CONCORD, N.C. – Mother Nature had her say in determining the results of Thursday’s two World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series qualifying sessions at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, but so did Josh Richards.

The four-time series champion was the PFC Brakes Fast Time Award winner for both Friday and Saturday’s Can-Am World Finals programs, determined off a single round of two-lap time trials after rain halted the proceedings mid-way through the second session of qualifying at the four-tenths-mile oval.

As such, the second qualifying round was thrown out and each driver’s first lap of the first round was used to determine the qualifying results for the Friday program, while their second lap determined the qualifying order for Saturday’s program.

Richards ripped off times of 14.805 seconds (94.103 mph) and 14.750 seconds (94.454 mph), respectively, to take down the 57th and 58th fast times of his illustrious World of Outlaws Late Model Series career.

After a year away from The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Richards is hoping to spoil the party for recently-crowned two-time series champion Brandon Sheppard, who is chasing his record-setting 19th win of the season this weekend.

“The car felt fantastic. It felt great in hot laps,” Richards said. “I felt like I did something a little goofy and felt like I knew what I needed to do for qualifying, but then the groove changed. Right before I went, I committed to another line than I thought I was going to, and the car responded phenomenally. It was great; I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

“I didn’t race here last year and I’ve always been pretty good here. With the year that we’ve had … we finished up pretty decent and we had a lot of things kind of falter,” Richards continued. “If we can come out and try to win here to finish the year out, it would be great for us as a team.”

Flight-B leader Jonathan Davenport was second-quick in Friday qualifying at 14.843 seconds, followed by Ross Bailes, Chris Madden and Scott Bloomquist on the overall speed charts.

In Saturday’s qualifying times, Flight-B leader Jimmy Owens followed Richards at 14.926 seconds, with Davenport, Bailes and Shane Clanton completing the top five.

To view complete qualifying results, advance to the next page.

Incumbent Australia Test opener Marcus Harris is starting to become a veteran when it comes to auditioning for his Test spot in tour matches, but he believes it's nothing compared to the pressure of an actual Test match.

Harris joins Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Will Pucovski, and Nic Maddinson in the Australia A team that takes on Pakistan on Monday at the Perth Stadium.

It appears those six players are vying for two spots in Australia's final XI for the first Test at the Gabba, with David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith and Matthew Wade all but assured of retaining their places following the Ashes.

Harris is the only incumbent from the Oval Test whose spot appears in jeopardy. But he said it is nothing new, having been through the same process prior to the Ashes series when playing for Australia A and in the pre-Ashes trial game in Southampton.

"It's probably my second or third audition I've had in the last six months," Harris said. "It's nothing too different. I just sort of know that going over to Perth against Pakistan I'm going to have to play well and put some runs on the board.

"It's sort of been the situation a little bit lately. You get used to it, it's the pressure you've got to play under. And it's nothing like the pressure of a Test match so you've just got to look at it as a situation where you've got to make runs and guys have got to try and take wickets to try and get picked in the Test squad. It is what it is. It's part of being a professional cricketer, you just deal with it. There can be nerves there but once you get out there and get on with it you forget about all that stuff."

Harris made a century for Australia A in the first tour match in England against Sussex, as did Burns. But both men missed out on the first Test, with Burns missing the squad entirely after Cameron Bancroft was selected following an outstanding performance in the last trial game. Harris has no qualms about that decision.

"I probably hadn't cemented my spot down 100%," Harris said. "I felt like I'd gone alright in the Australia A stuff, but that was a decision that selectors went with and it's fine by me. And the attitude I had at the time was the same, it will be what it will be.

"Like I said, and I'll keep saying it, it's pretty simple, if you make runs you'll probably get picked and if you take wickets you'll get picked and you don't leave yourself vulnerable. It would be nice to be cemented in the side but just with the way that my recent Test series went that didn't happen. I've left myself in this situation. It's just part of being a professional cricketer and I don't lose any sleep over it. I know what I need to do and it all sits well with me."

Harris did win his spot back after Bancroft was dropped for the third Test at Headingley. But Harris, like Warner, had a torrid time at the hands of Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad making just 58 runs in six innings.

"Obviously it was a difficult series to open the batting in," Harris said. "No one really got hold of them too much. Rory Burns obviously played well. There's just a few little things I've tweaked, nothing massively technically, just a few little things with my stance that I've changed since England but like I said it was a great learning experience and I think it's going to make me a better player going forward.

"I just try and stay level as much as I can. I never felt like I got out of form in England because I wasn't out there long enough to get out of form. I came back confident coming back to Australia and I felt my game was in good stead so I knew if I just applied myself for long enough I'd be fine. So that's the attitude I'm taking into the summer."

Those minor technical changes and that attitude have led to scores of 116, 69 and 60 in the first three Sheffield Shield games this summer. Harris has been the most dominant opener in Shield cricket over the past 18 months.

While he is frustrated with not taking his opportunities at Test level thus far, he has scored just two half-centuries in 17 innings, 14 of those have come against phenomenal fast bowling attacks featuring Archer, Broad, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.

There is a case to be made that Harris should get an extended run in the Test side to see if he can achieve the kind of consistency that he has in Shield cricket, after needing a number of years to mature at that level.

Harris pointed to Smith's incredible consistency during the Ashes as an example of how experience gained over a long period had helped Smith become the player he has.

"The way that he occupies the crease and his hunger to make runs, he never really seems too satisfied no matter how well he's done," Harris said.

"So that was his great strength throughout the series and just how consistent he was. That was probably the best thing that he did. And I think that comes with experience and playing more at that level. I sort of feel like I've got to point in Shield cricket now where I consistently perform most weeks and I feel like the more I play at a higher level the more consistent I will get in that level I'm playing at."

Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw is likely to return to the squad as early as November 16, a day after serving his suspension for a doping violation. Shaw is expected to turn out for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Indian domestic T20 tournament. On July 30, Shaw had been handed a back-dated eight-month suspension by the BCCI for "inadvertently" consuming a cough syrup that contained prohibited substance terbutaline.

Coincidentally, the violation happened during last season's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which was played between February and March this year. The BCCI had said that Shaw would need to serve at least half the ban period, which expires on November 15.

Shaw, who grabbed headlines with a century in his debut Test last October, has been mostly training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru during his suspension. While accepting the BCCI ban, Shaw had said the he would return "faster and stronger" because he said cricket was "my life" and there was "no greater pride than playing for India and Mumbai."

Now, Mumbai are providing Shaw that opportunity. Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege, who is the chairman of state's ad-hoc selection panel, said that Shaw would "certainly" be considered for selection. Currently, Rege's panel has announced the squad only for Mumbai's first three matches because key players like Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur and Shivam Dube are currently part of the India squad for the T20 series against Bangladesh. Mumbai will have played six of their seven group games when Shaw becomes eligible.

"He will be free to play from [November] 16, so of course he will be considered for selection," Rege told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday. "I can't make any commitment to whether he will be back, but we will certainly discuss his selection."

Rege said he had spoken to Shaw already. "He is doing the right things. Physically he is fit."

Asked why Shaw, who last played in the IPL in May, was on the selectors' radar, Rege said Shaw had already proved he was a matchwinner in the little time he has played both for Mumbai and India.

"Shaw's class is there, you see. He is a dynamic young batsman. So that will weigh heavily in his favour because he has scored runs for Mumbai in the last one-and-a-half years and he also did well in Test cricket till he went to Australia. There has been a gap. So he will again have to start once again."

Rege said that despite his strengths, Shaw would understand he would need to compete for his place. Rege cited the example of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is 17 years old, and has taken the opportunity to establish himself in Shaw's absence with a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy.

"He will have to be fit again, There is nobody who can take his place for granted because there are others also," Rege said. "Everybody needs to work for their place in the squad. There are some senior players who have done well last year and even this year but the youngsters are now really knocking hard on the door.

"We have Yashasvi Jaiswal , who scored quite heavily in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored a double-hundred and two hundreds in the 50-over tournament. It is a happy position for Mumbai, but as a selector it is a tough decision to keep somebody out."

Rege has been part of Mumbai's Ranji Trophy winning teams multiple times. He has also served as a selector for three decades. Rege hopes Shaw has learnt his lesson.

"Now that he has learned a few lessons on what not to do, he will come back a stronger person. I am sure this has taught him a few things in life. He will have to be careful, he will have to concentrate on his cricket and he will have to probably look at it differently because mistakes, when they happen, have to be rectified. And I am sure Prithvi has learned from this."

New Zealand win toss, bowl against England

New Zealand captain Tim Southee has won the toss and chosen to bowl first in the fourth T20I of the series against England in Napier.

New Zealand have made two changes to the side that won the previous match in Nelson. Trent Boult has come into the side in place of Lockie Ferguson, a change that was planned ahead of the series, while Jimmy Neesham was ruled out due to illness and is replaced by Daryl Mitchell.

England have also made two changes. Knowing they have to win this match to stay in the series, they have recalled Jonny Bairstow - who has also been put on stand-by for the Test squad due to concerns over the fitness of Joe Denly - and Chris Jordan. Saqib Mahmood, who has conceded 95 runs from his eight overs in the series to date, and James Vince, who is the highest run-scorer in the series, are the men to make way.

Matt Parkinson, who bowled only two overs on his international debut in Nelson, retains his place ahead of Adil Rashid.

"I probably would have bowled," England captain Eoin Morgan admitted to Sky Sports at the toss. "It looks like a fantastic wicket." Morgan also reasoned that, "a year down the road," the inexperienced side that stumbled to defeat from a promising position in Nelson would have won that game "nine times out of 10."

He suggested that, with the experience of Jordan and Bairstow, England were a strengthened side.

New Zealand are 2-1 up in the five-match series. The final game takes place in Auckland on Sunday.

New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee (capt), 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Blair Tickner

England: 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Tom Banton, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Sam Billings (wk), 6 Sam Curran, 7 Lewis Gregory, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Matt Parkinson, 11 Pat Brown

Carli Lloyd scored twice, Christen Press added a goal and the United States held off Sweden 3-2 on Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio, giving Vlatko Andonovski a victory in his first match as head coach.

The U.S. is 19-1-3 in 2019 and has a 22-match unbeaten streak.

The U.S. dominated early in the friendly, as Lloyd took a pass in the third minute from Christen Press with a right-footed shot from the center of the box and put it past goalkeeper Hedviq Lindahl to the bottom right corner. Press followed in the 28th minute, faking out a pair of defenders with fancy footwork and burying a ball from Lindsey Horan for her 50th goal in international competition.

Press is just the 11th American to reach that milestone.

"We knew what we wanted to do, and I think we did a good job controlling the game defensively," Andonovski said. "The only thing I thought we could do better, and we did it in the second half, is push the block a little bit higher from the middle to the high block. We were successful when we did that. Obviously, it will just take a little bit of time to adjust the timing, the angle and the approach to all the players."

Three minutes later, Lloyd found the back of the net again with a right-footed shot just inside the box, off a chip pass from Tobin Heath.

Lloyd, who has 22 multi-goal games, has 120 international goals and leads the U.S. in scoring this year with 15.

"For me, it's going out and trying to be better than I was the game before, help the team and implementing the philosophy that Vlatko wants," Lloyd said. "Goals come when you are really not seeking goals. If you go out and give 100% effort, some good things usually happen.

But Sweden would not go quietly at Mapfre Stadium, with the No. 5 team in the world finally getting on the board in the 75th minute on Anna Anvegard's right-foot shot from close range.

"I'm really proud of the team. There was some fabulous stuff out there. There was also some stuff will need to work on. Overall it was a good game."

Anvegard scored her second goal three minutes later when goaltender Alyssa Naeher played a ball high in the box and was caught out of position on the score, leaving the net open for a right-footed shot from the center of the box.

Lloyd was primed to complete a hat trick with a penalty kick in the 81st minute, but it sailed high. The United States is ranked No. 1 in the world after winning its fourth World Cup this past summer in France, defeating Sweden in the group stage before taking out Spain, France, England and the Netherlands on its way to the championship.

Andonovski on Oct. 28 became the ninth U.S. coach after the retirement of Jill Ellis, whose 106 victories made her the winningest coach in U.S. women's soccer history and the first international coach to win two Women's World Cup titles.

A native of Macedonia, Andonovski played in Europe before an indoor soccer career in the United States. He coached in the National Women's Soccer League for the past seven seasons, with FC Kansas City and Reign FC of Washington state.

Lloyd said she has already come to respect his coaching style.

"I think he's simple and effective," she said. "His training sessions are short, concise and to the point. You know the message. I think it's the belief in players and the confidence that he has in players that you fed off of.

"I've heard so many good things about him from so many different players, and now I know why. It's just an aura that he has about him. He's calm and collected. He makes this team better."

Andonovski certainly appeared calm after the win but admitted the first victory at the U.S. helm was "exciting," even as he focuses on areas that need improvement.

"I was excited for the team and they were excited for me," he said.

"We have to fix the two goals. People who know me know I'm not happy when I get scored on. We have to finish strong."

The U.S. played without some of its most high-profile players, including Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.

Next up for the United States is Costa Rica on Nov. 10 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

SAN ANTONIO -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 39 points and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 121-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

Point guard Dejounte Murray had a career-high 10 assists along with 17 points and eight rebounds. The 22-year-old played 26 minutes as San Antonio continues to restrict his minutes after he missed last season following right knee surgery.

DeMar DeRozan added 16 points and nine assists for the Spurs, who had a season-high 32 assists and snapped a two-game skid.

Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 for the Thunder (3-5), who entered the game on a two-game winning streak.

San Antonio (5-3) set a season high with 33 points in the opening quarter with Aldridge and DeRozan shooting a combined 8 for 12. Aldridge made eight straight baskets in the first half after missing his first attempt.

Aldridge finished 19 for 23 from the field.

Chris Paul had 19 points and five assists in 31 minutes.

TIP-INS

Thunder: The Thunder's last win in San Antonio was Dec. 25, 2014. Russell Westbrook had 34 points and 11 assists in the 114-106 victory. ... Mike Muscala played one minute. Muscala has played just 22 minutes in five games after signing with the Thunder in the offseason.

Spurs: Derrick White rode a stationary bike when he wasn't in the game to keep his back loose. White injured his back after falling to the court Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers following a foul by Dwight Howard on a layup attempt.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Host Golden State on Saturday night.

Spurs: Host Boston on Saturday night.

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CHARLOTTE -- Celtics guard Marcus Smart was furious with the referees for how he was being officiated during Thursday night's 108-87 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, and it caused him to boil over during the third quarter and then after the game to reporters.

"Really, just, I wish they would call the game the right way," Smart said. "A lot of calls that they called, I didn't understand where the fouls were. And it just seems like whenever I get the ball and I'm on offense, I can't get a call.

"Nobody else is going to protect yourself. You've got to protect yourself. So if that means I've got to lose a little bit of money, then I've got to lose a bit."

Smart initially was upset when, at the 5:57 mark of the third quarter, he picked up an offensive foul, his fifth foul of the game. That came 11 seconds after he'd been called for a shooting foul on Hornets guard Devonte' Graham at the other end of the court.

When Celtics coach Brad Stevens went to take Smart out of the game, Smart immediately got upset with Stevens, saying something to him before Jaylen Brown officially checked into the game for him. His words for Stevens continued after he sat down.

"I just was telling him, you know, especially when everything is going that way, like, they're just picking and picking, and it's like they're eyeing on me and it's like they are doing it on purpose," Smart said. "So I'm telling them like, 'At some point you have to step in and say something as a coach. But since you won't, I've got to.'

"I understand from Brad's standpoint, but at the same time, from the player's standpoint, like, you've got to step in."

Smart remained visibly upset for several more minutes, with multiple players and coaches taking turns trying to cool him down. During the next television timeout, with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter, he went over and apologized to Stevens.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Smart was back in the game, and both men said afterward that things between them were fine.

"Me and Brad, that's our relationship," Smart said. "We've been in it six years, so we have those little moments, and it's over and over. It's done with, and we move on to the next one."

Said Stevens: "We need Marcus, and I've told him a number of times how much we need him. But this is the part about Marcus that I love, right? His fire, his competitiveness. If there's a moment when he's upset with us, that's all part of it. We move on pretty quickly. We've been together a long time. I've been yelled at before and that's OK. I love him and I trust him. And he'll get every opportunity."

Once Smart came back into the game in the fourth quarter, he was shoved to the ground by Hornets forward Miles Bridges with 8:50 remaining in the game, which earned Bridges a technical foul.

Smart was upset with how that situation was handled, too.

"With the Bridges push and stuff like that, I told [the referees], I said, 'If it was me, y'all would probably throw me out the game and everything,'" Smart said. "'So you clean it up, or I will. I allowed y'all, I gave y'all the time, y'all keep telling me, let us handle it, let us handle it. I'm coming to y'all first, but at some point as a player, as a man, you've got to protect yourself."

The same fire and passion that caused Smart to boil over Wednesday night is what has allowed him to become one of the league's best defenders and, as the longest-tenured member of the Celtics, one of the team's unquestioned leaders. It also is what makes situations like that one easy for all involved to move past.

"We've been through a lot together, so I just think it's one of those things where he knows how important he is to our team," Stevens said. "He gives a lot to our team. He does a lot of things that are really hard, but don't always get the attention by some.

"I think we do a good job in Boston of recognizing all that he does and certainly our team and our staff recognize all he does. That's all good stuff."

PHOENIX — Jeff Maggert used a hot new putter to take the first-round lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and Bernhard Langer, Jerry Kelly, Retief Goosen and Colin Montgomerie made moves to catch Scott McCarron in the PGA Tour Champions' season standings.

Maggert shot an 8-under 63 on Thursday in perfect conditions at Phoenix Country Club to take a one-stroke lead over Langer, with Miguel Angel Jimenez, Paul Goydos and Steve Flesch another shot back, and Kelly and Goosen at 66 with Lee Janzen and Scott Parel.

Maggert entered the season finale 34th in the standings, just three spots from failing to qualify.

''I have no idea what happened today,'' Maggert said. ''I liked the course last year, felt like I could play well here. To be honest, I got a new putter at the Ping factory on Monday and as soon as I saw it, I says, 'Wow, this looks good, I think I can make some putts with this.' Lo and behold, I made a lot of good putts today.''

Kelly needs a victory or help from McCarron to take the season title.

''I'm feeling pretty good right now,'' Kelly said. ''It's just a matter of staying solid. I got a little tired at the end, things got a little loose and I've got to get stronger as the week goes on.''

McCarron, the points leader the last 20 weeks, was tied for 22nd in the 34-man field after a 69.

''Means nothing right now,'' McCarron said. ''I don't know if I'm leading or Jerry's leading, doesn't even matter. All I know is I've got to go out there and play a little bit better the next three days.''

McCarron has not won since June and has only two top 10s in his last six tournaments.

Coming off a playoff loss to Montgomerie on Sunday in California, Langer closed his bogey-free round with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Langer is third in the standings, putting the 62-year-old German star in position to win his sixth Charles Schwab Cup title - with help from McCarron and Kelly.

''You can't win it the first day, but you can lose it,'' Langer said. ''So, I'm happy with where I am.''

Montgomerie, fourth in the standings, had a 67.

Goosen, at fifth in the standings, is the last player with a chance to take the season title with a victory.

Vijay Singh, the tournament winner last year, failed to qualify.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has received his seventh Silver Slugger Award after batting .291 with 45 home runs and 104 RBIs this season.

The Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies are among the first-time winners on the National League side, along with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. First-timers for the American League are Cleveland Indians first baseman Carlos Santana, New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu, Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman and Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver.

The selections, honoring the best offensive players at each position in each league, were voted on by major league coaches and managers.

World Series champion and Washington Nationals slugger Anthony Rendon, Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich and former Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zack Greinke, who was dealt by the D-backs to the Astros at the trade deadline, completed the National League list.

Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz, Astros outfielder George Springer and Boston Red Sox teammates Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts rounded out the American League winners.

Selections are based on a combination of offensive stats, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in addition to the managers' and coaches' views of a player's overall offensive value.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.