Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar, the UAE players who the ICC had found guilty of offences relating to attempted match-fixing during the 2019 T20 World Cup qualifying tournament, have been banned from all cricket for eight years each by the game's governing body. The bans have been backdated to October 16, 2019, when they were provisionally suspended.

Following a hearing and presentation of written and oral arguments, the ICC's anti-corruption tribunal found the two senior UAE players guilty of:

• Article 2.1.1 - for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match or matches at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.
• Article 2.4.4 - for failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.

Additionally, Naveed, the former UAE captain, was also found guilty of breaching two counts of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code for Participants of the T10 League 2019:

• Article 2.1.1 - for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match or matches at the T10 League 2019.
• Article 2.4.4 - for failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code at the T10 League 2019.

The two had been pronounced guilty of of corruption by the ICC in January this year.

"Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar represented their adopted country, the UAE at the highest level in cricket. Naveed was the captain and leading wicket taker. Anwar was the opening bat. Both had long international careers and were well versed in the threat from match fixers," Alex Marshall, the general manager of the ICC's integrity unit, said in a statement. "That they both chose to engage with this corrupt activity was a cynical betrayal of their positions, their teammates, and all supporters of UAE cricket.

"I am pleased that the independent Tribunal has imposed significant bans from all forms of cricket and this should serve as a warning to any cricketer who considers taking the wrong path."

In a statement released shortly after the ICC verdict became public, the ECB acknowledged the work done by the authorities, and reiterated that it remained "firm in its stance denouncing any activities of corruption and those undertaken by the players in this anti-corruption case".

As pointed out by Marshall, the two were among UAE's most experienced international cricketers. Anwar, just past his 42nd birthday, has been their highest run-getter across the ODI and T20I formats, and 33-year-old Naveed their most prolific wicket-taker in ODIs and second from top in T20Is..

Naveed and Anwar were charged under the ICC anti-corruption code in October 2019, and suspended days before the start of the qualifiers in the UAE. Naveed, who was UAE's captain at the time, was stood down from the post. At the time, Naveed had accepted that he had failed to report a suspicious approach during the tournament, but claimed he had ended the conversation when he realised the person he was meeting was a "fixer".

Bangladesh Emerging Team 184 for 7 (Towhid 58, Saif 48, Shamim 28, Chase 2-36) beat Ireland Wolves 154 (Tucker 38, Sumon 4-28, Tanvir 2-32, Aminul 2-37) by 30 runs

Sumon Khan, the 21-year-old medium pacer, fired the Bangladesh Emerging Team to a 30-run win in the only T20 fixture against the Ireland Wolves, ensuring that the visiting side leaves for home without a win in seven games.

The only match the Irish travellers didn't lose was the first 50-over game in Chattogram, which was called off after 30 overs following news that a member of the Wolves' XI - Ruhan Pretorius - had tested positive for Covid-19. As such, the tour was expected to include one more T20 game, but it had to be cancelled on account of Covid-19-related restrictions in Ireland about their transit country - UAE - on the flight home.

Batting first on the day at Dhaka's Shere Bangla National Stadium, Bangladesh made 184 for 7 in their 20 overs, with Towhid Hridoy top scoring with a 35-ball 58 from No. 5. He struck seven fours and a six in his innings, and added 52 runs for the fourth wicket with Saif Hassan, who made 48 off 36 with five fours and a six.

Shamim Hossain's cameo, however, was the most entertaining innings of the lot, as he hammered four sixes in an 11-ball 28 to take the home side to a strong total.

Khan took a wicket with the third ball of the Ireland chase when he removed Gareth Delany for a duck, after which Harry Tector and Stephen Doheny lifted the innings with a 45-run stand before falling in the space of six balls to leave Ireland 53 for 3 after eight overs.

Lorcan Tucker's 38 and Shane Getkate's 26* were useful hands, but with Khan returning 4 for 28 and both Tanvir Islam and Aminul Islam Biplob picking up two wickets each, the result was never in doubt.

The Wolves had earlier lost the only four-day game by an innings and 23 runs and the one-day series 4-0. They will leave for home from Dhaka on Wednesday.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota fired Richard Pitino on Monday after the men's basketball coach compiled a 54-96 regular-season record over eight years in the Big Ten and had only three conference finishes higher than 10th place.

The Golden Gophers went 14-15 this season, dropping 11 of their last 14 games. They were 0-10 on the road, one of only three major conference teams in the country without a road win.

Athletic director Mark Coyle was scheduled to address reporters on Tuesday morning. He called Pitino "a tremendous person and coach" in a statement distributed by the university.

"Decisions like this are never easy, but after evaluating this season and the previous eight years of our program under Richard, it is clear to me that new leadership is needed," Coyle said. "We have one of the best practice facilities in the nation, a historic competition venue and a state that produces top-caliber talent. This is an extremely attractive job."

Pitino wasn't available for comment, but he posted a thank-you message to Minnesota on Twitter on Monday night with a picture of him and his kids at Williams Arena.

"Always wanted to represent Minnesota the right way on a daily basis with class and integrity," Pitino tweeted. "Fired up for what the future holds!"

According to an Albuquerque Journal report, Pitino was among the finalists for the coaching vacancy at New Mexico. If he is hired elsewhere, Minnesota would be off the hook for a $1.7 million buyout, according to the language in his contract that had three years remaining. Payments will stop when Pitino gains "comparable employment," which is defined in the deal as an NCAA Division I head coach, a head or assistant coach of a professional team, administrator or director of an NCAA Division I program or a commentator for a national broadcasting company.

Coyle ought to have plenty of strong candidates to consider. Two sons of former Gophers head coaches, Eric Musselman (Arkansas) and Brian Dutcher (San Diego State), are proven program-builders with teams currently in the NCAA tournament. Craig Smith (Utah State) and Niko Medved (Colorado State) are Minnesota natives currently having success running mid-major programs. Then there's Gophers alum Ryan Saunders, who was fired last month as coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.

Hired at age 30 with one prior year of experience as a head coach at Florida International, Pitino guided the Gophers to an NIT championship in his first season. Only two NCAA tournament appearances followed, though, in 2017 and 2019.

The Gophers were primed to return to the Big Dance this season after beating Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan and Purdue -- ranked No. 5, No. 9, No. 4 and No. 20, respectively, in the AP poll for March 8 -- before injuries to starters Gabe Kalscheur and Liam Robbins accelerated another late-season slide.

The Gophers simply didn't make enough shots to keep up and had to work too hard to get them. In the Division I rankings as of Friday, they were 13th in 3-point attempts and 334th in 3-point percentage.

Quick-witted and even-tempered, Pitino never pretended to ignore public criticism. After a win over then-No. 6 Maryland in 2016, Pitino quipped he could "start going inside at Starbucks instead of going through the drive-through." He expressed the same peace after Minnesota lost Thursday in the Big Ten tournament, anticipating his postseason meeting with Coyle.

"We all have losses. That's OK. I do have a great relationship with Mark. If he gives me some bad news, that doesn't mean I'm going to flip a desk or anything," Pitino said.

Minnesota's best run under Pitino was in 2017, when a 7-0 record in February fueled a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten and a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Gophers were one-and-done. Two years later, they beat Louisville in the NCAA tournament to reach the second round.

The son of longtime college and pro coach Rick Pitino, who was the first to win NCAA championships at two different schools with Kentucky and Louisville, Richard Pitino was picked by previous Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague to replace Tubby Smith. The elder Pitino, now the coach at Iona, is back in the NCAA tournament this month as a No. 15 seed.

After striking out with Fred Hoiberg, Flip Saunders, Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens, Teague received a strong endorsement of Richard Pitino from Billy Donovan, the current NBA coach with the Chicago Bulls who had Pitino on his staff at Florida from 2009 to 2011.

Pitino and his wife and three children became fond of Minnesota despite East Coast roots, but he ultimately failed to forge a strong connection with the state's high school circuit, with Minnesota annually producing high-major prospects.

Sure, two of the best players from the 2019 team, Amir Coffey and Daniel Oturu, are both Minnesota natives and now with the NBA's LA Clippers. There were too many recruiting misses, though, that left the Gophers with little depth when injuries hit.

One of those whiffs came with the freshman class in 2017, when Pitino and his staff signed Isaiah Washington at point guard from New York and passed over Minnesota native McKinley Wright IV. Wright became the all-time assists leader at Colorado, where he was a three-time All-Pac-12 player. Washington transferred after two seasons with the Gophers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The NBA trade market had been quiet in 2021, but the unofficial tipoff to deadline season arrived last week. The Detroit Pistons sent Svi Mykhailiuk and a 2027 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Hamidou Diallo.

Two lottery-bound teams swapping bench players headed for restricted free agency isn't exactly a repeat of the James Harden blockbuster. And unfortunately for fans hoping for another move that will shake up the NBA title race, it doesn't look like that will happen in the next week.

"I just think it's going to be a boring deadline," a Western Conference executive told ESPN.

A combination of continuing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the play-in tournament expanding the playoff races in each conference and a sheer lack of superstars available has left the NBA collectively scratching its head.

Still, for teams on the fringe of those expanded playoff races, this week offers an opportunity to make one more push to improve their postseason chances or to take advantage of a scarce trade market and secure future considerations. ESPN spoke to several scouts and executives to get a sense of what this group of six teams might do heading up to March 25.

Atlanta Hawks

Where they stand: 19-20, eighth in Eastern Conference

Possible trade candidate: PF John Collins

After going all-in during free agency last summer, the directive in Atlanta is clear. The Hawks want to make the playoffs. They fired head coach Lloyd Pierce just before the All-Star break and have since ripped off five wins in a row to catapult themselves back inside the top eight in the East. Despite the Hawks getting Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari back to health and potentially having Kris Dunn and De'Andre Hunter rejoin them soon, the universal opinion among league insiders is that Atlanta is looking to acquire talent over the next week.

"The pressure hasn't changed," said a West executive. "They still are going to do something."

Whomever the Hawks decide to target, the name floating around from Atlanta's end is John Collins. The fourth-year forward is set to be a restricted free agent this summer and could be in line for a nine-figure deal after he and the Hawks failed to come to an agreement on an extension before the season.

"They're worried he's getting maxed, and they're putting it out there they are willing to pay him if he gets a max but won't be thrilled about it," said an East executive. However, Collins' $4.1 million salary makes it difficult to trade him for an established player, and a deal for the future -- be it young players or draft picks -- doesn't help the Hawks make a playoff push this season.

"I think they'd like to buy, but not sure there's a lot to buy or what they buy it with," said an East exec. "[Kevin] Huerter and picks, I guess, is the package, but what is that buying you?"

Chicago Bulls

Where they stand: 17-20, ninth in Eastern Conference

Possible trade candidates: PF Thaddeus Young, PF Lauri Markkanen

Arturas Karnisovas, Chicago's first-year vice president of basketball operations, neatly summed up the trade market in a pre-All-Star-break news conference.

"Expanding the playoffs to 10 teams -- and then two or three are still delusional and think that they can make it to 10 -- that makes [for] a very interesting trade deadline," he said with a smile.

What seems clear is that the Bulls want to be one of those 10 teams themselves. In fact, executives think the Bulls would even consider improvements to push to make the playoffs for the first time since trading Jimmy Butler four years ago, and referenced coach Billy Donovan's decision to bench Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. in favor of Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young for Sunday's win over the Toronto Raptors as proof.

"They're clearly trying to win when they are benching those two young guys," said a West executive.

"Patrick Williams and Zach [LaVine], I'd think, are untouchables. Otherwise, they're open."

However, contenders around the league are eyeing the Bulls' roster should they decide not to chase a postseason berth. Young is shooting a career-high 60.5% from the field in his 14th season and would be of value to multiple teams looking to bolster their bench. However, depending on how serious Chicago is about a playoff push, the Bulls might prefer to retain him.

"He helps [the Bulls] now," said one of the East scouts, "but contending teams would be wise to look at him if they decided to move him."

What's more unclear is the status of Markkanen, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason. The Bulls might not want to match what Markkanen could get on the open market this summer, especially in a free-agent market that has lost much of its star power. However, any team trading for the 7-footer would face the same dilemma.

"I think they'd trade Markkanen if they get a good offer, but I don't think they're likely to trade him," said an East executive. "I don't think they do anything unless they get something they love."

Sacramento Kings

Where they stand: 15-24, 13th in Western Conference

Possible trade candidates: PF Harrison Barnes, PF Nemanja Bjelica, SG Cory Joseph, PF Jabari Parker

The Kings' 15-season playoff drought doesn't appear likely to end this year. They're already four games back of the final play-in spot, with three teams between them and the 10th-place Memphis Grizzlies.

They also have a player in Barnes who could be a good fit on teams like the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, who are in need of a battle-tested combo forward who can provide versatility and two-way play.

"I think Barnes will be in play," said an East executive.

The ninth-year forward, who won a title with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, is posting career highs in rebounds (6.2) and assists (3.5) to go along with 16.7 points per game. He's under contract for two more seasons at declining salaries, which could lead Sacramento to decide to retain him as it tries to build a playoff team around De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.

"If I had to guess on Barnes, I would say [he doesn't get traded]," said an East scout.

If that happens, the Kings have other players who could be moved in lesser deals, including Bjelica, who is playing a career-low 17.7 minutes per night but is still a career 39% shooter from 3-point range (though at just 32.6% from beyond the arc this season).

Ultimately, though, Barnes could be one of the most impactful players available at this year's deadline. That's both a sign of how little there is to trade and the importance of his role in today's NBA, and could lead to Sacramento getting an offer that forces its hand.

"My sense is they'll keep him," said a West executive. "But if someone throws a [Robert Covington]-style package at them (meaning multiple first-round picks), you have to think about it."

New Orleans Pelicans

Where they stand: 17-22, tied for 11th in Western Conference

Possible trade candidates: PG Lonzo Ball, PG Eric Bledsoe, SG JJ Redick

Each of the past two offseasons, the Pelicans have made blockbuster trades, bringing back a slew of draft picks and interesting players. What that has done, however, has left them with almost two entirely different teams.

One group is the young players whom Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin has either drafted (Zion Williamson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis Jr. and Jaxson Hayes) or paid (Brandon Ingram and Steven Adams) to be part of this team moving forward. The other includes the names that have been bandied about by executives around the league for weeks now: Ball, Bledsoe and Redick. "They're willing to move on from all of those guys," said a West scout.

New Orleans actually pulled Redick from the lineup earlier this year as Griffin tried to work out a trade for him. After missing three games, he returned and showed the shooting form that has interested contenders -- 46.4% from 3-point range since the start of February -- but he's now out again, this time after undergoing a nonsurgical procedure on his left heel. The injury and his $13 million salary make finding a match for a trade difficult, and league insiders see him as a possible post-deadline buyout candidate.

Bledsoe, meanwhile, makes even more -- $17 million this season, over $18 million next season -- and after his disastrous showings in the playoffs each of the past two seasons in Milwaukee, contenders might be reluctant to add him for the stretch run.

Then there's Ball, who is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Over the past 11 games, he's averaging 14.9 points and 6.2 assists, while shooting 39.6% from beyond the arc. Some league insiders wonder if he's even still a candidate to be traded, though his restricted-free-agent status certainly complicates the situation. Agent Rich Paul will undoubtedly be looking for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft to be given a hefty deal somewhere, and it's possible Griffin would prefer to move on and free up additional playing time for Lewis and Alexander-Walker, both of whom he drafted in the first round.

"I know he feels pressure to win," an East executive said of Griffin. "He also really likes all the young players he drafted and wants them to play. I don't really know how he's going to bridge that gap."

Toronto Raptors

Where they stand: 17-22, 11th in Eastern Conference

Possible trade candidate: PG Kyle Lowry

"I think they've got to take a long look at where they're going," said an East scout. "Are they really going to pay [Lowry] and have him there for three or four years?"

That's the question the Raptors face heading into next week's trade deadline. Lowry is arguably the greatest player in Raptors history and the face of the franchise, but in a trade market devoid of star talent, he could also represent the best player available -- if he is even available.

Lowry, 35, will be a free agent this summer. And while he made it clear he will be retiring as a Raptor when he spoke last week after returning from the All-Star break, he gave no definitive answer as to where his playing future lies after this season. That has led to plenty of speculation about where Lowry could end up if Toronto chose to move him, with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers being positioned to land him.

"There aren't a lot of deals that I look around and think should happen," said an Eastern Conference executive. "That one is."

Lowry's large contract creates trade obstacles. A team that's over the cap must send out nearly $25 million in matching salaries to make a deal work. Still, after a long list of big names have changed teams since the summer of 2019 -- including Jrue Holiday and James Harden joining Eastern Conference contenders over the past five months -- Lowry stands out as the lone true game-changing player should the Raptors decide to move on.

"I would say they hold," said a West scout. "I just don't get the feeling it's going to happen, though maybe they're just waiting for the right offer."

Orlando Magic

Where they stand: 13-26, 14th in Eastern Conference

Possible trade candidates: SG Evan Fournier, SG Terrence Ross, PF Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Vucevic

Orlando's core has been together since the Magic acquired Ross midway through the 2016-17 season, and all they have to show for it is a pair of first-round playoff exits. The hopes the team had of taking a step forward this season were shattered by injuries to Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz, among others, leaving the Magic far behind even the expanded playoff field.

And yet, in the days leading up to the deadline, it's still unclear whether Orlando will significantly shake up the roster, even with a quartet of players who could bring back significant future considerations that could help them in healthier times.

"I can't figure those guys out," said a West scout. "I don't know if they'll do anything."

With Fultz and Isaac set to come back next season, the belief around the league is that Orlando is unlikely to trade Vucevic, who made the All-Star Game two of the past three years and is under contract through 2022-23 (with salaries that decline each year). However, rival teams do think Orlando will move on from Fournier, who is on an expiring deal, especially as the Magic's playoff hopes grow more and more unlikely.

"I think they'll rent Fournier to someone, but that's it," said an East exec. "Nobody has given me any indication they're going to move Vucevic, or even have a discussion for him, unless they get a huge return."

The swing piece here is Gordon, of whom opinion is split around the league as to what will happen with him. What isn't disputed, however, is that Orlando should be active.

"Have you seen their team?" asked a West executive.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Miguel Cabrera isn't consumed by the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal and doesn't believe their 2017 World Series title is tainted, either.

It didn't matter to him then, he said, and it doesn't matter to him now.

"That's bulls---," the longtime Detroit Tigers slugger and shoo-in Hall of Famer told ESPN in a rare sit-down interview. "I don't care about that."

An MLB investigation, the results of which were released in January 2020, revealed the Astros had cheated by using a camera-based sign-stealing system during their 2017 championship run and into the 2018 regular season. A trash can-banging scheme was used to help hitters know what pitch was coming, the probe found.

While many believe the sign-stealing system provided Astros hitters a substantial advantage, Cabrera downplayed its ultimate impact. The 2012 Triple Crown winner and four-time batting champion emphasized that you still need exceptional talent to win a World Series, and that hitting is not as simple as just knowing the incoming pitch.

"In the end ... it's baseball," said Cabrera, the seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner. "[Try to] go ahead and do it like those guys did."

MLB's investigation led the Astros to fire manager AJ Hinch, who also was suspended by the league for the 2020 season.

Cabrera, who enters the season 13 home runs shy of 500 and 134 hits shy of 3,000, said he was pleased when the Tigers hired Hinch as their new manager in October, regardless of the baggage that accompanied the decision.

"He's a really smart guy, a passionate guy," Cabrera said. "He's an honest man, a very special man. He knows a lot about baseball. He has great communication with us. I don't care what they did in Houston. He [was] a big part of the success Houston had the last three to five years."

Hinch, 46, repeatedly has expressed remorse for his actions.

"We put ourselves in a situation at the end for it to be really ugly. And we deserved everything that happened," Hinch told ESPN. "But we did a lot right. We got [an Astros] team from the rebuilding stage all the way to the top for a few years in a row. And the work that the players did, the work that the staff did, the front office, gets a little muddied with the way that it ended. And that's unfortunate. But we have to answer a lot of questions about that entire time because of what we did at the end."

Hinch knew that by returning to the game, he would have to constantly address what happened in Houston, and he said he's OK with that.

"I don't think we have the right to tell anybody when they should be done with it," he said. "For us, we've got to move forward. I owe it to [the Tigers] organization and this team.

"But your actions have consequences and part of those consequences are going to last for a while because of how wrong it was."

Although MLB's investigation concluded that Hinch was not the mastermind behind the scheme, he was suspended because, as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted in his report at the time, "As the person with responsibility for managing his players and coaches, there simply is no justification for Hinch's failure to act."

"I'm not going to tell anyone what to think, but I do want people to give me a chance. I do want the good that I've done in my career to be somewhere in that thought process," Hinch said. "I was in charge of something that was terribly wrong, and I paid my consequences. I was suspended. I'll never forget it. I'll never not answer the question. I'll never not apologize. But I've got a job to do. I'm going to be fully focused on that. And I would just appreciate if they would give me a chance."

Who says you can't learn anything from MLB spring training games? We asked our MLB experts to put aside any notion they may have that these exhibition games -- even ones that stop mid-inning for a mercy rule put in this spring -- don't matter for a minute and instead focus on what they have learned from this year's early action across Florida and Arizona.

Which players have caught our eyes under the March sign? Who are some potential breakout stars to know as you prepare for your fantasy drafts? How are household names looking as they attempt to comeback from injuries that derailed their 2020 seasons? What trends emerging this March in the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues will carry over to the 2021 MLB season? And how are the much-talked about changes to the baseball impacting home runs (or would-be home runs) so far?

We asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez, David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle to weigh in on all of the spring training lessons they have learned so far as the countdown to Opening Day (Thursday, April 1) continues.

Who is one player that has caught your eye this spring?

Alden Gonzalez: It's early, but Shohei Ohtani is proving that he might just be able to pull this whole two-way thing off. Coming off a disappointing 2020 season, when he was noticeably uncomfortable on the mound and mechanically out of whack in the batter's box, Ohtani went through an aggressive offseason regimen and got stronger. In spring training, he's hitting massive home runs and throwing nasty splitters.

The Angels have spoken very optimistically about Ohtani's potential in 2021 and have promised to ease off some of his restrictions. Ohtani is doing his part. He has the talent and the discipline to do what hasn't been done since Babe Ruth. He just needs to stay healthy.

Jesse Rogers: I'm going to cheat and pick three players who will combine to make a big difference for the Philadelphia Phillies: Relievers Archie Bradley, Tony Watson and Brandon Kintzler. Through Sunday, the trio has yet to give up a run this spring and they simply bring a nastiness in attitude the Phillies didn't possess out of the bullpen last year. Watson and Kintzler are on minor league invites but with potential to make good money if/when they make the team. They're motivated. The Phillies needed a huge makeover in the pen and they got one.

Runner up: Michael Kopech. After opting out last year, he's been put in the bullpen where his arsenal can be used in shorter stints. He's just realizing what that can mean considering he won't be setting up hitters for later in the game as he would if he was starting. I was there when his threw 98 mph, 87 mph then 79 mph on the first three pitches of his spring. He'll be hitting triple digits soon enough to go along with some nasty offspeed stuff.

David Schoenfield: I was watching Sunday's game between the Royals and Dodgers and 20-year-old Bobby Witt Jr. was hitting leadoff. In his first at-bat against Julio Urias, he fell behind 0-2 before eventually working a 12-pitch walk (and showed his speed when he scored from second on a ball that didn't leave the infield). In his second at-bat, also against Urias, he turned on an inside fastball and launched it for his third home run of the spring -- and one of those was a huge 484-foot blast. He's hitting over .300 and played well at second base, although he projects as a shortstop long-term.

Is there a chance he makes the Royals' Opening Day roster? The No. 2 overall pick in 2019 hasn't played above rookie ball, so in a normal season I'd say no. But Witt handled himself well at summer camp last year as he has so far in spring training, and it's not like Nicky Lopez is a big roadblock at second base. It wouldn't shock me to see Witt open up at second base, just to get him much-needed game action until the minor league season starts. If he plays well, he stays up. If he struggles, they can eventually send him down for more seasoning.

Bradford Doolittle: Since Dave stole my Bobby Witt Jr. soliloquy, I'll go with Akil Baddoo of the Tigers. For some reason, it seems like I've watched Detroit more than any other team this spring and he has really stood out. Baddoo is a Rule V guy, so the Tigers have to keep him at the big league level or ship him back to the Twins. Their roster seems to be at least five deep with semi-established big league outfielders, so it's entirely possible that Baddoo ends up in AAA back in the Minnesota organization and we don't hear from him again until next spring. But I have yet to see anything about him not to like.

His performance record shows clearly that he has both speed and power off the bat. He also has a good record of plate discipline so it's really a matter of showing enough bat-to-ball skill to make it work. This spring, he's made it work. On top of everything, he can play plus defense in center field and can slide over to both corners. He was the 74th player picked in the 2016 draft, so the raw talent is there. Finally: He's only 22 years old. I just don't know how the Tigers could part with a guy like that right now. Also, by the way, Dave and I are no longer on speaking terms.

What is one theme you've noticed so far this spring?

Gonzalez: I spent 10 days in Arizona earlier this month, visiting as many different facilities as possible, and I saw fans coming through the gates, settling into their seats and cheering again. They wore masks, sat scattered throughout the stands and didn't reach over the railing for autographs. But watching baseball games nonetheless felt normal to me again. It was the first time I could say that in 12 months (and a different experience from what I felt in October, when fans gathered for postseason games at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, at a time when COVID-19 numbers were still uncomfortably high). It was refreshing. It gave me hope for an enjoyable 2021 season.

Rogers: To be honest, after spending a week in Florida and a week in Arizona, there is definitely Covid fatigue out there. Players are probably doing a little better than fans, as many in the latter group didn't wear masks during games as required. Some players, while I was in Arizona, went inside for dinner and got in trouble with their teams. There is a hope once the season starts that restrictions might loosen for everyone, especially with the vaccine being available for players soon enough.

Schoenfield: Just how carefully the pitchers are being handled -- as we all expected. Spring training rules this year allowed for an inning to be halted before three outs if a pitcher reaches or specified pitch count, or for a pitcher to re-enter a game. (Urias, for example, threw 28 pitches and was removed in the first inning and then returned for the second.) Starters don't seem to be quite where they normally are at this point in spring training. So look for the same caution to be deployed early in the regular season, which means pitching depth is going to be vitally important in April. Those back-end guys on the pitching staff are going to play a bigger role than normal.

Doolittle: As Dave mentions, the problem of starters not being fully stretched out has already been a matter of some debate. While most agree that teams will have to proceed carefully with young pitchers whose development was disrupted and who may never have thrown the number of innings you need to stick in a five-man rotation in a normal MLB campaign, there is some uncertainty about the vets.

Sure, their innings were down in 2020 but - dare we say - could that be a good thing? Might the partial respite have given them some needed healing time after years of wear and tear? This is a question that we'll only be able to answer in hindsight, but just to cherry-pick a couple of examples, some veterans in spring training such as Arizona's Madison Bumgarner and Detroit's Julio Teheran (a non-roster invite) seem to be delivering the ball with a little more zip than they've shown in recent regular seasons. Nathan Eovaldi nearly wore out the radar gun during the Red Sox's game on Sunday. My feeling is that the team which are willing to lean on veteran starters sooner than later are going to have a competitive edge over the first few weeks of the season.

What is the one spring training stat that jumps out to you most right now?

Gonzalez: Jacob deGrom topping out at 102 mph during his second spring training start. Over the last three years, deGrom's fastball velocity has jumped to 96, then 97, then last year, an average of 99 mph, capping a stretch that saw him capture a couple of National League Cy Young Awards. To see arguably the game's best pitcher take that to yet another level -- this early in the season, mind you -- is both fascinating and exhilarating. deGrom's strikeout rate has increased steadily, from 10.7 per nine innings in 2017 to a league-leading 13.8 per nine innings in 2020. Now we might have deGrom throwing fastballs in the triple-digits and nasty sliders in the mid-90s. That's simply unfair.

Rogers: New Cubs outfielder Joc Pederson is hitting everything in sight, batting .571 with five home runs. He's been using the entire field and even bunted away from the shift for a hit dropping that into the scouting report for next month. Remember, he's re-entering another free agent season and expects to play every day. There have only been 16 occasions in Cubs history that a left-handed hitter has hit 30 or more home runs in one season. Pederson might be a lock for No. 17.

Schoenfield: You never want to overreach to spring stats. Remember when Jake Fox hit 10 home runs in 2011? Or how about 2018 when Kansas City's Frank Schwindel hit .366 and tied for the spring lead with seven home runs? One thing I do keep an eye on, however, is strikeout-to-walk ratio for batters as that only tends to stabilize after a minimal amount of plate appearances, but also tells us something about a player's overall approach.

Andrew Vaughn has as many walks as whiffs and is hitting .321. Even though he hasn't played above Class A after the White Sox drafted him third overall in 2019, he has a good chance to begin the season as the team's DH. He had the same mature approach in college at Cal and that should allow him to at least hold his own in the majors.

Doolittle: The Royals have assembled the greatest collection of power hitters in the history of baseball. The spring stats prove it. They have six more homers than any other team, lead the majors in runs, slugging and run differential. They've also struck out as often as anyone. This is the most un-Royals-like showing we've seen. Just to pick on stat: Through Sunday, Kansas City has an .896 team OPS. Of course, most of these numbers will be carried away by the gusts of Surprise, Arizona, with little hope of finding their way to Kauffman Stadium. But I remain excited about the prospects for this year's Royals.

What is one thing from this spring we can count on to carry over to the regular season?

Gonzalez: I'm not saying you're gonna see seven to nine pitchers a game, but given the jump from a 60- to a 162-game schedule, and the innings gap that must be made up in the process, we're gonna see teams be extra careful with their pitchers this season, and thus we're gonna see a lot of pitching changes. The 2021 season will probably set the record.

Opening Day is fast-approaching, and teams still don't know how they'll tackle this issue. Some will try six-man rotations and others might even use a method of starters piggybacking one another; all of them will undoubtedly carry at least one reliever who can consistently absorb multiple innings. But this is still a great unknown. And the pace of spring training games might, unfortunately, carry over.

Rogers: Barking at umpires for balls and strikes. I've seen it several times this spring and it is bound to return to pre-2020 levels. First off, fans in the stands will give more cover for players and coaches to get their points across from the dugouts without umpires hearing every single word uttered. Plus, the return of in-game video will give pitchers and hitters instant verification on close calls.

Schoenfield: Fernando Tatis Jr. will be the most exciting player in the game. He scored from third base on a pop-up caught by the shortstop. In a spring training game! Look, I don't know if Mike Trout will maintain his grip as the best all-around player in the game or if Mookie Betts will claim that throne or if this is the year that Tatis or Juan Soto takes over that title with a monster season. But Tatis, with his thrilling combination of speed and power, is the most must-watch player in the game in 2021, playing in the middle of the must-watch Padres-Dodgers rivalry. (By the way, Corey Seager has looked really, really good this spring as well. If you want a sleeper NL MVP candidate, Seager is my guy.)

Who is one player returning from injury who has been most impressive?

Gonzalez: Stephen Strasburg went more than six months without facing hitters while recovering from carpal tunnel surgery but looked good in his spring training debut, striking out four of the six batters he faced and displaying solid command of practically all of his pitches. That was just enough to tease us before exiting his second start with a calf strain that is -- at the moment -- considered mild. That's the hope, at least. The National League East looks like a division-wide logjam. And if Strasburg can tap back into who he was in 2019, the Nationals are right there with the rest.

Rogers: Jordan Hicks just made his spring debut over the weekend and was touching 100 mph in his first appearance since 2019, after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Yes, his first batter took him to 22 pitches before walking but once the rust comes off, that arm will be lighting up radar guns all season.

Schoenfield: Strasburg is probably the most important guy here -- along with Mike Soroka (yet to pitch in a game for the Braves as he recovers from a torn Achilles) and the Yankees' duo of Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon. The most important thing for Kluber and Taillon is both say they feel healthy, although Kluber's latest outing on Saturday was a little shaky as he hit two batters and served up a home run and a couple other hard-hit balls over four innings. Taillon threw 2.2 scoreless innings in his last outing, hitting as high as 95.1 mph with his fastball while averaging 93.9 mph. The command wasn't great as he threw just 28 pitches out of 51 for strikes, but the stuff looks to be where it was pre-Tommy John surgery.

Doolittle: Jimmy Nelson! For the first time since he belly-flopped while trying to run the bases at Wrigley Field a few years ago, he looks like the All-Star-level pitcher he was for the Brewers at the time. I'm not sure how he fits onto the Dodgers' staff simply because of the number of good pitchers they have, but he can help a team this year. I'd love to see him get a shot at doing it in someone's rotation. Maybe because I was there when he was injured, he's someone I've been rooting for. You hate to see someone's success just snapped off like that. Whatever happens going forward, you have to give him credit for perseverance.

The baseball is different: how much does it seem to be impacting home runs so far?

Gonzalez: I personally haven't noticed much difference. In fact, we've already witnessed some titanic home runs from the likes of Wander Franco and Mike Trout, just to name a couple. But new Padres pitcher Blake Snell noted that the seams on the new ball are higher, allowing him to better dig his fingers into them in order to spin breaking balls, and added that he has noticed some fly balls haven't carried as far as he might have expected. Some confirmation bias might be at play there. This is going to have to play out a lot longer before we truly know.

Rogers: Really hard to judge right now because games are being played in spring stadiums. There's just no context. And, as Alden mentioned, there have been plenty of long home runs so the new ball hasn't passed the eye test just yet, however, we'll get a better idea starting next month. If the little guys are hitting the ball out the opposite way, we'll know the old balls are in use again.

Schoenfield: I know Brad has some numbers on this, so I'll defer to him. It does seem like every game I've watched from Arizona the wind is blowing out (although it also seems like it's been a little cooler than normal down there with a lot of the fans bundled up in jackets and blankets). Anyway, the final two weeks will tell us a little more as we see more at-bats and innings from the regulars.

Doolittle: I ran some numbers the other day, comparing home run rates through March 12 for each of the last five spring trainings. I grouped the Florida-based teams and Arizona-based teams in separate buckets. Already, there have been some comments, like from Blake Snell, regarding the ball feeling and flying differently and perhaps not carrying as well. The numbers don't bare that out. In fact, the home run rate in Arizona this year where -- as Dave mentions -- it has been unusually breezy, the rate is the highest it's been over the last few years. Thus the overall rate is the highest it's been.

There are plenty of caveats to the numbers, from sample size limits exacerbated by fewer and shorter games, the weather, the fact that we don't actually know for sure when or where the new version of the baseball has been in use and the reality that we always have to be wary about doing anything with spring numbers. So right now, it's hard to make a declarative statement about this topic beyond the fact that there hasn't been any kind of noticeable and obvious dive in homer numbers.

Adelaide United striker Kusini Yengi said his maiden A-League goal was soured by the racial abuse he received on social media after the game.

The 22-year-old came on as a substitute before scoring a goal and setting up another in Adelaide's 3-1 A-League win at Melbourne Victory on Saturday.

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Yengi, whose mother is English and father is South Sudanese, was later subjected to racist abuse on Instagram.

"It took away from a special moment, which was me scoring my first A-League goal, so it's disappointing," Yengi said.

"After the game there were a lot of good messages, everyone congratulating me ... but obviously a few that were uncomfortable to look at.

"You never get taught how to deal with this type of thing. I saw the messages and tried to move on ... but also I would like to speak about it because it's obviously not right."

Yengi said more education was needed to eradicate the problem.

"I am not sure really right now what I would like to happen to that person," he added. "I hope that they learn their lesson if they get caught and someone educates them and ... in the future they won't make these kind of comments."

Five Afghanistan players including mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, fast bowler Hamid Hassan and allrounder Gulbadin Naib await the resolution of a "visa issue", according to an ACB release, before they can join their team-mates for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe in the UAE. The two other players on the wait list are left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil and the allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai.

A 15-member squad, led by Asghar Afghan, is already in the UAE ahead of the series, which begins on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. A number of these players were involved in the two-match Test series, which ended on Sunday, with the teams winning one Test apiece.

Afghanistan squad for T20I series: Asghar Afghan (capt), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Amir Hamza, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik.
Players awaiting visas: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Gulbadin Naib, Waqar Salamkheil, Azmatullah Omarzai.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Following a 31-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, Warriors star guard Stephen Curry expressed frustration with his team's recent play, acknowledging it's time for Golden State to stop having "embarrassing" performances.

"We've got to play better," Curry told reporters after the 128-97 defeat. "We have to develop a winning attitude every single night, and honestly, we've got to get sick of getting blown out, because that's embarrassing. We have to have some pride about how we're playing. You can lose games -- that's going to happen -- but not like that."

At 20-20, this young Warriors team has been consistently inconsistent in its effort all season. In some games, such as Sunday's 131-119 home win over the league-leading Utah Jazz, Curry and the Warriors find a different gear and can play with the NBA's elite. But Monday's 31-point rout offered a harsh reminder of many of the blowouts the Warriors have endured throughout this campaign.

"I think these last two days kind of define our team in a lot of ways," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "In a span of 36 hours, we beat the team with the best record in the league with a spirited defensive effort and then lost by 31 points to another great team. Who are we? What kind of team are we? We are 20-20 for a reason. We haven't been able to put together consistent efforts with execution at both ends of the floor. We are too up and down. We've got to find a way to put together some good games."

The Warriors have been echoing a similar message all season. The issue for Kerr is that aside from Curry's brilliance, no other player on the roster has competed with the kind of consistency needed to string a long winning streak together and avoid poor performances such as Monday's latest setback. Veterans Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. have all had nice games, but each player has struggled to live up to the high standard the Warriors have set over the years, night after night.

"I'm trying to say something different that I haven't said all year," Curry said, when asked what it would take for the Warriors to get back to being an above-average team. "I don't know. I don't know. There's just certain principles, obviously, of how we're going to play. It's our identity that has to show up every night, and at the end of the day, I think I said it [Sunday] night, our expectations go through the roof when you play like you did against Utah and then you come and drop the ball tonight, and that's why we are 20-20, but it takes a lot.

"Winning is hard in this league. We all know that, and we all know you can't just show up and momentum's not just going to carry just because you played well the game before. I think it's a collective effort across the board, but it's just an understanding that winning is hard and we talk about the margins and where we are as a team. If you want to beat the good teams, you can't have any cracks in the armor."

Kerr has tried changing his rotation since the All-Star break, but rookie center James Wiseman, second-year guard Jordan Poole and rookie guard Nico Mannion have all had mixed results as part of a group of reserves that has struggled most of the season.

"I think in the last two days we've shown the highs of what we can do and the lows of what we can do," Curry said. "So you can't get caught up in the emotional roller coaster. But you do have to have a sense of pride about playing hard, playing physical, competing, just being dead ass exhausted when you walk off the floor because you gave it everything you have. And then that'll, in turn, put us in better positions to win."

Curry, whom Turner Sports cameras caught yelling in frustration toward his teammates during Thursday's blowout loss at the LA Clippers, was asked if there were any positives he could take from Monday's game.

"Absolutely nothing," Curry said.

By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

World No.2 Nouran Gohar has been removed from the CIB Black Ball Open following a breach of Covid rules at the tournament.

The 23-year-old from Cairo was due to play in the final match of the day against America’s Olivia Clyne. However, due to a breach of PSA’s COVID-19 protocols, Gohar (pictured) has been disqualified from the event, meaning Clyne has received a walkover into the quarter-finals.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that Gohar had visited the hotel gym, which was out of bounds.

“Once a negative result has been received, that person is then allowed to enter the tournament bubble. During the tournament, players are prohibited from entering areas outside of the bubble or coming into contact with people who are not in the bubble.

PSA Chief Operating Officer Lee Beachill said: “We have put in place strict COVID-19 protocols at all PSA World Tour events in order to protect the wellbeing of our players, referees and staff.

“The reaction from the players to our protocols has been phenomenal and their understanding and discipline has played a key role in us not receiving a single positive test for a player across the six events that have taken place since the restart.

“However, we take any breach of these protocols very seriously, so we have had to make the regrettable decision to withdraw Nouran from the tournament. Nouran is naturally disappointed but has acknowledged she has made a mistake.”

Defending champion Sarah-Jane Perry will line up against World No.1 Nour El Sherbini in a mouthwatering quarter-final fixture at the women’s CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open, PSA World Tour Platinum event after they achieved third round victories at Cairo’s Black Ball Sporting Club earlier today.

Perry – who beat World No.5 Hania El Hammamy in December’s Black Ball Open final to win her biggest PSA World Tour title – booked her last eight berth courtesy of an 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 victory over USA’s Olivia Fiechter.

“I know Liv has had some good wins and she’s really dangerous when you let her play, so my aim was to try and get in front and stop her playing,” Perry said.

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“I sort of did that in patches, but not as much as I would have liked. I was a little bit sluggish today and I’m not really sure why. I felt really sharp the other day, so I’m sure tomorrow I’ll get everything right and I’ll be back again.

“I’ve been guilty of being complacent with a serve, as they like to keep reminding us in the commentary box it’s the only shot that you have complete control over, so I tried to actually use it a bit more. I thought I served well the other day and tried that again today, any day you don’t serve out is a good day, especially when I’m trying to throw a few lob serves out there. It was probably one of the aspects I was most happy with.”

Perry has often proven to be a tricky opponent for El Sherbini with four wins over the two-time Black Ball Open runner-up and they will lock horns for the 13th time on the PSA World Tour tomorrow (March 16). El Sherbini claimed a comfortable win over Belgium’s Tinne Gilis to secure her quarter-finals spot.

“It was good to play a tough one. I haven’t played her before, she is fast and the court is bouncy so she gets everything,” El Sherbini said.

“It is good to play different opponents and I am sure we are going to have a lot of tough matches. Playing a tournament in Egypt, in your country, is always big and special. The Black Ball tournament is still missing for me, I am going to try my best and hopefully it will be mine this time.”

It was a comfortable day for the other seeds in action with six of the seven third round fixtures being won in straight games. World No.3 Camille Serme was on form to dispatch Canada’s Hollie Naughton in three to set up a last eight meeting with World No.7 Amanda Sobhy.

“I had never played Hollie before, so I had to watch a few of her matches to know what to expect,” Serme said.

“I knew she was a big fighter. She has already played five games with two of the strongest girls in the world in [former World No.1s] Raneem [El Welily] and Laura Massaro. I knew it was going to be tough. I am happy to be back in the quarter-finals because last year I lost to Hania I the second round, so it is a bonus for me.”

World No.5 El Hammamy took a step closer to a third successive Black Ball Open final after she overcame India’s Joshna Chinappa 11-6, 11-5, 11-6. The 20-year-old will take on the experienced Kiwi Joelle King, who dispatched Egypt’s Nadine Shahin in the opening match of the day.

“I think I’m much more pleased with myself today than I was the first round,” said El Hammamy. “It took me a lot of effort in order to be able to come here and perform this way. I think I was unstable in the first round mentally and I worked really hard last night to prepare myself and be ready for today’s match.

“Joelle is a great player, talented and very physical as well. I think tomorrow’s match will be really interesting and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The World No.13 Clyne will take on World No.10 Salma Hany in the last eight. Both players are vying for a maiden Platinum semi-finals berth, with Hany booking her quarter-final spot after defeating World No.14 Rowan Elaraby in four games, the only match of the day to go further than three.

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

Third Round:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Tinne Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (29m)
[5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (33m)
[7] Joelle King (NZL) bt Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-3 (27m)
[4] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (32m)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (32m)
[6] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (27m)
[8] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 3-1: 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10 (52m)
Olivia Clyne (USA) bt [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) w/o

Quarter-Finals (March 16):
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[7] Joelle King (NZL) v [4] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
[3] Camille Serme (FRA) v [6] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[8] Salma Hany (EGY) v Olivia Clyne (USA)

Pictures courtesy of PSA