The opening weekend of the Women's Super League season attracted almost 63,000 fans across six games as England enjoyed an unprecedented increase in crowds, building on a surge in interest in women's soccer during the World Cup.

The cumulative crowd was a 12-fold increase on the start of the 2018-19 season when 5,167 fans attended the five games before the English top flight was enlarged from 11 to 12 teams.

The total of 62,921 was reached this weekend thanks largely to Manchester City using the Etihad Stadium and Chelsea using Stamford Bridge, rather than the smaller venues where their women's teams usually play, as the men's clubs were off during the international break.

A WSL attendance record was set Saturday when 31,213 saw Manchester City beat newly promoted Manchester United 1-0. Chelsea had distributed 40,000 tickets for free for the visit of Tottenham on Sunday and 24,564 attended -- still a record crowd for the west London club's women's team.

"We can be cynical about paying for tickets," Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said after her team's 1-0 win, "but I'm not going to criticize it because we've built on the momentum of the World Cup."

Bethany England's long-range strike after four minutes sealed the victory for the two-time WSL champions over a promoted Tottenham side that had eight players making their debuts. Tottenham overhauled the squad after becoming fully professional following its promotion from the second-tier Championship.

"We've won a lot today, not just three points, in people's consciousness women's football will continue to grow and I'm so proud of this football club," Hayes said. "I doubt I'll ever work at a place that has pushed and pushed for women to progress like this place has."

Arsenal opened its title defense with a 2-1 victory over West Ham in front of 1,795 fans at a stadium in Boreham Wood, north of London.

The English Football Association is looking to build on the interest in the women's game that swelled as England reached the World Cup semifinals in July, losing to the United States.

"This weekend has been absolutely incredible in terms of attendance," Tottenham manager Karen Hills said.

Australia's players loosed a blood-curdling collective scream upon Manchester when umpire Kumar Dharmasena's finger raised to deliver them an Ashes victory on English soil for the first time since 2001. If there was a brief moment's purgatory while DRS confirmed the news, it contributed to a far more exhilarating moment than on that last distant occasion.

That corresponding instant 18 years before had been the apogee of anti-climax, as the winning run at Trent Bridge arrived from an Andy Caddick no-ball delivered to Mark Waugh: 3-0 in three Tests, six Ashes series wins in a row for the world's best team. Quite ho-hum really.

Just as so much has changed in the intervening years, there could not have been circumstances much more different in how this victory was finally achieved: all adrenaline, broken tension and sheer elation at doing something none of these players had experienced as anything other than schoolboys staying up late to watch on television back home. It had been a more similar sensation in 1989, when the Australian team, also at Old Trafford, launched into collective celebration on the team balcony upon the achievement of a nine-wicket victory.

Whether or not this win sets up 17 years of domination over England, as that one did, remains to be seen. But it was an entirely fitting finish all the same: Josh Hazlewood, alongside Pat Cummins, Australian twin pillars of pace strength in this series, followed up a stinging short ball to Craig Overton by bowling his umpteenth scrambled seam ball in the three Tests he has played, moving the ball late and sharply off the pitch to find England's No. 8 the plumbest of lbws.

It had been harder for Australia than England to win lbw verdicts across this series - at the end of the match the ledger read 18-8 in favour of the hosts - but an ever-increasing and improving focus on hitting the top of the off stump had been central to how Australia found a way to close out the series the very next match after their enormous trauma at Headingley. That day, against a rampant Ben Stokes, Australia's bowlers had failed to look for the stumps enough, and had also lost their heads tactically.

This time, however, the mistakes were not repeated, neither by the bowlers nor the captain Tim Paine, who enjoyed one of his very best days of the series to help ensure the urn was retained without the need for a decisive closing encounter at The Oval. On day five of a Test, with the ball getting old and not too much happening, captains occasionally need to make things happen - throw bowlers round to opposite ends, use some part-timers, change up their fields. It's something the likes of Mark Taylor, Michael Clarke and Michael Vaughan were considered masters at, less so Ricky Ponting and Alastair Cook.

Paine had it all to do in terms of his leadership reputation after the conclusion of the Leeds Test, where by his own admission he had got plenty of things wrong. Here though he gained the morning's first breakthrough with a last-moment decision to replace Mitchell Starc with Cummins, and did the trick again in mid-afternoon when he broke up a tandem between Starc and Nathan Lyon. First, he introduced Marnus Labuschagne in place of Lyon. Next, he replaced Labuschange with Travis Head. Thirdly, he swung Labuschagne around to the opposite end for the final over before drinks. Lastly, he brought Starc back on from the other to the one from which he had operated in the first place.

"All adrenaline, broken tension and sheer elation at doing something none of these players had experienced as anything other than schoolboys staying up late to watch on television back home"

This all had very little to do with Starc getting his first ball of the over bang on target to Bairstow, but the chopping and changing may well have disrupted the batsman's rhythm just enough to miss it. The lbw verdict from Kumar Dharmasena took England past the last pair of recognised batsmen, and gave the Australians hope that a quick ending would eventuate.

But the 2019 Ashes have confounded expectations consistently ever since Edgbaston, turning this into the perhaps the greatest and certainly the most enthralling series since 2005. Jos Buttler and Craig Overton pushed keenly into line, surviving Australian thrusts with pace and spin beyond the tea break and allowing conversations to start about how long there was remaining, how likely the light was to hold, and whether the tourists were starting to tighten up again as per Headingley.

Paine, though, worked in concert with Hazlewood to make the best use of a ball changed when the original went out of shape, finding themselves the beneficiaries of its greater hardness and, for a rare time this series, a tendency towards reverse swing. Buttler had been defending sturdily, covering the movement, but the deployment of a silly point for Hazlewood brought the extra pressure and judgment error required - as Hazlewood's well-disguised inswinger snaked into off stump, Buttler resembled no-one so much as Michael Clarke when confounded by Simon Jones on this very ground 14 years before.

Jofra Archer fell victim to fifth-day variation, lbw to a Lyon delivery tunnelling under his bat, before Overton found another ally in the celebrity tail-ender Jack Leach, promoted above Stuart Broad. Fifty balls Leach defended, taking the strike confidently, and seldom looking under major threat even against the second new ball. Once more, though, Paine made a bold and ultimately beautiful call, calling up Labuschagne with a little over an hour remaining. Finding turn out of the footmarks, his fifth ball spat and jumped up at Leach's gloves, claiming the penultimate wicket in the manner of a latter-day, right-arm Michael Bevan.

At this point, with only one more wicket to get, the Australians might have tightened up once more, but they had learned the hard way to both be more attentive to the mores of playing cricket in England, and to try to relax as much as possible with victory just a wicket away. Paine agreed in the aftermath that this had been a team that put ego to one side and learned, slowly and methodically, how to win in this part of the world. It's a feat that has been beyond four previous touring teams.

The route to this glory had been pockmarked by the Newlands scandal, a blow to the national team's psyche but also a valuable moment of reflection, but had also been characterised by plenty of measures intended for learning. Dukes balls in the Sheffield Shield, Australia A tours of England, an internal trial match in Southampton to make a late call on the final squad of 17, and a tactical commitment to shutting down the scoreboard of England, bowling accurately and trying most of all with the bat to survive.

"This group has done it better than most if I am honest, hence the result," Paine said. "We've known for a while England play different than we do over here. This team has made a real effort of putting their ego aside and roll up their sleeves and do the job asked of them, rather than worry about how it looks or the brand or style we play. We want to play winning cricket and need to adapt to conditions that allow us to do that, and this group have done that superbly."

So the still-newish ball was handed to Hazlewood with 14 overs remaining, and as he had done all series, he tried to move it off the seam and not through the air. Overton was pinned in front, the air cracked with Australia's scream and the Ashes urn was retained. Paine was elated, pumping his fist as he ran, while nearby the batsman of the series Steven Smith could not stop jumping for joy.

"It's been a long, long time," said Paine. "We know how difficult it is to win over here. We are the lucky ones who have been here. Every player has some story or sacrifice which is what makes moments like this so great. It doesn't happen, retaining the Ashes in England, very often but we'd like to win next week."

There was a period in recent Australian cricket history when winning the Ashes in England felt like a birthright; this team have deservedly regained what was somehow lost along the way.

Joe Root has insisted he "definitely" wants to carry on as captain of England despite failing to reclaim the Ashes.

Australia's victory at Old Trafford gave them an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series, meaning Root has led two unsuccessful attempts to win the urn. It was also Australia's first successful Ashes campaign in England since 2001. But while Archie MacLaren, more than a century ago, was the last England captain to survive two Ashes series defeats to lead England into a third, Root is adamant that he is the man to do the same.

"I definitely want to carry on as captain," Root said. "I have been given a fantastic opportunity to captain the Test side and will continue to work very hard at doing my best at that.

And while Root admitted defeat was "bitterly disappointing", he took heart from England's final-day resistance, suggesting it provided encouragement for the future.

"It's tough to take, losing the Ashes. It's bitterly disappointing. But when you find yourself in a situation like today you learn a lot about your team and the guys. I thought everyone showed a lot of courage, resilience, and character. Everyone should be really proud about how they approached the day.

"I thought the guys fought extremely bravely. They dug in, they fought and they put a high price on their wicket. It almost makes it a little bit harder to take but, at the same time, I could not be more proud with how we fought today."

A significant part of England's problems have been Root's own lack of runs. On Saturday he became the first England captain to register three ducks - two of them golden - during a series and his average for the four games is a modest 30.87. But while he accepted he had to find a way of doing better, he also made the point that the batsmen on both sides - with one notable exception - had struggled.

"If you take Steve Smith out, it would be very similar for both teams," Root said. "It has been a series dominated by the ball. Both batting sides have very experienced players who have not performed how they would have liked and that tells a story by itself.

"Bowling at Smith in this form is difficult and you have to make sure you take all your chances. We did not do that and that cost us. 

"The teams have put all batters - bar Smith - under pressure and it's been challenging. But I have to find way of scoring runs. You have to look at areas you want to get better both in yourself and as a team.

"In many ways we were an inexperienced team. We have to learn quickly. We were not as good as we would have liked to be or consistent throughout the whole game. This can't keep happening. You are not going to win many games if you start behind. There is still plenty to learn for this group."

Root also insisted there was plenty to play for in the final Test at The Oval. While the Ashes have gone, England can still level the series - Australia would, as current holders, retain the urn even if the series finishes 2-2 - and the introduction of the World Test Championship provides further motivation.

"Every game against Australia matters," Root said. "We have to make sure we finish this summer strong. We have an important Test match against Australia and we have the Test Championship to play for. We have to get something out of this series.

"I know the Ashes are not coming back but, in terms of the Test Championship at the end of the two-year cycle, those points could be crucial. You never want to lose an Ashes series but turning up at The Oval and putting in a strong performance is crucial for this group."

England's team for the final Test, which starts on Thursday, will be announced on Monday.

Having put on a brave face in the aftermath of Headingley, Australia's captain, Tim Paine, admitted in the afterglow of retaining the Ashes in England for the first time in 18 years that the trauma of that defeat had been enough to break a sporting team.

What's more, he reckoned that the wider trials and tribulations of Australian cricket over the past 18 months, in the wake of the Newlands scandal that thrust the Test captaincy on his shoulders and the national coaching job on Justin Langer's, served as an important contributor to the team's ability to rebound from Leeds with a largely commanding victory over England at Old Trafford, culminating in a far better collective display in the field on the final day to bowl out the hosts with 13.4 overs to spare.

"In terms of what we've been able to achieve as a group is pretty satisfying from where we've come from in the last 18 months," Paine said. "Great character, shows the great people we have got and shows we've also got some bloody good cricketers in our team I am also proud of our staff. Also from where we've come from even from last week, that was a loss that would break a lot of teams, but we weren't. I could feel it during the week. We turned up here and did our job like good sports teams do.

"The group has clearly been through a bit of adversity, some more than others. But the guys sat in that change room have been through what happened at Cape Town and it's times like that you find out what sort of people you have got and you find people who can give up or keep fighting and I think we have got guys who have come back and kept fighting and are wanting to get better and keep wanting to be in situations like we got at Headingley because those games, when you do win, feel very special.

"Headingley's loss make this all the more sweeter after a lot of people wrote us off. There were a few nervous moments there, coming off Headingley but I thought we learnt from that, held our nerve and bowled really well against a team that fought really hard like we knew they would."

Paine's captaincy, the team's fielding and catching and the bowling of the inexhaustible Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood plus Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon had all stood up far better to the pressure of the moment, leading to a victory that will be both celebrated wildly and recorded as an important moment in Ashes history. "It's exciting, you are going to see emotion when you get a bunch of people together who have a common goal and have worked so hard for it for a such a long time," Paine said.

"This has been two years in the planning so to carry it out over here under pressure and with everything we've had thrown at us ... it's a nice place to play cricket but it is bloody difficult in England if I am honest. I couldn't be more proud of the way our group have handled everything thrown at them. At the end it was just a bit of raw emotion when you have a little bit of success particularly on the back of last week and the last 18 months. We haven't had a lot of success and not a lot of happy times. But we are beginning to get them and that is awesome.

"My dream was to come here and win an Ashes. I certainly didn't want to be the captain winning the Ashes. It doesn't mean any more or any less to me. I have said a lot of times my part in the this team is just one job that many are doing, I just get a lot of the credit I suppose but it is something we share around between the players and staff. I am just happy to be a part of it. I could have been working at Kookaburra [in 2017], so this isn't bad."

Among many key moments on the last day was Paine's use of Marnus Labuschagne's wrist spin to break a pesky stand between Jack Leach and Craig Overton as the final hour drew near. The subsequent wicket not only set up Hazlewood's final wicket but also underlined how Labuschagne had made a difference to the team. "Even from when I captained him in Dubai he has been working on his leg spin bowling," Paine said.

"He came on the trip and bowled a lot in the nets and we said: 'he can bowl.' He has bowled a lot of overs in county cricket for Glamorgan which has helped him. He is improving all the time. He is one of those cricketers if you tell a youngish part-time leg spinner to warm up at that part of a Test match I don't think too many would want to bowl.

"Marnus wanted to bowl. He wants to bat in the games when the best bowlers are on and even in the field he wants to make a difference all the time. His energy is great and a really exciting cricketer for us and someone we can build our team around in the future."

As for Hazlewood and Cummins, Paine offered the praise of a grateful captain, having watched them probe England's batting in a relentless tandem over the past three matches. "They are extremely consistent and that is why they are good," he said. "What I love about those two fast bowlers is that from day one of the series the same effort is coming all of the time. I can't fault them. They run in fast, bowl as hard as they can and for me that is a real weapon to have.

"I am not sure there are a heap of bowlers going around that would get through the workload that our guys are and maintain pace and skill like those two do. Pat is No. 1 in the world and rightly so and Josh has been right up there as well. We're lucky to have them."

Last but far from least, the dominance of Steven Smith with the bat had been the rock on which Australia's Ashes challenge was built, and at one stage the rock on which England's campaign was dashed. "Anyone who's watched him bat know the talent, hunger and skill that he has got," Paine said. "People don't see how driven he is and how he trains, eats and sleeps batting. He is just a genius and I never had any doubt he would come back and be the player he was. The scary thing is he's getting better. I don't know where it is going to stop but we are enjoying being on the ride, that is for sure."

Trinbago Knight Riders 168 for 3 (Simmons 63, Ramdin 50, Pollard 26*) beat St Lucia Zouks 167 for 5 (Campbell 43, Cornwall 33, Neesham 2-33) by seven wickets

Trinbago Knight Riders cruised to their third straight win in CPL 2019, as their experienced quartet of Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine and the captain Kieron Pollard set up a comfortable seven-wicket win over St Lucia Zouks on Sunday.

Riding on the support of a packed home stadium, Knight Riders overcame an above-part first-innings total of 167 to finish the first week of the season at the top of the points table.

In the first innings, Narine's four-over spell of only 23 runs ensured Zouks didn't post a higher total, after which Simmons and Ramdin struck smart half-centuries to always keep Knight Riders within touching distance of the required run-rate. And when Simmons fell for his 39-ball 63, Pollard brought up the rear with an unbeaten 26 to bring victory in the 18th over.

For Daren Sammy's Zouks, it's now two losses in a row. With their next match four days away, Zouks could find themselves in bottom place before their next match against Jamaica Tallawahs on September 13.

Simmons' super show

Chasing 168, Knight Riders had a blazing start on the back of a 29-run first-wicket stand between Narine and Simmons inside three overs. But once Narine fell, Sammy introduced three spinners in a bid to negate Simmons' threat. There were murmurs that Simmons struggles against spin, but he used his feet well against offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall and legspinner Fawad Ahmed to keep moving at a brisk pace. Fawad, who was CPL 2018's highest wicket-taker, was brave to flight the ball, but Simmons stayed committed to his shot making, and deposited two sixes over long-on off the bowler. For Fawad, it was a bitter reunion with his former team. He conceded more than 13 per over in his three-over spell.

Simmons' shots went in all directions. He swept them for six, found the tiny gaps behind off left-arm spinner Kavern Hodge for four and even drilled boundaries through cover. One particular slap through the off-side brought up his 43rd T20 fifty in the ninth over. Simmons finally fell in the 12th over to Hodge, stepping out to a very wide delivery, stumped by the fast hands of Andre Fletcher. By then, though, the required run-rate was under 7.50.

Ramdin, Pollard show their experience

The No. 4 Ramdin enjoyed much of Simmons' hitting from the other end. He had entered the Knight Riders chase in the fifth over with the team in a spot of bother at 34 for 2. But he kept the scoreboard moving, settling in and letting Simmons enjoy the strike.

Ramdin's first release shot came in the 11th over when he drove Fawad inside-out through the covers. He followed it up with a slog sweep next ball for six, and that set the momentum for his innings even after Simmons' dismissal next over. The No. 5 Pollard took over Ramdin's role once he came in, and the latter then turned aggressor. He carved Thisara Perera over point in the 15th over to bring the equation down to six per over, and then struck a hat-trick of fours off Kesrick Williams in the 17th to bring the target down to single digits. That broke Zouks' back, and Knight Riders crossed the line five balls later.

Zouks fail to maximise with the bat

Pinch-hitting opener Cornwall had bruised Knight Riders early on with a 12-ball 33, which helped Zouks reach 51 after six overs. But they could've had more if his opening partner Andre Fletcher didn't struggle as much. Against Narine, Fletcher failed to rotate the strike and got bogged down in the Powerplay. Fletcher's laboured innings of 26 off 32 balls ended in the tenth over when holed out to long on.

John Campbell - playing his first CPL game - and No. 4 Najibullah Zadran then looked to up the scoring-rate but it wasn't easy against the offcutters that James Neesham and Pollard were bowling. And while Zadran did mesmerise with a six and two fours off Narine in the 15th over, his made just 27. Campbell went on at a run-a-ball, and when he eventually fell in the 20th over, his 42-ball stay had earned only 43 runs. That Zouks posted 167 at the end was due to some big hitting from Sammy off the young Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain at the back end of the first innings.

Antonio Brown sought advice from professional social media consultants for ideas on how to accelerate his release from the Oakland Raiders, sources told ESPN.

At least one consultant couldn't tell whether Brown was serious or not, according to sources. Brown's tumultuous tenure with the Raiders officially ended Saturday, when the Pro Bowl receiver was released by Oakland and signed with the New England Patriots.

Brown's social media activity made headlines Wednesday morning when he posted a copy of team-issued fines on Instagram -- a move that led to a heated argument with general manager Mike Mayock later that day at practice.

The Raiders announced Friday that, despite the fallout from his spat with Mayock, Brown was expected to play in their season opener Monday night against the Denver Broncos.

But the Raiders also fined Brown $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team, sources told ESPN, prompting Brown to publicly request his release in another Instagram post Saturday morning. By fining Brown, the Raiders voided the $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money in his deal, according to sources.

Brown officially became a free agent at 4:01 p.m. ET on Saturday and agreed to a deal with New England shortly thereafter. The Patriots had strong interest in Brown earlier this offseason when, according to sources, Bill Belichick was willing to trade New England's first-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Brown.

But Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert wanted at least a first- and second-round pick from the Patriots -- and even then, he was not inclined to trade Brown to their AFC rival and the reigning Super Bowl champions, according to sources.

The Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks also considered attempting to sign Brown on Saturday, according to sources, although the Patriots were always considered the front-runner.

Brown further aggravated his situation in Oakland on Wednesday when, after dominating the Raiders' defensive backs throughout the workout, he informed the team that his hamstring was bothering him and he felt that he needed an MRI, according to league sources.

The Raiders were not pleased that Brown, who looked so good during practice, felt that he needed an MRI on a then-ailing hamstring, according to sources. They felt like he was "trying to pull one over on us," according to one source.

Then, to complicate matters, after the Raiders called Brown on Thursday morning and told him not to come to work, Brown missed a meeting later that night with head coach Jon Gruden, according to sources.

Brown is not eligible to play until Week 2 at the earliest, which means he will miss New England's opener Sunday night against his former team, the Steelers. The Patriots and Raiders do not play this regular season.

ESPN's Adam Schefter contributed to this report.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Los Angeles Rams safety Eric Weddle was carted off the field with a bloodied face during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers and did not return.

Weddle suffered a head laceration and is under evaluation for a concussion, the team announced.

Weddle was attempting to tackle Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey before McCaffrey hurdled him, and Weddle took a knee to the head.

He finished with two tackles and thanked fans for their support on social media.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I'm good as gold. Now let's go finish this game with a DUB!!!!

— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) September 8, 2019

A 13-year pro, Weddle signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal with the Rams in free agency after he was released by the Baltimore Ravens.

Weddle, 34, has quickly established himself in the Rams' defense. He took over for linebacker Cory Littleton as the defensive signal-caller and was named a team captain.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Lamar Jackson and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown answered pressing questions with some history-making responses.

In a 59-10 season-opening rout of the Miami Dolphins, Jackson produced the best passer rating (158.3) in Baltimore Ravens history and Brown became the first player in NFL history with multiple 40-yard touchdowns in his career debut.

For those wondering whether Jackson could become an effective passer in the league, he led the Ravens to their largest margin of victory with his arm instead of his legs, completing 17 of 20 passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns in three quarters of work. His five touchdown passes -- one short of his total in seven starts last season -- tied a Ravens mark.

For those worried about Brown's surgically repaired foot, the rookie first-round pick scored touchdowns of 47 and 83 yards on his first two catches. His 147 yards receiving are the sixth most in an NFL debut and the most in a debut since 2003.

The No. 25 overall pick in this year's draft, Brown was questionable for the season opener after sitting out Friday's practice. The Ravens have been extra cautious with Brown, who had Lisfranc surgery in January. Brown, the first wide receiver selected in this year's draft, showed off his speed by recording the most receiving yards ever by a Raven in a first quarter.

It was quite the South Florida homecoming for Jackson and Brown, who helped the Ravens set a team record for most points and yards in a game.

Jackson's first touchdown was a short slant to Brown, who outran the Miami defense for 47 yards. His second was a long toss to Brown, who got behind the defense for the longest reception by a Ravens rookie.

Jackson then threw touchdown passes of 33 yards to Willie Snead, 5 yards to Miles Boykin and 1 yard to fullback Patrick Ricard. Jackson became the first quarterback to throw at least five touchdowns in a season opener since Peyton Manning did so against the Ravens in 2013.

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia 76ers forward Mike Scott was involved in a fight with Eagles fans outside Lincoln Financial Field after wearing a Redskins jersey and hat at a tailgate party before the Eagles' game against Washington.

Scott didn't appear to get injured in the video of the fight. He stuck around and took selfies, according to posts by other fans.

The Sixers forward posted a picture of himself on social media in Redskins gear earlier Sunday.

On my way @4thandJawn pic.twitter.com/Wf6hV0aZeO

— Mike Scott (@mikescott) September 8, 2019

"We are aware of the situation and are in the process of gathering more information," the Sixers said in a statement. "We will have no further comment at this time"

Scott has become a popular player in the city for responding to invitations on social media and showing up to hang out with fans. He dropped in at a wedding reception earlier in the summer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.