It was a bit of a job trying to explain R Ashwin was the worlds No. 1 bowler.Fifty-six overs for two measly wickets in Rajkot. How could he do this? That too at the start of a marquee series. Against an opponent who was supposed to read spin bowlers about as well as a toddler reads hieroglyphs. Clearly, this Test has been nothing short of a big smiley face sticking its tongue out at every prediction anyone has ever made about it. England are on top, if you didnt know.So maybe it wasnt surprising that after getting no reward with the ball, Ashwin scored a chanceless, effortless half-century after Indias situation had got as dicey as it ever had in the four days of play so far.Still, he could at least have thrown his bat around and got a few nicks over the slips and third man. Nope. Middled pretty much everything. Played beautiful little late cuts and cover drove like a champion.On the fourth day, the one Indian batsman averaging over 50 misjudged length, hit across the line and was bowled. Another trod onto his stumps. With five and a half sessions left, and a lead of 176 still intact, England had gained a substantial opening. Except, Ashwin stood in the way. Probably just to spite them. Or maybe it was to haul his team out of trouble. You decide whats more plausible.The hallmark of a batsman, it has long been said, is how much time he has to play his shots. The slowness of the pitch lent Ashwin a hand, but the ease with which he was picking good-length balls and manoeuvring them into gaps either side of the pitch was just too much. Sure, his stance is like VVS Laxmans. And yes, some of their shots are similar too. The running, definitely. Now he has gone and taken up the role as the rearguard specialist too?India wouldnt have won in St Lucia without Ashwin the batsman. He made 118 off 297 balls having come in at 87 for 4. They may yet lose in Rajkot but his 70 off 139 meant that might only happen if Englands bowlers can take 10 wickets in two sessions or so. Considering it has taken four days for the teams to bowl each other out, and with the turn expected of the pitch arriving to the party subdued and fashionably late, India have a good chance of keeping the series level despite trailing for most of it so far.Ashwin showed the magic in his hands every time he played the late cut. He also did the one thing that is inextricably associated with a pure batsman: farming the strike.India lost their ninth wicket in the 156th over. England needed six more overs to bowl them out because Ashwin kept finding a single off the last two balls of an over to make sure he was on strike for the next one. He would exploit Rashids drift by coming down the track and taking the ball on the full to find a single at long-on. He met wide yorkers from Ben Stokes with the open face and steered the ball behind point. He left Mohammed Shami with at best two balls per over.Ashwin was caught on the midwicket boundary going for a six off the last ball of the 162nd over. The field was brought up and offspinner Moeen Ali was bowling around the wicket, cramping him up and reducing the chances of working the ball into a gap. He saw the ball was tossed up, he realised runs were on offer, he backed himself to clear the fielder and he went for it. Hmmm. Thats about as batsman-y as it gets.I really shouldve known better and introduced Ashwin as the worlds No. 1 allrounder averaging 47 in Tests in 2016, a series-defining hundred included. Lance Alworth Womens Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Easton Stick Chargers Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.chargersauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-nasir-adderley-jersey.html . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Nasir Adderley Womens Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Melvin Gordon III Womens Jersey . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. HOUSTON -- Daryl Macon scored a career-high 23 points, and Arkansas fought off Texas for its sixth straight win, 77-74, Saturday.Macon, whose previous career high was 17 against Houston on Dec. 6, was 14 of 14 from the free-throw line to lead the Razorbacks, who made 29 of 31 free throws.It was a game of runs, and I thought we did a good job of getting to the free-throw line and making those free throws, Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said.Dusty Hannahs added 15 points and Jaylen Barford had 11 points for Arkansas (9-1), which won nine of its first ten games for the second time in the last seven years.This showed we are growing still, Hannahs said. We have a lot of work to do. We are at a B, but we want to get to an A-plus.Tevin Mack had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Andrew Jones added 17 points and Kerwin Roach, Jr., had 12 points for the Longhorns (5-5), who shot 19 of 32 from the free-throw line. Jarrett Allen had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Texas.Trailing by nine, the Longhorns used a 9-2 spurt to cut the lead to 73-71 with 41 seconds left on a Jones free throw. But Arlando Cook hit two free throws with 38 seconds remaining, and Roach missed a layup on the other end before Macon hit two free throws to push the lead to six.It went to the last possession, and defense had to finish it off for us, Anderson said. I thought in the second half we got into a much better rhythm, and we got the game going up and down the court.Mack nailed a 3 with 16 seconds left to cut the Razorbacks lead to three, and Texas forced an Arkansas turnover onn the inbounds, but Roachs 3-pointer at the buzzer was short.ddddddddddddWe tried to run a play for a 3 for Tevin, Texas coach Shaka Smart said. Arkansas did a good job of defending. We tried to get him the ball, but he wasnt open. Our guys moved the ball. We werent able to get a good look.Texas took a 35-30 lead into halftime led by eight points apiece from Mack and Jones.TAKEAWAYSArkansas: The Razorbacks overcame sluggish shooting in the first half, hitting 27 percent from the field, including 1 of 9 from behind the arc. Arkansas shot 46 percent in the second half. The Razorbacks got their first win over a Power 5 conference team this season.Texas: The Longhorns continued to struggle on the road this season, falling to 0-4 away from Austin. Texas played good defense, forcing the Razorbacks into 36 percent shooting, but the Longhorns got four points from their bench.HE SAID ITTheres no excuses. Either you win or you lose. Even when you win and even when you lose, there are certain components of the process that you feel good about or feel like you have do better. We are always going to try to do better. -- Texas Smart about using youth as an excuse for losses.UP NEXTArkansas: Hosts North Dakota State on Tuesday and Sam Houston State on Thursday before starting SEC play against Florida on Dec. 29.Texas: Hosts UAB on Wednesday and Kent State on Dec. 27 before starting Big 12 play Dec. 30 at Kansas State. ' ' '