Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Barcelona's squad for the two games against Napoli in the United States this week after injuring his calf in his first training session back.

Messi picked up the knock during training on Monday and will not travel to the U.S. with the rest of his teammates, including new signings Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann and Junior Firpo.

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"Messi withdrew from the session due to discomfort in his right leg," Barca said in a statement.

"Tests carried out have diagnosed a grade one calf strain for the Argentine. Messi will remain in Barcelona and will now not travel to the USA for the club's tour. His availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery from the injury."

The Argentina international's participation in the Copa America meant he wasn't cited to return to training until Monday. However, while he didn't play, he was present for Sunday's win over Arsenal at Camp Nou.

Messi expressed his disappointment on Instagram, posting a message that read: "I was looking forward to getting started but unfortunately I have had a setback in my first training session that's going to rule me out for a short while.

"I wanted to be with the team and the fans that follow us in the U.S. This time it's not to be but we will see each other soon."

Speaking in his role as captain before the game, he told supporters he didn't regret pledging to win the Champions League last season despite the humiliating loss against Liverpool in the semifinal.

"It's difficult to say anything after last season," he said. "But I don't regret anything, and I would say the same thing again. I back these players and the coaching staff we have. Together we're going to fight to win everything.

"Last season ended with a bitter taste, but we have to give value to La Liga, the eighth we have won in 11 years. That's important, and maybe we don't give enough value to what we have done."

Neither Messi nor Luis Suarez were part of the club's tour to the U.S. last summer because of their involvement at the World Cup.

Of the other four South American players who saw action in Copa America, Suarez is confirmed to travel, along with Arturo Vidal, Philippe Coutinho and Arthur Melo.

B team players Inaki Pena, Riqui Puig, Carles Perez and Abel Ruiz have also been included.

Barca play Napoli at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday before flying to Michigan to face the Italians again as they step up preparations for their curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao next weekend.

The Spanish champions are also holding a number of fan events while in the U.S. as they look to get closer to their American supporters -- a market of particular interest to president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Some of the first-team squad are due to appear at a "Barca Fest," which is being held at Bayfront Park in Miami on Tuesday, with artists Pedro Capo and Play N Skillz set to perform.

Manchester United have signed England international defender Harry Maguire from Leicester on a six-year deal.

Sources told ESPN FC on Friday that United agreed to pay Leicester £80 million, which represents a world record fee for a defender, surpassing the £75m Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

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"I am delighted to have signed for this great club," Maguire said.

? New player, same #MUFC DNA ?

Our first interview with @HarryMaguire93 is not to be missed ?

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 5, 2019

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Leicester and would like to thank everyone at the club and the fans for their fantastic support over the past two seasons.

"However, when Manchester United come knocking on your door, it is an incredible opportunity. From my conversations with the manager, I am excited about the vision and plans he has for the team.

"It's clear to see that Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] is building a team to win trophies. I am now looking forward to meeting my new teammates and getting the season started."

Leicester were holding out for a bid of £90m for Maguire before agreeing to a compromise.

The 26-year-old underwent a medical over the weekend and will be eligible to make his United debut against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

"Harry is one of the best centre-backs in the game today and I am delighted we have secured his signature," United manager Solskjaer said of the signing.

"He is a great reader of the game and has a strong presence on the pitch with the ability to remain calm under pressure.

"I can see he will fit well into this group both on and off the pitch. He has a great personality and is a fantastic addition to the club."

Maguire played 76 games in two seasons at Leicester after arriving for £17m from Hull City in 2017.

It was a weekend of statements made across Major League Soccer, and the Power Rankings are taking note.

We see you, Alejandro Bedoya and the Philadelphia Union, stomping DC United and digging in at the top of the East. We see you, LAFC, reminding everyone that "hottest" doesn't mean "best" and that you can get it done without Carlos Vela. We see you, Minnesota United, winning ugly and claiming second place. We see you ... Colorado, maybe? Six goals is a lot.

What about RSL? That win means something, right? Sporting? OK, so maybe we need some of you to make another statement next week.

Let's go rank.

Previous rankings: Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | 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 (16 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. Red Bulls, 10 p.m. ET

Making the cross-country trip with five All-Stars in tow, the best team in the league took down the hottest team in the league on the turf at Gillette Stadium and maintained a record pace for points. The fact that Vela wasn't involved in either goal is actually a plus: It showed the Black & Gold can win without his direct influence.

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2. San Jose Earthquakes (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Aug.10 at Colorado, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Again the Quakes dominated a match, but this time, the goals didn't come. Probably best to just chalk this one up to bad luck and move on. No reason to doubt San Jose based on a single bad result, even if that result meant the club's stay in second place was short-lived.

3. Philadelphia Union (12-6-7)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. Houston, stream live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET

If not for a missed penalty by Kacper Przybylko , the Union would have scored six goals and matched Colorado for the weekend's best output. Even with that miss, Philly still managed the biggest margin of victory in MLS this round and, more importantly, maintained a three-point lead over Atlanta. Mic dropped.

4. Minnesota United (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at FC Dallas, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

The lucky Loons dodged a few good Timbers chances before getting a late penalty on Sunday. The win lifted Adrian Heath's team into second place in the Western Conference, ahead of the Quakes and Sounders on a tiebreaker. It also sets the stage for a massive Open Cup semifinal rematch against Portland on Wednesday.

5. Atlanta United (12-3-9)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. NYCFC, watch live on ESPN at 4 p.m. ET

We're a little murky on whether a pair of own goals and a penalty kick can add up to a "statement win," especially when the other team was missing its best player. Frank de Boer took some heat from his own players this week, so any comprehensive win is welcomed no matter how the goals went in.

6. New York City FC (9-8-4)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Aug. 8 vs. Houston, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

NYCFC was short-handed in Utah and Dome Torrent wasn't happy about it. "I don't understand why MLS decide to play with Maxi Moralez. Everybody knows he was injured. He played 70% walking all the time. I'm not sure if he's ready to play the next game. And look -- he played in All-Stars."

7. New England Revolution (9-6-9)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Seattle, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

There's no real shame in losing to the best team in the league to end an 11-game unbeaten run, but the Revs will need to avoid a letdown if they intend to make the playoffs. Next up is a trip to Seattle and if the Revs lose there, the chances of a spiral seem very real.

8. Seattle Sounders (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. New England, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

Nicolas Lodeiro is 6% more aerodynamic with his new haircut and can play a hell of a pass, but those things couldn't save the Sounders on Sunday night. The defensive lapses will haunt Brian Schmetzer, as might the shocking baldpate of his star Argentine playmaker. Sorry, but that head is wild.

9. New York Red Bulls (11-4-9)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 at LAFC, 10 p.m. ET

The Red Bulls welcomed TFC to town on Saturday and fell backward into a clean sheet and a 2-0 win. There's drama in Harrison, with Aaron Long caught up in an argument between the club (and MLS) and his agent over how much it should take for a big European club to buy the center back.

10. Portland Timbers (9-4-9)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Vancouver, stream live on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET

One bad moment from Larrys Mabiala was enough to turn a gritty road point into a deflating road loss in Minnesota. Giovanni Savarese will aim for revenge in Wednesday's Open Cup semi, presumably with the same mostly full-strength lineup he used on Sunday.

11. LA Galaxy (12-1-10)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 at DC United, 7:30 p.m. ET

We're here to report that there is no truth to the rumors that the Galaxy have petitioned Major League Soccer to throw out the result of any game that Zlatan Ibrahimovic doesn't play in. No truth to them at all, nope.

12. FC Dallas (9-6-9)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Minnesota, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

Lots of the ball, none of the goals for the Hoops in Orlando. It's now a running theme for FCD and a real worrying reality headed down the stretch of the season. Unless a true goal scorer arrives before the close of the transfer window in ... oh ... three days, the playoffs might slip away.

13. Real Salt Lake (10-4-9)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Sporting, stream live on ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET

Real Salt Lake's Dr. Jekyll side was out against NYCFC, with Mike Petke's absence looming over the club following his Mr. Hyde routine in the Leagues Cup. Whether the win on Saturday had anything to do with Petke is hard to say, but it does lift RSL back above the playoff line.

14. Orlando City (8-5-11)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Toronto, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The Lions secured a very important home win over FC Dallas on Saturday, sparked by right-back Ruan's slashing run across the field and brilliant outside-of-the-foot through ball to Tesho Akindele. The run and pass were great, good enough that we're working really hard to get the pronunciation of "Ruan" down.

15. Sporting Kansas City (7-7-9)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Real Salt Lake, stream live on ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET

Sporting dug deep in Seattle, going up 2-0 on the Sounders before halftime and hanging on for a 3-2 lead. Peter Vermes needs a lot more of that to save the season, but he need only look at the recent history of the team he beat on Sunday to know a reclamation is possible.

16. D.C. United (9-9-7)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Black & Red are the Black & Blue these days, taking hits from all sides as they tumble down the table in the Eastern Conference. Russell Canouse was already out and now it looks like Chris Durkin will miss some time. It's enough to make you wonder if Ola Kamara can play midfield.

17. Columbus Crew (7-4-14)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Cincinnati, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The Crew were out-everything'd against the Quakes and the two-game winning streak came to an end, but a point is a point is a point, especially on the road against one of the hottest teams in the league. Columbus goes for five unbeaten in the Hell Is Real Derby next week.

18. Toronto FC (9-5-10)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Orlando, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The coin flip came up tails (or whatever they call it in Canada) for the Reds this week. Chance after chance went wanting at Red Bull Arena, leading to an ugly 2-0 defeat. The Reds have a host of games against teams below them in the table coming up and they might all be must-wins.

19. Colorado Rapids (6-5-12)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. San Jose, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Unfortunately for the Rapids, goals scored aren't redeemable for spots in the inimitable Power Rankings one-for-one. The current rate is more like .285 and even that is subject to the whims of the market. You know how markets are... they have a lot of whims.

20. Montreal Impact (10-3-12)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Chicago, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Let's be honest: Winning on the road in Colorado was the secondary concern for the Impact on Saturday. The first was avoiding the plague. Prairie dogs in Commerce City have the plague, so Montreal can consider it a victory if none of their players have the plague. The plague, as in THE ACTUAL PLAGUE.

21. Chicago Fire (6-9-10)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Montreal, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

The Fire deserve more words this week because A) they scored a goal and B) they won a game.

21. Houston Dynamo (9-3-11)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Aug. 8 at NYCFC, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

We have to be honest: We're saddened by the collapse of the Dynamo. All the fun has been sucked out of a Houston team that, once upon a time, was among the deadliest counter-attacking sides in all of MLS. These days, the only energy the Dynamo produce is of the referee-hating variety.

23. Vancouver Whitecaps (5-9-11)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Portland, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

Update: Vancouver, not the worst (for now)

24. FC Cincinnati (5-2-17)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Columbus, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

FCC doesn't get to start over in the standings, but this week does represent a smashing of the reset button in Cincinnati. New head coach Ron Jans is officially on the job as of Tuesday, ushering a new era for the expansion team with eyes squarely on Hell Is Real.

Virgil van Dijk is not accustomed to being powerless on the pitch, but he had temporarily lost control.

"It's a feeling you can't really describe," the centre-back tells ESPN FC, revisiting the moment his legs gave way at the Wanda Metropolitano when Divock Origi's goal marked Liverpool as Champions League winners. He was half-turned away from the action, jogging back into position after miscuing his kick from James Milner's corner and losing a header against Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen when the ball fell to Joel Matip, who touched it on for the Belgian striker.

As Origi's left-footed strike passed Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and pinballed into the bottom-far corner, Van Dijk spread his arms out in triumph as those closest to him -- Jordan Henderson, Andrew Robertson and Fabinho -- had done. Like them, he began to run towards the scorer, but collapsed to his knees three strides in and ended up flat on his back.

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"It was pure relief taking over my body," Van Dijk says of those scenes on 87 minutes when Liverpool went 2-0 up in Madrid, winning their first trophy under Jurgen Klopp and the club's sixth European Cup. "We were under pressure before that, and I thought 'finally, it's over.'

"We were dropping back, we were defending like mad. At one point, we were just hoofing the ball forward, but it was the mental aspect. Usually we would build from the back, play our own football, but going 1-0 up after two minutes [through Mohamed Salah's penalty] is just a crazy situation in such a big game. Everyone can say what they want about how s--- the final was, but for us it didn't matter after Divock scored the goal.

"There were so many emotions, but the first one was relief."

That feeling immediately centered on the match situation, but soon spread to the "painful memory of Kiev," where Liverpool lost the Champions League final 3-1 to Real Madrid a year earlier. It went further too, covering the five months when, as he puts it, "lots of things happened" between the 28-year-old wanting to leave Southampton for Anfield at the end of 2016-17 and his £75 million transfer.

On the Wanda Metropolitano turf, where he lay overwhelmed with both his hands covering his face and would later roll in the confetti with his two young daughters and wife, Rike, Van Dijk's choice was vindicated.

On Sunday, Liverpool were edged 5-4 on penalties in the Community Shield by Manchester City, the club that also coveted Van Dijk and twice believed they would get him, before turning to Aymeric Laporte. It is also the team the Netherlands captain identifies as the biggest threat to Liverpool's objectives given their staggering 198-point haul in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

"They are incredible," said Van Dijk, who got the assist for the equaliser to take Sunday's game to a shootout. "And so are we. To get so close in the league was remarkable -- 97 points and just one defeat -- so it was disappointing not to win it, but I put that feeling away. I could respect that City were one point better last season. It's driven me on to work even more, to push the limits and help do everything we can to win.

"We know it will be difficult, because they will improve and so will the other teams, but we are not afraid of challenges."

Liverpool's status as continental kings and title challengers could not have transpired without the £75 million purchase of Van Dijk, which was finally agreed on December 27, 2017. The signing ended nearly two years of extensively scouring the market, pulling together a dual-pronged dossier on the best candidates to bolster the heart of their defence.

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The recruitment team, headed by sporting director Michael Edwards, analysed 34 centre-backs separated into "A" and "B" grade categories by watching them in blocks of 15 games or more. The former group were elite players that could make an immediate difference, with Van Dijk at the top of a pile that also featured Laporte, Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly and Jerome Boateng of Bayern Munich. The "B" section contained younger candidates with the potential to become top quality defenders in future.

The Reds' team felt that Van Dijk should have had his own bracket: he was superior in every metric from aerial prowess to recovery speed. Klopp also believed Southampton's captain to be a class apart; beyond his attributes, the manager noted both his composure and how he commanded the respect of those around him. Van Dijk wasn't just a phenomenal centre-back, he was a reference point for his teammates.

"If we go for a centre-half, we need to know how he acts in big spaces," Klopp said in April 2017, when asked about adding a defender. He felt that the right candidate for Liverpool had to be aerially dominant and "football smart: they have to make the right decision in the right moment, stepping back and all that stuff." By September that year, having opted to wait for Van Dijk rather than bring in an alternative, the 52-year-old was already under fire for that call with Liverpool shipping 13 goals in their opening seven games.

Significantly, Klopp was correct in thinking none of the available options were better than Van Dijk, who is now a front-runner for the Ballon d'Or.

Only three defenders have ever received the top honour: Franz Beckenbauer (1976), Matthias Sammer (1996) and Fabio Cannavaro (2006). Since the former Italy captain's triumph, nine of the 12 winners (just four different recipients: Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric) have lifted the Champions League cup in that season. The three exceptions have been for extraordinary goal-scoring campaigns from Messi (91 goals in 2012, 60 in 2010) and Ronaldo (66 in 2013).

Van Dijk won a higher percentage of his duels than any other defender in Europe's top five leagues in 2018-19, was pivotal to Liverpool's Champions League victory and narrowly lost the Nations League final, 1-0, to hosts Portugal. "It's something special to have your name associated with such a prestigious award, more so because defenders hardly get considered," he says.

"It's nice, but the only thing for me to focus on and control is continuing to play at a high level. I have to start strong again along with the rest of the team so we can meet our ambitions: that's more important."

The Netherlands international underlines Messi along with his teammates Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Alisson -- "a cool guy, who works hard, but is also a prankster that came in and settled immediately" -- as strong contenders for the prize.

Van Dijk's own adjustment period at Anfield was smooth considering Klopp's exacting demands, the fact he had joined midseason and the weight of wearing the "world's most expensive defender" label, a tag just taken by England's Harry Maguire, now joining Manchester United. Van Dijk was aided by receiving a lowdown on life at the club from his countryman Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson, with whom he shares an agent.

He noted that Liverpool's captain in particular was an "important factor" in choosing the Reds, due to the level of detail shared by Henderson on everything from the manager's relationship with his players to the mindset of those in the dressing room. "He painted the picture for me and made it easy to join."

A team bonding trip to Dubai straight after his debut against Everton in the FA Cup third round, in which he scored an 84th-minute winner, proved priceless.

"Virgil grew so close to everybody, it was very important for us and for him as well to be involved more in the team," Sadio Mane would later reveal of that getaway in early January 2018. "After Dubai, it looked like he had already been with us here for three or four years."

Van Dijk's description of Alisson as "a cool guy, who works hard but is also a prankster" may as well be a mirror into his own personality. From teasing Dejan Lovren about his "one of the best defenders in the world" claim to mocking his close friend Joe Gomez for having a locker that "looks like a beauty parlour," he is one of the biggest characters at the club.

"I'm not a guy to sit still and not get to know everyone so Dubai was the perfect kind of trip for me so soon after joining," Van Dijk says. "I'd never experienced coming to a club midseason before, but we had a good laugh, and it clicked immediately; you could tell everyone was willing to work for each other."

Van Dijk has a reputation as a "transformer" at Liverpool and is all too aware of the adulation he enjoys from the Kop, which includes a catchy ditty to the tune of The Pogues' "Dirty Old Town." The scale of affection is appreciated by the player, but it does not surprise him.

"That summer when I made the decision until I actually joined the club, I had so many Liverpool fans coming up to me wherever I went -- everywhere -- telling me how much they wanted me to sign for the club," he says. "That gave me a bit of a feeling of how big Liverpool is and how passionate the supporters are. When you look at the Barcelona game [a historic Champions League semifinal comeback at Anfield], the scenes from the parade in the city and you watch videos of them celebrating all over the world, it says everything. It's unbelievable to be involved in something so special."

"I think the minimum you can do at such a beautiful and big club is to give everything you've got and have no regrets when you leave the pitch because you know you did everything in your power to win the game. The fans appreciate that. That's the mentality we all have in the squad; we will work every yard of the pitch and work for each other: it's our base.

"No one can blame us for not trying, for not having ambition because we give everything."

Van Dijk understands what it means to represent Liverpool not just on the pitch, but off it too. On his first day as a home player at Anfield two years ago on Dec. 30, he did not notice Rocco Daly, then 10, wearing a "Virgil 4" shirt. He was swarmed upon entering the stadium, and security were trying to lead him into the tunnel so he could meet his new teammates ahead of them lining up against Leicester City. The club's record signing did see a picture of Rocco postmatch, however, and asked Liverpool staff to track down the kid so he could send him an autographed shirt.

It wasn't his only outreach. Van Dijk saw a Twitter plea from Chris Geldard for signed merchandise to decorate his son Oliver's hospital room and duly obliged with a signed home kit and boots. Last December, he paid for the Owen McVeigh Foundation Christmas party, which 120 children got to enjoy thanks to his donation instead of the usual number of 50. He doesn't like to talk about any of these deeds in detail, but what he does like to discuss, however, is the strength of the collective within the club.

Framed as the club's main man, Van Dijk is skilled at directing the conversation away from himself and to those he feels do not get enough credit, Matip being an example. "How we ended the season was unreal, and I told him after the [Champions League] final that I was personally so happy for him because the year before he played no part in Kiev, and he had a thigh problem at the beginning of the season.

"At Liverpool, we are all part of one unit, not just the 11 on the pitch."

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A close-knit dressing room and the relentlessness of the coaching staff are factors Van Dijk underscores as fundamental to Liverpool's success. "The progress since I've been here has surprised me a little, but at the same time, it hasn't been surprising because if you look at the team, we have a fantastic squad on and off the pitch," he says.

"It's not just the talent we have: everyone gets along, we want to fight for each other, we want to develop together and that's something that comes down from the manager and how he is with his staff. The senior players here are welcoming, set the tone in terms of how we treat each other and what we should demand from ourselves.

"We want to improve, we won't get comfortable. That's a big credit to the manager and everyone that works at Melwood: they always remind us there's no time to feel like it's all good. That we have to strive to be better than the last game, even if it was an incredible performance. There are always things we can still learn to perfect."

One of those aspects could be Van Dijk not actually shanking volleys and scoring for himself, although his worst efforts have contributed to two of Liverpool's most euphoric moments of last season: Origi's 96th-minute winner against Everton and the 24-year-old's mammoth goal in the final.

"Don't even start," Van Dijk laughs. "Divock loves it. I can't believe I got the assist for his goal in the derby. I'll try to give him a few more this season, but one of them has to eventually go in: come on!"

Van Dijk won't mind more miskicks or moments where he temporarily loses control if it equates to an increase in silverware.

"We've got the big one, but that's only a start," he says, tapping his right fist into his left palm. "The time for celebrating is over, let's get back to work."

Somerset have set the gold standard among counties for streaming their games, and have had to find a way to manage an influx of traffic after the signing of Babar Azam.

Ben Warren, Somerset's digital marketing executive, had to upgrade the club website's server capacity after their first game of the Blast, a win at Glamorgan that was not streamed live, as fans in Pakistan were so desperate to follow their star batsman's progress.

But the change appears to have been worthwhile: their home defeat against Sussex last weekend, in which Babar made 83, attracted over 1.5 million views on YouTube.

It remains a source of frustration for several clubs that due to the technicalities within the broadcast deal between the ECB and Sky, streams on YouTube have to remain 'unlisted' - meaning they do not show up in the search bar, and have to be found via hyperlinks.

It may seem like a minor difference, but counties are convinced they are missing out on substantial traffic because of it, and hope that after consultation with the governing body, a change will be implemented ahead of next season.

***

Lancashire have stormed to the top of the North Group thanks to Glenn Maxwell's runs, Liam Livingstone's all-round exploits, and a bowling attack which offers genuine pace and high-quality spin.

They could be forgiven for looking forward to the quarter-finals already, but the knockouts pose a real conundrum for them. The quarter-finals are scheduled for the same week as the Old Trafford Ashes Test, which gives Lancashire a headache if they finish in the top two.

As reported on Saturday, the club are in discussions with the ECB as to their potential options - Sky would struggle to show a game at any of their outground options, and they will be loath to give their opponents home advantage, so a neutral venue might be an avenue worth exploring.

Further, it has emerged that Maxwell will be unavailable if they are to reach Finals Day, as he will be returning to Australia in time for the start of the domestic season, with James Faulkner likely in a similar position.

Article 3.5 of the ECB's regulations on player registration - commonly known as the "Bravo Rule", since it was introduced after Dwayne Bravo's ill-fated Finals Day appearance for Essex in 2010 - means that a potential replacement for the knockout stages would have to have played at least one group game, meaning Lancashire would likely go in without an overseas player.

And while Jos Buttler is usually available for Finals Day, he may well be made unavailable by England this time around after a hectic summer. Lancashire are flying high, but could soon be in danger of suffering from vertigo.

***

Durham are set for a scrap to reach the quarter-finals for a second year running, a sentence which must have seemed improbable at the start of last season.

What they lack in high-profile names - D'Arcy Short and Peter Handscomb are the only real stars - they more than make up for with wholehearted contributors, which is perhaps epitomised best by their unlikely death-bowling duo.

Nathan Rimmington, the diminutive 36-year-old Australian seamer who plays on a British passport, has combined with 20-year-old Matty Potts to great effect so far, and the pair find themselves leading the way among regular death bowlers.

Rimmington's economy rate at the death is 7.01, and his 59 balls in overs 16-20 have brought only four boundaries, while Potts has an almost identical record to last year's breakout star Pat Brown - both have conceded 65 runs in 48 balls at the death, though Brown has one wicket more.

There is another improbable face just behind Rimmington, in Ravi Rampaul, who is quietly enjoying a stellar Blast for Derbyshire, while Tom Helm (12.22) and - surprisingly - Harry Gurney (11.00) find themselves at the wrong end of the rankings.

***

Wayne Parnell is best known for his left-arm seam and a feisty on-field attitude, though he is not completely without pedigree with the bat.

He had regularly been deployed as a pinch-hitting opener by Cobras, his domestic team in South Africa, and before the start of last week, had batted in every position from Nos. 1 to 11 in T20, except one.

As if to try him out in the only role he was yet to have a go at, Worcestershire promoted him to No. 4 for their run chase against Derbyshire. And the risk paid off in some style: he belted 81 not out off just 46 balls to see them home, before adding an 18-ball 27 in the win against Yorkshire two days later.

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Gloucestershire were left fuming on Sunday, as their attempts to defend 159 against Sussex were derailed by a six-run penalty applied due to their slow over-rate.

The main sources of contention appeared to be the umpires taking some time to confirm Luke Wright was out, after a boundary-rope catch by AJ Tye, and a lost ball, with Michael Klinger convinced his side had not been given sufficient extra time in which to bowl their overs.

It meant Sussex only needed eight from the final over rather than 14, which Delray Rawlins knocked off easily enough. Gloucestershire allrounder Benny Howell risked sanction from the ECB by tweeting afterwards: "Such an unfortunate end to a great day and exciting game. The umpires need to be held accountable for costing us a potential 2 points."

Even that controversy, though, could not take the shine away from a memorable occasion, as both teams wore specially-designed shirts to raise awareness for the charity Grief Encounter.

Tom Smith, the Gloucestershire and ex-Sussex spinner, lost his wife to a rare form of liver cancer in 2018, and the charity has provided him and his daughters with support and counselling since. For further details, visit www.griefencounter.co.uk/about-us

Big picture

With lightning scares, and the possibility of any series result other than India's win out of the way, the teams move to Guyana, in the northern mainland of South America for the third and final T20I. Neither team looked keen on making changes during the second match on Sunday, but that will likely change.

While a look to next year's World Cup - 14 months away - is not plausible, West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite did hint towards long-term planning during the toss, and as such may be looking to bring even more young talent into the fray before they move to the next series. There is also a five-match losing streak to snap.

For India, there is the chance to reward some of IPL's most consistent players in what is essentially a dead rubber. In a system brimming with competition for places, they will not find a more convenient time.

Form guide

West Indies LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WWLLL

In the spotlight

Shimron Hetmyer batted at No. 5 for a duck in the first game, and came in at No. 6 before the players went off in the second. At home in Guyana, West Indies could look to push him higher up the order and have the kind of impact he had in the limited-overs leg of the India tour last year. They've had two different No. 4s in the first two games, so it is not out of the question.

India will be impressed by Krunal Pandya's integration into the senior team. The last four series he's played in have all been in different countries and he's produced notable performances in each of those. However, even within that small sample size, he's shown the tendency to follow up good performances with middling ones. With the form he showed with both bat and ball on Sunday, he has the opportunity to close out the series on a high.

Team news

West Indies will be fairly happy with their bowling performances over the two matches, and the batting improved vastly from the sub-100 effort in the first match. They'll be tempted to name a few changes in the top order to build on that.

West Indies XI (probable): 1 John Campbell/Evin Lewis, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Nicholas Pooran/Anthony Bramble (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Khary Pierre, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Oshane Thomas

India could bring all four of their benched players in and still put out a competitive squad. They are yet to play Rahul Chahar, the only wristspinner in the squad, and Shreyas Iyer, who has long been knocking on the doors.

India XI (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan/KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Manish Pandey/Shreyas Iyer, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar, 8 Deepak Chahar/Navdeep Saini, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Rahul Chahar

Pitch and conditions

Thunderstorms are forecast in Georgetown, Guyana just before start of play. So not much changes in terms of potential sluggishness in the pitch - they got it in Florida, and they could get it again on Tuesday.

Stats and trivia

• Having won five of their first seven completed T20I matches against India, West Indies have failed to win in the last five - dating back to July 2017

• Rishabh Pant hasn't made a limited-overs fifty for India across formats in his last six innings

Australia 284 (Smith 144, Broad 5-86) and 487 for 7 dec (Smith 142, Wade 110, Head 51) beat England 374 (Burns 133, Root 57, Stokes 50) and 146 (Lyon 6-49, Cummins 4-32) by 251 runs

They came with hope of batting out the final day and leaving Edgbaston intact, but England were blown away by Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins as Australia completed victory by a crushing 251 runs before tea. Lyon lived up the billing as the major fourth-innings threat with 6 for 49, his best figures against England, and finished with nine in the match.

It was Australia's first victory at the venue in any format since 2001 - which is also their last Test series win in England - and this is the first time they have led an away Ashes since 2005. The lead-up to the match was dominated by a multitude of selection debates, but it was two of the nailed-on names who did the wicket-taking work on the final day to ensure that Steven Smith's monumental performances will always be associated with victory rather than a stalemate. Given that Australia were 122 for 8 on the first day, it will go down as one of their finest victories even though England were a bowler down.

Cummins began Australia's march to victory on the final morning, by removing Rory Burns with a well-directed short ball, and finished with 4 for 32, in the process claiming his 100th Test wicket in his 21st match when he removed Jonny Bairstow. That was the second-fastest number of games for an Australian pace bowler, behind Charlie Turner's 17, a game quicker than Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Bill Johnston.

There was a milestone, too, for Lyon as he reached 350 Test wickets with the scalp of Ben Stokes as England's middle order was destroyed. There had been some hope when, despite the loss of Burns - splicing the ball to gully - in the third over the day, they reached 60 for 1 but Lyon was soon getting to work.

His first wicket of the day owed a lot to a horrendous shot from Jason Roy who charged down the pitch, was nowhere near the ball and still went through with a swipe to the leg side. The end result was not pretty. He is early in his Test career and has been picked because he is a dynamic player, but this was a bad misjudgement. Joe Denly started positively with a brace of sweeps off Lyon but everything was in the offspinner's favour and it wasn't long before a bat-pad chance looped to short leg.

Root twice used DRS to overturn poor lbw decisions by Joel Wilson - who had a torrid game - when he was given out to James Pattinson on 4 with the ball missing leg and again on 9 against Peter Siddle when there was an inside edge. The contest between Lyon and Root was absorbing while it lasted, the England captain eager to try and not let Lyon settle, but there was no need for an umpiring decision when he did fall, a thick inside edge being safely held by Cameron Bancroft.

Four down at lunch and England's only real hope was to have a wicketless middle session: six balls into the resumption and they lost their fifth. Cummins had troubled Jos Buttler before the break - reviewing a tight lbw that was umpire's call on height - and Buttler was 1 off 24 balls when he had his off stump trimmed. He played it as though the ball kept low, and perhaps it did a fraction, but he was also beaten by Cummins' challenging length.

On a surface that became slower as the match progressed, Cummins made exceptional use of the short ball throughout the day. Having earlier defeated Burns, he then angled one in at Bairstow's chest and he couldn't lower his hands in time. The ball ballooned to slip and Bairstow reviewed, intimating it had come off his arm, but it had just brushed the wristband of the glove as well. Credit to Wilson for the correct decision.

Next ball, Lyon got one to spin and bounce at Stokes to take the edge with Tim Paine completing another excellent catch up to the stumps. Chris Woakes played his shots as well as anyone on the day, but the end did not take long to come. In one of the more predictable dismissals Lyon snared Moeen Ali again, caught at second slip, for his fifth wicket then put himself on a hat-trick by removing Stuart Broad with another beautiful off-break. The distance by which Lyon out-bowled Moeen in this match was one of the deciding factors despite Smith's run-glut.

James Anderson, whose injury in the opening session created a hole England couldn't cover up, hobbled out and denied Lyon the hat-trick. It was Cummins who started the demolition and Cummins who ended it when another short ball was fended to slip by Woakes. Fittingly, too, the ball landed in the hands of Smith.

The Fortress had been well and truly breached.

Dale Steyn has retired from Tests with immediate effect, finishing as South Africa's highest wicket-taker. The 36-year-old took 439 wickets in 93 Tests, overtaking Shaun Pollock earlier this year. He will continue to be available for ODI and T20I selection.

"Today I walk away from a format of the game I love so much," Steyn said. "In my opinion Test cricket is the best version of this game. It tests you mentally, physically, emotionally. It's terrible to consider never playing another Test again but what's more terrifying is the thought of never playing again at all. So I will be focusing on ODIs and T20s for the rest of my career to maximise my full potential and ensure my longevity in this sport.

"I'd like to thank everyone in cricket, no one specific, because everyone has been a part of my journey. And I look forward to continuing to play for the Proteas in the shorter formats. Thank you."

Steyn battled various injuries over the last few years, and after what seemed like a successful comeback to all formats late last year, a shoulder injury kept him out of this year's World Cup. He was recently picked up as a marquee player for Euro T20 Slam franchise Glasgow Kings.

More to follow

Joe Root, England's defeated Test captain, said that the selection of James Anderson had been a group decision, after his absence from the attack due to injury contributed significantly to England's 251-run loss against Australia in the opening Test of the Ashes at Edgbaston.

Despite coming through a number of fitness tests in the lead-up to the game, Anderson lasted just four overs on the first morning before reporting tightness in his right calf, the same muscle that he had torn while bowling for Lancashire in a Championship fixture in early July.

In his absence, Australia were able to recover from 122 for 8 on the first day to set England an eventual fourth-innings target of 398, one that they never came close to challenging as they were rolled aside for 146 on the final day.

"It does hurt, we're bitterly disappointed," Root said during the post-match presentations at Edgbaston. "I thought we played some really good cricket throughout the majority of the Test match. But credit to Australia for how they got back in it."

The major thorn in England's side was the indomitable Steven Smith, whose twin innings of 144 and 142 added up to more than the eventual margin of victory. However, his second-innings dismissal, caught snicking a rare swinging ball from Chris Woakes, was an indication of what might have been had Anderson's skill with the Dukes ball been available throughout the match.

"It was two brilliant innings, we'll have to keep working hard on getting him out," said Root. "But it was obviously going to be hard as well, having lost Jimmy pretty early on, in terms of balancing the attack.

"But these things happen in cricket and we've got to take it on the chin and move forward, and come back really hard at Lord's."

However, Anderson is sure to be missing from the attack at Lord's in just over a week's time - even though Root demurred when asked the direct question, saying they would have to wait for the scans on his calf to be properly analysed. And as a consequence, the rationale of his selection for this game, having missed the one-off match against Ireland, is bound to come under scrutiny.

"It was a group decision in terms of the selection of him," said Root. "He passed all the fitness tests. and it's just one of those freak things that can happen in in cricket. It's disappointing, but we've got to try and respond to that and make sure that we get things exactly how we want them at Lord's."

Jofra Archer, who appeared as a substitute fielder during the Edgbaston Test, is an obvious name in the frame to replace Anderson and make his Test debut, having had a chance to rest the side strain that hampered him during the World Cup. But Root said that that decision, too, would have to wait until he had proven his red-ball fitness with a second XI outing for Sussex against Gloucestershire this week.

"We'll have to wait and see how he shapes up as well," said Root. "He's going away tomorrow to get some cricket in, get some overs in. We don't have to make any shotgun decisions in terms of selection. We got plenty of time before the next game. It's really important that we're very clear on how we want to go about it."

On England's final-day meltdown, in which they lost all ten wickets inside two sessions as Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon shared the spoils, Root said that he would not be over-analysing the final performance.

"I think we were bowled out today, to be brutally honest. It was high-class bowling, we were made to work very hard for our wickets. And I think we got to look further back into the Test match for where we could have been slightly better."

Root also insisted that the euphoria of England's World Cup win was not a factor in England's lacklustre start to the Ashes.

"I think that's a bit of an excuse to be honest. We played some good stuff throughout the game, we just didn't do it for long enough and we didn't take our chance at the start, when we had them in that position."

Nevertheless, a week off until the Lord's Test was welcome, he added.

"It gives us time to get away, regroup, and make sure that we're really clear on how we want to approach that Test match. And make sure that this [result] doesn't have a hangover effect going into the next game."

The IBF on Monday formally ordered Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Gennady Golovkin to meet for its vacant middleweight world title. As expected, the sanctioning body sent a letter to both camps telling them to begin negotiations immediately for a fight that will fill the 160-pound world title stripped from Canelo Alvarez on Thursday when his team did not finalize a deal with mandatory challenger Derevyanchenko.

"The IBF middleweight title was declared vacant on August 1, 2019. The IBF is therefore ordering that a bout take place between the two highest ranked contenders to fill this vacancy," IBF championships chairman Carlos Ortiz Jr. wrote in a letter to Alex Dombroff, the attorney for Derevyanchenko promoter Lou DiBella, and John Hornewer, the attorney representing Golovkin's GGG Promotions.

The Derevyanchenko and Golovkin camps have 30 days, or until Sept. 4, to make a deal. They then have another 15 days to submit signed contracts to the IBF for the fight that is slated to take place Oct. 5 -- the date Golovkin exclusive broadcaster DAZN has him penciled in for the second bout of his six-fight, nine-figure deal. If the fighter camps cannot make a deal the IBF will order a purse bid, but DiBella told ESPN he did not think a purse bid would be necessary.

"We knew the letter was coming and we've already been talking and I'm very confident in short order that we will be able to close a deal," DiBella said.

The IBF also dictated that the winner of the vacant title must make his mandatory defense against the leading available contender within six months.

Alvarez promoter Golden Boy had been working on a deal with DiBella for Alvarez to defend his unified title against Derevyanchenko in late October, but after the purse bid was delayed, and the negotiating period was extended multiple times, Alvarez was stripped of the belt per the terms of a deal Golden Boy made with the IBF that the fight would either be finalized by last Thursday afternoon or the title would become vacant.

Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs), 28, of Mexico, claimed he was not aware of the deal Golden Boy made with the IBF, but he was stripped anyway, paving the way for former unified champion Golovkin to face Derevyanchenko for the vacant title.

Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs), 33, of Ukraine, who suffered his lone defeat by split decision to Daniel Jacobs for the vacant IBF belt in October, outpointed Jack Culcay in a title eliminator on April 13 to gain the mandatory position. Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs), 37, a Kazakhstan native fighting out of Santa Monica, California, who had previously been stripped of the same title by the IBF, was the next contender in its rankings.

Golovkin had hoped for a third fight with Alvarez this fall, but Alvarez declined to make the bout despite pressure from DAZN, which also has Alvarez under contract.