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Liverpool are homing in on OGC Nice star Khephren Thuram after reportedly agreeing personal terms with the Frenchman, but his outfit are yet to give the green light as they hold out for rival interest.

What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?

That's according to Football Transfers, who state that while Thuram is hoping for a transfer to the Anfield side after completing international duty with France U21s, Les Aiglons are reluctant to permit a transfer just yet, anticipating further intrigue in his services as the window draws on.

Currently touted at around €60m (£51m), Nice want to extract as high a fee as possible for the 22-year-old, which likely means a breakthrough in negotiations will not immediately be forthcoming.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has already signed Alexis Mac Allister for £35m, and with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departing the club, Thuram could be an immense upgrade.

How good is Khephren Thuram?

Liverpool simply have to make another move in the market this summer to further strengthen the Anfield centre, and considering the rate of the "elite" – as stated by Zach Lowy – Thuram's ascension and energetic, imposing skill set, there are few available options better suited to Klopp's system.

One such option is Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella, although the Champions League finalist is reportedly engaged in negotiations with the Reds' Premier League rivals Newcastle United, and could well join the Magpies for £50m, according to the Telegraph.

As per FBref, the 26-year-old Italy international ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 8% for progressive passes received per 90, illustrating a ball-driving, conducting presence in the midfield that would only enhance Liverpool's prospects of returning to prominence next year.

However, given Thuram's youthful exuberance and burgeoning rise, he could be the "perfect profile" – as dubbed by RMC Sport reporter Alex Jaquin – for Klopp's team, with Barella coincidentally listed as a 'Similar Player' to the one-cap France international via FBref.

He ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for touches in the attacking box per 90, attributes indeed offering a striking similarity to Barella's.

And on just £14k-per-week, his signature exudes an air of prudence – after all, Klopp is second to none when moulding talented prospects into world-class phenoms, and Thuram could indeed become a "monster" – as he has been called by writer Sam McGuire.

While their transfer fees ostensibly wind up to around the same amount, Inter have responded to the recent transfer news surrounding Barella's name to claim he is untransferable, with previous figures of €100m (£87m) perhaps a more realistic assessment of the situation.

While the £153k-per-week Barella might be an enticing option for the Reds, sticking to the route that has clinched such illustrious success and crafting their own world-beater out of Thuram is certainly the more likely route – and in fact, it might just be the more propitious one.

James Neesham defended 17 runs in the final over, and prior to that he slammed an unbeaten 42 off only 16 balls to set up Otago’s two-run victory over Northern Districts

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2016
ScorecardJames Neesham smashed five sixes in 16 balls.•Getty ImagesAllrounder James Neesham and fast bowler Warren Barnes played vital hands in Otago’s tense, two-run victory in Dunedin. It was their first of the 2016-17 Super Smash.Northern Districts, who were chasing 178 in 15 overs since the match was delayed by rain, needed 26 runs off 11 balls thanks to a ferocious start provided by their captain Dean Brownlie. He faced 26 of the first 30 deliveries of the innings to strike his third T20 fifty. He also ended up being dismissed within that time, which allowed Otago a way back in.Warren picked up two wickets in the 14th over – wicketkeeper Tim Seifert for 7 and Daryl Mitchell for 8. That left Northern Districts with 18 runs to get in the final over, and in that final over, Neesham ran Scott Kuggelein out, then bowled the No. 10 Zak Gibson and wrapped the match up.Neesham’s contribution with the bat was just as pivotal. Coming in at the 10th over, he smacked five sixes and a four to finish unbeaten on 42 off only 16 balls. Considering Otago’s margin of victory was only two runs, every one of those blows were crucial. Neesham was picking up where half-centurion Neil Broom had left off, after the team had won the toss but lost their opener Hamish Rutherford off the second ball. Broom smashed 57 off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes, he was assisted by Michael Bracewell who walloped four sixes in his 34 and Neesham gave the fishing touch.

Centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay led India’s response to England’s 537 on an engrossing third day in Rajkot

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:13

Ganguly: Pujara is a must for India at No.3

Cheered on by his passionate but impassive father and his much more demonstrative wife, Cheteshwar Pujara scored an emotional century in the debut Test for his home ground of Rajkot. M Vijay complemented him with a more temperate defensive display of 126 off 301 balls to take India closer to safety after they had conceded 537 in five sessions on a pitch expected to become difficult as the game progressed. The 209-run partnership between Vijay and Pujara made them the most prolific duo for India since the start of 2010.The pitch didn’t deteriorate as much as expected, but to look at scores of 537 and 319 for 4 and conclude that it was a featherbed that produced boring cricket will be a disservice to the batsmen and bowlers who showed a lot of discipline and persistence. There was turn on offer but not variable, and there was a bare patch on a good length for seamers to work with. While for most periods of the day the England’s bowlers kept the batsmen honest without necessarily threatening them, they will be disappointed the quicks failed to generate reverse and the spinners got cut and pulled regularly.There was always something to work with, but whenever the bowlers got it right, Vijay and Pujara, who came together when Gautam Gambhir’s feet got him into a messy tangle to the seventh ball of the day, worked hard to thwart them. Especially while having to go through almost scoreless periods against the seam of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad. In the first session Woakes tested them with a five-over spell of six runs and three body blows for Pujara. In the second session Broad went 5-4-1-0, targeting that bare patch just short of a driving length. In the final session Broad and Ben Stokes asked questions with the new ball.During the Woakes spell in the morning, 14 runs came in 10 overs. While Broad charged in mid-afternoon, 10 overs yielded 18 runs and a chance shelled by debutant by Haseeb Hameed at short cover. Unlike Pujara, Vijay had driven on the up to a ball that landed in that dry patch, and was reprieved on 66. India then welcomed DRS when Pujara successfully reviewed an lbw call when on 86, with extra bounce helping overturn the on-field decision.While England didn’t give the batsmen much to work with, the batsmen were good enough to recognise spells of play they could exploit. Scoring happened in spurts. Pujara came out and attacked Moeen Ali – out twice to the offspinner in 53 balls before this Test, he used his feet to disrupt his length. India had added 41 in nine overs to their overnight 63 in this period as Pujara raced away to 25 off 29.Then came Woakes. He didn’t just bowl short at Pujara, he bowled an excellent line, straight at his lid. Pujara, committing to the front foot almost every delivery, kept taking his eye off the ball while trying to sway. To his credit, Pujara never threw his hands up in self-defence, which would have brought the glove or the edge into play. Arvind Pujara, his father who was a wicketkeeper for Saurashtra, watched on without emotion. Puja, his wife, looked concerned.Ben Stokes gave England a much-needed wicket•Associated PressPujara scored 6 off 32 in these 10 overs. Once Woakes was done, England went to the man who makes things happen for them. This follow-up after that stranglehold was crucial with half an hour to go to lunch. Stokes, though, began with a half-volley second ball. Pujara’s intent meant he was on to it to drive it to the cover point boundary. Then a straight ball was glanced away, and Pujara had found his flow again. From 118 for 1, India added 44 in this period of eight overs to own the session. In the space of 25 balls, Pujara hit six boundaries to double his score of 31.Vijay at the other end had his own flow. For long periods of time you only noticed him when a possible two was kept to one because Pujara is not the quickest runner. Otherwise he would be leaving balls outside off, defending those at the stumps, and taking ones or twos only when they were too short or too straight. Vijay was there for his partner, though. After Pujara had been hit for the third time, he got right behind a ball in defence. At the non-striker’s end, Vijay’s bat went in the air, and the glove knocked it in applause, reassuring his partner that he just needed to get through that period of play.This amount of concentration can be exhausting especially when you are going at a little better than a run every three balls like Vijay was. Vijay, though, had one tool at his disposal: the lofted shot against the spinners. Every now and then, without any rhyme or reason, never ostensibly looking for a release, he would step out to spinners and languidly chip them back over their head. He attempted it six times, hitting two sixes each off Moeen And Zafar Ansari, and a four each off Ansari and Adil Rashid. Those 32 runs were the lubricant for his innings, the final session of which he spent hobbling after being hit in the knee.There was no spurt in the middle session in which 66 runs came. The drama in the middle session belonged to the Pujara family. Ansari’s reintroduction brought the first bit of natural variation. Pujara was caught right in front, but given the bounce in the pitch – earlier a Rashid googly had failed to draw an lbw verdict because of that reason – and also with the reviews to be reset in 10 overs, he challenged the decision. Finally Arvind showed emotion, that of visible relief as his son, whose cricket has been his preoccupation for more than a decade, was allowed to go for the 14 runs needed to bring up his century.Pujara gave everybody a nervous few minutes, spending eight balls on 99 before coming back after tea to score the 100th run. Then, against the run of play, Pujara steered the first ball of a new Stokes spell straight to first slip to be dismissed for 124. England still had an hour and a half to make further inroads. The plans and their execution was spot-on. The seamers bowled consistently around the sixth stump to Kohli, but the India captain seemed determined to not go after them even if it meant scoring just 1 run off the first 16 balls he faced.If there was one criticism of Vijay’s batting and Cook’s captaincy, it revolved around Rashid. Cook underused his most threatening spinner of the day, and Vijay – for some strange reason, despite being such a good player of spin – played the wrong ‘uns off the pitch. In what turned out to be the penultimate over of the day, Rashid got Vijay caught at short leg with a googly followed by Ansari snaring the nightwatchman Amit Mishra.Not that it mattered now, but India ended the day 19 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

Glasgow Rangers are targeting a move for Lawrence Shankland this summer following the departure of talisman Alfredo Morelos, according to TEAMtalk.

Who is Lawrence Shankland?

It comes as no surprise to see a club of Rangers' stature interested in Shankland after the season he's just had.

The Scotland forward netted 28 goals in all competitions, including 21in 32 Scottish Premiership appearances, as Hearts stuttered at times.

Having endured spells at a number of clubs throughout his career – nine in total so far – some may have questioned whether Shankland would ever get his big move.

At 27, however, the 6 foot 1 forward has burst into life again to more than justify the summer interest.

Why are Rangers interested in Lawrence Shankland?

Having already welcomed three new signings, it's clear that Rangers are far from waiting around this summer after a frustrating season saw them lose out on the Scottish Premiership to Old Firm rivals Celtic for the second time running.

With Jack Butland, Dujon Stirling, and Kieran Dowell already through the door, Gers boss Michael Beale has reportedly turned his attention towards the Hearts talisman. And this comes as little shock.

After six impressive years at Ibrox, Morelos saw his contract come to an end this summer, leaving a gaping hole in the goal-scoring department, in the process.

The Colombian marksman found the back of the net 11 times last season in a campaign to forget, by his standards.

Morelos' most successful season in Scotland came during the 2017/18 campaign, in which he netted a staggering 31 goals in the Scottish Premiership.

All good things must come to an end, however, and it looks as though Rangers' attention has turned straight to Shankland.

Hearts 'technical director' Steven Naismith would certainly be sad to see the forward go, should he decide to leave. He was full of praise for Shankland last season, saying via Football Scotland after his side's 6-1 win over Ross County, in which Shankland scored a hat-trick:

“He has progressed as a player over the years. He is a much more well-rounded player, as you saw (against County). He has the intelligence to drop in or go in behind if he needs and he has the one (effort) which hits the bar – you ain’t teaching that."

Rangers are reportedly yet to make an offer for the forward, but with plenty of the summer transfer window left to go, that offer may be on its way.

The Mauricio Pochettino appointment has generated anticipation, excitement, and optimism within the Chelsea fanbase.

Although those of a blue persuasion wouldn’t like to admit it, the team that the Argentine built at Tottenham Hotspur was exciting and free-flowing, where the four-man attacking cohort of Harry Kane, Son Hueng-min, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen ripped the division apart.

These figures were central to the Spurs side on the cusp of Premier League titles.

The state of the current Chelsea squad gives the 51-year-old a similar project to when he started at White Hart Lane – a chance to completely reshape and rebuild an unbalanced outfit.

One name that has been mentioned to kickstart the Pochettino revolution is Leicester City’s James Maddison, who would be a marvellous addition to Stamford Bridge.

What’s the latest on James Maddison to Chelsea?

According to reputable journalist Simon Phillips on his Substack, the 2021 Champions League winners view Maddison as a genuine target in the upcoming window but feel that the Englishman is not a priority.

Described as “fantastic” by Frank Lampard, it has been suggested that an offer of around £40m could be enough to tempt the recently-relegated Foxes into the sale.

It looks extremely likely that the 26-year-old will depart the King Power Stadium and with his contract expiring in 2024, the 2016 Premier League winners will surely cash in on one of their prize assets.

Who could James Maddison replace at Chelsea?

The £110k-per-week star has been the shining light in a desperately poor season for Leicester. In 30 top-flight appearances, he notched 19 goal contributions, a phenomenal return for a dismal team.

His influence cannot be understated as the playmaker has averaged 2.3 key passes per game in the Premier League this campaign, which is more than the imperious trio of Martin Odegaard (2.1), Jack Grealish (1.8), and Ilkay Gundogan (1.2).

He also ranks impeccably highly across the continent, as he sits within the top 15% in Europe's top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, as well as the best 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, according to FBref.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Mason Mount is keen on joining Manchester United and Chelsea could sign a ready-made replacement in Maddison.

When comparing the two players, the Leicester star averages 1.67 successful take-ons per 90, whilst Mount only manages 0.86 for the same metric.

Maddison also outperforms the former Derby County ace for xAG (expected assisted goals) – 0.34 vs 0.16 – whilst playing in a much worse outfit, to show if he was surrounded by more superior assets he could really flourish.

The two-cap international oozes technique, flair, and creativity – three traits that have ghosted Chelsea players, including Mount.

Lauded as “outstanding” by Brendan Rodgers, the thought of Maddison under Pochettino's guidance is a frightening prospect. Indeed, he would surely be a dream replacement for their potentially departing playmaker.

USA defeated Oman in the final of WCL Division Four by 13 runs, becoming the tenth host team to win a World Cricket League tournament title

Peter Della Penna in Los Angeles 06-Nov-2016Medium-pacer Jessy Singh scored a crucial 37 not out at No. 10 after entering at 141 for 8 and followed it with 3 for 29 to help USA defend 208 and beat Oman by 13 runs to win the final of ICC WCL Division Four at Severn Cricket Field. Jessy was named Man of the Final for his efforts as USA became the tenth host team to win a World Cricket League tournament title.USA elected to bat first but got off to a disastrous start, slipping to 5 for 3 inside five overs with both openers leg-before and Ravi Timbawala run out without scoring after sacrificing himself in a mix-up with Alex Amsterdam, who had scored a hundred against Jersey on Friday. Amsterdam delivered again, making 50 off 73 balls to steer USA out of the early hole before miscuing a drive to midwicket off Zeeshan Maqsood’s left-arm spin to be sixth out with the score 103.USA then had their second mix-up of the day, as Timil Patel didn’t respond to Timroy Allen’s call for a second run to third man. Timil gave himself up for 22 by leaving the crease with both men at the same end so the big-hitting Allen could stay in for a late surge.Allen wound up scoring 45 off 32 balls before he was caught at long-on off medium pacer Mohammad Nadeem to start the 44th over after adding 41 for the ninth wicket with Jessy, who had come into the line-up in place of the injured Danial Ahmed. Last man Prashanth Nair blocked from one end while Jessy continued playing shots, allowing a 27-run tenth-wicket stand to take USA into the final over and reach a defendable total before Nair was caught slogging to long-off with two balls left to play.Jessy took the new ball and struck in the fourth over, bowling Arun Poulose with a full-length delivery that beat the batsman for pace as he flicked across the line. USA had Oman three down in the 14th over and continued to create chances but poor fielding once again allowed an opponent to stay in the game as Swapnil Khadye was dropped twice during a 51-run fourth-wicket stand with Zeeshan Siddiqui that took Oman past 100.It took Timil’s legspin to break the partnership with Khadye held by Allen after top-edging a slog and two overs later Timil pinned Lalcheta on the back foot with a flipper to make it 115 for 5. The legspinner landed his biggest punch of the day in the 38th over when he coaxed the set Siddiqui into a charge down the wicket and had him stumped for 58 leave Oman needing 45 off the last 75 balls but with only four wickets in hand. Timil’s 3 for 38 gave him 14 wickets on the week, tied for the tournament lead with Denmark’s Bashir Shah.Oman had held star batsman Jatinder Singh back to No. 8 but Timil and medium pacer Elmore Hutchinson choked the run rate over the next six overs and created two run-out chances. The required rate finally climbed to a run a ball after 44 overs when Jessy was brought back for a late spell and he struck with his first ball, bouncing out Nadeem. Two balls later, another run-out chance presented itself and this time Steven Taylor seized it with a direct hit from point to send Amir Ali off without scoring.With Jatinder running out of partners, he tried to heave Jessy over long-off in the 47th but Timbawala took in a skier to make it 178 for 9. Jessy then pinned down No. 11 Sufyaan Mehmood in the 49th over, conceding just one run from it to leave Oman needing 23 off the final over. Only four runs came off the first four balls bowled by Allen, clinching victory before an inside-edge for four by Rajeshkumar Ranpura off the final ball resulted in Oman ending on 195 for 9.Oman’s Khawar Ali was named Player of the Tournament after taking 13 wickets while also scoring 168 runs at 33.60. Khawar’s 74 and 5 for 37 against Denmark on the last day of round-robin play helped Oman to a win that clinched promotion to Division Three.In the third-place game at Wright Cricket Field, Denmark avenged an earlier loss in group play to defeat Bermuda by 44 runs. Playing his first game of the tournament, Taranjit Bharaj top-scored with 68 not out in Denmark’s total of 269 for 8 after they chose to bat first.Former England Test medium-pacer Amjad Khan then took out Bermuda’s top order with three wickets to leave them 50 for 3 in the 12th over and they struggled to recover from there. Jordan DeSilva made an unbeaten 52 after entering at No. 8 with Bermuda 137 for 6 and they eventually finished their 50 overs on 225 for 8.Jersey won the fifth place playoff, defeating Italy by 42 runs at Wong Cricket Field. Injuries had left Jersey’s squad decimated, forcing 46-year-old team manager Tony Carylon out of retirement and into the starting XI having not played since 2011. It allowed a special moment for Carylon, though, as he was able to take the field with his 15-year-old son Harrison, who earlier in the week had become the youngest player to debut for Jersey.Jersey made 250 for 6 as captain Peter Gough opened to top-score with 65 after electing to bat. Corey Bisson added an unbeaten 63 off 47 balls at No. 5 and finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 242 runs at 80.66. Italy were bowled out for 208 in reply with captain Damian Crowley providing their best contribution with 39. Charles Perchard claimed 4 for 22 to lead the way for Jersey in the field.USA and Oman will now play in WCL Division Three in the first half of 2017 and will be joined by Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and hosts Uganda in the next phase of qualification for the pathway to the 2019 World Cup.

Manchester United hold an interest in the Napoli defender Kim Min-jae and it is a potential deal to keep an eye on over the opening days of the market.

What is Kim Min-jae transfer clause?

The Red Devils' season came to an end on Saturday with defeat at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final against their city rivals.

However, it was a season to remember with Erik ten Hag's arrival at the club bringing about a third-placed finish in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup.

But it is apparent the Dutchman is not looking to settle for that with new signings expected to help bolster his squad going into the new campaign.

The likes of Mason Mount has been linked with a potential move to Old Trafford even though the summer transfer window has not opened yet.

And another name which has been strongly linked with the Red Devils is Kim who has just got his hands on the Serie A trophy with Napoli.

Italian report (via GOAL) suggest the South Korean centre-back has a clause in his contract which would make him available for a potential transfer for a fee in the region of £42m.

Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube channel, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed this could be a deal which could be concluded quickly given the clause is only active for 15 days:

"Kim's one Manchester United have looked at, for sure. And is one to watch in the first 15 days of the window because that release clause is only active in those 15 days.

"Kim himself has always denied any of the rumours and the links, but I think Luciano Spalletti leaving Napoli for a one-year sabbatical is going to be a big factor in all of this because suddenly players that might have wanted to stay will see one exiting and maybe decide that they want a fresh challenge as well. So that one is a very realistic possibility."

Does Kim Min-jae want to leave Napoli?

The 26-year-old – who has bee hailed a "monster" by some in the media – has only been at Napoli for one season having joined the Italian side last summer from Fenerbahce in a deal believed to be worth around £15m.

However, it could be a summer of multiple departures for the newly-crowned Italian champions with their manager Luciano Spalletti set to take a year away from the game.

On top of this, their star striker Victor Osimhen is also expected to be subject of a lot of transfer interest over the coming months with interest coming from the Premier League.

But the South Korean has held a strong viewpoint when it comes to commenting on the rumours surrounding where his future may lie:

“I can't be bothered by transfer rumours because they aren’t true. Now I’m focusing on the team and on the Champions League, rather than that kind of nonsense,” he said.

However, if a club like United are to come in and pay the clause believed to be in his contract, then he may not have much saw as to whether he is to remain at Napoli or not.

Watch more of The Football Terrace on YouTube now!

Giles Clarke, the ECB president, is set to renew his relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board, after being tasked to explore ways to boost the board’s economy

Nagraj Gollapudi and Umar Farooq14-Oct-2016Giles Clarke, the ECB president, is set to renew his relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board, after being tasked alongside David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, to explore ways to boost the board’s economy in the absence of any home international matches.The decision was taken at the quarterly ICC board meeting that concluded in Cape Town on Friday. The board also agreed to look into financial “assistance” for the PCB given that it has now been almost eight years since their cricketers were last able to play a match in front of their home fans.Clarke, who is a member of the powerful Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee, headed up the ICC’s original Pakistan Task Force in 2009, although he was unable to visit the country in that capacity due to the ongoing security concerns.Despite their difficulties, Pakistan’s Test team rose to become the No.1 nation earlier this year following a hugely creditable 2-2 draw in their away series against England. It is understood that Clarke is scheduled to meet PCB officials in a month’s time to chalk out the details of the ICC’s funding exercise.”We reflect the unique contribution of Pakistan to world cricket. There is a huge amount of goodwill at the ICC board table for Pakistan,” Clarke told ESPNcricinfo. “Along with the [ICC] chief executive, I have been charged with looking at how we can assist Pakistan. Some of the economics of life has not been easy for Pakistan because they can’t play home games.”We are looking at the economics of Pakistan cricket, seeing where the ICC can help in recognising the importance of Pakistan to the international cricketing community, and to the cricketing world. They got the Test mace and played a superb series in England this summer. They were magnificent on and off the pitch during the England series.”Describing himself as a “very committed supporter” of Pakistan cricket, Clarke said he had spent seven years trying to figure out ways to develop the game in the country.”We have made a bit of progress today with some of the ideas that came out of the meeting. David Richardson and I are going to see what we can do to help Pakistan cricket economically and what we can do what possibilities are there for anyone to tour Pakistan.”However, the prospect of international cricket making a permanent return to Pakistan remains doubtful. Earlier this year, memories of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March 2009 were revived when another terrorist attack ripped through Lahore, killing at least 72 people and injuring 300 others in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, a popular hangout.”As you know, we were a very long way down the road with a concept of having a heavyweight world team tour Pakistan and play against Pakistan,” said Clarke. “Then the atrocity in Lahore absolutely scuppered that.”As a consequence of that attack, the PCB had to terminate a planned World XI versus Pakistanis match, an exercise that had been intended to provide a first step towards a return of full international cricket.”Cricket does not belong in a war zone,” said Clarke. “[But] Cricket does belong in Pakistan. If we are going to bring world cricket back to Pakistan, then we will need the help of the vast number of massively enthusiastic Pakistani cricket followers – which in my view is most of the country. Because it is the bad guys who are stopping us. If you love cricket in Pakistan, you know we can’t have atrocities. It stops people from coming. But if you give up, then the terrorist wins. I am not bloody giving up.”According to Clarke, PCB executive chairman Najam Sethi made a “very powerful plea” which had struck a chord with the ICC board during the Cape Town meeting. Sethi had been representing his board in the absence of Shaharyar Khan, who could not attend due to health reasons.During his address, Sethi focused on the major issues that were denting Pakistan cricket financially. Aside from Zimbabwe’s limited-overs tour in May 2015, have played all of their matches since 2009 in the UAE. However, the extra costs incurred by those matches have directly hampered the development of the game back home in Pakistan.In a bid to shore up their domestic infrastructure, the PCB recently began work on 16 regional academies as a part of their developmental plan. Another option under consideration is that ICC should help carry the cost of Pakistan’s bilateral series in the UAE.There is, however, an acceptance from all parties that it will ultimately be down to the players themselves to determine whether they are prepared to tour Pakistan again. As England’s current tour of Bangladesh shows, administrators cannot force players to tour when they are not comfortable with the security.

Aston Villa could look to the summer transfer window to bolster the quality in their squad and now a reliable source has revealed a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Aston Villa's interest in Ibrahima Bamba?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa are tracking Vitória Guimarães midfielder Ibrahima Bamba.

Romano revealed on Twitter:

"Ibrahima Bamba will play his final game with Vitória Guimarães today vs Porto, expected to get a big move this summer. ✨🇮🇹 #transfers"

"Aston Villa have been tracking him for long time but nothing agreed yet — there are many clubs keen on Bamba. No talks with Arsenal despite links."

Would Ibrahima Bamba be a good signing for Aston Villa?

After qualifying for European football in the Europa Conference League next season, there is no doubt that Unai Emery will be keen to add more quality and energy to the team to ensure the squad can stay fresh and compete comfortably across all competitions.

As a result, the signing of Bamba could be a great opportunity for the Villa boss to not only bring in a young player with huge potential that can be polished at Villa Park but also provide quality rotation for Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa.

Over 28 Liga Portugal appearances, the 21-year-old ace – hailed as "intriguing" and a "special talent" by Zach Lowy – has tallied up an 84% pass completion rate and won 59% of his duels combined, as well as averaging 1.3 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 4.4 clearances per game, proving that he is a consistent defensive presence.

In fact, Emery could land an upgrade on Konsa with the signing of Bamba as the young centre-back has outperformed the Villa defender in several attributes this season including tackles and interceptions won (99 v 65), ball recoveries (174 v 158), blocks (45 v 40) and tacklers dribbled success rate (77.3% v 69.2%), despite playing nine fewer league games.

Not only could Bamba provide quality depth and strong competition in the centre-back role, but it is also reported that the Italian has a €30m (£26m) release clause, which would be a steal if he could continue to put in consistent defensive performances in the Premier League.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Bamba and should the club secure his services this summer it would be a great opportunity for Emery to develop and polish a young talent who can play a key role in the future at Villa Park.

Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that they will host Sri Lanka for two Tests followed by a one-day tri-series that will also involve West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2016Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that they will host Sri Lanka for two Tests followed by a one-day tri-series that will also involve West Indies. The two Tests will be played in Harare, with the first one from October 29 and the second from November 6.The tri-series will begin from November 14 with the first match between the hosts and Sri Lanka at the Harare Sports Club. The three teams will play each other twice, making it a total of six round-robin matches, before the final on November 27. The last four ODIs and the final will all be played in Bulawayo.Sri Lanka’s tour of Zimbabwe was originally scheduled in the FTP with two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I. Later, there were chances of the tour being replaced by the tri-series with West Indies, as the Tests were not being considered as financially viable, but now the Tests and tri-series both will take place. Had that happened, Zimbabwe would have gone without playing a Test for 11 months.There were chances of the Tests being scrapped because of Zimbabwe Cricket’s growing debt and the economic situation of the country as a whole. Recently, the Harare-based players had refused to train in protest over unpaid match fees, which dated back to July last year. The protests ended after being given an assurance by the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wildfred Mukondiwa.Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka last played a Test in a two-match series in 2004. They have played 15 Tests against each other overall, with Sri Lanka winning 10 of them and five ending in draws.