South Africa's left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi has risen to a career-best second position in the ICC T20I rankings for bowlers, following his four-wicket haul against Pakistan in Lahore. Shamsi was the joint leading wicket-taker in the three-match series, picking up six scalps at an average of 10.16 and an economy rate of 5.08. He went past Adam Zampa, Adil Rashid and Mujeeb ur Rahman on the list, and is now just three points behind Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who occupies the top spot.

For Pakistan, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan was the biggest mover, jumping up 116 slots to 42nd position in the T20I batting list. Rizwan was the leading run-scorer in the series, having hit 104*, 51 and 42 in the three matches. Rizwan had also been named the Player of the Series in the recently concluded Tests.

The other Pakistan players to get a boost were Haider Ali (137th), Shaheen Afridi (11th), Hasan Ali (82nd), Mohammad Nawaz (64th) and Usman Qadir (92nd).

Fast bowler Dwaine Pretorius, who shared the wicket-taking honours with Shamsi, also made a significant climb in the rankings, moving from 121st to 51st on the list; his previous best ranking was 107th. Reeza Hendricks' 98 runs in the series lifted him to 17th in the rankings, while David Miller, who smashed an unbeaten 85 in the second match, gained seven places to take the 22nd position. England's Dawid Malan is still the top-ranked batsman in the T20I list.

Pakistan, despite winning the series 2-1, remained in fourth position in the T20I ranking list with 260 points, while South Africa stayed at fifth with 259.

Relations between Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Cricket Australia (CA) remain "strained," as South Africa seek to move on from the indefinite postponement of a three-Test series that was due to take place on the Highveld in March.

With no international teams available to play in that prime summer window, CSA's director of cricket Graeme Smith announced that South Africa will play domestic four-day cricket over that period and will soon announce a busy winter program to tide the men's national team over to next summer. There is no indication of when the Australia series will be rescheduled.

"The relationship is definitely strained at this stage," Smith said, in a virtual press engagement on Monday morning. "There is an effort from our side to engage and set up a meeting at board level. Engagement needs to happen to improve things between South Africa and Australia."

Smith reiterated that South Africa would like to play Australia "in this calendar cycle," but conceded it is becoming increasingly tough to find a window. "We've had some engagement with the operations side of Cricket Australia and it hasn't been positive on trying to find a window but we are working hard," he said.

Last week, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, CSA wrote to both the ICC and CA to express their dismay at the tour being postponed and to warn that smaller nations are being sidelined by the Big Three. Smith added that the Coronavirus pandemic is making it more difficult for less wealthy nations to secure financially-rewarding visits from England, India and Australia.

"Covid-19 has amplified the haves and the have-nots. The FTP is going to be challenging with potentially eight ICC tournaments in eight years, an extended IPL and a lot of the calendar dominated by England, India and Australia. It makes it extremely challenging for the rest of the member nations," he said.

"I don't think world cricket wants three nations competing against each other in 10 years time. How does that benefit the game?"

CSA's director of cricket Graeme Smith

"The game needs leadership. It needs to understand the complexities. I don't think world cricket wants three nations competing against each other in 10 years time. How does that benefit the game? It doesn't. That will amplify the leagues and leagues will get bigger and the rest of the nations will have little to no content. It has been fast-tracked because of Covid. These issues are becoming more relevant and amplified and the ICC have found themselves a little bit off guard with these issues."

In the absence of a formal complaint, CSA have no recourse against CA and have to make do with a leaner summer calendar and less money. Apart from the costs they incurred in attempting to set-up a biosecure environment for the Australia tour, CSA will also not make R40 million (US$2.7 million) in television revenue until the series takes place. Additionally, they have also spent extra money in setting up biobubbles for domestic competitions including the one-day cup and the T20 tournament, which starts on Thursday. "I don't have a figure but it's a lot more than what we have paid in the past," Smith said.

All nationally contracted players will be available for the T20 tournament, adding some heft to a usually low-key affair. They are also required to play in the four-day competition and CSA are in talks with pay-television provider SuperSport to have some matches televised before South Africa host Pakistan for three ODIs and four T20s in April.

The Pakistan series is likely to clash with the early part of the IPL, and CSA is yet to confirm if they will release their top players and play a second-string side against Pakistan or keep the contracted players at home.

"We haven't made a definitive decision on that yet. We've just announced those fixtures. We are still waiting on dates for the IPL so internal engagement needs to happen with management and selectors and we need to get into a discussion over how we are going to move forward with the IPL," Smith said. "My opinion is that we need to invest in South African cricket and it needs to come first but we have made a commitment to release our players over the years to IPL. It's something we will need to robustly debate."

South Africa are facing a West Indies-style conundrum now where they know it is more lucrative for players to participate in leagues like the IPL but they also need to keep as many players involved with the national set-up as possible to build consistency in a time of transition.

Since Mark Boucher took over in December 2019, South Africa have won only two out of eight trophies and have failed to make gains on the World Test Championship or limited-overs' leagues. They've also had long breaks in play because of the pandemic, something Smith hopes will change in the winter.

"We need to get our players playing," he said. "We've got a lot of growth to happen in the men's game. Players need to step up. We've got to improve and we've got to get the team playing. That's my ultimate goal."

Potential fixtures could include rescheduling a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, which was postponed last May, or a visit to the Caribbean, which was due to take place last July. South Africa are also looking at a visit to India before the T20 World Cup. The FTP, as it currently stands, has India visiting South Africa in the 2021-22 summer, an away trip to New Zealand and a home series against Bangladesh but all these fixtures are subject to what Covid-19 restrictions are in place and to securing player safety, which has made planning the cricket calendar more complicated than ever.

"There is an FTP schedule but some of these windows were worked out ages ago and there is an opportunity for members to manoeuvre, to add tours or to make up for lost tours," Smith said. "These details take a bit more time, especially with every nation trying to fill the gaps caused by Covid-19. It's a bit of a bunfight out there."

Britain's Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram remain on course to retain their Australian Open title after beating John Peers and Michael Venus to reach the men's doubles quarter-finals.

Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazil's Bruno Soares beat Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez and Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-4 to reach the last eight.

Heather Watson and Canada's Leylah Fernandez lost in the women's doubles.

They were beaten in the third round, losing 6-3 6-2 to the pairing of Canada's Sharon Fichman and Mexico's Giuliana Olmos.

Murray plays again on Monday as he and Bethanie Mattek-Sands face the third-seeded duo of Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski and Croatia's Mate Pavic in the second round of the mixed doubles.

As the Six Nations heads into a rest weekend, there is more time to mull over what the action might mean for British and Irish Lions selection.

But, in the meantime, some hands went up for selection for Warren Gatland's squad.

Louis - King of the wingers?

Last week's Lions Watch ended with the fateful words that "another couple of tries like that from Louis Rees-Zammit and Gatland will be forced to take note". The Lions coach duly got plenty to ponder.

Rees-Zammit, who turned 20 earlier this month, was electric in the win over Scotland. He scored Wales' first try with a lovely soft-shoe shuffle inside the covering Darcy Graham, set up their second with a nice line and offload and then clinched the victory with an absolute peach, chipping over Stuart Hogg to touch down.

The match winner could have come from the opposition though. With the clock in the red, Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe broke free, only to be tap-tackled by Owen Watkin. South African-born Van der Merwe actually made more metres than Rees-Zammit (103 to 61) in another industrious, powerful performance.

And there was a welcome return to form for England's Anthony Watson, the man who started all three Tests for the Lions in New Zealand four years ago. Coach Eddie Jones admitted Watson's form had been patchy over the autumn, but he made more metres than any other player this weekend as an interception try helped him to 160m. The way he raced inside the Italian cover defence to score his first though was probably more impressive.

With team-mate Jonny May also showing off his athletic finishing ability when he took the aerial route to the line, competition is getting hot. It could well be that Ireland's Jacob Stockdale, hailed as the world's best wing two years ago but currently out with a knee injury, misses out when Gatland draws up his selection.

Price is right?

If match-changing moments are key to selection, Ali Price supplied a gem for the first try at Murrayfield. The Scotland scrum-half deftly chipped over the Wales defence for Graham to gather and score. Such ability may well be very useful against a Springbok defence that comes up fast and flat. And if Finn Russell is going to start at 10, their partnership - shaped at Glasgow, as well as Scotland - may be a big plus for Gatland.

Conor Murray, 2017's first-choice nine, has been short of form and fitness lately, perhaps leaving the way open for another first-time tourist.

Dan Robson injected energy and initiative after being brought off the bench by England, setting up Jack Willis's try with a weaving run from a tap and go.

The Wasps man has made all nine Test appearances off the bench for England, but, as Jamie George showed in 2017, Gatland has made Lions Test starters out of England's 'finishers' before.

Eight debate

Taulupe Faletau has been a reliable performer for Gatland.

He started all three Tests in New Zealand and was one of the Welshmen drafted in to clinch the series-deciding third Test in Australia four years earlier.

The 30-year-old produced some big numbers in the win over Scotland as well. He made more metres (63), more carries (11) and more tackles (19) than any of his team-mates.

But Matt Fagerson did not suffer by comparison. The 22-year-old, making his eighth international start, was the man to give Scotland impetus, posting similar stats to Faletau (61m made off 14 carries, with 12 tackles) and bristling with intent. Following on from an impressive performance in the win over England, he is making his case well.

England's Billy Vunipola might well have pipped Faletau to the Test starting spot in 2017 had he not been ruled out of the tour with a shoulder injury.

However, he has not been in that eye-catching, all-action form for some time.

The Saracens man was withdrawn after 59 minutes against Italy having made 31 metres from eight carries and seven tackles. It may be that he is doing more of the breakdown dirty work as Eddie Jones evolves England's style, but ball-carrying ballast may well be what is required against South Africa.

If Gatland's eye strayed to a smaller stage, he may also have noted Sam Simmonds' form. The Exeter number eight and European player of the year scored another two tries in his club's win over London Irish. He now has 11, more than double any other player in the Premiership this season, and has made more metres than any other Lions-qualified forward in the English top flight.

His last England appearance was nearly three years ago however, back in March 2018.

Adnan Januzaj has told ESPN that he has "nothing to prove" when he lines up against former club Manchester United for Real Sociedad.

Januzaj, 26, came through the academy at Old Trafford but left for Spain in 2017. United and Socieded have been drawn together in the round of 32 of the Europa League with the first leg -- being staged in Turin because of coronavirus restrictions in Spain -- set to be held on Feb. 18 but Januzaj insists he will feel no added motivation.

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"I don't have to prove to anyone, I know my qualities," Januzaj told ESPN in an exclusive interview. "I don't have to prove to anyone how good I am, I just have to believe in myself, get my games and be happy.

"I'm really happy to go back there, the club I love. Once I'm on the pitch, there's going to be no friends because obviously I'm playing for another club now and also I want to win the game. I want to go through with my team. I'm really happy to go back there to see the people but once I'm on the pitch there will be no friends."

Januzaj's history at United is complicated. He was on the bench for the first time for Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in 2013 before becoming a teenage star under David Moyes the following season.

His performances earned him a new five-year contract in October 2013 and a place in the Belgium squad for the 2014 World Cup.

But when United replaced Moyes with Louis van Gaal that summer, things began to go downhill.

"I had Fergie and David Moyes, coaches that were believing in me, but then some others came in and they wanted a bit more experience in the team," Januzaj added.

"I was a young boy and when you're a young boy you have to shut up and do what people tell you to do.

"I didn't have the right coach to push me. For example when Van Gaal came I was playing one game out of six so it was difficult and I was like 'what am I doing here?' The first season under Moyes I was getting game time to show myself. At Manchester United, the most disappointing thing was that I wasn't getting games."

After being a bit-part player in Van Gaal's first season in 2014-15, Januzaj was loaned to Borussia Dortmund in August 2015.

Jose Mourinho replaced Van Gaal in July 2016 and Januzaj was almost immediately loaned to Sunderland, before cutting his ties with United permanently with a move to Sociedad in 2017.

Januzaj appeared destined for a glittering career at Old Trafford when he was handed a new long-term deal as an 18-year-old in 2013 but, looking back, he said he would never have signed had he known Van Gaal would be in charge less than a year later.

"If at that time I could have chosen to leave the club the year before he came then I would have," he said.

"But at that time United wanted me to sign a new contract and I thought that I could be there for many years. If I knew that these coaches were not going to believe in me I would not have signed, I would have gone somewhere else and enjoyed my football.

"At that point I just wanted to leave the club. I didn't want to go on loan, I wanted to get sold so it was a really difficult situation. All of it is experiences and I know I won't make that mistake again so I can just enjoy myself and my football."

Multan Sultans have named wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan as their captain for the upcoming Pakistan Super League season. He will replace Shan Masood, who led the franchise to the playoffs last year. Rizwan was previously part of Karachi Kings, PSL 2020 champions, although he featured in only one match last season. In January, he was selected by Multan in the PSL 2021 draft in the silver category and has now been promoted to captain.

"I look forward to leading the Multan Sultans team for the upcoming season," Rizwan said in a team press release. "I have understood the innovative approach the franchise applied last season and am looking forward to playing my part this season. Multan Sultans had a successful HBL PSL 5 and we will aspire to go even better this time around especially with senior Pakistani players like Shahid Afridi, Shan Masood and Sohail Tanvir."

While revealing the new captain, Multan owner Alamgir Khan Tareen said: "Rizwan has shown exemplary leadership qualities with the Pakistan team as well as with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in domestic tournaments. We are grateful to Shan Masood for leading the franchise exceptionally well last season and for instilling a winning mentality in the team."

Rizwan was recently named the Player of the Series in the three-match T20I series against South Africa. He had scored 197 runs in three innings, including a maiden T20I century. However, he has not been a regular in his PSL teams, playing only 23 matches since his tournament debut in 2016.

more to follow...

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A pair of Team Penske teammates entered turn three on the final lap of the 63rd Daytona 500, both with visions of the Harley J. Earl Trophy flashing through their minds.

Joey Logano led the field into turn three at Daytona Int’l Speedway, seeking his second Daytona 500 triumph, while Brad Keselowski sat second in pursuit of a breakthrough win in the iconic event.

Ultimately, contact between the duo in the 31-degree high banks meant that neither one took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series season opener.

A push from eventual Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell sent Keselowski’s Ford Mustang into the back of Logano’s car as Logano moved low to block. The contact caused both Logano and Keselowski to spin in front of the pack, igniting a multi-car accident less than a mile from the finish line.

Logano’s car spun down to the wet infield grass, while Keselowski’s car slammed the outside wall, climbing the SAFER Barrier before taking a vicious impact in the rear from Kyle Busch’s Toyota Camry.

That dislodged the fuel cell from the back of Keselowski’s white No. 2, with sparks from the grinding crash eventually igniting the loose fuel and creating a massive fireball around the accident scene.

Fortunately, all drivers involved were able to walk away unscathed.

In all, at least a half-dozen cars were collected in the final-lap melee, but it stung the most for the two drivers who began the final lap in the best position to capture the victory in The Great American Race.

Keselowski threw his helmet as he exited his destroyed race car, the frustration of missing out on a Daytona 500 victory for the 11th time clear in his features.

After exiting the infield care center, the 2012 Cup Series champion was succinct in his description of the events that unfolded over the final half-lap of NASCAR’s most-prestigious event.

“I had a big run down the backstretch and wanted to make the pass to win the Daytona 500 … and it ended up really bad,” said Keselowski. “I don’t feel like I made a mistake, but I can’t drive everybody else’s car, so it’s frustrating. Our Discount Tire Ford was not the fastest, but (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins and the whole team did a great job of keeping us in position and right then we were in position.

“It’s exactly where I wanted to be, running second on the last lap at Daytona with this package,” Keselowski added. “I had the run, made the move and it didn’t work out.”

The emotions were mixed for Logano after he had time to process the finish.

Mixed with the disappointment of missing out on another Daytona 500 victory was pride for a fellow Ford driver and longtime friend in McDowell, who celebrated nearby in Daytona’s victory lane.

“Pandemonium (happened), I guess,” Logano said. “Chaos struck. The 2 (Keselowski) kept trying to back up, trying to get a run. I was trying to back up to him to keep the runs from being too big and just … I guess he got to the back of the 34 (McDowell), and it ended up being a really big run coming at me and it seemed like we all just collided in one spot. It’s a real bummer that none of the Penske cars won, but at least a Ford won and I’m really happy for McDowell.

“I hate that we didn’t win with our Shell/Pennzoil Mustang. I feel like we had a great shot being where we were and leading on the last lap, but if we couldn’t win I really am happy to see Michael win this thing,” Logano added. “He’s a great guy, a great person, a good leader in life and has helped me a lot in my life, so it’s very cool to see him win the Daytona 500.”

Kevin Harvick, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner who pushed Logano until being shuffled out inside of two laps to go by the tandem of Keselowski and McDowell, had a front-row seat during the wild final lap.

He ended up fourth in the final rundown and also believed he could have won the Daytona 500.

“Brad laid way back there and got a run on the inside, and then at that point when everyone scattered, you just hope that you get a push or can wind up in the right spot (to capitalize),” Harvick explained. “I just wound up in a spot that put us finishing fourth. We were able to position ourselves up front. It was just kind of a weird race, the way it would all single-file out (at times).

“At the end … we just scattered there for a lap or two and saw how it all played out.”

Unfortunately for Logano and Keselowski, the end result was a pair of demolished race cars and a year-long wait before another shot to try and win the Daytona 500 comes back around.

New South Wales 9 for 318 (Smith 127, Davies 57) beat Victoria 259 (Short 67, Pattinson 54, Cummins 3-38) by 59 runs

A masterful century from Steven Smith, a sparkling debut from Ollie Davies and a fine all-round display from new captain Pat Cummins propelled New South Wales to a convincing victory in the opening match of the Marsh Cup against Victoria.

The home side struggled in the early stages of their innings having been put into bat at North Sydney Oval when Cummins lost his first toss with both openers falling for single figures. However, from 4 for 73 after 20 overs they added a further 245, the innings first brought to life by Davies' 35-ball half-century then finished off in style by Smith who struck 76 off his last 47 deliveries and Cummins who swung his way to 49 off 30 before adding three wickets.

"I was pretty relaxed," Cummins said afterwards. "The thing I was most nervous about was stuffing up my overs, getting my maths wrong. My mum is a maths teacher, so I wouldn't have lived that one down if I got it wrong."

Smith's century, his third in one-day cricket for New South Wales, came from 115 balls and in total he struck six sixes to equal the most he had hit in a one-day innings. His last two came in consecutive deliveries off James Pattinson, the first of them clearing the ground over deep midwicket to carry the total past 300.

However, it was debutant Davies, who had briefly shown his talent in the BBL with Sydney Thunder, who initially revived the innings with a superb counterattacking display. After starting with a couple of punchy drives, he responded to Victoria's attempt to bowl short - which included having a short leg in place - by twice pulling Xavier Crone over the leg side for six.

Another six to the same area, this time off Zak Evans, took him to 49 before he tucked a single to bring up his fifty off 35 deliveries. The fun ended a short while later when he was very well held by a back-tracking mid-on but he had left his mark.

Sean Abbott added further impetus, including an extraordinary scooped six off Crone, but when he was acrobatically caught by Peter Handscomb, New South Wales were six down with 10 overs remaining.

Smith and Cummins took charge of the latter stages with the captain dominating a seventh-wicket stand of 79 in eight overs before falling one short of a maiden one-day fifty. Crone ended with the painful figures of 1 for 94. Smith's hundred made it three centuries in four one-day innings this season following his back-to-back hundreds against India.

Cummins struck twice in his fourth over, during an exemplary five-over opening spell, firstly when Sam Harper found that trying to scoop the world's No. 1 bowler is a tough ask and then with a rapid delivery which nipped back to take Nic Maddinson's inside edge.

The innings was steadied by a 59-run stand between Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb but was ended when Harris chopped on against Sean Abbott which then became 5 for 111 in the 26th over when Jake Fraser-McGurk, another of the youngsters Victoria will give exposure to in the latter part of the season, was run out.

Matt Short's half-century kept Victoria's hopes flickering and Pattinson's maiden one-day fifty provided some late entertainment, but an asking rate of approaching ten-an-over for the lower order was always a tall order. The game never got close enough to really test Cummins' tactical acumen, but for now at least he has a 100% record as captain.

Glenn Maxwell believes that spinning conditions in Asia, a stratosphere away from anything in Australia, will give him a chance to return to the Test team even if schedule clashes and Covid-19 complexities conspire against his ambitions to play more Sheffield Shield games for Victoria over the coming year.

Ahead of the T20I series in New Zealand, Maxwell could not have been clearer about his desire to return to the Test ranks, after having played the last of his seven matches in a baggy green back in 2017 in Bangladesh. He suggested that a looming glut of matches in Asia, and difficult surfaces like the one India and England have played on in Chennai this week, gave him a greater chance of returning to the thoughts of the national selectors.

While there is a strong white-ball focus for Maxwell given that there are two T20 World Cups lined up for India (Covid-19 permitting) in 2021 and Australia in 2022, he admitted on Monday that he had discussed the possibility of a Test return with the selectors, as two Tests in Pakistan, two in Sri Lanka and four in India are all on the calendar for the next year. Australia have not played that many Tests in Asia in one year since 2004, when another spin specialist, Darren Lehmann, played some of the finest innings of his career in Sri Lanka and India, some years after it seemed he had been discarded.

"I think even watching this current Test, you're not facing these conditions in Australia, so you're probably not learning a whole lot off Sheffield Shield cricket in Australia," Maxwell said. "Not really getting a gauge on what guys are going to be like under that sort of pressure with the ball spinning square, keeping low, bouncing over your head. It's just a different beat completely, so to be able to pick a Test side based on Sheffield Shield cricket it's probably a little bit more difficult, I think you've got to go in with a lot more specialists, who can adapt to spinning conditions and find a way to score in those conditions as well.

"I'm hoping that can put me in good stead even if I don't have the time on field with the Sheffield Shield, I can find a way to play a few more series in the subcontinent over this year or however long and put my name forward, put up some good numbers, and show that I'm still a good player of spin."

"It's been a changing landscape for us with the rules around hubs frequently changing with quarantine on the way back as well. So we'll see, hopefully the schedule allows me to get out there and play another game of red-ball cricket, but we'll see"

Glenn Maxwell

Earlier this season, there had been some depiction of Maxwell and Aaron Finch as no longer being Shield players for Victoria, a view that the state coach Chris Rogers was quick to contradict. Maxwell was equally adamant that he wanted to see ways found to add to his tally of 67 first-class games and seven Tests.

"I'm certainly keen to still play red-ball cricket and still push my case forward to still play Test cricket," he said. "I feel like I'm still very much in the prime of my career, I'm only 32, there's still a fair bit in me, I'm fit and young-feeling still, I feel like I've still got a lot to give in red-ball games. So certainly not done and dusted there.

"I think with the schedule as well, next year there's quite a few subcontinent tours that I feel like I could certainly add something to that Test squad if I was selected, and I'll certainly be doing everything in my power to try and get on those tours and if I can somehow get some red-ball cricket at some stage or some time in Asia to work on my game over there, hopefully that can be enough to get myself back into the baggy green.

"If the schedule allows certainly and things with Covid haven't been exactly clear all year, it's been a changing landscape for us with the rules around hubs frequently changing with quarantine on the way back as well. So we'll see, hopefully the schedule allows me to get out there and play another game of red-ball cricket, but we'll see."

As for the current tour, Maxwell said that he and Finch were eager to see the squad's bevy of younger players demonstrate their prowess under international pressure. At the same time, Maxwell said he had learned from painful experience that his own preparation needed to be balanced between focus on the task and keeping his mind fresh.

"I think it's more role-play for the players in our side," Maxwell said. "There's going to be a few debutants, they're going to have an amazing opportunity to push their case for the T20 World Cup, I think there's about 15 games before that starts, so plenty of opportunities for guys. And just to see how they go under pressure, New Zealand are a very good side, got some really good players and it's going to be good to see how these players play under international pressure. We've seen them do it in the BBL, we've seen them play well, but international cricket's a different beast, so hopefully our players can stand up and put up a good front and go well this series and put their names forward.

"Learning from past mistakes is burning the candle too much and being flat come game day. In the past, I've trained really hard leading up to series and started well and then deteriorated as they go on. To give myself only a few days lead-in and hit the ground running still and keep that form continuous is probably pretty key for me going forward. It's all well and good preparing for a period of time and trying to get used to conditions, but you've still got to be mentally and physically good to go through a whole series, not just the start."

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bubba Wallace ran into trouble early and late in his first Daytona 500 driving for Michael Jordan.

He still came out of NASCAR's marquee race on Sunday with another milestone, becoming the first Black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500.

Wallace dipped to the low line late in the second stage to grab the lead on Lap 129 in the No. 23 Toyota. He lost the lead back to two-time defending champion Denny Hamlin -- who co-owns 23XI Racing with Jordan -- and ran third at the end of the stage.

Wallace got caught up in a fiery, chaotic last lap and finished 17th in a race won by Michael McDowell.

"Bum end. I bailed out down the back saw the wreck happening and got run over from behind. Should've bailed sooner,'' Wallace tweeted. "Fast car, can't have loose wheels. Onto the right turns.''

Wallace was forced to pit with 22 laps left in the race because he felt a vibration because of the loose wheel in the Toyota. He fell a lap down and pushed Hamlin to give his boss and Toyota teammate a nudge toward his run at a record third straight Daytona 500 championship.

Hamlin finished fifth.

"We worked together quite a few times,'' Hamlin said. "I actually thought he was going to win the second stage.''

Wallace finished second in the 2018 Daytona 500 for the highest finish in the race by a Black driver.

Wallace had a solid first two-thirds of the rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway after a tumultuous start in Jordan's debut race.

"He was running up front and battling for stage wins. That's what we want to see,'' Hamlin said.

Jordan's No. 23 Toyota failed inspection twice before the race, prompting NASCAR to kick the team's car chief out off the grounds. The car passed on the third attempt, but had to start from the back of the field. Jordan watched the beginning of the race from a luxury suite.

The six-time NBA champion had his first conversation with the 23XI crew chief when he called Mike Wheeler to find out why the team failed inspection.

Jordan entered NASCAR as the first Black principal owner of a full-time Cup Series team in nearly 50 years. He's tight with Hamlin and has rooted on the Joe Gibbs Racing driver from the pits in the past.

This venture is no lark for Jordan. Jordan was a kid when his late father packed up the car and took the family to NASCAR races at Southern tracks like Daytona, Darlington Raceway and defunct Rockingham Speedway.

Jordan once said he sets his clock to watch NASCAR every week.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Jordan and Wallace never met until this week. Jordan hit town in the days before the race and played some golf -- naturally -- and had a made-for-TV team meeting with Wallace and Hamlin.

"I feel like he's going to learn how to win. He's got the talent,'' Jordan told Fox Sports. "We would not have invested in him and picked him if he didn't have the talent to win. By the end of the year, I think he's going to have an opportunity and probably will win at least a couple of races. If it's more, I'd be elated.''

Wallace was winless in his first 112 career Cup starts, all driving the No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports. Wallace is the only Black full-time driver at NASCAR's top level and raised his profile last summer when he successfully called for the series to ban the display of Confederate flags at racetracks. His activism caught the attention of corporate America, which raised enough funding through five companies to sponsor the entire Cup season.

The 27-year-old Wallace flashed speed in the No. 23 Toyota -- yes, Jordan's old Bulls number -- at Speedweeks and topped the only practice session this week. He qualified sixth before he fell to the back of the pack because of issues that emerged out of pit stop practice.