ST. LOUIS -- Ryan O'Reilly slammed his stick against the boards in frustration.

He had just sent the puck sailing over the glass for a delay-of-game call while on the penalty kill in the first period of Game 6. He had just handed the Boston Bruins' power play, best in the NHL playoffs since 1981, an opportunity to take an early lead on a five-on-three advantage, which they did on Brad Marchand's goal at 8 minutes, 40 seconds. After the Bruins' 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday to send the Stanley Cup Final to a Game 7 on Wednesday, O'Reilly said his mistake was undeniably a turning point in the game.

"Obviously not the start that we wanted. Bad play by myself there to take the penalty there to take it to five-on-three. It took the wind out of our sails, and it took too long for us to climb back in," O'Reilly said. "I'll take a little blame for that. That penalty set them up on the five-on-three and gave them a lot of confidence with a big goal there. We could have killed that penalty and gotten back to work."

The Blues did some work in Game 6 -- but not enough of it. They trailed the Bruins in shots on goal (34-29) and shot attempts at even strength (38-35), and they lost the special-teams battle, as the Bruins went 1-for-2 on the power play and the Blues went 0-for-4 despite generating 12 shots on Boston goalie Tuukka Rask with the man advantage.

"We did have momentum. We had some good looks. We didn't score. Rask made some good saves," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "Can it be better? Yeah, it has to be better. It could have won us the game tonight."

There were a variety of reasons the Blues were unable to capture the Stanley Cup in Game 6. One of them was luck, or a lack of it, as goalie Jordan Binnington was fooled by a deflected puck that bounced into the net for the Bruins' second goal, and the Blues nearly had one past Rask that was swatted away by Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy's stick. But many of their struggles track back to poor decisions with the puck, failure to physically dominate the Bruins on the forecheck and, as O'Reilly noted, an inability to give the massive crowd gathered inside and outside the arena the chance to get into the game early -- a problem reminiscent of their Game 3 loss at home to Boston.

"I'm sure people are disappointed. We're disappointed," Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. "But I think the way we have to look at it is that if you had told us at the beginning of the year, or even around Christmas, that we'd have a chance at a Game 7 and a Stanley Cup, I think everyone would have taken it."

For the Blues, there are other reasons for optimism. Binnington has earned a reputation for bounce-back efforts. Including the regular season, he's 13-2 with a 1.83 GAA (28 goals against, 918 minutes) and a .934 save percentage (394 saves, 422 shots) in games immediately following a loss. In the playoffs, Binnington is 7-2 with a 1.86 GAA and a .933 save percentage following losses. Also, although the Blues dropped to 6-7 at home, they're 9-2 on the road.

"Of course we wanted to win [at home]. It didn't happen. We have to move on, get ready for the next one," O'Reilly said. "We're confident. We're a great road team. Maybe that's our story. Maybe we have to get it done on the road."

On Sunday, the city of St. Louis was buzzing. More than an hour before puck drop of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, more than 30,000 fans packed a downtown square around the arena. Inside, the crowd was loud as ever. The Blues had a chance to capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history -- at home, no less. But the Bruins had other plans, winning 5-1 to force a Game 7.

Here's everything you need to know about how Game 6 played out in this edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily.

Jump ahead: Last night's game | Three stars
Play of the night | Social post of the day

About last night ...

Game 6: Boston Bruins 5, St. Louis Blues 1 (series tied 3-3)

After plenty of pregame hoopla, St. Louis took the ice and looked awesome. The Blues were aggressive on the forecheck and penetrated Boston's D with sustained pressure in the offensive zone. The Blues outshot the Bruins 5-1 early on, then got the first power play. That's when the game swung.

St. Louis couldn't capitalize on its early looks. Boston -- with a 5-on-3, thanks to Ryan O'Reilly sending a puck over the glass -- struck first on a goal from Brad Marchand. (The Bruins, by the way, are now 25-1 in the postseason when Marchand scores a goal.) The Bruins' top line showed up, and David Pastrnak scored his first 5-on-5 goal of the series.

But this game was all about Tuukka Rask, who has been exceptional when the stakes are highest this postseason. We now have our first Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final since 2011 ... Boston's most recent championship. But St. Louis still feels good about its chances in Wednesday's winner-take-all showdown: Including the regular season, Jordan Binnington is 13-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average (28 goals against, 918 minutes) and a .934 save percentage (394 saves on 422 shots) in games immediately following a loss.

Three stars

1. Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins. With the Bruins facing elimination this postseason, Rask is 3-0 with a 1.33 GAA and .953 save percentage. He has allowed only four goals in those three games.

2. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins. Marchand's opening goal silenced the crowd, and also brought with it a sense of inevitability that Boston would win. After all, in 2011, it was Marchand who opened the scoring in a pivotal Game 6 against Vancouver.

3. Karson Kuhlman, RW, Boston Bruins. The rookie hadn't played since April 30, but immediately injected energy on the David Krejci line and scored a goal to boot. He became the 21st Bruins player to score this postseason, a record.

Play of the night

Rask posted some ridiculous saves, and also benefited from a bit of luck. This play encapsulates both.

Dud of the night

The Blues' power play looked to be much improved at times, and it got some great looks against Rask. St. Louis had four power-play opportunities and generated 12 shots -- not bad. But the Blues couldn't score on any of them, and that killed the momentum and ultimately doomed them.

Social post of the day

Charles Glenn, thank you for everything. #stlblues #WeAllBleedBlue pic.twitter.com/GUtYt7GB0i

- St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 10, 2019

It was an epic farewell anthem from Charles Glenn, who is retiring this year due to his multiple sclerosis.

Quotable

"Growing up, every one of us shares the same dream. We were all a little kid once, and we all wanted this bad. And I think it was just an element of savoring this moment and not letting it end tonight. It was exactly what we needed. He stepped up, and we all ... I mean, like, when he talks, you listen. That's the presence that he has." -- Charlie McAvoy on Patrice Bergeron's pregame speech that inspired the Bruins to Game 6 victory.

Manchester United will have to double their record transfer outlay for a defender in order to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace after their opening bid was rejected, sources have told ESPN FC.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is targeting right-back Wan-Bissaka as part of his summer overhaul, but United have had an initial offer of £35 million plus £5m in add-ons turned down.

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Palace believe they are in a strong position after securing Wan-Bissaka on a contract until 2022, and the 21-year-old has said he is happy to stay at Selhurst Park next season.

The Eagles have not ruled out letting the England under-21 international leave but are planning to hold out for a guaranteed £50m with a series of add-ons that could take the deal past the £60m mark.

That would almost double the £31m United paid Benfica for Victor Lindelof in 2017 and would make Wan-Bissaka -- who has had only one full season in the Premier League -- the third most expensive player in their history.

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Thomas Meunier is among the options if a fee for Wan-Bissaka cannot be agreed, but Arsenal are also interested in the Belgium international.

Solskjaer is continuing his squad rebuild after agreeing a £15m deal with Swansea for Daniel James. The Wales winger is expected to be officially announced as a United player once the international transfer window opens on Tuesday.

The manager is still hopeful of completing the bulk of his summer business before the start of preseason training on July 1. Players and staff fly to Perth for the start of the preseason tour on July 7.

Meanwhile, United remain in talks with Juan Mata about extending his stay at Old Trafford.

It was confirmed on Friday that Mata, who will become a free agent on June 30, has a contract offer on the table, but sources have told ESPN FC that negotiations are ongoing.

United, who have released Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia, are hopeful that the 31-year-old midfielder will stay, but he has a host of other offers from the Premier League, Italy and Spain.

CINCINNATI -- After the U.S. men's national team lost 1-0 to Jamaica last Wednesday, it didn't seem as if things could get much worse for the Americans.

Four days later, they're worse. Way worse.

The U.S. was absolutely hammered 3-0 -- on home turf no less -- against a Venezuela side that gratefully accepted all the gifts the Americans gave them. And to be clear, the U.S. was in giving mood. There was the horrible pass from goalkeeper Zack Steffen that set up the first of two goals from Salomon Rondon. Then there was Venezuela's second from a throw-in, with the U.S. defense seemingly set, that allowed Jefferson Savarino to fire a shot off the post and then score himself on the rebound. Finally, a simple long ball found Rondon in space, isolated against Aaron Long, before the West Brom forward carved out enough space to hammer a shot past a helpless Steffen.

Yes, Jhon Murillo looked to be offside in the run-up to Rondon's first but bad calls happen, especially when there is no VAR on hand, as was the case in this friendly. The fact that Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Michael Bradley were all missing didn't help either, but the U.S. cannot hide behind excuses such as this. In moments of adversity a national team must come together, collect itself, and find a way to get back in the game. Instead the U.S. crumbled here.

When the half mercifully reached its end, boos could be heard from the Nippert Stadium crowd. Midfielder Wil Trapp didn't blame the fans.

"It's unacceptable to lose 3-0 at home," he said.

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Manager Gregg Berhalter tried to project an air of composure after the match, though given the nature of the defeat his words didn't inspire much confidence.

"I think we need to be calm. I think we need to look at the game, look at what we need to improve on, and then set out to do it," Berhalter said. "It's really tough after a result like this and start making excuses. I don't really want to do that. But what I'd say is we're still getting guys where they need to be, and we're not there yet, and that's pretty clear. So we're going to keep working on it."

So now Berhalter finds himself in something of quandary heading into the Gold Cup. Does he persist with the same tactics and personnel? Have some players played themselves out of the lineup? These are questions that apply to almost every part of the field. I say almost because Jozy Altidore, after coming on at halftime, gave the team a spark with his movement, link-up play, and being an overall attacking presence in the final third.

Everywhere else there appear to be problems. The midfield lacked bite overall, and seemed incapable of doing anything to stop Venezuela's attacks. At the other end of the pitch, the chances the U.S. did create were squandered fairly easily.

Most sobering of all is the frailty of a defense that had been among the more stable parts of the U.S. team since Berhalter took over. On this day it had all the tensile strength of papier-mache. The three goals in that first half were more than the U.S. had conceded in the five previous games combined under Berhalter.

There were several reasons as to why. The team's press wasn't cohesive and communication was lacking. Certainly Long looked as if he were shaking off some considerable rust after having not played for the last month because of an injury, but Berhalter defended his decision to put the New York Red Bulls defender on the field.

"We need to get Aaron where he needs to be. We need to get him fit," Berhalter said. "So the question is: Do we not play him? Do we not give him this game routine because we're worried he can fail the challenge? Or do we know where we need to go and because of that he plays. To me it was clear. I needed to play. He needs fitness. Forty-five minutes was enough. He came out injury-free, which was positive. And then we build."

Despite the result, Berhalter is determined to stay the course.

"The guys worked hard. They gave what they had. They came up short," he said. "And it doesn't mean that we're going to scrap all the plans. We're always evaluating, we're always seeing how effective we can be, and where we need to improve. And we're just going to continue that process."

When the likes of Pulisic, Adams, Bradley and Altidore return to full fitness, the U.S. will no doubt be a better and more dangerous side. But even then, there are questions. Can Berhalter afford not to have Adams play in the center of midfield? The U.S. manager wants Adams' aggression, but also the passing ability of either Bradley or Trapp. But can either provide the defensive presence needed on their own? The answer, particularly in Trapp's case, seems to be no. That is in part why Adams has been put in the hybrid right back/center midfield role. The issue becomes exacerbated when the team isn't on the same page with its press, as was the case Sunday against Venezuela.

"When we were in good shape, sliding side to side, they weren't able to really break us down," Trapp said. "As soon as we allowed ourselves to get stretched, they found balls forward, second balls, and could create chances."

Another question is whether the U.S. has the personnel to play out of the back. It's easy to dismiss Steffen's mistake as a one-off, but he made a similar error against Jamaica, although that one went unpunished. And what of the U.S. team's ability to score goals? The Americans probably will have no problems doing that against Guyana, but what about the more difficult games that will follow?

Then there is the troubling matter of the team's competitiveness. This is an issue that Berhalter brought up after both of the recent friendlies. That used to be a calling card of the USMNT. Now it seems to come and go like the wind.

It's as if there are too many balls in the air right now for Berhalter to juggle.

The team did what it could to put a positive light on what transpired.

"The games showed us what we need to work on, that's a good thing," Steffen said. He later added, "It's all up here, it's all mental. It's really just about everyone buying into that system."

Trapp added, "From the midst of adversity, we have to respond and build character, and that's what it's about. Are we happy with the results? Absolutely not. Are the fans happy? Absolutely not. But all we can control is getting on the field, training, and having time together to work through these things."

Is there enough time to do that? It seems unlikely, but Berhalter & Co. have nine days to figure it out.

After a handful of games from Wednesday to Saturday, MLS is now officially on its Gold Cup break -- a break that lasts just long enough for teams to get a breather and regroup, but not long enough that most teams will have their contingent of internationals back, CONCACAF-affiliated or otherwise.

It's all very MLS. There's no denying that some teams need the break a lot more than others.

The paucity of games means that the rankings aren't dramatically different than last week, when we did a reset of things just ahead of the mid-season pause, but we are rewarding a few teams who started the season poorly for a spurt of good form.

We're not heartless, after all. We know just how important these rankings are.

Previous rankings: Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (11 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: June 28 at Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+

With their Gold Cup hiatus underway, LAFC are reportedly on the verge of completing a bit of business by selling Andre Horta back to SC Braga of Portugal. Horta never clicked in LA and the club is taking a bath on the deal, but how many clubs could whiff that hard, admit failure, and not really have a problem?

2. Philadelphia Union (8-4-4)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: June 26 v. New England, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Union handled a weakened Red Bull team on Saturday, opening up a four-point gap in the Eastern Conference. Ilsinho doesn't always do magic, but he seems to pull out the tricks when Philadelphia needs him most. Saturday's assist and goal coming off the bench made the difference.

3. Houston Dynamo (7-3-3)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: June 22 at Portland, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

While crossing their fingers that a trio of Hondurans and a smattering of other players don't get hurt on international duty, the Dynamo prepare for a trip to Portland that will happen before the Gold Cup contingent returns.

4. New York City FC (5-8-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: June 29 v. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

City scored seven goals (five for themselves, two for FC Cincinnati) in a win on Wednesday night that extended the unbeaten run to 10 games. Even with the run, NYCFC was suffering from a decided lack of wins -- getting three points against the league's worst team was a must.

5. LA Galaxy (9-1-6)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: June 22 at FC Cincinnati, 7.30 p.m. ET

The Galaxy laboured their way to a 2-1 defeat at home against New England on Sunday night. It's the kind of result that looks bad on paper and worse in reality. LA now hits a brief pause ahead of the Gold Cup, a well-timed chance to recharge the batteries and work out some of the defensive kinks in evidence against the Revs.

6. D.C. United (7-6-4)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Orlando, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

United is 0-4-1 in their last five matches, seems prone to silly mistakes, isn't getting great production from its stars, and is still just four points back of first place in the Eastern Conference. Things could be worse at Gold Cup time.

7. Atlanta United (8-2-5)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: June 26 at Toronto, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

You can't really have a "vintage" performance when you're only in your third season as a club, but we're going to say it anyway: The vintage version of Atlanta United showed up on Saturday against Chicago. The Five Stripes are now in third and charging up the table -- do we even need to say "watch out" to the rest of the East?

8. New York Red Bulls (7-3-6)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: June 28 v. Chicago

The Red Bulls got Ilsinho'd. Sometimes it happens. Whatcha gonna do?

9. Montreal Impact (8-3-7)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: June 26 v. Portland, 8 p.m. ET

Considering how much time Ignacio Piatti has missed in 2019, and the up-and-down nature of the Impact's form, the fact that Remi Garde has Montreal in second place in the East (tied with DC United) is pretty remarkable.

10. FC Dallas (6-4-6)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: June 22 v. Toronto FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

FC Dallas enters the Gold Cup break in fifth place, fresh off a weird draw against San Jose playing with a makeshift group. The bright spot was the goal from debutant Francis Atuahene, a player the club needs because of the thin roster entering the summer.

11. Seattle Sounders (7-5-4)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: June 29 v. Vancouver, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Missing something like half their team, the Sounders dropped a result in Montreal in midweek. No reason to panic, maybe, but that makes it a three-game losing streak for Brian Schmetzer's club.

12. Minnesota United (6-3-7)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: June 29 v. FC Cincinnati, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPNdeportes

Every glimmer of hope in Minnesota is quickly followed by a painful setback. Three losses in a row has the dark clouds descending on the Loons and it will be a major test of Adrian Heath. Counting on a weak group of clubs to salvage the playoffs in the West is not a winning formula.

13. Orlando City (5-3-7)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: June 26 at DC United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Lions are the current title holder of the ESPN MLS Power Rankings "Dead Average" award. Good enough to represent a threat, bad enough that a multiple goal loss to a bottom feeder is never a surprise.

14. Toronto FC (5-4-6)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: June 22 at FC Dallas, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Toronto FC got VAR'd hard at home against Sporting, playing without Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. But the Reds fought back from VAR-assisted deficits twice to secure a point, which is some comfort.

15. San Jose Earthquakes (5-4-6)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: June 26 v. Houston Dynamo, 10.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Chris Wondolowski scored again and the Quakes earned a point on the road in Frisco despite the howler of the year from Daniel Vega. The Quakes deserve more credit then they got here -- taking eight points from a possible 12 in their last four matches has pulled them into playoff contention.

16. Real Salt Lake (6-1-8)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: June 22 at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Gold Cup break brings intrigue to Utah, where the rumour is that Joao Plata is headed for Mexico. The Ecuadorian has done some good work in the shadow of the Wasatch, but he's not a first choice player for Mike Petke at this point. Can RSL snag a more productive player when the transfer window opens in July?

17. Columbus Crew (5-2-9)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: June 23 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 5.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Crew are off until June 23 for the Gold Cup, so let's instead consider the news this week that the club's new downtown stadium is tentatively scheduled to open during the 2021 season. With all that the Crew fans have been through, the idea of their club getting a second soccer-specific venue must seem like an unbelievable dream.

18. Colorado Rapids (4-3-9)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: June 22 at Vancouver, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

THE RAPIDS AREN'T IN LAST PLACE ANYMORE! Sure, Portland has played three fewer games and Colorado still has a worse goal differential, but positives are positives. Credit where it's due -- Conor Casey's side has a five-game unbeaten run going and more points in their last five than everyone but LAFC.

19. Portland Timbers (4-2-7)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: June 22 vs. Houston, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Timbers' disastrous start to the season didn't end their chances at the playoffs and neither did the loss to LAFC in the first home game of the year. They lost that game, but the fight (both figurative and literal) they showed should be a platform for the rest of the season.

20. New England Revolution (4-4-8)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Revs fans got to see Bruce Arena get a win in his first game in charge of the club last week against LA, but they'll have to wait until another few weeks to see the new head coach stalk the sidelines at home. In the meantime, there's an Open Cup match in Jersey that Arena probably won't take very seriously.

21. Sporting Kansas City (3-7-5)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Friday at Toronto, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Two soft penalties helped SKC get a point in the Great White North, a fine result on paper. The problem is that Sporting had three (much needed) points in their grasp and broke down defensively in the final minutes of the game. 2019, even with injuries considered, is not feeling very Vermesian.

22. Vancouver Whitecaps (4-6-6)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: June 22 vs. Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Yordy Reyna is quite often the difference between Vancouver showing any teeth on the attacking end and lacking any menace at all. Friday's result was a perfect example, with the Peruvian changing the complexion of the game for the Whitecaps when he came on as a substitute with about a half-hour to go.

23. Chicago Fire (4-6-6)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: June 22 vs. Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

We'll leave this one to Dax McCarty. "It's not been good enough," he said after the 2-0 loss in Atlanta. "The entire season's not been good enough. So if guys can't figure what they want and if they don't want to be here then maybe we need to have honest conversations with ourselves because it's not good enough from the team."

24. FC Cincinnati (3-2-11)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: June 22 v. LA Galaxy, 7.30 p.m.

FCC got housed at The House That Ruth Built (2.0) by NYCFC on Thursday and didn't even get to score their own consolation goals. Generally speaking, it's a very bad sign when Own Goal is tied for the team lead in goals scored.

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak wants to leave in the summer following broken promises over his future -- and the boyhood Manchester United fan favours a move to Old Trafford over Paris Saint-Germain, a source has told ESPN FC.

Last week, Oblak voiced concerns about Atletico's competitiveness, with star forward Antoine Griezmann set to leave and Lucas Hernandez, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis and Juanfran also departing.

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Oblak wants Atleti to match his ambition and is considering his options, with PSG also in the running after announcing that Gianluigi Buffon would leave in the summer.

However, a source told ESPN FC that United are ahead in the chase for Oblak, despite the fact that they will not be playing in the Champions League next season.

The source said the 26-year-old wants to play in the Premier League.

David De Gea's United future is in considerable doubt -- the Spain international is also a PSG target -- and sources told ESPN FC in April that United were considering triggering Oblak's €120 million buyout clause in the event De Gea leaves.

Earlier this year, Oblak signed a new deal until 2023 and was told the Atletico squad would be strengthened to compete for La Liga and the Champions League.

Brazilian centre-back Felipe has joined from Porto and striker Nicolas Ibanez has come in from Atleti's Mexican franchise Atletico de San Luis, but the source said Oblak did not feel the list of possible Griezmann replacements was good enough.

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Regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world, Oblak won his fourth Zamora Award as La Liga's best goalkeeper after helping Atletico finish second in the table last season.

The Slovenia international kept 27 clean sheets in 50 matches in 2018 -- more than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top five leagues including Liverpool's Alisson and United's De Gea -- and conceded just 36 goals.

Manchester United declined to comment when asked by ESPN FC about interest in Oblak.

Faith Thomas , the former fast bowler who was the first Indigenous Australian to represent the county in any sport, and former left-arm quick Mike Whitney have been honoured in the Queen's Birthday list.

Both have been handed the Order of Australia, Thomas for services to cricket and to the Indigenous community and Whitney for services to cricket and the broadcast media.

Thomas (nee Coulthard) played one Test for Australia, against England, in 1958 and was renowned for a rapid yorker.

"I used to like bowling yorkers," she told the Guardian in 2016. "The first place I played [representative cricket] was at the Gabba and it was the English captain Mary Duggan facing. I put the stump over the wicketkeeper's head!"

Away from cricket she worked as a nurse and midwife across South Australia.

Whitney, who played 12 Tests and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993, moved from playing into a successful career in entertainment television.

His Test debut came in the 1981 Ashes Test at Old Trafford during another match made famous by Ian Botham's heroics. The standout bowling performance of his career was an 11-wicket match haul against India at Perth in 1991-92 although, due to holding a first-class batting average of just 5.60, he is almost as frequently recalled for saving a Test against New Zealand with the bat in 1987 in a final-wicket stand with Craig McDermott.

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Yuvraj Singh has called time on his international - as well as IPL - career, finishing up after 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is in which he established himself as the best Indian allrounder of his generation - an explosive batsman, useful slow left-arm bowler and dynamic fielder. "I have decided to move on," he said at a press briefing in Mumbai.

"After 25 years, in and around 22 yards, and after almost 17 years of international cricket on and off, I have decided to move on," he said. "I am extremely lucky to play 400-plus games for India. I would never have imagined this when I started my career as a cricketer. It was a love-hate relationship with the sport, in retrospect. I don't think I hated the game, because the love I have for it today, which will remain a constant till the end of [my] life. I can't really express in words what is that feeling.

"This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust myself off and get up again and move forward. I have failed more times than I have succeeded, but I never gave up, and will never give up, till my last breath, and that's what cricket has taught me. I gave my blood and sweat to the game once I got on to it, especially when it came to representing my country.

"The adrenaline rush, playing for India, singing the national anthem before each game, touching the Indian flag, stopping every run for the team, or scoring every run for the team, was a completely different high. To be part of history, that was made after 28 years [in 2011], I mean, honestly, what more could I ask for?"

All cricketers want to sign off on a high. For Yuvraj, that wasn't to be. His team Mumbai Indians won the 2019 IPL, but Yuvraj was benched after the initial few matches following average returns.

"Yes, that's right, I wasn't as successful, and opportunities were also fewer," Yuvraj said in response to a why-now question. "I started my career in 2000, so it's 19 years now. I was a bit confused about how I wanted to end my career. I thought that in the IPL, that we won, if I had got to play (in the final), and ended my career after that, I would have had a very satisfying exit. But life doesn't give you everything.

"I had actually decided last year itself that the IPL this year would be my last one and I'd give it my best shot. The time comes in everyone's life when they think that, 'Enough now.' I would say that I had thought a year back itself that I will retire at this time. Internationally I've retired from all forms of cricket."

"This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust myself off and get up again and move forward. I have failed more times than I have succeeded, but I never gave up, and will never give up, till my last breath"

That said, he does want to try his luck in T20 - and perhaps even T10 - leagues beyond India's shores.

"Yes, definitely, I want to go and play some T20 cricket. I think at this age, I can manage to play some fun cricket. I want to enjoy my life. It's been too stressful, just thinking about my international career, performing, and big tournaments like IPL… hopefully I'll just enjoy myself," he said. "Obviously I'll take BCCI permission to go out and play. For this year, or maybe next year, I don't know.

"I just want to have fun and enjoy time for myself. It's been a very long and hard journey, and I deserve that. I've had a word with the BCCI. I will have another word after this announcement."

The greatest triumph for Yuvraj, now 37, was undoubtedly the 2011 World Cup, when he hit four half-centuries and a century, while also picking up 15 wickets - including a five-for against Ireland - on his way to the Man of the Tournament award as India won the trophy for only the second time.

That, however, was followed by a terrible low, as Yuvraj was diagnosed with mediastinal seminoma, a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs. The diagnosis was confirmed in February 2012, and he stayed out of the game till December that year, when he made a comeback following treatment. The returns following that were a mixed bag, though, and he last turned out in national colours in June 2017 in an ODI during India's tour of the West Indies.

"As I go back in time today, my life has been like a roller-coaster ride," Yuvraj said. "Winning the 2011 World Cup, being Man of the Series, four Man of the Match awards, was all like a dream, which was followed by a harsh reality, getting diagnosed with cancer. It was like touching the sky and then falling down at light speed and hitting the ground hard. All this happened so quickly, and that too when I was [at] the peak of my career. But in that moment, everyone to whom I mattered, stood together for me - my fans, my friends, my family.

"Probably the worst day in my career was the 2014 T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka when I scored 11 off 21 balls. It was so shattering that I felt my career was over. And I was written off by everyone to an extent that made me feel at times that it was all over. Then I took a bit of time [off] and I realised why I play cricket; it's because I love the game. So I went back to basics and scored heavily in domestic cricket. A year and a half later, I made my comeback in T20Is for India, where I hit a six and a four in the last over against Australia in Sydney, and suddenly all the belief came right back.

"I finally made my comeback in one-day cricket after three years in Cuttack on 19th January against England in 2017. I recorded my highest one-day score of 150 in 127 balls when everybody said it was impossible. Trust me, I have never stopped believing in myself. No matter what the world said, believe in yourself because if you put your heart and soul into it, you can achieve the impossible.

Yuvraj, who has continued to be a part of the Indian Premier League and, occasionally, for Punjab in the domestic circuit, ended his career with an outstanding ODI record of 8701 runs - 22nd in the overall list, and seventh among Indians - at an average of 36.55 and 111 wickets. In his sporadic Test appearances, he scored three centuries and 11 half-centuries in aggregating 1900 runs, and in T20Is - where he headlined India's 2007 title-winning effort with a blast of six sixes in a Stuart Broad over - he ended with 1177 runs and 28 wickets.

Career highlights

• January 2000: Yuvraj's talent is spotted fairly early and he makes a mark in India's Under-19 World Cup triumph in Sri Lanka in 2000. He makes 203 runs at 33.83 and also impresses with his left-arm spin. Less than a year later, he is a part of the national team.

• October 2000: Yuvraj hits the headlines in just his second ODI when the Indian team is emerging out of the match-fixing crisis under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly. Against Australia in the quarter-final of the ICC Knockout Tournament, Yuvraj blazes to 84 off 80 balls in a memorable win.

• July 2002: In one of India's finest moments in ODI cricket, Yuvraj, who made 69, and Mohammad Kaif combine to hand their team a thrilling two-wicket win while chasing 325 in the NatWest Series final against England at Lord's. It also seals Yuvraj's place in the ODI team for good.

• September 2007: In the inaugural World Twenty20, Yuvraj enters the record books, smashing Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over. He followed up with a match-winning 70 against Australia in the semi-finals that put India on the road to a historic title win.

• Feb 19 - Apr 2, 2011: A dream World Cup for Yuvraj, as he scores 362 runs - including one centuries and four fifties - takes 15 wickets, wins four Man-of-the-Match awards, and is also Player of the Tournament. In the process, he becomes the first allrounder to score 300-plus runs and take 15 wickets in a single World Cup.