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Records maintained by ICL showed the dues in the form of match fees and share of prize money amount to over Rs 1.27 crore

Ajay S Shankar02-Sep-2008Banned by the BCCI for having signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007, 64 Indian cricketers are still waiting to be paid dues worth millions of rupees they claim the Indian board owes them for matches played on the official domestic circuit before they joined the unauthorised venture. Even as officials of the Indian board and the various state associations pass the buck among themselves, the ICL says it will take up the players’ case.What they saidNiranjan Shah, : ‘As far as the board is concerned, all dues for players who have played in BCCI-organised tournaments must be paid. But it’s up to the state associations to pay the money because they are the ones who claim money from the board to be paid to their players.’Shivlal Yadav : ‘If we receive the money from the BCCI, we will make the payment within two days. But if the board doesn’t pay the money, I can’t pay from our own account, can I?’KS Vishwanathan, : ‘I will have to check and get back to you on this’. Cannot be reached thereafterCricket Association of Bengal (CAB) administrator: ‘This is an administrative delay. Over the last one and-a-half months, the CAB has been busy with the association elections. I suggest the cricketers send the CAB an official reminder and the new set of office-bearers will take up the matter.’Subir Ganguly, : ‘We [the new regime] have just taken over and it’s difficult for me to comment at this stage without studying the issue’Records maintained by ICL showed the dues in the form of match fees and prize money – in 2006-07 and from 2005-07 in some cases – amounting to over Rs 1.27 crore. Cricinfo was given access to the records but the figures have not been independently verified. However, non-ICL players that Cricinfo spoke to confirmed that they had received their dues for the same period from their respective state associations – typically six to eight months from the close of a season.The players include promising youngsters like Abshishek Jhunjhunwala, and veterans like Hemang Badani, the former India allrounder, and Deep Dasgupta, the former India wicketkeeper. The list also includes Rohan Gavaskar, son of Sunil Gavaskar, a member of the IPL governing council. According to ICL records, the dues range from Rs 16,000 to Rs 15 lakh in the case of Jhunjhunwala.When contacted, Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said the matter needed to be dealt with by the respective state associations who are given funds every year by the board to pay their players’ fees.”As far as the board is concerned, all dues for players who have played in BCCI-organised tournaments must be paid,” he said. “But it’s up to the state associations to pay the money because they are the ones who claim money from the board to be paid to their players. The associations or the players don’t seem to have understood the situation properly (in this case).”The players Cricinfo spoke to said they were only demanding the money they deserved for having played in the Ranji, Duleep and Deodhar tournaments, apart from the shares in prize money in some cases.”They have to treat us like human beings,” said Badani, who, ICL records show, is due to be paid Rs 2.52 lakh by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), though the former Indian player claims the figure is closer to Rs 7 lakh.”None of us have got any dues,” he said. “In my case, apart from the Ranji Trophy matches and one-day games before I joined the ICL, I have been denied my share of the prize money for being part of the winning Twenty20 team. I have spoken to KS Viswanathan, the TNCA secretary, but am yet to get a reply.”The player had also sent an official letter to the TNCA but was yet to get a firm reply. “Of course, they may be angry with me or disappointed because they had nurtured me from the beginning, from the age-group stage. I can understand the anger and the hurt, but not the silence. There has to be a basic decorum, some correspondence,”Vishwanathan, in his response said, “I will have to check and get back to you on this” but could not be reached thereafter.Dasgupta, the former Indian wicketkeeper also felt hard done by. With the ICL records showing Rs 3.32 lakh in dues from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), he had reason to be disappointed.”It’s something we have all worked hard for most of our lives,” said the former Indian wicketkeeper. “We have done well for the state, we have put in the effort and all the hard work. We know there are problems with the ICL, and we understand the state association’s position. But I am sure the CAB feels that this is unjustified. It’s a ‘Catch 22’ situation for the association because of the BCCI. We qualify for the money, but we haven’t heard from them at all.”A local administrator from the CAB insisted the delay was not due to any particular anti-ICL policy. “This is an administrative delay. Over the last one and-a-half months, the CAB has been busy with the association elections. I suggest the cricketers send the CAB an official reminder and the new set of office-bearers will take up the matter.”
Hemang Badani is due to be paid Rs 2.52 lakh by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, though the player claims the figure to be Rs 7 lakh © Cricinfo Ltd
“We [the new regime] have just taken over and it’s difficult for me to comment at this stage without studying the issue,” said Subir Ganguly, the new treasurer of the CAB.Similarly, Alfred Absolem, the all-rounder who plays for Hyderabad Heroes, said he had been told by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) that the BCCI hasn’t passed on the money to be paid to ICL players.”I have requested senior officials of the HCA for the money, but they say the BCCI hasn’t given them any money to pay the ICL players. I believe it’s our hard-earned money and we deserve it,” he said.Shivlal Yadav, the secretary of the HCA, was quick to point a finger towards the BCCI. “If we receive the money from the BCCI, we will make the payment within two days,” he said. “But if the board doesn’t pay the money, I can’t pay from our own account, can I? We have cleared all dues up to last year.” However, he refused to comment on whether those paid included ICL players.ICL records show that the problem is not limited to cricketers from Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad or Bengal. The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) owes Reetinder Sodhi, the former India under-15 captain and currently playing for the Ahmedabad Rockets in the ICL, Rs 1.8 lakh.”It is very disappointing and frustrating,” Sodhi said. “We believe that non-ICL players have got their money, but we are still waiting. It’s always there in the back of our minds because we deserve it. We have put in so much hard work for the state, and nobody can deny that.”Kapil Dev, the chairman of the ICL’s executive board, believed the players had been “treated like outcasts” and accused the associations of succumbing to pressure from the BCCI in holding back the money that the players rightfully deserved.Himanshu Mody, the business head, said the league may have to approach the courts if these dues were not paid within a reasonable timeframe.One of the ICL executive board members, Kiran More, however, believed that not all the associations had held back the payments. “It’s a mixed bag and some associations remain adamant,” he said.

An update has emerged on Everton target Rafael Leao, regarding how much AC Milan want for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, Milan are willing to listen to offers in the region of £26m (€30m) for Everton transfer target Rafael Leao this summer.

The report claims Mino Raiola is attempting to get him a move to the Premier League.

Richarlison 2.0

Marcel Brands and Rafa Benitez must work together to seal a deal for Leao this summer as he could be Richarlison 2.0 for the Toffees. The Milan forward is a quality young attacker who could come in and provide an extra option at the top end of the pitch to challenge the Brazilian and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Goalscoring was a big issue for the Blues last season, with Calvert-Lewin the only player who managed more than seven Premier League strikes. Richarlison and James Rodriguez provided seven and six respectively, with no other forwards managing more than one goal.

Therefore, Everton are in desperate need of an extra goalscorer to come in this summer. That is where Leao could be the perfect addition as he scored seven goals and provided six assists in just 24 starts.

This suggests that he could get near double figures for goals and assists if he is given more starts in the league by the Toffees than Milan were able to offer him.

Former striker Rolando Bianchi once lauded him as spectacular. The ex-forward also previously said that Leao was playing like a great player. He said:

“Leao is very young and is having a great season. Sometimes young people give the impression of mirroring themselves a bit, but his performances are that of a great player. I had seen him at the U20 World Cup with Portugal and he made spectacular plays. He has great speed, he has a touch of the ball.”

Richarlison is also a young talent, but the comparisons between the two do not end there. They are also both right-footed attackers who can play out on the left-wing or through the middle as centre-forwards. Both players are keen dribblers, as they like to run at players with the ball to create chances and score goals.

Therefore, Everton could land their next Richarlison by bringing Leao to the club for £26m. At the age of 22, he also has plenty of room for development and could improve over time, which means that he is a player Benitez could work with on the training pitch to continue his growth.

AND in other news, Everton must act swiftly to land dream deal for powerhouse who “towers above” players…

Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to be linked to coveted Euro 2020 champion Manuel Locatelli in this transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato.it, Spurs have entered the race to sign the Sassuolo and Italy midfielder as talks with Juventus continue to rumble on without much success.

Arch-rivals Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old.

It’s thought that Locatelli is currently available for just €40m (£34m), as per Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, even despite his success on the international stage this summer.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

A move for a new midfielder may come as a surprise to some, but with the futures of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko in doubt, new Spurs boss Nuno Santo should absolutely look to secure an upgrade in that position.

The Portuguese coach needs that perfect option alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and he could find a nice balance by signing Locatelli.

Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the 6 foot 1 enforcer played in five of seven matches as Italy went on to beat Harry Kane’s England side in the Euro 2020 final.

It was just desserts for the midfielder, who performed admirably throughout the 2020/21 domestic campaign – as per Transfermarkt, he delivered seven goal contributions in 34 appearances from the engine room.

Furthermore, Locatelli was graded as Sassuolo’s second-best player of the season, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.08, which was higher than any of Nuno’s current midfield options.

Whilst Hojbjerg is a more defensively-minded midfielder, the 15-cap Italy international offers more going forward but that doesn’t hinder his defensive output whatsoever. He can work both boxes, which in turn could allow someone like Tanguy Ndombele to thrive further forward.

An average of 2.4 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 1.2 shots and 1.1 key passes per game and a seasonal 88.3% passing accuracy, via WhoScored, would back that up greatly.

As a result, it’s no wonder he has been dubbed a “real dominator” in midfield and an “extremely talented” player.

If Nuno is to get the perfect balance in midfield this season, then Spurs chairman Daniel Levy must look to sanction a £34m move for Locatelli.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops major Spurs transfer update that is sure to leave fans buzzing…

Ramiz Raja was confident that Imran would play a key role in increasing Pakistan’s influence in the ICC

Cricinfo staff16-Sep-2008
Imran Khan has been away from the game since his retirement in 1992 © AFP
Former Pakistan opener Ramiz Raja believes Imran Khan is the right man to rescue Pakistan cricket from its current crisis and hoped the cricketer-turned-politician would consider heading the PCB, which is yet to appoint its chairman after Nasim Ashraf quit last month.”You cannot find a better person to lead the cricket board. He can see us through this crisis. The Pakistan Cricket Board is facing problems and Imran is the right man to put the game back on track,” he told .Imran, since retiring from international cricket in 1992, has been away from the game. He entered Pakistan politics and formed his own political party, the Tehreek-e-Insaf.Ramiz said Imran’s presence as head of the board would help Pakistan’s cause at the international level. Not only was he confident that Imran “would play a key role in increasing Pakistan’s influence in the ICC, he would also be able to convince other boards to get their players to tour Pakistan”.”While it is true that at this moment it is difficult to convince teams to tour Pakistan because of the prevailing circumstances, I feel even now the board can, with sensible policy and support of other boards, resume international cricket activities in Pakistan,” he said.With the postponement of the Champions Trophy and the shortage of international matches at home, former Pakistan players are understandably concerned about the state of affairs. Earlier, Javed Miandad had urged the new Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari to keep a close watch on the working of the PCB and eliminate the unnecessary positions created by the previous regime.

Opener Leah Poulton has regained her place in Australia’s squad for the upcoming series against India, which starts in Sydney in late October

Cricinfo staff30-Sep-2008
Leah Poulton made a splash in her debut series in 2006-07 and is keen to regain her spot at the top of the order © Getty Images
Opener Leah Poulton has regained her place in Australia’s squad for the upcoming series against India, which starts in Sydney in late October. Poulton and Lauren Ebsary were named in the 14-player squad with Sarah Andrews and Renee Chappell dropped from the group that won the Rose Bowl in New Zealand earlier this year.The India series begins with a Twenty20 international on October 28, followed by five ODIs in Sydney and Canberra. The games will be Poulton’s first chance to impress at international level since she was dropped following the quadrangular tournament in India in March 2007.A powerful opener, Poulton announced her arrival on the international scene with a brilliant century against New Zealand in Brisbane in October 2006 and she will be desperate to return to that sort of form against India. Ebsary, a Western Australia allrounder, is yet to make her international debut.The series will also be Australia’s first under their new coach Richard McInnes, who was formerly the performance analyst with the Australia men’s team. McInnes took the reins of the women’s squad in July and he said the India games would be an important step along the way as Australia prepared for next year’s World Cup and World Twenty20 tournaments.”We’ve been working and training hard in the last couple of months,” McInnes said. “We had a great training camp here in August which provided me with a good opportunity to engage with all the players. Since the Rose Bowl series in March we haven’t played a lot of cricket so this series will be a great opportunity for the team to have a solid hit-out against quality opposition in the lead-up to the WNCL getting underway in November.”Australia squad Alex Blackwell, Shelley Nitschke, Karen Rolton (capt), Leah Poulton, Lisa Sthalekar, Kate Blackwell, Lauren Ebsary, Jodie Fields (wk), Leonie Coleman (wk), Sarah Edwards, Ellyse Perry, Emma Sampson, Kirsten Pike, Delissa Kimmince.

An update has emerged regarding the plans of reported Leeds target Okay Yokuslu between now and the end of the transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to Marca, the Turkey international is working with his agent to secure a transfer to the Premier League from Celta Vigo. He has been left out of their latest friendly squad as he attempts to leave the Spanish club to return to England.

Leeds, Watford and Wolves are reportedly interested in signing the defensive midfielder, who is said to be valued at €6m (£5m).

Imagine him and Phillips

This update provides a boost to Leeds as it shows that Yokuslu is eager to seal a move to the Premier League, giving the Whites the edge over foreign clubs as they prepare for their second season back in the English top flight. However, there is still work to be done with Watford and Wolves also competing for his signature, which means that Victor Orta must act quickly to get a deal over the line.

If Leeds can bring him in, he could form a terrifying partnership with Kalvin Phillips in midfield. The Turk averaged 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League, a tally that no Leeds midfielder was able to match last term. This shows that he is adept at pressing the opposition and winning the ball back, which makes him ideal for Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play.

Phillips made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game last term, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.01. To this point, he was the only Leeds midfielder who managed a higher score than Yokuslu, who produced a WhoScored rating of 6.96 in 16 appearances for West Brom on loan.

His former Baggies teammate Kyle Bartley lavished praise on the enforcer last season, saying: “He’s been brilliant. He seems to have settled in really quickly which is always important for a player at a new club.

“You can see already that he’s a really good player. I thought he was great against Manchester United on his full debut and then he backed that up with another impressive performance on Saturday against Burnley.

“He’s tenacious. He’s good on the ball. He’s calm and composed. I think he’s made a big difference in there.”

These comments from Bartley, along with Yokuslu’s impressive statistics, suggest that the 27-year-old could be a rock-solid midfielder to play alongside Phillips – or in front of in a two – next season. Teams could struggle to break Leeds down if Phillips and Yokuslu are making an eye-catching 8.8 tackles and interceptions per game just between the two of them, should they replicate their 2020/21 performance levels.

This is why Leeds should be signing the Turkish powerhouse in the coming weeks. Supporters could enjoy his robust performances and strong tackles, allowing the forwards such as Raphinha and Patrick Bamford to weave their magic in the final third.

AND in other news, Leeds preparing offer for beast whose “fitness is incredible”, Bielsa would love him…

Shields Gazette reporter Liam Kennedy concedes a permanent move to Newcastle United would be seen as a step down for Joe Willock, amid reports of a permanent £25m deal being agreed.

The Arsenal midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at St James’ Park, where he scored eight goals in 14 appearances.

His stunning form in front of goal also saw him become the first player to find the back of the net in seven consecutive Premier League fixtures since Alan Shearer.

Willock’s performances helped Newcastle steer well clear of the Premier League relegation zone and Magpies chief Steve Bruce had made the former England under-21 international his top target in the transfer window.

Although Newcastle initially looked to make Willock’s move permanent, they also began exploring the possibility of another temporary deal being struck, before the latest breakthrough.

Speaking prior to this update, Kennedy believed that it was a big decision for the youngster, who is clearly looking for regular first team football.

He told Football FanCast: “Does he want to stay at Arsenal and potentially be a fringe man? It wouldn’t be particularly damaging for his career if he stayed at Arsenal for another season because he is only 21.

“It would be a considerable step down to come to Newcastle United on a permanent move.”

Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe captain, has been left out the Zimbabwe Select side to play Sri Lanka in the opening match of their tour due to personal reasons

Cricinfo staff12-Nov-2008
Tatenda Taibu won’t be facing Sri Lanka in the four-day game © AFP
Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe captain, has been left out the Zimbabwe Select side to play Sri Lanka in the opening match of their tour due to personal reasons.”We dropped him from the squad because he has personal issues to deal with,” Kenyon Ziehl, the convener of selectors, said. “At this level of the game, we cannot send a player onto the field if he is not in the right frame of mind.”Taibu was involved in a fracas with a board official last month and was only persuaded to join Zimbabwe’s tour of Canada and Kenya an hour before the squad left Harare after initially pulling out. He is understood still to be at odds with senior members of Zimbabwe Cricket.National captain Prosper Utseya will lead the Select XI, which is close to a full-strength Zimbabwe side, in the only first-class match of the tour which includes five ODIs.Wilfred Mukondiwa, the deputy managing director of Zimbabwe Cricket, said he hoped that including the four-day match will help the country stake a claim for a return to Test level. “The four-day game that begins at the Queens Sports Club on Wednesday might not be that important to Sri Lanka, but is of significance to us as it is part of our programme to give our maturing side more exposure to the longer version of the game in preparation for our resumption of Tests.”However, in the lead-up to the Sri Lanka series two further players have left Zimbabwe after falling out with the board. Sean Williams, the allrounder, and wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor have headed overseas to play club cricket to further weaken the resources available.Ray Price is another absentee, but sources close to the board suggest that he has been told he is not part of future plans. This is taken by some as a sign that hardline elements within ZC have increased their influence over selection issues. Robin Brown, who was replaced as coach earlier this year, clashed with board members who were demanding that more black players be included in the side.Squad Propser Utseya (capt), Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Keith Dabengwa, Trevor Garwe, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirayi Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa and Tafadzwa Ngulube.

An update has emerged on Stoke midfielder James McClean, regarding Bolton’s interest in his services. 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Bolton are considering a swoop for Stoke City utility man James McClean this month.

Nixon claims that Stoke are willing to send the Irishman out on loan, with Bolton and Wigan both eyeing him up as a potential signing.

Potters boss Michael O’Neill has confirmed that the winger is available for clubs to sign. He said:

“James is part of the U23s. He’s available to other clubs but as yet no club has taken up that option as far as I understand.”

Evatt would love him

Bolton must decide to take up Stoke’s offer and bring McClean in on a season-long loan, assuming the financial element of the deal is within the club’s budget. He is an experienced operator who could come in and add quality and know-how to the squad, which is why he could be an excellent signing.

In terms of his ability, he was able to showcase what he is capable of at times in the Championship last season. He averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.72 in 23 appearances, scoring two and assisting three. In the 2019/20 campaign, he averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.14 and was directly involved in 14 goals – seven goals and seven assists.

This suggests that he still has the talent to make an impact in the second tier, which is why he could be superb in League One as it is one step lower than where he has been playing. Therefore, he could arrive at Bolton and offer real quality on the ball to help push them further up the table.

Evatt could love having a player with his class in possession, but his attitude and work rate is also top drawer. Last year, O’Neill called McClean a ‘whole-hearted’ player, although he admitted that he still needs to learn the tactical side of the game. He said:

“James is such a willing, whole-hearted player, he just at times needs a little bit of guidance.

“But for me, he’s been excellent when you look at the number of goals he assisted and the number he’s scored as well.

“So there’s a lot of positive things in his play, but he maybe needs a bit of help tactically and that’s something we continue to work on.”

This shows that the £20k-per-week beast puts the work in and is willing to grind the hard yards for the team. Evatt would be buzzing to have a player who could make a difference in and out of possession, with his skill and his work rate.

With over 150 Premier League appearances and over 170 appearances in the Championship to his name, McClean could impart his wisdom onto the younger players at the club. He has the experience of playing at a higher level and his know-how could prove crucial in the long run.

This will be Pakistan’s first ODI since July in a Test-less year; betweenthe Asia Cup in June-July and next week when they take on West Indies,Pakistan have only played four Twenty20 internationals

Cricinfo staff07-Nov-2008
Intikhab Alam: “He [Shoaib] is a genuine fast bowler and his run-up is important . But we will work on making sure he takes four minutes for an over” © AFP
Pakistan’s jaunt to Abu Dhabi for three ODIs against West Indies maynot be the most high-profile series in this year’s cricket calendar butfor the displaced home side, the contest has significance.This will be Pakistan’s first ODI since July in a Test-less year; betweenthe Asia Cup in June-July and next week when they take on West Indies,Pakistan have only played four Twenty20 internationals. They go to AbuDhabi with a brand new coach and management team and hoping for an upturnin cricketing fortunes.At a two-day practice camp in Karachi before they depart, the relief at aninternational assignment was apparent. “Any series is important,” saidcoach Intikhab Alam. “After this India is coming so this is a challenge for thenew management.”Ever the poster-boy for optimism, Intikhab wasn’t willing to dwellunnecessarily on the lack of international cricket for Pakistan in 2008.”I don’t believe in making excuses that we haven’t played that often. Okay,we haven’t played but we can’t look at that negatively and use it as anexcuse. This is an important series because when you win and settle downon a combination confidence is built and winning can become a habit.”Pakistan trained energetically, mostly under the guidance of Aaqib Javed,the new assistant coach, whose role may well become more significant overtime. Intikhab and the new manager Yawar Saeed held a long meeting withthe team in the morning, a start of sorts to lay a new agenda.”We had a very open meeting today with the team,” said Intikhab. “Wetalked mostly about discipline and how there will be no compromise onthat. We also talked about how our aim should be to move up [in therankings] from six to two or one.”The entire squad has at least benefited from playing in the ongoingPentangular Cup and as Shoaib Malik, the captain, pointed out later, mosthave been in good form. Pakistan’s squad has five fast bowlers and they,more than others, have felt the benefits.Umar Gul is fit again and Sohail Tanvir and Rao Iftikhar come in with agood number of overs behind them. Above all, Shoaib Akhtar is approachingfull match fitness and the management was impressed by his performances inthe Pentangular. David Dwyer, the team trainer, is also working closelywith Shoaib, who has played little cricket this year, to have him readyand primed for the India series early next year. And unlike a couple ofother coaches, Intikhab has no plans to ask him to reduce his run-up.”I watched Shoaib Akhtar in the Pentangular in Islamabad and he was verygood,” said Intikhab. “I had a long chat him as well and he is on board.All coaches have their own thinking on his run-up. He is a genuine fastbowler and his run-up is important. If you shorten it, it might affect hisbowling. But we will work on making sure he takes four minutes for anover.”We have other really good bowlers as well and I’m hoping Mohammad Asifcan come back soon as well because he is a match-winner.”Another big winner this week, revealed Intikhab, was used as an unusualsource of inspiration in his first proper team meeting. “I asked the teamin the meeting today what the miracle of the century was. One said it isBarack Obama getting into the White House. An African-American in the WhiteHouse, imagine? And he did it with focus and discipline. That provesanything is possible and Pakistan should take inspiration from that.”