Tony Mann, the West Australian wristspin bowler who scored the first Test century by an Australian nightwatchman, has died in Perth at the age of 74 after battling pancreatic cancer.

In the midst of a long and successful first-class career for WA during the association's strongest era, Mann played four Tests in the first season of the World Series Cricket split as Bob Simpson's team played out a fascinating contest against India.

His wristspinners brought early success to the tune of 3 for 12 in his first innings at international level in Brisbane, but it was to be as a nightwatchman where he made a most lasting impact during the second Test at his WACA home ground.

ALSO READ: Rocket Mann, by Ashley Mallett

Coming in to bat at No. 3 on the fourth evening after Bishan Bedi had snared John Dyson, Mann got through to stumps, but then carried on all the way through to a fluent 105. He dominated the scoring while he was at the crease and was not dismissed until the hosts were more than halfway to a steep target of 339 for victory, which they ultimately reached with two wickets to spare.

Mann found the going harder after that and was dropped after the fourth Test, but his efforts helped ensure Simpson's side claimed the series 3-2 without being able to call on the host of stars lured away by Kerry Packer. He carried on for WA until 1984, finishing his first-class career with exactly 200 wickets at 34.54, notable for his frequent use of a googly, almost to the point where his leg break became the variation ball.

In addition to his wrist spin and lower order batting, Mann was famed for his fielding and in particular a fast, flat and accurate throw. So much so, in fact, that Mann was nicknamed "Rocket" in its honour.

Atlanta Hawks guard Kevin Huerter has a left rotator cuff strain with an associated shoulder capsule strain, the team announced.

He will enter rehabilitation and treatment and will be reexamined in two weeks, the team said. Huerter injured the shoulder during a 125-121 victory over the Denver Nuggets Tuesday and underwent an MRI.

The second-year guard is averaging 9.3 points and 2.8 assists in 22.5 minutes for the Hawks (4-6).

Huerter was sent back to Atlanta after the injury, so he was already in line to miss Thursday's game in Phoenix as well as the conclusion of a West Coast road trip, which features weekend games in Los Angeles against the Clippers and the Lakers.

Huerter was fouled by Denver's Nikola Jokic while going up for a shot. He immediately grabbed his shoulder and headed to the locker room.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

The Atlanta Braves have signed veteran closer Will Smith to a three-year, $39 million contract, the team announced Thursday.

The deal also includes a club option for 2023 for an additional $13 million. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal includes a buyout that will pay Smith $1 million if the Braves do not pick up that option.

Smith, 30, earned 34 saves in 38 opportunities for the San Francisco Giants last year while going 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA.

A Georgia native, Smith struck out 96 while walking 21 and was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career.

Smith had received a $17.8 million qualifying offer from the Giants and he signed with the Braves shortly before the deadline to accept that offer. Atlanta will now forfeit its second-highest pick in the 2020 draft for signing Smith.

The National League East champion Braves were looking to upgrade the bullpen after going through several closers last season, including Luke Jackson, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon.

Melancon, who was acquired by the Braves from the Giants at the trading deadline last season, reacted on Twitter to Atlanta signing his former teammate.

We just got even better. Counting down to February.

— Mark Melancon (@Mark_Melancon_) November 14, 2019

Melancon saved 11 games for the Braves down the stretch last season. It is unclear whether the Braves plan to keep him in the role or have Smith become the team's primary closer in 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cody Bellinger captured his first National League Most Valuable Player Award on Thursday, beating out defending champion Christian Yelich and World Series champion Anthony Rendon.

Bellinger was selected first on 19 of 30 ballots and second on 10 more, beating out Yelich, the runner-up who was named first on 10 ballots and second on 18. Rendon was named first and second on one ballot each.

Bellinger, a .305/.406/.629 hitter with 47 home runs and 15 stolen bases, is the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to win the MVP since Clayton Kershaw in 2014, and the first position player to do so since Kirk Gibson in 1988.

Bellinger and Yelich finished tied in FanGraphs wins above replacement with 7.8 apiece. Yelich posted slightly better offensive numbers, batting .329/.429/.671 with 44 home runs and 30 stolen bases, but Bellinger was the better defensive player, winning a Gold Glove in right field while also displaying Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base and center field.

Yelich also played in 26 fewer games, largely because of a fractured kneecap that put him on the shelf for the season's final three weeks.

Bellinger, who has played only three seasons, joined Jackie Robinson and Don Newcombe as the only players in Dodgers history to be named the Rookie of the Year and the MVP. His exploits this year came after a relatively down season in 2018 that saw him famously sit against left-handed starters throughout the postseason.

Rendon, now a free agent, batted .319/.412/.598 with 34 home runs and a major league-leading 126 RBIs. In October, while the Washington Nationals marched toward the first World Series championship in franchise history, Rendon posted a 1.003 OPS.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout captured his third American League MVP Award on Thursday, edging Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman.

Trout received 17 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, with Bregman receiving the other 13. Trout and Bregman were either first or second on all 30 ballots.

Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien finished third in the voting

The 28-year-old Trout trails only Barry Bonds for most career MVPs. Bonds finished with seven, accruing four of them after the age of 35. Ten others -- Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Mike Schmidt and, now, Trout -- have three.

Trout set a career high with 45 home runs, capitalizing on a season when baseballs were presumed to be juiced, before missing the Angels' final 19 games because of a foot injury. Trout led the majors in on-base percentage (.438), trailed only Christian Yelich in slugging percentage (.645) and paced the sport in weighted runs created plus (180).

Trout's 8.6 FanGraphs wins above replacement was just slightly ahead of Bregman's 8.5, marking the sixth time in eight full seasons that Trout has either led or tied for the lead in FanGraphs WAR. It was enough to make up for the fact that Trout's Angels lost 90 games, missed the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons and ultimately fired their manager, replacing Brad Ausmus with Joe Maddon.

Trout has already compiled 73.4 career FanGraphs WAR, placing him 47th on the all-time leaderboard. By the end of next season, he can reasonably move into the top 35 -- with 10 years still remaining on the 12-year, $426.5 million extension he signed in March.

Bregman, 25, finished the 2019 season with a .296/.423/.592 slash line that compared favorably to Trout's. Bregman added 41 home runs, led the majors with 119 walks, filled in at shortstop when Carlos Correa missed time and played his best down the stretch for the eventual AL champions, batting .372 with a 1.236 OPS and 37 extra-base hits after Aug. 1.

Semien tallied a career-high 7.6 FanGraphs WAR, fifth-most in the majors, and was one of only five players to play in all 162 games this season. In addition to playing outstanding defense at shortstop, Semien batted .285/.369/.522 with 33 home runs and 343 total bases.

Roger Federer moved into the ATP Finals last four at the expense of Novak Djokovic with a scintillating win over his great rival at the O2 Arena.

Swiss third seed Federer, 38, won 6-4 6-3 in a round-robin match which eliminates the Serb second seed from the season-ending tournament in London.

Federer will meet top seed Rafael Nadal or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four.

Djokovic's defeat also means Spain's Nadal is guaranteed to finish as the year-end world number one.

Nadal, 33, is far from certain of reaching the last four himself, needing victory over Greek sixth seed Tsitsipas on Friday to have any chance.

However, if German seventh seed Alexander Zverev beats Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev then Nadal is out regardless of his result.

If results do go his way then Nadal will top the Andre Agassi Group and face Federer - who has finished second behind Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the Bjorn Borg Group - in Saturday's semi-final.

Federer, who lost his opening match to Thiem, jumped for joy after clinching a victory which goes some way to avenging his defeat by Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon final in July.

More to follow.

MIAMI — This weekend’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway may mark the crowning of a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, but you wouldn’t have known it at first glance on Thursday.

As the Championship 4 took to the stage to kick off Media Day festivities at the Miami Beach Edition Hotel, there was more than enough fun and banter enjoyed among the quartet.

The gamesmanship stemmed from a Tuesday media appearance in New York City, where slow traffic led to Kyle Busch claiming he could run back to the hotel where the four contenders were staying faster than the other three would get there riding in a van.

Busch won the bet, and in rival Kevin Harvick’s words, “about a grand” as his payoff.

It was a rather tame and entertaining opening to what has been an intense week in previous years, and no doubt will be again when on-track action officially kicks off Friday at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval.

Harvick made it a point to reference the importance of having fun, in his eyes, ahead of the title fight that will take place over the next three days.

“Man, we had fun. I think all of us have done this long enough to know we want to win this for our race teams, and we’ll all do what it takes to win,” Harvick noted. “There’s a lot of mutual respect for the guys sitting up here. If you’re going to go up there and work, (you) might as well have fun (along the way).

“I think that’s what everybody tried to do this week.”

Busch was quick to add that the intensity doesn’t necessarily come from being in the Championship 4, but competitive nature as a whole.

“I don’t think it’s competitive with each other necessarily. I think it’s just the competitive nature that starts when you get to the race track, when you get ready to suit up and get going for your first practice. That’s going to be your competitive nature,” Busch noted.

“People want to say the race starts off the truck, and in reality, I guess it kind of did last year. Last year Logano was fast off the truck and kicked our ass all weekend long,” Busch added. “It’s a matter of being good, being prepared, the team doing a really good job with the car, and then getting ready to rock and roll when you get to practice.”

Expanding on that discussion, last year’s Championship 4 tagline ended up coming from eventual champion Joey Logano, who described that group as “the Big Three and me.”

Busch provided an update to that description Thursday.

“This is the Big Three, with the New One,” Busch noted, nodding to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, who won his way into this year’s Championship 4 last weekend at ISM Raceway and bumped Logano out of the playoffs.

Hamlin didn’t mind that description, however, but paid respect to his competitors.

“These three have been the standouts year in and year out,” Hamlin said of Busch, Harvick and Martin Truex Jr., who have combined for 14 Championship 4 berths during the past five seasons. “You see one or two guys get into that Championship 4 here and there. I think it would be most gratifying if we did win because this is by far the best (field) you could put together.

CONCORD, N.C. — One more year.

That’s what Dominic Scelzi is giving himself to travel the United States racing sprint cars. After that, the California driver says, he’ll be finished criss-crossing the country and will instead focus on racing in his home state.

“Next year is going to be my last year traveling,” Scelzi said during the Can-Am World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. “I work during the week with our family business now. I’ve been given the go-ahead to race as hard and as much as I want to next year, but then at the year I’ve got to go to work full time.”

The 22-year-old Californian works for the family business, Scelzi Enterprises, and his responsibilities have expanded in recent years. As a result, Scelzi said he needs to spend more time focused on his day job.

“It’s bittersweet, because I do love traveling, but being a part of the family business and being more and more involved over the last year and a half has gotten me really hungry to learn more and take on more of a control role,” Scelzi explained. “I’m excited about that.”

Scelzi has enjoyed success on the road and at home. Two years ago, he won the SPEED SPORT World Challenge at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway, which earned him a spot in the Knoxville Nationals A-Main for the first time in his career. He qualified for the Nationals A-Main again this year.

“We’ve made it (the A-Main) twice. That’s two more times than I expected to make it,” Scelzi said.

This season Scelzi has split his time between the family-owned No. 41s and the Roth Motorsports No. 83, which was based in California, earning eight wins along the way. Driving for the Roth team, Scelzi won five King of the West by NARC Fujitsu Sprint Car Series events and finished third in the standings.

“Our whole goal traveling was to learn as much as we possibly could and see where I stacked up against the big guys,” Scelzi said. “My ultimate life goal is to win a World of Outlaws race. We’ve come very close over the last three years. We haven’t done it. That’s my goal. Until we do that, I’m not going to be happy with any accomplishment.

“I like to look at looking making the Knoxville Nationals the last two years, winning the World Challenge. We won the first Louie Vermeil (Classic) with wings on it. We’ve won the California Dirt Classic,” Scelzi noted. “There are a lot of big races we’ve won over the last three years and I feel it’s been a constant build up. We’ve had lulls, but even in the lulls we’ve had brightness. We’ve had a constant build up to what I imagine is next year.”

Scelzi has a lot to look forward to next season. Though he’s not yet sure if he’ll be back in the Roth Motorsports No. 83 to chase the King of the West title again, he does know he’ll be working with veteran crew chief and mechanic Jimmy Carr with the family team. Carr recently left Tony Stewart Racing and moved to California, where he will work with the Scelzi Motorsports team.

“Next year traveling is going to be huge, but still the focus on California is there,” Scelzi said. “I want to build the NARC series up. I want to build racing in California up. I have nothing bad to say about California racing. To be one of the quote-unquote big names or a guy like Tim Kaeding or Bud Kaeding, guys like that who have won a lot of races in California, I don’t mind being one of those guys.”

While his focus beginning in 2021 will be on his home state, Scelzi said it’s a safe bet he’ll still make trips to Knoxville Raceway for the Knoxville Nationals most years. He admits he’ll miss traveling, but part of him believes the time is nearing for him to stay closer to home.

“Before I always felt like I was home and it was a hinderance because I’m watching the guys I want to beat and the guys I want to race without racing,” Scelzi said. “Now more so I’m getting to that age where I really do enjoy being home and I really love the family business. I’m not upset racing at home.

“I am going to miss the traveling for sure, but I’m going to say my chances are pretty high that if I had to bet on it, we’d probably end up at the Knoxville Nationals every year. Maybe the week before for the 360 Nationals. I don’t want to rule out traveling completely, but Knoxville will probably be my only trip of the year.”

Scelzi noted he’s working to get in better shape and wants his competitors to know he and his team mean business when they roll into a track.

“I’m working as hard as I can. I’ve just started a weight program. I’m even drinking light beer right now,” Scelzi said with a laugh. “I’m going to try really hard to get down to what I weighed three or four years ago before I broke my back. I want to get in shape and I want to mean business. When I come to the race track, I want every guy in the pit area, whether it’s an Outlaw race or a NARC race or whatever it is, to know we have a shot.”

Next year may be his last season on the road, but odds are high that Scelzi will always be smiling when he climbs into a race car.

“As long as I’m racing a sprint car, I’m pretty happy,” Scelzi said.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Eighteen-year-old Canadian Raphael Lessard will embark on his first full season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports next year.

Lessard will pilot the No. 4 Tundra and compete for Rookie of the Year honors. The team also announced Thursday that ARCA Menards Series champion Christian Eckes will drive the No. 18 Toyota for the team full-time next season.

Lessard made five NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series starts this year, three of those coming with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Across his five starts he posted two top-10 finishes and average finish of 11.1.

In addition to a limited schedule in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series this season, Lessard posted 83 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes across three ARCA Menards Series starts and one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.

“I’ve been working really hard the last few years to put myself in position to drive full-time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series — so this opportunity is a dream come true,” Lessard said. “I can’t thank Kyle and everyone at KBM, Toyota and TRD enough for having the confidence to put me in their truck and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of my parents and everyone that has invested in getting me to this point. Being able to drive for such a great organization in one of NASCAR’s top three series is going to be awesome and I’m going to work hard on and off the race track to learn as much as I can to get better every race.”

“We’ve watched Raphael grow as both a driver and a person since joining our Super Late Model program in 2018 and we’re looking forward to being a part of his continued progression as he graduates to a full-time role in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series next year,” said team owner Kyle Busch said. “Similar to Erik Jones and Christopher Bell before him, Raphael joined our Super Late Model program and immediately won some big races. Then, when given a part-time Truck Series schedule, they all proved capable of running up front and earned the right to compete full time. Erik and Christopher went on to win races and a championship in trucks, now Raphael has the opportunity to continue to follow their blueprint.”

“Raphael has continued to prove himself as an outstanding race car driver,” said Jack Irving, Senior Manager, Commercial Director, Toyota Racing Development. “He has shown poise behind the wheel and has achieved solid results in the opportunities he’s been presented with thus far. We look forward to watching him grow and achieve even more with this full-time opportunity in 2020 behind the wheel of a Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra.”

Lessard won two marquee events driving KBM’s famed No. 51 Super Late Model in 2018; the Short Track U.S. Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and the Redbud 400 ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway.

Sponsor and crew chief announcements for Lessard are forthcoming as well as announcements on the rest of the KBM driver lineup for 2020.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Reigning ARCA Menards Series champion Christian Eckes will graduate to the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series next season with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

The 19-year-old will drive the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra full-time next year. He’ll race as a teammate to Canadian Raphael Lessard, who was announced as the driver of the No. 4 entry at Kyle Busch Motorsports on Thursday.

Safelite, a provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services, returns to Kyle Busch Motorsports for a third season and will adorn the hood of Eckes’ Tundra for all 23 races of his rookie effort.

The New York native has produced three poles, 64 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes across seven starts in his second partial Truck Series schedule for the organization this year. In 2018, he produced three top-10 finishes across his four Gander Trucks starts.

Eckes captured the ARCA Menards Series championship this season after recording four wins, two poles, 400 laps led, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. He missed one start early in the season due to illness. Overall in 46 career ARCA starts since 2016, Eckes has posted seven wins, four poles, 1094 laps led, 23 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes with an average starting spot of 5.3 and average finishing position of 6.9.

“Returning to KBM to compete full-time for a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship with the support of Safelite AutoGlass and Toyota is an opportunity that I’ve worked my whole life for and I’m ready to take advantage of it,” Eckes said. “Being around the Truck Series the last few seasons, I’ve been able to see firsthand how much effort Safelite puts into their racing program and I’m excited to represent them not only on the track, but in the communities that we race in.”

“Christian has won races and a championship in the ARCA Series and we feel like he’s capable of doing the same driving for us full-time in the Truck Series next year,” said team owner Kyle Busch. “He’s shown speed while running a part-time schedule for us the past couple of seasons – he’s won poles, led laps and been in a position to win a few races. We feel like it’s just a matter of time before he puts everything together and starts winning at this level.”

“We are excited to see Christian full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series next season,” said Jack Irving, Senior Manager, Commercial Director, Toyota Racing Development. “It has been thrilling to watch the growth of Christian behind the wheel these past couple of seasons. With his success in the ARCA Menards Series this past year, this is the next logical move for Christian’s continued development towards what we hope is a long career in NASCAR with Toyota.”

An announcement on Eckes’ crew chief is forthcoming.