Talk » The lines and lengths he bowls are always attacking.

NEW YORK -- The WNBA has withdrawn its fines for teams and players who showed support of citizens and police involved in recent shootings by wearing black warm-up shirts before games.WNBA president Lisa Borders said in a statement Saturday that the league was rescinding penalties given to the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and their players for wearing the shirts during pregame protests, which began after shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.While we expect players to comply with league rules and uniform guidelines, we also understand their desire to use their platform to address important societal issues, Borders said. Given that the league will now be suspending play until August 26 for the Olympics, we plan to use this time to work with our players and their union on ways for the players to make their views known to their fans and the public.Borders also tweeted her support for the players.Each organization had been fined $5,000 and players were each given a $500 penalty because WNBA rules state that uniforms may not be altered in any way. The normal fine for uniform violations is $200.The fines seemed to galvanize the players, who have used postgame interview sessions and social media to voice their displeasure. There has also been public criticism of the fines, including from New York Knicks star?Carmelo Anthony.Its a huge win overall, said Fever All-Star Tamika Catchings, who is president of the players union. I think more than anything I told [Borders] at times youre going to agree to disagree. With this, Im really proud of the players standing strong and for utilizing their voices. Change starts with us. We have a social responsibility as well.The Rev. Al Sharpton said early Saturday that his organization, the National Action Network, would pay the $500 fines. He called the penalty unacceptable.The Liberty wore the plain black shirts four times, including Wednesday against Washington. Indiana and Phoenix donned the shirts Tuesday night before their nationally televised game.We commend Lisa Borders for recognizing how the players of the WNBA felt and the sensitive time that were living in and being willing to re-evaluate their decision,?Liberty president Isiah Thomas said. We are also very proud of our players; the world is seeing what we already knew. Theyre truly incredible, thoughtful and talented individuals. Our league, our partners and our society are better because of our players willingness to enter the political and social activism arena.The fines were administered Wednesday, and neither the Fever nor the Liberty wore the shirts at their matinee game Thursday. Tina Charles did wear her warm-up shirt inside-out in honor of a shooting in Florida that morning.Charles said she was happy that the league rescinded the fines. She has donated her entire salary this year to her charity -- Hopeys Heart Foundation -- so the withdrawn fine means more money that will help buy automated external defibrillators.Still, she said it was embarrassing that the players had been fined in the first place.The only good thing that came out of it is that the 70 percent of the WNBA that are African-Americans are protected when the jerseys are on. We are united with police officers, she said. When we take off our jerseys and we are out there, we could be next.We were able to show our voice. People responding to me said you gained a fan, not because of what I do on the court, but the act I did. We have followers now because of who we are, not what we do.WNBA teams abided by the uniform rule Friday -- the final day of games before the monthlong Olympic break. Washington Mystics players had shirts saying Black Lives Matters in the locker room after their game Friday night. Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx players tweeted pictures of their teams wearing black shirts featuring a Martin Luther King Jr. quote before their game. To avoid getting fined, they didnt wear those shirts on the court.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Blues Jerseys 2020 . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Wholesale Blues Jerseys .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. 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Anil Kumble, Indias new head coach, has said he will back Virat Kohlis aggression and desire to push boundaries to secure wins. He also said India would approach tough situations positively during the long season, which starts with a four-Test series in the West Indies.I love his aggression. I was no different, Kumble said at the teams pre-departure press conference in Bangalore. I was also aggressive, but very different in terms of how I probably came across on the field. Ill be the last person to curb someones natural instincts, but of course we all know how important it is to be ambassadors of India and be a part of the Indian cricket team. That everybody in the team understands. There is a fine line and we will ensure that everybody knows that. I certainly wont curb anyones instincts.Kohli, a picture of composure, wore a sheepish smile as talk of his over aggression did the rounds, but insisted that Indias mindset change wasnt one-off, and that it was something they planned when he took over the reins of the Test team in January 2015.Our first intention is to win - that wont change, he said. Yes, there have been situations from where weve lost, but we know we were in that position because of the positive brand of cricket that we played. The reference, clearly not lost on anyone, was the Adelaide Test in December 2014, which India lost trying to chase down 364 on the final day.We need to realise we got there in the first place because we played at 80%, so the focus is on the remaining 20%. Anil bhais mindset was the same during his playing days, so the mindset makes a difference. If you are hesitant, you dont explore a different side to your ability as a team. Our motive is the same. We will play with the same mindset of trying to win the series and not just being satisfied with solitary Test wins.As a follow-up, Kohli was asked about Test rankings, which he said were merely a byproduct of consistent cricket, and not the teams primary aim. High standards have different definitions, he said. The main goal is to play good cricket. Even if were No. 1 and someone else does better, theres a chance they can overtake you. So thats not our aim. The season is long, and were playing the same format over a length of time. So theres an opportunity to use this stretch to challenge ourselves. That will give us a chance to assess ourselves and will determine how we play Test cricket over the next few years.Where Kohli felt the team had benefited most during the week-long camp in Bangalore was in the players personal interactions with Kumble and the manner in which he may have broken down barriers within the group.We havent had too many camps before, but I feel theres already a lot that the team has bennefited from, Kohli said.dddddddddddd If you have experience of facing different situations in the past, you are better equipped. Understanding of skills and understanding of mindset are two different things. Mindset cant be taught, but it comes only when you have faced tough situations, and thats one big difference.The information weve got from him about mental adjustments needed to win has been a big boost. Hes been more than willing to speak to everyone equally - the pacers, spinners, batsmen - and address their concerns. Theres an emotional connect with the coach, no doubt, but its about how he makes the players feel comfortable. Thats what I believe.Anil bhai has all those qualities in abundance. Theres huge respect within the group for what hes achieved and also because hes been Test captain. He understands that and makes them comfortable, so I feel the combination has settled in beautifully. Hes been involved with the players in some way or the other throughout.Kohli brushed aside concerns over an elbow injury sustained by R Ashwin while batting during the camp, saying he had only suffered a bruise.When asked about Mohammed Shamis return to the Test side for the first time since recovering from a long-term knee injury, Kohli enthused about his ability to generate reverse-swing. The skill was on display on his debut against West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where he returned match figures of 9 for 118 - the best figures by an Indian fast bowler on Test debut.Shami is a skillful guy, we all know that. The way he bowls, the way he releases the ball, pitches the ball, its more or less perfect for Test cricket, Kohli said. The lines and lengths he bowls are always attacking. The best thing is when its seaming and swinging, he can bowl conventional lines and lengths. If its reverse-swinging, he knows exactly where to bring in the ball from. He has a great sense and feel of how to get batsmen out. We have been working with him on the mental strength aspect of his game. More consistency is something we push for him.Hes eager to prove himself and come back after injury. Weve seen when West Indies came to India in 2013, how he brought out his reverse-swing skills. Even in Adelaide in one of the sessions he brought us back into the game with two wickets. So hes always someone on whom we can bank in terms of picking wickets. In short bursts, if you want a good attacking spell, Shami can deliver that for you. Hes got pace, a great bouncer - so hes someone we always back because he knows he can take two-three wickets for us at any stage. Im glad to have him back. ' ' '