NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Derek Griffith finished on the podium during Friday’s David Rogers Super Late Model feature that opened the 55th World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway, but that simply wasn’t enough for the driver from New Hampshire.

Fast forward to Saturday and Griffith, the defending World Series champion in the David Rogers Super Late Model division, was in his own zip code as he roared to his first victory of the week and third of his career during the World Series.

“It just feels good, especially after last night,” Griffith said in victory lane. “I know we finished on the podium, but we got tore up and had all sorts of issues. To come out and kind of prove ourselves as someone who kind of belongs here, it feels good.”

With a band of storms washing out qualifying, the field for Saturday’s 35-lap feature was set based on the finishing order of Friday’s race. The top-six were then inverted, placing Justin Mondeik on the pole alongside Connor Mosack.

Mosack drove into the lead entering turn one from the top, with fourth-starting Griffith advancing to second by the completion of the first lap.

Griffith took several looks to the inside of Mosack in the first few laps before finally making his move on lap eight. They raced side-by-side for two laps before Griffith completed the pass entering turn one on the 10th circuit.

It was effectively game, set, match from there as Griffith drove away from the field en route to the victory.

“We’re just a small, family-owned team,” said Griffith, who is also scheduled to compete in the ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona Int’l Speedway on Feb. 13 for Venturini Motorsports. “It’s so cool to come down here and run with these guys and compete.”

Mosack finished more than a second behind Griffith in second, followed by Mondeik in third. Jacob Goede took fourth after holding off a fierce challenge from Jett Noland in the final laps of the race.

Bryan Kruczek picked up his first Sportsman victory of the week during the division’s special 50-lap event, which earned him a $2,000 payday. He muscled his way past Friday’s winner, Matthew Green, during a restart with six laps left to earn the trophy and paycheck.

Noland doubled his fun in the Pro Late Model class as he outran Kody Swanson for the second-straight night. Travis Eddy also earned his second victory in as many days in the Florida Modified division.

Lastly, Matt Jarrett was the victor in the first E-Mod feature of the World Series.

The finish:

Derek Griffith, Connor Mosack, Justin Mondeik, Jacob Goede, Jett Noland, Ryan Moore, Sammy Smith, Brad May, Jake Garcia, Dan Fredrickson, R.J. Braun, Kris Wright, Stephen Nasse, Jesse Love, Kelly Moore, Daniel Dye, Michael Hinde, Jake Finch, Nick Panitzke, Kody Swanson, Bubba Pollard, Jaden Cretacci, Steve Weaver, Patrick Thomas, Travis Wilson. 

FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin will miss Sunday's game against Chicago because of an undisclosed "internal issue."

After practice Saturday, Stars coach Rick Bowness refused to say specifically why the goaltender will not play. He said Khudobin will be listed as day to day.

"I have very few rules, but you damn well better follow them," Bowness said without explanation.

Rookie Jake Oettinger will start against the Blackhawks. Landon Bow will be called up from the taxi squad to be the backup goalie.

The Stars are winless (0-2-1) in Khudobin's past three starts. He has allowed 11 goals in those road games. He had given up only three goals combined in winning his first three games at home.

Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder)
Innings 15; Runs 543; Average 38.78; S/R 161.60

Hales sent a reminder to the England selectors of his quality with a stunning season for the Thunder. He bounced back from back-to-back golden ducks in his first three innings of the season to finish as the BBL's leading run-scorer. He made three half-centuries and a superb 110 from just 56 balls against the eventual champions Sydney Sixers in Adelaide. His strike-rate of 161.60 at the top of the order was unrivalled and a huge reason why the Thunder finished third on the table.

Josh Philippe (Sydney Sixers)
Innings 16; Runs 508; Average 31.75; S/R 149.41

The wicketkeeper-batsman is now one of the hottest properties in Australian cricket having backed up his breakout season in BBL09 with another excellent season at the top of the order for the Sixers. He was a pivotal part of their title defence scoring a blistering 95 in their first win of the season and two other match-winning performances against the Thunder and Scorchers to help secure the Sixers top spot. He is now on the verge of making his international debut for Australia in the T20 series in New Zealand.

James Vince (Sydney Sixers)
Innings 16; Runs 537; Average 38.35; S/R 143.58

Vince's first 11 innings of the season were at No.3 and were relatively lean by his high standards but his move to the top at the pointy end of the tournament brought his class to the fore. He made an important 46 against the Stars to win the Sixers the Bash Boost point that secured top spot in the final round of the season. He then torched the Scorchers in back-to-back finals scoring 98 not out and 95. He richly deserved at least one century but had to settle for Player of the Match in the BBL final and a second successive title.

Colin Munro (Perth Scorchers)
Innings 15; Runs 443; Average 31.64; S/R 128.03

The left-hander had a very consistent tournament for the Scorchers, making three consecutive half-centuries and four in five innings as the Scorchers overcame a horror start to the tournament to rocket into title contention. He batted No. 3 for the majority of the tournament but was adaptable, combining regularly with Josh Inglis outside the Powerplay. He lost a little bit of rhythm late in the tournament and was unable to have a big impact in the finals series but overall he was a valuable contributor for the runners-up.

Jordan Silk (Sydney Sixers)
Innings 14; Runs 382; Average 38.20; S/R 144.69

Silk was one of the surprise packets of the season and one of the players who really benefitted from the new Power Surge rule. Traditionally an accumulator with a career strike-rate of 124.48, he was the third-highest scorer in the Power Surge for the tournament and played a number of outstanding cameos in the difficult No. 5 role. He made a career-best 78 off 49 balls against the Hurricanes and was the Sixers safety net in the middle order combining beautifully with Dan Christian in a number of tight chases.

Daniel Christian (Sydney Sixers)
Innings 14; Runs 272; Average 34.00; S/R 182.55 | Matches 16; 15 wickets; Average 26.53; Economy rate 8.84

Like a fine wine, Christian keeps getting better with age and keeps winning trophies wherever he goes. It was a masterstroke from Sixers coach Greg Shipperd to poach the 37-year-old from the Renegades. He delivered in spades on his way to his ninth T20 title. He continued to showcase his ability to chase down any total with the bat making 61 not out against the Heat to steal an improbable victory off the final ball. His bowling in the Surge and death overs was invaluable. He showed his class in the final arresting the run-rate with his first over in a Powerplay for years before delivering his best Surge over of the tournament.

Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder)
Innings 8; Runs 200; Average 40.00; S/R 188.67 | Matches 10; Wickets 10; Average 23.72; Econ 8.51

His season was interrupted by concussion and a hand injury but he still had a significant impact for the Thunder, especially with his rejuvenated batting where he exploited the Power Surge. His 65 off 25 balls against the Heat was breathtaking striking. His bowling wasn't quite as consistent as previous season but in this side he brings the value of the left-arm angle.

Jhye Richardson (Perth Scorchers)
Matches 17; Wickets 29; Average 16.31; S/R 7.69

The leading wicket-taker for the season, Richardson was a constant threat even if his form tailed slightly at the back-end of a long campaign. Was able to find significant swing both ways at good pace. While he remains a little hampered in the field by his shoulder, he looks primed to resume his international career on the T20 tour of New Zealand. His batting is also more than handy down the order.

Tanveer Sangha (Sydney Thunder)
Matches 15; Wickets 21; Average 18.28; S/R 8.08

The 19-year-old legpsinner was one of the breakout stars of the tournament in his first BBL season. There were some big names among his haul including Chris Lynn, Aaron Finch, Ben McDermott and Dawid Malan. His challenge will come as batsmen see more of him but the T20 tour of New Zealand will be a valuable experience.

Peter Siddle (Adelaide Strikers)
Matches 13; Wickets 19; Average 17.00; S/R 7.45

He remains a banker in the T20 format with the fourth-best economy of the season for a quick bowler to send down at least 30 overs. Took a career-best 5 for 16 against the Srikers early in the tournament. However, where he really stood out was in the Power Surge where he had far and away the best economy (7.36) of any bowler used more than twice.

Adam Zampa (Melbourne Stars)
Matches: 12; Wickets 19; Average 17.47; Econ 7.35

A hugely reliable performer in the T20 format, Zampa continued to combine wicket-taking with economy. Made the most of a poor Strikers batting display to take 5 for 17 but perhaps his standout performance was 2 for 10 off four overs against the Thunder in a spell that included 15 dot balls.

X-Factors

Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat)
Innings 13; Runs 458; Average 35.23; S/R 154.72

Wes Agar (Adelaide Strikers)
Matches 15; Wickets 22; Average 20.77; Econ 8.35

Pakistan 272 and 298 (Rizwan 115*, Nauman 45, Linde 5-64, Maharaj 3-118) lead South Africa 201 by 369 runs

Mohammad Rizwan's first Test century allowed Pakistan to set South Africa a target of 370 to level the series but the hosts will fancy their chances of victory even though the surface has settled. Unlike on the first three days, when the ball kept low and reverse swing played a role, scoring was free-flowing and Pakistan made the most of the conditions.

Their last five pairs put on 222 runs, including 53 between Rizwan and Yasir Shah, and 97 between Rizwan and Nauman Ali, and continued the trend of making valuable lower-order contributions from the home side. At the same time, their stubborn resistance told the story of the problems South Africa have encountered in dismissing the tail throughout the series. In Karachi, Pakistan's last five stands were worth 202 in the first innings, setting up a lead that laid the foundation for the win.

Despite that, the South African attack took pride from how they controlled the run rate. Even that failed them in the post-lunch session in Rawalpindi. South Africa conceded 81 runs in 17 overs, at a rate of 4.76 as Rizwan and Nauman took advantage of a weary attack. But, there was some consolation for South Africa's bowlers. George Linde, bowling with heavy strapping around his lacerated left little finger, took his first five-for, joining Anrich Nortje and Hasan Ali as the bowlers who have prospered on this pitch.

South Africa's spinners fared better than their seamers overall with Keshav Maharaj taking the first wicket of the morning in the sixth over when he hit Hasan Ali on the front pad with a ball that would have gone on to clip leg stump. Maharaj would have added a second scalp in his next over but Shah missed the cut shot and got an edge but the ball popped out of Quinton de Kock's hands. Shah was on 10 at the time and his partnership with Rizwan worth 12. The stand grew more than four times that by the time Shah was deceived by a change of pace from Linde and he chased a wide ball to be caught behind for 23.

In between that, South Africa thought they had snared Rizwan when he missed a cut shot off Linde and de Kock reviewed for a catch. UltraEdge, however, showed the ball did not make any contact with the bat. Rizwan was on 43 at the time and went on to bring up fifty off 113 balls with a cut, a shot that served him well throughout the morning.

Rizwan was undeterred by the threat of Nortje's short ball and was strong on the back foot and the pull. He dispatched Kagiso Rabada, who only bowled seven overs on the fourth day, in similarly dismissive fashion, before and after he reached his hundred which came with a single off Linde to cover point.

Nauman could have joined Rizwan with a maiden milestone and batted well to get to 45 before he toe-ended a pull off Rabada to Dean Elgar at midwicket. Pakistan's innings lasted another 19 balls after that before Linde bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Pakistan's total means South Africa will need to pull off the highest successful chase by a visiting team in Pakistan, beating Sri Lanka's 220 at the same venue 21 years ago, and would need to successfully chase a score over 200 for the first time in almost a decade. The last time South Africa managed that was in 2011, against Australia in Cape Town.

Ashton Agar is hoping to make up for lost time on the T20I tour of New Zealand having seen the majority of his home season wiped out by injury.

Agar injured a finger and calf in the ODI series against India, which meant he missed the T20Is, and the latter problem ruled him out of the whole of the BBL with Perth Scorchers who finished runners-up after defeat in the final against Sydney Sixers. He has been preparing for this tour back in Western Australia were his build-up was briefly hit by the Covid-19 lockdown of Perth last week.

Despite missing the matches against India, Agar was named the T20I player of the year at the Cricket Australia awards. Now, with the T20 World Cup to work towards in October, Agar is looking forward to getting some time in the middle in New Zealand once the players complete their two weeks managed isolation in Christchurch.

"It has been frustrating, there has been so much cricket on," he said at Sydney airport. "All I've been doing is watching cricket, I'm itching to get out there and that's a nice feeling to have when you come back after a while to really want to get out there and play.

"Lucky I've got that opportunity coming up. The injury is coming along nicely. My finger is all healed up and my calf is going really so hopefully fit for game while."

Taking the T20I award and having built an impressive record the ball that reads 30 wickets at 20.86 and an economy of 6.87 has enabled Agar to feel "a bit more settled" in his position but he takes nothing for granted. "You can never get too comfortable because international cricket is a brutal game," he said.

He knows as well that conditions could be a challenge. New Zealand is a tough place for spinners in T20: in the last two years the economy-rate of 8.56 is the joint highest among the top-ranked T20 nations.

It's not certain that Australia will field two frontline spinners in the XI given they will also have Glenn Maxwell's offspin in the team and perhaps D'Arcy Short's left-arm wristspin.

"That is always the biggest challenge, the smaller grounds," he said. "I remember going to Eden Park the first time I went to New Zealand and I was like 'this is a joke, it has to be the wrong ground' because of how small it was. But it actually brings you into the game as a spinner. They are going to try and hit you for sixes and you'll get hit for some but you have the opportunity to take a few wickets."

The established pair of Agar and Adam Zampa are joined on this tour by 19-year-old Tanveer Sangha who was the leading spinner in this season's BBL.

"I saw lots of it and was so impressed," Agar said. "I was just having a chat to him before and have spent a bit of time with him, he's such a nice level-headed guy. He was able to hold his nerve in his first Big Bash, so his maturity was probably what was most impressive and his skills, I think he'll be a very fine bowler if he's not already."

For the new faces - Sangha is one of three uncapped players along with Josh Philippe and Riley Meredith - and the fringe players the tour is a chance to make their claim for a spot at the World Cup. "When you speak about World Cups it takes a whole squad to win one," Agar said. "We don't have all the Test stars at the moment but we still have a really good team who I think can beat anyone on their day. Hopefully a few guys can get an opportunity this tour and get a taste."

DALLAS -- Luka Doncic hasn't had a lot of reason to flash his infectious smile lately. He is a firm believer in the professional benefits of enjoying basketball, but that's difficult to do when his Dallas Mavericks had lost 10 of their previous 13 games, as was the case when he reported for work Saturday night at the American Airlines Center.

Give Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry an assist for bringing back Doncic's joy. Even in an empty arena, there's nothing that electrifies an NBA atmosphere quite like Curry cooking. That was certainly the case on Saturday, with Curry going 11-of-19 from 3-point range and swishing a flurry of silly shots, the kind that make you cackle out loud, en route to 57 points.

Doncic gleefully accepted Curry's spectacular performance as a challenge. He responded with an outing that reminded a national television audience why this 21-year-old entered the season with the weight of MVP expectations, matching his career high with 42 points and dishing out 11 assists to lead Dallas to a thrilling -- and desperately needed -- 134-132 win.

"Obviously, going against Steph is fun," Doncic said. "I've got to have more fun playing the game to be who I was before. I've just got to get back to enjoying the game."

If you didn't enjoy Saturday's contest, basketball probably just isn't the sport for you. Or perhaps you're just a bitter soul. How else to explain not smiling when you see Curry do an exaggerated shoulder shimmy on the half-court logo after draining a transition pull-up from there? How can you not appreciate the artistic beauty of the best shooter in NBA history dancing with his dribble before draining step-back 30-footers with a hand in his face?

"What Steph does is something unbelievable," Doncic said. "I just think every shot is going to go in when he shot it. It's unbelievable the way he plays the game, and it's enjoyable to watch, even if you're on the opposing team."

As Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Curry, "He's one of the guys that I'd pay a lot of money to watch play."

Doncic, who trails only Curry among guards in the All-Star voting early returns, is definitely another player to fit that category. It's not just Doncic's ability to stuff box scores -- he now has all six 40-point, 10-assist performances in franchise history, for example -- and create highlights that makes him worth buying a ticket or at least turning on the TV to watch. He is an entertainer with a rare flair for the moment, something he has in common with NBA legends that Carlisle has watched up close before.

"The basketball floor is his stage," Carlisle said of Doncic. "Guys like him -- and I was around [Larry] Bird; I was around Reggie Miller -- when there's another guy on the other team raising his game to the level that Curry was, you feel an obligation if you're that kind of player. I saw Bird do it; I saw Miller do it.

"You just dig deeper. You find a way to try to match the guy and try to match the guy for your team. And that's exactly what he did."

Doncic never allowed Curry to seize complete control of the game. There were certainly stretches when Curry was unstoppable, but Doncic kept responding. Case in point: the final 90 seconds of the second quarter, when Curry capped his 30-point half with a cutting layup and a couple of long 3s and Doncic swished a 3 sandwiched by a pair of pretty floaters, giving the Mavs an eight-point lead at the break.

Doncic, one of the league's lowest-percentage, high-volume long-range gunners, shot like a Splash Brother on Saturday night. He was 7-of-12 from 3-point range. And he got better as the stakes got higher, hitting 3 of 5 3s in the fourth quarter as the Mavs kept the Warriors at bay, the biggest giving Dallas a seven-point lead with 44.5 seconds remaining.

"His eyes lit up a little bit," Curry said. "He made some big shots tonight."

Of course, a seven-point lead isn't safe with Curry in sizzle mode. Curry cut the Mavs' advantage to four points just seconds later by knocking down a 3 off a feed from Draymond Green (a point center who had his second consecutive 15-assist performance and who also is a pleasure to watch). Then, suddenly, it was a one-point game, after Curry danced and darted into the lane for an and-1 layup with 28.6 seconds left.

Imagine the pressure the Mavs felt in that moment, having lost 12 consecutive one-possession games, the third-longest such streak in NBA history, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

That streak, it's worth noting, included only regular-season games. You might recall Doncic putting the exclamation point on a playoff masterpiece by hitting a step-back 3 to beat the overtime buzzer in Dallas' Game 4 win over the LA Clippers last season. Doncic had a 43-point triple-double that night, when he was questionable due to a sprained ankle suffered about 36 hours earlier; it was a performance that eliminated any doubt that the youngster belonged in the discussion of the league's best.

Back to crunch time Saturday night, the Warriors decided they weren't going to let Doncic seal this game by scoring, sending a double-team at him 30 feet from the hoop as the shot clock ticked down. Doncic accepted that challenge by taking advantage of the tactic, delivering a bounce pass to Maxi Kleber, who was left alone in the corner and hit the dagger 3.

"He's just very polished," Curry said, tipping his cap to Doncic. "He's shown that since his rookie year, and he's gotten better. And who knows how high the ceiling is for him?"

It will be fun to find out.

After avoiding his fourth straight missed cut on Friday, Brooks Koepka was disappointed with the way he played much of Saturday’s third round at TPC Scottsdale.

Through 12 holes, Koepka was even par with just one birdie.

“It was just frustrating today to be honest with you,” Koepka said. “I felt like I was in between [clubs] the whole front nine and really just didn't have a good number and didn't make that many quality shots.”

Yet Koepka came alive down the stretch, birdieing four of his last five holes to shoot 5-under 66 and get to 13 under. He’s five shots back of Waste Management Phoenix Open leaders Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele, but he’s also tied for seventh.

So, what will it take to win for the first time since 2019 in Memphis?

“Probably at least 63,” Koepka said. “Something like that. It's doable. You just got to get off to a good start on the front nine. The back nine is definitely doable if you put it in the right spots.

“Anything can happen those closing four or five holes.”

After a four-month break since the end of the CPL, the first West Indies regional tournament of 2021 kicks off on Sunday when the Super50 Cup begins in Antigua. The lingering impact of Covid-19 means a stripped back version of the event. But in some ways, that means the competition may actually be more intense than in recent years. Here are five things to keep an eye on during the three-week tournament.

Ten teams have been reduced to six

Beginning with the 2013-14 tournament, it became customary for guest teams outside the Caribbean to be invited to participate. Over the next seven editions, numerous Associate sides were invited including Ireland, USA and Canada, as well as English County sides during the northern hemisphere winter such as Kent and Hampshire. The presence of developmental sides from around the Caribbean - Combined Colleges and Campuses, West Indies U-19 and West Indies Emerging - had also formed part of the draws in recent years.

But the difficulty of border crossing restrictions for overseas guests during the pandemic nixed any possibility of USA or Canada returning this year. Budgetary constraints also contributed to the disappearance of any CCC side for the first time since 2007. As a result, instead of the teams split into two groups playing a double round-robin format, this year's event will be a single round-robin league stage before a pair of semi-finals and the final.

A different champion will be crowned

Last year's winners were the West Indies Emerging Team, a group comprised mainly of current and recent West Indies U-19 players who hadn't yet forced their way into their regional senior representative sides. The leading scorer in that champion unit was Joshua Da Silva, whose 310 runs helped spur them to an initial shock upset of Trinidad & Tobago in Group B before a further upset of Barbados in the semis, and set the stage for a 205-run demolition of Leeward Islands in the final. It also helped Da Silva build a case for inclusion into the West Indies side, making his first touring squad to England in the summer of 2020.

West Indies Emerging Team took over the mantle from the CCC squad, who claimed their first ever title in the 2018-19 tournament. The absence of both West Indies Emerging and CCC opens the door for one of the traditional representative squads to take back control of the regional limited overs cup.

Traditional sides closer to full strength

In recent years, many teams have been stripped of their best local talent due to conflicts with overseas West Indies tours or the T20 franchise carousel. The intensity of life in bio-bubbles and risks of travelling abroad in the Covid-19 era mean many players are preferring to stay close to home. A consequence is their availability for the Super50 Cup for the first time in years.

Among the biggest beneficiaries are Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago. Jason Holder comes back to captain his home island, having not played in the Super50 Cup since February 2018, and is joined by Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase. An uncharacteristically understrength Trinidad & Tobago team from last year was highlighted by the captain and vice-captain spin duo of Imran Khan and Yannick Ottley. This year's version looks much closer to the juggernaut of yesteryear with the return of Kieron Pollard as captain as well as Nicholas Pooran, Denesh Ramdin, Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Khary Pierre and Ravi Rampaul. Even though many of these names have been playing in the UAE T10 League, T&T's first match isn't until February 11, giving them a few days to return in time.

Covid-19 positive tests impacting squad selection

A reminder of the threat of Covid-19 to the players involved came during the West Indies ODI tour in Bangladesh last month when legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr had to go into quarantine before the first match after returning a positive test. Though he has since recovered and has been named in the Leeward Islands squad, others have subsequently been ruled out.

The Hope brothers, Kyle and Shai, both produced positive tests prior to entering the tournament bio-bubble in Antigua, and were both ruled out of the Barbados squad as a result. They have been replaced by Tevyn Walcott and Zachary McCaskie. Guyana also had a player ruled out due to Covid in batsman Trevon Griffith, who has been swapped out for Kemol Savory.

No Associate teams doesn't mean no Associate players

Nitish Kumar, the former Canada captain, raised the antennae of talent evaluators in the region courtesy of a match-winning century in a win over then defending champions CCC in last year's event. Kumar previously appeared in the Super50 for a combined ICC Americas squad, where his performances got him drafted by St Lucia Zouks in the 2016 CPL.

Despite Canada's absence in this year's event, Kumar was invited to take part in squad trials for Leeward Islands. Not only did he make the cut for their 15-man squad, but it would not be surprising to see him play a prominent role in the middle order. Kumar is also a top-notch fielder and is classified by some coaches as a genuine allrounder thanks to his handy offspin that has claimed 29 List A wickets.

Steve O'Keefe and Dan Christian have seen and done a lot in their cricket careers, but Saturday's BBL title triumph at the SCG had extra special meaning.

It was a season that only brought Sydney Sixers home at the very end - the final against Perth Scorchers was the first and last match they could play in Sydney due to the Covid-19 border restrictions that have had to be navigated throughout a 61-match season that defied many hurdles to get completed.

For O'Keefe, who was a survivor from the Sixers' first title in BBL01 along with captain Moises Henriques, it may yet prove the final outing of his professional career (although don't rule him out just yet) with discussions to be had over his future.

"It would be hard to top that and we've got some great young so spinners so we'll just wait and see what happens," he said.

"During the week I said this was already in the top six [achievements] regardless of how the night went so this is No. 1 without a doubt, given the nature of the tournament, the pressure, the way we had to adapt and change, the way things moved around. The way we were able to adapt under those circumstances was unbelievable so this is easily the best in my BBL career.

"I'm not getting any younger and my body at times does fail me. So we'll have a chat, let the dust settle, if they [Sixers] still see some value in me then great, then it will be up to me to whether I want to go round again."

In the final, O'Keefe did what he so often does: tie up batsmen and produced four overs vital to the outcome of the match with 13 of the runs he conceded coming off one over.

And the same can be said of Christian as he secured a ninth T20 title. "The guy doesn't know how to lose," O'Keefe said, adding that the allrounder spoke to the team on the bus journey to remind every player what part they had played. "He just instills belief in the group."

Christian has played T20 cricket for 17 teams (No. 18 will follow shortly with Karachi Kings in the PSL) but this campaign has meant more. A chance to come home in what is a globetrotting existence.

"Having the opportunity to come back and play for my home city was huge," he said. "It was something I've really wanted to do for a long time, so to get that opportunity was really exciting and to go on and win the cup means a hell of a lot. From that perspective it's probably a bit more [special] than usual when you do start with a new team."

The game was sealed by the time he was given the final over, but he was able to add the finishing touches of a couple of wickets having contributed a handy 20 off 14 balls.

He had done the hard yards with the ball earlier, bowling the final over of the Powerplay where he conceded just five to pull back a rapid Scorchers start, the 10th and the second of the Power Surge in the 16th which he kept to six.

"That's why I play these days, to try and win things," he said. "I'm just really pleased for everyone involved with the team. From our first training session together out at Blacktown then going down to Hobart, we gelled really well.

"To play cricket the way we did all through the season, we got off to absolute flyer, top of the table for most of the season, a couple of hiccups at the end, but we fully deserved that result."

Christian is on a two-year deal with the Sixers so will be back for more next summer. "Let's keep him till he's 45, he's never going to get old, is he," O'Keefe joked as he waits to find out, or decide, whether he'll be there with him.

The Northern Warriors lifted the Abu Dhabi T10 trophy in the UAE capital on Saturday night, with Nicholas Pooran's men emphatic as they become the first two-time champions in the competition's four-edition history.

Pooran, 25, follows in the footsteps of previous Warriors captain Daren Sammy in clinching T10 glory at his first experience leading a franchise, and represents a change in guard as he wrestled glory away from Dwayne Bravo's Delhi Bulls.

The eight-wicket win was comfortable in the end for the Warriors and Pooran was delighted in their desire that saw them come out on the right side of the final.

"I think this group wanted it much more than Delhi Bulls today," Pooran said. "It's been a tough one, but a really good opportunity for me. For someone this young, being able to captain a team of young players and experienced players, to get the respect of some players, learning all these things - it was a challenge but at the end of the day I really appreciated it."

Bravo was quick to praise Pooran for his achievement, describing his pride in seeing the Trinidadian become the latest in a long list of Caribbean players to deliver success in the shortest format.

"Congratulations to the Warriors and a special congrats to Nicholas Pooran as a captain winning his first title," Bravo said. "I'm very proud of him, proud of his leadership, proud of the way he cares about himself, the way he dominated the tournament with the bat and then to walk away as the champion captain. I'm very happy for him.

"I don't think he has to follow in anybody's footsteps, I think he's already paving his own way for people to follow him. At the end of the day, he's a special talent and we are all proud of him."

The two teams had been the tournament's most dominant forces, finishing level in the top two spots of both Group A and then the Super League to set up Friday's Qualifier that saw the Bulls advance to the final after claiming a five-wicket victory. It left the Warriors needing to beat Team Abu Dhabi and they duly obliged, setting up a third meeting between the finalists.

Their record stood at one win apiece after the Warriors ran out victorious in the Group A encounter on day three, before Pooran's Warriors claimed trilogy spoils, as well as the trophy.

Bravo lost just his second toss and was asked to set a total for the first time in the tournament, something his team looked decidedly uncomfortable doing. In the Warriors' ranks, Pooran raised eyebrows by dropping icon player Wayne Parnell in favour of UAE seamer Waheed Ahmed; one of three local players selected in Pooran's side, although Ahmed didn't bowl a single ball.

Instead, it was Ahmed's international team-mate Junaid Siddique that helped the Warriors seize early control, taking 2 for 19 from his two overs as he removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz (13) and Sherfane Rutherford (4) inside the first four overs of the match.

It sparked a flurry of Bulls wickets to fall, with 20-year-old Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana's 3 for 14 wreaking havoc in the Bulls middle order. Theekshana accounted for Ravi Bopara (9) and Bravo (0) in the seventh over, while Dhananjaya Lakshan ended with 2 for 12 at the death as the Bulls could only manage 81 for 9 from their 10 overs.

Pooran took charge of the Warriors chase, opting to open the batting alongside UAE breakout Waseem Muhammad. But Fidel Edwards, on his 39th birthday, rolled back the years in a rapid second over of the chase that eventually saw him trap Pooran lbw for just 12. Edwards hit Pooran three times - including two brutal deliveries that thudded into the left-hand batsman's right forearm - and was also lifted for six by his compatriot before removing him in a compelling over.

Waseem should have followed his captain back to the dugout in the very next over but Bopara shelled what was the 46th dropped catch at the Zayed Cricket Stadium littered with poor fielding over the course of the past 10 days.

It proved to be one of the most costly drops of the lot, as Waseem calmly grabbed control of the pursuit in making 27 off 22 deliveries and by the time he departed, the Warriors required a run-a-ball 20. Lendl Simmons (14*) and Rovman Powell (16*) eventually saw their team over the line to deny Bravo and coach Andy Flower a second successive Abu Dhabi T10 title.