R Ashwin is back in the top ten for Test bowlers after his match haul of eight wickets in his first international match in 2019, the first Test against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. Rohit Sharma, who marked his Test opening debut with twin hundreds, vaulted 36 places to a career-high 17th while his captain Virat Kohli had his points drop below 900. Steven Smith continues to lead the Test batting rankings with 937 points, opening up a 38-point lead over Kohli.

During the Test, Ashwin also became the joint-fastest to 350 Test wickets along with Muttiah Muralitharan. The triumphant return has helped him move from 14th place to tenth among bowlers.

ALSO READ - Krishnaswamy: 'Elated' Ashwin conjures magic on Test comeback

Rohit also enjoyed a productive Test, setting several records as a Test opener. Notably, he hit 13 sixes, the most by a batsman in a Test match. Mayank Agarwal, Rohit's opening partner who converted his maiden Test hundred into a double-century, jumped from 63rd place to 25th. Ajinkya Rahane, meanwhile, dropped three places to tenth.

Among the South Africans, Quinton de Kock, who made 111 in the first innings in Visakhapatnam, broke into the top ten, claiming seventh place ahead of openers Tom Latham, Dimuth Karunaratne and Rahane. Opener Dean Elgar also gained five places and made it to 14th, having struck 160 in a big partnership with de Kock in the first innings.

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Mohammed Shami, who enhanced his reputation as a second-innings specialist, moved up two places to 16th, achieving a career-high 710 points on the table led by Australia's Pat Cummins.

Ashwin broke into the top five among allrounders too, while Ravindra Jadeja has gone past Shakib Al Hasan to the second spot. West Indies' Jason Holder tops the rankings with 472 points.

Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors have agreed on a one-year, $31 million contract extension that takes the five-time All-Star guard out of July's free-agent market, agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN.

The extension guarantees Lowry two years and $64 million on the books -- including the $33.3 million left on his expiring contract this season.

Toronto president Masai Ujiri, general manager Bobby Webster and Lowry's camp had been motivated to hammer out an extension for months. Over the weekend, the sides closed on a deal that delivers the Raptors options as they evaluate how they'll construct a post-championship roster -- and delivers Lowry the opportunity to extend his stay with a franchise with which he's wanted to complete his career.

"We are so appreciative of how Masai and Bobby handled every aspect of this negotiation," Bartelstein told ESPN. "Once again, they displayed how they look after their players in a first-class manner, especially someone like Kyle who they recognize has such a legacy with the franchise."

Lowry had not been enthusiastic about entering the free-agent market as a 34-year-old in July. Now he gets a deal that delivers him into some historical context: He becomes the first player older than 33 to get an extension that includes a first-year salary-cap hit north of $30 million.

Lowry has earned $157 million in a career that's starting its 15th season, including his eighth as the longest-tenured active member of the Raptors.

Despite the loss of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in free agency, the Raptors return a core that is still expected to compete for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto still has flexibility to create a maximum salary-cap slot for 2020-21 free agency. Toronto has two key frontcourt players -- Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol -- on expiring contracts this season. If Toronto management doesn't love its team's chances of making a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs, it will have the option of testing Ibaka's and Gasol's value on the trade market. The NBA's Most Improved Player, forward Pascal Siakam, is negotiating a possible rookie extension now. He is expected to be the offensive focal point of the post- Leonard Raptors.

Lowry's extension tightens the Raptors projected salary-cap space in 2020-21, lowering it from $60 million to $26 million. Lowry is still eligible to be traded during the 2019-20 season.

Lowry joined the Raptors via trade in 2012, and has been integral part of its unprecedented success -- including five straight All-Star appearances. In the 2020-21 season, Lowry will now join a 30-30 club of elite point guards that are making over $30 million annually after the age of 30 -- including Russell Westbrook, Kemba Walker, John Wall, Steph Curry, Chris Paul and Mike Conley Jr.

ESPN front-office insider Bobby Marks contributed to this report.

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins fired coach Jay Gruden on Monday during yet another disappointing season.

Gruden entered the season on the hot seat, and after Sunday's 33-7 loss to the New England Patriots dropped the Redskins to 0-5, it became clear he would not continue as the team's coach beyond this season. Team owner Daniel Snyder and team president Bruce Allen met with Gruden early Monday morning at Redskins Park to deliver the news.

"Through the first five games of the 2019 season, the team has clearly not performed up to expectations, and we all share in that responsibility," the team said in a statement. "Moving forward we are committed to doing all that we can collectively as an organization to turn things around and give our Redskins fans and alumni a team they can be proud of in 2019 and beyond."

Redskins assistant head coach/offensive line coach Bill Callahan will be the interim head coach, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Speculation on Gruden's possible firing began to surface before a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants and intensified.

Gruden had one more year remaining on his contract after this season because of a two-year extension he signed during the 2016 offseason. He is owed $5 million for 2020.

The Redskins retained Gruden in part because of their record after nine games last year, when numerous injuries started to hit. They were 6-3 when quarterback Alex Smith suffered a broken leg in a loss to Houston that might have ended his career. They ended up starting three more quarterbacks last season and finished 7-9. But the organization felt it could return to that higher level with good health and one or two moves, so it gave Gruden one more chance.

Gruden lasted longer than any of Snyder's six other coaching hires, with none coaching longer than four years under him. Gruden was in his sixth season.

Gruden becomes the fifth coach fired by Snyder, joining a group that includes Norv Turner, Marty Schottenheimer, Jim Zorn and Mike Shanahan. Steve Spurrier and Joe Gibbs resigned. Spurrier did so after two years but was unlikely to return; Gibbs retired after four seasons.

No coach has finished with a winning record under Snyder, who bought the team shortly before the 1999 season. Schottenheimer was fired after going 8-8 in his only season in Washington. Under Snyder, the Redskins have finished first in the NFC East three times, including in 2015 with Gruden. They have finished last eight times and third seven times. The Redskins are headed toward their ninth season of at least 10 losses during Snyder's tenure.

Washington went 35-49-1 under Gruden.

The Redskins have a young talent base to provide a new staff, and will be expected to have a high pick in the 2020 NFL draft. They have seven defensive starters who are 25 years old or younger. They drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins No. 15 overall in April, and rookie receiver Terry McLaurin has emerged as a threat. But they have major questions at other areas offensively.

The Redskins had high hopes for their defense this season, but that group has underachieved, allowing three straight games of 30 or more points to start the season. Offensively, two of the Redskins' top players didn't provide help: Tight end Jordan Reed hasn't played this season because of a concussion, and perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams remains a holdout. Starting running back Derrius Guice tore the MCL in his right knee in the season opener and was placed on injured reserve.

The organization did not feel Haskins was ready to start immediately, leaving the coaching staff with a choice between Colt McCoy and Case Keenum. McCoy at least knew Gruden's offense well, but his right leg, which he broke in December, gave him problems in training camp, and he missed the first four games of the season. Keenum, starting for a third team in three years, started the first four games.

Gruden started McCoy for the Week 5 game vs. New England, bypassing Haskins, who relieved the injured Keenum the previous week.

Snyder had wanted the Redskins to draft Haskins, but multiple sources said there had been no push by the organization to play him and it wasn't a main factor in the firing.

Keenum was the fourth quarterback to start a season under Gruden. When the Redskins hired him in 2014, they wanted him to help turn Robert Griffin III around. That didn't work, so Gruden turned to Kirk Cousins. After three years, and with Cousins heading toward free agency, they traded for Smith.

Before getting the Redskins' head-coaching job, Gruden had spent the previous three years as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator.

Cambridge’s Marc Scott and Cardiff’s Charlotte Arter post fastest lap times at Sutton Park

City of Leeds’ men justified their favourites tag by taking the men’s six-stage race at the English National Combined Autumn Road Relays at Birmingham’s Sutton Park, but only did so on the final stage as Cardiff led at the end of the penultimate leg.

With a strong team, it was the Welsh invaders who did cross the line first in the women’s event after Charlotte Arter had given them the lead on the second stage with the fastest time, just, of 14:00 for their 2880m lap.

However, it was Tonbridge, two minutes down in second, who took the winning English medals from a close finishing Aldershot and Highgate.

Despite an official line that medals would be awarded to any Celtic national team that placed in the top three, this was rescinded on the day and only Arter went away with a medal. That fastest lap time just pipped opening stage runner Abbie Donnelly’s mark by a tick.

Leeds had a poorer start than they had wished for in the men’s race but Phil Sesemann took them up to fourth at the half distance before Emile Cairess and Graham Rush finished the job, ahead of Aldershot and Cambridge & Coleridge.

Midland winners here, Birchfield, fielded a weakened squad but Omar Ahmed posted the second-best time on the fourth stage. Fastest lap though went to Doha world championships 5000m runner Marc Scott who closed Cambridge closer to the podium positions with the quickest of the men’s race’s 5847 metres loop at 16:46.

The young athletes’ relays preceded the senior events over three laps of a shorter 2880 metre course and Chiltern took both U13 events while Holly Weedall’s Vale Royal annexed both U15 races.

See Thursday’s AW magazine for more.

Australia Women 8 for 282 (Haynes 118, Healy 69, Kulasuriya 3-50) beat Sri Lanka Women 9 for 172 (Jonassen 4-32) by 110 runs

A maiden international century from Rachael Haynes was the standout performance in Australia's 110-run victory in the second ODI against Sri Lanka that put them 2-0 up in the series.

Haynes' 118 off 132 balls formed the cornerstone of Australia's 8 for 282 although that was a lower total than appeared likely for large parts of the innings, as Sri Lanka fought back at the death. Haynes and Alyssa Healy added 116 in 19.3 overs for the first wicket after which Haynes put on 103 with Meg Lanning (45) but from 1 for 219 the last ten overs brought 6 for 63.

Sri Lanka started the chase better than how they did in the opening game. At 1 for 95 in the 23rd over, they had a glimmer of putting some pressure on Australia, but on a slow pitch where it was difficult to force the pace they couldn't keep up with the required rate. Jess Jonassen took 4 for 31 which included her 100th wicket in ODIs, the fourth Australian to reach that landmark, as Australia secured a record-equalling 17th ODI win on the bounce to match the mark set by Belinda Clark's team from 1997 to 1999. This win also gave them an unassailable lead in the Women's Championship.

On a surface being used for the second time in three days, Australia batted first and after some early caution were making strong progress through Healy and Haynes. Healy sprinted to her fifty off 44 balls and appeared set for a big score before falling to Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Siriwardene who again bowled her ten overs tidily for 2 for 41.

As the pitch continued to wear out Australia weren't allowed to completely cut loose and Sri Lanka built some pressure as Haynes approached her hundred, which helped account for Lanning when she edged a drive off Achini Kulasuriya. Haynes brought up her century off 120 balls with a cut for four, surpassing her previous highest international score of 98 which she made on Test debut in 2009.

However, the last ten overs only brought three further boundaries - a six from Ashleigh Gardner and two fours by Beth Mooney - with Sri Lanka striking regularly.

Jonassen provided Australia with the key early breakthrough when Chamari Atapattu top-edged a sweep which was well-judged at deep square by debutant Heather Graham. Anushka Sanjeewani and Harshitha Madavi brought up a second-wicket stand of 70 but it always felt the required rate was out of reach.

Nicola Carey broke through and Australia's spinners kept control of the middle overs. Georgia Wareham was more accurate than the opening match and claimed 2 for 29 from 10 overs. Jonassen's 100th wicket came trapping Sugandika Kumari lbw sweeping and there was time for Graham to take her first when Kulasuriya chipped up a leading edge.

British number three Cameron Norrie is into round two of the Shanghai Masters after a dominant win over Gilles Simon.

Norrie, 24, had qualified to reach round one and broke the Frenchman, 34, twice to take the opening set 7-5.

He then broke serve three times to take the second 6-2 and faces Russian world number four Daniil Medvedev next.

Later on Monday, fellow Britons Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund face Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero and Jeremy Chardy of France respectively.

Nick Matthew leads massive day of action in England 
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

Egypt is currently dominating world squash and the Black Ball Sporting Club in New Cairo will play a starring role on World Squash Day, this Saturday 12 October.

The impressive club, with 19 courts, has already hosted two major PSA World Tour events in its first year of operation.

Karim Abdel Gawad and Raneem El Welily won the separate men’s and women’s events staged on the Black Ball Club’s own spectacular all-glass show court in December and March.

The same court will be put to good use on World Squash Day when the club opens its doors to attract new players.

Squash Director Ashraf Hanafi said: “We will be welcoming new players and also inviting local schools to join us on World Squash Day.”

A special film titled The Squash Pharaohs, about the current Egyptian stars at the top of both the men’s and women’s world rankings, is being premiered at the Black Ball Club on the following Saturday (October 19th).

World Squash Day is endorsed by the World Squash Federation (WSF) and the Professional Squash Association (PSA), who are supporting efforts to attract one million new players to the sport over the next decade.

The PSA Foundation are offering free subscriptions to SQUASHTV to the clubs who stage the best events designed to attract a new generation of players to the game.

Leading PSA stars have also signed two World Squash Day shirts, which will be auctioned off to provide funding for special squash causes.

The UK is leading the way with more than 200 events. England Squash have set the bar very high, offering equipment and funding packages to clubs in partnership with leading squash brand Karakal. Other prizes are also on offer from SquashSkills. 

Former world champion Nick Matthew is spearheading a week-long project at his lifelong training base, the Hallamshire Tennis and Squash Club in Sheffield.

Matthew, who won the world title three times alongside three British Open triumphs, said: “The World Squash Day programme has already started with a Season Launch event and the Nick Matthew Junior Open, an England Squash sanctioned Bronze event.

“On Wednesday we host our first Yorkshire League home match of the season, and on Thursday the Nick Matthew Academy will be holding an Open Evening with free sessions for junior players of all abilities from far and wide.”

Youngsters will have the opportunity to get on court with Matthew and coaching partner Neil Guirey, and learn from conditioning expert Mark Campbell on the fitness side of the game.

Hallamshire will be hosting a full programme of fun activities on World Squash Day, holding junior and adult drop-in sessions throughout the day.

At another Yorkshire club, former world No.2 and England international Suzanne Horner will be coaching newcomers during a big day of activity at Barnsley which involves a 12-hour battle between racketball and squash players!

As well as Hallamshire, World Squash Day has kicked off a week early in Luxembourg with events being held at one venue that closes this week for refurbishment. 

An Angry Birds competition also took place in Singapore before players head up to Kuala Lumpur in neighbouring Malaysia for another event this weekend.

In Scotland, Inverness Tennis and Squash Club are holding a 24-hour squash marathon to raise funds for the Highland Hospice starting at 7pm on Friday. On World Squash Day the club will be encouraging members to introduce family and friends to the game, alongside a doubles competition, squash-related challenges and some fun activities.

The USA will be celebrating World Squash Day in style, with events coinciding with finals day of the US Open at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Events are taking place across the country where World Squash Day was launched following the death of numerous squash players during the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

World No.7 Diego Elias is scheduled to make an appearance at a World Squash Day event in Miraflores in Peru alongside his fitness coach Roberto Aliaga – although Elias might have to change his plans if he reaches the final in Philly!

Events are also taking place across South America in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Colombia.

In Australia, squash enthusiasts will be taking to the streets in Brisbane to hit balls against the walls of landmark buildings to raise the profile of the sport.

Indoors, the Daisy Hill Club, managed by Malta star Bradley Hindle, will be holding a massive day of activity on the Saturday followed by a special awards evening on the Monday.

While Aussie ace Cameron Pilley will be competing in the US Open, his family back home in Australia will be planning the WSD event at Club Coops in Carseldine, Queensland, promising a day of fun and fitness.

In India, former national champion and PSA World Tour star Ritwik Bhattacharya’s growing academy is running World Squash Day camps at squash clubs and military bases.

The World Squash Day map www.worldsquashday.net/sign-up-here/ tracks every registered event, revealing activities from Armenia to America, from Lebanon to London, from Wagga Wagga to Vancouver, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Malaysia to Mexico, from Thailand to Toronto, and from China to Cochabamba in Bolivia. 

For further information on World Squash Day, please visit www.worldsquashday.net