MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Sixteen-year-old Adam Lemke has begun to find his stride after an early-season hot streak with JR Motorsports in late model stock car action.

Lemke picked up his first win with the organization on March 16, starting fourth and driving to the front in the second of twin 40-lap features at historic Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, the track where the Earnhardt family’s early name was made in motorsports.

He followed that performance up with a podium run during last weekend’s CARS Tour Old North State Nationals at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C., running third behind Lee Pulliam and Adam Lemke and beating out veteran teammate Josh Berry in the process.

It’s been a month of successes and a big boon for the California teenager after the biggest jump up in his career to-date.

“(The Hickory win) was a huge confidence booster and a big way to get myself some momentum and consistency with the team, especially with them being a new team to me,” Lemke told SPEED SPORT. “Josh coached me through that one, and to have him as an asset has been a huge help to me.

“You know, we had a wreck during practice the week before that I obviously didn’t want to have happen, but there was a good side to that happening, because I really went into the race without having to worry about points and feeling like there was no pressure,” Lemke added. “I feel like we made progress, both me as a driver and with the car, every time we hit the track. I was confident going into the race that I would have a good car and it was up to me to get the job done. Thankfully we were able to do that and come out with a big result. I definitely didn’t expect it to come this quickly, though.”

Lemke, who is part of Chevrolet’s Driver’s Edge Development program with JR Motorsports, grew up racing in pro late models and USAC Speed2 midgets in California before coming out east this season.

He pointed out that the jump from pro late models to the NASCAR-style late model stock cars has been a substantial adjustment for him, but one that he’s been excited to tackle.

“It’s a night and day difference between the late models I’m driving out here (on the East Coast) and the late models I drove back home in California,” noted Lemke. “It’s mainly tires; we ran a much smaller tire on the cars I came from, so to be able to come out here and run the 10-inch slick rather than an eight-inch treaded tire and find success has been nice for me.

“I’d almost make the comparison that it’s like driving a super late model compared to a late model stock, that’s how different the feel is between the two cars. It’s a huge difference, but I’m having fun with it.”

While for many young drivers, racing for a team like JR Motorsports might be intimidating, Lemke is relishing the opportunity and grateful to drive for one of the giants in the sport.

“It’s a big deal to be able to race for Dale. I haven’t had a lot of time to spend with him and learn from him yet, but I did have a little bit of time with him at a recent luncheon, and it’s just cool to be able to wheel a race car for him,” said Lemke. “He’s a cool guy and someone that I’ve looked up to.

“Everyone knows how much he’s meant to the sport and to be a part of that is a real honor.”

Lemke will run the remainder of the CARS Late Model Stock Tour schedule this season, as well as some of the crown-jewel late model stock car events in the region, including the Valleystar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and the Myrtle Beach 400 at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway.

With a win already under his belt, Lemke knows the bar has been raised somewhat, but he believes that his first victory is a sign of greater things to come.

“I’m out here to win every single race I go to with JRM – you have to have that kind of focus as a driver – but getting that out of the way early was a big deal for me, I feel like,” Lemke explained. “After I got the win, my goal was to finish a CARS Tour race, and we finally did that at Orange County. We just keep checking boxes one at a time, and I feel like that we’ve paced ourselves pretty well so far.

“I think we’ve started to prove now that we’re here and we’re not going away, so the next step is just continuing to build on this foundation that we’ve built and making some more things happen here.”

MANCHESTER, England -- Paul Pogba has told his Manchester United teammates they need to be "killers" at Camp Nou if they want to progress in the Champions League.

United lost their quarterfinal first leg 1-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday but Pogba believes Barcelona will have doubts after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team staged a dramatic second-leg comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the last round.

"We are 1-0 down and now go to the Nou Camp but we believe chances will come over there," Pogba said.

"We have to keep believing. It is a Champions League game and we know we can hurt them as well as they can hurt us. We have to avoid giving them chances and be killers in front of goal.

"Probably Paris will be in their minds for sure because they saw what we can do against PSG."

Luke Shaw's early own goal, after deflecting in Luis Suarez's header, was the difference at Old Trafford.

And although United did not manage a shot on target -- they have scored just one goal at home in five Champions League games this season -- Pogba insists they have nothing to fear next week.

"We saw a team we can beat," Pogba said.

Barcelona were eliminated at this stage last season, losing 3-0 at Roma following a 4-1 win in the first leg.

"If you don't believe that then you just let them go through. We believe we can beat them. We are Manchester United, they are Barcelona but we are Manchester United and we play in the Champions League like they do and we can go through, of course.

"It is one leg gone and now we have to give everything in the second one."

Find out when the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup is scheduled to take place, where it is being held and all 16 qualified nations.

Jump to: Group-by-group breakdown | Daily fixtures

Who are the CONCACAF Gold Cup holders?

United States. They beat Jamaica 2-1 in the final in Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara in July 2017. Jordan Morris scored an 88th-minute winner.

Who is hosting the CONCACAF Gold Cup?

The finals are being primarily hosted by the United States, with Costa Rica and Jamaica also holding one double-header match day.

Who qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup?

United States
Costa Rica
Jamaica
Mexico
Panama
Honduras
Trinidad and Tobago
Haiti
Canada
Martinique
Curacao
Bermuda
Cuba
Guyana
Nicaragua
El Salvador

What are the host cities?

Through the group stage and quarterfinals, each host venue will host back-to-back double header fixtures on one day.

UNITED STATES

Group Stage

Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Red Bull Arena, Harrison

BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston

Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles

Allianz Field, Saint Paul

FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland

Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City

Quarterfinals

NRG Stadium, Houston

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Semifinals

State Farm Stadium, Glendale

Nissan Stadium, Nashville

Final

Soldier Field, Chicago

COSTA RICA

Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San Jose (Group B)

JAMAICA

Independence Park, Kingston (Group C)

Has the group stage draw been made?

Yes, here are the groups and you can check out all CONCACAF Gold Cup fixtures here.

Group A
Mexico
Canada
Martinique
Cuba

Group B
Costa Rica
Haiti
Nicaragua
Bermuda

Group C
Honduras
Jamaica
El Salvador
Curacao

Group D
United States
Panama
Trinidad & Tobago
Guyana

When does the CONCACAF Gold Cup start?

The opening match at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena is on June 15.

Who qualifies from the group stage?

The top two teams in each of the four groups will go through to the quarterfinals.

When is the CONCACAF Gold Cup final?

The final will be held at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 7.

MORE:

CONCACAF Gold Cup index

Jump to: Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D

More: All you need to know | Full daily fixtures schedule

The draw for the CONCACAF Gold Cup did the U.S. men's national team no favors.

The 2019 tournament sees the field expanded to 16 nations for the first time. This has served to dilute the pool of teams, but the relative strength of the groups has proved to be uneven. Costa Rica should cruise through, and Mexico should have its way as well. As for the U.S., it will face Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Panama in arguably the most difficult group.

The Americans should progress, but having failed to qualify for the most recent World Cup, nothing can be taken for granted.

Here's how the entire draw shakes out.

GROUP A

Mexico

Mexico enters the tournament as heavy favorites, though El Tri is on the more difficult side of the bracket that includes Costa Rica. As always, being the favorite comes with pressure, though new manager Tata Martino's experience with Argentina -- and Barcelona -- makes him plenty familiar with high expectations.

Mexico's schedule:

• June 15 vs. Cuba at the Rose Bowl; Pasadena, California

• June 19 vs. Canada at Broncos Stadium at Mile High; Denver

• June 23 vs. Martinique at Bank of America Stadium; Charlotte, North Carolina

Canada

Long the region's sleeping giant, Canada could be on the brink of playing a more prominent role in the Gold Cup. The ageless Atiba Hutchinson still marshals the midfield for the Reds, but young players like LAFC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye and Bayern Munich attacker Alphonso Davies could lead John Herdman's side to brighter days.

Martinique

Anyone who thinks Martinique is a pushover need only look back to the last edition of the tournament, when Les Matinino gave the U.S. all it could handle before falling 3-2. Martinique also impressed in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying with a perfect record. Kevin Parsemain, who scored both goals against the U.S. two years ago, remains the team's go-to striker, with Seattle Sounders defender Jordy Delem another familiar name.

Cuba

The Lions of the Caribbean have produced some impressive players during its history -- current Minnesota United midfielder Ozzie Alonso among them -- though defections have thinned their ranks. In 2019, only a 2-1 loss to Haiti marred Cuba's record, with Yordan Santa Cruz's goals proving crucial to the team's Gold Cup qualification effort.

Game you won't want to miss: Mexico vs. Canada

Canada looks to be a team on the up. That sentiment will be tested in the June 19 encounter with El Tri. Both teams will be eager to avoid a quarterfinal encounter with likely Group B winners Costa Rica.

Who will advance?

Mexico and Canada ought to have little trouble progressing.

GROUP B

Costa Rica

The generation that featured Bryan Ruiz and Celso Borges has passed the dreaded age of 30, but they still have some fuel in the tank, and new manager Gustavo Matosas has other talent at his disposal, including forward Joel Campbell as well as FC Cincinnati midfielder Allan Cruz. The Ticos likely will have to get past Mexico if they are to reach the final for the first time since 2002.

Haiti

If the recent qualifying phase for the CONCACAF Nations League is anything to go by, times may be changing for the better for Haiti. Les Grenadiers won all four of its games and finished in top spot, edging Canada on the goals-scored tiebreaker. MLS fans will recognize New York Red Bulls midfielder Derrick Etienne Jr., with St. Mirren striker Duckens Nazon another player to watch.

Nicaragua

The Blue and Whites have qualified for the Gold Cup for the second tournament running, and given the relative weakness of the group, a spot in the knockout rounds is certainly possible. Juan Barrera, who plies his trade in Guatemala with Municipal, paced Nicaragua's qualifying effort with five goals.

Bermuda

Gombey Warriors will be making their inaugural appearance at the Gold Cup after finishing fifth in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying. Former New York Red Bull and current Charleston Battery midfielder Zeiko Lewis and Queens Park Rangers forward Nahki Wells are the most recognizable names in manager Kyle Lightbourne's squad.

Game you won't want to miss: Haiti vs. Nicaragua

The battle for second place in the group is wide open, and this match between will go far in determining who claims it.

Who will advance?

Costa Rica is winning this group, no problem. What's tougher predict is who will finish second, though Haiti is likely to advance.

GROUP C

Honduras

Having fallen short of the 2018 World Cup after a playoff loss to Australia, Los Catrachos have some rebuilding to do. New manager Fabian Coito joins after considerable time spent managing Uruguay's youth national teams, and the hope is that experience will come in handy in a side led by the Houston Dynamo trio of Maynor Figueroa, Alberth Elis, and Rommel Quioto.

Jamaica

No team has been as wildly inconsistent within CONCACAF as the Reggae Boyz. Jamaica has reached the last two Gold Cup finals, but has been unable to translate that success into recent World Cup qualifying efforts, falling in the semifinal round during the 2018 cycle. Manager Theodore Whitmore can draw on a squad full of names familiar to MLS fans, including Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake, New York Red Bulls defender Kemar Lawrence, and FC Cincinnati forward Darren Mattocks.

El Salvador

Los Cuscatlecos claimed the last qualifying spot, edging out Montserrat on goal differential. El Salvador is still feeling the effects from the damage done by a match-fixing scandal in 2013, but it did manage to reach the Gold Cup quarterfinals in 2017, where it fell to the U.S. 2-0. Oscar Ceren's goals helped lead El Salvador in qualifying, and brother Darwin of the Houston Dynamo is another notable player.

Curacao

The reigning Caribbean Cup champions, Curacao makes its second consecutive appearance at the Gold Cup after exiting the in the group stage in 2017. While the island nation boasts just 160,000 inhabitants, the team makes liberal use of its Dutch connections, including player/manager Cuco Martina, currently on loan with Feyenoord.

Game you won't want to miss: Honduras vs. El Salvador

Honduras and El Salvador engaged in the so-called Soccer War in 1969, though the conflict's roots ran much deeper than mere soccer matches. A peace treaty was signed in 1980, and the two sides have played each other numerous times since then, but the competition between the two neighbors is always intense.

Who will advance?

Jamaica's recent history in the Gold Cup has been positive, so look for the Reggae Boyz to join Honduras in the quarterfinals.

GROUP D

United States

The World Cup qualifying failure still weighs heavy, so there will pressure on this U.S. side to show that it has moved on. New manager Gregg Berhalter will get a taste of tournament intensity for the first time, as will a new generation of players, at least at senior level. And while results matter, observers will be just as concerned with how the team plays.

U.S. schedule:

• June 18 vs. Guyana at Allianz Field; St. Paul, Minnesota

• June 22 vs. Trinidad & Tobago at FirstEnergy Stadium; Cleveland

• June 26 vs. Panama at Children's Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas

Guyana

Guyana is another side making its Gold Cup debut following its seventh-place finish among 34 countries in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying. The team is led by Philadelphia Union midfielder Warren Creavalle and FC Cincinnati forward Emery Welshman (currently on loan with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC).

Panama

Los Canaleros' maiden voyage at the World Cup is now history. Manager Hernan Dario Gomez has departed, with former head coach Julio Dely Valdez returning on a temporary basis. With many in the aging squad having retired from international soccer, Valdez will be looking to the next generation.

Trinidad & Tobago

T&T will forever be remembered as the team that denied the U.S. a spot in the 2018 World Cup, but manager Dennis Lawrence is trying to construct a side that can do better than finishing at the bottom of the Hex. He has some experienced players in midfielder Khaleem Hyland and Daneil Cyrus, as well as former Seattle Sounders defender Joevin Jones.

Game you won't want to miss: U.S. vs. Trinidad & Tobago

The Americans' tilt with Panama likely will decide the group, but no other game will be as fraught with emotion as the match against T&T. A victory won't amount to revenge -- there's only one place where that can happen -- but the U.S. will have a point to prove.

Who will advance?

The U.S. and Panama are the favorites to progress, and a rematch in the semifinals is certainly possible.

The Champions League quarterfinals produced four patient but entertaining first legs that ended with four different scorelines: 1-0, 2-0, 1-1, 0-1. Here are four talking points from the four contests played this week...

Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City: Guardiola's UCL approach prompts more questions

We're no longer surprised when Pep Guardiola names a starting XI that doesn't quite make sense on paper -- but too often in Champions League away legs, it doesn't make sense on the pitch either.

On Tuesday, Guardiola surprisingly omitted Kevin De Bruyne, only summoning him from the bench with a couple of minutes remaining. He also left out John Stones, and City looked extremely nervous when attempting to play the ball out from defence. Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez started ahead of Leroy Sane despite enduring a difficult couple of months. It was hard to see any logic behind the selections.

- Ogden: Spurs prove they can win without Kane

City were meek throughout. Things might have been different had Sergio Aguero converted his first-half penalty, but even that arose from a charitable VAR decision, and wasn't an outright chance that City had manufactured. They enjoyed plenty of possession, but the majority of it came in deep positions, with no one progressing the ball into the final third.

Guardiola has now heaped pressure on himself ahead of next week's second leg, where his starting XI will be even more heavily scrutinised. It seems remarkable to say this about a manager who won this trophy in two of his first three attempts, but if City are eliminated next week, it will be seven Champions League campaigns in a row for Guardiola without reaching the final, despite consistently coaching one of the favourites. It would only be right to question his approach to knockout ties, particularly in terms of tactics.

Liverpool 2-0 Porto: Conceicao's surprise system leaves midfield undermanned

Having switched between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 for most of the campaign, it was a surprise to see Porto play with a three-man defence at Anfield. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that it came as a complete surprise to him; having scouted several Porto matches, not once had they deployed that system.

Sergio Conceicao faced a barrage of questions in his postmatch news conference about the change in shape, from Portuguese journalists who seemingly found the system too defensive. The formation is generally considered 3-4-3 in attack but 5-4-1 in defence, although for long periods Porto's shape appeared somewhere in-between: 5-2-3. The wing-backs retreated quickly into a back five, but Porto's front three had little interest in tracking back when Liverpool bisected their press, which left them undermanned in midfield.

- Cox: Liverpool's new trio key to trophy hopes

Liverpool exploited this weakness well. With a new-look midfield of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita -- the first time they've started together in a 4-3-3 -- Liverpool retained the ball in the centre of the pitch well, switching play between the channels, and working Porto's trio of Danilo and Oliver Torres hard. Torres, in particular, endured a difficult game.

Liverpool's goals were well-worked, the first after Keita pushed forward to the edge of the box and his deflected shot looped in off Torres, and the second after Henderson's disguised pass released Trent Alexander-Arnold and his ball across the face was converted by Roberto Firmino. Losing 2-0 isn't a disaster for Porto, and they had some chances, but you suspect Porto will return to a back four next week.

Ajax 1-1 Juventus: Van de Beek keeps Pjanic quiet

Before his side's contest with Juventus, Ajax manager Erik ten Hag refused to entertain any questions about how he would look to cope with Juve's individuals. The key, he said, was keeping possession. For as long as they did that, they wouldn't have to worry about Juve's attacking threat. It was an answer straight out of the Ajax playbook.

Yet of course, it doesn't entirely make sense; you can have possession for 90 percent of the game, but you've still got to plan for the other 10 percent. Ajax were equally impressive without possession, with Ten Hag effectively asking his players to man-mark in midfield. Frenkie de Jong dealt with Rodrigo Bentancur, and Lasse Schone watched Blaise Matuidi.

But the most impressive marking job was performed by Donny van de Beek, who pushed up on to Miralem Pjanic, followed him across the pitch throughout the game, and constricted Juve's key deep-lying playmaker. The Bianconeri instead were forced to hold on to the ball for long periods in defence without progressing it over the halfway line.

- Horncastle: Ajax show signs they have another shock in them

What was most impressive, though, was that Van de Beek offered something going the other way. The problem with man-marking when out of possession is that you find yourself close to your opponent at turnovers, but Van de Beek's spatial awareness and good forward running meant he continually found himself in good positions as Ajax attacked, and he narrowly curled the ball wide with the game still goalless in the first half.

The game's telling moment came in the second half, when Ajax launched a break, and Pjanic tried -- and failed -- to take out Van de Beek with a cynical foul on the break. Pjanic, and Juve, had been rattled by Ajax's youth, mobility and tactical intelligence.

Manchester United 0-1 Barcelona: Solskjaer's formation falls short

Setting up a team to shut down Lionel Messi is a thankless task, especially considering the limitations of Manchester United's defence. But, having constantly preached about playing "The United Way" and insisting upon attack-minded football, it was something of a surprise to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer change formation for the visit of Ernesto Valverde's side, moving to a 5-3-2 formation.

It was especially surprising because this meant re-deploying Luke Shaw as a left-sided centre-back, a week after the experiment with Ashley Young as a right-sided centre-back away at Wolves ended in a red card and a United defeat. It's become increasingly common to see full-backs tucking inside to play as part of a three-man defence: Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta did it brilliantly under Antonio Conte, and Kyle Walker made the shift well for England at last summer's World Cup. Shaw, however, looked desperately uncomfortable.

- Ogden: United can still beat Barca if they dump Lukaku

Shaw was slightly unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net for Barcelona's opener, after Luis Suarez's header across goal deflected off his shoulder and bounced in, but Shaw had lost Messi in the build-up to the goal, allowing the Argentine to collect Sergio Busquets' chip over the top and then cross.

Things didn't particularly improve afterwards. He lost Suarez midway through the second half, when the Uruguayan should have done better than thumping the ball into the side-netting. A first-half booking, meanwhile, means Shaw will be unavailable for the second leg, which might be a blessing in disguise for United, if it convinces Solskjaer to name a less cautious system. Having not managed a shot on target in the first leg, it's not simply about trying to turn the tie around for United, but also about proving their attacking intent.

Former West Indies batsman Xavier Marshall has been named in USA's 14-man squad for ICC World Cricket League Division Two, which starts later this month in Namibia, where USA will strive to obtain ODI status for the first time in their history.

Marshall first played for USA in January last year in the West Indies Regional Super50 tournament. But after managing just 137 runs in eight innings he was dropped in the summer, due, in part, to his partial absence from a squad trial in New York last June.

However, the 33-year-old Marshall made the most of a second chance with the side after being recalled last month for their tour of the UAE. He was in USA's starting XI for their maiden T20 international against the UAE, becoming the seventh player to take the field for two different countries in T20Is . After a slow start, he ended the tour as the side's leading scorer with 424 runs in nine innings, including a best of 170 against a UAE Developmental XI. He also scored three half-centuries, including 75 in USA's six-wicket win over Lancashire on the tour.

The fitness cloud over Barbados-contracted batsman Aaron Jones has also disappeared after he was named in USA's squad. Jones also played a key role in the win over Lancashire on tour by top-scoring with an unbeaten 84 but missed USA's last two matches against the UAE as a precautionary measure after retiring hurt with a left-knee injury against a UAE Developmental XI on March 24.

Though he was not named in the official 14-man squad, USA is expected to take 20-year-old Karima Gore as a traveling reserve to Namibia. Gore, a left-arm spinning allrounder, played three matches in Dubai last month and took four wickets with a team-best 3.51 economy rate on tour.

USA's squad will gather in North Carolina before departing at the end of the week for a brief acclimatization tour in South Africa. Their first match at WCL Division Two in Namibia is on April 20 against Oman before playing four more round-robin matches against Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong and Canada.

The top four of the six teams in the event will secure ODI status with a guaranteed 36 ODIs through 2021 as part of the new Cricket World Cup League Two alongside Nepal, Scotland and UAE. The bottom-two finishers in Namibia will drop into Cricket World Cup Challenge League A and B, which is set to replace the World Cricket League 50-over World Cup qualifying pathway structure for Associates that has been in place since 2007.

USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (capt), Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Our correspondents bring you the latest gossip from the county circuit as the 2019 season gathers pace

It would have been perfectly understandable if Somerset members in the Long Room of Colin Atkinson pavilion had wanted to celebrate their county's first victory of the season on Monday by buying a cider at the bar.

But if current plans go ahead, those supporters who want to enjoy a home-made pasty with their pint may find their collars felt by a West Country gauleiter.

Somerset's chief executive Andrew Cornish announced at a forum on Saturday evening that an executive decision had been taken that members would no longer be allowed to consume their own food or wine in the Long Room.

Not surprisingly, this diktat has not gone down well. It would seem that any profit made by the club's catering outlets as a result of the move will not outweigh the ill-feeling caused among loyal members who have already paid top-whack subscriptions.

Apparently Cornish is consulting the members about the decision, but if it is enforced, it looks like another example of cricket loading both barrels and taking careful aim at its foot. The other, more ironic consequence, of course, is that the only pasties available in Somerset's pavilion will have to receive Cornish approval.

***

Lancashire supporters arriving at Emirates Old Trafford for next Wednesday's Royal London Cup tie against Worcestershire may notice a familiar voice on the public address.

The long-serving Matt Proctor retired last September and has been succeeded by John Gwynne, who will be most familiar to younger sports fans as one of Sky's football reporters or as a darts commentator.

However, Gwynne has needed little persuasion to return to Old Trafford as often as possible in recent years. Since he stopped being a cricket correspondent for the BBC in the North West, he has become well-known as an MC or interviewer at benefit dinners and he now has the prospect of spending his summer at Manchester, Liverpool and Sedbergh.

Only one question remains: will Gwynne be able to conceal his full-throated ecstasy if a batsman is dismissed for … one hundred and eighteeeeeee?

***

The County Championship might be under permanent threat but at least it has entered the 21st century in terms of WiFi availability.

All 18 counties now offer WiFi on their grounds thanks to a tie-up with Sky. We tested it at Trent Bridge last week and it was surprisingly fast - perhaps because not everybody has cottoned on to its existence.

Just what you need to ensure you can message your thoughts to our County Cricket Live blog without using up your data allowance too quickly.

We couldn't help a snigger or two at the incorrigible optimist Paul Nixon as he assessed Leicestershire's chances on the eve of the season.

Nine players out, four in suggested a tough season ahead for the Foxes but Nixon overflowed with praise for Leicestershire's prospects and, in particular, their new signing from Derbyshire, the seam bowler Tom Taylor.

"Could be in contention for an England Lions trip by the end of the season," said Nixon, so impressed was he by Taylor's winter improvement.

It appears we laughed too soon. Taylor took career-best stats of 10 for 122, promotion hopefuls Sussex were beaten at Hove and Nixon's optimism was vindicated.

***

Perhaps the most surprising sight at Lancashire's Media Day was to see Matt Parkinson virtually fully recovered less than a fortnight after being struck an horrific blow on the jaw by Surrey's Mark Stoneman during a T10 Festival at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Parkinson, a 22-year-old leg-spinner who has been tipped to get an England call-up, was taken straight to hospital in Dubai where scans revealed no broken bones and the deep lacerations in his jaw were repaired by a plastic surgeon.

Merely to escape with nothing more than stitches from such a life-threatening incident seems faintly miraculous but Parkinson is clearly made of stern stuff. And the astonishment at his availability was not confined to the media. "That ball couldn't have been hit any harder," said head coach, Glen Chapple.

***

In addition to the new players and refreshed ambitions on parade at Trent Bridge, this most splendid of county grounds is showing off another elegant architectural addition in the shape of the two-tier upwards extension of the central section of the Radcliffe Road stand.

The project, which began in 2017, is now finished, providing extra broadcasting suites and hospitality areas, plus a swish new restaurant, under a stylish curved roof.

Nottinghamshire have hired a Michelin-starred chef, Nottingham-born Tom Sellars, to ensure that the new eatery, which has been named Six, meets the highest standards of contemporary fine dining. (Sadly, he won't be supplying the press lunches, although that's not to say the first-floor dining room doesn't look after us very nicely).

Diners who do plan to eat there will need patience and deep pockets. Already, more than 2,000 foodies interested in such offerings as gin-cured chalk stream trout with cucumber and oyster emulsion, Packington chicken with asparagus, morels and wild garlic, or native lobster with lobster bisque and lovage, have been added to a priority booking list for the 40-seat restaurant. Last Friday and Saturday's sampling menus were fully booked at £150 per head.

***

The ECB network correspondents are grumbling because they were asked for a letter of assignation before being issued with their press accreditation for the new season … even though their employer is the ECB.

After a memorable three-run win over Zimbabwe ended the host nation's 2019 World Cup dreams at last year's qualifying tournament, UAE entered the four-match ODI tour this week with hopes of replicating the feat across an entire series rather than just a one-off encounter.

That goal got off to a bumpy start on Wednesday in Harare as Zimbabwe crushed UAE by seven wickets in a one-sided match. UAE coach Dougie Brown gave credit to Zimbabwe's seam attack led by Kyle Jarvis and Man-of-the-Match Tendai Chatara for exploiting bowler-friendly conditions after UAE lost a crucial toss.

"We lost the toss and got sent in on a pitch that had been covered after having heavy rain only yesterday," Brown told ESPNcricinfo after the match. "So it was really juicy, really moist bowling conditions. They bowled exceptionally well to be honest. The ball seamed and it bounced. When the spinners bowled, it spun as well, but it stuck and it made scoring really difficult.

"That said, we've still got to find a way if we do lose the toss to try and post a total that's defendable. 200 may be defendable, but when you get bowled out for 110, you're always against it."

While UAE's lower order battled to stretch the innings out into the 45th over after they had been reduced to 42 for 6 in 23 overs, their final score of 110 wasn't remotely competitive as Zimbabwe cruised to the target in just 23.1 overs. Brown said that although his bowlers showed heart, conditions had changed dramatically by the time Zimbabwe came out to bat.

"You need early wickets," Brown said. "We didn't quite get them although we bowled really well. But the pitch certainly changed over the course of the day with the sun out."

Brown said he hopes that with two matches now under their belt, including a warm-up victory over a Zimbabwe Chairman's XI prior to the first ODI, he believes UAE will soak up the lessons learned in foreign conditions to put in a stronger showing in the second ODI on Friday.

"It's a four-match series and we'll bounce back strong," Brown said. "Hopefully we'll start to address what didn't quite go right today and make some plans and try to put them in place for the game on Friday."

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Joe Pavelski's face was numb, but his spirits were high. The Sharks' captain opened the scoring in Game 1 of San Jose's series against the Vegas Golden Knights with a goal that sparked the Sharks to an emphatic 5-2 victory on Wednesday night. But with the goal came some self-sacrifice -- namely a few of Pavelski's teeth, as a Brent Burns shot bounced off his jaw and behind goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

"I feel all right," said Pavelski after the game, his chin and bottom lip swelled over, blood visible on his bottom row of teeth. "But enough with the dental questions."

At 14:42 of the first period, Pavelski was in his usual spot in front of the opponent's crease.

"I saw Burnsy had it. Sometimes, there's a shot. Sometimes, there's not. It kinda looked like he was trying to release it, and I didn't even see it come off his stick," he said.

Was this the most painful goal Pavelski ever scored?

"Yeah, I suppose," he said. "It didn't feel good."

Pavelski knew he had lost a few teeth as he skated off to the Sharks' trainers room, the crowd cheering loudly for the goal he scored off his face. He would enter the NHL's concussion protocol and have his wounds stitched up, but Pavelski was never worried about having to leave the game.

"You know, I think I knew right away. On my way to the bench, I knew I would be OK," he said.

He missed the first moments of the second period but skated back out wearing a large, plastic chin guard on his helmet. It might have seemed like an emotional moment from the outside, but his teammates expected nothing less.

"We were pretty confident that he shakes off those kinds of things. He's a leader. He does everything for the team," Sharks forward Timo Meier said.

Nor did the Sharks believe Pavelski would shy away from going right back to the front of the net.

"It takes some balls to get in the paint again," Sharks forward Evander Kane said.

Pavelski took regular shifts in skating 16:52 for the game, helping the Sharks take a 1-0 series lead.

"Tough as nails," coach Peter DeBoer said. "You take a puck to the face like that. Doesn't go down. There's no other word for it. He's a warrior."

The warrior was due to become the patient either Wednesday night or Thursday morning, to get his teeth fixed and to ensure his jaw was in good shape. Whatever the damage, it was worth it.

"We like to play this game. It's playoff season. We want to play some playoff hockey. Something like that happens early and you just want to get back out there as soon as you can," Pavelski said.

"We earned that one. And that's a good feeling."