Hendricks said Saturday before the Cubs 4-0 victory against Oakland.

Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Shafiq Stanikzai has presented an argument in favor of the proposal for two-tier Test cricket, saying the side deserves the opportunity to play Tests through their solid performances in the ICCs Intercontinental Cup first-class multi-day competition for Associates.We think that we are ready to play Test cricket and we have proven that, Stanikzai told ESPNcricinfo in a recent interview. Since we entered into the Intercontinental Cup arena, we were beaten only once. That was in the [2013] Intercontinental Cup final where we got beaten by Ireland but thats the only loss we have in a four-day game or multi-day game.Afghanistan are currently in second place behind Ireland on the 2015-17 Intercontinental Cup table after four rounds, with three wins and a rain-marred draw against Scotland. Afghanistans overall record in the first-class competition is outstanding with 14 wins, one loss and four draws. Right from their debut in the competition - a high-scoring draw in which they claimed first-innings points against a Zimbabwe XI in 2009 - they have made an effort to demonstrate their versatility rather than be pigeonholed as a limited-overs specialist outfit.Nowhere was that more evident than in their victory against a then elite Canada outfit in 2010, who at the time were preparing to play their third successive ICC World Cup. Set a target of 494 to win in the fourth innings, Afghanistan recorded the ninth-best successful chase in first-class cricket history spearheaded by Mohammad Shahzads unbeaten 214. That win propelled them to a maiden Intercontinental Cup title later that year with a win over Scotland in the final. That victory also broke Irelands streak of three successive titles.Overall, Afghanistan have scored 400 or more in an innings six times and batted for more than 100 overs in an innings on 11 occasions in the Intercontinental Cup, showing their versatility. They have also shown adaptability to foreign conditions, notching victories in Scotland, Kenya, Canada, Namibia and twice in the Netherlands.Three of Afghanistans last six Intercontinental Cup wins have come by an innings margin, while the other three were by margins of ten wickets, eight wickets and 201 runs. Stanikzai says there is not much more for them to prove against Associate-level competition in multi-day cricket and they are eager for a chance to show their skills in a Test scenario.We have a real good package for every single format of the game, he said. If you have a look at the Afghanistan cricket team, we have almost a different squad for every single format. We have T20 specialists, we have ODI specialists, we have multi-day players, specialists not just in batting but in bowling as well. So we are carrying a different bunch of players in every single format we are playing.Stanikzais point is backed up by the fact that core players from their limited-overs squad - bowlers Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran and Rashid Khan, and batsmen Noor Ali Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Najibullah Zadran and Gulbadin Naib - were all absent from Afghanistans starting XI in their most recent Intercontinental Cup win over Netherlands. Afghanistan also has a domestic four-day competition since 2014, which features teams from five regions, although this has not yet been assigned first-class status.It means the talent is huge in Afghanistan and things have shaped up quite nicely and we have improved quite rapidly in the cricketing world, Stanikzai said. Afghanistan is a team that is ready to play Test cricket. We are just looking forward for this [two-tier] proposal to get passed by the ICC board. My stance and Afghanistan Cricket Boards stance is quite clear that we need more opportunities. 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He is coming off a shutout of the Miami Marlins and will try to continue his hot streak against the Oakland As on Sunday afternoon.Last season, his second in the big leagues, Hendricks went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA.I think I learned a lot from last year, the struggles I kind of went through, Hendricks said Saturday before the Cubs 4-0 victory against Oakland. I lost my mechanics a little bit. Kind of getting back into that. I learned a lot about myself. ... I was able to carry that through the offseason, came into spring and still felt good with it. Did a lot of work in spring just to make sure my mechanics were solid, ready for the year.There have been a lot of other changes. Im using my curveball a lot more this year, my four-seam fastball a lot more. Ive been pitching more. Im pitching inside better. Ive been doing a lot of different things.Cubs manager Joe Maddon pointed to Hendricks improved fastball command as the key reason for his turnaround.Hes always had it but not to the level or extent hes had it this year, Maddon said. And everything plays off of that. In addition to that, more curveballs recently and a little bit more four-seam fastball elevated, which I love. So I think hes kind of added in a subtle way some mixes to what hes doing that have benefited hhim, but primarily throwing his fastball for a strike.ddddddddddddHe gets a lot of takes, a lot of called strikes where the hitter is scratching his head but doesnt really argue with the umpire a whole lot because it was a strike. Theres great movement on his pitches.The As will send rookie left-hander Sean Manaea to the mound for his 16th career major-league start. In his previous start he gave up five runs, four of them earned, on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Angels. Two of those hits allowed were two-run homers.Last time it was like two pitches that got me, Manaea said. I definitely learned from that. Just got to calm myself when I get in those situations. In my bullpen, it was all about just locating my fastball. I worked really hard in the bullpen and Im feeling really good for my next start.Manaea has gone 1-2 with a 3.14 ERA in seven games, including six starts, after returning from the disabled list on June 29. He went on the DL on June 14 with a left pronator strain. He is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA over his past five games.The As acquired Manaea on July 28 last season from the Kansas City Royals, along with right-hander Aaron Brooks, for current Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist.Manaea grew up in Indiana, not far from Chicago, and hell face the Cubs for the first time.I think its fun, just because I grew up watching the Cubs, Manaea said. They are really good this year. Its going to be a fun matchup. Im excited to see how things go tomorrow. 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