ESPNcricinfo previews the second Test between England and Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street

The Preview by Andrew Miller26-May-2016Match factsMay 27-31, 2016
Start time 11am local (1000 GMT)Big PictureIt’s grim up north. Especially if you are more used to hanging out in the tropics. Aside from some early success with the new ball at Headingley, Sri Lanka’s two-and-a-half days in Yorkshire were miserable in the extreme – they were bundled out for 91 and 119 in the space of 433 deliveries all told, the second shortest batting effort in their Test history.But sometimes you just have to doff your cap at the skills on display in such debacles, and with match figures of 10 for 45, James Anderson put to bed once and for all his curious distrust of Headingley’s home comforts with a performance that few teams in the world could have lived with.The worry for Sri Lanka, however, is that life is about to get even tougher, as they head to Chester-le-Street, the most northerly Test venue in the world, where the weather at present appears to be blowing in directly from the Arctic.They head there with a depleted bowling attack, following the untimely injury that has curtailed the tour of their promising young quick, Dushmantha Chameera, and a demoralised set of batsmen – notwithstanding a battling rearguard from the 21-year-old Kusal Mendis, whose maiden Test half-century delayed the inevitable in the second innings.Nothing is pre-ordained of course, and England travel with concerns of their own – not least the absence of the talismanic Ben Stokes, whose first Test appearance at his home ground in Durham should have been one of the major drawcards for a venue that has struggled to sell tickets for this fixture, and is thought to be preparing to host its sixth and final Test.Instead, Stokes is laid up in rehab following an operation for a cartilage tear in his left knee, a devastating blow for a player who tried to play through the pain after sustaining the problem while bowling in the first Test. Chris Woakes, fresh from a career-best haul of 9 for 36 for Warwickshire, is primed to step in as England’s designated allrounder – a first Test cap for the Nottinghamshire seamer Jake Ball must wait for another day.There are battles within battles to be played out in the coming days as well, not least the one taking place in Nick Compton’s mind. After a lean run of scores – 15, 26, 0, 19, 6 and 0 in his six most recent innings – Compton has admitted he is playing for his Test career. However, he’d do well to recall the circumstances of his most recent matchwinning effort – 85 and 49 on a dank seamer at Durban in December. Sri Lanka have rattled England’s top-order once already on this trip, so it needn’t be the last of the summer wine for Compo if he can channel once again that immoveable mindset.Although both teams start back at 0 for 0, with expectations duly recalibrated, it is still hard to envisage anything but another thumping England Test victory – they’ve never yet failed to win in five previous appearances at Chester-le-Street, including an Ashes-sealing 74-run triumph on their last appearance in 2013, a match that Stuart Broad was recalling with glee on Twitter during the build-up.And with good reason. Broad’s match figures on that occasion were a not-insubstantial 11 for 121, including 6 for 50 in a thrilling victory surge on the fourth and final afternoon. And therein lies the rub for Sri Lanka. When a team as inexperienced as their post-Sanga-and-Mahela line-up is pitched against a new-ball pairing with 781 Test wickets between them, you sense it will take something truly extraordinary to upset the status quo.Angelo Mathews strapped on plenty of layers for Sri Lanka’s net session at Chester-le-Street•PA PhotosForm guideEngland: WLWDW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka: LLLWW
In the spotlightIf you stuck their names in a limerick, it would be hard to tell them apart, but – on recent Test form at least – Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes make a better rhyming couplet than a like-for-like pair of England allrounders. Where the former has gone from strength to strength – literally, in the case of his muscular double-hundred at Newlands in January – Woakes has struggled to live up to expectations at the highest level, notwithstanding the extra yard of pace that most observers agree he has added to his bowling since making his debut in the 2013 Ashes. A Test best of 26 not out in six Tests, allied to eight wickets at 63.75, are not auspicious numbers, but this could be the opportunity he has been waiting for. Chester-le-Street is the sort of venue that favours his style of accurate, skilful seam and swing – think of Richard Johnson’s 6 for 33 way back in 2003.There’s no two ways about it. If Sri Lanka are to have any realistic hope of competing in some of the most inclement conditions that they’ll ever face in their Test careers, they will need their skipper to front up with the bat. Angelo Mathews was a qualified success in the Headingley Test – insofar as his first-innings 34 was the highest score of that innings by a distance, and it could have been even more had he chosen to refer his lbw decision that replays showed had struck him outside the line. But he was powerless to prevent their meltdown second-time around, and from the moment of his dismissal – at 93 for 3 after 23.2 overs, Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 26 runs in the space of 12.1 overs. He has previous in England – his matchwinning 160 in the second Test two years ago belongs in national folklore – but turning this tour around will be an even greater challengeTeams newsIn keeping with England’s new, positive outlook towards everything from declarations to follow-ons, Alastair Cook once again confirmed his team a full 24 hours in advance of the toss. In comes Woakes for Stokes, with Ball missing out, and up a notch on the batting card go Jonny Bairstow, the Man of the Match at Headingley, and Moeen Ali – whose form as a designated No. 8 has been ropey in recent times. Both have been given extra responsibility at 6 and 7 respectively, with Woakes slotting in as a very handy No.8.England 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Nick Compton, 4 Joe Root, 5 James Vince, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Steven Finn, 11 James AndersonChameera’s back injury opens the way for Suranga Lakmal’s recall, but aside from that, Sri Lanka are unlikely to make wholesale changes, not least because those who played at Headingley are now that little bit more acquainted with the conditions. Nevertheless, Milinda Siriwardana could challenge Lahiru Thirimanne for a middle-order berth. Despite Thirimanne’s experience on two previous tours, he has a grand total of 90 runs in eight previous Test innings in England, dating back to his debut at Southampton in June 2011.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Kaushal Silva, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne / Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Nuwan Pradeep 11 Suranga LakmalPitch and conditionsChester-le-Street, the fiefdom of Graham Onions and Chris Rushworth, is no place to be a visiting batsman – even those that are used to English conditions. Remarkably, when Durham won the County Championship in 2013, they conceded a solitary batting point (ie, one first-innings score in excess of 200) in eight home games. And that’s just the conditions on the ground – throw in the misery overhead, and life gets even tougher. One local observer described the weather on the eve of the game as “minging”. Although it is expected to clear up just enough for the first three days of the game, another rain-band is expected to sweep in on Monday. If Headingley is anything to go by, that salvation may be scheduled too late.Stats and trivia Alastair Cook started the series needing 36 runs to become the 12th player – and first Englishman – to 10,000 in Tests. He still needs 20 more to get there, but he has a five-month cushion on Sachin Tendulkar, the previous youngest (at 31 years and ten months). Rangana Herath, who claimed two wickets in the first Test, needs one more to become the third Sri Lankan to 300 in Tests. Sri Lanka will be the fifth different team to play a Test at Chester-le-Street, after Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, West Indies (twice) and Australia. England have won three of their previous five matches by an innings.Quotes”He’s scored two hundreds already. So he can play at this level. Like all of us, he’s only a score away, and he needs a score, but he’s in a really good place to do that.”
Alastair Cook gives Nick Compton a boost ahead of what may be a make-or-break Test“That game was quite embarrassing. We have to flush it out of our system.”

Ireland will be without pace bowler Craig Young for their two ODIs against Sri Lanka next month after he suffered an elbow injury that could require surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2016

Ireland will be without pace bowler Craig Young for their two ODIs against Sri Lanka next month after he suffered an elbow injury that could require surgery.Young seems to have become the latest victim of the Hampshire injury curse. The 26-year-old was drafted in by the county after they lost four frontline bowlers in April but only played three games for the 2nd XI.Ireland, who host Sri Lanka on June 16 and 18, still hope to have Young available for the subsequent ODI series against Afghanistan, which begins on July 10.A Cricket Ireland spokesperson said: “Craig will undergo further investigative tests on the injury to decide whether he will require surgery. He will miss the games against Sri Lanka, but we would be hopeful he will play a full part in the five-match ODI series against Afghanistan in July.”

The number of bouncers bowled to Phillip Hughes in his final innings will be among the issues addressed by the New South Wales Coronial inquest into his death

Daniel Brettig13-Jun-2016

The number of bouncers bowled to Phillip Hughes in his final innings will be among the issues addressed by the New South Wales Coronial inquest into his death, a directions hearing has confirmed.The NSW coroner Michael Barnes will pursue multiple avenues during an inquest to be held from October 10-14, as he examines the death of Hughes after he was struck by a short-pitched ball while playing for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG in November 2014.At a directions hearing in Sydney on Friday, the areas to be investigated were outlined, including the “nature of play” on the day Hughes was struck and whether it complied with the rules of the competition. The response times of ambulances, the possibility of whether additional head protection could have deflected the blow, the vast media coverage of Hughes’ collapse and subsequent death will be among other issues explored.Players on the field at the time, including Australia’s vice-captain David Warner and allrounder Sean Abbott, who was bowling when Hughes was struck, are expected to give evidence. Cricket Australia are to schedule the season-opening limited overs tournament in such a way that witness testimony does not clash with matches.A CA-commissioned review of events was completed last year and released to the public in May. Conducted by David Curtain QC, it concluded that neither greater head protection for Hughes nor swifter transport from the SCG to the nearest hospital would have prevented his death, while also recommending a raft of changes to head and heart-related safety precautions around the game.When releasing the report, CA’s chief executive James Sutherland expressed hope that the coronial inquest would not tear at the fabric of the game by calling for greater restrictions on the use of short-pitched bowling.”You’ll see in the brief terms of reference we gave David Curtain that we needed to draw a line about the laws of the game and to have some perspective around that,” Sutherland said. “You can make the game of cricket a lot safer by playing with a tennis ball, but that’s not how Test cricket has been played and it would obviously be a very different game.”We’re not wanting to go there, but we do need to find the right balance in the circumstances to not compromise the way the game’s played and not compromise the way in which the players are best equipped to show their skills.”The ICC’s cricket committee recently rejected a CA-driven call for mandatory concussion substitutes to be brought into first-class matches and potentially Tests.

Ravi Shastri, who had served as team director for almost two years leading up to Anil Kumble’s appointment as coach, has said he was “very disappointed” not to get the job himself

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2016Ravi Shastri, the former India allrounder who had served as team director for almost two years leading up to Anil Kumble’s appointment as coach, has said he was “very disappointed” not to get the head coach’s job himself. He said Sourav Ganguly, one of the members of the cricket advisory committee which played a key role in choosing the coach, was not present when the rest of the committee interviewed him.”Well, actually he wasn’t there,” he told the , when asked about his interaction with Ganguly during his interview. Shastri was being interviewed via Skype – he was in Thailand while committee member VVS Laxman and chief coordinator Sanjay Jagdale were in Mumbai. Sachin Tendulkar, also a member of the committee, tuned into the interview via Skype from London. Ganguly, though, was away at a Cricket Association of Bengal meeting.His interactions with the rest of the committee went well, though, Shastri said. “Meeting was great. Some great questions from VVS, Sachin and Sanjay. I put my way forward for the team. They wanted to know how do I plan to do well in all formats, how we should look at fast bowlers, and things of that sort.”But former India legspinner Kumble was named coach earlier this week. Shastri said he was disappointed to miss out since the team had done so well under his guidance as team director. “I was very disappointed. Disappointment because the hard work the entire unit had put in in the last 18 months. To see where they were when the support staff and I took over and to where they reached in 18 months makes me feel proud.”They got up, threw punches and ended up where they were. No. 1 in Test cricket, No. 1 in T20, No. 2 in ODI [at various points during Shastri’s tenure]. You can’t ask for more. Even I didn’t’ expect such a transformation in 18 months with this young team. I feel really proud.”I was honest, worked hard along with the support staff, and the players were fantastic. During those months, with the BCCI being hammered in the court and media for various reasons, cricket was the shining light. People really took to watching the way the Indian team was playing.”Under Shastri, who had taken over as team director in August 2014, India made it to semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until Australia took over in February 2016. In this period, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, whitewashing the hosts 3-0 in a T20 series. Shastri was assisted by Sanjay Bangar (batting coach), B Arun (bowling) and R Sridhar (fielding). All their contracts expired at the end of the 2016 World T20, prompting the search for a new coach. Bangar had coached the team in the interim, in Zimbabwe.Shastri told the that Kumble had already spoken with him, and he hoped the team moved forward under him. “He [Kumble] called up yesterday [Thursday]. He has a great team, he said that. I wish him all the luck.”The team is right up there in all formats. Now is the time to take one step forward, especially after the [upcoming] tour of the West Indies; there is a lot of cricket at home [after the West Indies tour], you have to cash in on the home advantage. It would be great if he can take it forward.”India tour the West Indies in July and August, before returning for a home season consisting of a record 13 Tests against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh.

Liverpool are looking into the possibility of signing OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer, according to journalist Jonathan Johnson.

Who is Khephren Thuram?

The 22-year-old has arguably been one of the standout midfielders in Ligue 1 this season, performing at a high level throughout the campaign. He has made 34 appearances in the competition, scoring twice and registering four assists, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles per game.

Thuram's current Nice deal doesn't expire until the end of the 2024/25 season, but that doesn't mean that there won't be interest in him this summer. Liverpool are on the lookout for several new signings in the middle of the park – younger additions who could provide legs and quality – and they have been linked with a move for the Frenchman.

Could Thuram move to Liverpool this summer?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Johnson talked up the idea of the Reds signing Thuram over Chelsea, although he did admit that Newcastle United are also in the mix:

"We’ve seen Chelsea linked with three French midfield players in the form of Adrien Rabiot, Manu Kone, and Khephren Thuram ahead of this summer.

"With top young talents like Kone and Thuram, who are looking for European football and who are likely to have other clubs in for them, it doesn’t really make sense for them to jump to a club like Chelsea, where playing time isn’t guaranteed and where there won’t be the chance to play in Europe next season.

"When you think that Kone could also have interest from PSG and Thuram’s being looked at by Liverpool and Newcastle, these would probably represent better moves for them to continue their progression."

Thuram could be such an exciting signing by Liverpool if they get a deal over the line this summer, having been lauded for his "excellent technique & ball control at speed" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, as well as for being a "proactive & tenacious tackler" at a massive 6 foot 4.

These are precisely the attributes that the Reds need before the start of next season, with the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson toiling and looking past their best, and Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain simply injured too often.

He could excel in the deep-lying No.6 role and provide the energy and defensive cover that Fabinho used to, and at 22, there is no reason why he shouldn't get better and better over the next six or seven years.

Arsenal target Mason Mount would be intrigued by the prospect of working under Mikel Arteta at the Emirates, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per The Daily Mail, Arsenal are keen on signing Mount this summer and have earmarked midfield as a priority area to invest in heading into the forthcoming transfer window.

Mount and Chelsea have landed at an impasse with regard to his contract situation at Stamford Bridge, with Mount said to have previously rejected a new £200,000 per week agreement to pen an extension; however, the 24-year-old remains locked in talks with the club as both parties seek to find a solution, given that his terms expire in 2024.

Football Insider report that Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also keen on Mount, though Chelsea are now believed to have 'growing confidence' that he will turn down advances from elsewhere to stay in west London.

Manchester City and Newcastle United also held interest in the England international; nevertheless, now look to have pulled out of the race to land his signature.

Capology understand that Mount earns £80,000 on the books of Chelsea, where he came through the youth ranks at Cobham and has been present at since 2005.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown believes that Mount would relish the prospect of working under Gunners boss Arteta.

Brown said: It'd be a really interesting signing for them. Would he dovetail nicely with Ødegaard, or would the two of them get in the way a little bit? Are they too similar? Would he play deeper in midfield and have to change his role slightly?

"We don't know really where Mount sees himself playing positionally in the future, but I think that the chance to work with Arteta in that Arsenal team would appeal to anyone at the moment, especially to a young English player who's approaching his prime."

Would Mason Mount be a good fit for Arsenal?

Mount possesses a good amount of versatility and is capable of playing in central midfield, behind the striker in an attacking midfield position or on either flank; however, his adaptability sometimes stokes confusion with regard to where he is best utilised on the pitch.

In 2022/23, the Portsmouth-born ace has made 35 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, registering three goals and six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef also show that Mount has been a creative presence for the Blues this term despite their disappointing form, having successfully pulled off 83 shot-creating actions in total.

With Gunners' head coach Arteta keen to freshen up the engine room this summer, Mount would be a good candidate to add a new dimension for Arsenal in the middle of the park heading into 2023/24.

Liverpool have hit the perfect form at a crucial stage of the season. The Reds had been winless in four Premier League games to slip to eighth position in the domestic standings, but Jurgen Klopp has overseen five straight victories in their latest outings as they close in on the top four.

Their last result was a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Fulham thanks to a first-half Mohamed Salah penalty – his 29th goal of yet another formidable season.

The visitors to Anfield are Brentford, who are undefeated in their last three matches, which included a last-gasp comeback over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

The Bees are on course for an incredible top-half finish and are looking to derail Liverpool’s excellent recent run.

The Merseyside outfit haven’t finished outside the Champions League places since 2016, so we are backing Klopp to name a strong lineup against a resilient Brentford.

Here’s what we are predicting…

How will Liverpool line up against Brentford?

Alisson has played every minute of Premier League football, keeping 12 clean sheets in the process, and he is expected to start this encounter.

Defensive mainstays Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, and Virgil van Dijk will all begin this evening.

However, a change in the back four will likely see Andy Robertson come in for Kostas Tsimikas. The Scotsman has appeared in 31 of Liverpool’s 34 top-flight clashes and is yet to be consecutively benched this term.

Club captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho will retain their midfield starting spots, but Harvey Elliott could deputise for Curtis Jones.

Unsurprisingly, Salah will start on the right wing and Luis Diaz will begin on the left. The Colombian netted on his first start in over six months against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The final change for the Reds will see Diogo Jota replace Darwin Nunez as the central striker. Liverpool’s record signing has endured a mixed debut season in England, fluctuating from match-winning goals to periods of inconsistency laced with an awkward technique. This has led to the £140k-per-week man being described as “goofy” and “insane” in the same breath, as he continues to find his feet in new surroundings.

Conversely, the 30-cap international has recorded eight goal contributions in his last 11 league appearances and has hit this imperious vein of form at a crucial point of the campaign.

After Manchester United’s late defeat to Brighton, the Merseyside outfit is only four points off the Champions League places, so a victory is vital to keep the pressure on their fierce rivals.

Predicted Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Diaz

2010

January: Cairns declares intent to sue Lalit Modi over accusatory tweet
The then IPL commissioner Lalit Modi tweets that the IPL decided to withdraw Cairns’ name from the auction list because of his alleged involvement in fixing. In his response, a statement issued by his solicitor Andrew Fitch-Holland, Cairns says: “The allegation made by Lalit Modi that I have been involved in match-fixing is scandalous and wholly untrue. For him to circulate such a falsehood around the world is outrageous. Mr Modi’s allegation has caused me huge personal distress and professional damage. I cannot allow these slurs to ruin my future and I have instructed my solicitors, Collyer Bristow LLP, to bring proceedings for defamation against Mr Modi.”

2011

February: McCullum reports alleged approaches by Cairns
Brendon McCullum tells John Rhodes, a representative of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, about the allegedly corrupt approaches Chris Cairns made to him in 2008. New Zealand’s then captain Daniel Vettori is present at the Rhodes’ meeting, for moral support according to McCullum. McCullum decides to speak out only after Rhodes addressed the team ahead of their World Cup 2011 opener, telling them “if we had been or were approached about match-fixing and we did not report it, then we were, in the eyes of the ICC, just as guilty as the person who approached us”. McCullum did not report the alleged approaches by his one-time hero earlier because “it’s not easy ‘ratting’ on someone I regarded as a mate”.

2012

March: Cairns wins libel case against Modi
Chris Cairns wins his libel case in London against Lalit Modi and is awarded damages of £90,000 ($142,000). Judge David Bean of the High Court finds that Modi had “singularly failed to provide any reliable evidence” that Cairns was involved in fixing of any kind.

2014

May: McCullum report on Cairns leaked
The carries parts of the statements made by Brendon McCullum on Chris Cairns to the ICC’s anti-corruption investigators. According to the newspaper, McCullum told investigators that he was first approached during IPL 2008, and he turned down offers of up to $180,000 to underperform. New Zealand Cricket releases a statement confirming that McCullum is not under investigation himself, and says: “New Zealand Cricket is dismayed that Brendon McCullum’s testimony to the International Cricket Council has been leaked to the media.”July: Vincent confesses to being a ‘cheat’
“My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat. I have abused my position as a professional sportsman on a number of occasions by choosing to accept money in fixing.” Thus begins a tell-all confession from the former New Zealand batsman, who, hours after releasing this statement, is banned for life by the ECB; Vincent had confessed to 11 offences punishable by a life ban under ECB anti-corruption regulations. He is banned from “all forms of cricket” and prevented from “playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognised or sanctioned by ECB, the ICC or any other National Cricket Federation”.

2015

October 5: Perjury case opens against Cairns
A case opens at Southwark Crown Court against Chris Cairns, who is accused by the Crown Prosecution Service of lying under oath during the 2012 libel case involving Lalit Modi. Also standing trial is Cairns’ former legal counsel Andrew Fitch-Holland, who is accused of perverting the course of justice in the 2012 case.October 12: Vincent testifies against Cairns
Lou Vincent is the first of the witnesses to be called for the prosecution. He claims he was acting under “direct orders” from Cairns when he agreed to fix matches in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008.October 15: McCullum testifies against Cairns
McCullum gives evidence in the perjury case. He claims he was asked three times by Cairns to get involved in spot-fixing. He admits he did not report the approach until three years later because “he didn’t want it to be true”.October 21: ACSU official questioned on McCullum’s statements
John Rhodes, the Australasian head of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU), takes the stand in the perjury case; it was to this official that Brendon McCullum had made his initial statement on Cairns in 2011. Rhodes says McCullum’s initial statement omitted any explicit mention of “match-fixing”, but the “inference was clear”. However, he says, his job as a field officer was simply to collect information and it was up to his superiors to investigate his findings. He admits to having lost the diary where he had made notes on McCullum’s report.November: Cairns found not guilty of perjury
The nine-week perjury trial ends. Justice Sweeney, the presiding judge, says the evidence of two of the three “key” witnesses – Lou Vincent, his ex-wife Eleanor Riley and Brendon McCullum – would have to be accepted as true for the perjury charge to be upheld. The jury delivers a not-guilty verdict after 10 hours and 17 minutes of deliberation.

2016

June: McCullum hits out at ACSU’s handling of his report on Cairns
During his MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, Brendon McCullum condemns the casual manner in which his first interview with John Rhodes was conducted. He says of Rhodes: “[He] took notes – he did not record our conversation. He said he would get what I said down on paper and that it would probably end up at the bottom of the file with nothing eventuating. Looking back on this, I am very surprised by what I perceive to be a very casual approach to gathering evidence. I was reporting two approaches by a former international star of the game. I was not asked to elaborate on anything I said and I signed a statement that was essentially nothing more than a skeleton outline.” He also condemns the severity of the punishment dished out to Lou Vincent, pointing out that Vincent had spoken out on fixing and co-operated with the authorities on the matter. In its response to McCullum’s statements, the ICC denies the origin of the leaked statement came from within the governing body and stresses that it has “put strong measures” in place to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

Aston Villa have shot up the table since the appointment of Unai Emery in November, with European football still a possibility for the Villans.

The Spaniard has taken the club from relegation dwellers to solid Premier League competition in six months, and with three games to go, things could get even better for the Midlands outfit should results go their way.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, the 51-year-old will have the chance to build the squad to his liking, strengthening in areas to take Villa to the next level next season.

It’s not only moves in the first team that are drawing attention, but in the academy also as a host of players wait to find out their destiny with reference to their futures at the club.

One of which is 18-year-old Charlie Lutz, who has been stealing the headlines in the U18 Premier League this season.

Who is Charlie Lutz?

The English striker has enjoyed a high-scoring season for the U18s, finding the net eight times in nine appearances, as well as contributing two assists.

Playing predominantly as a wide forward, the youngster can also lead the line and has shown his goal-scoring prowess as being joint top-scorer alongside teammate Rory Wilson.

The teenager is one of a host of academy players who have their futures in question as to whether they will renew and continue their stay at Bodymoor Heath.

Lutz is certainly one for the future, described by his Father as being "razor-sharp focused" on what he wants out of his footballing career, and the youngster is hitting heights in Villa’s academy and could be one to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates.

Jack Grealish is the most famed star to come out of the academy set up at Bodymoor, the 27-year-old is a regular for Manchester City and England and has written the story that many youngsters in the academy wish to follow.

The most recent big move for an academy star was Carney Chukwuemeka’s move to Chelsea in the summer. The midfielder has made 11 Premier League appearances for the Blues at just 19 years of age.

Chukwuemeka’s dream became a reality, which could happen for Lutz too who, like the 19-year-old, has been impressing in the U18s Premier League.

The Austrian-born England international had a strong season in the same league before playing in the Premier League 2, then graduating to gain his first-team debut in the 2020/21 season, before signing for Chelsea last summer.

Having made nine appearances in the league this season, Lutz will turn 19 in October, which opens a new door to the Premier League 2, where so many have made a name for themselves in both England and Europe.

A journey such as Chukwuemeka’s are steps that any young player can make if they continue to perform; Lutz has been a consistent performer for the academy, and should Villa keep hold of him, he could be the club's next big prospect.

Everton would be willing to sell Amadou Onana for £50m this summer if they are relegated from the Premier League, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which Everton players could leave this summer?

There are a number of first-team players with their contracts set to expire at the end of the season, including Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure, although Everton do retain the right to extend the latter player's deal by an additional year.

Not only that, but several players have been linked with a move away from Goodison Park, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Arsenal have "looked at" signing the striker, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Despite signing a new deal earlier this season, Jordan Pickford continues to be targeted by a number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, with it being reported the goalkeeper can leave if the Toffees are relegated.

Another player Everton may be forced to cash-in on if they are relegated from the top flight is Onana, with Football Insider now reporting they would be willing to accept a £50m bid if they go down to the Championship.

After an impressive debut season at Goodison Park, the midfielder has drawn attention from a number of top clubs, including Man United, with Erik ten Hag said to be a huge admirer.

If the Merseyside club are relegated, the Belgian will push for a move this summer, however if they are able to survive the drop, the club's hierarchy will attempt to convince him to stay.

Should Everton sell Amadou Onana?

If the unthinkable happens and Everton do get relegated to the second tier, then they will most likely have to sell the 21-year-old, as there is no way a player with his quality would be willing to play in the Championship.

Hailed as "superb" by journalist Richard Buxton earlier this season, the maestro has been a vital player for Sean Dyche's side this season, making 31 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has displayed his various qualities.

The Dakar-born midfielder is very strong in the air, while also ranking highly for tackles completed per game in the league, averaging 2.2, the fourth-highest amount in the Everton squad.

Dyche's side have shown real signs of improvement in recent weeks, particularly in the 5-1 win away down at Brighton, so they will be hoping they can beat the drop, and keep hold of Onana.