Zimbabwe's cricketers will play for free if need be in order to keep cricket in the country alive.

"We will play for free as long as we can see the light at the end of the tunnel," a senior squad member told ESPNcricinfo. "Our next assignment is the (T20 World Cup) qualifiers. I will play for free as long as we are assured that we will be paid eventually. We will play qualifiers for the sake of cricket staying alive and for free but to be paid late and not never."

The qualifiers remain the focus for Zimbabwe's cricketers - men and women - although they have been barred from taking part in those events under the terms of their suspension by the ICC. Four members of the national women's team were also dropped from the ICC's Global Development Squad, but their exclusion does not extend to all cricket.

Zimbabwe are still technically able to play in bilateral series while under suspension. It is understood that the ICC will still appoint match officials for bilateral series that Zimbabwe host. But, at the moment, that likely means players playing for free, and Zimbabwe Cricket is in any case unable to host incoming tours without ICC funding. The Sports and Recreation Commission, which has put an interim committee in place to run cricket in the country, has said there is a contingency plan to deal with player welfare while Zimbabwe are under suspension, but the details of this plan have not apparently been communicated to the players.

ALSO READ: Explainer: Zimbabwe's ICC suspension and its implications

Neither of the two senior national squads has been paid in the last two months, and the men were not paid match fees during their recent tour of the Netherlands and Ireland.

It appears increasingly unlikely that Zimbabwe will be able to take part in the women's T20 qualifiers in August, or the men's chapter in October. Zimbabwe were scheduled to host Afghanistan in August, before travelling to Bangladesh for a tri-series in September. The Future Tours Programme mentions that Zimbabwe will then host West Indies for a Test and five ODIs in October and November, before travelling to India for three T20Is in January next year. Zimbabwe have two Tests against Sri Lanka scheduled straight afterwards, before a trip to Bangladesh in March and a maiden Test against Ireland in Zimbabwe in April.

While these fixtures have not been cancelled outright, in reality there is no chance whatsoever of Zimbabwe hosting any cricket while under suspension, whether the players are paid or not. ZC is entirely reliant on ICC funding to host incoming cricket tours, which - apart from Indian visits - could end up as loss-making enterprises.

Mohammad Amir is expected to be named in Essex's squad for Thursday night's game against Hampshire, after his application for a UK sporting visa was belatedly approved.

Amir had signed for the majority of the Vitality Blast group stage, but his paperwork was delayed, leaving the club "extremely frustrated" as he missed two fixtures he had been expected to play.

John Faragher, the club's chairman, said the hold-up was an "unforeseen circumstance", and that Essex were in close contact with the Home Office.

And ESPNcricinfo understands his application has now been approved. Amir tweeted a picture of himself at Chelmsford on Tuesday, with the caption "Back to work".

Amir has regularly been left frustrated by hold-ups to his visas when playing in the UK, with several factors complicating the process.

Ahead of Pakistan's Test series in England in 2016, there had been concerns as to whether he would be granted a UK visa, on account of his six-month jail sentence relating to the 2010 spot-fixing case.

In the same year, Amir married a British citizen of Pakistani origin, and has since had an application approved for a spousal visa - though this alone is not sufficient to make a holder eligible to play professional sport in the country.

In 2018, Amir's departure ahead of the Test series against Ireland and England was again delayed by a week, though he did arrive in time to play in the first game of the tour.

Last week, Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket at the age of 27, in order to focus on white-ball cricket and ultimately prolong his international career.

Essex have started underwhelmingly in the Vitality Blast, with a win against Surrey, defeats at Middlesex and Kent, and a no-result again Gloucestershire.

They will also hope to bring Jamie Porter into their squad for Thursday, who played a Second XI game on Tuesday as part of his return from a back spasm suffered on England Lions duty.

India Test opener Prithvi Shaw has been suspended until November 15, 2019 for a doping violation. A BCCI release said Shaw had "inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups."

Not picked in the Test squad for the upcoming West Indies tour because of a hip injury, the suspension will also not let Shaw participate in the home Tests against South Africa in October as well as the first Test against Bangladesh which begins on November 14.

Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping testing programme on the day of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Punjab on February 22 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline. "Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances," the BCCI release said.

Shaw was then charged on July 16 under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. He admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) but asserted it was "inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the over the counter cough syrup he had taken for his cough."

The BCCI was "satisfied" with the explanation that Shaw had taken "Terbutaline inadvertently to treat an Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug." The board considered all of the evidence and took "expert external advice" before accepting Shaw's explanation and agreed that a "period of ineligibility of eight months should apply, together with disqualification of certain results".

"Because Mr. Shaw promptly admitted his ADRV upon being confronted with it by the BCCI, there is discretion under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 to back-date the start of the period of Ineligibility to the date of sample collection (22nd February 2019). However, the BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 also requires Mr. Shaw to actually serve one half of the period of ineligibility. Therefore, further to BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2, the eight-month period of Ineligibility will be deemed to have started to run on 16th March 2019, so that it will end at midnight on 15th November 2019," the BCCI statement said.

However, Shaw "may" return to train with his state team and/or to use the facilities of any club or other member organisation of the BCCI after midnight on 15th September 2019 because of the following provision: "Under BCCI ADR Article 10.11.2 a Cricketer may return to train with a team or to use the facilities of a club or other member organisation of a Signatory's member organisation during the shorter of:
(i) the last two months of the Cricketer's period of Ineligibility; or
(ii) the last one-quarter of the period of Ineligibility imposed.

More to follow...

DAVIE, Fla. -- Brian Flores made his first significant lean in the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback competition, giving the strong early edge to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick over Josh Rosen.

"It's pretty clear to me that Ryan Fitzpatrick is leading the way," the first-year Dolphins coach said. "He's done that in a lot of areas, from leadership to production on the field to the meeting rooms to the walk-throughs. This is an ongoing competition, but right now he's leading the way."

Flores' words confirm what has been apparent to those who have watched practice since the spring. Fitzpatrick has dominated the starting reps and has been clearly the more consistent quarterback since the competition began in May.

But in what Flores has called a "wide-open" and "even" competition publicly for months, this comment that Fitzpatrick is the clear leader marks a checkpoint in the Dolphins' quarterback battle.

Fitzpatrick has already developed some good chemistry with projected starting receivers Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker.

"He's been more productive, and at the end of the day that's what it comes down to," Flores said. "He runs the offense very efficiently. He has great rapport with the entire team. He has a lot of leadership ability, and we need that to continue. We need him to grow in that role."

The Dolphins acquired Rosen, who is entering his second season, from the Arizona Cardinals for a 2019 late second-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick during draft weekend just one year after the former UCLA product was the 10th overall pick in 2018.

Rosen has been seen as a potential long-term answer at quarterback if he can turn it around after a tumultuous rookie season. Fitzpatrick, 36, has acknowledged that this is a temporary arrangement for him with the Dolphins given he's at the end of his career, but he signed as a free agent in March because the team provided an opportunity for him to start.

Debate has raged for months about whether the rebuilding Dolphins would choose Fitzpatrick's short-term performance edge or Rosen's long-term potential in this quarterback battle.

Flores' comments Tuesday make it clear that the best man will win, and right now it looks like that is Fitzpatrick.

"It's still a competition. Every day is a competition, I think they all know that but as we stand today I think Ryan has done a really job," Flores said. "Hopefully he continues to improve and is consistent and that will help this team for sure."

Flores also discussed his decision to fire offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, saying there were a lot of factors in the move, not a specific incident. He listed communication and fit as reasons for making the change to Dave DeGuglielmo.

"The easy decision would have to be do nothing and hope it got better," he said.

Kansas City Chiefs star wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered an apparent leg injury at Tuesday's practice.

Hill was hit by cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who was breaking up a pass, and stayed on the ground before eventually hobbling over to a medical tent.

After being examined, Hill was driven off the field, seated in the passenger seat of a cart.

This is Hill being taken off the field with what appears to be a right leg injury. pic.twitter.com/BywVbQW6fp

— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) July 30, 2019

There is no word yet on the severity of the injury.

On Sunday, Hill answered questions publicly for the first time since being investigated for child abuse, saying he planned to become a better person from the lessons he learned over a tumultuous offseason.

The NFL recently said Hill would not be disciplined and cleared him to report to training camp after he was suspended from offseason practices by the Chiefs.

Hill, a three-time Pro Bowler, caught 87 passes last season and was fourth in the NFL with 1,479 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Joc Pederson was substituted in the eighth inning of Monday's 9-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies because he didn't run out a ground ball, manager Dave Roberts said.

Pederson grounded out in the eighth to first baseman Daniel Murphy, scoring catcher Will Smith. But Pederson, who went 0-for-4 in the game, didn't reach first base and stopped running.

Tyler White replaced him at first in the bottom of the inning.

"There's a certain way to play the game and I didn't see the effort there," Roberts told reporters.

Added Pederson: "Yeah, it was unprofessional. I let the emotions get the best of me. ... I'm better than that."

It was a light schedule of games Monday, although the Nationals did have a big win over the Braves, with Anthony Rendon's grand slam in the sixth inning off Chad Sobotka breaking a 2-2 tie. The Blue Jays' Bo Bichette delivered the first hit of his career in his first game. We had two other grand slams -- from the Reds' Jose Iglesias and the Pirates' Colin Moran -- to give us nine grand slams over the past three days. The Mets traded Jason Vargas to the Phillies, and Jon Gray delivered a gem to beat the Dodgers at Coors Field.

Here's Bichette's hit, in his first at-bat:

All the talk, however, continues to center around Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. With that in mind, here are the six teams I would suggest are under the most pressure to make a significant deadline deal:

Trade deadline roundtable: What we think will happen before Wednesday's deadline

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are on their way to a seventh consecutive National League West title and so far have two losses in the division series, two losses in the championship series and two losses in the World Series to show for it. This might be their best team yet, and another trip to the World Series won't be enough to placate a hungry fan base. The Dodgers have not won the final game of the postseason since 1988 -- 12 playoff trips ago.

As good as they are, their main vulnerability is the same as it was in October: the late-game bullpen, and that's not even factoring in Kenley Jansen's issues over the past two World Series (three blown saves and a loss). When the Cubs were in this position in 2016, they overpaid to get Aroldis Chapman, giving up prized prospect Gleyber Torres. Will the Dodgers be willing to make a similar deal for a reliever such as Felipe Vazquez of the Pirates? Vazquez is the most dominant reliever potentially available and is signed through 2023, so he'll cost a bounty in prospects.

Will the Dodgers do it? They'll do something. In recent years, they've added Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Brian Dozier at the deadline, but they didn't really have to part with any of their very best prospects in any of those deals. Vazquez, with his contract and years of control, will cost more than those three players did. The Dodgers should be willing to pay.

2. New York Yankees

It has been 10 years since the Yankees have played in the World Series. They're running away with the American League East at the moment, and they haven't won the division since 2012, which seems almost impossible given all their financial resources. Their current winning percentage of .638 would be their best since 2002. All that would be nice: a division title, 100-something wins, a dream season despite all the injuries.

But it won't be enough. The pressure is on general manager Brian Cashman to deliver a championship. As Sam Miller pointed out in his Monday column, the teams with a clear lead in their division race usually make the biggest deals at the deadline. I would expect the Yankees to do likewise -- making a strong team even better. With Marcus Stroman now with the Mets and the uncertainty about the trade status of Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer and Noah Syndergaard (not that the Mets would trade him to the Yankees), that might not necessarily be a starting pitcher. Cashman could add a reliever or two and build a super bullpen for the postseason.

3. Milwaukee Brewers

Coming off last year's trip to the National League Championship Series, the Brewers put all their chips on the table for 2019, running up the largest payroll in franchise history. They've managed to hang in the NL Central race even though they're seventh in the NL in runs per game and 13th in runs allowed per game. So there's plenty of room for improvement -- and Jordan Lyles, acquired Monday from Pittsburgh, is hardly a solution to their pitching problems.

The pressure on GM David Stearns is that the window for the Brewers might close suddenly after this season. This isn't a young team -- the lineup actually is the second-oldest in the NL, behind the Giants, based on Baseball-Reference's weighted playing time. Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal both have mutual options for 2020, so they could opt out of their contracts and elect free agency after the season. Keston Hiura looks like a great addition alongside Christian Yelich, but the farm system is rated as one of the worst in the majors. It could be now or never for the Brewers.

4. Atlanta Braves

The Braves are a good team, but as that Rendon grand slam showcased, the bullpen is still in need of an addition or two:

The Braves are in a better long-term position than Milwaukee with their young core of hitters and strong farm system, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be willing to improve their chances to win in 2019. The Dodgers aren't invincible.

Plus, while Mike Soroka has had a terrific rookie season, the rest of the young starters have delivered mixed results: Max Fried started out hot and has slowed down; Sean Newcomb is now in the bullpen; Touki Toussaint has been up and down; and Kyle Wright has struggled in his few major league starts and been merely OK in Triple-A. In other words, you don't know what the future will hold. If you have a chance to win, try to improve your chances. If Bumgarner can be had, the Braves have the prospects to trade for him and Giants closer Will Smith in a package deal.

5. Washington Nationals

I have the Nats high up on the list for two reasons: (1) With Monday's victory, they've cut their deficit in the NL East to just 4½ games behind the Braves; and (2) they have a glaringly obvious hole to fix in the bullpen. The Braves can be caught -- assuming Max Scherzer's upper back strain that forced him to the injured list doesn't become a long-term thing -- but it's hard to envision this team going deep in the playoffs with its present bullpen, even with a healthy Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg headlining a rotation that has dominated of late.

The added pressure on GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez is that they missed the playoffs last season. The Nationals, of course, have made the playoffs four times since 2012 and have lost all four times in the division series. Rizzo signed an extension that runs through 2020, and Martinez's contract also runs through 2020 (with a 2021 club option), but a second consecutive non-playoff season would likely put the jobs of both in jeopardy.

6. Cleveland Indians

Speaking of windows, the Indians are trying to balance the difficult task of a small-market franchise (that also draws poorly) trying to win now while also keeping an extended window of contention going. They've won three straight division titles and are just two games behind the Twins. It helps that the other three teams in the AL Central remain in poor shape -- not just for 2019, but probably for 2020 as well. Still, if Bauer isn't traded now, he'll be traded in the offseason, and Francisco Lindor is under team control through only 2021, so he also becomes trade fodder down the road.

That means this could be their best chance to break their World Series drought -- they haven't won it all since 1948 -- and their final chance with this group of players that broke through in 2016. I'd keep Bauer and look to add a bat or two -- maybe Domingo Santana from the Mariners or Yasiel Puig from the Reds.

Happy MLB Trade Deadline Day Eve! With just one full shopping day remaining until this year's single deadline and plenty of intrigue remaining, we asked our MLB experts to dive into the players, teams and themes that could make the biggest splash before the clock strikes 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Here's what Bradford Doolittle, Sam Miller, Buster Olney and Jeff Passan had to say about key questions going into the deadline.

Schoenfield: Which teams most need to make a move? | Fantasy impact of deadline deals

Who is the biggest name who will be traded before the deadline?

Sam Miller: Noah Syndergaard.

Buster Olney: Edwin Diaz. If the Dodgers get him -- and they are trying -- Los Angeles would be a prohibitive favorite to roll through the National League in the playoffs.

Jeff Passan: Edwin Diaz. Where he goes -- or, more accurate, who ponies up -- is the ultimate question.

Bradford Doolittle: I hope I'm wrong, but I fear that Marcus Stroman will be it. Ordinarily you'd at least plug in a pending free agent on a bad team who would make no sense to stay put, but this market even lacks one of those.

Who is one big name we will hear in trade rumors until the deadline who will ultimately stay put?

Passan: Madison Bumgarner. Even as the starting-pitching market shrinks and teams up their offers, the Giants' above-.500 record will prove too alluring to deal Bumgarner.

Olney: Madison Bumgarner. The Giants players have earned the right to try to ride out the wave and put Bruce Bochy in the playoffs one final time before he retires.

Doolittle: It's hard for me to see how the acquisition of Stroman makes sense for the Mets if you turn around and deal Syndergaard for a return that only improves New York's outlook for 2020. So I say Thor stays put.

Miller: Kyle Tucker. Also MacKenzie Gore. Gavin Lux. In 2019, the best thing for a general manager's job security is to have the bossest prospects.

What will be the one big theme we remember this trade deadline for?

Olney: It turns out that the new trade deadline is something nobody likes. Some clubs are already griping that it should be pushed back to Aug. 15 because so many teams are on the fence about whether to be buyers or sellers.

Miller: Ambiguity and ambivalence. Over the past few weeks, many of the same teams have been rumored to be both buying and selling, caught between this year's goals and next year's, and spun dizzy by the jumbled crowdedness of the wild-card races.

Doolittle: Risk aversion. I really hope I'm wrong about this.

Passan: What the Mets did -- and didn't do.

Come Wednesday at 4:01 p.m. ET, will we have any idea what the Mets were doing this week?

Doolittle: Why would this week be any different from the past nine months or so? But it does look like they are getting a head start on their hot stove season, which given a thin free-agent class might not be the worst idea.

Passan: It's the Mets. Trying to forecast what they do is like trying to predict waves in the ocean.

Miller: You figured the Mets would be trying to compete in 2020, so trading for Stroman makes some sense: He's the free-agent starter they might have wanted to acquire this winter, but without the long-term commitment. It's surprising that they, and not a 2019 contender, would be willing to pay the most in prospects for Stroman's next 15 months, but on the other hand they didn't have to give up all that much.

Olney: Yes, absolutely. They are trying to win now. But we'll continue to debate how in the world they believe this ambition matches the collection of talent they possess.

Will the Yankees get a starter before the deadline?

Miller: I doubt it. Put it this way: If James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka or Domingo German were on this trade market, they'd be at least as in-demand as Robbie Ray, Bumgarner or Stroman. Even Syndergaard has a worse-than-average ERA this year; if he were already in the Yankees' rotation, we'd be asking whether the Yankees should be worried about him and whether that worry demands a trade. Given how strong their top five relievers are, you can already jot down zeros (and ever-so-occasional ones) for around half of their postseason innings, and asking the existing rotation to throw three or four innings per start in October seems safe.

Olney: Yes, because no GM is under greater pressure to make a deal than Brian Cashman. He'll get Ray, Trevor Bauer or some other starter.

Passan: Yes, though it won't be the front-line sort they would like to start Game 1 of the Division Series.

Doolittle: Sure, they'll get someone. I don't know if it'll be in the Bauer-Syndergaard-Bumgarner class. The Yanks would match up well with Arizona in a Zack Greinke deal, but there's a no-trade clause to work around, and I suspect Greinke would view the Bombers as too inconvenient. Given my skepticism about getting some splashy moves, I think we're looking at Mike Minor or Tanner Roark, someone on that level.

Which reliever are the Dodgers most likely to land to boost their bullpen?

Passan: With Ken Giles injured, the Dodgers could pursue Edwin Diaz, Kirby Yates or Felipe Vazquez to provide a lethal bridge -- or perfect complement -- to Kenley Jansen in the ninth.

Miller: The Dodgers have been ramping up their deadline activity by, say, 15% with each passing October defeat: They did nothing in 2014, got Mat Latos in 2015, Rich Hill and Josh Reddick in 2016, Yu Darvish in 2017 and Manny Machado in 2018. There's no 15% better than Machado on the trade market this year, but let's presume they'll get the best reliever available. That's Felipe Vazquez.

Doolittle: I've loved the idea of Vazquez for the Dodgers for weeks, and even now that they've turned the catching duties over to Will Smith, they could still dangle Keibert Ruiz if the Pirates can be moved. But if that isn't workable, then maybe L.A. can work the Mets for a Zack Wheeler-Diaz combo platter.

Olney: If the Rays or Red Sox don't outbid L.A., the Dodgers will get Edwin Diaz.

Are the Red Sox done dealing or do they have another move left to make?

Olney: They are aggressively chasing bullpen help and would love to have Diaz -- but they don't match up very well with the win-now Mets because their best prospects are not major-league-ready. On paper, the best possible match for the Mets and Red Sox in a Diaz deal might be Andrew Benintendi, who could play center field for the Mets -- and if Boston does this, it would solve its closer issue for the foreseeable future.

Miller: I think they'll get more relievers.

Passan: The Red Sox will add a bullpen arm. The quality depends on the willingness of teams with more assets to acquire the top-end arms.

Doolittle: They'll add more bullpen help, but I'm not sure how impactful it will be because it's such a seller's market when it comes relievers and the Red Sox don't have a ton of organizational depth from which to deal.

What about the Astros?

Passan: They're highly motivated to land a starting pitcher, and I think they will.

Miller: Should be looking at starting pitching. They're in an enviable position of needing only rotation depth, not a Game 1 or 2 (or 3!) starter at this point.

Olney: Some rival executives believe the Astros will wind up with Wheeler, because he's the type of pitcher they covet, and because GM Jeff Luhnow is loath to pay the high prices required for the likes of Syndergaard.

Doolittle: I don't see how they don't come away with a midrotation starter, whether it's Wheeler or Matthew Boyd or possibly Ray.

Of the other division leaders, which are we most likely to see make a splash before the deadline: Minnesota, Atlanta, Chicago or St. Louis?

Miller: The Twins have the most to gain. The other three front offices are led by men who have made some huge trade splashes in the recent past. But I'll say the Twins, who must be hearing footsteps behind them and be terrified of wasting a season as great as this one.

Olney: Atlanta is working hard to upgrade its bullpen and has been in the Diaz conversations.

Doolittle: I think all of those clubs will add something, but the Twins' need for pitching depth is probably the most glaring need and thus will make for the splashiest deal, relative to the overall tepid tenor of this year's market. Going hard after someone like Kirby Yates makes all kinds of sense for Minnesota.

Passan: All four are looking for pitching, and while all four may deal for some, the finite number of difference-making arms will differentiate the deadline success for each.

Which rumored potential seller that is still in contention is most likely to do something big before the deadline: San Francisco, Cleveland or Arizona?

Miller: Arizona. The Diamondbacks have been at exactly .500 23 times this season, and they know that's not going to get them there.

Olney: Other teams say the Diamondbacks are going to be among the most aggressive sellers. My guess is that the Indians trade Bauer to cash in on his value, getting major league-ready talent in return, and then add a lesser depth starter (like the Reds' Roark) to plug the Bauer hole in their rotation as they wait for the return of Corey Kluber.

Doolittle: I could see the Giants and Indians adding on the margins but not doing anything splashy, whether it's with incoming or outgoing players. For San Francisco, letting its veterans play this one out would be the splash move, while the Indians just aren't likely to add payroll. Arizona can try to move Ray or even Greinke without totally punting on its chances to eke into the playoffs, so insofar as anyone will do something big, I'd peg the D-backs as most likely.

Passan: Arizona is the clear choice here. The Diamondbacks are selling, and they could wind up the busiest team on July 30 and 31.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin has announced his retirement as a television broadcaster for the Florida Panthers.

Potvin, a former captain for the New York Islanders, was part of the Panthers' first broadcast team in 1993-94 and spent 21 seasons as their TV analyst.

Potvin, 65, was the first overall pick of the 1973 draft and a cornerstone of the Islanders' four Stanley Cup championship teams from 1979-80 to 1982-83. He ranks second in playoff goals among NHL defensemen with 56.