Saracens have been fined an undisclosed amount for failing to attend the launch of the 2019-20 European Champions Cup.

Director of rugby Mark McCall and captain Brad Barritt did not appear in Cardiff on 6 November.

The event came the day after Sarries were fined £5.36m and docked 35 points by Premiership Rugby for breaching the competition's salary cap regulations.

The club have since hired a major communications company to help manage the public fallout of the scandal.

Saracens won their third European title in May after beating Leinster in the final, and McCall and Barritt were both required to speak to the media at an event at the Principality Stadium earlier this month to launch the new campaign.

But, after the domestic sanctions against the north London club were announced, neither man travelled to Wales.

"Having previously indicated they would be represented at the event, Saracens' failure to attend constituted a breach of the 2019-20 Champions Cup media rules," a statement from European Professional Club Rugby said.

"EPCR appreciates the subsequent efforts made by Saracens to grant rights-holding broadcasters special interview access to members of their squad in the week before the start of the tournament."

Saracens confirmed on Monday they will not be contesting the points deduction and fine handed to them by Premiership Rugby.

The punishment followed an inquiry into business partnerships between owner Nigel Wray and some of their players.

Wray said the club "made mistakes" and accepted the penalties "with humility".

Saracens were beaten 30-10 by French side Racing 92 on Sunday in their opening pool match in this season's European Champions Cup.

SEATTLE — The emergence of twenty-something racers Austin Prock and Jordan Vandergriff in Top Fuel has energized NHRA drag racing.

And a shortened schedule for the Pro Stock class turned out to be popular among the majority of drivers and played well with the NHRA’s plan to rotate classes at different venues within the 24-race Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Here are some more of the year’s highlights:

– Young drivers Brandon Welch, Matt Sackman and Corey Michalek are licensed and eager to debut in the Top Fuel class, while Cameron Ferré and Ashley Sanford want to keep racing.

They just need money at a time when sponsorship is harder than ever to secure.

Journeyman Top Fueler Luigi Novelli has been drag racing for more than a half-century, starting with a ’53 Ford A-Gasser in 1962. He has seen a thing or two, and he said this new era of high-budget sponsorship has “made it impossible” for teams to compete on a level playing field — or in some cases to compete at all. He called that new era “the beginning of the end.”

The sanctioning body has provided lip service to cutting costs, but so far no one has found the right formula to keep the fields full in Top Fuel, the sport’s headliner class.

Part-time owner/driver and fan favorite T.J. Zizzo performs admirably when he can afford to enter a race, but a full-time schedule is simply cost-prohibitive.

“When we choose to go to an event, it costs us $100,000. That’s no exaggeration,” he said. “Here’s the problem with the sport: It’s hard-pressed to be worth $100,000 of exposure for the weekend. I’m going into boardrooms and asking for a minimum of $100,000 — and that’s a challenge.”

And the sport has more T.J. Zizzos than it does deep-pocketed Connie Kalittas.

Terry McMillen, 65, is a team owner/driver who claims to see immense potential for the sport — if it can learn to embrace new ways of thinking, fresh marketing concepts and input from the younger generation and from smaller-budgeted teams.

Innovative ideas, he contends, will attract more potential sponsors and more fans. “We’ve got to start testing the waters because doing the same old thing is not moving the needle,” McMillen said.

– Eight championships and 84 victories, the most ever in the Top Fuel class, haven’t been enough to entice anyone to step in and replace the U.S. Army as Tony Schumacher’s sponsor.

Steve Torrence, who has compiled a résumé about as impressive as Schumacher’s, says the class isn’t complete without Schumacher. Rookie Vandergriff said, “Before my career’s over, I want to run Tony Schumacher. I grew up watching him beat everybody and I want to beat him at least once. He needs to be out here.”

– Funny Car’s Ron Capps reeled off the second-fastest speed in drag-racing history Sept. 13 at Pennsylvania’s Maple Grove Raceway. Fans were thrilled, but the NHRA wasn’t. And within a week, officials had informed Top Fuel and Funny Car teams not to be surprised if a new tech mandate comes soon.

Robert Hight made everyone in the sport anticipate a 340 mph Funny Car pass when he clocked a 339.87 mph speed in July 2017 at California’s Sonoma Raceway. He did it again at Maple Grove that year at 339.02 mph. Hight’s 339.87 mph speed trumps Tony Schumacher’s 336.57 best in Top Fuel.

It’s uncertain how the NHRA will proceed. John Force Racing crew chief Mike Green called Capps’ pass “a big, weird one-off run.”

Fellow racer Jack Beckman said it would be best to wait and see if somebody else matches that speed.

Matt Hagan, yet another DSR driver, said fans will get bored with seeing the same numbers and can’t imagine “no opportunities to break barriers.”

The question is whether the sanctioning body will devise a compromise.

– In a jumble of emotions, John Force, at 70, recorded his 150th victory at Seattle’s Pacific Raceway. He popped from the cockpit of his Funny Car and gave a wild, rambling, f-bomb-peppered speech.

Then he made an unscripted run up the track, veering off to the grandstands, clumsily climbing and falling over a chain-link fence and limping toward the fans, who pulled him up into the seats to celebrate with them.

It was as startling, awkward and scary as it was marvelous.

Two races later, Force won the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis and tearfully confronted his racing future and his own mortality. It was vintage Force, wild and unpredictable — another classic moment.

– The fact part-time Top Fuel competitor Billy Torrence qualified for the Countdown to the Championship has racers rethinking their strategies. Son Steve Torrence, who still isn’t a fan of the six-race format despite winning every single Countdown race in 2018, cut to the chase: “How’s it going to look if my dad goes out and wins the championship and he raced 16 of the 24 races?”

After Billy Torrence defeated his son during the second playoff race at Gateway, that became a genuine possibility. It also supported Steve Torrence’s theory that the Countdown provides “zero incentive to go out and race all of the races and try to do well.” He said, “Ultimately, all you have to do is skate into the top 10 and race really hard for six.”

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for a new edition of the SPEED SPORT Power Rankings! Who finds themselves at the top of the Power Rankings this week? Click below to find out!

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR’s Truck Series will have a slightly different name next season.

NASCAR officials announced Tuesday that the series will be known as the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series beginning with the 2020 season.

Gander Trucks will have a new series logo and the same great racing in 2020. pic.twitter.com/H4ZFgbga6V

— NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) November 19, 2019

Gander Outdoors became the title sponsor of the series in 2019 when Marcus Lemonis, the owner of previous series sponsor Camping World, decided to change which brand was featured as the series’ title sponsor.

Lemonis acquired the Gander brand, then known as Gander Mountain, via a bankruptcy auction in May of 2017. He has since rebranded and relaunched the business, which include the company becoming title sponsor of the Truck Series last year.

The Truck Series has gone through a handful of name changes since it launched in 1995. It was originally known as the NASCAR SuperTruck Series, followed by the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from 1996 to 2008.

Lemonis’ company Camping World became title sponsor of the series in 2009 and remained through the 2018 season.

TORONTO -- Hockey commentator Don Cherry says the network that fired him "made it impossible" for him to address the comments that led to his dismissal.

He says on his new podcast that he was unwilling to accept Sportsnet's conditions to have him return following his "Coach's Corner" segment on "Hockey Night in Canada" on Nov. 9.

Cherry says "two little words just seemed to set everybody off." The 85-year-old broadcaster made remarks many felt were critical of immigrants for not wearing Remembrance Day poppies. Cherry used the phrase "you people." He contends he was not singling out minorities.

Cherry says he was willing to explain the comment but not apologize. He was fired Nov. 11.

The 27-minute "Grapevine" podcast features Cherry and son Tim.

Inter Miami CF signed former United States international forward Jerome Kiesewetter ahead of their 2020 MLS debut.

The 26-year-old played for USL side El Paso Locomotive in 2019 and is the second striker signed by the club.

"Jerome brings speed, athleticism and experience to our roster," said Inter Miami CF sporting director Paul McDonough in a team release. "We are pleased to bring him to Inter Miami and begin working with him in preseason."

Kiesewetter is a dual U.S. and German national who spent his entire career in Germany before moving to El Paso in April.

Kiesewetter made two appearances for the U.S. senior team but was a regular at under-18, U20 and U23 levels for the Americans.

He scored 12 goals in 28 appearances with El Paso last season.

Khulna Division's nine-wicket win over Dhaka Division helped them clinch the 2019-20 NCL title. Last season's winners Rajshahi Division, meanwhile, were relegated to Tier-2, while Sylhet Division surged with three wins to earn promotion to next season's Tier-1. Khulna's title this year is their seventh overall in championship history, helping them pull ahead of Rajshahi who have won the NCL six times.

Nurul, Fazle Shuvo shine with the bat

In reply to Dhaka's first-innings total of 279, Khulna's stand-in captain Nurul Hasan made an unbeaten 150 off 227 balls with 13 fours and seven sixes, his eighth first-class ton. His 143-run fourth-wicket stand with Tushar Imran, who made 82, was a pivotal moment in the game as it helped Khulna take a 100-run lead.

Earlier, Taibur Rahman had struck seven fours and three sixes in his 110 off 189 balls for Dhaka, which was his seventh first-class century. Raqibul Hasan, meanwhile, missed out on a second-innings ton after falling for 99, having struck four fours and three sixes in his 227-ball knock. Khulna then rode on Anamul Haque's quickfire 79 not-out to reach their target in the 26th over, and complete their title win.

Rangpur Division's Sohrawordi Shuvo made an enterprising 105 off 217 balls - his fifth first-class century - with fifteen fours, which helped his side post a competitive total of 274 runs in the first innings against Rajshahi Division.

Barisal Division's No. 3 batsman Fazle Mahmud hammered 141 off 168 against Dhaka Metropolisballs, clubbing ten fours and eight sixes along the way. He followed it up with 75 in the second dig.

In the high-scoring encounter, Shamsur Rahman made 103 off 219 balls while Marshall Ayub struck 109 off 170 balls as the pair added 187 for the third wicket for Dhaka Metropolis. Al-Amin, though, fell eight runs short of a ton.

On-song with the ball

Sylhet have found a new bowling star in left-arm pace bowler Ruyel Miah, who, playing only his third first-class game, finished with match figures of 13 for 65 against Chittagong Division, including an eight-wicket haul in the first innings. These are now the best bowling figures for a pace bowler in Bangladesh's domestic cricket, surpassing Al-Amin Hossain's 12 for 89 in 2011.

Khulna too had a bowling hero in veteran allrounder Ziaur Rahman who finished with career-best match figures of 9 for 68 against Dhaka. Their young seamer Abdul Halim also made an impact with a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Dhaka's Shuvagata Hom took 5 for 46, while Ariful Haque took a nine-wicket match haul for Rangpur against Rajshahi including 6 for 41 in the first innings. For Dhaka Metro, Arafat Sunny capped off his NCL campaign with a five-wicket haul.

Chittagong's Ruyel pain

It will forever be remembered as the game where Ruyel Miah stole the show, helping Sylhet Division blow Chittagong away by nine wickets to earn their promotion. Ruyel ripped Chittgong apart on the first day, ending their innings on 106 shortly after the first session. He didn't stop in the second innings, taking five for 39 and earning himself a BPL contract. Chittagong's Ifran Hossain took a six-wicket haul but it wasn't enough as Sylhet stormed to the win in just two days.

Players to watch

Taibur finished as the tournament's top scorer with 523 runs at an average of 58.11, with two hundreds, while Anamul was the other batsman to cross the 500-run mark, with 506 runs at 72.28 with two hundreds. Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak topped the wicket-charts with 31 scalps at an average of 19.67. Ifran Hossain was second on the list, with 19 wickets.

Lasith Malinga has his sights set on captaining his country at the T20 World Cup in Australia next year, and possibly beyond, firm in the belief that his body has two more years of cricket left in the tank.

It is somewhat of a change in tune from the 36-year-old, who previously stated that he would retire after next year's tournament.

Malinga, who stepped into the role for a second time when Sri Lanka left both former captain Angelo Mathews and the experienced Thisara Perera out of a youthful squad that took on New Zealand in September, seems to have been rejuvenated by leading the inexperienced side. But without official sign-off from SLC on his role at the 2020 event, Malinga is certainly not counting his chickens.

"[SLC] said for the World Cup I have to be lead there but you never know in Sri Lanka," Malinga told ESPNcricinfo. "T20 is four overs and I feel with my skill, I can manage T20 as a bowler. As a captain, because I've played so many T20s around the world that I feel I can manage that period for maybe another two years."

And Malinga, the only man to 100 T20I wickets and first in history to reach a century of scalps in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, still believes he is more than capable of leading a youthful Sri Lanka team's transition into a new era.

"Sri Lanka are lacking that skillful bowler, they lack those consistencies. We can't get one year, one and a half years, all fixed, it might be that we need to get patience, maybe two or three years," he said. "Consistency is very important. I feel whoever is doing the next selection have to understand that [for] people [to learn], they have to be there. If he's on the bench, nobody can learn.

"If I believe I can give something for the youngsters, then I need to be there. I can tell, but now I can show them 'this is the way how you do it.' But if I don't play then I can't do that."

Since Malinga's return as captain, Sri Lanka have won one, tied one, and lost eight of their ten T20Is under him. Malinga, though, showed he is still more than capable of leading by example in his side's sole victory during that spell.

Malinga took 5 for 6 in the third and final T20I of the New Zealand series, taking four wickets in four balls for the second time in his career en route to his best ever T20I figures. It was an astonishing spell, littered with the late swing, dipping yorkers, devious cutters and menacing bouncers that have made him one of the premier bowlers of his generation.

Malinga's toolkit is as well stocked as ever, currently being sharpened at the Abu Dhabi T10 where he believes bowlers require all the tricks of the trade to succeed.

"We need skills on the spot, otherwise I don't think anyone can survive this game," said Malinga, who represents Maratha Arabians in the 10-over competition. "This is the format, I feel, that tests the skill of all the bowlers."

Malinga has done it all in franchise cricket and earlier this year provided further evidence that while he may be in the twilight of his career, he is still one of the best in the world. His defence of just eight in the final over of this year's IPL final made him a four-time winner with Mumbai Indians.

In addition, the vast experience - let alone immense talent - he brings to any bowling attack in the world made him a hot favourite to be picked up in The Hundred's inaugural draft. However, alongside fellow T20 forefather Chris Gayle, he was overlooked by the eight franchises having set his base price at the maximum £125,000 mark.

It came as a surprise to Malinga but he sees it as yet another opportunity for a young player to benefit.

"I think that format looks suitable for me, so I don't know why they didn't pick me," said Malinga, the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker. "I play IPL and so many leagues but some leagues didn't pick me. This is not disappointment; I think [it's good that] another young player gets an opportunity to play this format."

The PCB has filed a claim for damages against IMG Reliance, in relation to its decision to pull out of a deal to produce television coverage of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year. IMG Reliance pulled out days after a terrorist attack killed 44 Indian paramilitary troopers on February 14, heightening tensions between India and Pakistan. The claim is to be heard at the London Court of International Arbitration.

According to the PCB, IMG Reliance were sent a legal notice on October 21st, seeking compensation from the broadcaster for the loss the PCB incurred because of the pull-out. The PCB received no reply, prompting them to take the matter to court.

In a PCB meeting set to take place on Friday, Chairman Ehsan Mani will brief the Board of Governors about the move. The PCB is set to state that the "breach of contract by IMGR could have resulted in the remaining PSL matches not being broadcast on television; this would have severely damaged the standing and reputation of the PSL."

The abrupt decision by IMG Reliance left the PCB at the time scrambling to find another broadcaster. And because of the compromised position it left the PCB in, revenues took a hit because of the new deal. It took two days for the PCB to strike a deal with Blitz and Trans Group, who bought the rights to arrange television broadcasts for the PSL for approximately USD 36 million, with this deal set to run till the end of the 2022 season.

The PCB's relations with IMG Reliance soured thereafter. For the five-match ODI series against Australia in March, and the recently concluded limited-overs internationals against Sri Lanka in Pakistan, the PCB had stipulated to Blitz and Trans Group that IMG Reliance would not be involved with the process in any way, and that the PCB had blacklisted them.

The fallout of the attack on Indian paramilitary troopers continued to afflict the PSL beyond its TV coverage. Military tensions between India and Pakistan necessitated much of Pakistan's airspace to be closed, and meant the three fixtures of the PSL scheduled to take place in Lahore had to be moved to Karachi. For a time, the India-Pakistan game at the World Cup was under threat, though it did eventually go ahead.