, it was a bit of a jolt. But the metrics on his stuff looked largely the same from his breakout season, even if the results on it did not. Flaherty still battles his command more than you'd expect from an ace. Still, we've seen how good Flaherty is at his best, which is as good as anyone. The Cardinals need that guy to return badly in 2021 in a rotation that otherwise looks more professional than dynamic. -- Doolittle

37. Yu Darvish, SP, San Diego Padres

2020 rank: 80

Why he's here: The only question regarding Darvish in 2021 is the change of scenery as he was traded from the Cubs to the Padres in the offseason. This came just after Darvish had finally achieved a comfort level in Chicago because he was allowed to pitch how he wanted: Backward and slow.

His cutter was a difference-maker in his Cy Young-runner-up 2020 and there's no reason he won't go to it again. His last 18 months is the best the baseball world has seen of Darvish in his career. -- Rogers

36. Blake Snell, SP, San Diego Padres

2020 rank: 26

Why he's here: We don't know if Snell, 28, will ever recapture his 2018 Cy Young form. But what he is regardless -- a pitcher who has averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.53 FIP from 2017 to 2020 -- is plenty good enough. Opposing hitters barreled 9.8% of Snell's pitches last season, according to FanGraphs, easily a career high. But we might be able to chalk that up to the randomness of small samples.

Snell still produced a 3.24 ERA in 50 regular-season innings and was cruising against the mighty Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series before that infamous quick hook. With the Padres, he hopes for the opportunity to consistently pitch deeper into games. -- Gonzalez

35. Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves

2020 rank: 46

Why he's here: Still just 24, Albies was an All-Star in 2018 and the NL hits leader in 2019. His 10.4 WAR since 2018 ranks third among second basemen, even though he missed time in 2020 with a wrist injury. The switch-hitter was improved from the left side in 2020, a sign that he might raise his game to an even higher level. -- Schoenfield

34. Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros.h2>

2020 rank: 49

Why he's here: The 2021 season is a crucial one for Correa, whose status as one of baseball's super-class of elite shortstops remains intact. Still, as Correa heads into a walk year, his career to date looks like one in which a superstar talent has left some untapped potential on the table. Correa's performance in the weird 2020 season was his worst yet as his OPS+ dipped to just 92.

Over his career, Correa has lost a lot of time to injuries during his slow buildup to free agency. In fact, Correa's age-21 season in 2016 is the only one in which he has posted a full season's worth of plate appearances. Few players have more on the line during the coming season than Correa. -- Doolittle

33. Tim Anderson, SS, Chicago White Sox

2020 rank: Not ranked

Why he's here: So dynamic, so charismatic and a throwback at the plate with his high batting average and low walk totals, Anderson is the engine that drives the White Sox by setting up RBI chances for one of the most dangerous middle of the orders in the game. Expect Anderson to vie for another batting title after he hit .322 in 2020 and led the AL with a .335 mark in 2019. -- Rogers

32. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2020 rank: 48

Why he's here: Kershaw was still highly productive despite dwindling fastball velocity, posting a 2.89 ERA and a 4.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 339⅔ innings from 2018 to 2019. Last year, his drawn-out quest to tap back into some lost velocity finally paid off. He averaged 92 mph on his fastball, more than enough to be dominant again. In 89 innings in 2020, including the postseason, Kershaw boasted a 2.43 ERA with 99 strikeouts and 13 walks. He capped it with a long-elusive World Series championship. The rest is all gravy now. -- Gonzalez

31. Lucas Giolito, SP, Chicago White Sox

2020 rank: 71

Why he's here: While Giolito started off his career on a rocky note, looking like one of the game's worst starting pitchers in 2018 when he posted a 6.13 ERA, he now belongs among baseball's best after two straight strong seasons atop the White Sox's rotation. Giolito, 26, He posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 12 starts in 2020, including a dominant no-hitter against the Pittsburgh PIrates. -- Lee

30. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals

2020 rank: 16

Why he's here: The 2019 World Series MVP made just two starts in 2020 after undergoing carpal tunnel surgery, but he's confident the injury (which created numbness in his pitching hand) is behind him. He had one of his best seasons in 2019, leading the NL with 18 wins and 209 innings and finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting. -- Schoenfield

29. Matt Chapman, 3B, Oakland Athletics

2020 rank: 18

Why he's here: Chapman languished through most of the shortened season, then underwent season-ending hip surgery in September. Before that, he was on a track to becoming one of the game's most productive players on both sides of the field. From 2018 to 2019, in his first two full seasons in the big leagues, Chapman posted an .855 OPS and accumulated 29 outs above average, second only to Nolan Arenado among third basemen. -- Gonzalez

28. George Springer, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

2020 rank: 37

Why he's here: Springer will benefit from the hitters around him in a potent Toronto lineup, but he'll have some pressure to perform after inking a $150 million deal this offseason. He's not likely to be an MVP candidate, but a consistent performer at the plate who plays strong defense is almost a guarantee assuming he stays healthy. -- Rogers

27. J.T. Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies

2020 rank: 23

Why he's here: After an eventful spin around the free-agent bazaar this winter, Realmuto ended up where he started, inking a five-year, $115.5 million deal to remain with the Phillies. The contract reflects Realmuto's status as the game's best catcher, the scarcity of full-time backstops in today's game and the full array of his skills. Realmuto might not be the game's best catcher in any particular category, but no one else blends such an array of high-level abilities at the position. Realmuto is athletic enough and hits well enough to periodically slide over to first base or DH, as he will surely do more and more as the years wear on and his ability to catch every day starts to wane. -- Doolittle

26. Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals

2020 rank: 60

Why he's here: If he plays like he did in the shortened 2020 season, Turner will belong a lot higher than No. 26 on this list. He hit .335/.394/.588 and bashed 12 home runs in 59 games (his career high is 19). As one of the fastest players in the game, Turner has a chance to go 25-25 (home runs and steals) in 2021 and is on the short list of most exciting players in the game. -- Schoenfield

Toss England chose to bowl vs India

India gave ODI debuts to spinning allrounder Krunal Pandya and fast bowler Prasidh Krishna in Pune, where they were asked to bat first after Eoin Morgan won the toss.

"It looks a good wicket, there's a lot of grass on it, more than we probably expected," Morgan said. "It's a lovely ground, change of format and we're looking forward to it."

England brought Moeen Ali into their team, giving them a second spin option, alongside Adil Rashid, Mark Wood and the Curran brothers. Sam Billings was also involved after sitting out the T20I series, while Ben Stokes, playing his first ODI since the World Cup final, was carded to bat at No. 3 in the absence of Joe Root.

India's captain, Virat Kohli, said that he had wanted to his team to have first use of a "beautiful" batting surface.

"Very happy, to be honest," he said. "Slightly different plans today for us. This outfield is very soft and we actually wanted to put them into the field first. It's a beautiful wicket to bat on, very hard and a nice covering of grass, so I think its' a great opportunity to put some runs on the board."

The presence of two uncapped bowling options for India meant no room for KL Rahul or T Natarajan, while Kuldeep Yadav was preferred to Yuzvendra Chahal as the team's wristspinner.

The three-match ODI series, with points for the World Cup Super League at stake, will conclude England's tour of India, after the hosts won the Test and T20I encounters.

India: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Prasidh Krishna

England: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Sam Billings, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood

Western Australia 317 (Inglis 91, Whiteman 66, S Marsh 54, Merlo 5-71) beat Victoria 147 (Harper 60, Paris 4-21, O'Connor 3-35) by 170 runs

Western Australia put themselves in contention for the Marsh Cup final, and a chance to defend their title, with a massive 170-run victory over Victoria which earned a double-bonus point haul to lift them to second in the table with a game to play.

There were three half-centuries for the home side, led by Josh Inglis' increasingly destructive 91 off 57 deliveries, although they were bowled out in the 49th over as Jonathan Merlo claimed a five-wicket haul.

In reply Victoria were handily placed on 2 for 103 in the 19th over, but when captain Peter Handscomb flicked to midwicket the innings fell apart rapidly as they lost 8 for 44.

To further boost Western Australia they are likely to be able to call on their cohort of Australia players not heading to the IPL - Josh Philippe, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, D'Arcy Short and Ashton Turner - for the final match against Tasmania next month. They were required to quarantine for 14 days after returning from New Zealand and completed that period today.

After losing Cameron Bancroft early, Sam Whiteman and Shaun Marsh added 98 for the second wicket to lay the foundation. However, Western Australia stumbled when Cameron Green and Marsh fell in the space of three balls to Merlo - Green superbly caught by Sam Harper and Marsh also edging behind.

But they continued to be positive with Inglis and Hilton Cartwright adding 67 then Aaron Hardie joined Inglis to add 61 was the innings entered the last 10 overs with five wickets in hand.

A crunching straight drive for six took Inglis to his fifty from 42 balls and his next 36 runs took just 15 deliveries to bring a century in sight before he missed against Merlo. In all, Western Australia's last five wickets fell for 42,

Matt Kelly made the first breakthrough of the chase with a beauty from round the wicket to square up Marcus Harris and in the next over Nic Maddinson pulled straight to short fine leg.

Harper and Handscomb made good progress but Green took a sharp catch at midwicket to end the stand which opened the floodgates and the game hurtled to a conclusion just 12 overs later.

There had been a worrying moment during the Western Australia innings when Mackenzie Harvey hurtled into the wall and fence beyond the boundary as he attempted to stop a four. He was assessed by the physio and doctor, with Inglis running over to make sure he was okay, and was able to take his spot in Victoria's innings although fell for 6 in the collapse.

Steven Gerrard said he was surprised by England coach Gareth Southgate's decision to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold from the squad for their World Cup qualifiers and described the Liverpool defender as the "best English right-back in the country."

Alexander-Arnold was left out of Southgate's 26-man squad last week for this month's 2022 World Cup qualifying matches against San Marino, Albania and Poland.

The 22-year-old has been a regular in the England squad since breaking into the side ahead of the 2018 World Cup but Southgate said his form had cost him his spot.

- World Cup qualifiers on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games, replays
- FC 100: Alexander-Arnold ranked best in the world in 2020

Southgate has an abundance of options at right-back and named Manchester City's Kyle Walker, Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier and Chelsea's Reece James for the upcoming games.

Rangers manager Gerrard, who spent 17 seasons at Liverpool as a player, said the defender needed support to get him back on track.

"I think Trent is the best English right-back in the country," former England midfielder Gerrard told British media.

"One thing I've learnt from being a player is you can't always be 10 out of 10. When you do come off, you need that support, love and attention from your manager more than anyone else.

"So I was surprised by the decision but that's my opinion and my opinion is not important in this. Gareth Southgate makes the decisions there. I don't necessarily agree with that decision, but I'm not the England manager."

On the other side of England's defence, Ben Chilwell has said he hopes his switch to a wing-back role at Chelsea could boost his chances of being included the starting line-up for this month's qualifiers.

Chilwell has thrived under new Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who has deployed a 3-5-2 formation with Chilwell playing as a left wing-back instead of his usual position on the left side of a back four.

"If you look at the formation England are playing, the formation we're playing here at the moment [at Chelsea] gives us the best possible chance to get used to playing in the positions that England want us to play in," Chilwell, who was named as part of Southgate's 26-man squad, told British media.

"Hopefully that gives us a good chance going into the summer -- that we can be used."

England host San Marino on Thursday before playing away against Albania on Sunday and at home against Poland on March 31 in the qualifiers.

The former Leicester City defender said he was also looking forward to competing against Manchester United's Luke Shaw for a spot in the team for the Euros in June.

"Going into the Euros, if me and Luke are battling it out and trying to prove who's having the best club form going into the tournament, that's only a positive," he said.

By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

New Zealand’s Paul Coll and Welshman Joel Makin are the only two non-Egyptians to win through to the quarter-finals of the CIB PSA Black Ball Open.

Makin earned his place by beating Mazen Hesham in straight games, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5. The 26-year-old was consistent and played an accurate game to reach his second successive quarter final of this PSA World Tour Platinum event at the Black Ball Sporting Club. He will face training partner Mohamed ElShorbagy, the world No.2, in the last eight.

“I thought that was a lot better today,” said Makin. “I got a much better weight of line and got across the middle a little bit more, so that was a lot better.

“You have to be careful against Mazen. I knew that if I wasn’t playing well or I wasn’t sharp or a bit negative then he would hit winners from everywhere, so I had to step up and I thought it made a big difference.

“That’s the fifth quarter final now, and I’ve made one semi-final. The quality of my squash just needs to improve. I’m getting there at times and I’m beating higher ranked players but it needs to consistent.

“I need to be confident taking it in and initiating from the start, not doing what I did yesterday – we haven’t played for a long time, but it needs to be better than that. I’m happy with today and that’s the sort of quality I want to play.

“I’m going to sit in the room for another 24 hours. Get some mobility, some food and protein and a stretch and that’s about it for the rest of the day.”

Coll’s much-anticipated clash with French veteran Gregory Gaultier lived up to expectations. Coll finally got the better of the 38-year-old Frenchman but the world No.4 dropped the third game as Gaultier slowed the game down and controlled the tempo.

Coll finally won through 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4 after 69 minutes of high-quality play and will meet Marwan ElShorbagy in the quarter-finals after the World No.6 defeated fellow Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim.

Coll said: “That was one of the highlights of my career. I look up to Gaultier a lot and that moment at the end when he just gave me a pat on the head there, that was huge for me.

“I loved every second out there. I went and trained with him early in my career, he taught me a lot and he taught me some more lessons today.

“The way he controlled me in that third game … he slowed it down but he slowed it so accurately and turned me. I just couldn’t inject the pace that I wanted to and it made me go into a negative state where he picked me off. It was a good lesson, and a class performance to be out there with him.

“It is going to be another tough battle. Marwan is a different player to Greg just now, but as good as any out there on his day. It will be a tough battle as it always is, but I am really looking forward to going out there tomorrow. I loved every second tonight and I can’t wait to be out there dancing.”

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Marwan’s brother Mohamed, making a rare appearance on Egyptian soil, will face his regular training partner Makin after the world No.2 made it 10 wins in a row over Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal.

The 30-year-old ElShorbagy, who is appearing at his first tournament in Egypt since June 2019, won 12-10, 11-9, 11-2 and said: “Saurav always plays well against me, even though our head-to-head is crazy in my favour.

“I think the last time I lost to him was in 2008, which is a crazy record to have against someone of his calibre. The last two matches we had we went to a tie-break in the fifth and then a tie-break in the third, so I knew I had to dig in deep in the first two games and win those big crucial points, which I did, and I am thankful for that.”

World No.18 Zahed Salem will appear in the quarter-finals of a PSA World Tour Platinum event for the first time in his career after he beat Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet.

Salem, from Alexandria, defeated 2018 champion Karim Abdel Gawad in the last round after he was forced to retire due to injury, and he came from a game down to overcome Castagnet, winning 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 to set up a last eight fixture with World Champion Tarek Momen, who ended Greg Marche’s excellent run of form.

Salem said: “Castagnet is a very tough player. He’s a former World No.6 and we’ve always had very tough games.

“It’s my first time beating him. I think he’s beaten me four times, so I’m happy to get the win today.

“Today is the first time I have played this well in Egypt. I always lose in the first round or maybe in the second round. I’ve never had a good performance in Egypt, but I’m proud to win and get through and play tomorrow in the quarters.”

World No.1 Ali Farag had to come from behind to overcome world junior champion Mostafa Asal in an absorbing contest.

Asal, the World No.12, was unstoppable in the opening game as he overpowered Farag who, at 28, is nine years Asal’s senior. However, Farag’s big match experience paid off as he weathered the storm and absorbed Asal’s pace to avoid an upset against his teenage opponent.

“Playing Mohamed Abouelghar in the second round and then potentially either Asal or Declan James in the third round, I knew I had a tough task at hand,” said Farag.

“I keep telling Nour [El Tayeb, Farag’s wife] that I haven’t lost before the quarter-finals since El Gouna in 2017, so I didn’t want to break that record here. That was the first goal of the tournament and now that is done, it is time to focus on the quarters.”

Farag continues his tournament against defending champion Fares Dessouky next after Dessouky got the better of former World No.3 Omar Mosaad.

Men’s 2021 CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open, Black Ball Sporting Club, Cairo, Egypt.

Third Round:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Mostafa Asal (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-8 (60m)
[7] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-6 (36m)
Zahed Salem (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 3-1: 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (59m)
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9 (56m)
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 3-1: 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4 (69m)
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 (47m)
[8] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 (42m)
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-2 (49m)

Quarter-Finals (March 23):
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [7] Fares Dessouky (EGY)
Zahed Salem (EGY) v [3] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[8] Joel Makin (WAL) v [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)

Pictures courtesy of PSA

Former Wales wing Shane Williams says social media abuse of Liam Williams in the wake of the 32-30 Six Nations loss in France was "an absolute disgrace".

Wales were leading at that stage and he was later the subject of online abuse.

"These keyboard warriors that sit behind their computers and phones doing this, there's never any repercussions," said Shane Williams.

"They get told 'it's wrong, you shouldn't be saying that' and that's it - and I've had it before in my rugby career.

"It was not as bad (when I played) as it is now, because we didn't have Twitter and Instagram, but I think it's an absolute disgrace some of the abuse these players have had."

The Welsh Rugby Union has called for a halt to such abuse and Shane Williams echoed those sentiments along with Liam Williams' Scarlets boss Glenn Delaney and the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA).

Shane Williams, Wales' record try-scorer, told BBC Radio Wales: "I think it's personal attacks on players.

"Liam Williams and the rest of that squad put their heart and soul into that match, they gave absolutely everything for 80 minutes.

"We talk about online abuse and people safeguarding their lives. However, these keyboard warriors never have any repercussions."

Players have 'done Wales proud'

Two-time Wales Grand Slam-winning lock Ian Gough was critical of social media platforms and said more discussions are needed to reduce online abuse.

"You don't expect it, these players have done us so proud," said Gough.

"The last thing you expect is your own fans to throw out abuse, it shouldn't be accepted, it's not on, and discussions need to be had.

"I don't agree with mass censorship but there needs to be boundaries.

"Social media shouldn't be that sort of arena, it was never designed to be that, and there needs to be big discussions."

The WRPA called for legislative change for social media platforms, stating: "The WRPA stands with our members against online abuse of any kind

"We are proud of every one of our members who put a shirt on and puts their body on the line for our beloved sport.

"It is totally disgusting and abhorrent that once again we are seeing abuse of this kind.

"We provide training for our members on how to respond and react to online abuse and we are also there to support our members on any well being issues in relation to abuse.

"We will continue to lobby with our partners and other bodies across the sporting landscape to see improved legislative change on the tech organisations running social media platforms."

'Life's too short for bitterness'

Scarlets boss Delaney said: "I think we should all be kind to each other.

"It's a catchphrase isn't it? Life's too short for bitterness and in a place of work everyone's trying really hard and I was gutted like everyone was on Saturday.

"There's no fault or blame anywhere.

"You know, he's [Liam Williams] a great man, we love him to bits and our view is he's a great bloke doing a great job and playing at the top of his game, and that's probably all I'm going to say."

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Forty-four tough truckers will attempt to qualify for Saturday night’s Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The 150-lap event will carry on the tradition of dirt-track racing in the Truck Series, which began at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway in 2013 and continued at Eldora through 2019.

Last year’s dirt race for the Truck Series was scrubbed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year’s schedule features a pair of dirt events – this weekend’s run at Bristol and a July race at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway.

The lineup for the 250-lap feature at the .533-mile dirt-covered Bristol oval will be set through four heat races, with 35 drivers transferring into the big show based on a combination of heat-race finish points and passing points earned for spots gained during each 15-lap heat.

The final five positions in the 40-truck field will be set by provisionals awarded through the current car owner standings, with a past champion’s provisional available if necessary.

Saturday’s entry list features seven full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers – Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. – as well as NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Myatt Snider.

Five of the seven prior dirt Truck Series winners at Eldora – Wallace (2014), Larson (2016), Matt Crafton (2017), Briscoe (2018) and Stewart Friesen (2019) – are among the entries for Saturday’s race.

Kyle Busch Motorsports’ John Hunter Nemechek, the driver of the No. 4 Toyota, is the point leader entering the Bristol dirt race. His best dirt-track finish in the Truck Series was fifth at Eldora in 2017.

Two entries – the No. 34 Chevrolet for Reaume Brothers Racing and No. 41 Chevrolet for Cram Enterprises – remain with drivers yet to be announced.

Saturday’s Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start, with live coverage on FS1, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt Entry List

(44 entries as of March 22)

Car No. – Driver – Team

1 – Hailie Deegan – David Gilliland Racing
2 – Sheldon Creed – GMS Racing
02 – Daniel Suarez – Young’s Motorsports
3 – JR Heffner – Jordan Anderson Racing
4 – John Hunter Nemechek – Kyle Busch Motorsports
04 – Chase Briscoe – Roper Racing
6 – Norm Benning – Norm Benning Racing
9 – Codie Rohrbaugh – CR7 Motorsports
10 – Jennifer Jo Cobb – Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing
11 – Bubba Wallace – Spencer Davis Motorsports
12 – Tate Fogleman – Young’s Motorsports
13 – Johnny Sauter – ThorSport Racing
15 – Tanner Gray – David Gilliland Racing
16 – Austin Hill – Hattori Racing Enterprises
17 – Kevin Harvick – David Gilliland Racing
18 – Chandler Smith – Kyle Busch Motorsports
19 – Derek Kraus – McAnally Hilgemann Racing
20 – Spencer Boyd – Young’s Motorsports
21 – Zane Smith – GMS Racing
22 – Austin Wayne Self – AM Racing
23 – Chase Purdy – GMS Racing
24 – Raphael Lessard – GMS Racing
25 – Timothy Peters – Rackley W.A.R.
26 – Tyler Ankrum – GMS Racing
30 – Danny Bohn – On Point Motorsports
33 – Myatt Snider – Reaume Brothers Racing
34 – TBA – Reaume Brothers Racing
38 – Todd Gilliland – Front Row Motorsports
39 – Ryan Newman – Diversified Custom Concepts
40 – Ryan Truex – Niece Motorsports
41 – TBA – Cram Enterprises
42 – Carson Hocevar – Niece Motorsports
44 – Kyle Larson – Niece Motorsports
45 – Brett Moffitt – Niece Motorsports
49 – Andrew Gordon – CMI Motorsports
51 – Martin Truex Jr. – Kyle Busch Motorsports
52 – Stewart Friesen – Halmar Friesen Racing
56 – Mike Marlar – Hill Motorsports
62 – Jessica Friesen – Halmar Friesen Racing
75 – Parker Kligerman – Henderson Motorsports
83 – Trevor Collins – CMI Motorsports
88 – Matt Crafton – ThorSport Racing
98 – Grant Enfinger – ThorSport Racing
99 – Ben Rhodes – ThorSport Racing

HUMBOLDT, Kan. — A funny thing happened on the way to King of America X powered by Summit.

In January, USMTS officials announced the schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s. With more than $300,000 earmarked just for the winners from the more than $1 million in prize money up for grabs this season, 26 of the 36 race nights pay at least $10,000 to win while the other 10 carry a $5,000 top prize.

With this week’s tenth running of the King of America Modified Nationals, some felt that the crown jewel event may become just another race with the same top prize dangling at the end of the fishing pole.

Joe Duvall was one of those people.

“Since 2011, the King of America has been one of the big ones every year for the USMTS,” Duvall said. “I want to keep the KOA one of the big ones. I want to make it a $20,000-to-win race.”

Duvall, who owns and operates Duvall Electric — a world-class electrical contractor headquartered in Claremore, Okla. — started by throwing in the first $1,000 and began hustling to raise money for the race.

Then, Humboldt Speedway promoter Ryan Whitworth matched Duvall’s investment and S&S Fishing & Rental owner Shane Sprinkle matched them both. Suddenly there was four grand in the bag.

“Then it started rolling.”

By the time racers begin rolling into the Humboldt Speedway this Wednesday, March 24, for practice night, it’s estimated that the 2020 Crown Jewel Preservation Project will put an additional $20,000 in the pockets of those who squeeze their heads into a helmet and pull the seatbelts tight this weekend.

How’s that for priceless?

The King of America X finale this Saturday, March 27, now pays $20,000 to win and $1,000 to start (up from $750 to start). And it’s all thanks to the financial contributions and support from the following five-star sponsors:

Duvall Electric, Whitworth Construction, S&S Fishing & Rental, Diva Dogs, Hacienda Mechanical, Texas Locomotive Solutions, Laundromat Bar & Grill, Mayes Plumbing, Kaw Valley Companies, Trails End Ranch, Rick Beebe Heating & Air, Collins Brothers Towing, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, VanderBuilt Race Cars, TP Fabrication, Wichita Tire & Alignment, KEVKO Oil Pans & Racing Components, Canoe Creek Sheep Farm, Fat Girl Transport, Wichita Tank Racing and Sevens Restaurant & Steakhouse, which is offering $777 to the first driver failing to get into the big dance. Fast Shafts will be awarding a new carbon fiber driveshaft to the winner.

NEW YORK -- Rasmus Asplund, Dylan Cozens and Jeff Skinner scored for Buffalo, on a rare night where the Sabres showed some offensive skill, but it wasn't enough in a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday.

The defeat dropped Buffalo to 0-12-2 in its past 14 games, which matches the NHL's longest skid since the Sabres went 0-14-0 midway through the 2014-15 season.

New York's Keith Kinkaid, who began the season in the AHL, became yet another goalie to stop the Sabres, making 16 saves in his second consecutive start for the Rangers.

The Sabres went 0-for-2 with an anemic power play unit, falling to 0-for-21 over their past 13 games, a major reason for the skid. They will look to end this run on Wednesday, when they take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

The Rangers, like most teams in the NHL's East Division this season, took advantage of Buffalo's woes. Chris Kreider scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal in the third period, to pace the home team.

Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft, also scored twice and Adam Fox had a goal and two assists as the Rangers won for the fourth time in six games (4-1-1) by beating the Sabres for the 10th time in the past 13 meetings. Artemi Panarin had three assists and Ryan Strome added two.

Carter Hutton started and made two saves for Buffalo before leaving 2:51 into the game after the Rangers' Julien Gauthier slid hard into him while being pushed by Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Dustin Tokarski, called up from the taxi squad earlier in the day, came on and finished with 33 saves.

With the Sabres trailing 3-1 after two periods, Cozens -- back after missing four games with an injury -- pulled them within one as he took a pass from Sam Reinhart and beat Kinkaid at 1:09 of the third.

Skinner tied it at 4:22 on a breakaway after a turnover by the Rangers as he skated up the middle and fired into the top-left corner for his third.

Kreider put New York back ahead just 1:25 later with his second power-play goal of the night as he batted the rebound of Strome's shot out of the air and past Tokarski for his 16th.

The Sabres pulled Tokarski for an extra skater with about 1:20 left, and Kakko added an empty-netter with 57.7 seconds left for his second of the night and fourth of the season to seal the win.

The Sabres came out aggressively in the second period, and Skinner had two chances early. On the first, he had a breakaway but Kinkaid made a sprawling save of his backhand try, knocking the puck up and off the crossbar. Less than 30 seconds later, Skinner had another chance on the right side but Kinkaid made another sprawling glove save.

Jacob Trouba then hit a post for the Rangers about 90 seconds into the period.

Asplund gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 3:52. Standing on the left side of the net when Riley Sheahan sent the puck from behind the cage toward him, Asplund knocked it down with his skate and quickly put it in while Kinkaid was looking for it on the other side. It was Asplund's second goal in six games this season.

Kakko tied it at 7:13. After a faceoff to Tokarski's left, Panarin brought the puck around the back of the net and sent a pass in front to Kakko. Tokarski made a pad save on his first try, but Kakko knocked in the rebound.

The Rangers had a 5-on-3 advantage for 19 seconds on overlapping penalties to Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Jacob Bryson. Seconds before the first penalty expired, Kreider deflected a pass from Panarin up into the top right corner with 9:21 left in the second.

Fox, playing in his 100th NHL game, made it 3-1 with 1:42 remaining on a Rangers rush as he knocked in the rebound of a shot by Mika Zibanajad for his third.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.