CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant is pretty sure it's not the bat, but right now, he isn't leaving anything to chance.

After breaking his old bat during a late April plate appearance in Phoenix, Bryant grabbed his backup, an Axe Bat, and homered on his first swing with it. He had never used the unique-looking lumber, but since then, that's all he has been swinging.

"I've been having good at-bats, so I don't know if it's the bat or what, but it's always nice to use a new one and hit a homer," the Chicago Cubs third baseman said earlier this week.

Axe Bats feature a handle that backers say is more conducive for a hitting grip. They're becoming increasingly popular across the game, as American League MVP Mookie Betts uses one, and now a former NL MVP is as well. The manufacturer had been trying to get Bryant to use an Axe Bat, but until that game at Chase Field, he had tried it only in batting practice. Now Bryant won't put it down, and his hitting coach is a fan as well.

"I love the Axe Bat," Anthony Iapoce said. "It aligns your knuckles. Forces your knuckles to be aligned and creates the right angle of the barrel above the head."

Bryant added: "There's a lot of science behind it. How the bat naturally comes through the zone, how it falls into the zone. You don't have to work for it. I like the idea behind it."

Axe or no Axe, Bryant is in the midst of one of his better streaks at the plate, as he has reached base in a career-high 18 straight games. His OPS in that stretch is 1.077. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, since going to the Axe Bat on April 26, Bryant's hard hit rate is 63 percent, eighth in baseball. He also homered in three straight games for the first time in his career, highlighted by a walk-off, three-run shot to win Tuesday's game over the Miami Marlins. Bryant has been on fire.

All this good stuff has come after he struggled for the first couple of weeks of the season. But while social media was wondering if the old Bryant would return, the hitter and his team simply went to work.

Manager Joe Maddon watched old video of Bryant and Bryant's personal hitting coach/dad, Mike Bryant, chimed in both from his home in Las Vegas and while visiting Chicago this week. Iapoce saw the progress firsthand.

"It takes time, and it also takes a true trust and belief," the hitting coach said. "You don't want to be hunting for hits. You want to be hunting the process. That can be hard."

Neither Bryant nor the people around him are quick to offer excuses for a slow-ish start -- he was hitting .224 with a .689 OPS on April 11 -- but few from the outside viewed the situation the way they did: While Bryant played much of last year with his left shoulder hurting, he lost his way. He was favoring it, swinging differently, and then he landed on the injured list. Twice. His season, from May until October, was laborious. His timing was gone.

"When you're playing sporadic, getting days off, on the DL, changing your swing, you don't really get into that good rhythm that you want," Bryant said.

The bottom line -- which Bryant would never state so definitively -- is he missed almost a year at the plate. He injured his shoulder in May and just recently is feeling like himself in the batter's box. The offseason takes everyone out of his rhythm, but for Bryant, it was three more months on top of about five.

"It sucked to be hurt, but I don't think that was the biggest thing," Bryant said. "I lost timing. I lost that experience on the field."

Maddon's more hands-on approach this year helped as well. He went back and watched video of the righty, circa 2016, and saw a guy with less movement at the plate. He relayed his thoughts to the hitter, who implemented them.

"I don't see myself as a rhythm [moving in the box] hitter," Bryant said. "I'm very still in all of my movements. Very small movements. Staying quiet and looking at my previous successes helped a lot."

Notice that he didn't mention the Axe Bat, perhaps because his resurgence predates the long ball he hit with it. Prior to April 15, Bryant's hard hit rate was 32 percent, good for 160th in baseball. Since then -- including his time using the Axe Bat -- he's up to 58th. He has been feeling good for a while, and now the results are showing.

"I broke my bat in Arizona, and that was my backup in the dugout," Bryant said. "First swing was a homer. But I've been feeling great for a while."

Time in the box -- more than good health or a new bat -- have made the difference for Bryant. But as long as his timing stays, so will the bat.

"Why not?" he asked rhetorically. "I feel great."

Steve Smythe takes a look at team results from the Virgin Money London Marathon

NB these results have been compiled from information supplied by UKA and England Athletics and only athletes with clearance on their national registration and entered in the national championships and wearing club vests are eligible.

Provisionally Serpentine take the men’s team gold, retaining their title from 2018, but that is dependent on leading vet Nick Torry (2:16:21), who though cleared to run in the championships race was switched to the elite but he did clearly wear a club vest.

Serpentine had an extraordinary eight runners under 2:30 and a few others only slightly over.

Kent AC, who had six under 2:30, were led in by John Gilbert (2:19:03) and should win if Torry is excluded.

Fellow Londoners Hercules Wimbledon and Victoria Park (if another elite runner Paul Martelletti counts) complete the top four.

The only non-London club in the top five is Scottish outfit Inverclyde, though that may be changed due to a vest query.

Leeds would have appeared to have been the top Northern club but looks like they too may have to be excluded due to a missing club vest.

Bristol and West look like the leading Midlands team.

The increase in the standard is extraordinary from a very warm 2018 and almost certainly a record 40-plus teams finished three scorers.

Last year’s fourth place time would have only got 22nd this year and is believed to be a record 10 teams which had their three scorers average sub-2:30.

The women’s standard saw an even greater increase from last year.

Last year’s runners-up Clapham Chasers swapped positions with 2018 champions London Heathside, whose winning time last year would only have got ninth this year.

Clapham won thanks largely due to a 2:32:38 clocking from Stephanie Davis.

Serpentine would have finished second but their first runner home did not have a registration and their second did not wear a club vest and national bronzes look like they have gone to Dulwich, a few seconds up on their neighbours Herne Hill.

Again, this is London dominated with the first six teams with a capital connection.

Please send any queries to [email protected]

Men

1 Serpentine RC 7:05:13 (with N Torry), 7:14:12 (without)
46 Nick Torry 2:16:21 (pictured above)
1531 Will Green 2:24:18
1581 Andy Greenleaf 2:24:34
1642 Nicolas Besson 2:25:20

2 Kent AC 7:09:05
1291 John Gilbert 2:19:03
1261 Peter Lighting2:24:31
1299 David Morgan 2:25:31

3 Hercules Wimbledon 7:11:01
1300 Belal Ahmed 2:21:40
1815 Richard McDowell 2:23:08
1536 Dimosthenis Evangelidis 2:26:13

4 Victoria Park H & Tower Hamlets 7:14:57 (with P Martelletti) 7:33:50 (without)
44 Paul Martelletti 2:17:29 (elite race)
1809 Ewan Cameron 2:25:10
1684 Paul Gaimster 2:32:18
1661 Ken Norgrove 2:36:22

5 Inverclyde (Sco) 7:21:24 (checking for vest violation on one scorer)
1362 Craig Ruddy 2:20:29
1678 John Sharp 2:29:55
1277 Peter Tucker 2:31:00
(alternative vest scorer would be 3:15:12 giving 8:06:41)

(Leeds City 7:21:28 )
1269 Josh Rowe 2:22:49 (not eligible due to vest)
1889 Jason Cherriman 2:28:18
1410 Jonathan Walton 2:30:21
(No eligible alternative scorer)

6 South London H 7:22:11
1413 Daniel Gaffney 2:22:57
1286 Kevin Quinn 2:28:08
1730 Ollie Garrod 2:31:06

7 Bristol & West 7:22:29
1743 Harry Allen 2:23:30
1180 Maciej Bialogonski 2:23:40
1584 Graham Breen 2:35:19

8 Belgrave 7:22:45
1796 Lee Garret 2:24:38
1297 Andrius Jaksevicius 2:25:01
1556 Ben Maccronan 2:33:06

9 Cambridge H 7:24:37
1569 Ben Shearer 2:25:38
1240 Danny Kendall 2:27:53
1324 James Macdonald 2:31:06

10 Thames Valley H 7:29:12
1381 James Ellis 2:26:39
1866 Robert Collins 2:30:08
1591 Sage Pearce-Higgins 2:32:25

11 Shettleston (SCO) 7:30:22
1451 Weynay Ghebresilasie 2:17:21
1538 Jordan Andersen 2:32:39
1748 Peter Mackie 2:40:22

12 City of Norwich 7:35:03
1357 Piers Arnold 2:30:17
1657 Ash Harrell 2:31:42
1385 Alex Dunbar 2:33:04

13 Highgate H 7:35:10
1254 Alex Bampton 2:24:40
1289 Shaun Dixon 2:33:35
1813 Daniel Higgins 2:36:55

14 Bracknell Forest 7:37:16
1928 Neil Kevern 2:27:19
11905 Glen Winning 2:29:10
450 John Burnett 2:40:47

15 Notts AC 7:38:00
1273 Tom Bailey 2:30:12
1811 Anthony Woodward 2:30:12
1366 Bruce Raeside 2:37:36

16 Brighton & Hove AC 7:39:56
1635 James Turner 2:25:56
1842 Phil Stevenson 2:31:15
1285 Craig Halsey 2:42:45

17 St Albans 7:41:17
1509 Kurtis Gibson 2:28:41
1885 Phillip Evans 2:36:03
1561 Stephen Buckle 2:36:33

18 Springfield Striders 7:41:27
1898 Chris Burgoyne 2:32:43
1845 Mark Newton 2:33:36
1907 Alex Manton 2:35:08

19 Edinburgh (SCO) 7:41:28
1231 Leon Johnson 2:32:17
1687 Iain Macdonald 2:34:20
1883 Tommy Gavin 2:34:51

20 Aldershot FD 7:42:06
1493 Joe Morwood 2:20:52
1338 Paul Rodgers 2:37:37
1695 Mike Boucher 2:43:37

21 Clapham Chasers 7:44:05
1566 Paul Stephenson 2:29:46
1917 Joe Fellows 2:34:22
1710 Joe Spraggins 2:39:57

22 Hallamshire 7:46:45
1739 John Birch 2:34:17
1637 Ben Beattie 2:34:52
1874 Michael Sprot 2:37:36

23 NWRRC (Wal) 7:50:25
1831 Martin Green 2:30:53
1747 Daniel Lemelman 2:35:08
1370 Jonathan Kettle 2:44:22

24 Benfleet 7:50:41
1662 James Caldon 2:34:19
1469 Lee Baynton 2:35:55
1931 Ben Green 2:40:27

25 Bedford 7:50:44
1399 Richard Henderson 2:29:59
1783 Andrew Inskip 2:32:22
1424 Charlie Palmer 2:48:23

26 Cambridge & Coleridge 7:51:29
1707 Matthew Slater 2:35:55
1670 Kevin O’Holleran 2:37:36
1323 Graham Anderson 2:37:58

27 Dulwich Runners 7:51:41
1694 Tim Bowen 2:28:53
1242 Edward Chuck 2:39:56
1376 Charles Lound 2:42:52

28 Bournemouth 7:51:49
1337 Anthony Clark 2:34:32
1495 Rob Mctaggart 2:37:59
1784 Steve Way 2:39:18

29 Team Bath 7:52:13
1754 Daniel Jones 2:37:46
1909 Jon Cracknell 2:35:02
483 Tom Dudden 2:39:25

30 London City 7:55:09
1308 Cian Cunningham 2:32:13
1355 Benjamin Howe 2:40:49
1461 Daniel Tellam 2:42:07

31 Guildford & G 7:55:09
1301 Tom Griffiths 2:31:40
1837 Mark Higgs 2:38:03
1632 Matt Mcdaniel 2:45:26

32 Herne Hill H 7:56:01
1276 Carl Delaney 2:33:29
1407 Jeff Cunningham 2:39:13
1921 Jonathan Ratcliffe 2:43:19

33 North Herts 7:56:16
1325 Adam Bowller 2:32:57
1923 Darren Sunter 2:39:09
1768 Robert Harris 2:44:10

34 Oxford University 7:57:54
1956 Edward Brooks 2:38:32
1363 Alexander Betts 2:39:09
1651 Richard Burman 2:40:13

35 Thames Hare & Hounds 7:59:43
1888 Richard Ollington 2:34:05
1479 Gordon Pearce 2:37:27
1345 Jamie Hinton 2:48:11

36 Peterborough AC 8:09:42
1390 Phil Martin 2:31:57
1835 Kirk Brawn 2:37:39
1189 James Skinner 3:00:06

37 Reigate Priory 8:11:16
1260 Francis Dunham 2:36:57
1915 Matthew Ryde 2:42:19
1534 George Roux 2:52:00

38 Ranelagh H 8:11:22
1688 Ross Macdonald 2:35:41
1606 Tom Fairbrother 2:42:23
1579 Simon Wolnizer 2:53:18

39 Reading RR 8:13:39
1706 Seb Briggs 2:37:00
1937 David Mccoy 2:43:08
1202 Lance Nortcliff 2:53:31

40 Run Fast 8:19:38
1515 Adam Young 2:34:27
1528 Junichi Tamura 2:50:03
1690 Stephen Skinner 2:55:08

41 Stockport H 8:24:36
1568 James Barnett 2:45:08
1848 Paul Brooks 2:49:42
1882 Stephen Crook 2:49:46

42 South Cheshire H 8:37:54
1789 Matthew Taylor 2:39:29
1857 Nicholas Hackett 2:55:00
1421 Matthew Smith 3:03:25

43 Dartford Roadrunners 8:39:37
1947 Jay Smith 2:37:02
1244 Nigel Ling 2:45:58
1964 Andrew Green 3:16:37

Women

1 Clapham Chasers 8:20:55
560 Stephanie Davis 2:32:38 (pictured below)
720 Eve Bugler 2:51:53
891 Alice McGushin 2:56:24

2 London Heathside 8:36:43
844 Rebecca Bunting 2:46:34
652 Josie Hinton 2:53:50
669 Julia Bijl 2:56:19

3 Dulwich 8:48:08
590 Marta Miaskiewicz 2:53:33
956 Ali Campbell 2:55:22
834 Hayley Seddon 2:59:13

4 Herne Hill 8:48:29
883 Steph Mccall 2:51:49
25 Stacey Ward 2:52:33
664 Olivia Zeltner 3:04:07

5 Fulham RC 8:52:22
667 Jackie Skinner 2:50:38
880 Jessica Saunders 3:00:23
714 Alice Riddell-Webster 3:01:21

6 Serpentine 8:54:57
724 Anna Lawson 2:55:52
638 Catherine Meyer 2:56:18
552 Ahlem Ben Gueblia 3:02:47
(497 Phebe Ko 2:45:29 (vest not eligible))
(NB Devon Yanko (USA) 2:42:03 not registered)

7 Charnwood 8:55:55
781 Hannah Doran 2:42:38
721 Vicky Baddick 3:06:23
870 Alice Thackray 3:06:54

8 Reading RR 9:03:24
967 Gemma Buley 2:59:09
878 Nikki Gray 2:59:25
925 Katherine Sargeant 3:04:50

9 Bristol & West 9:05:42
741 Annabel Granger 2:47:43
549 Naomi Aylwin 3:11:36
728 Lucy Bird 3:16:23

10 Southampton AC 9:07:59
580 Ellie Monks 2:58:49
866 Karla Borland 3:04:19
648 Miriam Jones-Walters 3:04:51

11 Steel City Striders RC 9:11:32
581 Sian Evans 2:52:08
818 Caroline Brock 3:05:12
635 Lucy Broom 3:14:12

12 Springfield Striders RC 9:11:57
853 Jackie Stretton 2:57:03
642 Nikki Brockbank 2:59:31
523 Samantha Bilbie 3:15:23

13 London City 9:11:08
735 Leah Ward-Bower 3:03:21
792 Harriet Freeman 3:03:31
532 Audinga Andruskeviciute 3:04:16

14 West 4 9:15:07
640 Rosamund Ponder 2:49:29
922 Shijie Zhuang 3:12:24
448 Rachel Badham 3:13:14

15 Stone Master Marathoners 9:16:32
611 Anna Hollingworth 2:57:53
661 Joanne Bentley 3:04:35
541 Kirsty Stephenson 3:14:04

16 Edinburgh AC 9:33:04 (SCO)
902 Tanya Shields 3:06:34
705 Jacqueline Rainger 3:09:52
855 Nikki Gibson 3:16:38

17 Cambridge & Coleridge 9:41:41
501 Chloe Haines 3:06:43
904 Maija Kozlova 3:12:32
722 Stefanie Godfrey 3:22:26

18 Reading AC 9:50:33
698 Naomi Mitchell 2:48:01
423 Sarah Holmes 3:21:37
473 Anna Godfrey 3:40:55

19 Black Pear 10:13:22
961 Sophie Booth 3:13:47
941 Sian Powell 3:25:53
960 Sally Dring 3:33:42

20 Ranelagh H 10:28:28
913 Laura Blazey 3:18:47
465 Fiona Ford 3:31:58
447 Marie Synnott-Wells 3:37:33

A guide to relay action in Yokohama, including some ones to watch, race schedule and TV info

The fourth edition of the IAAF World Relays, being staged away from The Bahamas for the first time, is set to be the largest ever with 790 athletes from 47 teams entered, writes Paul Halford.

The presence of several big names such as Noah Lyles, Andre De Grasse and Elaine Thompson suggests many nations are treating this event as an important stepping stone towards the World Championships in Doha.

Here we highlight some ones to watch. For our full preview, see the May 9 edition of AW magazine.

Timetable

UK time (local time in brackets)

Saturday May 11

10:38 (18:38) – Mixed shuttle hurdles heats
11:05 (19:05) – Women’s 4x400m heats
11:40 (19:40) – Men’s 4x400m heats
12:13 (20:13) – Women’s 4x100m heats
12:40 (20:40) – Mixed 2x2x400m final
13:00 (21:00) – Men’s 4x100m heats
13:22 (21:22) – Mixed 4x400m heats
13:55 (21:55) – Mixed shuttle hurdles final

Sunday May 12

10:10 (18:10) – Women’s 4x200m heats
10:31 (18:31) – Men’s 4x200m heats
10:52 (18:52) – Women’s 4x400m B final
11:05 (19:05) – Men’s 4x400m B final
11:21 (19:21) – Women’s 4x400m final
11:37 (19:37) – Men’s 4x400m final
11:53 (19:53) – Mixed 4x400m final
12:09 (20:09) – Women’s 4x200m final
12:23 (20:23) – Men’s 4x200m final
12:37 (20:37) – Women’s 4x100m final
12:52 (20:52) – Men’s 4x100m final

Ones to watch

Men’s 4x100m

World champions Britain take on Rio 2016 winners Jamaica and the other big contenders, the USA.

In CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Britain have three of the quartet that won global gold in 2017 and that topped the world rankings last year.

The USA team includes Diamond League champion Noah Lyles and Mike Rodgers and the Jamaica squad features Yohan Blake.

Japan’s well-drilled foursome should also challenge. Canada has Olympic 200m silver medallist Andre De Grasse.

Women’s 4x200m

With double Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and current double Rio 2016 champion Elaine Thompson, Jamaica will be defending their title, challenged by Germany and the USA, who were second and third last time out.

Women’s 4x400m

The USA will start as the strong favourites, headed by 49.52 runner Shakima Wimbley.

In the shape of Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond and Laviai Nielsen, Britain’s squad includes three of their 2017 world silver medallists. Their team-mate Eilidh Doyle is out through injury and replaced by Perri Shakes-Drayton, who ran in the London 2017 heats.

European champions Poland and Jamaica ought to be strong too.

Shuttle hurdles

Just seven teams go in this new four-leg mixed event, run in a woman-man-woman-man formation.

The USA are favourites, featuring Devon Allen, with Queen Harrison, Sharika Nelvis and Christina Manning to choose from among the women.

European champion Pascal Martinot-Lagarde goes for France.

Full entry info can be found here.

GB team for Yokohama

Men

4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Adam Gemili, Sam Gordon, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, CJ Ujah
4x400m: Cameron Chalmers, Dwayne Cowan, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Martyn Rooney, Jamal Rhoden-Stevens, Lee Thompson, Rabah Yousif

Women

4x100m: Kristal Awuah, Desiree Henry, Daryll Neita, Ashleigh Nelson, Asha Philip, Bianca Williams
4x400m: Finette Agyapong, Amy Allcock, Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond, Laviai Nielsen, Anyika Onuora, Perri Shakes-Drayton

Mixed

4x400m: Cameron Chalmers, Zoe Clark, Laviai Nielsen, Martyn Rooney,Perri Shakes-Drayton, Rabah Yousif

GB will not field teams in the 4x200m, shuttle hurdles or 2x2x400m relays.

Final practice here in Yokohama ahead of the #WorldRelays2019! This is the first time we’ve practiced as a mixed 4x400m and it was very interesting to say the least ? they’re fast!

Can’t wait for the competition to start! pic.twitter.com/jPUrYBqNDB

— laviai nielsen (@Laviai) May 9, 2019

TV guide

Fans in the UK can watch the action live on the BBC red button and online on May 11 (10:30 to 14:00) and May 12 (10:00 to 13:00) with highlights on BBC Two on May 12 (17:00-18:00).

A list of other broadcasters for coverage around the world can be found here.

The popular cross-country international will not be staged from 2020

The Great Stirling XCountry and Great Stirling Run events have come to an end, with organisers confirming that the popular cross-country international and separate road running festival will not be staged from 2020.

First staged in the North East of England in 1988 before moving to Scotland in 2005, the Great XCountry (formerly the Great North Cross Country) has a rich history of elite competition and has seen athletes such as Paula Radcliffe, Liz McColgan and Haile Gebrselassie take part. In recent years the crowds have been treated to performances from Mo Farah as well Scottish athletes Laura Muir and Callum Hawkins.

This year the televised international event, which took place alongside a mass participation run and the Scottish Inter District Cross Country Championships, moved to Stirling after 14 years in Edinburgh.

Meanwhile the marathon, which formed part of the Great Stirling Run and has also featured a half-marathon in the past two years, was first staged in 2017.

“We’ve taken the difficult decision not to stage the Great Stirling XCountry or the Great Stirling Run from 2020,” said a spokesperson for organisers The Great Run Company.

“For the last 10 years we have been staging world class cross country competition in Scotland through the Great XCountry.

“Unfortunately, the costs of staging this event are increasing at the same time as commercial revenue is declining and the reality is, the event is no longer economically viable for us to stage.

“When the Great Stirling Run was conceived three years ago it was our ambition to build a world class marathon in Stirling. We’ve invested in the event over that time, but sadly we haven’t been able to deliver that ambition and the event in its current format is unsustainable.

“We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Stirling Council for their excellent support and of course to everyone who has taken part in the event.”

European champion will continue her World Championships preparations at the Alexander Stadium in August

Laura Muir has today been confirmed as the first star name to compete at the Müller Grand Prix Birmingham on Sunday August 18.

Taking place at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, Muir will return to a city she knows so well to compete in a soon-to-be-decided distance, with the popular Scot hoping for another impressive outing in front of a British crowd.

In the city in which she has won two world indoor medals, a number of British titles and has also broken two British records over 1000m and 1 mile (both indoors), Muir’s presence on the bill for August 18 is the first of many star-name confirmations as the countdown to the event continues with 100 days to go.

Currently training at altitude in St Moritz, Switzerland, ahead of another huge year, Muir is expected to face another tough field of endurance stars in her discipline come August in something of a dress rehearsal ahead of going for global glory at the IAAF World Championships in Doha come October.

“It’s really exciting to be coming back to Birmingham – there is a lot of history for me in the city now and the Alexander Stadium crowd always seem to bring the best out of me,” said Muir, the defending Diamond League 1500m champion.

“With Doha being in September this marks the beginning of the final run into World Championships, so this year Birmingham is playing an even bigger role in my preparations.

“With so many athletes trying to peak for Doha this could mean some of the best athletes and best performances in Birmingham in recent years.

“Personally, for me nothing beats running in front of a home crowd, so I’m looking forward to more great support in Birmingham this August.”

The Müller Grand Prix Birmingham is one of the top outdoor athletics events in the world and forms part of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League series. Taking place just six weeks before the IAAF World Championships in Doha, the meet will see many of the world’s best athletes go head-to-head in the UK’s second city.

Tickets for the Müller Grand Prix Birmingham are on sale here.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has agreed a deal to take charge of the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa in 2021.

Although no contract has been signed, terms have been agreed by both parties for the New Zealander to lead the Lions for a third time.

Gatland has already overseen a winning tour of Australia in 2013 and a drawn series against the All Blacks four years later.

The Lions have yet to comment.

Gatland was also part of Sir Ian McGeechan's Lions coaching party in South Africa in 2009.

The New Zealander has said he will step down as Wales coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Wales won the Six Nations in March, extending their record-breaking run of winning matches to 14.

Since taking over with Wales in December 2007, Gatland has led his team to three Grand Slams and become the longest-serving coach in their history.

More to follow.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Motor Speedway has inked a deal with short-term lender Speedy Cash to become the entitlement sponsor of the SpeedyCash.com 400 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race on June 7.

The official announcement was made Thursday at the Speedy Cash location on North Main Street between 28th and 29th Streets in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

The SpeedyCash.com 400 will run in conjunction with the June 8 DXC Technology 600, the annual stop for the NTT IndyCar Series at the high-speed 1.5-mile facility.

“Texas Motor Speedway is proud to partner with Speedy Cash to bring the SpeedyCash.com 400 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race to our loyal fan base,” said Jason Wonderly, Vice President of Sales for Texas Motor Speedway. “We’re equally proud of Speedy Cash for kicking off this relationship with a phenomenal opportunity for race fans to participate in an incredible promotion with the opportunity for one lucky fan to leave the track $400,000 happier.”

As a kickoff to the partnership, one lucky race fan on June 7 could leave the track $400,000 richer than when they arrived. Each of the 12 Dallas/Fort Worth-area Speedy Cash locations will hold an enter-to-win drawing for race tickets as well as a chance to play for the $400,000 grand prize.

“We are thrilled that our Speedy Cash brand and team has joined with Texas Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, to sponsor the SpeedyCash.com 400 in Dallas,” said Bill Baker, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CURO. “As the official sponsor of the SpeedyCash.com 400, we are excited to interact with our customers and Speedy Cash teammates in this exciting and fun event. This is yet another way Speedy Cash can engage with our community, live our vision, and what better way to highlight the speed at which we provide solutions than to partner with Texas Motor Speedway and NASCAR.”

Australian XI 5 for 248 (Smith 91*, Maxwell 70) beat New Zealand XI 9 for 286 (Young 111, Worker 59, Cummins 4-32) by five wickets (DLS method)

Steven Smith boarded the flight to the World Cup with questions over his form significantly eased as he struck an unbeaten 91 at Allan Border Field to help secure a five-wicket victory although there was momentary scare around his recovering right elbow.

On 63, Smith went to run his bat in as he completed a single - which wasn't as tight as he thought - and the bat jarred in the crease. He dropped the bat and immediately started flexing the elbow on which he had undergone surgery in January and which has been a focal point over the last few months. At the drinks break he was seen by the physio but by the end of the chase had appeared to shake off any pain.

If there was just short-term discomfort and no long-term problem, Smith's week in Brisbane will be given a significant tick with this innings following his unbeaten 89 in the second match. He was on track for a century but, with the over-rate slower than previous games, the light faded too much and when a Smith straight drive hammered into Jimmy Neesham, the umpires decided it was too dark.

It was a testing chase for the Australians when they slipped to 4 for 137 with David Warner having fallen for 2, caught behind much to his frustration, to follow the duck he scored in the second match.

However, Glenn Maxwell provided the impetus needed with a 37-ball half-century full of power and invention, bringing out a reverse pull for six shortly after passing fifty. For all the focus on Smith and Warner, so much about Australia's batting order at the World Cup rests on Maxwell.

The other dominant innings of the day came from the player of the week Will Young with his second hundred in three days. It took his tally for the three matches to 301 to highlight how unlucky he is not to have already been capped by New Zealand. That will now have to wait until the end of the year as he faces shoulder surgery on his return home.

As in the successful run chase two days ago, it was a stand with George Worker which laid the platform as the pair added 82 for the second wicket. Worker completed his second half-century of the week before top-edging Adam Zampa to short third man, the legspinner also trapped captain Tom Latham lbw.

Young and Neesham then upped the tempo in a stand of 67 during which Young reached a hundred filled with high-class strokeplay that continued to mark him out as an international cricketer in waiting.

When both set batsmen fell - Young yorked by Marcus Stoinis and Neesham finding mid-off against Mitchell Starc - the innings slipped with Pat Cummins taking his haul to four wickets to reinforce his standing as the in-form bowler in Australia's attack. Although Zampa claimed two wickets he was taken for more than eight over, being particularly harshly treated by Neesham, while Stoinis' brace also came at significant cost.

Starc increased his workload after just five overs in the second match - his first outing for three months - with eight overs across three spells.

Australia still have a "lot of questions to answer" before their opening World Cup match according to captain Aaron Finch, but being able to call on the experience of six previous winners in their 15-man squad could be a key factor as they attempt to defend their title and claim the tournament for the sixth time.

The squad completed their Brisbane camp with the third match against a New Zealand XI on Friday, Steven Smith hitting an unbeaten 91 and Glenn Maxwell a flamboyant 70, before heading straight to the airport to fly to Turkey for a visit to Gallipoli, a trip that Steve Waugh's 2001 Ashes side undertook. From there they reach London in the middle of next week ahead of their final warm-up period before opening their campaign on June 1 against Afghanistan in Bristol.

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Finch, one of the six players who were part of the 2015 triumph on home soil, along with Smith, Maxwell, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, said a World Cup is a "different" experience from the bilateral series that form most of a players' career.

"I think it's a big advantage, just to know what it takes to win a World Cup and what it takes to manage your way through a campaign which can be difficult," Finch said. "You have to be at your best at the business end but you can't afford to let anything slip at the start. Six guys who have been there and done that will give a lot of experience to the others of what to expect, what to feel walking out there because it is different.

"When you talk so much about it, when it finally happens it's a relief to be looking forward. The fact everyone is together and getting on great, the boys are pumped to ramp up the preparations. It really is the time of your life a World Cup so that will be awesome."

Australia are not favourites for the tournament but are in much better shape than they were just a few months ago having strung together eight wins in a row against India and Pakistan. However, the final build-up, dominated by the return of Smith and Warner, has filled in all the blanks with the batting order still up the air and bowling combinations to be firmed.

They used three different opening partnerships in the three matches in Brisbane as well as other tweaks to the order. It remains likely that Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are playing off for one position.

"I think it's just about giving everyone an opportunity at the top of the order to get some game time as much as anything," Finch said. "I think it's a good opportunity to mix and match and with the three games in the UK we might keep everyone guessing a bit, but the honest answer is, no, we don't have a definitive answer on what that will look like at the moment. There are a lot of questions still to be answer but we are in a great place to do that."

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Finch was the only one to score a half-century opening the innings in the three matches with Warner not quite able to continue his serene progress from the IPL. Smith produced the two most significant innings of the week with his brace of unbeaten knocks.

"His [Smith] timing and class was back again," Finch said. "It was like he hadn't left. His drives down the ground on a really difficult wicket to time off the front foot was so impressive, just the amount of time he spent in the middle and how he went through the gears was very impressive."

Smith was also active in offering advice to the captains, Finch in the first two matches and Alex Carey the last one, with the team happy to lean on the experience of their former captain and Warner.

"They are two of the best players in the world which is valuable to have at your disposal," Finch said. "The boys have been brilliant, all the work off the field with the team has been great. It's an interesting time, no doubt, when they are coming back in but still a great opportunity for everyone to learn off them as well. They have so much experience and what they bring to the group is really valuable."

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It was about four minutes into the third quarter of Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinals, and Damian Lillard peeled off a high screen, sizing up Nikola Jokic in front of him. He had Jokic leaning, and Lillard saw his opportunity. One hard dribble, stop, pop and fire.

Except Jokic saw it coming. Lillard was caught in the air and had to throw it to no one in particular. Gary Harris picked it off and Lillard balled up his fists, swinging them in the air in frustration. It wasn't just a turnover; it was a missed opportunity at a moment.

Twenty seconds earlier Lillard had hit a 3-pointer -- officially listed at 27 feet -- that came right after hitting a 19-foot stepback. There was a low growl in the arena as everyone could sense something finally unlocking for Lillard. It's not that he'd been bottled up in the series, but the signature haymakers weren't there. It's rare for Lillard to score quietly, but his 26.2 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting through the series' first five games weren't registering any decibels.

The Trail Blazers are more than just what Lillard makes them, but he is their heartbeat. There's an obvious fear on the other side when he turns on the oven and gets out the ingredients to cook. A Lillard 3 is worth the same as anyone else's, but not in the abstract. It has an intangible value.

So when he hit the eject button to rise up on a dime to launch in front of Jokic, it's not subtle what Lillard is trying to do. He's hunting a timeout. He wants to make the opposing coach call one.

"Because I know how it feels being on the other side, the visiting team, when the crowd is going crazy and you've got to call a timeout," he said. "You've got to regroup and go in the huddle and have these conversations.

"I guess that is true," he said, thinking it over. "I look for those moments."

After he shook off the turnover, he was back to hunting. Two minutes later he turned the corner and got downhill to the rim for a layup. The Nuggets didn't answer and he followed it with a midrange jumper. Four-point lead. Jokic scored five straight on his own to give Denver a lead, but Lillard responded with a 3 to put Portland back up two. Two free throws from Lillard, but a Paul Millsap layup in return. So it was time to get serious about it. Time to step out to near Logoland. Splash. Five-point lead, momentum building, a Zach Collins block and Jokic foul, and Lillard got what he wanted. Timeout, Denver.

"You're not going to kill 'em in the third quarter, you're not going to kill 'em with eight, nine minutes left in the fourth quarter," Lillard said, "but you can get that crowd going."

Lillard's logo shot is a nuclear weapon few possess in the NBA, but one the Nuggets have largely eliminated. Against the Thunder, he went 5-of-5 on shots from 30-plus feet. Prior to Game 6, he was 2-of-6 in against Denver, and if he took one, it was because he was trying to, not because it was there. In Game 6, he was 2-of-2 from 30-plus (not counting his heave at the end of the third quarter from 72 feet that was on line and hit the front of the rim). Against the Thunder, Lillard averaged 5.2 3-pointers a game; against Denver, he hadn't hit more than four in a game. Game 6, he hit six 3s.

"It was definitely a combination of him understanding what time it is," Malone said in a Freudian-ish slip, "and us not being as engaged defensively as we need to be."

By the end of the third quarter, the tide had basically turned. Lillard scored 17 of his 32 in the third, featuring three ruthless 3s. The Blazers had control and Lillard felt to be the perpetual, unrelenting threat he was for five games against the Thunder. The fourth quarter was about finishing, and with Rodney Hood's continued resurrection, CJ McCollum's slithering midrange daggers, only four points were needed from Lillard to close a 119-108 win, forcing Game 7 on Sunday.

"Don't overthink, don't make it some big, crazy deal or nothing like that," Lillard said of Game 7. "We're going to play a basketball game. And it's a big game, and we've won on their floor before, and we know what type of mentality we had when we did that."

McCollum summarized it to the simplest, most understandable form.

"Somebody's got to go to Cabo or Cancun as Chuck would say," he said.

For as much as what fuels the Lillard mythology -- the big shots, the clutch moments, the catchphrase, the wrist-tapping -- Dame Time has never been in a Game 7. There's a Lillard lore building in real-time this postseason and it feels like Game 7 could be another chapter. The Nuggets have prioritized Lillard to an extreme degree in the series, forcing the ball out of his hands. But with their season on the line, one would expect nothing less than Lillard would take matters into them. And the same goes for Game 7.

"Damian knows this is win-or-go-home, you know what kind of mindset a great player is going to come out with," Malone said. "Coupled with us maybe not being as physical and into him, our bigs not being up at the level as often so he's able to come off and make six 3s. We've done a really good job of taking away the 3-point from him for most of the series and tonight he got off."

It would seem there was possibly some kind of adjustment, some tactical chess move that opened an inch more of room for Lillard to break free that could carry over to Sunday, and while maybe some of the Blazers screens were set higher and Terry Stotts instinctively rolled with a smaller lineup to space the floor, it's not always that complicated.

"Some of it was he just really made good plays as well," Stotts said with a shrug.

Said McCollum: "As we always say it's a make or miss league. Tonight he made 'em. A game on the line, a series on the line, that's when great players rise to the occasion. He understood what was at stake."

The Blazers have been pushed to the limits this season, their resolve tested at different stages, to different degrees. A Game 7 on the road is almost a fitting final exam to see if they can go further than they have in the Lillard era. Lillard is the kind of player that seems built for it, his steely leadership setting a focused, calm tone for the team. It will be tense, it will be challenging. It will be about daggers, about shifting waves of momentum, about details, about moments.

And Lillard is always looking for one of those.