PEORIA, Ariz. – With time starting to run short for teams to finish and hit the road, the first event of the 2020 season for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network will be the Canyon Speedway Park Meltdown presented by Sands Chevrolet on Feb. 28-29.

Not the earliest the season has ever opened, that record belonging to Jax Raceway (Jacksonville, Fla.) which began the 1997 season on Jan. 31; the 2020 opening doubleheader will mark the first time that the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network has seen action on a leap day, and is only the second time there has been a race on Feb. 28.

The second time the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network has opened their season at Canyon Speedway Park, the last time was in 2012. That year also saw the season end at the one-third mile oval with a total of five races split among four winners. Tony Bruce Jr., Brady Bacon, and Wayne Johnson each scored single wins while the late Jason Johnson picked up two.

The February double-header will also be the opening weekend for the ASCS Southwest Region, which has not gone head to head with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network since 2017 with the series last visited Cocopah Speedway on Somerton, Ariz.

Leading up to the 2020 season opener, teams will have a chance to make some laps on Thursday, Feb. 27 with practice getting underway at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 will begin at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday, Feb. 29 going green at 7 p.m. Both nights open at 5 p.m. (MT). Admission each night is $25 for adults. Seniors and Military are admitted for $20 with kids 11 and under get into the grandstands free of charge.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – American Flat Track has announced multi-year partnership with VP Racing Fuels, Inc., naming it both the official spec fuel supplier and official performance coolant of American Flat Track.

“VP has a decade’s long history with motorcycle racing,” said Bruce Hendel, VP’s Vice President, North American Sales – Race Fuel and Consumer Products. “Since then, our fuels have dominated in all of its forms, from SX and MX to drag racing, Daytona, and the Isle of Man. When it comes to making power and keeping things cool, it’s now official; we’re doing it with American Flat Track.”

As part of the multiyear deal, VP Racing Fuels will be available at all 18 American Flat Track rounds with trackside activation and paddock service at every event. Stay Frosty performance coolant will also be offered to competitors in the paddock at a discounted rate.

Race teams will be able to submit fuel pre-orders through an on-line order form to be available on the American Flat Track website.

“The announcement of VP Racing Fuels as the official spec fuel for AFT is great news for our paddock,” said Joey Mancari, Chief Competition Officer of American Flat Track. “AFT competitors and engine tuners will notice performance gains across the board and the incorporation of VP’s Stay Frosty will be a great asset to teams and their machines in the upcoming seasons.”

This has never happened before in the NHL.

Not back when the Anaheim Ducks were Mighty, and mighty terrible as an expansion team whose leading scorer was Terry Yake. Not back in the aimless post-Wayne Gretzky years for the Los Angeles Kings, when the only thing uglier than their play was their "burger king" jerseys. Not back in those rare seasons when the San Jose Sharks would fail to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, which has only happened six times (!) since 1991.

The NHL has never had a season where all three California-based teams finished in the bottom three spots of the Western Conference.

It almost happened before. In 1995-96, the Kings (12th) and Sharks (13th) were at the bottom of the conference, but the Ducks were ninth. The Kings and Sharks were in the basement again the following season, but the Ducks were fourth.

But we've never had all three teams suffering through horrific seasons simultaneously. Unless one of these teams makes a miraculous move up the standings in the next two months, it's going to happen this season.

For the moment, the shine is off Golden State hockey.

What a run it has been, though.

The Ducks broke through first, winning the Stanley Cup in 2007, and then making the conference final twice more in the next 10 years. The Kings would win their first Stanley Cup in 2012, and follow with another in 2014, with a trip to the conference final sandwiched in between. While the Sharks infamously have never won the Cup, they've been a bridesmaid more than Katherine Heigl: five trips to the conference final since 2004, with that Stanley Cup Final loss to the Penguins in 2016. But hey, Metallica played the national anthem, so it wasn't a total loss.

Is this California bummer a one-year anomaly? Has the sun set on West Coast hockey for a bit?

Here's a look at the present and future for the NHL's Golden State teams:

Anaheim Ducks

Record: 24-29-7 (55 points), 14^th in the West

Last made playoffs: 2018

Current status: The Ducks hired Dallas Eakins as their head coach last summer while buying out Corey Perry, signaling a shift toward a youth movement on the roster. This season has been a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness from players like Ondrej Kase (23 points in 49 games), Josh Manson (six points in 41 games) and previously reliable late line of defense John Gibson (17-23-4, minus-6.59 goals saved above average, per Hockey Reference). They're 29th in goals per game (2.52). It has been bad.

Future status: We had the Ducks ranked eighth in our September 2019 prospect rankings, with potential future star forward Trevor Zegras leading the way. Anaheim has 10 players that are 26 and under on their roster, with players like Sam Steel and Troy Terry still maturing into NHL talents. Gibson's better than this -- and he'd better be, having been signed through 2027 -- and general manager Bob Murray appears to want his veteran defense corps to remain intact as a foundational part of the team. There's something here that can develop in the next few seasons, but not without some tough decisions on players like franchise legend Ryan Getzlaf (a free agent in 2021).

Outlook: Good, if there's a sweet spot to be found between vets in their prime (Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg, Cam Fowler) and the kids. Oh, and as long as Gibson returns to form.

Los Angeles Kings

Record: 21-34-5 (47 points), 15^th in the West

Last made playoffs: 2018

Current status: The Kings added coach Todd McLellan last summer but didn't jettison too many veteran players. That's because GM Rob Blake needed some placeholders until the next waves of Kings talent arrived -- and because he had some frankly untradeable assets on the roster. Anyway, while Los Angeles has been a tough out this season, they're also the worst team in the conference and the second-worst offensive team in the NHL (2.47). But at least Tyler Toffoli, Alec Martinez and Ilya Kovalchuk found good homes.

Future status: Depending on whom you ask, the Kings have either the best or second-best prospect pool in the NHL. Many rank them first because of the depth of that pool, which only got deeper with the addition of Tyler Madden from the Canucks in the Toffoli trade. Others, like our Chris Peters, rank them second because the Rangers have more clear-cut potential stars on their runway. Either way, this group led by Alex Turcotte and Rasmus Kupari has the chance to be something special, and with 11 picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts, more help is on the way.

Outlook: The brightest future of any of the California teams, but we're wondering how this youth movement ultimately fits into the timelines of Anze Kopitar (32, signed through 2024 at $10 million average annual) and Drew Doughty (30, signed through 2027 at $11 million AAV).

San Jose Sharks

Record: 26-29-4 (56 points), 13^th in the West

Last made playoffs: 2019

Current status: One of the biggest disappointments in the league this season. The Sharks followed their conference final appearance by signing Erik Karlsson to an eight-year contract with full no-move protection that was rich enough to start a chain reaction through their cap. Gone were Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi, Gustav Nyquist and Justin Braun. The young, cheap reinforcements weren't ready for prime time. That, combined with sub-replacement goaltending early in the season, cost coach Pete DeBoer his job. The goaltending has gotten better under Bob Boughner. Not much else has, thanks to injuries -- Logan Couture was out since Jan. 7, Karlsson's out for the year -- and ineptitude.

Future status: Yeah, not great. The Sharks were 24th in Peters' prospect pool rankings, and lack any high-impact players in the system. Trading away early-round picks frequently will have that effect.

Outlook: The Sharks might as well load up for another run next season, considering the age of their core: Brent Burns (34), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (32), Couture (30), Karlsson (turning 30) and Evander Kane (turning 29). They're going to have over $17 million in cap space; alas, they only have 11 players under contract for next season. But the real necessity to go for another run at the Cup in the near future is that their farm system is ranked 24^th in the NHL and lacks impact players. Like, for example, the one the Ottawa Senators are going to draft with the Sharks' first-round pick they acquired in the Karlsson deal. (The Ducks and Kings, for the record, own their own lottery picks this summer.)

That's the NHL picture. But the state of California hockey goes beyond these three teams. As they linger in the basement, burgeoning hockey hotbeds have taken root around them.

According to USA Hockey, the total number of participants in local hockey in Anaheim -- meaning youth and adult players, as well as officials and coaches -- was 19,282 within a 50-mile radius of the Ducks' arena in 2018-19. That's a 27.4% increase from five years previous. The gorgeous new practice facility the team built in Irvine will only grew that community further.

Los Angeles had a total number of participants of 15,337, or 24.2% higher than five years ago. That includes a 29.7% in youth hockey alone.

San Jose had a total number of participants of 8,908, which was 13.6% higher than in 2014. That includes a 58.4% increase in girls hockey.

The state of California's teams isn't strong this season. But the state of California hockey is stronger than it has ever been.

Jersey Fouls

From the Centre of the Hockey Universe:

@wyshynski Jersey foul... #JerseyFoul pic.twitter.com/Z6ALoxWdx4

— Adam (@Killerdg93) February 16, 2020

Brendan Shanahan never played in Toronto during his Hall of Fame career, but is currently president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He wore No. 14 with the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, but the number is retired by the Leafs in honor of Dave Keon. So this is blasphemy. If you want to honor someone in upper management, may we suggest the Jersey Foul we once saw in New Jersey that had team president Lou Lamoriello's name on it and, instead of a number, a dollar sign.

Three things about the trade deadline

1. I'm saying a little prayer to the Hockey Gods that someone unexpected gets traded, some buyer flips to seller, some veteran suddenly decides to drop his no-movement clause. Because as it stands, this trade deadline (a) is going to have most of its interesting business done before Monday, and (b) has Vladislav Namestnikov, Derek Grant and Barclay Goodrow among the top 15 players available at the deadline. Where have you gone, Matt Duchene Derby?

2. There are two reunions that would be incredible to see. Joe Thornton isn't likely leaving San Jose -- he had his chances over the years -- but seeing him finish his career with a Stanley Cup run as a member of the Boston Bruins (aka where it all began, when they drafted him first overall in 1997) would be a heck of a final chapter. (It would also be the height of irony to see someone pull a "Ray Bourque" in order to win in Boston.) The second actually seems plausible, if we're to believe the scuttlebutt and innuendo: Jeff Carter, 35, going back to Philadelphia, where he played from 2005-06 to 2010-11. Nolan Patrick's health status could mean the Flyers make a move for a center. It's not an outlandish assumption that Carter could find a little more left in his tank if he wasn't stuck in the soul-sucking abyss of the Kings' rebuild. A reunion worth it for the "Return To Dry Island" jokes alone.

3. Given the dearth of sellers and quality rentals, Chris Kreider could bring home a loot crate to the Rangers at the deadline. But given where the Rangers are in their maturation as a contender, and given Kreider's skill set and experience, it's in the best interests of both to strike a deal on an extension rather than ship him out of town. And while Kreider might want a max contract length, getting $7 million annually over five years for a team that's about to turn the corner would behoove him.

Listen To ESPN On Ice

What a fun episode this week. Emily Kaplan and I took your calls on the NHL trade deadline and responded to your rants and proposals. Plus, a deadline primer, Phil Kessel Loves Hot Dogs, and much more. Subscribe, rate and review here!

Winners and Losers of the Week

Winner: Leon Draisaitl

In five games without Connor McDavid, the Oilers star had 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) to take an 11-point lead in the Art Ross race. I mentioned McDavid had a Leon problem when it came to the Hart Trophy race. It has gotten worse now that Leon has proof of concept for carrying the Oilers without McDavid in the lineup. Well, that and a potential scoring title. I still think Nathan MacKinnon deserves the Hart more, but Draisaitl will have a case.

Loser: The Predators' stars

Filip Forsberg hasn't scored a goal in nine games, tallying three assists in that span. Matt Duchene has one goal in nine games, with three assists. Ryan Johansen has one goal in 10 games, with three assists. Viktor Arvidsson has one goal in 11 games, with one assist. GM David Poile put it squarely on the players when he replaced Peter Laviolette with John Hynes, proclaiming that "our best players need to be our best players." Apparently not much has changed under Hynes, who is 10-8-0 as Nashville coach.

Winners: The DeBrusks

This father/son interview exchange between @LouDeBrusk and @JDebrusk is just too good ? pic.twitter.com/8Wcla5QbjY

— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) February 20, 2020

Usually I'm in the "recuse yourself" camp when it comes to parents covering their children as broadcasters, but this interaction between Louie and Jake DeBrusk is really adorable.

Loser: Rock

Kevin Fiala awarded a young fan with a stick after losing a game of rock paper scissors ? pic.twitter.com/wP52OT9zwQ

— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) February 20, 2020

A young fan challenged the Wild forward Kevin Fiala to a game of rock, paper, scissors for a hockey stick. "I was always the rock, and then he figured it out. Always got to do paper," he told Michael Russo after the game.

Winners: Air Force cadets

At first, I bemoaned the NHL putting rows of Air Force cadets between the lower deck of Falcon Stadium and the outdoor rink where the Avalanche took on the Kings because, frankly, the seats sucked and they deserved better. But after the game, I got it: The interaction between the players and these fans was great. The Avs and Kings talked about how inspired they were, high-fiving those who (will) serve en route to the rink before every period. And more than a few cadets received sticks and other souvenirs from the teams after the game.

Losers: Stadium Series organizers

I attended the Stadium Series game at the Air Force Academy. I interviewed fans who didn't arrive at the game until moments before the third period started, because a one-hour trip took 4½ hours thanks to a horrific traffic snarl on the interstate and then around the parking lots.

Troy Garnhart, associate AD of communications for Air Force athletics, put out a statement that included the comment, "We appreciate the efforts of fans who planned ahead and arrived early." People left early. They budgeted time. It wasn't just construction on the interstate that had some of them arriving at the game having missed two periods, it was an unpreparedness once those cars arrived at the academy. Woody Paige has it right: Refunds and an apology, please.

Winner: The Kendall Coyne Schofield burrito bowl

Chipotle is going big for Hockey Week Across America, doing a buy one/get one deal on Friday in celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice. It's also allowing some U.S.-born hockey stars create their own menu items. Coyne Schofield's burrito bowl -- unlike menu items from Charlie McAvoy, Hilary Knight and Jack Hughes -- is the only one that includes sour cream, which is essential for a successful bowl, in our expert opinion.

Loser: The Jack Hughes burrito bowl

The Devils rookie's signature burrito bowl: "brown rice, steak, black beans, cheese, lettuce, vinaigrette." Dude, you're at Chipotle. They have guac and sour cream and four different kinds of salsas, including that awesome corn one. Vinaigrette? Does Quinn know?

Puck Headlines

Ilya Bryzgalov on Claude Giroux's abilities as a captain: He's no Scott Niedermayer. (Russian)

Ken Campbell on the Department of Player Safety: "The NHL would have you believe there's nobody qualified to do this job who doesn't have close ties to the game and, therefore, an inherent conflict. That's ridiculous."

Making the case for Henrik Lundqvist to be traded to the Sharks. "Lundqvist would also potentially upgrade the position for San Jose, and would fit right into the franchise's hopes to get back into contention next year."

Why Scott Howson is the best choice to take over the AHL.

Can Frederik Andersen figure his situation out and save the Maple Leafs? "For now the Leafs will stick with their guy, and try to see him through a tough stretch, and calm the waters. That makes sense. But they may reach a point where loyalty and feelings have to be put aside if he can't turn back the clock, and soon."

Blake Coleman balances a trade to the Lightning with being a new father.

It's looking like North Dakota could be headed back to Las Vegas for a "destination" game.

The state of Canadian women's hockey. Said Sarah Nurse: "I think as we look back to last year the CWHL folding was a blessing in disguise. And I think it's what we actually needed to really propel the game forward."

Justin Bourne on high-risk hockey: "We take risks in hockey because sometimes the potential payout can be worth the potential negative outcomes. It's in those situations where we can't hold on to how it looks when it doesn't work out, and we have to remember the greater point. Small sample bad results don't always point to big picture bad decisions." ($)

Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read)

Fun story with former North Stars GM Lou Nanne, talking about how he was portrayed in the movie "Miracle." Said Nanne to Herb Brooks: "If they do that to me, I'll sue you guys."

In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN

We wrote a ton for Hockey Week in America, so be sure to check it all out. But in particular, make time to read this look back at the Miracle on Ice through modern game-tracking and evaluation metrics. It's terrific.

Two weeks after the USGA and R&A jointly released their much-anticipated Distance Insights Project, the CEO of one of the leading equipment manufacturers has weighed in with his thoughts on one of the hottest topics in golf.

David Maher, CEO and president of Titleist's parent company, Acushnet, released a statement Wednesday reacting to the report's findings that further distance increases would be "detrimental" to the overall health of the game. With Titleist at the forefront of distance and technological innovation for the past two decades, it's not surprising that Maher offered a dissenting take on the issue.

"We believe the conclusions drawn in this report undervalue the skill and athleticism of the game's very best players and focus far too much on the top of the men's professional game and project this on golf and golfers as a whole," Maher wrote. "Furthermore, we believe that existing equipment regulations effectively govern the prospects of any significant increases in hitting distance by the game's longest hitters."

According to Maher, the rules already in place have "been effective in setting upper limits on equipment performance" and have ensured that the key factor in performance separation remains the skill of the player, not the level of technology in his hands.

"Professional golf is as dynamic as it's ever been, and the game remains a healthy challenge for all players at all levels," he wrote. "The ability to consistently achieve distance with accuracy, and convert this into low scores, remains a special and elusive skill."

Maher's response also tackled the topic of bifurcation, which continues to gain traction as a possible solution to what the distance report described as a problem. In their findings, the USGA and R&A floated the concept of having a local rule option whereby specific equipment could be required for a given event. It's also one with which Maher disagrees.

"The existing equipment regulations allow professional and amateur golfers to play by the same unified set of rules, with the same equipment, and on the same courses," Maher wrote. "We believe that playing by a unified set of rules coalesces our game, is an essential part of its global understanding and appeal, and eliminates the inconsistency and inability that would come from multiple sets of equipment standards."

Maher has been with Acushnet since 1991 and was named president and CEO of the company in 2018.

Update, 12 p.m. ET:

The USGA has issued a response to Maher's statement, noting in part that the governing body views the distance debate as a "multifaceted, long-term issue that impacts everyone."

Add veteran Charley Hoffman's name to the list of players who don't plan on shifting allegiances to the much-discussed Premier Golf League anytime soon.

While many of the game's biggest stars remain ambivalent on their potential participation in the startup that aims to rival the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy came out in staunch opposition when speaking to media Wednesday at the WGC-Mexico Championship. Hoffman is not in the field this week in Mexico City, but speaking with Matt Adams on Fairways of Life radio he offered a similar assessment of an organization whose specifics still remain a mystery.

"I think it's intriguing that another group of people are willing to dump a bunch of money and try to guarantee us money, get some of the best players in the world to come over and play. I just don't think there's any sustainability or really any traction, personally," Hoffman said. "I haven't dug deep enough into any of that to see if it is. I don't know if I would like to be owned by some Saudi money over there, but if something was a life-changing amount of money they offered me, you'd have to look at it as an independent contractor. Because there's no guarantees that I'll have a PGA Tour card in three or four years."

While the specific individuals or groups funding the prospective league remain unknown, ties to Saudi Arabia cropped up last month when Phil Mickelson played in a pro-am at the Saudi International with three reported PGL figures. Mickelson has stated that he is "intrigued" by the PGL proposal.

Hoffman, 43, is nearly four years removed from the most recent of his four career Tour wins, but his voice carries some weight given that this week he was elected by his peers to serve as chairman of the Player Advisory Council for 2020. With his world ranking down to No. 167 after a lean 2019 campaign, Hoffman is cognizant of the lure of guaranteed money that could come from a setup like the PGL is purportedly offering, but he believes the meritocracy of professional golf is one of its shining attributes.

"As an athlete, any guaranteed money is very intriguing," Hoffman said. "But I've grown up playing this game that there is nothing given to you, and you earn every penny of it. And I think that a lot of golf fans really enjoy watching that."

Lionel Messi has revealed that Neymar is determined to return to Barcelona and believes the Brazil star can help the Camp Nou club win the Champions League once again.

Barca launched an offensive to bring the Brazilian back last year from Paris Saint-Germain yet ultimately failed to agree a price with the Ligue 1 champions. But Messi says the 28-year-old Neymar is looking forward to coming back to the Catalans.

"He is very excited about returning, he has always shown that he regrets what happened. He did a lot to return and that could be the first step he took to try and come back," the Argentine said in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo on Thursday.

"Neymar has always been a top-level player and different to the rest. He is unpredictable, he takes players on and he scores lots of goals. On a sporting level Neymar is one of the best in the world and I'd love for him to come back."

Neymar formed a mesmeric partnership with Messi and Luis Suarez for three seasons, including winning a remarkable Treble in 2015.

But in the middle of the club's pre-season tour of 2017, the Brazilian joined PSG for a world record fee of €222 million ($239.60m), angering supporters and teammates.

"It's normal that the fans felt that way because of how he left, and I was also upset about it at the time and we tried to convince him to not go," Messi added.

"But at the end of the day we all want to win and have the best players and so do the fans. As I've said before, he's one of the best players around and gave us a lot on the pitch."

Messi's comments come days after Neymar criticised how PSG delayed his return from a rib injury, claiming he could have played sooner to improve his physical condition ahead of the Paris club's 2-1 Champions League round-of-16 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, where the Brazilian scored the visitors' lone goal.

Neymar had returned after a four-match absence to play in the game but said the time away from the pitch hindered his performance and he blamed the club for keeping him out of competition.

Neymar has also endured some tense moments with PSG sporting director Leonardo recently, most notably over his well-publicised birthday party that was held while out with the rib injury.

Barca trail Real Madrid by one point in the title race, but Messi is more worried about their chances of winning the Champions League, which they have not lifted since 2015. They visit Serie A side Napoli in the last 16, first leg on Tuesday.

"This year us and Real Madrid have both been inconsistent in the title race but I think we'll be fighting each other until the end of the season," added Messi, who is Barca's all-time top scorer and their most decorated player.

"But if we want to win the Champions League we have to keep growing a lot more as a team because I think right now in the shape we are in we will not be able to challenge for it."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

FC Cincinnati have signed Siem de Jong from last season's Champions League semifinalists Ajax on a free transfer.

It is yet to be decided whether De Jong, 31, will join on as a designated player or if he will be added using allocation money. The club will make a final decision before the start of the season.

"We believe Siem will play an important role in adding to the final third and efficiency of our attack," Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp said.

"Not only does he have an impressive intelligence and skill set, he has also played in some of the most prestigious competitions and has been a leader on and off the pitch throughout his career. We feel he will be a great addition to our club."

The former Newcastle, PSV Eindhoven and Sydney FC player, who also represented Netherlands between 2010 and 2013, will take an international roster spot and be added to the club's squad upon receipt of his international transfer certificate and P1 visa.

"For me, when FC Cincinnati presented their plan of how the club is growing and how they want to build the team here in the upcoming years, I felt this would be a good experience for me," De Jong said. "Hopefully, I can help the club and the players to build something special here."

Cincinnati opens the MLS regular season on March 1 on the road against the New York Red Bulls.

Manchester United battled to a 1-1 draw Club Brugge in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-32 first-leg clash at Jan Breydelstadion on Thursday.

Anthony Martial cancelled out Emmanuel Dennis early strike with a wonderful solo effort to hand the visitors a vital away goal as the tie turns to Old Trafford next week.

Martial's goal was his 14th in all competitions this season, the second-most goals he's scored in a single campaign, and it came in the 36th minute via a Brugge throw-in near their own half -- the former Monaco man outpacing the intended target to steal the pass before racing in and calmly slotting past former Liverpool man Simon Mignolet in goal.

New signing Odion Ighalo -- who surprisingly joined United at the end of last month's transfer window -- came on in the 67th minute for Martial but couldn't help Ole Solskjaer's men to a late winner on the night.

Big picture

The last time these two teams met in this setting, things got a little rough. Even before Newlands, sandpaper and the inquisition that followed, there had been boorish behaviour on the field, boorish behaviour off it, a skirmish in a stairwell and Faf du Plessis intervening dressed only in a towel. In fact, that last one was family-friendly by the standards of Australia's 2017-18 tour of South Africa, the ripples of which were still observable during the most recent northern summer, when Steven Smith and David Warner made their comebacks in England.

Almost two years on, in the wake of various bans, reviews, leadership changes, coaching appointments and many, many discussions about "culture", Australia return to the scene of their DIY crimes. Well, not quite to Cape Town, yet, but back to the same Johannesburg hotel, as Smith noted earlier this week, where so much crisis management took place between the third and fourth Tests - and from where Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft set off for home, amid tears, recriminations and the sense of Australian cricket rapidly imploding.

And yet, ahead of three T20Is and three ODIs, it is the tourists who will walk into the Wanderers with a lighter tread. Smith and Justin Langer have spoken enthusiastically about being back in South Africa, having dealt with brickbats aplenty in England, while Aaron Finch leads a team that are unbeaten in T20Is stretching back to 2018, and reached a World Cup semi-final in between times. The Ashes remain in Australian hands, Smith and Warner have resumed their phenomenal run-scoring feats and their only defeats of the "home" summer came while away in India last month.

Contrast that with South Africa's 2019-20 season. Following the administrative turmoil that saw Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and several other former greats co-opted to the team's management, South Africa managed just one win in each of the three formats against England, losing Test and T20I series, and drawing the ODIs. Subsequently, du Plessis has stepped down from the captaincy, and planning for this year's T20 World Cup seems to hinge on whether AB de Villiers can be talked into a comeback. Throw in long-standing issues around finance and transformation, and it's hard not to become pessimistic.

That said, contests with Australia rarely fail to bring out South Africa's best. They will be buoyed by the return of Kagiso Rabada, who last played during the Port Elizabeth Test in January, and du Plessis has sidelined any lingering resentment about his treatment to bring his considerable experience as a T20 batsman. The T20Is against England were closely contested, featuring positive performances from Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klassen and Lungi Ngidi, while Dale Steyn will hope to find his groove ahead of a final World Cup tilt. If South Africa are underdogs, they still know how to bite.

And, starting at the Bullring, they will be roared on over the next 11 days by partisan crowds eager to see nothing more than Australia upended once again. T20Is can often seem lacking in context - but in a World Cup year, and beneath the long shadow of Cape Town 2018, this could be a series to savour.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

South Africa LLWWL
Australia WWWWW

In the spotlight

He has often been the man to step into the breach for South Africa, and du Plessis will not be letting his country down now, despite relinquishing the captaincy (or was he pushed?) seven months out from the T20 World Cup. He is vastly experienced in the shortest format, and should provide a shoulder for de Kock to lean on as he juggles leadership and keeping wicket, as well as adding class and nous with the bat. A miserable Test series against England saw du Plessis record a top-score of 36 in eight innings, but he has enjoyed T20 success this season, guiding unfancied Paarl Rocks to the Mzansi Super League title.

There's no doubting who the camera operators will be focusing on when Smith and Warner step back on to a South African playing field for the first time since Newlands. Both, however, seem ready to deal with the scrutiny. Smith enjoyed another stellar Ashes, ticked along at a fraction below his usual standards during the summer, and comes into this series off the back of an ODI hundred plus a walk-on role in Sydney Sixers' Big Bash triumph. Warner, meanwhile, put his torment at the hands of Stuart Broad behind him to ravenously rack up 1219 runs at 135.44, which included a maiden T20I hundred and his Test best of 335 not out. The Wanderers crowd will be hard pushed to throw either off his stride.

Team news

Bavuma will miss this match after picking up a hamstring strain against England, putting a pause on his prolific opening partnership with de Kock - as well as hurting South Africa's chances of hitting their transformation target. Du Plessis, without the burden of captaincy, will slot straight back in, which could mean Jon-Jon Smuts assuming a more familiar role as opener, while Rabada is in line to lead the attack alongside veteran campaigner Steyn. Anrich Nortje could also be involved, after sitting out both limited-overs series against England.

South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (capt, wk), 2 Jon-Jon Smuts, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Anrich Nortje

Glenn Maxwell's comeback on this tour was derailed by elbow surgery, which leaves Australia a little light on middle-order options - his replacement in the squad is D'Arcy Short, who usually opens but like Maxwell can also provide a spin option. Warner and Finch seem locked in to start the innings, having been so successful during the home summer, so that leaves two from Short, Matthew Wade (whose last T20I was in 2016) and Mitchell Marsh (last T20I 2018) to fill out an otherwise settled line-up, with two frontline spinners and the pace of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

Australia (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Matt Wade/D'Arcy Short, 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Kane Richardson

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at the Wanderers for the pink ODI earlier this month was a little on the slow side, with some unexpected assistance for England's two spinners, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. That said, short boundaries and thin Highveld air usually combine for entertaining (read: batsman-friendly) encounters. The game is sold out, but the possibility of thundershowers could lead to interruptions.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa have only won three, and lost seven, of their last ten completed T20Is against Australia.

• Their last such meeting in Johannesburg saw Australia successfully chase 205 - although South Africa have won the other three encounters at the Wanderers.

• Australia have not lost more than three wickets in a completed T20I innings since February 2019, when they made 127 for 7 in Vizag at the start of their winning run.

Quotes

"It's great to have him back. He is excited, he still understands he has a big role to play for us. He is still seen as a leader amongst all of us. He is one of the senior-most members in the team and he brings a lot of experience and can help guide the younger players in the team. His knowledge will help us going forward."
Quinton de Kock on having his predecessor as captain, du Plessis, in the ranks

"Coming off the summer, I feel good and the boys feel good. The team knows their roles. It's very well defined. [Previously], the order was out and players didn't really know what their role was but at the moment it's very clear. Every person knows what their role is."
David Warner on Australia's T20 improvement