Tammy Beaumont became the fourth England player to hit a century in Tests, One-Day Internationals and T20 Internationals after her unbeaten 100 helped England reach 218-2 at the end of the second day’s play. Australia were bowled out for 473 in the first innings.
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the semi-final at Queen’s while Daniil Medvedev lost in the quarter-finals at Halle.
At Birmingham, top seed Barbora Krejcikova powered into the semi-final while second seed Jelena Ostapenko needed three sets to enter the last four.
Here’s a look at the key stories from international sporting events through the day for June 24, 2023:
Beaumont scores ton in Ashes
Tammy Beaumont hit an unbeaten 100 as England reached 218-2 at close of the second day’s play to leave the one-off women’s Test against Australia delicately poised at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Earlier, Annabel Sutherland hit 137 not out as Australia were bowled out for 473.
But the visitors hopes of taking a sizeable first innings lead were halted by Beaumont, who became just the fourth England player in either the men’s or women’s game to score an international century in Test, one day and T20 cricket.
Aussie all-rounder Sutherland continued her fine match with the ball as she took the wicket of Emma Lamb for 10.
But after Knight departed for 57, a partnership of 67 between Natalie Sciver-Brunt (41 not out) and Beaumont kept the hosts in the match.
Australia resumed on 328-7 overnight and tailenders Alana King (21) and Kim Garth (22) did their bit to aid Sutherland in posting the sixth-highest total in the history of women’s Test cricket.
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone took 5-129 in 46.2 overs, her first five-wicket haul in Tests.
The five-day match is part of a multi-format Ashes series including three Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals.
Alcaraz powers into Queen’s semi-finals
Carlos Alcaraz remains in the hunt for his first grass court title after the world number two beat former champion Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals at Queen’s Club on Friday.
Alcaraz admitted earlier in the week to watching videos of Roger Federer and Andy Murray to learn how to move on the grass and appears to be finding his feet on the surface ahead of Wimbledon next month.
Since surviving a marathon first round encounter with French lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech, Alcaraz has not dropped a set to reach the last four in London.
Second seed Holger Rune said he was fired up by Lorenzo Musetti’s smashed overhead that hit the Dane in his 6-4, 7-5 quarter-final win.
The world number six is also into his first semi-final on the grass.
Rune faces Australia’s Alex De Minaur in the last four after he beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Krejcikova, Ostapenko reach Birmingham semi-finals
Top seed Barbora Krejcikova cruised into the semi-finals of the Birmingham WTA grass court tournament on Friday with a 6-3, 6-2 win over fellow Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.
Second seed Jelena Ostapenko, by contrast, needed to battle back from a set and 4-0 down before prevailing over Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
World number 12 Krejcikova never faced a break point as she reached her first grass court semi-final of her career.
Krejcikova will face China’s Zhu Lin in the last four after she beat Rebecca Marino 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Ostapenko’s fightback sets up a clash with fourth seed Anastasia Potapova on Saturday.
The Russian outlasted British wild card Harriet Dart 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Friday’s last quarter-final.
Medvedev crashes out at Halle
Top seed Daniil Medvedev has crashed out of the Halle Open, a traditional Wimbledon warm-up, beaten in straight sets by Roberto Bautista Agut on Friday.
Medvedev lost 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) against the 35-year-old Spaniard. Eighth seed Bautista Agut now boasts a 5-2 career record against the 2021 US Open winner.
Medvedev, the former world number one, was runner-up on the Halle grass in 2022, losing to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets in the final.
With a poor record on the surface Medvedev has never reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, missing last year’s tournament due to a ban on Russian athletes over the war in Ukraine.
In Friday’s final match, third seed Andrey Rublev came from behind to defeat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, setting up a meeting with Bautista Agut.
Olympic gold medallist Alexander Zverev also progressed into the semi-finals after defeating Chilean Nicolas Jarry.
The 26-year-old German, who made it to the semi finals of this year’s French Open, defeated Jarry in straight sets 7-5, 6-3.
Zverev will play in the semis for the third time. The German previously made it to the final of the Halle tournament in 2016 and 2017, losing to 10-time winner Roger Federer on both occasions.
Zverev will meet Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the last four after Bublik advanced when Italian fourth seed Jannik Sinner withdrew hurt in the second set of their quarter final tie.
Bublik won the first set 7-5 and was up 2-0 in the second when Sinner pulled out with a right leg injury.
The Italian had taken a medical timeout at the end of the first set. He received treatment from a physiotherapist and played, and lost, two more games before pulling out.
Sinner, the 21-year-old world number nine, now faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon which starts in early July.
Busquets joines Inter Miami
Inter Miami announced on Friday they are signing former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets to team-up with Lionel Messi at the Major League Soccer club.
Messi said earlier this month he was moving to Miami and he will now be re-united with his former Barca team-mate Busquets.
Inter Miami posted a tweeted heralding the arrival of the player.
“Si, Busi” read the twitter post, referring to Busquets’ nickname. The tweet included quotes praising Busquets from several people in the game including former Spain coach Vicente del Bosque.
Busquets said in May that he would leave Barcelona in the summer at the end of his contract.
The 34-year-old made 143 appearances for Spain before announcing his retirement from the team in December.
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said this week that the club expected to make between three to five new signings to join Messi.
Busquets is likely to occupy one of the three ‘Designated Player’ spots, an MLS designation for high-earning players, whose wages do not count against the salary cap.
Inter Miami have also been linked with another Spain and Barcelona favourite, left-back Jordi Alba.