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Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner also made half-centuries after captain Meg Lanning withdrew pre-game due to back spasms

The Report by Alex Malcolm09-Sep-2019A gritty century from Ellyse Perry in the stifling Antigua heat helped Australia secure the three-match ODI series against West Indies 2-0 with a crushing 151-run win.The simplicity of the scoreline concealed a day of drama. Australia captain Meg Lanning was withdrawn from the match moments before the toss following back spasms, forcing a hasty cap presentation to debutant Erin Burns, while Beth Mooney was forced to retire hurt late in Australia’s innings due to heat exhaustion.But despite Rachael Haynes, the designated vice-captain, taking over the reins, normal service resumed after Australia won the toss. Alyssa Healy continued her sparkling form, clubbing a 33-ball half-century as she put on a 56-run opening stand with Haynes inside the first ten overs before the stand-in captain fell for 13 off the penultimate ball of the Powerplay.Perry, elevated to No. 3, was slow to get going and got a reprieve early before her supreme fitness carried her to an unbeaten 112 from 118 balls, her second ODI century and her fourth for Australia in all formats, to anchor the innings as Australia made their second successive score of 308 [they made 4 for 308 in the first game].”At the start, I was probably a little bit mentally AWOL,” Perry said after the match. “I was probably lucky, to be fair, after getting dropped early, but that seemed to sort of pick me up a little bit.”After Healy holed out off Chinelle Henry for 58, Perry got great support from Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner. Mooney ground out 56 from 81 balls in a 129-run stand with Perry before the heat got the better of her, and she was forced to retire at the end of the 42nd over.It gave Gardner just 48 balls to make an impact and she did more than that, hitting six fours and three sixes in a 23-ball half-century to equal Meg Lanning’s record for the fastest fifty by an Australian woman in ODI cricket. She finished on 57 not out off 25 balls and watched Perry smack the last ball of the innings to the cover-point fence. The pair made 86 runs in the last eight overs of the innings.”Obviously it was a real shame with Meg going down just before the game but I guess that sort of gave other people an opportunity and everyone slid up,” Perry said. “I really enjoyed my time out in the middle today but I think there was some great contributions, Midge (Healy) at the start and for Ash to do what she did, that’s what she’s capable of and what we know she’s capable of, so that really got us up over 300 to get a great total on the board.”Perry took the new ball and made the early breakthrough trapping Stacy-Ann King plumb in the fourth over. West Indies’ under-strength line-up then made virtually no attempt to chase down the total. After being bowled out for 130 inside 38 overs in the first ODI in Coolidge, the home side managed to bat out their 50 overs in the chase on Sunday, but crawled to 8 for 157. Kyshona Knight top-scored with 32 but took an excruciating 81 deliveries to compile them. Sheneta Grimmond was the only batter to strike at better than 54, making a 31 not out from 37 late in the game, at No. 8. Australia used eight bowlers with six of them claiming wickets. Georgia Wareham had the best figures of 2 for 29 although her two wickets came from what were among the worst deliveries of the day.”It’s an interesting situation at the moment,” Perry said. “Obviously they [West Indies] have got a number of their key players missing. I think from a confidence point of view, and match awareness and knowing how to take the game – I think it’s a real challenge. From that point of view, it’s up to us to make them play but also be really meticulous on our standards.”In the first game we bowled way too many extras and probably today we bowled a few too many but all in all I think it’s been great to challenge ourselves to try things to try and execute things.”

Several high-profile players have been ruled out of this summer's tournament through injury and suspension, while some have just been snubbed

Euro 2024 is almost upon us, with the opening game now just over a week away. Some of the biggest names in world football are set to arrive in Germany in the coming days to do battle for one of the most prestigious prizes in the game.

However, several stars won't be participating in the tournament, and for a variety of reasons. Some terrific talents have been ruled out by injury, with the dreaded ACL tear illustrating why it's the scourge of modern footballers, while others will miss the Euros through suspension. Then there are those high-profile players who have simply not been selected by their national teams.

Below, GOAL runs through the most notable absentees from this summer's celebration of European football…

(C)Getty ImagesFrancesco Acerbi (Italy)

Francesco Acerbi is 36 now, but his injury-enforced absence is a major blow for Italy. The Inter centre-back would have almost certainly started for the Azzurri in Germany, and most likely alongside his club-mate Alessandro Bastoni.

Unfortunately, one of the game's late bloomers (because of a variety of off-field setbacks) has been ruled out of the Euros by a groin problem that requires surgery.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDavid Alaba (Austria)

One of three Real Madrid players to tear an ACL this season, but unlike team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao, Alaba never had any chance of returning before the end of the campaign. Indeed, the versatile Austrian defender suffered his injury in December, in the first half of a Liga clash with Villarreal, and won't be fit to play any part in his country's Euro 2024 campaign.

GettyDomenico Berardi (Italy)

In his first game back after recovering from a meniscus injury, Domenico Berardi suffered a complete tear of the Achilles tendon of his right leg in Sassuolo's Serie A clash with Verona on March 3. The versatile forward, who was part of the Italy squad that won Euro 2020, is not expected to return to action until next year.

GettySven Botman (Netherlands)

Netherlands are not short of options at centre-back – in fact, it's arguably the position in which they have most strength in depth – but Botman's unavailability for the Euros is nonetheless a major blow for coach Ronald Koeman. Indeed, had the Newcastle defender not suffered an ACL injury while playing for against Manchester City on March 16, he would have been a contender to start in Germany.

Kevin De Bruyne jetted off to Cannes for a holiday with wife Michele Lacroix after winning the Premier League title with Manchester City.

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De Bruyne spending holiday with wife in CannesHelped Man City win the Premier LeagueWill next play for Belgium in JuneWHAT HAPPENED?

The Belgian midfielder and his wife shared some photographs on social media from Cannes where they are spending a well-earned holiday with friends. The Cityzens star jetted off to France after guiding his club to a fourth consecutive league title.

Kevin De Bruyne InstagramMichele De Bruyne InstagramAdvertisement(C)GettyImagesTHE GOSSIP

The 32-year-old's future at Etihad has been a subject of speculation in recent times with Saudi Arabian clubs including champions Al-Hilal showing interest in the player. However, the City star is unlikely to leave the club in the upcoming summer window.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite missing the first half of the season due to a hamstring injury, the Belgium international played a crucial role in Pep Guardiola's side's league win this season as he contributed with 18 assists and scored six goals in 26 matches across all competitions.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KEVIN DE BRUYNE?

The former Chelsea star will be next seen in action for his national team next month as Domenico Tedesco's team take on Montenegro and Luxembourg on June 5 and June 8 respectively in international friendlies.

Matthew Wade has churned out the runs at state and Australia A level and has been rewarded with a place in the Ashes squad

Alex Malcolm26-Jul-20192016-17: Century, (brief) captaincy, injury, rainWade was Australia’s incumbent wicketkeeper-batsman in both Test and ODI cricket and he seemed entrenched in the 50-over format following an unbeaten century against Pakistan in January 2017. He was elevated to the captaincy for the 2016-17 one-day tour of New Zealand, but a back injury forced him out of the trip. In the Champions Trophy, where Australia’s campaign was hit by bad weather, he only got to the crease once.2017-18: The slump, dropped but sign of revivalFollowing lean Test and ODI tours to India in March and September he lost his place to Tim Paine, who had come back from the verge of retirement, in both the Test and 50-over formats, while Alex Carey took over the T20 job. Wade had a lean white-ball summer for Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes but finished the domestic season in sensational Sheffield Shield form making three centuries late in the season including one in the losing Shield final.2018-19: Barnstorming summerWade was not even considered for Australia’s tours of England, Zimbabwe and the UAE in 2018 which took place in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal. Paine captained the ODI team in England but was replaced by Carey in both white-ball teams thereafter. Wade went away and worked on his batting with Tasmania batting coach Jeff Vaughan and came out and plundered runs in all three forms the following summer.Across the season he made 1800 runs in total. He started with a century in the domestic 50-over competition against Victoria and never stopped. He made 571 Sheffield Shield runs at 63.44 prior to the BBL break, including another high-quality century against Victoria’s title-winning attack. He also plundered 592 BBL runs opening the batting for the Hurricanes, including six half-centuries at a strike-rate of 146.89. But despite clearly being the best batsman in Australian domestic cricket, Wade was overlooked for the revamped Test squad against Sri Lanka. Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said that Wade was batting too low for Tasmania to be considered while coach Justin Langer viewed him as a wicketkeeping option only.Wade rebuked both arguments publicly saying it did not make a lot of sense. He was named Australia’s domestic player of the year in early February and finished the season batting at No. 4 for Tasmania. He joined Marcus Harris as the second player to notch 1000 runs in the Shield season, a feat that had not been accomplished by anyone since 2014-15.2019: Carnage for Australia A and the World Cup callWade was called up to a strong Australia A squad to tour England after spending the off season contemplating giving up the gloves permanently in Shield cricket to boost his chances of returning to Test cricket as a batsman. He played the first two 50-over matches of the Australia A tour as a batsman only and scored a pair of jaw-dropping centuries against Northamptonshire and Derbyshire. He made 355 runs in four matches at an outrageous strike-rate of 182.05. Khawaja’s untimely hamstring injury provided an opportunity for Wade to finally return to the Australian squad, nearly two years on from his last appearance.He wasn’t selected for the World Cup semi-final, but he returned to the Australia A squad and promptly peeled off yet another century, this time against England Lions. He was struck on the elbow in the second innings, a blow that briefly threatened to derail his Ashes hopes, but there was no major damage. Alex Carey’s phenomenal World Cup form also muddied the waters in terms of Wade’s potential Ashes selection as either a back-up wicketkeeper or specialist batsman. He played as a specialist batsman in Australia’s trial game in Southampton and though he missed out in both innings on a difficult batting surface his form overall was just too good to ignore.

He is expected to feature in six of their final seven red-ball matches starting June

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2019India offspinner R Ashwin will join Nottinghamshire for the second half of the county season. Ashwin will replace Australia’s James Pattinson as Nottinghamshire’s overseas player at the end of June and is expected to feature in six of their final seven red-ball matches.His stint will start at home against Essex on June 30, followed by matches against Somerset and Surrey. He will miss the away fixture against Yorkshire but will return to play against Kent, Warwickshire and Surrey.”I’m really looking forward to joining up with Nottinghamshire, to playing cricket at an iconic venue like Trent Bridge and hopefully contributing to some County Championship victories,” Ashwin said. “I enjoyed my previous stint in England with Worcestershire. It’s a good, competitive standard of cricket over there and I can’t wait to get started.”ALSO READ: Ajinkya Rahane scores hundred on debut for HampshireThis will be Ashwin’s second stint in the county circuit. In 2017, he had played four matches for Worcestershire to take 20 wickets at an average of 29.15, and scored 214 runs at an average of 42.80.”We knew what we wanted to sign and that was a world-class bowler,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket, Mick Newell said. “Whether that was a fast or a slow bowler, we were prepared to look at all options.”As it happens, we’ve signed a very good spinner, a very experienced spinner and one we hope can contribute with the bat as well. We’ve seen world-class slow bowlers have a huge match-winning effect in county cricket over many years. Ravi certainly has that potential – and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming him to the squad and letting him loose on our opposition.”Ashwin will be the second Indian to play county cricket this season. Ajinkya Rahane had signed for Hampshire earlier and started his season with a century on Wednesday, against the team Ashwin has signed for.

Lionesses defender Esme Morgan is set to leave Manchester City this summer in favour of a move to the NWSL, according to reports.

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Morgan rose through ranks at CityCity confirm she will leave in summerSet to join Washington SpiritWHAT HAPPENED?

City have confirmed via their website that Morgan will leave the club this summer. The 23-year-old made nine appearances in the Women's Super League this season, as Gareth Taylor's side fell short in their search for the title to Chelsea. While the statement released by the club does not outline Morgan's next move, claims that she will be joining NWSL side Washington Spirit, but a move will hinge on international clearance and a work permit.

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The report claimed that there was interest from Europe and the US, although she has seemingly settled on a move to the NWSL. Morgan is a lifelong City fan but is now set to embark on a new chapter in her career after making her professional debut back in 2017.

"It’s time for Morgan to embark on a new chapter in her career," the City statement read. "Everyone at Manchester City would like to wish Esme all the best for the future, and thank her for her efforts while at the Club."

WHAT MORGAN SAIDGettyWHAT NEXT FOR MORGAN?

The Lionesses defender will now wait patiently for her work permit and international clearance, before joining up with her new squad. Washington are currently third in the NWSL, three points off Orlando Pride in first place.

Alessia Russo scored a fantastic header as Arsenal beat the A-League Women All Stars 1-0 in a post-season friendly.

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Arsenal won 1-0 in AustraliaRusso scored only goal of the gameHas experience of scoring in the countryWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal beat the A-League Women's All Stars 1-0 on Friday in a post-season friendly. Despite a dominant display, they struggled to break down the All-Stars defence until Russo scored a superb header. The Lioness scored in both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup, which was also held in Australia.

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Russo made 22 appearances in the WSL last season, scoring 12 goals and registering four assists. She also scored twice in the Women's Champions League, and quickly emerged as a key player for the Gunners following her move from Manchester United last summer.

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal's season is now over. Russo will next be in action on May 31 when the Lionesses play France in a qualifier for Euro 2025. Sarina Wiegman will be hoping the she is fresh enough to be impactful, having been asked to complete a draining post-season trip with her club.

ESPNcricinfo’s live updates and analysis of Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Bristol

Deivarayan Muthu07-Jun-2019

Trego top scores, Somerset to contest title decider after comprehensive win in the North

David Hopps12-May-2019There will be no Lord’s final for Alex Hales, not that even the most ardent county cricket follower would claim that was adequate compensation for missing out on a place in England’s World Cup campaign. Instead, Hales was part of a Nottinghamshire side shouldered aside by Somerset in an emphatic manner that will bring delight in the south-west.Somerset have reached Lord’s the hard way. Since finishing third in South Group courtesy of a must-win floodlit tie against Surrey at Taunton on Tuesday night, they have seen off Worcestershire in the play-offs by 147 runs and now Nottinghamshire, this time by a margin of 115.Hales’ dismissal for 54, as he fell to his favoured square cut, was the fourth Nottinghamshire wicket to fall, on 135, in a sequence of four wickets for 25 in 45 balls which changed the complexion of the match. Craig Overton ran jubilantly into the off side, pursued by the rest of the Somerset team, the importance of the wicket apparent. Sometimes you don’t have to just take a wicket, you have to kill a suspicion that fate is not on your side.Somerset now contest the final of the last 50-over competition that will actually mean something and it is good that a county which still treasures the county game will be represented. In 2020, it will be denuded by running in direct competition with The Hundred. The most powerful counties will contest it while most of their squad are on loan elsewhere. Results will be devalued and statistics misleading. One giant-sized work experience scheme to give professionals who remain unsold in the auction for The Hundred something to do.In Restaurant Six, Trent Bridge’s acclaimed new fine-dining restaurant and bar, the view of the cricket below became ever-more discouraging. One of the imaginative offerings of Dan Warren, Britain’s bartender of the year in 2018, is the Grass Cutter cocktail which evokes the smell of freshly-mown grass. Long before the end, it was the sort of day to put some extra gin in it.Trent Bridge hosts so many big scores that no first-innings score ever feels safe. But Somerset’s 336 was a challenging total, disguised by several bad dismissals. The pitch was central (even if one of ropes was brought in more than necessary) and the ball did not purr onto the bat quite as conveniently as normal. Steven Mullaney termed the total “chaseable,” but conceded that Nottinghamshire had been outplayed in every department.For Somerset to reach 182 for 1 by the 29th over was a considerable achievement. If Tom Banton’s edge against Jake Ball, on 1, had not fallen just short of Matthew Carter at second slip, the outcome might have been different. But Banton, Azhar Ali and Peter Trego all made fifties, the admirable Lewis Gregory held the later stages together with 37, and the Overton twins made merry with 46 off 30 late on, their stand once again having the appealing atmosphere of a bit of a singalong at the end of something more serious.Peter Trego pulls on his way to top-scoring for Somerset•Getty ImagesBanton, after his century against Worcestershire, had to deal for the first time with national acclaim – most obviously in the form of Michael Vaughan’s Twitter feed. Vaughan told his 1.08m followers that Banton’s style reminded him of Kevin Pietersen. As Vaughan remarked, no pressure there then.It is an apt comparison. Banton might have been influenced by Jos Buttler, who studied at the same school, but there are definite reminders in his long-limbed sweeps and reverse sweeps. Tall and elegant, he can rarely have played more methodically until he burst ahead with 24 off Matthew Carter’s second over, striking the offspinner over the ropes three times.He fell for 59, flicking at a ball from Harry Gurney to be caught at the wicket, the only success for Gurney who had only just returned from a stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, stood in for Darren Pattinson, who has a sore side, and Stuart Broad, not released by England, and went for 86 in 10 overs.Alongside him, Azhar progressed furtively. His 71 from 70 balls was shorn of excess, a shrewd assessment of the nature of the pitch, until he swung and missed at Jake Ball. There was a similar run-a-ball contribution from Trego, who played with great responsibility for 73 until he was run out, sold down by the river by Gregory’s push into the leg side and change of heart over a single. George Bartlett’s second-ball duck, making room against Mullaney, suffered for the vaulting ambition of youth. Ball’s well-disguised slower balls helped him to 4 for 62 and Luke Fletcher, although wicketless, was also on the money.Nottinghamshire perished with Hales, although the unsung Ben Slater played well for 58 until he worked Jamie Overton to short midwicket. When Ben Duckett reverse-swept to deep square, the bowler, Roelof van der Merwe, jumped to attention with the ball in the air as if the Duke of Edinburgh had suddenly walked onto the square and requested an audience.There were still 11.4 overs remaining when the end came, Fletcher’s demise at long-on after a hard-hitting but futile 43 allowing Somerset to celebrate their second complete performance in 48 hours. For Tom Abell, already a much-loved Somerset captain at 25, a Lord’s final now lies ahead.

Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement with Palmeiras to sign wonderkid Estevao Willian for a record fee of £56 million ($71m).

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Chelsea tracking Willian for quite some timePromising talent for Palmeiras in BrazilAgreement struck to sign teen for £55.7mWHAT HAPPENED?

According to journalist , the Brazilian giants have accepted Chelsea's latest offer for the 17-year-old – which will make him the most expensive transfer of a player from American continent to Europe. He adds that the winger will join the Blues in 2025, when he turns 18. Meanwhile, The Athletic states the youngster will, at the very least, sign a seven-year contract.

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Despite playing just 17 times, scoring three goals and bagging one assist for Palmeiras, Chelsea are ready to splash out on this young talent. Real Madrid have made a habit of signing up-and-coming Brazilian youngsters, such as Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and incoming Palmeiras forward Endrick. Chelsea will hope they will hit the jackpot just as Los Blancos have in recent times.

DID YOU KNOW?

Those who know the teenager call him 'Messinho' due to his similarities to Argentina legend Lionel Messi, although he is actually trying to shrug off that nickname. Willian began his youth career at Cruzeiro in 2017 and just a year later – at the age of 10 – he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, making him the youngest Brazilian to sign a contract with the sportswear giant.

GettyWHAT NEXT?

While the behind-the-scenes work continues over this transfer, Brazil Under-17 international Willian will hope to feature in the second leg of Palmeiras' Copa do Brasil third-round clash against Botafogo on Thursday.