HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Matt Crafton may not have won the battle Friday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he took home the biggest prize of all at the end of the Ford EcoBoost 200.

Crafton took home his third NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship with a runner-up finish, coming 1.569 seconds short of a race victory but topping the 23-race, season-long grind.

The Tulare, Calif., veteran took control of the championship fight on a lap-55 restart – after title rival and early leader Ross Chastain spun his tires and slid back – and never relinquished it again after that.

Crafton stayed ahead of his fellow Championship 4 competitors – Chastain, Brett Moffitt and Stewart Friesen – for the remainder of the race, dominating the final stage in terms of the title tilt and running away by more than nine seconds following a decisive round of green-flag pit stops inside of 40 to go.

It was a dominant performance when it mattered most, considering that Crafton had only outperformed the other three members of the Championship 4 in one race all season long prior to Friday night.

“This Menards F‑150 was fast tonight. That first run, I thought we were in trouble, but we just made air pressure adjustments from there,” Crafton said. “We tightened her up, because we thought the track was going to be green and it was going to go away, but this thing ran flawless all night. The motor was very good, as well, and everything just went our way.

“I was praying there. I did not want a yellow at the end of this thing, and luckily it stayed green and we got the job done.”

Friday night’s effort made Crafton not only the first winless champion in Truck Series history, but also the first driver in any NASCAR national series to win a title without winning a race since the dawn of the elimination-style, winner-take-all playoff format.

In that way, as well as a few others, it was an anomaly of a season for Crafton.

He became the driver with the fewest laps led in a season (44) to hoist the championship trophy, and he also had the fewest top-five finishes (eight) of all the Championship 4 drivers throughout the season.

But none of those numbers mattered after the final race, Crafton said. He got the last laugh anyways.

“Everyone called us the underdog,” Crafton noted. “I heard (Truck Series analyst Todd) Bodine and everybody (in the media) say I was the underdog and I didn’t have it, and we fought harder because of all that. I guarantee that every one of these guys worked harder because of those comments.

“It was that little jab in my side, and I don’t think I really needed it, but it ticked me off and I got up on the wheel,” he added. “I wanted to prove everybody really, really wrong that didn’t think we could do this and didn’t think we could take home this title, and we got it done. We are the champions and it’s a damn good feeling, I can tell you that much.”

Crafton’s third title draws him level with Jack Sprague (1997, 1999, 2001) for second all-time in terms of Truck Series championships, and puts him just one crown behind series kingpin and NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday, who won four Truck Series championships (1996, 1998, 2007, 2009) in his career.

After telling reporters during Championship 4 Media Day on Thursday that his ultimate goal is to match – and possibly surpass – Hornaday’s Truck Series records, Crafton reiterated that motivation in the moments after securing his third championship on Friday night.

“We’re one step closer to what Hornaday’s done, now,” Crafton said with a smile. “That’s what it’s all about at this level, is to say you have what Ron Hornaday has. When people talk about the Truck Series, the first person most people think of Ron. I want to have an opportunity to match that.

“Hornaday was whooping all of us into his 50s, and I’m nowhere close to that yet. I’m coming back for more, you can bet on that.”

ORLANDO, Fla. -- U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter hailed his side's determination in its 4-1 CONCACAF Nations League win over Canada.

Last month, Canada defeated the U.S. 2-0 for the first time in 34 years. On that night, Berhalter criticized his team's lack of competitiveness. This time around there were no complaints.

"To me, the difference was that we were ready to overcome anything, the guys were focused and ready to overcome," he said. "You saw that right from the start of the game."

The win gives the U.S. the inside track to prevail in Group A. A win by any margin in four days over Cuba -- being played in the Cayman Islands -- will see the U.S. qualify for the semifinals over Canada on goal differential. A loss or a draw on Friday would have seen Canada prevail.

Berhalter said he loved how his team responded to the pressure ahead of Friday night's match.

"We need to keep in mind this was an elimination game," said Berhalter. "We tie the game we're out of the Nations League. There is no performance barrier that you need to get over when you're playing games like that. And for me the, the mindset of the guys was really good going into the game. I think they were determined, and that determination carried us through and that determination helped get the result."

The home side broke on top inside of two minutes, with Jordan Morris firing home Sergino Dest's pass following a short corner. Gyasi Zardes double the U.S. team's advantage in the 23rd minute, finishing off a counterattack after excellent approach work from Morris and Paul Arriola. Aaron Long then put the U.S. three ahead with a header from Tim Ream's free kick.

Canada had most of the possession on the night, but found it difficult to break down a U.S. defense superbly led by Long and John Brooks. Steven Vitoria got a goal back for Canada with a 72nd minute header, but Zardes capped off the night with an 89th minute blast. For Morris, the win came just days after his club side, the Seattle Sounders, claimed its second MLS Cup.

"He's been fantastic," said Berhalter about Morris. "And really [his] game changing ability, with his physicality, with his speed, with his ability to finish off plays in the right way in the appropriate way, he makes good decisions in front of goal."

Zardes was considered a surprise starter given that he hadn't played a competitive match in over a month and that Josh Sargent has been getting more playing time this year with Werder Bremen. But Berhalter opted for Zardes and his faith was repaid.

"With Gyasi, it was a question of what we thought we needed against Canada to be successful," said Berhalter. We thought we needed some of Gyasi's pace and his physicality, and it was a decision based on that."

Berhalter had come in for considerable criticism over the past two months, with the U.S. not only losing to Canada but getting humbled 3-0 at home by rivals Mexico. He insisted that even amid those defeats the team continued to get better.

"There's a path of getting results and there's a path of developing a really, young team," he said. "And sometimes you know those tests go in different directions, and you don't always get the results but the development is still there. And the progress with the team, you know you're still you're still pushing for that. I think we all stayed calm in this last two weeks and just focused on our jobs."

If there was one disappointment on the night, it was that the U.S. didn't do better in terms of keeping the ball, with Canada enjoying 63.6% possession. Berhalter is mindful of the fact that there is still more work to be done, both in terms of the Nations League as well as his team's overall performance.

"We haven't done anything yet, right?" he said. "We had an objective is to go to the next round. We're not in the next round yet. It was a good result, the effort was amazing. We could have played better. There's a lot to work on. It's one of those games that galvanizes the group because of how much you need to put into it. And then when you get a victory, it's nice. But we're nowhere near where we need to be, or where we're going to be. And, you know, we have to go down to the Cayman Islands and we have to win because that's our objective to get to the finals."

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The U.S. went backward -- in a good way -- in Friday's Nations League clash against Canada.

The side's work rate and intensity were evident from the start. A dose of pragmatism also found its way into the Americans' game in that the U.S. was direct when it needed to be and defended tough for much of night. Yes, the home side lost its way a bit in the second half, and in fact it was downright ugly at times. But by then the U.S. had already raced out to a 3-0 lead after 34 minutes on its way to a 4-1 victory. The Americans did what they had to do. Any concern about style points was forgotten.

It's easy to discount such traits as work rate and competitiveness, particularly when they're used as an excuse to mask deeper problems. But the U.S. coaches and players alike noted that this was an area that was lacking in last month's 2-0 defeat to this same Canada side, and it needed to be present this time to achieve a different outcome.

"It was all about intensity for us and what we could do to improve on that," winger Jordan Morris said. "I think that was the biggest disappointment that we had in Toronto was we kind of got outcompeted. And so to come in today, our whole focus was on being more intense."

All of this was accomplished without attacking lynchpin Christian Pulisic, who was out because of a hip injury. There was legitimate concern about where the goals would come from, so the U.S. relied on some old standbys: pace, physicality and dominance on set pieces. Gyasi Zardes silenced his critics -- this writer among them -- with two goals, and Morris continued his torrid form with a goal and an assist just days after winning MLS Cup with the Seattle Sounders.

The U.S. wasted no time here, seizing the momentum from the opening kickoff with a direct approach that shook Canada.

"As soon as the first whistle blew, we wanted pounce on them immediately," Zardes said.

He added, "The game plan was just to get Canada facing their own goal. As much as possible we wanted to play behind their back line."

Morris put the U.S. ahead with the game not even two minutes old when he rifled home Sergino Dest's deflected pass from a short corner. Twenty minutes later, Zardes doubled the advantage, finishing off a counterattack by nodding home Morris' cross, and then Aaron Long essentially put the game away in the 34th minute with a header from a set piece. After Canada's Steven Vitoria got a goal back after 72 minutes, Zardes put an exclamation point on the night with a powerful finish in the 89th.

And with that, the U.S. -- including Berhalter -- can now breathe again. The negativity that has surrounded the team for the past month hasn't evaporated, but it has subsided -- at least for now. A victory of any kind in four days against Cuba -- in the neutral venue of the Cayman Islands due to problems with Cuba's home stadium -- will be enough for the Americans to win their group and progress to the Nations League semifinals next summer.

Adding to the good feelings is the fact that there were some impressive individual performances beyond those of Zardes and Morris. John Brooks has often been an enigma with the national team, unable to reproduce the performances with the U.S. that he delivers more consistently with club side Wolfsburg. Often, he hasn't looked very engaged in a U.S. jersey. But there he was Friday, providing precisely the kind of physical presence that his 6-foot-4 frame would suggest, and better yet, directing some of the younger members of the team.

Brooks seemed bemused by the suggestion that any radical change had taken place. But it was precisely the kind of performance Berhalter wanted out of a veteran player. Both center backs, Brooks and Long, were stellar on the night in terms of their defensive duties.

"The conversation I had with John before the game was, 'I watch you in Germany all the time and you're a leader in your group. Let that come out here as well,'" Berhalter said. "Because it was really important that we would take advantage of those qualities that he has."

The U.S. also benefited from a three-man central midfield of Jackson Yueill, Weston McKennie and Sebastian Lletget that seemed more cohesive than one would expect, especially since both Yueill and Lletget hadn't played a competitive game for several weeks. McKennie and Yueill cleaned up plenty of loose balls, and there always seemed to be a spare man to help defensively while Lletget did his bit to keep the attack ticking over.

"I thought we got on the attack much quicker than I think we usually do with the team. I think that was our approach tonight," Lletget said. "Of course we take pride in our buildup, but if it's not on, we need to win the ball in transition and play forward quickly, and I think that's where we created a lot of chances."

If the U.S. needed a reason to not get carried away, it found it in the second half. The U.S. bunkered in at times, with Canada having nearly twice the possession the home side did. This was dictated somewhat by the circumstances of a three-goal cushion, but a better team probably would have punished the U.S. more than once. The question of how the U.S. would fare against the better teams in the region -- and beyond -- remains.

Yet sometimes a team needs to establish its fight first. The attractive soccer, if circumstances warrant, can still come later. That seems to be the case with this U.S. side, not only in this game but as a blueprint going forward. Given the way the U.S. took apart Cuba 7-0 at home last month, Tuesday's encounter probably will be more skewed toward aesthetics. But at least now the U.S. is aware that it not only needs a foundation, it knows where it can find it, too.

Now perhaps the U.S. can take some different kinds of steps forward.

The presence of Cameron Bancroft in Australia's squad to face Pakistan has generated much debate given his lean season so far. But away from the discussion around him, specifically the presence of an extra batsman in a squad could become a more familiar sight now that concussion substitutes are allowed.

Australia have first-hand experience of the protocols following Marnus Labuschagne's role of being parachuted into the second Ashes Test at Lord's after Steven Smith was felled by Jofra Archer. Touring teams will have spare players available at short notice but that would not always have been the case in home Tests.

Since the system was introduced to international cricket in August it was has been used three times. Labuschagne was the first, followed by Jermaine Blackwood replacing Darren Bravo against India and Theunis de Bruyn coming in for Dean Elgar also against India.

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While covering for every eventuality may be unrealistic with like-for-like replacements there is likely to be more consideration given to the potential scenarios. Though stopping short of saying it was a deciding factor in having a spare batsman, in this case Bancroft, in the squad, selection chairman Trevor Hohns acknowledged the changing landscape around concussion. "That was a thought when we chose this squad and the larger squad but the main thought was to continue to develop that squad mentality that started in England," he said.

While unlikely to make the starting XI at the Gabba, Bancroft is aware he could be called on a short notice. "I think that's probably the way the game has had to evolve a bit. Marnus was a great example during the Ashes and he was able to come in and have a really big impact on that game," he said. "Concussion is something you don't want to see for any player, but it's certainly the unfortunate fact of the game and having concussion subs is now a reality so you be as flexible as you can but you need the resources in your team."

Although Joe Burns and Travis Head are set to take the two batting vacancies next week, Bancroft said he would prepare with the mindset he would be playing and believed that just being back around the squad would be a beneficial experience.

Having lost his place after two Tests of the Ashes series, Bancroft has returned on the back of just 57 runs in six Sheffield Shield innings followed by the 49 for Australia A against Pakistan in Perth after a last-minute call-up to the squad.

"I haven't got any big runs or the hundreds I would have liked, I've been out in a couple of really strange ways, but I think contrary to a lot of other times in my career I've felt like I've been playing well, I've just been out of runs," he said. "If I get the opportunity hopefully I can make a big score, if not it's a great environment to get better and improve so that will be my mindset. It's good practice to always be ready to go, treat it like no other game."

James Anderson is set to step-up his preparations for the tour of South Africa with the England management "really hopeful" he will be fit to take part.

Anderson, the leading wicket-taker among seam bowlers in Test history, was forced to miss the tour of New Zealand after sustaining a calf strain at the start of the Ashes series.

But he has now recovered to the extent that he is to be included in a training camp in Potchefstroom that starts about two weeks ahead of the South Africa tour. If, as expected, he comes through that camp, he will be cleared to play in the Test series that begins with the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. England will also play two warm-up games before the Tests.

Other fast bowlers expected to take part in the camp include Mark Wood, Olly Stone and Jamie Overton. The coaching team will include Jonathan Trott, Glen Chapple, Neil Killeen and, subject to finalising a deal, Darren Gough. Jonny Bairstow is also likely to attend, though his involvement could yet depend on how long he remains in New Zealand.

While the camp is, in part, about ensuring England have a strong group of pace bowlers for South Africa, it is clear from the selection of those involved that England have one eye on the next Ashes series in 24 months. Instead of simply picking the next best array of English seamers, there appears to have been a deliberate attempt to pick quick bowlers who the team management believe could prosper on Australian surfaces.

"Jimmy is going out to Potchefstroom," Ashley Giles, the managing director of England's men's cricket told the BBC. "We're hopeful. We think he is on track, which is great. The medical team are happy.

"The older you get these things linger longer. We felt no point forcing it for this short tour.

"It will be interesting to see the pitches we play on in South Africa. I think they'll be green and they'll go for a bowler war and take us on. It's not something I'd take on with Jofra Archer and Jimmy Anderson, but it will be an exciting series."

Giles also admitted that planning for that Ashes series was well underway. Confirming that Joe Root would, barring unforeseen circumstances, captain in that series, Giles described the contest as "the big prize" for England cricketers. And he hinted that, had England had a little more time to plan for the recently contested series, which followed quickly on the heels of the World Cup, they may have ended 2019 as both World Cup and Ashes winners. To that end, there will be more emphasis - both at England and county level - on producing the skills that could lead to success in Australia.

"We have talked about Joe leading and winning in Australia," Giles said. "We've not said 'maybe if you get there.' We plan for him to be our captain.

"That series will come round quickly as we know with the business of the schedules. None of us know what is around the corner, things can change quickly. But in our planning when we sat down even before the Headingley Test we were looking to Australia.

"That's the holy grail for Joe. Going to Australia and winning is the big prize and we have enough time to plan for that.

"Planning for the recent Ashes series was not going to be possible in three weeks but we almost go there. With a fair wind or more Ben Stokes magic we might have done the double.

"Whatever people say, there was definitely more focus on our white-ball teams in the past few years. We're not moving everything to Test cricket, we've got to find a balance on all forms that are important to us.

"We'll see a more traditional way of playing; playing the long game with ball or bat. Sometimes with ball you have to stick in, refer to plan A and if in doubt go back to plan A.

"That messaging goes into the county system. There was a focus on 2019 and trying to win the World Cup.

"We've seen the increase in quality of short-form county cricket. We've got this goal - to win in Australia - and we need a system underneath than can produce better players capable of doing it."

England 355 for 8 (Buttler 88*, Pope 88, Denly 68) lead New Zealand A 302 for 6 dec by 53 runs

Joe Denly proved his form and fitness for next week's first Test against New Zealand with an increasingly assured half-century in Whangarei.

Denly damaged his ankle ligaments ahead of the T20I series just over two weeks ago. Tripping on a boundary rope as he attempted to take a catch in training, the early prognosis was that he would be struggling to recover in time for the Test series.

But he not only demonstrated his fitness here, he showed the tempo and technique that England require from their No. 3. And while there were moments when he looked hurried - he was a little fortunate to survive one delivery from the admirably hostile Kyle Jamieson that reared on him and produced a fence that flew between slips and gully - he was, for the most part, admirably compact. On the drive and pull, he is as elegant as anyone in this team.

"When I first did it I was probably thinking my tour was over," Denly said afterwards. "It was pretty nasty. I was lucky not to do some really serious damage and it was always touch and go to get ready for this game. There was a bit of doubt.

"But it's settled down nicely. Whether it's the running between the wickets or playing all the shots, it feels fine. There's no discomfort. It's just a case of monitoring it and making sure it doesn't swell up overnight."

Denly's intervention helped ensure it was, in the end, a pretty decent day for England. Having set themselves the challenge of batting for a full three sessions - if that sounds like a modest aspiration, it's worth remembering that this is a side which has been bowled out for under 100 three times this year - they did so for the loss of eight wickets (and seven on the day) gaining time at the crease and acclimatising to the slower pace of life in this format of the game.

It wasn't entirely comfortable. The first hour or so saw New Zealand's fast bowlers extract life from the pitch that was absent for all but Jofra Archer when England had the ball and, had Ollie Pope been dismissed on 7, nibbling outside off stump, they would have been 126 for 6 and in some trouble.

As it was, however, Scott Kuggeleijn (playing, with England's blessing, as a far from like-for-like concussion replacement for Hamish Rutherford who had been struck by an Archer bouncer the previous day), had over-stepped and Pope was reprieved. He and Denly subsequently added 90 in 20.4 overs for England's sixth wicket.

Pope's contribution was, perhaps, just as important as Denly's. Despite his excellent record - he goes into the Test series averaging 59.52 in first-class cricket - Pope still has the reputation as something of a dasher. So it was encouraging to see him leave the ball shrewdly here, while still picking up runs from deflections off his hip and steers into the covers as much as from putting away the loose ball.

"Chris Silverwood has said he doesn't care how long it takes, he just wants big runs from us," Denly said. "That's what we've spoken about as a group: scoring big runs in the first innings, especially."

Earlier England had struggled against an admirable new-ball attack. Dom Sibley, struck on the helmet by a well-directed short ball from the impressive Jamieson, was then lured into an uncharacteristic drive outside off stump before Joe Root and Ben Stokes departed within a couple of minutes of one another.

Root could, perhaps, count himself unfortunate: replays suggested there may have been an inside edge on the delivery that was adjudged to have trapped him leg before. Stokes edged to the cordon as he attempted to leave one that bounced on him more than he anticipated.

As the evening wore on, there were runs for Jos Buttler, too. The most dramatic phase of his innings came towards the close as England looked to set-up a declaration; at one stage, his successive scoring strokes were 4, 4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4. Impressive as it was - few hit the ball as cleanly as Buttler in full flow - it was the manner in which he built his innings before that point that was most assuring for England.

Buttler is, in some ways, fortunate to make this tour. While Jonny Bairstow was dropped having averaged 23.77 in the Ashes, Buttler was retained having averaged 24.70. But the England management reasoned that Buttler went into that series suffering more than most from the emotionally draining World Cup experience and that, having benefitted from a rest, he would rediscover his best form.

On this early evidence, that would appear to have been sound judgement. Buttler has sometimes looked solid and sometimes dazzled in his Test career to date, but has rarely put the two together in a way that suggested he had found a method that maximised his undoubted abilities. He has, at this point, scored only one first-class century since June 2014 and five in total.

But while Denly, pulling straight to midwicket, and Pope, slogging to mid-off, squandered their chances of a century, Buttler got his head down and showed he had been listening to the orders of his new coach. He looked not just a fine strokemaker, but a fine batsman.

Rajat Sharma has resigned as president of Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) on Saturday, citing his inability to continue amid "various pulls and pressures" within the organisation.

The veteran television journalist was appointed in July last year, after winning the elections at the annual general meeting, beating former India allrounder Madan Lal to the post.

"The cricket administration here is full of pulls and pressures all the time. I feel that vested interests are always actively working against the interest of cricket," Sharma said in a statement.

"It seems that it may not be possible to carry on in DDCA with my principles of integrity, honesty and transparency, which I am not willing to compromise at any cost.

Sharma was part of the BCCI general body meeting when the elections took place on October 23 in Mumbai. DDCA secretary Vinod Tihara had opposed his appointment to represent the state association at this meeting, writing to BCCI electoral officer N Gopalaswami that Sharma had been illegally nominated by the Apex Council, but Sharma received unequivocal support from the board's executive committee to attend the meeting.

"In my endeavour though I faced many road blocks, opposition and oppressions, just to keep me from discharging my duties in fair and transparent manner, however, somehow I kept moving ," Sharma said. "That's why I have decided to call it a day and hereby tender my resignation to the Apex Council from the post of president, DDCA with immediate effect."

If Nathan Lyon knows what it is like to bowl to a batsman "I've got the wood over", then he will also know that of all Test nations, Pakistan is the one to have developed a very strong record of succeeding against him.

In an otherwise outstanding ledger for Australia over 91 Tests dating back to 2011, Lyon has struggled notably against Pakistan across seven Tests and three series between 2014 and 2018. His 26 wickets have come at a cost of 50.34, the greatest expense of any of Lyon's international opponents, and his economy rate and strike rates of 3.31 and 91.1 against Pakistan are also his worst.

There is some mitigation in the fact that Lyon was monstered in his first series against Pakistan, in the UAE in 2014 and improved in two subsequent series at home and away since. But the fact remains that he is yet to claim a five-wicket haul against Pakistan and New Zealand, the two opponents he will face this summer - albeit within a much stronger overall record against New Zealand.

A key to Pakistan's success against Lyon has been to look for scoring avenues at every opportunity, not giving him too much of a chance to settle. Occasionally, as on the final day of the Boxing Day Test in 2016 when Lyon claimed 3 for 33 to break out of a rough wicket-taking patch, this instinct to attack has played into the offspinner's favour. But more often, Pakistan's batsmen have been able to prosper while also putting Lyon off-balance.

The tourists' treatment of admittedly lesser spin bowlers in Travis Head, Lloyd Pope and Tom O'Connell - the trio have collected the combined figures of 6 for 317 from 63.5 overs at an economy rate of 4.99 across the two tour matches - is a fair indication that Lyon will be attacked once more.

And in what is again likely to be a four-man bowling attack during the summer, as Lyon shares billing with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and one of Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson, the need for Australia's No. 1 spin bowler to be able to put a clamp on the scoring when he is not taking wickets will be critical.

Lyon was asked on Saturday about dealing with adversity through the prism of David Warner's struggles in England, and gave an answer that was revealing as much in terms of how he may view the looming contest against Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq and company as how he reflected on his state and Test match team-mate.

"When you're competing against some of the best players in the world, and I know when I'm bowling to someone who I've got the wood over, it can play on their mind, so no doubt Davey would have felt the pressure," Lyon said. "But it's one of those things where you need to accept the challenge, move on and try to get better. Davey's a world-class player, I know that, you know that, I'm expecting him to come out here and play exceptionally well.

"No doubt he'd be down about the Ashes he had, but still part of the side to go over there and retain the Ashes, which is pretty bloody special if you ask me. From our experiences over in England it's been absolutely incredible. To gel as we have over there, the summer over there, our winter here, it's been absolutely exceptional. The squad's pretty well the same squad, those guys have been performing extremely well over there and to be part of it and retain the Ashes.

"Would've been great to win it obviously, unfortunately weren't able to do that, but we take a lot of momentum from that experience over there, it's that hard to win away from home, so it's crucial we come here and prepare the way we need to prepare before the first Test match and if we bat or bowl morning of day one, that we go in 100% and we keep the foot on where we took it off."

Undoubtedly Lyon will benefit from different climes in which to bowl, having been hounded through the latter part of the Ashes series with taunting related to the feverish conclusion of the Headingley Test. But the greatest source of encouragement for Lyon is bound to come from the chance to bowl on the Gabba, a surface where he has excelled a good deal while scooping 33 victims at 27.69 over eight matches.

"We tend to play an extremely exciting brand of cricket here at the Gabba, so I'm very happy, it's one of my favourite places to play, it's great that we've got the first Test here, fingers crossed it's a decent crowd that rolls out for us," Lyon said. "The wicket, I reckon it's a good contest between bat and ball, personally I find I get a fair amount of bounce and a bit of spin over the last couple of years as well.

"I love playing cricket here, for the last nine years I've been playing Test cricket here, everyone's been talking about playing four quicks every time, so it's all part of it and I'm not really concerned what Pakistan do to be honest, it's about us as the Australian cricket team, making sure we're preparing the absolute house down and making sure we're doing everything in our control to make sure we're right to go."

Even then, though, Lyon's one meeting with Pakistan in Brisbane returned the match figures of 2 for 139 as Shafiq took the visitors far closer to their fourth innings target than any Australia would have preferred. The wood, at this stage, is very much with Pakistan.

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict, suspended for the season after Week 4 for what the NFL deemed an accumulation of dirty play, sounded off Friday about the league's disciplinary system in the wake of Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with his helmet a night earlier and receiving an indefinite suspension. Burfict also had harsh words for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

"The NFL had to suspend somebody for that last night, since that wasn't a football act," Burfict told The Athletic. "My suspension was a football act. I was hitting somebody. I wasn't taking a helmet off and swinging it at somebody." Burfict told the site he was watching the game with his daughters, ages 4 and 2, and turned it off after the fight.

"I don't want them to see that," Burfict said. "Because that's not what I do. That's not part of football. I hit people on the field during the game. And they say that's dirty, yeah, whatever. I get hit, too, during the games, so don't complain. It's football, bro."

After the Raiders' game at the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 29, when Burfict was kicked out following a hit on tight end Jack Doyle, he avoided reporters in the locker room by putting on his headphones and blowing past them. Nearly two months later, Burfict had a lot to get off his chest.

"It was bulls---," Burfict said of the discipline for his hit on Doyle. "I was making a football play. I could see if it was a fine or something, but not a suspension, let alone for the whole season. It kind of seems like there was a target on my head. I mean, there has always been a target on my head.

"There have been times in games when a ref is cussing at me and wanting me to cuss back at him so he can throw me out of the game. Come on, bro. I don't want to be out there playing against the refs and the opposing team."

Earlier this season, Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, a close friend of Burfict's from their time together in Cincinnati, said the Raiders probably would not have signed Burfict had they known he was one penalty away from a season-long suspension.

Burfict told The Athletic he was not informed that he was on his final strike.

"They didn't, and it really doesn't matter," he said. "I see other players make that same kind of play on a daily basis. It was a witch hunt. They were watching everything I do. They watched 171 of my plays this year. Tell me if they watched 171 plays of that linebacker from the Chargers, what's his name, Thomas Davis? Go witch hunt him."

Burfict, who was on a one-year contract with Oakland, said he wants to play next season. His comments about Goodell and his unsuccessful appeal of his suspension, though, might be problematic.

"I met Roger Goodell in New York and he was a total b----," Burfict said. "He was a b----. He didn't let anybody speak, he rushed us in and out of the meeting. The meeting was bulls---. He already had the suspension in his hand."

Burfict said he showed video of clean plays that he had made, plus dirty plays against him that weren't called and that he didn't retaliate to.

"They didn't give a f--- about that s---," Burfict said.

Also, Raiders coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr spoke on Burfict's behalf during a conference call.

"That meant a lot to me, but the NFL didn't give a f--- about that s--- either," he said. "Derek Carr, my guy, said his piece about how I was a captain and a great teammate and not a dirty player, and [appeals officer] Derrick Brooks almost cut him off. He said we appreciate you coming on the call, but they didn't need Derek Carr to vouch for me.

"Brooks made his mind up already. They let me know before I woke up the next day. They didn't even go in the office, make some coffee and discuss it for a few minutes."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors shooting guard D'Angelo Russell sprained his right thumb during the third quarter of Friday night's 105-100 loss to the Boston Celtics and didn't return.

X-rays on Russell's thumb were negative. He was expected to have an MRI on the thumb after the game, and an update is slated for Saturday.

Russell exited the game with 5 minutes, 33 seconds left in the third quarter, and after getting the thumb checked out on the bench for a few moments, he headed to the locker room for further evaluation.

Russell finished with 12 points, 7 assists and 9 turnovers in 25 minutes.

His injury is the latest setback for a Warriors team that has battled them all season. Star guard Stephen Curry broke his left hand Oct. 30 and will miss at least three months. All-Star swingman Klay Thompson continues to rehab from a torn ACL in his left knee; his return this season remains unclear. Center Kevon Looney has been out since playing 10 minutes in a season-opening loss to the LA Clippers because of a nerve condition. Jacob Evans has been out since straining his adductor Oct. 28. Damion Lee has been out since Monday because of a non-displaced fracture on his right hand. Rookie Alen Smailagic has been out all season because of a right ankle sprain.

"It sucks," Warriors forward Draymond Green said of his team's injury woes. "I've said it before, you live that every day. That injury don't go away when you walk off the floor. It sucks to keep seeing guys go down, but we got that bug right now. So just gotta keep fighting, do all you can to stay healthy. But sometimes, s--- just happens."

Rookie forward Eric Paschall also injured his right hand in the third quarter but wore a heat pack over the hand to loosen it up and checked back into the game with 7:03 left in regulation.

"It's not broken or anything," Paschall said. "I think it's just a jam. ... You've got to ice it down, but I'll be all right."

Golden State opens a four-game road trip Sunday in New Orleans.

"It's tough, but at the end of the day, we all work the same," center Willie Cauley-Stein said. "We come to work, craft, and it's just next man up, unfortunately. That's the way it goes. Injuries happen. It's just the next guy coming in, is he ready or not. That's the thing. As a young guy, you've got to stay ready. You don't know when you're going to get your time. You stay ready, you don't got to get ready."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr remained upbeat despite the fact that injury issues have hovered over the organization all season. The Warriors are now 2-11.

"We just need to win a game or two here or there," Kerr said. "To just feel better about things. And it's gonna happen; I feel that we're heading in the right direction. But it's tough -- losing stinks. Everybody here is competitive, from [director of team operations] Eric Housen to [owner] Joe Lacob and everybody. You don't get into this business if you're not competitive. So nobody's happy, but we've got a great group and we're competing together, and it's gonna get better."