BARRE, Vt. — Two of the most decorated Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model drivers in Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl history, Scott Dragon and Phil Scott, put another notch in their belts on Thursday night.

Two-time “King of the Road” Dragon earned his second straight win in the Casella Waste Systems make-up feature to start the evening, while Vermont Governor Scott captured his 31st late model victory at the quarter-mile track in the nightcap.

Dragon began the double-feature event by dominating the 50-lap Casella feature that had been rained out June 14. Starting third after qualifying held two weeks before, Dragon lay back early while Montpelier’s Josh Demers set the early pace. But it wasn’t long before the “Dragon Wagon” was closing the gap, and Dragon swept around the outside of Demers for the lead just before the halfway point.

The defending champion began pulling away following a lap-27 caution for Chris Pelkey’s spin while Demers faded in the high lane. Dragon had a straightaway-plus lead over a multi-way battle for second when another yellow flew for Trevor Lyman’s spin with just five laps to go. The pause was no problem for Dragon has he marched back away in the final sprint for his eighth victory at Thunder Road.

Polesitter Tyler Cahoon ran up front the whole race and finished second. Brooks Clark completed the podium while Trampas Demers nosed out Cody Blake for fourth.

In the second 50-lap feature, Scott rebounded from late problems in the first main event to make a late charge for the win.

Scott started sixth and rode in fourth for much of the race’s first half as Darrell Morin, Eric Chase, and Christopher Pelkey went nose-to-tail at the front. As time began to wind down, Scott wound it up on the outside groove, eventually snatching the lead from Morin on lap 35.

Chase eventually followed Scott’s lead to take second and began closing on the three-time “King of the Road” in the closing circuits. But it was too little, too late as Scott earned his second victory at Thunder Road since being elected Governor of Vermont.

Pelkey ended up grabbing third in the late going while Morin barely held off Trampas Demers for fourth.

Milton Sam Caron finally earned his first career Thunder Road victory by taking the win in the 40-lap Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger feature.

Jamie Davis was in the right place at the right time to get his first Allen Lumber Street Stock win of the season.

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — Mike Marlar held off Darrell Lanigan to win Thursday night’s DIRTcar Summer Nationals feature at Brownstown Speedway.

Marlar started seventh and earned $5,000 for his fifth career Summer Nationals triumph.

Cade Dillard and Billy Moyer shared the front row for the 40-lap feature with Dillard taking the early lead. Meanwhile Marlar moved to second in less than 10 laps.

Dillard pulled away by a half-straightaway until Marlar closed the gap when Dillard encountered the rear of the field. Paul Stubber would run the middle of the Brownstown Speedway making Dillard chose the top line to get around him. Dillard’s decision to move up high opened the door for Marlar on the bottom.

Before both cars got around Stubber, Marlar stole the lead on the exit of corner number four. Marlar would seal the deal when he slide-jobbed both Dillard and Stubber in turns one and two. A caution flag waved one lap later for Steve Casebolt off the pace on the back straightaway.

On the Delaware double-file restart, Cade Dillard picked the outside, putting Scott James inside him. James would take second from Dillard on the restart with Lanigan from the 13th starting position working his way to fourth on the restart.

Lanigan continued his march to the front as he would pass Dillard on the bottom. Two laps later, Lanigan would pass James for the runner-up honors. Mike Marlar was the only driver separating Lanigan from $5,000.00.

Both drivers caught rear of the field allowing Lanigan to get under Marlar several times. The lapped cars forced Mike Marlar to switch grooves. That shut down Lanigan’s run down low, allowing Marlar to run away to victory.

Scott James, Bobby Pierce and Moyer filled the top five.

The finish:

Feature (40 Laps) – 1. 157-Mike Marlar [7]; 2. 29-Darrell Lanigan [13]; 3. 83-Scott James [4]; 4. 32-Bobby Pierce [10]; 5. 21-Billy Moyer [2]; 6. 96-Tanner English [11]; 7. 97-Cade Dillard [1]; 8. B5-Brandon Sheppard [6]; 9. 18J-Chase Junghans [5]; 10. CJ1-Rusty Schlenk [15]; 11. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr. [17]; 12. 2-Nick Hoffman [18]; 13. 1G-Devin Gilpin [9]; 14. 32S-Chad Stapleton [21]; 15. 3S-Brian Shirley [3]; 16. 76-Shelby Miles [16]; 17. 18-Shannon Babb [19]; 18. 25-Jason Feger [12]; 19. 31AUS-Paul Stubber [20]; 20. C9-Steve Casebolt [8]; 21. 99B-Boom Briggs [14]; 22. 87-Walker Arthur [22]; KSE Hard Charger Award: 29-Darrell Lanigan[+11]

JACKSON, Minn. — Questions with no clear answers lingered in heads of thousands like a painless headache during the final three laps of Thursday’s Jackson Nationals opening-night race at Jackson Motorplex.

Could Brad Sweet catch David Gravel? Could Gravel hold Sweet off?

Gravel had the four-tenths-mile tamed, leading every lap up of the World of Outlaw NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series feature until that point. But on a charge behind him, the untamable “Big Cat” Sweet.

With two laps to go, they were side by side down the back stretch. Gravel hesitated for a millisecond on a lap car’s trajectory, while Sweet didn’t blink, darting underneath the lap car and Gravel into turn three and claiming the lead off turn four.

From there the answer was clear. Sweet won his sixth World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race of the season — his 40th career win and third straight.

“It’s sure fun to drive this thing right now,” said a jubilant Sweet. “We’ve really hit on some stuff. It’s been a joy to drive good the last few weeks.

“I’m a little worn out, I was really clutching the wheel, trying to hit my marks there late in that race. I knew it was coming down to the white there.”

The win may have been Sweet’s sixth of the season — further extending his title as winningest driver, so far, this year – but it was one of the hardest wins he had to work for.

Starting sixth in the 30-lap feature, Sweet had a host of competitive cars between he and the lead. Also, on the start, Gravel cruised by Donny Schatz on the outside for the lead and the two pulled away to about a straightaway gap on third-place Brian Brown.

It took Sweet two laps to make his way by Terry McCarl for fifth-place, but it was another nine laps before he caught Brown and Daryn Pittman who were battling for third. He made quick work of the two, passing them both with a daring drive through turn three and four, leaving inches between he and Pittman’s car.

Three laps later Sweet made his way by second-place Schatz and set his sight on closing the half-a-straightaway gap between he and Gravel with 15 laps to go. However, Schatz, who hadn’t won in seven races, was still determined to close that gap himself.

With Sweet getting held up by a lap car in turn four, Schatz throttled back by the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 car and put his Toco Warranty No. 15 car back in second. Sweet had to regroup and find this rhythm riding the bottom of the track again. Two laps later, with a slide job through turns three and four, Sweet cleared Schatz on the front stretch and reclaimed second-place.

He had 12 laps to catch the Mesilla Valley Transportation No. 41 of Gravel.

Could he catch him? With three laps to go, Sweet had Gravel in sight. Two laps to go they were side by side. After Sweet darted by Gravel and a lap car in turn three, Gravel had to throw his car sideways on the exit of turn four to avoid hitting another lap car. From there, with one lap to go, Sweet pulled away to a half second lead and a $10,000 victory.

“I was hunkered down and determined to catch him (Gravel),” Sweet said. “It always helps sometimes to be in second, you can watch where he’s not running and try to find a line.”

Carrying the weight of defeat in every word, runner-up Gravel congratulated Sweet on the win, but knew the race should’ve been his.

“We had the race winning car there,” said Gravel, who set quick time and won his Drydene Heat race. “That’s not our issue. As a driver, I’ve got to put myself in a better spot there. We’ll come back tomorrow hungrier.”

Schatz’s third-place finish was his first podium finish since he won at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway at the end of May.

“You slip a little bit, and someone is going to take advantage of it,” Schatz said. “So, it’s one of them nights.”

Sweet has extended his points lead over Schatz, the 10-time series champion to 60 points.

Jake Martens won the Heartland Steel RaceSaversprint car feature.

To see full results, turn to the next page.

PARIS -- There are matches that count more than others. Games that change dynamics. There are wins that can alter a generation of players and the culture of football for an entire nation. That's where this France team is at right now in the Women's World Cup. As Friday night's (9 p.m. local, 3 p.m. ET) clash against the U.S. approaches, there is a sense this is the moment for France. A sense that the end result will justify the hype.

This is the opportunity for a breakthrough, which would change women's football in France forever.

France has been there before. The 2011 World Cup semifinal against the U.S in Mönchengladbach. The 2012 Olympics semifinal against Japan at Wembley. Each time, France failed.

The Americans were strong in 2011, but the French also let the pressure get to them. The more notable regret came a year later. The French were the better side, but Sarah Bouhaddi made a mistake in net, which cost her team a goal, and Elise Bussaglia missed a penalty late in the game with the score tied 2-2.

Few of the players from 2012 are there today. But Bussaglia and Bouhaddi are, and they will start Friday. They already know this is the moment to make amends from seven years ago. Bussaglia, of course, regrets that penalty miss. Those two losses remain raw. France has been stagnating around the top six to eight in the world but is getting closer to getting a glimpse of a major trophy. Still, the team has a long way to go.

• Megan Rapinoe's greatest heartbreak -- and hope

• France or the U.S. in the Women's World Cup quarterfinals? We debate

• Why the U.S., France are largely responsible for each other's success

Since Corinne Diacre took over as head coach less than two years ago, she has tried to change the mentality. She has made her team stronger -- ready to take on challenges, ready to compete with the best.

"The Brazil win increased our mental strength," Bouhaddi said Tuesday at a press conference. "Since our defeat against England in the She Believes Cup in 2018 [4-1], we have worked on our mental strength. We have realized the qualities of the squad. We have a mental strength, which is an asset, like the U.S. We saw it against Norway and Brazil when they came back in the game, but we still won."

The Lyon goalkeeper tried to play down Friday's game, probably as a means to decrease the pressure. When asked if she and her teammates had been thinking about this game against the U.S. since the draw was made back in December, she said they hadn't.

"It is the quarterfinal that you, the media, wanted, the one you talked a lot about before and during this World Cup," Bouhaddi said. "So you will be happy. For us, it is just a World Cup match. The one against Brazil was as hard as the one we will have on Friday."

Maybe not. The truth is, the players have been talking about this game. They know what it means and what the stakes are. This match is bigger than a World Cup quarterfinal. It will have a lasting effect.

It feels like it is now or never.

On home soil, with the best French team ever assembled, with confidence and mental strength, France has a chance to finally get there. This team believes it has the talent to beat the Americans.

If Friday is a success, the French will be really hard to stop in this tournament and beyond.

If not, questions of mental strength and change will be asked. No pressure or anything.

Since the Women's World Cup draw last December, the U.S. women and France have been on a collision course to clash in Friday's quarterfinals (9 p.m. local time, 3 p.m. ET). It's the defending World Cup champ against the host, the No. 1 team in the world versus the co-favorite to win it all.

So what are the X factors and key players that will most impact their match at Parc des Princes in Paris? ESPN UK's Tom Hamilton, ESPN FC's Julien Laurens, ESPN Brasil's Natalie Gedra and ESPN's Sam Borden, Graham Hays and Alyssa Roenigk -- all of whom are on the ground in France -- tackle the tough questions.

Which team is under more pressure: France at home or the U.S. women facing a potential second consecutive quarterfinal exit in a major tournament?

Hays: The opportunity is greater for France. Television numbers for the host's group games cooled only slightly from the record-smashing opening game. And while on the ground, it doesn't always feel like World Cup fever is sweeping the land yet. The event and the French team have very visible presences. But the French can rationalize a loss to the defending champion and No. 1 team in the world, especially a valiant loss. For the United States, in such a crowded sports landscape and with how invested members of the team are in using their platform for advocacy, bowing out before the semifinals of a major event again would be costly on and off the field.

Roenigk: The U.S. women. They're the tournament favorites, the defending champions, the top-ranked team in the world and, yes, the team is still recovering from the sting of the Rio Olympics. Anything less than a World Cup win will be seen as a failure.

• How the U.S., France have helped make one another better

• Women's World Cup shows VAR still has room for improvement

• Any questions how the U.S. will bounce back from mistakes? Not anymore

Laurens: The pressure has to mostly be on the defending champions, the U.S. This is the best team in the world right now so being knocked out at this stage would be a failure, especially after losing in the quarters in the 2016 Olympics. France is also under pressure because a loss in the quarters would be disappointing. However, there would be no shame in losing against this impressive American side.

Borden: France. In addition to playing at home and trying to follow up the championship performance the team's colleagues turned in at the men's World Cup last summer, a loss to the United States also means the France women's team can't qualify for the Olympics next summer since the top three European finishers at the World Cup get the Olympic spots. With seven European teams in these quarterfinals, this match is, in effect, a double-elimination game for France.

Hamilton: Great question. There are so many subplots to this match, but the pressure is more on the U.S. France has had a mediocre tournament so far, and its home support will be demanding a win, even though this team is the underdog. The U.S. started this World Cup in dominant fashion, and the world expects it to end up winning the tournament, so the pressure is on them to deliver.

Gedra: France, for sure. The French people are very much involved with the tournament, and they were not expecting to face that much difficulty as they did against Brazil. The French are expecting not only a good performance, but a win.

Which players are key for France and the United States?

Roenigk: The U.S. front line, specifically Alex Morgan, who has been largely absent since her record-tying, five-goal onslaught against Thailand, and has drawn more attention -- and more penalties -- than anyone on the U.S. roster. On the flip side, center back Wendie Renard (France's leading goal scorer this tournament) and the French defense will be charged with stopping a fired-up American side. Aiding France? An extra day of rest since its round of 16 match.

Hays: Beyond the obvious suspects, what does France coach Corinne Diacre do with Gaetane Thiney? The veteran who resurrected her international career after falling out of favor with previous regimes has been a mainstay for Diacre, but she didn't start against Brazil when the manager changed formations to get more speed on the flanks. Midfield is also an area to watch for the Americans, especially Lindsey Horan and Julie Ertz. The United States missed Horan when she didn't start against Spain but will need her ability to conduct the attack while maintaining a physical presence against the French. And it's not a coincidence that Ertz didn't play in a 3-0 loss to France in 2017 or the 3-1 loss earlier this year. She's the best bet to break up French rhythm.

Borden: Renard having a strong game is critical if France is going to control the U.S. attack, and she's a threat on set pieces that the Americans have to be constantly monitoring. Kadidiatou Diani has had an incredible motor in the French midfield and can do damage if the U.S. slacks. For the United States, Horan has the ability to break through what will probably be a physical game and impose herself, while goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and defender Becky Sauerbrunn have to bounce back from a combined bad mistake against Spain to be at their peaks.

Hamilton: Eugenie Le Sommer has to deliver for France but the key player will be Amandine Henry. The captain needs to ensure her team remains unwaveringly focused for 90-plus minutes if France is to knock over the U.S. And for the world champions, the Americans need goalkeeper Naeher to put in a near faultless performance. She made an error against Spain, which led to a goal in the U.S.' 2-1 win. She cannot let the same happen against France.

Laurens: For France, Sarah Bouhaddi will have a huge role to play in this game. So far, the defense has been quite solid for Les Bleues, but Bouhaddi will get properly tested Friday by the Americans. And she will have to have the game of her life for France to be able to go through. Henry will be key in midfield against the energy and movement of the U.S. midfielders. Up front, this is a game for Le Sommer to shine. Even on the left-hand side, she has to be effective and decisive. For the U.S., Ertz is the key. She is the brains, the power and the heart of this team. If she bosses the midfield, the Americans will win. The front three will obviously have a huge role to play too. Sauerbrunn, who could be the weakest link in this team, will have to step up.

Gedra: Henry showed she can make a difference with her quality and experience. And Le Sommer can create a lot of trouble as an aggressive winger. That is why, besides the big stars, a good defensive performance from the U.S. will be key.

Which part of each team's game will their opponent have to prepare for most?

Borden: The U.S. women have to be ready for an even more physical game than the one they endured against Spain, particularly because France is even more capable of turning turnovers into real chances. France will have to keep up with the Americans' speed and relentless drive, which will be made even tougher by the expected heatwave -- the United States has more players who are accustomed to playing in oppressive temperatures than does France. If they have to chase the game, that will be a factor.

Laurens: Both teams know each other so well. France has to match (or try to at least) the U.S.' intensity. The French know how quickly the Americans attack and push forward, how much the midfielders press, how high the full backs play. So they will have to stay well organized and disciplined while keeping the ball as much as possible. On the other hand, the Americans will have seen France's potential on set pieces. But also the mental strength of this team. The U.S. is in for a battle on Friday and they have to get ready for it.

Hays: A strong case can be made for set pieces in both cases. Renard is unique in the problems she creates because of her height and agility on set pieces. There are a lot of reasons the United States might keep Sam Mewis in the starting lineup, but her height in defending set pieces should be near the top of the list. But as Sweden's coach said, the U.S. women might have the biggest binder of set plays in the world, so France must also keep to a minimum the free kicks and corner kicks it gives away. The United States also has struggled for years, and through a variety of outside backs and formations, to deal with French speed on the flanks.

Gedra: The French attack makes fast transitions, so the U.S. needs to be aware of that. As for France, it's facing the team that shows the highest level of sophistication in this WWC. The U.S. has variations and can be patient with the ball. Diacre will have to prepare the team for that.

Roenigk: For the U.S. women, it's depth and a bench that forward Megan Rapinoe has called "the deepest we've ever had" -- which has allowed coach Jill Ellis to rotate and rest her starters, as planned. France will rely on its physical defense, technical ability and a mentally tough team that knows how to win. Seven players on Les Bleus also star for Lyon, which has won the Women's Champions League six times.

Hamilton: Both teams will be on red alert over their opponent's attack. France is likely to focus on its play down the flanks with Diani a key outlet on their right; Rapinoe is going to be fired up for the Americans. But with two offensive teams, there is going to be plenty of space on the counterattack, so expect to see the U.S.' two attacking full backs suddenly spring into action, while France will be looking for opportunities to return favor.

Which team has the edge in goal?

Borden: Even before Monday's mishap, Naeher was more of a liability than Bouhaddi. While Naeher is a World Cup rookie, Bouhaddi has been France's No. 1 since the 2015 World Cup. She won't be cowed by the pressure Friday night.

Roenigk: Naeher will learn from an early mistake against Spain and prove herself to be not only worthy of this gig, but one of the best in the world.

Hays: Some American fans will worry because they haven't seen Naeher in a game like this. Some French fans might worry because they have seen Bouhaddi. Most of the time, Bouhaddi is a wonderful goalkeeper. She's athletic, aggressive and experienced. Her ability to play long passes jump-starts the attack, even if she tends to linger with the ball in her hands well beyond what the rules allow. But for just about her entire international career, Bouhaddi has had one or two moments during a game -- coming out rashly, playing the ball into traffic, etc. -- that scare her own fans to death. Both sides might be white-knuckling this game.

Laurens: Bouhaddi has the edge. She has a lot of experience. She has played this kind of game before, at the World Cup, at the Olympics, at the Euros. She has won six Champions League titles. Also, she has played with Morgan and Rapinoe at Lyon. She knows them very well. On the other hand, this is all new for Naeher. She has waited many years for this chance but she is inexperienced. I think the pressure can get to her.

Hamilton: The error against Spain aside, Naeher is the more complete goalkeeper than her counterpart Bouhaddi. But Bouhaddi's distribution is second to none in this World Cup.

How much does the recent history in the series (3-3-2 since 2014) matter?

Laurens: Even if every game is different, I think it is important for the French to know they have beaten the U.S. before, that they know how to beat them and that they can do it again. Psychologically, they don't fear the U.S. because of some of the the recent French success. There are a lot of things the French admire about this American side: the mentality, the power, the talent, the self belief. In many ways, this France side wants to be like this U.S. side. And beating them would be like the apprentice beating the master. However, I don't think the U.S. cares too much about the past against the French though. They are so focused, driven and ambitious.

Hays: It's everything. Nothing better underscores France's growth than the fact no team in the world has given the U.S. such consistent fits in recent years. France shut out the United States while scoring multiple goals twice since 2015. The last team to do that even once, other than France, was Norway more than a decade ago. And that doesn't even count France's 3-1 win earlier this year, at the start of the U.S. preseason. The French ability to match the Americans athlete for athlete, giving away little in fitness, confounds a team used to clear advantages there.

Roenigk: History matters to journalists, statisticians and commentators and is a lot of fun to discuss prematch and postmatch. But during those 90 minutes Friday night, past performances mean nothing.

Borden: Not much. At this level, the top women's teams face each other often enough that there never figured to be many secrets. The question is which team executes better? Neither was particularly impressive in the round of 16, but looking at the tournament as a whole, the U.S. women have probably been a touch sharper.

Hamilton: It means very little. This is knockout football in the Women's World Cup in Paris, in front of the Tricolore, with La Marseillaise ringing from the stands, with pockets of stars and stripes, with the backdrop of the USWNT's battle for pay equality, with France hoping to inspire a nation. It is going to be epic.

Gedra: Not much, because the circumstances are different this time: France is playing a World Cup quarterfinals at home with a loud supporting crowd and high expectations. That changes the scenario compared to previous head-to-heads.

Predictions

Borden: In a hard-fought, physical game, the U.S. women get a second-half goal from Horan to just take it 2-1.

Hays: The crowd in the stadium might be split, but the streets of Paris will be full of the Tricolore after France wins a thriller.

Roenigk: The United States advances to the semifinals 2-1 over Les Bleus in extra time.

Hamilton: Expect extra time, and for Rapinoe to win it on a penalty. The U.S. wins 2-1.

Laurens: France will win 1-0.

Gedra: It's a tight match and the U.S. squeezes by France 2-1.

All the live updates and analyses from the South Africa v Sri Lanka game. Please refresh the page if the blog doesn't load immediately for you.

Ensuring that contracts are "earned" and not seen as a "privilege" was the driving rationale behind the PCB's move to reduce its women cricketers' central contract pool, according to Urooj Mumtaz, chairperson of the all-woman selection committee.

The latest contracts, starting July 1, include only ten players, brought down from 17, but there has been an increase in remuneration for those in the new retainers. The new list has only Sana Mir and Nida Dar in the 'A' category, while Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan have been demoted to category 'B'. The fourth level, 'D', has been removed altogether.

The 'A', 'B' and 'C' categories now come with higher pay: hiked by 20%, 18.5% and 18% respectively. In addition, the length of each contract - hitherto always six months - has been increased to a year. For the first time in 12 years, daily allowances have also increased - in training camps they have been doubled, making it Rs 2000 (approx. USD 13), as well as on foreign tours, going from USD 50 to USD 100. Travel upgrades for tours have also been introduced so that the team travels business class on longer-distance flights. And all women cricketers will now also earn a match fee for each game of domestic cricket.

"The ten central contracts awarded were based on four comprehensive criteria, but does not mean other players are ignored. They need to work hard for it" Urooj Mumtaz

"We are an emerging nation in women's cricket and have a pool of only 40 to 45 girls playing in the domestic structure," Mumtaz, also a former Pakistan captain, told ESPNcricinfo. "We aim to make a professional set-up where contracts are earned rather assuming it as a privilege."

Despite the multiple upsides, a couple of decisions have stood out, such as the demotion of limited-overs captain Maroof and senior batsman Javeria to 'B' and that of Nahida Khan, from 'A' to 'C'.

"It is a result of their performance over the last one year and this new structure doesn't make anyone earn a highest contract just on the basis of seniority," Mumtaz explained. "Bismah acknowledged and accepted the category awarded and that her performances have not been up to par.

"She remains an integral member of our team and she believes she has a lot more to offer with the bat. The contract given to her is in no way a reflection of her captaincy."

Maroof, the second-most-capped Pakistan women's player after Mir, returned to captaining the side in January after a sinus operation, and led Pakistan to a historic 2-1 ODI series win over West Indies at 'home' in Dubai in February and levelled the following away ODI assignment, against the higher-ranked South Africa, 1-1 in May. She has also been Pakistan's leading run-scorer in T20Is in the past 12 months, with two half-centuries in the series against South Africa.

Javeria, Pakistan's leading run-getter in ODIs since June 27 last year, trails Maroof by two spots on the run-getters' list in T20Is, and had topped Pakistan's run-charts at the World T20 in the Caribbean last November where she stood in as captain. At the time, in a bid to manage her post-surgery workload, Maroof featured in the side only as a player.

Contradictory noises have come from Pakistan about the process by which these contracts were finalised. ESPNcricinfo understands that a number of senior players were not involved in discussions around the revised structure. Most of them, as part of the pool of the 17 contracted players for the 2019 January-June cycle that was announced earlier this year, were made aware of the decision only after it had been made by the board and the selection committee on Tuesday.

That, however, would go against what Mumtaz said. "All 17 cricketers were called in person or over the phone. We had a one-to-one detailed meeting with them about the new contracts, which are purely performance-based. They were explained the criteria individually and they all not only understood but also accepted."

Mumtaz added that comparing the depth of the PCB's pool of centrally contracted players with that of its English (21 cricketers) or Australian counterparts (14) "who have developed systems and 200 players to choose from," would not be fair.

"But our vision and plan is to get there. The main focus, regarding the women's central contracts, is on quality and top performers. The ten central contracts awarded were based on four comprehensive criteria, but does not mean other players are ignored. They need to work hard for it.

"From now on there will be three domestic tournaments being slotted per year. More matches means more opportunities for girls to mark an impact at national level. This pool will keep on growing once we have more elite cricketers that check our criteria, giving a wider pool of players more opportunities to play cricket as well earn money.

"This is extremely important as we need to value our women players and inspire more girls to play the sport at a higher level."

The Tampa Bay Rays needed nine pitchers and 18 innings to get past the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Thursday.

Now, they're set to call on one of the game's top prospects to help.

Brendan McKay, a two-way player who's been pitching and serving as a designated hitter in the minors, will be called up by the Rays to start Saturday's game against the Rangers, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Thursday.

McKay was the fourth overall pick out of Louisville in the 2017 draft. He started his professional career playing first base in addition to pitching and hitting. However, the Rays took his first baseman's glove away this year in an effort to simplify his focus.

The 23-year-old left-hander has split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season. For Double-A Montgomery, he went 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA, striking out 62 in 41⅔ innings. He was promoted to Durham last month, and since then he has gone 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA, striking out 26 in 25 innings spanning five appearances (four starts).

His most recent appearance came June 22, when he allowed one run on three hits over five innings in a no decision against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

And at the plate, after scuffling at Double-A, McKay is slashing .265/.400/.551 with four home runs at Triple-A.

McKay was ranked No. 14 on ESPN Insider Keith Law's preseason list of top 100 prospects.

The All-Star starters were announced Thursday -- you can see all the vote winners here -- and the one big surprise in my book was Hunter Pence winning starting designated-hitter honors for the American League.

Pence is having a good season, of course, and ranks as one of best stories of the season with his comeback. Still, we're talking about a player who was (A) awful the past two seasons; (B) began the season as a platoon player; (C) is currently on the injured list and has played only 55 games. Plus, there's this guy named J.D. Martinez who has been one of the best hitters in baseball for half a decade.

(I'm guessing Pence was helped by the large contingent of Astros fans who voted in Alex Bregman, George Springer and Michael Brantley as starters. Also, Red Sox fans, apparently unhappy with their team's first half, stayed away from the ballot box, as no Red Sox made the starting nine. I don't want to suggest Boston fans are spoiled, but ...)

Anyway, congrats to Pence for his first All-Star start, as he's one of those players whom everyone loves and who makes the game fun to watch.

Now, a little thought exercise. With so many young stars in today's game -- five players 25 and younger were voted in as starters -- let's pick three All-Star teams to see who is the best: a 25-and-younger team, an in-their-prime team (26 to 30 years old) or a veteran team (31 and older). We'll pick 25-man rosters with 15 position players and 10 pitchers (including two relievers). We'll include Baseball-Reference WAR, although the rosters will be a mix of players having the best seasons and maybe a few others who feel they should be on there. But it's mostly the guys having the best 2019.

25 and younger

C -- Carson Kelly, Diamondbacks (1.1)
1B -- Pete Alonso, Mets (3.6)
2B -- Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (3.7)
3B -- Alex Bregman, Astros (4.0)
SS -- Jorge Polanco, Twins (3.8)
LF -- Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves (2.8)
CF -- Joey Gallo, Rangers (3.1)
RF -- Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (6.6)
DH -- Rafael Devers, Red Sox (2.9)

Bench -- Paul DeJong, Cardinals (3.1); Byron Buxton, Twins (2.9); Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (2.6); Gleyber Torres, Yankees (2.5); Francisco Lindor, Indians (2.4); Juan Soto, Nationals (1.5)

SP -- Lucas Giolito, White Sox (3.3)
SP -- German Marquez, Rockies (2.9)
SP -- Mike Soroka, Braves (2.7)
SP -- Jose Berrios, Twins (2.3)
SP -- Walker Buehler, Dodgers (1.5)

Other pitchers -- Zach Eflin, Phillies (2.5); Yonny Chirinos, Rays (2.1); Tyler Glasnow, Rays (1.8); Josh Hader, Brewers (1.4); Roberto Osuna, Astros (0.8)

Yeah, I realize there is no backup catcher here and four shortstops. This is a thought exercise!

TOTAL WAR: 67.4

In their prime

C -- Willson Contreras, Cubs (2.4)
1B -- Freddie Freeman, Braves (2.8)
2B -- DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (3.8)
3B -- Nolan Arenado, Rockies (3.2)
SS -- Javier Baez, Cubs (3.2)
LF -- Christian Yelich, Brewers (4.4)
CF -- Mike Trout, Angels (5.2)
RF -- Mookie Betts, Red Sox (2.9)
DH -- Anthony Rendon, Nationals (2.7)

Bench -- Matt Chapman, A's (4.1); Trevor Story, Rockies (3.2); Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (2.8); George Springer, Astros (2.7); Gary Sanchez, Yankees (2.4); Manny Machado, Padres (2.4)

SP -- Matthew Boyd, Tigers (3.1)
SP -- Luis Castillo, Reds (3.0)
SP -- Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (2.7)
SP -- Trevor Bauer, Indians (1.8)
SP -- Gerrit Cole, Astros (1.7)

Other pitchers -- Marcus Stroman, Blue Jays (2.6); Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees (2.4); Chris Sale, Red Sox (1.6); Brad Hand, Indians (1.1); Felipe Vazquez, Pirates (1.2).

No Bryce Harper, plus some of last year's aces, such as Bauer and Sale, haven't been quite as dominant.

TOTAL WAR: 69.4

The veterans

C -- Robinson Chirinos, Astros (2.6)
1B -- Carlos Santana, Indians (2.8)
2B -- Eric Sogard, Blue Jays (1.6)
3B -- Josh Donaldson, Braves (2.3)
SS -- Brandon Crawford (-0.2)
LF -- Michael Brantley, Astros (2.5)
CF -- Lorenzo Cain (1.1)
RF -- Tommy Pham, Rays (2.9)
DH -- Edwin Encarnacion, Yankees (1.9)

Bench -- Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (1.5); J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (1.5); Alex Gordon, Royals (1.5); David Peralta, Diamondbacks (1.5); Justin Turner, Dodgers (1.4); Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks (1.0)

SP -- Max Scherzer, Nationals (4.7)
SP -- Mike Minor, Rangers (5.6)
SP -- Justin Verlander, Astros (3.8)
SP -- Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers (3.8)
SP -- Cole Hamels, Cubs (3.2)

Other pitchers -- Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks (3.0); Charlie Morton, Rays (3.0); Jacob deGrom, Mets (2.7); Kirby Yates, Padres (1.2); Aroldis Chapman, Yankees (1.0).

Note the glaring lack of middle-infield and center-field options. Very strong in starting pitching.

TOTAL WAR: 57.9

Bottom line

The in-their-prime All-Stars pull it out over the kids, although it's close. What really stands out is how far behind the veterans are, particularly among the position players. Check out the number of 2-WAR or better position players for each group:

25 and younger: 20
In their prime: 36
Vets: 5

You wonder why free-agent position players aren't drawing much interest? This is why. Tommy Pham leads veteran position players in WAR, and only five have been 2-WAR players so far. This is one of the biggest -- and most important -- changes in the game over the past decade. The game is getting younger and younger.

LOL Mets: Unbelievably, it happened again. The Mets scored three runs in the top of the ninth Thursday to take a 3-1 lead over the Phillies ... only to see Edwin Diaz serve up a game-tying home run to Maikel Franco and then a game-losing home run to Jean Segura, who somehow hit it out with the shortest home run swing you'll ever see:

Absolutely amazin'. #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/HTlToJ2qZt

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 27, 2019

You want to see WFAN's Mike Francesa watching Segura's home run? Of course you do. Start at the 1-minute, 20-second mark:

Most of you heard the clip of Mike Francesa exploding after Edwin Diaz blew the game for the #Mets today. Here are the highlights of him watching the entire bottom of the 9th unfold. And yes... it's glorious. ? pic.twitter.com/RnnPLQjHYE

— Ƒunhouse (@BackAftaThis) June 28, 2019

That's five games in a row the Mets have lost after leading by at least two runs at some point. The bullpen has a 7.93 ERA (which would be the worst for a calendar month in franchise history) and eight blown saves in June. Diaz's ERA after giving up five runs Thursday is 4.94 as he fell to 1-5 with four blown saves. Robinson Cano is hitting .222/.270/.358. Manager Mickey Callaway might be lucky to survive the weekend, but general manager Brodie Van Wagenen's aggressive offseason has -- so far -- been a complete disaster.

The Mets' peak win probabilities for these four games in Philadelphia:

MON: 68.2 percent
TUES: 86.1 percent
WED: 95 percent
THRS: 92.6 percent

They went 0-4.

— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) June 27, 2019

The Braves head into Citi Field this weekend. They have a chance to bury the Mets.

Rays beat Twins in doubleheader: OK, it wasn't a doubleheader, but it was an 18-inning game that took 5 hours, 42 minutes. The Rays finally broke through with three runs off Twins reliever Ryne Harper after the teams had played scoreless baseball since the third inning. Hard to believe they played 15 innings of scoreless baseball with no home runs -- there were none in the whole game! Nice tag-up by Brandon Lowe for the go-ahead run:

Full team effort to get this one done today!#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/2hhg0M4ml0

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 28, 2019

The teams combined to use 19 pitchers, including Kyle Gibson, who is a starter for the Twins but pitched the 17th inning out of the bullpen. Five players went 0-for-7 or worse, the first time that has happened since 1901, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. Max Kepler and Avisail Garcia each went 0-for-8.

For those of you who like the idea of putting a runner on second base to begin an inning once the game goes to extra frames (or maybe starting in the 11th or 12th inning), consider this tidbit, courtesy of Elias: Entering Thursday, 2,283 of 3,987 runners at second base with none out came around to score that inning (57 percent). That rule change -- used in the World Baseball Classic -- would certainly lead to more runs and probably fewer 18-inning games.

I'll take the 18-inning game. (Unless it's April in Chicago and the wind is blowing in your face and they ran out of coffee and hot chocolate in the 13th inning.)

P.S. The Rays are reportedly going to call up two-way player Brendan McKay to make his major league debut Saturday. That was supposed to be Ryan Yarbrough's day, but he pitched the final three innings Thursday. McKay has dominated in the minors with a 1.35 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A, including 88 K's in 66⅔ innings with just 38 hits allowed. Really, he's more of a one-way player now since he has hit just .167 without a home run in 78 at-bats.

Stanton heads to IL: The Yankees said Giancarlo Stanton is more likely to return in August than July after suffering a strained ligament in his knee Wednesday. The Yankees can obviously play through the injury -- they've done it all season as Stanton has played just nine games -- and if they keep rolling there is no need to rush Stanton back.

My first thought here went back to Ken Griffey Jr. with the Reds. He had an excellent first season with Cincinnati in 2000, hitting .271 with 40 home runs in 145 games, worth 5.5 WAR. He'd had better seasons, but it was an All-Star-worthy campaign. Then the injuries started to pile up. He played 111 games in 2001 and then averaged just 69 over the next three seasons.

Stanton, like Griffey, had a good first season with the Yankees and remained healthy, playing in 158 games, but he's had better seasons. He's 29; Griffey was 31 when he started breaking down on a regular basis. One hopes Stanton will have better luck than Junior, but two major injuries in one season harks back to some of the concerns from Stanton's Marlins days that he was injury-prone (including knee surgery in 2012 and knee issues in 2016). And while the Yankees can win without him, they're also a better team with him in the lineup.

A Coors Field special: It's not every day you get 13 hits off Walker Buehler and still lose. That's because the Dodgers ripped six home runs and 17 hits in a wild 12-8 victory over the Rockies. Chris Taylor broke an 8-8 tie with a one-out single off Wade Davis in the ninth, then Kike Hernandez tacked on a three-run homer off Davis, whose ERA rose to 6.00. (It's not a good year to be a closer.)

The second-place Rockies fell to 13 games behind the Dodgers, which is distressing enough, but the Dodgers are now 7-0 against the Rockies in 2019 and have won 12 in a row against Colorado, going back to last September.