Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to put their disappointment at losing to Coventry City in the FA Cup behind them as they return to Premier League action this weekend.

They face Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday evening and the tie promises to be an exciting one. Gary O’Neil will be missing a few players, however, as Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan will both be unavailable for the match this weekend due to injury.

Matheus Cunha, Craig Dawson and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are also struggling with injuries, but they will be assessed over the next couple of days to see whether they could play a part or not.

Suffering injuries at this stage of the season is unavailable, but O’Neil will be hoping it does not steer the Old Gold off track. The former Bournemouth manager must wish he could call on some of the players he currently has out on loan in order to fill the gaps in his first-team squad.

How Wolves’ players are doing out on loan

O’Neil shipped out a few fringe players during the summer and winter windows on temporary deals for them to gain some much-needed game time.

Daniel Podence is currently shining for Olympiakos this term, scoring 12 goals and chipping in with eight assists for the Greek side this season, indicating that he could have a part to play for Wolves next season.

Fabio Silva has scored four goals during his spell at Glasgow Rangers, while Luke Cundle has impressed in the Championship this term, spending time at both Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City.

Player

Club they are playing for currently

Goncalo Guedes

Villarreal

Daniel Podence

Olympiakos

Fabio Silva

Rangers

Yerson Mosquera

Villarreal

Sasa Kalajdzic

Eintracht Frankfurt

Luke Cundle

Stoke City

Ki-Jana Hoever

Stoke City

Chiquinho

Famalicao

Bendequz Bolla

Servette FC

Joe Hodge

QPR

Chem Campbell

Wycombe Wanderers

Louie Moulden

Northampton Town

These two youngsters could force their way into contention next season, especially if O’Neil gives them a consistent run in the starting XI.

The Old Gold have a plethora of attacking options at their disposal, but it looks as though the English coach needs to invest in some more defenders ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Yerson Mosquera is currently with Villarreal until the end of the season, but there is no doubt the Colombian has what it takes to be a long-term option for O’Neil at the heart of his defence.

Yerson Mosquera’s statistics for Villarreal

When it was clear that first-team football was going to be hard to come by at Wolves, the defender joined the La Liga side on a deal until the end of the season.

"Yerson had a fantastic loan at Cincinnati, being one of the highest performing centre-backs in the league,” said Matt Hobbs, current sporting director at the club.

"What we've seen really excites us for next season. It was a difficult decision, as we could have kept him around, but we wanted him to get a bit more football week in, week out, ready to come back and fight for a starting spot next season."

The move made sense and since arriving in Spain, the youngster has made nine appearances, scoring against Marseille in the Europa League last 16 defeat earlier this month.

Despite only arriving in January, the Colombian currently ranks in the top ten in the squad for accurate passes per game and clearances per game, proving he has already made a positive impact on the team.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the centre-back as “dominant” back in 2021 when he was making his breakthrough with Atlético Nacional in his homeland.

With Craig Dawson coming to the end of his career, could there be a space for Mosquera in the starting XI next season alongside Toti Gomes?

Toti Gomes’ statistics for Wolves this season

Gomes was another centre-back at the club who was underused prior to O’Neil arriving. This season has seen the Portugease titan become a mainstay in the starting XI, improving with every game.

Not only does he rank third among his teammates for accurate passes per game (38.3), but the 25-year-old also ranks fifth for tackles per game (1.4) and fourth for interceptions per game (0.8), showcasing his defensive abilities in what has been a solid campaign for the Old Gold thus far.

The centre-back has also displayed excellent attacking statistics. When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Gomes currently ranks in the top 4% for assists per game (0.11), the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.81) and the top 8% for progressive passes received per 90 (0.99), indicating his love of taking opposition players on while showing intent in getting into more advanced positions on a regular basis.

These attributes have stood him in good stead so far this season, making 32 appearances for Wolves, scoring once, and grabbing three assists, ensuring he could be a long-term partner for the returning Mosquera.

O'Neil typically utilises a three-man defence which could see the Colombian slot in for Dawson next season, especially as the Englishman will be 34 years old at the start of the campaign.

Last season for FC Cincinnati, Mosquera was outstanding at the heart of their defence. Not only did he win a staggering 7.1 total duels per game – a success rate of 61% – but he also helped his team keep nine clean sheets, made 1.8 tackles per game along with being dribbled past just 0.7 times per match, fully demonstrating his physical strength and defensive nous.

Combine this with Toti’s penchant for moving the ball forward from the back and advancing forward whenever possible, it looks as though O’Neil has an ideal defensive partnership just waiting to be unleashed next season.

While he may like to delve into the transfer market to bring another centre-back into the squad, the return of the 22-year-old from his loan spell could be like a new signing, as the old cliché goes.

There is no doubt he needs a run in the team to see if he can handle Premier League football, but his performances for Villarreal this term suggest that playing in the English top flight shouldn’t faze him in the slightest.

Wolves could have an ideal Neto replacement who's shining out on loan

Wolves have a talented youngster out on loan who is impressing

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 22, 2024

A visit by the Australia Women’s team is also in the early stages of planning

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2020New Zealand are set for a full programme of international cricket during their summer with men’s tours by West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh while a visit by the Australia Women’s team is also in the early stages of planning for the gap created by the postponed ODI World Cup in February.NZC are currently working with the government on the biosecurity measures that will need to be in place for the touring teams with visitors to the country currently required to isolate for 14 days on arrival.David White, the NZC CEO, said they are looking at a model similar to that used by the ECB during their ongoing season, which was the first international cricket to resume amid the Covid-19 pandemic.”We are making tremendous progress. I was just on the phone to the West Indies, they’re confirmed, Pakistan is confirmed, Australia and Bangladesh… so 37 days of international cricket,” White told reporters in Auckland.”The White Ferns will tour Australia in September and then the Australia Women’s team will tour New Zealand in February. We are just working through the content but probably five ODIs and three T20Is.”We’ll just be held up for a week or two while we work with the government agencies on the managed isolation but they’ve been extremely supportive.”Under the current Future Tours programme, West Indies and Pakistan were down to visit for Tests and T20Is with Bangladesh slated for ODIs and T20Is and then Australia for T20Is, although the final structure of the seasons remains to be confirmed given the postponement of the Men’s T20 World Cup. The Tests against West Indies and Pakistan are part of the World Test Championship.The last time the men’s team was in action was in the behind-closed-doors ODI against Australia at the SCG in mid-March shortly before that tour was called off with New Zealand needing to get home before the borders were closed.The women’s team are set to be the first back on the field with their trip to Australia in late September that includes three T20Is and three ODIs.The Women’s ODI World Cup, which was due to be staged in February and March next year, was postponed by 12 months earlier this week when it was decided that there would not be sufficient time for teams to qualify and prepare for the tournament.New Zealand has been one of the most successful countries in combatting Covid-19 and recently marked 100 days without community transmission, but things have changed a little bit since then. On Tuesday, local media said four fresh cases of community transmission had been reported in the country, and Auckland would move to Alert Level 3 from Wednesday, with the rest of the country moving to Alert Level 2*.White was speaking as NZC confirmed a new deal for radio coverage of cricket in New Zealand with MediaWorks Radio. Earlier this year, previous rights holders NZME confirmed they would not be extending their broadcast deal with commentary on Radio Sport, a station which has now been taken off the air.*

da 888： Nottingham Forest claimed a vital point in their hunt for Premier League survival at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon, after the 2-2 draw against Gary O'Neil's Wolves side.

da betcris： The Reds fell behind with just minutes remaining in the first half after a brilliant strike from forward Matheus Cunha flashed past the helpless Matz Sels and into the top corner.

However, former Wolves man Morgan Gibbs-White brought Nuno Espírito Santo's side level just before the interval, before linking up well with Brazilian midfielder Danilo in the second half to put Forest into the lead.

The lead would be short-lived with Cunha grabbing his second of the game just minutes later, with either side unable to go on and claim all three points.

One Reds player, in particular, enjoyed a brilliant display against their Midlands rivals, proving himself to be a key player under Nuno in recent weeks.

Danilo's stats against Wolves

22-year-old midfielder Danilo has started each of the Reds' last three Premier League outings, cementing his place as a regular starter after his recent impressive performances.

However, yesterday might have been his best game in a Forest shirt since Nuno's arrival, with the Brazilian dominating the midfield and even having a positive impact in the final third – scoring the second goal for Nuno's side in an end-to-end encounter.

His impressive display didn't stop there, with Danilo also managing 67 touches and completing 39 of the 48 passes he attempted during the meeting, achieving a pass completion rate of 81%.

He was just as successful in the final third, registering three shots, all of which were on target, as he added a needed threat in front of goal due to the absence of winger Anthony Elanga.

Danilo's stats against Wolves

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

89

Goals

1

Shots

3

Touches

67

Passes

39/48 (81%)

Duels won

3/4 (75%)

Interceptions

2

Tackles

1

Stats via FotMob

The Brazilian also won 75% of the duels that he contested, making two interceptions and one tackle as the box-to-box midfielder was crucial at both ends during the draw.

Danilo was awarded an 8/10 match rating from Nottinghamshire Live's Forest correspondent Sarah Clapson, with the youngster receiving the joint-best rating alongside fellow goalscorer Gibbs-White.

At times this campaign, he's certainly lacked confidence, but this weekend he looked back to his best and replicated his good form from the back end of last season that saw the youngster score three goals in as many games against Brighton, Southampton and Brentford.

The man to partner Danilo going forward

After nailing down his starting role at the base of Nuno's three-man midfield, Danilo has often been partnered with various teammates such as Ibrahim Sangare and Ryan Yates.

The latter started the game yesterday, before making a horrendous error gifting the ball to the visitors, with Murillo saving the midfielder with his excellent goal-line clearance.

Nicolas Dominguez was brought on in the 66th minute, with the Argentinian proving why he should start alongside Danilo after four recoveries and 26 passes in just 24 minutes – tallies that were both better than Yates despite featuring for 42 minutes less.

His relentless work rate makes the former Bologna man a perfect fit alongside the 22-year-old, with Nuno needing to deploy the pair together to help ensure Premier League survival for Forest this season.

Glasgow Rangers delivered arguably their most impressive display so far under the Philippe Clement regime on the weekend, defeating Hearts 5-0 at Ibrox.

The win saw them temporarily extend their lead to five points in the Premiership table over Celtic, although the Parkhead outfit did secure victory against Motherwell on Sunday.

The Light Blues face another tricky test this evening as they travel to Ayr to face a resurgent Kilmarnock side who have already defeated the Gers this term.

That was way back in August under different circumstances, but their plastic pitch is always difficult to play on and Clement’s men will have to be at their very best to secure all three points.

One player will be missing, however, as Todd Cantwell is expected to be unavailable for the next few weeks due to injury.

The latest on Todd Cantwell's injury

During the recent 3-0 win over St Johnstone, Cantwell was targeted by the opposition for more than his fair share of rough challenges, and he was eventually taken off after just 60 minutes clutching his hamstring.

While speaking to the media prior to the clash against Hearts, Clement delivered the injury news no supporter wanted to hear, saying: “Todd Cantwell will be out for a few weeks which is disappointing but that is football.”

This means he is likely to miss the Europa League clashes against Benfica in March, along with a couple of Premiership games, and it represents a big blow, especially judging by his recent performances.

Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers

Under Michael Beale, Cantwell did not start the season as well as anticipated, registering only one assist under the Englishman before he was sacked in late September.

The former Norwich City gem was disrupted by a knee injury which he suffered against Celtic, having to wait until the start of November to score his first goal of the season.

Since being moved back into his preferred number ten slot, the 25-year-old has been wonderful. He has scored five league goals since Christmas Eve, has created four big chances, averages 1.6 key passes per game and has succeeded with 1.1 successful dribbles per game in the top flight this term.

There is no doubt Cantwell has been one of Clement’s main attacking threats of late, but they did not seem to miss his presence against Hearts, netting five without reply.

Tom Lawrence was utilised in the attacking midfield role, yet with a plastic pitch perhaps not being the best surface to play on, might Clement relocate another player?

Mohamed Diomande only joined the club last month, yet his performances so far could tempt the Belgian manager into moving him into a more advanced role against Kilmarnock tonight.

What Rangers paid to sign Mohamed Diomande

With the squad thinning due to injury issues, Clement looked to strengthen during the January transfer window and he made three new signings.

Both Fabio Silva and Oscar Cortes arrived, and it has given the club a boost going forward, but the move for Diomande was certainly a surprise, especially with the depth Clement has in the midfield.

The 22-year-old signed a loan deal with an obligation to buy for a fee in excess of £4.3m and the move certainly looks like it has paid off already.

Clement will be keen to establish a serious player trading model at the Ibrox side over the coming years, buying young talent for cheap before selling on to make a profit, and Diomande certainly fits the specifications for this.

Despite playing only five games for the club thus far, the Ivorian has taken to Scottish football with ease, and he could be relocated tonight in place of Cantwell.

Mohamed Diomande’s Rangers statistics

The player was introduced to the first team gradually, having not played in a few weeks following his arrival, with Clement giving him just five and 11 minute cameos during his first two Premiership appearances for the club.

He was given his first start for the Gers against Ayr United in the Scottish Cup and ran the show against the second-tier outfit, which led to Clement unleashing him against St Johnstone in the league a few days later.

Mohamed Diomande's previous two Premiership starts	St Johnstone	Hearts
Goals	1	1
Key passes	2	1
Successful dribbles	1/1	1/1
Ground duels won	5/5	1/1
Tackles	3	0
Via Sofascore

In a tense opening half, Diomande opened up his account for the club with an excellent goal to give the Light Blues a one-goal advantage heading into the break, and they eventually won 3-0.

He also won 100% of his ground duels against the Saints, while making two key passes, three tackles and one interception as he impressed for the club.

Better was to come against Hearts last weekend. The youngster scored the first goal of the game after just two minutes, calming a nervous Ibrox crowd, and it was yet another well-taken goal.

Once again, the midfielder won all of his ground duels along with succeeding with 100% of his dribble attempts, and it showcases his ability to not only be a reliable attacking outlet, but also be effective when his side don’t have the ball.

This should give Clement the licence to unleash the promising gem in a more advanced slot behind either Silva or Cyriel Dessers tonight.

Prior to his arrival in Glasgow, analyst John Walker hailed the talented midfielder, saying he was an “aggressive tackle and carrier” along with stating that he “absolutely loves the physical nature of midfield” and he has showcased these qualities already despite joining a month ago.

Securing all three points is the only thing that matters this evening for Rangers, as it will allow them to maintain their two-point advantage over Celtic in the race for the title.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

While Cantwell’s injury is not great, Clement must be buoyed by the fact he has a plethora of options available to him that can fill the void, with Diomande being the obvious example.

He has clearly shown in his previous five matches how much of a positive impact he can have in this Gers side and with a tricky encounter in Ayrshire approaching tonight, Diomande could well be the game-changer that sees the club head back up to Glasgow with three points in the bag.

Former Rangers chairman Dave King has dropped a worrying claim over Philippe Clement’s future as manager, following an impressive start to life at Ibrox.

Clement's excellent Rangers prepare for Old Firm

The Belgian has come in and done an excellent job as Gers boss, only arriving last October but immediately making them a force again, following the disappointing reign of Michael Beale.

Clement has ensured that Rangers are right in the thick of a Scottish Premiership title battle with Celtic, trailing their biggest rivals by one point but boasting a game in hand, giving them a slight edge in the race.

On Sunday afternoon, the Gers host the Hoops in the biggest game of the season so far, and victory would be a huge step towards Clement guiding his side to glory in his first season in charge.

The only issue that Rangers have is that the more he impresses, the higher the probability there is that interest could emerge from elsewhere, as proved to be the case with Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.

Dave King drops worrying Philippe Clement claim

Speaking to Rangers Review [via The Daily Record], King warned that Clement could potentially leave Rangers in the near future.

"I really think we have got a platform now and I Just hope we are able to keep the manager. If you look at it right now and the international market for managers, I am watching it a lot with the Liverpool situation and I say: 'Where is the quality of manager?' Liverpool are looking for a manager, I think (Manchester) Utd will be looking for a manager, we have Barcelona looking for a manager, Bayern looking for a manager. You look out there and ask : 'Where are these managers?'

"I would think that our present manager, particularly given that Postecoglou has done so well with Spurs as well, I think that we are going to have to work hard to hold on to him becasue there is a dearth of really good managers out there."

The idea of Clement leaving so soon is clearly worrying for anyone associated with Rangers, considering the impact he has made since arriving last autumn. Granted, he hasn't always been perfect, but to be arguably the favourites to win the title currently says so much about the job he has done in recovering Beale's disastrous reign.

Philippe Clement

33

2.48

Steven Davis

2

1.50

Michael Beale

43

2.26

Giovanni van Bronckhorst

68

2.01

David McCallum

1

0.00

Steven Gerrard

192

2.15

Jimmy Nicholl

3

1.67

Graeme Murty

20

1.90

Pedro Caixinha

26

1.81

Graeme Murty

9

2.00

The hope is that the 50-year-old sees his future at Ibrox for a long time to come, feeling that he is at the start of his journey, but sudden interest from a Premier League club, for example, could turn his head.

David Beckham travelled to Sweden to attend the funeral of former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Beckham attends Eriksson's funeral
• Pays tribute to former England manager
• Eriksson passed away aged 76

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Beckham paid his respects to Eriksson's family before the ceremony in Torsby, Eriksson's home town. According to the Mirror, the former England captain flew to Sweden on a private jet in order to attend following Eriksson's death last month after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Beckham is said to have immediately embraced Eriksson's family upon arriving at Fryksande church. He gave Eriksson's daughter, Lina, a kiss on a cheek, and then hugged his ex-partner Nancy Dell'Olio once inside the church.

• WHAT BECKHAM SAID

  Writing a tribute to Eriksson, Beckham said on Instagram: "We laughed, we cried and we knew we were saying goodbye. Sven, thank you for always being the person you have always been – passionate, caring, calm and a true gentleman. I will be forever be grateful for you making me your captain but I will forever hold these last memories of this day with you and your family. Thank you Sven and in your last words to me, 'it will be ok'."

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  FANS PAY THEIR RESPECTS

  Eriksson's funeral was expected to draw a large crowd, with funeral adviser Christopher Jansson saying: "I think there will probably be as many standing outside the church as there will be inside. Sven was so popular."

To say that Newcastle United have endured a frustrating season would be an understatement, with their injury list piling high enough to already force their attention towards the summer transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

In their first season back in the Champions League since the 2002/03 season, Newcastle have learned a harsh lesson about squad depth, with Eddie Howe quickly left scrambling for options amid a packed schedule. What hasn't helped is his injury list, however, which has seen no limit on the number of players to reach the treatment table.

Sven Botman

01/01/2025

Jamaal Lascelles

01/01/2025

Sandro Tonali (suspended)

31/08/2024

Lewis Miley

19/05/2024

Callum Wilson

11/05/2024

Joelinton

11/05/2024

Tino Livramento

04/05/2024

Miguel Almiron

04/05/2024

Nick Pope

27/04/2024

Kieran Trippier

24/04/2024

Joe Willock

No return date

Matt Targett

No return date

The biggest concerns on that list should be Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, who both suffered ACL injuries to not only end their current campaign but likely half of next season as well. This means that Newcastle have just one recognised central defender available in the form of Fabian Schar, whilst also deploying left-back Dan Burn in the role. A short-term solution, the Magpies have turned their attention towards the summer window.

According to Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Mohamed Simakan from RB Leipzig. The defender is reportedly ready to leave the Bundesliga club this summer, with his €70m (£60m) release clause up for grabs this summer.

Potentially competing against Tottenham Hotspur for his signature, Newcastle may hope that Simakan prefers starting opportunities at St James' Park over a possible place on the bench in North London.

"Phenomenon" Simakan could step up in Botman's absence

Even during his Strasbourg days, Simakan was impressing plenty, with reserve team manager Francois Keller saying via the official Bundesliga website:

"We quickly realised that we were dealing with a phenomenon. He tore the place up… I said to myself that we had the new Varane. He was athletic, powerful, assured and calm."

Now, it is Newcastle who could benefit if they make their move this summer to find a player who is more than capable of filling the shoes of the injured Botman next season.

Progressive Carries

28

0

Progressive Passes

100

35

Blocks

33

20

Tackles Won

25

13

Aerial Duels Won

52

34

As the summer approaches, the Magpies could be wise to make their move for the 23-year-old as soon as possible to fend off any interest from Spurs. Even if the deal is steep, the numbers indicate that Simakan is not a player to miss out on.

Mumbai Indians and KKR training at an “expanded quarantine facility” at Sheikh Zayed Stadium

Shamya Dasgupta01-Sep-2020Less than three weeks to go for the scheduled start of IPL 2020, and there’s still no sign of the final schedule for the tournament. Whatever the reasons for that delay may be, it has “nothing to do with the Abu Dhabi border or the quarantine restrictions”, according to a local cricket official.As it happens, training is in full swing for the two teams based in Abu Dhabi thanks to the “airbridge facility”. Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders have been training since day eight of their arrival in the UAE, despite Abu Dhabi’s 14-day quarantine requirements, thanks to an “expanded quarantine facility” at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. A 15,000 square-metre area, with 15 nets, has been cordoned off at the stadium for the two teams (to use one at a time), along with an 11,000 square-metre football field for physical training.ALSO READ: CSK’s coronavirus-free players set to start training on September 4″They have been training there since the eighth day of being in Abu Dhabi, so that’s seven days of training in what we call the ‘airbridge facility’. It’s a 15,000 square-metre extension of their quarantine, a place for them to have full-fledged training session. And they return to hotel and utilise the team rooms, and they come back to the airbridge facility the next day,” Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi cricket, explained to ESPNcricinfo.”Once we receive those four test reports [one prior to reaching the UAE, and then three more in six days], the government approves the teams to expand their quarantine facility to outside the hotel with a very strict passage from hotel to bus and bus to Abu Dhabi Cricket [the stadium]. It’s a strict facility, where only the players and the teams’ support staff are allowed in.”One team comes in first and trains for a while, two-three hours, and the other comes in after that. Social distancing norms are in place, sanitisation norms are in place. We sanitise the entire facility before the next team arrives, everything is freshened up and sanitised for the next team. It’s a completely sterile facility.”Sections of the media have said that the Abu Dhabi government has granted special permission to the teams – and others involved – to move in and out of the city, but that might not be the case. The emirate’s rules are the same as they have been for a while now, but by the time the IPL starts, the mandatory 14-day quarantine would be over for anyone who had reached the UAE in the third or fourth weeks of August. So, they would then fall under the SOPs for the tournament as put together by the BCCI, with only border-checks regulated by the authorities as teams enter or re-enter Abu Dhabi.Reports of a spike in cases in the city are also not based on hard numbers – while there has been a rise in the UAE’s numbers, the data provided by the UAE is for the whole country and not each emirate individually.Therefore, the BCCI has not been served up any surprises in terms of the situation on the ground, and the delay in releasing – or putting together – the schedule is very likely for other reasons. An official from one of the teams say it’s a fallout of the positive Covid-19 tests in the Chennai Super Kings camp, which might yet force the BCCI to open the tournament with a different opponent for defending champions Mumbai Indians.As for Super Kings, team CEO Kasi Viswanathan has said that the team is ready to take the field on September 19 if required.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) appear to be at an impasse, with the former continuing to deny the latter unrestricted access to the forensic report which it used to fire former CEO Thabang Moroe. SASCOC, who last week instructed CSA’s Board and executive to stand down while it appoints a task team to investigate the cricket board’s affairs, has indicated it will take further action against CSA if the full report is not made available to them.SASCOC is not at liberty to disclose what that may entail just yet. However, according to SASCOC’s constitution, it can compel its members to comply with its instructions, which suggests it may meet CSA in court if needs be.ALSO READ: No clarity on task team details after CSA-SASCOC meetingIn a joint press conference held on Thursday morning, both CSA and SASCOC said they are willing to engage with the other but neither appeared willing to move from its position. CSA maintains that they have received legal advice that it is “not in our best interests,” to release the full report, according to Members’ Council member Anne Vilas while SASCOC acting president Aleck Skhosana called it “irrational and unreasonable,” of CSA to deny SASCOC access to the report. Skhosana also said SASCOC’s task team will not be appointed until CSA presents SASCOC with the full report, which effectively means, the status quo remains. Kugandrie Govender is continuing to work as CSA Acting CEO, with her full complement of staff, and the CSA Board are still in place, despite calls from the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and sponsors for the board to step down.The forensic report, which has proved to be a sticking point for much of CSA’s troubles, was made available to the Members’ Council – the 14 provincial presidents who make up the highest decision-making authority in the organisation – last weekend, subject to them signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The report contained 20 findings, according to John Mogodi, president of Limpopo Impala Cricket, and contained names of those who are implicated in wrongdoing, according to Vilas. Exactly what the misconduct is or who has committed it cannot be revealed at this stage “at the risk of compromising future litigation”, Beresford Williams, CSA’s Acting President, said. CSA has offered SASCOC the full report provided they, too, sign an NDA. However, SASCOC has refused to do so.Instead, SASCOC will wait for CSA to provide them will the full report but have not set a deadline for how long they will give CSA before taking further steps. So far, SASCOC and CSA have met three times and Skhosana indicated SASCOC will give CSA a wide berth. He said “there is no need to read them the riot act,” because CSA has indicated a “willingness to engage.”SASCOC has the right to intervene in CSA according to South African law, which created SASCOC as the umbrella body under which all sporting federations operate. SASCOC regards itself as independent of the government and has written to the ICC explaining such. Skhosana reiterated that on Thursday when he said SASOC’s involvement is “not an attempt to place cricket under administration”, and that CSA remains, “the custodians of the game”. SASCOC intends for the task team to be independent and to “seek the authority” of CSA’s Member’s Council and for CSA’s board and staff to assist the task team, even as they are temporarily removed from day-to-day work.However, that is also a bone of contention between CSA and SASCOC because CSA has decided “the board and executive will not step aside,” according to Mogodi while SASCOC has insisted that must happen, on full pay, while the task team completes its work. Further, CSA’s Members’ Council believes SASCOC should foot the bill of the task team but SASCOC, who are cash-strapped, is seeking other solutions. The details around the task team remain moot until they are appointed, which will not be done until the forensic report is made available because SASCOC wants to appoint a task team with the relevant “critical skills,” to apply their minds to the report. The task team will then make recommendations that CSA will be expected to implement.For now, this means cricket administration in South Africa remains in limbo. According to CSA’s constitution, the organisation must hold an AGM within 15 months of the previous one, which was held in September 2019. That gives CSA until December to hold its AGM. At that meeting, CSA is due to elect a new president and new board members, as they seek to come of administrative crisis.

PCB chairman says a team will review the decision to split points for the India and Pakistan women’s championship series

Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2020PCB chairman Ehsan Mani expressed Pakistan’s disappointment with the ICC’s decision to split points for an ICC Women’s Championship series between India and Pakistan that went unplayed after the BCCI were unable to obtain permission from the Indian government to go ahead with the series. The decision meant India qualified for the 2021 Women’s World Cup, while Pakistan were consigned to playing the qualifiers, finishing on 19 points compared to India’s 23. The ruling is particularly significant for Pakistan because had the ICC awarded them all six points, as was the case in a similar scenario in 2016, Pakistan would have qualified for the playoffs automatically, while India would have had to go through the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup.”We are of course disappointed with the decision, but our team (comprising the CEO, legal department, and other heads) is reviewing the matter. Once that’s done, we will be able to comment,” Mani told Sportstar.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB has been in touch with the ICC, but there has been otherwise near total silence over the decision, which came on Wednesday. There is anticipation of a statement in the coming days once the PCB conducts a full review, but the prolonged delay after which a reaction may come suggests the statement could be more conciliatory than combative.The PCB had attempted to engage with their Indian counterparts about the series on the sidelines of the last couple of ICC meetings, a series they viewed as a bilateral issue rather than one that needed ICC engagement. It appears they did not receive a meaningful response from the BCCI, either in writing or verbally.In 2016, the ICC decided to give Pakistan full points when India failed to show up for a series, but there is one difference that looks to have secured a more desirable outcome for the BCCI. On that occasion, the BCCI offered no written explanation for the failure to proceed with the series, and the technical investigation committee found the BCCI had not been able to establish “acceptable reasons” for non-participation in the series.This time around, the BCCI engaged with the ICC early on, making its stand clear about why it could not play Pakistan in the ODI series scheduled in 2019. ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI made extensive submissions as early as 2018 demonstrating that it could not get the relevant permission from the Indian government to play Pakistan. That helped the ICC’s technical committee to invoke the clause on this occasion.”With respect to the India v Pakistan series, the TC (technical committee) concluded that the series could not be played because of a Force Majeure event after the BCCI demonstrated that it was unable to obtain the necessary government clearances to allow India to participate in the bilateral series against Pakistan, which forms a part of the ICC Women’s Championship,” the ICC said in the media release on Wednesday.The technical committee comprises Geoff Allardice (ICC general manager of cricket), Chris Tetley (ICC head of events) and Jonathan Hall (ICC general counsel).