Under Steven Gerrard, Glasgow Rangers signed a few players who went on to secure the Ibrox side a major profit.

Both Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey arrived in 2019 and 2020 respectively from Charlton Athletic and Leicester City and established themselves at the Light Blues, impressing enough in Scotland to seal moves away.

Aribo moved to the Premier League last summer, joining Southampton for a fee of £10m while Bassey joined European heavyweights Ajax for a club record £23m transfer fee, which represented a stunning profit from just the £250k they spent on him two years prior – having being dubbed a “top talent” by journalist Keith Downie in the process.

Bassey, in particular, developed at a rapid rate during his spell in Glasgow, emerging from being just another talented youngster to a first-team star who claimed a Premiership title medal, before being an instrumental cog in the Gers’ run to the Europa League final during the 2021/22 campaign, also adding a Scottish Cup winners medal to his collection.

Could Michael Beale now secure his own talent from south of the border that may embark on a similar trajectory to Bassey? As the Light Blues are now being linked with a move for Burnley centre-back Bobby Thomas this summer according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon.

If Beale wants him as part of his squad ahead of next term, then he must act fast, as Championship sides Queen Park Rangers and Cardiff City are also keen on the 22-year-old.

Could Bobby Thomas join Rangers?

Having signed just two defenders during the transfer window, Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun, Beale may wish to add some more depth to his area, especially with the rigours of a hectic season ahead.

Although Thomas has made just 73 senior appearances over the previous three seasons, he was hailed as a player who “has the makings of a good defender” by journalist Sam Frost in January following his departure from a loan spell at Bristol Rovers, and it suggests he has plenty of talent to succeed at the top level.

He suitably impressed in the English third tier last season, averaging 1.3 tackles per game, while also winning four aerial duels per game, indicating that he could provide a commanding presence at set pieces.

Bassey registered just 1.8 aerial duels won during his final season at Rangers while edging slightly ahead with regard to tackles won per game (1.5), but these figures show that Thomas could be an interesting choice for Beale ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Nigerian international had played a grand total of zero senior matches before joining the Ibrox side in 2020, being thrust into the deep end and learning along the way, and it certainly stood him in good stead. Thomas already has a wealth of professional experience, albeit in League One and Two, yet he could take solace from Bassey and turn into a talent which may eventually make the Gers a profit.

The 6 foot 1 brute would perhaps be a wildcard signing by Beale this summer, especially with the need for some more experience if a league title is to be won, yet combining young talent with experienced heads could well be the platform for the club to claim some much-needed silverware.

Sunderland's search for a new striker has gone continental as the Championship side have reportedly targeted a move for Sochaux striker Eliezer Mayenda.

What players have Sunderland signed this summer?

The Black Cats were quick off the mark in bringing in a quartet of players each aged 20 or under, as centre-backs Nectarios Triantis and Jenson Seelt, attacking midfielder Jobe Bellingham and striker Luis 'Hemir' Semedo all arrived last month.

Manager Tony Mowbray has made clear he is after another goalscorer ahead of the new campaign, though, having seen Amad Diallo return to parent club Manchester United, while Ross Stewart will not be fit enough for the start of the season.

That effectively leaves the untested Hemir, who did not play any minutes at senior level for Benfica, as Mowbray's only real recognised centre-forward to start against Ipswich Town on August 6.

The Wearside outfit were priced out of a move for Ellis Simms, who starred on loan at the Stadium of Light in the first half of last season, and they are also reported to have missed out on Rijeka's Matija Frigan.

However, French publication Foot Mercato suggests Sunderland are very interested in signing Mayenda, who made the breakthrough at Sochaux in Ligue 2 last season.

Who is Sochaux striker Eliezer Mayenda?

Mayenda has been capped once by Spain at U17 level, but it is in France he has learned his trade. The 18-year-old came through Sochaux's academy and played 15 times in the French second tier last season, scoring once.

That goal return is pretty underwhelming on the face of it, but he only played 292 minutes – as per FBref – which is the equivalent of a little over three full matches.

Indeed, his goal return of 0.31 every 90 minutes was bettered only by three Sunderland regulars in the Championship last season, though the teenage talent's sample size is of course a lot smaller.

While clearly a player of high potential, talk of Sunderland signing Mayenda may not exactly get supporters' pulses racing.

However, the same was very much true when the Black Cats signed Stewart from Ross County in January 2021. The Scotsman was far from a prolific scorer at that stage, having netted just 15 times in two-and-a-half seasons with the Staggies.

That return included just two goals in 19 appearances in the first half of the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership season, and he would net only two times in 11 League One outings upon joining Sunderland.

But Stewart truly kick-started his career in 2021-22 when scoring 24 times in 46 games to fire Sunderland to Championship promotion. The 26-year-picked up from where he left off last season by scoring 10 and assisting three in 13 games, before being struck down by a season-ending Achilles injury in January.

That team-high return of 0.86 goals or assists per 90 minutes – Simms was next highest with 0.56, for perspective – will be tough for Stewart to match once he is back up and running for Mowbray's side.

Mayenda also cannot be expected to score and assist at that rate should he join, but Sunderland clearly see something in the 5 foot 11 youngster, who could well become the Black Cats' latest transfer success story.

Sunderland 'have an edge' over rivals in their pursuit of Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo due to his familiarity with surroundings at the Stadium of Light, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Amad Diallo going back to Sunderland?

Diallo spent last term on loan at Sunderland and became a fan favourite at the Black Cats due to his consistent displays, which saw him yield 14 goals and four assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Ivory Coast international, who was hailed as an "amazing player" last season, has attracted interest from several clubs this summer, including Leicester City, Burnley and Sheffield United, according to The Daily Mail.

Nevertheless, Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag won't make a decision on any of his fringe stars until he has a chance to take a closer look at them on the Red Devils' pre-season tour of the United States.

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray hasn't hidden his desire to see the wide man return to the Stadium of Light in 2023/24 despite acknowledging that any potential deal would be unlikely, as per Chronicle Live, stating at the end of last season: "I think the reality is that he won't be coming here unless they [Manchester United] think he is going to be one helluva player and he needs another year out playing, and he enjoys it at Sunderland so he can stay there. That would be the ideal scenario for us – pretty unlikely, I would suggest, but you never know."

Nevertheless, the Black Cats will also face competition from Sky Bet Championship rivals Leeds United and Southampton if they are to try and bring Diallo back to the North East.

As per The Athletic, Diallo joined Manchester United from Serie A side Atalanta in a money-spinning deal worth in the region of £37 million.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones hinted that Sunderland could carry an 'edge' over rivals who are keen on Diallo due to his time spent at the club previously.

Jones stated: "I think Sunderland are going to have an edge here because the player is familiar with their environment and fits into the style. I can't see him going to Leeds, Leicester as well. I wonder about with Diallo, I feel like that's got good potential for him, but certainly, Sunderland should be looking down that path."

What other business could Sunderland look to do this window?

According to Fotboll Sthlm via The Sunderland Echo, Sunderland have taken Djurgardens youngster Gideon Granstrom on trial and offered him the chance to win a deal at the Stadium of Light, with Norwich City also keen to assess his capabilities.

Granstrom's father spoke about their interest to the Swedish outlet, stating: "He went there earlier this week and is doing his first training session today. He stays about ten days in total. They will be on this tour for a week, starting in Norwich, then finishing with three days in Sunderland."

Sunderland could also raid Manchester United for a second time amid their interest in Nathan Bishop; however, they saw a loan bid rejected for his services earlier in the window, as per The Athletic.

Leeds United forward Sonny Perkins is a loan target for the Black Cats, who have thrown their hat into the ring despite competition from Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in making a move for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer as Erik ten Hag aims to significantly bolster his attacking options.

The Old Trafford side will have only signed Mason Mount during the current transfer window and with the start of the Premier League season just over three weeks away, the Dutchman doesn’t have long in order to make another few signings.

Are Manchester United interested in Federico Chiesa?

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), United are the latest club to signal their interest in the Juventus winger.

Ten Hag will face some competition from Liverpool and Newcastle United for Chiesa, although with Champions League football gracing the Old Trafford pitch next season, it could be the ideal incentive in order to lure him to Manchester.

If the Serie A side were to receive a bid of €50m (£43m) for the 25-year-old whiz, then he ‘can leave’ Italy and the Red Devils may be tempted to launch a bid in the coming weeks.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

Before suffering a serious ACL injury in January 2022, Chiesa was primed to be the next darling of Italian football, especially with his exploits during his time at Fiorentina and with the national team.

The left-winger emerged onto the scene during the 2016/17 season and eventually registered 59 goal contributions – 34 goals and 25 assists – across just 153 games before joining the Old Lady in 2021.

He played a key role for Italy as they won their first European Championship since 1968 when he scored twice during Euro 2021, and it certainly appeared as though he was ready to explode and develop into one of the finest players in Italy.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way due to his injury and since returning to action, Chiesa managed just four goals and six assists last term, yet he could certainly be an upgrade on current United left-winger Jadon Sancho, with the Englishman struggling during his stint at the club.

Considering United shelled out a fee of £73m for the former Borussia Dortmund starlet, he has yet to live up to the expectation, scoring only 12 times and grabbing six assists across his two seasons at the club.

Following a promising start to last term, Sancho missed a large chunk of the campaign due to physical and mental health issues, leading to his failure to claim a place in the England squad for the 2022 World Cup.

Although Chiesa also failed to sparkle last season, he still registered more shots per 90 (2.75 to 1.12), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.63 to 0.48) and was successful with a higher percentage of take-ons (53.3% to 42.3%) than Sancho, and although he didn’t score as much as league goals as the Englishman (six to two), it appears as though he posed a bigger attacking threat in terms of total shots and his ability to take on defenders.

Once hailed as a “diamond” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Chiesa also had more league assists than the 23-year-old (five to three) and missed fewer big chances (one to two), suggesting he is able to create more chances for his teammates and there is no doubt that if he returns to his pre-injury form, he could be an upgrade on Sancho next season.

Newcastle United have around six weeks left to finish their business for the summer transfer window as they prepare for the 2023/24 campaign.

Who have Newcastle signed this summer?

So far, the Magpies have snapped up Sandro Tonali from AC Milan to bolster their options in midfield, whilst Yankuba Minteh joined from Odense BK before being sent out on loan to Feyenoord for the season.

A third arrival appears to be on the way as it has been reported that English winger Harvey Barnes is set to sign for the club in a £38m deal from Leicester City, who were relegated to the Championship earlier this year.

That may not be the end of Newcastle's business this summer, though, as another striker could be on their list. The Magpies have been linked with a swoop for Sevilla centre-forward Youssef En-Nesyri to compete with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.

How many goals did Youssef En-Nesyri score last season?

During the 2022/23 campaign, the 26-year-old marksman plundered an impressive 18 goals across all competitions for the Spanish side.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth could finally replace Chris Wood by securing a deal to sign the Morocco international, who scored eight goals in 17 LaLiga starts last term.

Newcastle allowed the former Burnley man to leave on loan in January and that led to a permanent transfer to Nottingham Forest this summer, which has left the club with Wilson and Isak as their only senior number nine options.

Eddie Howe's men will be competing across four competitions over the next nine months due to their involvement in the Champions League to go alongside their domestic commitments. This could mean that a third striker is needed to share out the minutes and avoid burnout.

Wood scored four goals in 35 Premier League appearances (19 starts) for Newcastle between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons following his move to Tyneside from Burnley in January of last year.

The New Zealand international also failed to register a single assist in that time as the experienced titan struggled to offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch for Howe, which led to his switch to Forest.

En-Nesyri, however, has showcased his quality in recent years for Sevilla and could come in to provide the English head coach with an excellent option to compete with his current first-choice strikers.

The £58k-per-week talisman, who journalist Josh Bunting once described as "dangerous", could be fantastic for the Magpies if he is able to rediscover his 2020/21 form.

During that season, En-Nesyri found the back of the net 18 times in 23 LaLiga starts and scored six goals in eight Champions League matches, which shows that he has the quality to be a reliable scorer at that level.

Callum Wilson (18) was the only Newcastle player who scored more than 11 Premier League goals last term. This suggests that the potential is there for the Sevilla star to provide Howe with an additional goal threat up front.

He could offer far more than the now-Forest titan did during his time at St. James' Park, based on their respective goalscoring output, whilst also possibly being able to be one of the manager's most prolific options.

Therefore, Ashworth would finally replace Wood as Howe would have three superb strikers who all have the quality to be relied upon as the club prepare to compete on all fronts.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only footballer ahead of Kohli, No. 7 on the Forbes list of most valuable brands among sportspersons

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2017

It has got nothing to do with the celebrity football match he recently played or the football team he owns, but Virat Kohli is now a more valuable brand than Argentina and FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only footballer ahead of Kohli, who is No. 7 on the Forbes list of most valuable brands among sportspersons.Forbes list of 10 most valuable athletes in 2017

1. Roger Federer: $37.2m

2. LeBron James: $33.4m

3. Usain Bolt: $27m

4. Cristiano Ronaldo: $21.5m

5. Phil Mickelson: $19.6m

6. Tiger Woods: $16.6m

7. Virat Kohli: $14.5m

8. Rory McIlroy: $13.6m

9. Lionel Messi: $13.5m

10. Steph Curry: $13.4m

Forbes calculates the brand value of an athlete by subtracting the average income of the top 10 athletes in the same sport from the total earnings of that athlete, excluding salary and bonus from their sport and all investment income. Forbes calculates Kohli’s brand value at US $14.5 million, a million dollars more than the No. 9 Messi, and $22.7m short of the biggest brand among athletes in sport, Roger Federer. In other words, Kohli’s endorsements earn him $14.5m more than the average endorsement income of the top 10 cricketers. Despite a major dip in their brand value over the last year, golfers Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were in the top six.Kohli, however, is neither the first Indian nor the first cricketer in the top 10 of the Forbes list. MS Dhoni, Kohli’s predecessor as India captain, was the fifth-most valuable sports brand among athletes in 2014, with his brand value calculated at $20m, a million lower than it had been in 2013. Even after he gave up Test cricket and captaincy, Dhoni was the tenth-biggest brand in 2016. His brand value, though, did take a big hit that year, coming down from $21m in 2015 to $11m in 2016. Now India’s captain in all formats, Kohli has made the big move up, which might be an indicator of how valuable the India captaincy is.The IPL, however, failed to make it to the 10 biggest brands among sport and sport-entertainment events. Led by Super Bowl, the list has the two Olympics and the football World Cup featuring at No. 2 and 3.

The bans handed out by SLC to the 22 players implicated in the Tier B match-manipulation case will be lifted, pending the result of an appeal process

Madushka Balasuriya01-Oct-2017The bans handed out by SLC to the 22 players implicated in the Tier B match-manipulation case will be lifted, pending the result of an appeal process.Players of Panadura Sports Club and Kalutara Physical Culture Club were last month banned for one year from all cricketing activities for their supposed role in manipulating the result of a Tier B first-class match in January – captains Chamara Silva and Manoj Deshapriya receiving two-year bans. However, upon receiving complaints from the two clubs, SLC has commenced a formal appeals process, and temporarily climbed down from the original punishments.The three-member appeals committee is expected to return with their final verdict in two to four weeks, until which time the players of Panadura and Kalutara are free to resume cricketing activities.Although some players had themselves lodged formal complaints, it is the clubs who were instrumental in persuading SLC to begin an appeals process. The fallout from the initial verdict saw Silva, along with his team-mates, seek out legal representation, as well as distance themselves from Panadura SC. Silva has claimed that he was never given an adequate opportunity, or even informed, to come speak before the original inquiry panel – something SLC contests – and has since called for a fresh inquiry into the allegations.A lawyer, speaking on behalf of the players of Panadura SC, stated that while his clients would be willing to speak before an appeal committee, they would still continue to call for a fresh inquiry. Accepting an appeal committee, he said, would be akin to accepting the original verdict.The exact scope of the appointed appeal committee is somewhat unclear, however. While a traditional appeal committee would merely be expected to review already existing evidence, this new committee is actively pursuing fresh evidence from the players of the clubs. As such, it bears resemblance to a fresh inquiry.SLC also stated that, should they so wish, the committee could even request ‘special powers’ from the board to interview individuals that may be implicated in the course of the appeals process. If this turns out to be the case, it would be a significant departure from the stance of the original inquiry panel, which did not see fit to investigate any individuals apart from those who had charges laid against them – ie. the players – during the course of its seven-month investigation.To further complicate the issue, Sri Lanka’s sports ministry may also launch a parallel inquiry, though an official announcement is yet to be made.

Steven Mullaney had put Notts on course for a strong day, but Sussex’s middle order wasn’t about to roll over at the end of the season

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove25-Sep-20171:24

County Championship Round-up: Yorkshire secure safety

It began with only one team in mind. Nottinghamshire, needing 12 points for a promotion to Division One that should have been wrapped up with a bow on it by now. Sussex? Well, Sussex were just fulfilling their last fixture of the season. One that promised much: a tilt at promotion or a cup run of sorts with a blend of old, young and new. A neat run of results got them back on track but, ultimately, it has been a summer of four different first-class captains and little else of note.When play did get underway at 1pm, overnight rain and morning mizzle preventing an earlier start, Nottinghamshire did as Nottinghamshire have done. Even with key men missing – only Chris Read (playing in his last professional match) Samit Patel, Jake Libby and Riki Wessels played in the demolition of Sussex at Trent Bridge earlier this year – their alternates stepped up, as they have done all season.In Luke Wood and Brett Hutton, they have two bowlers who, were they not so wedded to Nottinghamshire, would be ever-presents in other attacks. As it happens, they make do as back-ups: waiting in the wings to come in when international call-ups and whatever else take their toll, as they have done this season, with just 13 Championship matches between them coming into this final round. Today, they shared the new ball.Inside 15 overs, Sussex were two down: Wood getting Harry Finch to edge behind from his left-arm approach, Hutton drawing an airy drive from Philip Salt to Cheteshwar Pujara at cover. Not long after, Steven Mullaney took over and Laurie Evans’ struggles against the red ball continued as he played across the line to be trapped in front to leave Sussex 52 for 3. And, more importantly, a first bowling point for Nottinghamshire. Just 11 more to go…For a moment, it looked like Mullaney was on a mission to accrue all the points himself. A spell from the Sea End of 15 overs, 3 for 24 cut through the middle order, as Chris Nash played to point and captain Luke Wells caught on the crease for a smartly crafted 46. Sussex were 107 for 5 in the 34th over. Never mind that a second bowling point was one away – victory was already in sight.By stumps, however, Nottinghamshire were still waiting for that second point and the win was a bit blurrier, thanks to a thrilling sixth-wicket partnership between Delray Rawlins and Michael Burgess that was uninterrupted on 123 at the close.Thrilling is probably the right word for it. The 20- and 23-year-old, respectively, went about their business with an attitude that only youth brings. They weren’t concerned that Notts had more to play for, nor were they coloured by the collapse of more experienced heads before them. That’ll be why Rawlins, on nought, walked down to Mullaney, third ball, and pulled straight to Pujara at catching midwicket, who put down a firmly struck chance. It would have been 107 for 6.It took a while for Rawlins to shake the skittishness. Every drive he attempted early on either plinked over the fielders down the ground or skewed off an inside edge, just past his stumps and away to fine leg. His wagon wheel for the beginning of his innings resembled an umbrella in the wind. Slowly but surely, he got his groove back – the sort of groove that Sussex tried to utilise at No.3 when the season began.Now in the middle order, with an older ball to deal with, he caressed through the off-side and began hooking with ease. When Patel was brought on for something different at the Sea End, Rawlins used his feet to thump him down the ground for the first six of the innings. Eventually, after 115 balls and seven fours, he had his first half-century of a testing summer that, while not a success, can be chalked up as “character building” for a very highly rated England U-19 player.By that point, Burgess already had his fifty to his name – his third in the Championship in his first season with Sussex. Much of Burgress’ career has been character building: a nomadic trail that started out at Surrey, where he is still spoke of in glowing terms, before three years spent at Loughborough, studying Sports and Exercise Science. It was for the university that he made his first class debut in 2014, against Sussex.Loughborough’s proximity to Leicestershire saw him taken on by the county from 2015, but despite scoring an accomplished 98 against the touring Sri Lankans at the beginning of 2016, no contract of note was forthcoming. When an opportunity arose at Sussex this summer, he was quick to take his chance, scoring runs in Second XI cricket and impressing when first-choice wicketkeeper Ben Brown fractured a finger during the Royal London Cup. Now, with Brown out for the season with a sore back, a steady run has seen Burgess build on his first-team cricket. Last week, he signed a deal with the club to keep him on until the end of the 2018 season.Surrey and Leicestershire’s loss looks to be Sussex’s gain. A slog sweep for six took Burgess to his half-century from 71 balls, but most of his scoring shots came through the covers. His judgement of length stood out most and, while he clubbed a few fours with full-blooded drives, he was able to show some finesse to pick gaps when Nottinghamshire reinforced the off-side.Sussex may have less to play for but Rawlins and Burgess have given them two knocks to give them some warmth over the winter. For Nottinghamshire – 11 more points.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has offered a positive update on the recovery of goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo who suffered a jaw injury.

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Arsenal loanee Okonkwo out injuredCurrently back at Arsenal for treatmentParkinson hoping for quick returnGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Okonkwo, on loan from Arsenal, joined the Red Dragons on deadline day after Ben Foster retired from club football just a month after the start of the league. The 22-year-old had been the starter between the sticks for Wrexham before suffering a jaw injury against Harrogate Town. With back-up goalkeeper Rob Lainton also out injured, the Red Dragons will be hopeful of a quick return for Okonkwo.

AdvertisementWHAT PARKINSON SAID

The coach said: “Arthur is at Arsenal today and he has gone to hopefully get the all-clear to get back and join up with us. We’re eager to have him in and around the building and get him back on the training pitch. He’s Arsenal’s player and under their care, but equally, if he gets the thumbs up then we’ll get him back involved."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The coach also revealed that Lainton would be out of action for the next four months after undergoing successful surgery on his knee injury that had plagued him for some time. The Red Dragons have had a substantial amount of success in their first season in League Two having been promoted last season. They sit second on the table, six points behind Stockport Town with a game in hand.

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Veteran Mark Howard will take place as the starting goalkeeper for the side when they take on relegation battlers, Colchester United on Saturday, December 16.

The BCCI has challenged a Kerala High Court judgement from last month, which had ordered the board to lift its life ban on fast bowler Sreesanth. The BCCI had banned Sreesanth in 2013 for his alleged involvement in the Indian Premier League corruption scandal. Sreesanth was one of three Rajasthan Royals players – Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan being the others – to be handed a life ban by the BCCI for an alleged role in the scandal.In February this year, Sreesanth filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court challenging the ban, after the BCCI refused to issue a no-objection certificate for him to play league cricket in Scotland. A writ is an application filed in the court asking it to enforce some right against an authority or against an order against which there is no statutory remedy.In his petition, Sreesanth argued that in 2015 a trial court in Delhi had dropped charges filed by the Delhi Police against him, Chavan and Chandila. The three were among 42 individuals chargesheeted by the Delhi Police under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).In the absence of a specific criminal law to deal with spot-fixing in India, the cricketers were chargesheeted for offences under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the MCOCA. The court, however, said there was not enough evidence for charges to be framed under MCOCA, a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism. The MCOCA contains much stricter provisions relating to bail and admissibility of confessions compared to the Indian Penal Code.In August, Justice A Muhamed Mustaque of the Kerala High Court, accepted Sreesanth’s appeal and told the BCCI it had no “incriminating evidence” against the player and hence the ban should be “quashed”.On its part, the BCCI maintained the ban was handed after a one-man inquiry commission found Sreesanth guilty of various offences under the board’s anti-corruption code.The BCCI has now decided to challenge the order of Justice Mustaque. In an application filed in the Kerala High Court on Monday, the BCCI has pointed whether “interference” by a writ court was warranted”. The BCCI has also asked whether the writ court could “sit in appeal” and “alter the quantum of penalty imposed” against the findings of the board’s disciplinary committee.The BCCI said that its decision was in “accordance” with the principles of natural justice and it has now asked the court to decide whether Justice Mustaque’s order was “contrary to law and to principles of justice, equity and good conscience and ought to be set aside?”