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At a time when Australias batsmen are mired in a damaging pattern of failures, Joe Burns has returned to the Test fold with confidence derived from breaking out of his own.Until the first round of this seasons Sheffield Shield, Burns had an almost comically poor record in matches involving a pink ball. The inaugural day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval offered up scores of 14 and 11. That followed a similarly underwhelming run in floodlit Shield matches, despite Burns making extra efforts to learn - he did his own extra training against a pink ball away from the Australian side.After two poor Test matches in Sri Lanka against the spinning red ball, Burns was cast out of the national side. But, when his stocks seemed lowest, Burns was able to find a way against the pink ball. His well-struck hundred for Queensland at the Gabba against New South Wales, against an attack featuring Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood no less, means Burns will bring a much more positive vibe to Hobart than he might otherwise have.I guess it was a nice experience to make runs against the pink ball, in particular because theres a [day-night] Test match in Brisbane, Burns said. Obviously, thats a long way down the track from here, but I think as players, the more you play against the pink ball and the more confident you get against it as a batter, you certainly do feel more comfortable going into each pink-ball game.With the pink ball, the games played a little bit differently to the red ball, so just those experiences as a batter - where you can look to make your runs, where youve got to be a bit more cautions and the way the game ebbs and flows. In Brisbane anyway, its certainly a lot different from red to pink ball.The duel with the Blues was willing and vocal, placing Burns in a decent frame of mind to face South Africa at Bellerive Oval from Saturday as the replacement opener for Shaun Marsh. There was a bit of banter there, which is fantastic. You want to see guys playing the same way for their stats as you do for your country, he said. And I guess thats a strength of the Shield competition, so it was a very enjoyable challenge.When those boys are up and firing, it certainly spurs you on to bigger heights, and it was very satisfying to make some runs in that game. One of the things that you look back on and feel confident in, and know that youre hitting the ball really well against good opposition, and then, hopefully, carry that into a Test match against South Africa. But in saying that, its a new set of bowlers, new conditions, and you still have to prepare as best you can for this Test match.Burns said he learned a lot from the experience of losing his place in Sri Lanka, a perspective that will also be relevant entering a team that has just lost the first Test of a home summer for the first time in 28 years. Sri Lanka was my first Test loss and first series loss, so it was a tough tour, Burns said. It was tough because I wasnt making runs personally as well. But I guess thats part of the challenge of cricket, part of the challenge of playing for Australia.You always want to be making runs. You always want to be winning cricket games for your country, so you do everything you can to turn it around and try and get back to winning those matches. I think the experience within the group, weve had a lot of a success as a team and as individuals that theres no doubt we can turn it around.We just have to prepare well, go out and take up the challenge in that second Test match. Weve got no doubt we can certainly turn it around. Obviously, a lot of hard work will go into it, but, certainly, very confident going into the rest of the series.Vitaly Potapenko Jersey . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Campy Russell Jersey .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. https://www.cheapcavaliers.com/992q-ron-harper-jersey-cavaliers.html . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Dajuan Wagner Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wesley Person Jersey . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan.MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier is having an historic season individually, but his accomplishments are getting overshadowed by his teams lack of success.In the first game of a Thursday doubleheader between Minnesota and the Detroit Tigers, Dozier set an American League record for most home runs by a second baseman. His first-inning homer was his 42nd home run of the year and 40th as a second baseman.Dozier extended his hitting streak to 24 games in the early contest, tying him for the third-longest streak in Twins history. He also scored his 100th run, the third year in a row he reached that milestone.Those accomplishments occurred in a 9-2 loss, and he went 0-for-4 to see his streak end during a 4-2 defeat in the nightcap.The Twins slipped to a major-league-worst 55-98 as they close in on their first 100-loss season since 1982.Its unfortunate for him that he hasnt been able to celebrate a lot of those home runs with the losses, said Twins manager Paul Molitor.As a team, the Twins dont have much to play for in the final stretch of the season -- other than possibly spoiling other teams playoff hopes. That didnt happen this week against Detroit as the Tigers swept the three-game series against the Twins. Detroit (82-72) grabbed a half-game lead in the race for the second AL wild-card spot.Now the Twins host another team in the wild-card hunt. The Seattle Mariners (80-72) come to Target Field for a three-game series this weekend, and they reside two games back of the final playoff spot.However, between the Tigers and the Tigers are two other teams. The Baltimore Orioles (82-71) are a half-game out, and the Houston Astros (81-72) are 1 1/2 games back.Were not dead, Seattle manager Scott Servais ssaid.dddddddddddd. We need help. And we need to play good ball in Minnesota. Thats a team I dont take lightly. They handed us our lunch here (in Seattle) earlier in the year. Theyve got a lot of young players that play loose and free, and thats how weve got to play.Mariners center fielder Leonys Martin told MLB.com, We go to the road now, and we play good on the road. We just have to keep fighting and keep believing. Weve got a chance. All September has been like the playoffs for us. Well just keep playing and believing. Thats the only way were going to make it.For a Twins roster laden with lots of young and inexperienced players, facing yet another team playing for its playoff life could serve as a teaching moment.Through all this, you try to find ways to be optimistic and find something to grab a hold of and observe each and every game, especially with the youth that we have, Dozier said. This time of year, you can see it, especially the veterans. They do the little things right 100 percent of the time in order to win games. I hope (the youngsters are) observing this, a lot of people in here.The series begins Friday with Mariners left-hander James Paxton (4-7, 3.88 ERA) opposing Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson (6-10, 5.10 ERA).Paxton has just one win in his past eight starts, but he owns a respectable 3.51 ERA in that span. His lone career appearance against the Twins came last year, when he gave up one run in 4 2/3 innings.Gibson owns just one victory in his past six starts, compiling a 5.66 ERA in that stretch. In his career, he is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in five starts against the Mariners. ' ' '