Graeme Swann has encouraged Jack Leach to follow Rangana Herath's lead in England's first Test in Chennai this week, telling him that he needs to be "metronomic" and "boring" if he wants to take wickets against India's batting line-up.

Leach took 10 wickets at 35.50 in England's two-match series in Sri Lanka last month, nine of them across the two third innings after he had performed a holding role in the first. He bowled better than his figures might suggest, but will be playing a Test match in India for the first time this week against a side boasting exceptional records against spin in their own conditions.

Swann, who was England's leading wicket-taker in their 2-1 series win in India in late 2012 - India's most recent home series defeat - said that the ideal gameplan for Leach to follow entailed being "deadly boring" and bowling tight lines for long spells.

"What you see is what you get with him," Swann said. "He's a no-frills left-arm spinner, who runs up and pitches it on the stumps. I'd tell him very simply to watch what Herath used to do for Sri Lanka. That's the blueprint for Leach: run up, put it on the spot, be metronomic, and be almost deadly boring in the way he operates in India.

"India's batsmen will respect a good ball, and he doesn't bowl very many bad ones. Generally, Indian batsmen will play the long game. That's brilliant for him because it gives him the chance to get into a rhythm and find his groove. He can definitely be consistent enough to hold down an end."

England look set to make a late call as to which of their offspinners partners Leach in the side. Dom Bess was their leading wicket-taker in Sri Lanka with 12 wickets at 21.25, but lacked consistency and admitted that he "didn't feel like I bowled very well" after benefitting from some bizarre shot selection in taking 5 for 30 on the first day of the series. If they decide against picking Bess, the alternative is to play Moeen Ali, who missed the Sri Lanka series after contracting Covid-19, but has performed well against India with both bat and ball in the past.

Swann said that he believes Bess will be "brilliant for England over a 10-year period" but suggested that he should encourage Joe Root to set less defensive fields off his bowling. Root has often posted a deep point or a deep cover to avoid Bess leaking runs when he drops short, but Swann suggested that doing so could be detrimental to Bess' confidence.

"The only time you should have a deep point or a deep cover in a Test match is if a team are 500 ahead and it's about damage limitation," he said. "It's there for a bad ball, and I don't think it helps a bowler at all. Having protection is saying that the captain doesn't believe in you and that you don't believe in yourself. You wouldn't have a long-off in for an opening bowler, would you?

"Having said that, it's easier said than done. The fact that Dom is still young and hasn't bowled a great number of overs in his life means that he's not as consistent as he might be in the future. It's a tricky one, because Bess is a wicket-taker. He didn't bowl particularly well in Sri Lanka and I think he'd admit that, but he took 12 wickets and he does bowl wicket-taking balls.

"I saw Mo say he's hungry to play after 18 months away and if he's fit and going well, I would prefer the shape he gets when he drifts it away and gets dip to Bess' shape which drifts in, because he doesn't finish his action off all the time. I think it's a mental thing and that he might not be believing in himself, but with good mentoring and support he'll nail that.

"He's going to be brilliant, and he'll be brilliant for England over a 10-year period. It's just about getting there."

In 2012, we went to India and won. We had a bloody brilliant team... [but] the next time we went, not a single lesson had been learned so we lost 4-0

Graeme Swann

Swann, speaking from Abu Dhabi in his capacity as a Betfair ambassador, has said repeatedly in recent months that he would like to be involved in the England set-up in a coaching role, suggesting that his expertise has not been used enough and that he has "so much to offer the spinners on the mental side of Test cricket".

But he said that he did not apply for the current vacancy as England's spin-bowling coach, and claimed that he had only learned about it when he was "phoned up by someone going for the interview who wanted to pick my brains". He had been lined up to spend some time with Trent Rockets in the Hundred last summer before the competition's postponement and hopes to be involved with them this season to demonstrate his desire to help young spinners develop.

"I couldn't commit to a full-time coaching role realistically, but I would love to help in some way, maybe consulting. I don't think I'm on their radar. The Hundred job is a bit of an unknown as yet but I'd love to do it. Maybe I have to prove that I'm serious and willing to put in the hard yards.

"In 2012, we went to India and we won. We had a bloody brilliant team but we won a series against a very fine side, and the next time we went, not a single lesson had been learned so we lost 4-0. I don't think we'd taken it seriously because the focus is so much on going to Australia to win the Ashes.

"We've taken our eye off the ball. India are actually the best out team in the world these days, especially in India, so I hope this time that we can get back to competing over there. Taking 20 wickets on a regular basis will be a struggle: it's an awesome seam attack and they've got it in them once or twice in the series, especially in the day-night match, but whether they can do it in all four games in yet to be seen."

For more from Betfair Ambassador Graeme Swann, head to his blog on Betting.Betfair

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley says he is "absolutely confident" the Grand Slam will start as planned on Monday, despite 160 players waiting for the outcome of coronavirus tests.

Play at six warm-up events and the Slam draws were postponed on Thursday.

"We fully expect to keep the original schedule after today," said Tiley.

The warm-up events, which are all taking place at Melbourne Park, are set to resume on Friday. The Australian Open draws have been moved back to the same day at about 03:00 GMT.

The disruption came after it was announced on Wednesday that a 26-year-old man tested positive for Covid-19 after working at the Grand Hyatt hotel where the players affected were staying in a 14-day quarantine.

The security guard tested negative after his final shift at the hotel on 29 January, but returned a positive result after he was tested again on 2 February.

The 160 players, plus their support staff and tournament officials, are deemed to be casual contacts by Victorian state health bosses.

They will be allowed out of isolation once they return a negative test.

"The probability is very low that there will be any issues and we fully expect them all to test negative," said Tiley.

"We're absolutely confident the Australian Open will go ahead."

The Grand Slam tournament was pushed back by three weeks to enable players to quarantine on their arrival in Australia.

Australia has imposed some of the world's toughest restrictions over the past year in a bid to suppress coronavirus.

Months of strict border controls - both internationally and domestically - have helped limit Covid-19 cases to less than 29,000 and deaths to less than 1,000.

Jurgen Klinsmann won the World Cup and European Championship with Germany during a glittering career in which he played for Inter, Tottenham and Bayern, among others. As a coach, he led Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup and managed the U.S. men's national team from 2011-16. In addition to an ESPN.com column, he is a regular guest on FC Daily.

Taking over as manager midway through a season is all about adapting quickly, and Thomas Tuchel will have been busy since replacing Frank Lampard at Chelsea last week. He was coaching on the touchline one day after arriving, had another game at the weekend and now prepares for a visit to Jose Mourinho's Tottenham on Thursday. Oh, and there was the end of the transfer window -- phew!

Thomas' experience with Paris Saint-Germain was a reminder that things can happen overnight in football, both negatively and positively. I am sure he looks back at his time as an amazing experience, with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe as the main aspects of the team, but having seen it was not enough to win the league and cup and reach the Champions League final, he probably will approach Chelsea a little differently, even if the goal is similar: win trophies.

The best managers have ways of settling and putting their stamp on a new club. Mourinho, for example, understands what is needed and does not fool around. He is very clear and his specific way of doing things might be connected to a style of play that does not please everybody, but pretty much wherever he has been, he has won.

It is important to stick to your own personality. Mourinho does not make promises he cannot keep; he goes into a new job and says, "this is me, I have to do it my way," and his success proves it works. Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp is the same, only for him it is playing attacking-minded, 200 mph football! If you look at the top managers, they all have their trademark.

- Klinsmann: UCL experience can help USMNT stars
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Everyone talks to everyone else in football is an industry and so, before he arrived in London, Thomas will have been discussed by the Chelsea players. This can help a new manager; Thiago Silva and Christian Pulisic, for example, can spread the message that the man they worked with -- at PSG and Borussia Dortmund respectively -- is a good guy and a positive person who is full of energy and inspiration.

Thomas knew Pulisic as a teenager and now gets an older, more mature footballer who can get even better playing a style that suits him: a fast-paced, transitional game, with high tempo and high pressure when possible. Pulisic has a presence and personality on the field; he is demanding of the ball and has proved that he made the right move to join Chelsea.

A lot of expectation will be on Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to find top form under their fellow German. It is true that they have found it difficult in England, but both are difference-makers and part of that category of players, who move from one Champions League club to another because of what they offer. Thomas has to look at why things have not worked out yet, and maybe his evaluation will be that they just need a bit more time.

Werner can play wide, where there is more space for his speed than as a No. 9; when he is in a one-on-one situation and makes the first move and you don't have the ball right away as a defender, he is gone. But deep inside, he is a goal scorer; that's what he lives for. And that's why he should take the next penalty when he gets a chance, even after missing his last one.

Forwards just have to live with the fact that goals come in certain stretches; one day you'll miss a penalty or a one-on-one, the next day the ball will seem to go in easily. You are driven by numbers and want to compete with others at the top level; just consider Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are looking at each other every day and have been for 15 years.

I used to look at Marco van Basten. I always admired him and, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was the most complete striker in the world. We played many times against each other, whether it was him on AC Milan against me with Inter Milan, or his Holland against my Germany. Sometimes he won and sometimes I won.

Havertz has the possibility to develop into a more complete player and is still in his development, even if he has already proved a lot. Coaches often say that talent is only 50%, and Thomas will have a big say in building the other 50%, just as Lampard had a say and Peter Bosz had a say at Bayer Leverkusen. There is so much more to come from Havertz, physically and as a personality.

With a team full of different people from different backgrounds, every minute you can spend time with them helps. Learn about their non-football life, for example; players like that appreciation of who they are and want input to become a better athlete and human being. It is easier to make all this work within a national team environment because you have more time for individual meetings.

With a club, though, everyone is constantly on the go. Players have to manage their private lives and families, plus you play every three or four days. It is not surprising they leave the training ground quickly to get other things done!

Beyond dealing with individual players, a manager's biggest task is to run the inner circle of the club and building awareness of the existing culture -- from history to community to media to ownership goals -- can take time. You have to enjoy dealing with all that stuff on a daily basis, but also need help, so the staff you bring play an important role.

There will definitely be assistant coaches to prepare training sessions and examine the technical side; maybe there is an analyst, too, and perhaps also a lead scout, a physio or head of medical. That support network was important to me when I took over as Germany coach in 2004 ahead of the World Cup. You build your own team and act as guide for a field of experts who have to be empowered and trusted.

It is also important to accept you will make mistakes and understand how to move past difficult times. Top managers don't get stuck on two or three losses and doubt themselves; they know how to maneuver through the bad days and give stability to the team. It is essential to get the message across to players that, even if things are not sunny today, they will work out.

To achieve success at a new club, every manager needs time. A strong relationship between ownership, board and coach can help achieve that, but football is such a results business that the old saying "the day you are hired is the day you are fired" applies more than ever before.

There are many reasons a partnership does not work out, and it is all part of the managerial learning curve. So while it might have been a shock for Thomas to be let go by Paris after doing so much that was positive, he took the message and moved on to his next adventure, which challenges him to adapt to England and the expectation that comes with being in charge of Chelsea Football Club.

Until this week in Melbourne, world number one Ashleigh Barty had not played a competitive match since 28 February last year.

Or so she thought.

All professional tennis was suspended on 11 March because of the coronavirus pandemic. And although the tours resumed in August, Barty decided not to travel to Paris to defend her French Open title the following month.

"The decision was probably the toughest of the whole year - not being able to try and defend my first Grand Slam title," the 24-year-old says in an interview with BBC Sport in the run-up to next week's Australian Open.

"In all honesty, I didn't watch any. I didn't sit there thinking, 'I wish that was me', because I was completely content with what I had at home - knowing I made all the right decisions for the right reasons.

"Not one bit of me had any bit of regret or a fear of missing out. I slept pretty well at night knowing that."

Barty barely picked up a racquet between March and May. It was a chance, she says, to "absorb what was going on, and try and figure it out".

But she did frequently pick up her golf clubs, and has shaved a few shots off a handicap which now stands at three.

It was a rare chance to spend a (warm) winter at home in Brisbane, which had relatively low numbers of Covid cases and less severe lockdowns.

Throughout the year, Barty remained the world's number one player - helped by a decision to calculate the rankings over a two-year, rather than a single-year, period.

She missed the US Open as well as the French Open, but says there was little in the way of frustration.

"It was more about accepting what was happening in the world and knowing that a lot of it was out of my control," she continues.

"Obviously, we made some decisions about how much we would play throughout the year, but for me it was a no-brainer: prioritising our health first, and knowing that tennis is not the be all and end all for me."

Barty did not see her coach Craig Tyzzer for six months because of the closure of state borders. But after finally being allowed to make the trip to Queensland, and then spending two weeks in quarantine, Tyzzer was on hand for the start of serious pre-season training in October.

The main goal was the Australian Open, which will finally begin on Monday - three weeks later than scheduled. Last year Barty fell just short, losing to eventual champion Sofia Kenin in the semi-finals of her home Grand Slam.

She does not know quite what to expect after so long away from competition. Does she still feel like the best player in the world?

"I feel like I'm getting the best out of myself, and that's all that matters," is her reply.

"I feel like we've earned the position at the top of the rankings, and I know that I do a hell of a lot of work off the court to try and be the best I can be, and that's all I can do."

There will inevitably still be high expectations, as it is 43 years since a home player - in the shape of Christine O'Neil - won the women's title at the Australian Open.

Up to 30,000 fans a day are expected to watch over the next fortnight, and Barty is sensitive to those Melburnians who do not believe the Australian Open is appropriate this year.

Melbourne was in lockdown for more than 100 days between July and October as the state of Victoria suffered more than 90% of the deaths in Australia's second Covid wave.

"I can completely understand how Victorians feel," she says.

"I feel like I have a lot of friends and family down here. I lived down here for about 18 months. To know that they are feeling safe is the most important thing, but I know as players we should be extremely grateful that we have the opportunity now to start our season in Australia."

The tours are hoping to be able to run a relatively normal schedule from April, with the French Open due to begin in late May. Iga Swiatek will be defending her title, and so too, in a sense, will Barty.

Assuming she plays.

"It's a challenging one to say right now," she says.

"Things change so quickly all over the world, it seems. Our priorities haven't changed. It will be the health of my team and my family and me as well. I think we will plan as best as we can to travel and to play, but ultimately those decisions will be made closer to the time."

In a first for a major T20 competition, the BBL introduced three major rule changes this year: the Power Surge, the Bash Boost and X-factor replacements. The rules were, in part, the brainchild of the BBL's player acquisition and cricket consultant Trent Woodhill. How have the rules changed the pattern of play in the BBL this season and how successful have they been?

The Power Surge

It was designed to maintain interest throughout the 20 overs by moving the last two overs of the normal six-over Powerplay to the second half of each innings, available for the batting side to take from the start of the 11th over, to create some intrigue in what can often be a period of slower-going between the 11th and the 16th overs. The results would suggest it has worked very well.

Last season the scoring rate for the tournament in the last two overs of the Powerplay was 8.01 with teams losing 58 wickets in total. This season the Surge has yielded 10.23 runs per over and 96 wickets have fallen in total.

Across the season the teams that have batted better in the Surge have done better overall on the table than the sides who have bowled better in that period. The Thunder, Scorchers, Stars, and Sixers were the best batting sides in the Surge, with the Sixers, Scorchers, and Thunder finishing top three on the table. The Scorchers, Stars, Strikers, and Renegades were the best bowling teams in the Surge with three of those teams finishing in the bottom four.

The most interesting element of the Surge is which players have benefitted from it. Whilst the big-hitting Ben Cutting is an unsurprising name as the leading Surge scorer, Jordan Silk, and Jimmy Peirson, better known as middle-order accumulators, have had outstanding seasons thanks to their performances in the Surge overs with the bat.

"My big beef with T20 cricket was that the top three [batsmen] would always win the MVP," Woodhill told ESPNcricinfo. "They would come out and go nuts and then there's this whole lull until the last few overs. I think there's a couple of batters who bat in the top three who have said, we've missed that opportunity to go hard in the fifth and sixth overs but they actually weren't going as hard as they thought.

"Jordan Silk has had an unbelievable summer but it's probably one that he wouldn't have had without the Power Surge. And that's no disrespect, but now it's given him the confidence to be able to do that with five men out as well.

"It gives boundary hitters an opportunity, not just your big powerful six hitters. At the back end of the tournament in the BBL, wickets get tired and sometimes batters need some support to get the ball through the field, let alone over the rope."

The Surge has created some accountability for batting groups as well. At times, teams have made a mess of when to take the Surge and there has been no particular blueprint for success. The Thunder often left the Surge late to maximise Cutting and Daniel Sams. Some teams took the Surge immediately in the 11th over after a huge opening partnership only for it to completely derail the innings, like the Scorchers did against the Sixers.

"I reckon it's almost a wickets lost category," Woodhill said. "If you've lost three or four wickets you must take it in the 11th over. Others like the Thunder, they can afford to go a couple of overs out.

"But I think if you're not sure, you must take it. A few teams have thought we'll leave it and take it the next over and they've lost a wicket and lost that momentum. But that's the beauty of it. You don't want to be that black and white that there's a certain over where teams should take it. It varies for each team which is ideal, and it varies for each list which is even better."

Bowling in the Surge has been a different prospect. Of the 23 bowlers who bowled more than four Surge overs in the season, 12 were able to concede less than 10.23 per over. Only four of those were spinners: Adam Zampa, Imad Wasim, Peter Hatzoglou, and Chris Green. Peter Siddle was the standout bowler taking eight wickets with a stand-out economy rate of 7.36. Jhye Richardson also picked up eight wickets and conceded 8.83 per over. The challenge for the quicks has been bowling with only two men out with a softer ball that doesn't swing or seam like it might inside the first six overs.

"We saw around the wicket into the heels of the batters, which has worked against some batters and others who are really good at picking the ball up have been able to meet that challenge," Woodhill said.

"I like that it's brought about some different tactics in the bowlers. I think you'll see some adjustments from the bowlers, especially the quicks around how they move the ball in that period. We've seen with Jhye Richardson, he's been able to move his body around on the crease, where he releases that ball to challenge the batter, which has been really good."

The Bash Boost

At the start of the tournament, the Bash Boost was considered somewhat of an afterthought with teams and fans looking at the big picture of winning the game rather than chasing the point for leading at the 10-over mark.

In the end, the team with the most Bash Boost points, the Sixers, finished on top, and the team with the second most, the Heat, finished fourth when they had won the same number of games as both the Strikers and the Hurricanes and had an inferior net run-rate.

The final game of the season had the added intrigue with the Stars needing to win both the Bash Boost and the game to qualify for finals and they failed to set an adequate 10-over target. The Strikers also cost themselves a home final after missing a Bash Boost point in a win over the Stars. The Strikers needed 10 runs from 12 balls and were just one down at the time but lost 2 for 7 and failed to get the Boost point. They were forced to rebuild to win the game.

For the Hurricanes, meanwhile, there was one over in particular in which their lack of attention to detail cost them: the 10th over of their game against the Stars on January 4. They had started slowly in a chase of 184, reaching 1 for 56 after nine overs, but needed only eight runs off the 10th to secure the Bash Boost. Instead of taking the bonus-point target on, Dawid Malan and Ben McDermott took four singles off the over to miss out on the point, and ultimately lost the game. They would end up missing finals by one point.

There was no clear statistical trend in terms of score increase or wickets lost in the eighth and ninth over across the season. But one clear pattern emerged this year, which ties in with the Power Surge. Scoring was down significantly in the first four overs of the innings. Teams scored at 7.18 per over in the first four overs this season compared to 7.65 last year. The three teams that went the hardest in the first Powerplay, the Sixers, Thunder, and Scorchers, all benefitted the most.

"I think at times, especially in the first half of the season, the top three batters put too much emphasis on their own wicket rather than on their own strike-rates," Woodhill said. I reckon sometimes No. 3 and 4 got themselves in a little bit rather than chasing a better 10-over total. But these are new rules and that's what happens. It's who figures them out the quickest and the best."

Woodhill was surprised teams weren't more adventurous with using a pinch-hitter in overs 6-10. Nathan Coulter-Nile was tried a couple of times for the Stars and Nathan Ellis for the Hurricanes without success. Woodhill believes the next development in the BBL, to maximise the Bash Boost point, could be the use of pinch-hitters and the development of power-hitting among bowlers.

"I think the Power Surge has been an overwhelming success. I know other leagues are already looking at it. The X-Factor is the one that obviously needs greater discussion and teams need longer to work out how best to utilise it."

Trent Woodhill

"If you're 2 for 57 in the eighth over, you're better off sending someone in to chase the point, whether it's a Jhye Richardson, a Rashid Khan, or even an Andrew Tye," he said.

"Obviously you want to hold someone back for the Power Surge. Where the Thunder were really good, they've got Daniel Sams and Ben Cutting, they've got two Power Surge specialists, both strong boys in getting the ball over the 30-yard circle. So there are tactics that are going to develop over the course of the next few years to cope with the changes.

"Someone like an AJ Tye to me all of a sudden becomes a floater. Because he hits the ball that hard and he gets the ball over that infield. Having only two out would be an advantage for him in a Power Surge but more importantly, leading up to a Bash Boost point he's got the power to get it over the five on the rope as well."

One concern with the Bash Boost point is the value of it for a team that loses heavily. The Renegades pinched a point in a 96-run defeat to the Scorchers. The Bash Boost also played a part in making some games extraordinarily one-sided when teams recklessly chased one point after conceding a big first innings score. This season saw the two largest run-margins in BBL history and three of the top four and it also produced two of the three lowest team totals in BBL history.

The X-Factor

It was arguably the least popular of the three new rules with some teams declaring pre-tournament they would hardly use it. In all, every team used it at least once, although the Scorchers only used when Mitchell Marsh was injured. The Heat were by far the most adventurous with it using it seven times while the Hurricanes used it four times.

The Heat have used it in a couple of different ways. The first was naming Chris Lynn as an X-Factor when he was coming back from a hamstring injury, so he only had to field 10 overs and he made a valuable 30 off 16 to set up a win against the Thunder.

They have also used Morne Morkel consistently to replace Xavier Bartlett after he bowls the first over of the match, giving the Heat five overs of bowling from the one position in the side with one over from a new-ball bowler who can swing it, in Bartlett, and four from a veteran, Morkel, who can hit hard lengths and bowl in the Surge and death overs.

The Hurricanes used a similar tactic of selecting a new-ball bowler, Nick Winter, to bowl the first over of the match before bringing in power-hitter Tim David at the 10-over mark. The Hurricanes were forced to adjust in one game when they batted first and were 0 for 91 against the Sixers, with Peter Handscomb volunteering to be subbed out for David.

"I really loved the way Hobart used it with Nick Winter bowling with the new ball," Woodhill said. "Or Jackson Bird bowling with the new ball. If it's not working, bring in a spinner or utilise your allrounders, the way Hobart have brought in Tim David or Brisbane with James Bazley.

"I think it will grow and there's room to adjust the way it's done as well. There's no guarantee that it will stay in its current state. With three overseas players, we've seen the depth of the competition grow and with the X-factor as well it gives teams a chance to adjust after a toss which I think is important."

Teams were frustrated by the limiting nature of the X-Factor, with a decision only allowed to be made at the 10-over mark of the first innings. It clearly favoured the team that bowled first more so than the team that batted first and both Woodhill and BBL head Alistair Dobson have noted that the rule will likely evolve. But there is a keenness to ensure it doesn't just become something that is used at the innings break so that both teams can play 12 and use their best 11 batsmen when batting and simply add an extra bowler when bowling and vice versa.

The Verdict

The Power Surge was a clear success with positive reviews from coaches, players, broadcasters, and fans. It could fundamentally change the way T20s are played if it is adopted more widely. The Bash Boost and X-Factor in their current forms will certainly be reviewed by the League ahead of future tournaments.

"I think the Power Surge has been an overwhelming success," Woodhill said. "I know other leagues are already looking at it. The X-Factor is the one that obviously needs greater discussion and teams need longer to work out how best to utilise it, and then the Bash Boost point, that little peak there where teams have got in that ninth or tenth over where that strike-rate has dipped. That's the challenge to increase that and if it means sacrificing some players around their batting, I reckon that's what is needed."

With inputs from Matt Roller, Gaurav Sundararaman and Shiva Jayaraman

Lunch Bangladesh 328 for 7 (Miraz 46*, Taijul 5*, Warrican 4-100) vs West Indies

A 67-run stand for the seventh wicket between Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took Bangladesh past 300 on the second morning of the first Test in Chattogram, despite losing Liton Das in the third over of the day. At lunch, they were 328 for 7, with Miraz batting on 46 and Taijul Islam on 5.

West Indies would be happy that they could see the back of Shakib, for 68, but would also rue a dropped catch and some loose bowling.

Das' positive intent had helped Bangladesh wrest back some control on the first day and he looked set to bat in the same manner today as well. However, he could add only four to his overnight score of 34 and was bowled while trying to cut an arm ball from Jomel Warrican, who bowled unchanged throughout the session.

At 248 for 6, it looked like West Indies could bowl Bangladesh out under 300 but Miraz showed his skills with the bat and kept finding boundaries with ease while Shakib continued batting calmly at the other end. Shannon Gabriel's struggles to get his length right also helped Bangladesh's cause. With the new ball just ten overs old at the start of the day, that was an opportunity missed for the visitors.

West Indies finally got the breakthrough when Shakib had a lapse in concentration against Rahkeem Cornwall. After being beaten on the previous ball, Shakib tried to cut the offspinner again. This time, though, Cornwall tossed the ball higher and the resulting slice was pouched by Kraigg Brathwaite at point.

Miraz and Islam saw off the little period before the lunch break.

Josh Philippe believes he's batting as well as he ever has ahead of the BBL final at the SCG on Saturday, with his form earning him the Player of the Tournament title, but is eager to develop into an all-format player.

Heading into the final Philippe is the second-highest scorer in the competition behind Alex Hales and has a chance of taking top spot with Hales' Sydney Thunder side eliminated. Philippe pipped Hales and Jhye Richardson to the individual award with votes cast by the on-field umpires throughout the season.

Since joining the Sydney Sixers for the 2018-19 season, having played one match for his home club Perth Scorchers, Philippe is the third-highest scorer in the BBL behind Marcus Stoinis and D'Arcy Short. This season's tally of 499 runs has bettered his 487 from last season when he was a key figure in the Sixers' title including a matchwinning innings in the final.

He praised the environment at the Sixers where he has formed a strong connection with coach Greg Shipperd and will speak to him even when not on duty in the BBL.

"Playing under Greg Shipperd, he's the most recognised coach in Australia, he's been around forever and he's been a massive help for my game," he said. "He's always been a phone call away even when I haven't been in Sydney. He keeps it super simple and allows me to play with freedom.

"Also, playing under Moises [Henriques], he's no different. The way they let me play my game, almost like no-consequence cricket, it's pretty special to go out there at bat feeling like I'm back by every player in the team and all the staff."

He also pinpointed his time at the IPL, where he played for Royal Challenge Bangalore, for helping fine-tune some technical aspects.

"I feel like I'm hitting the ball better than ever," he said. "Some of the technical stuff I've really tried to iron out the creases over the pre-season. Getting the opportunity to be over at the IPL, being around guys like AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, guys like that, see how they go about their business and for me seeing how simple they take the game.

"I've definitely tried to over-think less and just back my ability this season, the result doesn't matter, I just try to play my way to the best of my ability."

While the IPL may have aided his T20 game, it has also meant no chance to build on a first-class career for Western Australia that is stalled on 19 games. He was in the UAE when the tournament was played in Adelaide earlier this season and with the next IPL scheduled for April, and the T20 tour of New Zealand straight after the BBL, it would appear unlikely he'll get any Sheffield Shield cricket this season.

"The dream as a kid, I've said it before, is to get a baggy green," he said. "I definitely want to try and establish myself at first-class level as well. The dream would be to be considered as an all-format player. I definitely want to chip away and work my red-ball game. I just hope next season there's an opportunity there for me."

In the shorter term, his international debut could come later this month in New Zealand where he has made a strong case to be at the top of the order alongside captain Aaron Finch. There are various wicketkeeping options in the squad with Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott also touring but not having the gloves wouldn't be an issue.

"I've fielded a lot in my career so it doesn't worry me," he said. "Whatever that role looks like I feel like I'll be ready to take it with both hands."

For New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy, what he saw from Zion Williamson on Wednesday night was unlike anything he'd seen from the 20-year-old so far this season.

"I told Zion at the end of the game that it was by far his best game of the year if we're taking both ends of the floor," Van Gundy said following New Orleans' 123-101 win over the Phoenix Suns.

"That was by far his best defense I have seen him play. He covered a lot of ground. He worked really hard."

Williamson's defensive rating against the Suns was 83.3 -- his best this season and second-best of his career. And it comes on the heels of recent private film sessions between Williamson, Van Gundy and Brandon Ingram. Van Gundy said they started following the Pelicans' 14-day road trip that ended with a disappointing loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves a week and a half ago.

Williamson said the sessions have helped on a number of fronts, including their leadership and his relationship with Ingram.

"I think it's great for us and it's great for the team," Williamson told reporters at shootaround on Wednesday afternoon. "The team looks on us. If our body language isn't good, they'll start having bad body language. I think if we're always encouraging and always giving our teammates confidence, that can change a lot."

Following the win against the Suns, Ingram said his biggest takeaway from the meetings is becoming self-aware of certain things that Van Gundy is trying to get across to both players.

"I think it's just knowing that every time I go in there, I've probably watched the film two or three times before he tells me, but just being self-aware of a lot of things so I can speak up a little bit and build a better relationship with (Van Gundy) and build a better relationship with (Williamson) on and off the basketball court," Ingram said.

"Those relationships are important for us to keep going in an upward direction. He points out everything we can do well and do better and the things we've done well to help our team win."

Part of Van Gundy's message to both players has been making a commitment on both sides of the floor if the Pelicans want to start winning games.

Even though New Orleans lost its previous game to Sacramento on Monday, Van Gundy still feels like there has been two games of growth on the defensive end, led by the charge of his two star players.

"Games like this, these are important because they show you the possibilities," Van Gundy said. "Obviously, in the second half we shot the ball well. But in the first half, we didn't. We were 3-for-14. We didn't shoot the ball well. But we had the lead based on our defense.

"We were playing right and getting the right shots. We need to keep this game in our minds and understand all the things that we did to win. You have to know why you win and why you lose. Tonight was the blueprint for us."

Williamson finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists while shooting 12-of-14 from the floor. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Williamson became the first player in NBA history with multiple games of scoring at least 25 points while shooting above 85% from the field.

He said after the game he knew he was going to be switching onto guards in the Pelicans' pick-and-roll coverages and wanted to be as active as possible when he was doing so.

"For me to get my teammates some energy, I took that personal so I can just play defense on the guard and get my teammates going in the first quarter," Williamson said. "I know whatever energy we can get, we need. Because we need to run off some wins."

Ingram, who finished with 23 points, six assists and four rebounds, said Williamson was "really good" in his pick-and-roll coverage.

"He was really, really aggressive," Ingram said. "That definitely trickled down to everybody on the team. Our guards started guarding the basketball and we just tried to emulate what they did."

Williamson's defense has been scrutinized since he entered the league but he said on Wednesday the game is getting "slower and slower" for him as he progresses in his career.

And for the Pelicans, who improved to 8-12 with the win and want to have a shot of getting into the thick of the playoff race, it'll take more efforts like Wednesday's to get back on the right track.

"The thing that I'm most pleased with him and Brandon is we know those guys are going to put up numbers," Van Gundy said. "The question is, are you going to lead teams to wins? That's a hard thing to do.

"You've got to help the other guys and make them better. That's what the best players do. The players that lead teams to winning play both ends of the floor and help their teammates on both ends. Those guys did that tonight. And I think they've been doing that. But Zion's defense took a major step forward tonight."

BARBERVILLE, Fla. – From the moment the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season wrapped up in November, Logan Schuchart wanted to prove his runner-up finish in points wasn’t a fluke.

Schuchart took the first step toward backing up that assertion Wednesday night at Volusia Speedway Park, charging from 13th to win the opening night of Sprint Week during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals.

Sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions, Schuchart’s win was worth $6,000 for Shark Racing.

The Hanover, Pa., native took a while to get to the race lead – methodically working his way through the field – but once Schuchart got within striking distance of the leaders, he was like a shark on the hunt.

A banzai pass from sixth to third on lap 15 got Schuchart a sniff of the top spot, then he tracked down 10-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz by using every possible groove around the half-mile dirt oval to make up ground.

Schuchart finally slid past Schatz entering turn one with three laps left, took command and took off.

At the checkered flag, Schuchart held an impressive 2.047-second margin of victory over Schatz for his second career All Star win and first since April 27, 2012 at Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway.

It was also Schuchart’s second-straight DIRTcar Nationals victory, dating back to last February’s finale.

“There was definitely a lot of back and forth there,” noted Schuchart, referencing his battle to get through traffic. “It took some quick reaction times to make some stuff happen, but we were just slicing and dicing with a lot of good guys there. There were a lot of good cars up at the front, and I was just waiting on the direction that they were going to take before I’d go the opposite (way).

“This Drydene car was awesome. Before we got out there for the feature, I thought the track was going to be pretty one-lane, and dominant around the top, but I was able to move around and make a lot of moves that got us through there,” Schuchart continued. “The top was still the place to be, but I was able to move around and go through the middle, and it just felt really, really good all race long.”

Schuchart’s drive from 13th to the win also netted him hard charger honors for the night.

Wednesday’s feature featured four different leaders and began with an aborted start, followed by a crash on the frontstretch involving Jason Sides before a lap was finally completed under green.

Once racing got underway, polesitter Sheldon Haudenschild slid deep into turns one and two on the opening circuit, but overdrove the second corner and slid up into the outside wall and lost his momentum.

That allowed second-starting Brian Brown to race underneath Haudenschild’s No. 17 and grab the lead, which the Grain Valley, Mo., held until lap seven – when Sweet drove around the FVP No. 21 with his Kasey Kahne Racing-prepared, NAPA Auto Parts-backed No. 49.

Schatz grabbed the second position a lap later, then went to work chasing down Sweet for the top spot.

He did so just before the halfway point, then officially led lap 13 just as the caution waved for the slowing No. 11k of Kraig Kinser. The pass came thanks to the slower car of Joey Saldana, who broke Sweet’s momentum enough for Schatz to pounce.

A quick caution followed before another lap could be scored, but once green-flag conditions returned Schatz hastily escaped from Sweet as a war for runner-up honors broke out.

Sweet, Schuchart, Haudenschild and David Gravel all found themselves under a blanket for second, with a lap-19 caution for the crashed car of Ian Madsen being the only thing that slowed the frenetic pace.

Schatz again commanded the restart, but Schuchart wasn’t about to be denied. He dispatched Sweet for second coming to four to go and tracked down Schatz in less than a lap before his decisive cut to the low side of turn one on lap 23.

Schuchart slid in front of Schatz, drove away over the final three laps, and left the Tony Stewart Racing No. 15 to settle for second as Schatz lamented what he could have done differently.

“I thought I was (in a good position), but Logan found another groove there that cleaned off,” Schatz said. “In (turns) one and two, when I’d slide across there. It would catch somewhat and it almost felt like (the track) was locked down with rubber, but it wasn’t. When you’re out front, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

“Right in one and two was up on the fence, and I was trying to keep from hitting it and just make clean laps, and I probably got a little bit too cautious. That’s just the way racing goes some days.”

Sweet completed the podium, followed by Gravel, as World of Outlaws regulars swept the top four finishing positions. Brent Marks carried the banner for the All Stars with a fifth-place finish.

Tyler Courtney, Carson Macedo, Haudenschild, Danny Dietrich and Cory Eliason filled out the top 10.

After starting on the front row and leading the first six laps, Brown faded to 14th in the final results.

The 50th DIRTcar Nationals continue Thursday night with another All Star Circuit of Champions-sanctioned sprint car program. It’s the second of five nights during the annual Sprint Week at Volusia.

To view complete results, advance to the next page.