All posts by h716a5.icu

Is it set to be a busy summer at Celtic?

After missing out on the treble, beaten on penalties by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, the Hoops are expected to heavily reinforce their squad this summer.

Well, with a crucial Champions League play-off tie circled in red on the calendar, taking place at the end of August, Brendan Rodgers will want his summer business to be done early, so are the Premiership champions about to land a new recruit?

Celtic targeting a new midfielder

Defenders are certainly the order of the day for the Celts this summer with Kieran Tierney’s return to Parkhead one of Scottish football’s worst-kept secrets.

However, the full-back isn’t the only player who could be closing in on a move to Paradise according to reports.

As per Portuguese outlet A Bola, Celtic have ‘opened initial talks’ to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

They outline the fact that the 20-year-old spent this season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, and the Portuguese club have an option to make this move permanent for €5m (around £4.2m).

However, given interest from Celtic, as well as Lille, Rio Ave are preparing to make a quick profit on Tıknaz, placing a €10m (around £8m) price-tag on his head.

So, would he be a good signing for the Scottish champions, and which former Celt is he reminiscent of?

Demir Ege Tıknaz: the next Nir Bitton?

Writer Ryan McGinlay believes that Tıknaz’s ‘resemblance in play-style to Nir Bitton is uncanny’ and, should he arrive, if the Turkey international had even half as successful a Celtic career, he’d be doing well.

Bitton signed from FC Ashdod in 2013 and would remain at Celtic for nine years, making 271 appearances and winning 18 major trophies.

Naturally a defensive midfielder, the Israeli international would frequently fill in at centre-back too, with Kieran Devlin of the Athletic praising Bitton’s ‘reading of the game’ and ‘composure in possession’, with Joe Sullivan labelling him ‘versatile and highly reliable’.

So, could Tıknaz be something similar?

Well, analyst Ben Mattinson believes the Turkiye U21 international ‘reads the game well’ allowing him to ‘step up and intercept​​​​​​​’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’, adding that he possesses a ‘decent passing range’ too.

Meantime, in an interview with Sarah Shephard of the Athletic, Tıknaz​​​​​​​ himself says he has a similar playing style to that of Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker… I can play box-to-box too”.

Well, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, the Turkish youngster is one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, so let’s assess his statistics in the Primeira Liga this season.

Minutes

1,976

107th

Completed passes

826

82nd

Pass completion %

85.1%

45th

Passes into the final third

99

34th

Progressive passes

96

62nd

Tackles

35

15th

Interceptions

47

3rd

Ball recoveries

132

21st

​​​​​​​

Worth stating first and foremost that, according to a study by Bernd Frick, Tommy Kweku Quansah and Markus Lang, the Primeira Liga is one of the ‘least balanced leagues’ in European football, so the fact that Tıknaz was playing for Rio Ave, who finished 11th, makes his statistics all the more impressive.

The Turkish midfielder ranks highly for metrics both in and out of possession, sat third when it comes to interceptions, while also registering noteworthy numbers when it comes to his pass completion percentage as well as passes into the final third.

Thus, all available evidence suggests Tıknaz is a high-quality, high-potential player, one that Celtic should absolutely be looking to snap up.

​​​​​​​

Celtic could strike for "excellent" 85-goal hero who wants Parkhead return

The Bhoys are on the lookout for more firepower.

5 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 7, 2025

Leeds United are expected to submit an offer for an “incredible” player “in the coming days”, according to reliable reporter Ben Jacobs.

Leeds looking to upgrade defence amid Firpo uncertainty

Leeds fans will be well-aware of the importance of having a strong defence in the Premier League, given that a leaky backline was one of the main reasons for their relegation in the 2022-23 season, shipping 78 goals, the highest number in the division.

As such, Daniel Farke has set out to bolster his options at the back, identifying a number of defenders as potential signings, and there may be a particular need to bring in a new left-back, given that Junior Firpo could be heading for the exit door.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Position

Kostas Tsimikas

Liverpool

£15m

LB

Aaron Cresswell

West Ham United

£0

LB

Vladimir Coufal

West Ham United

£0

RB

Nico Elvedi

Borussia Monchengladbach

£10m

CB

Elvedi has been on the radar for quite some time, with a £10m fee being touted back in February, and there has now been a new update on Leeds’ pursuit of the defender, with Jacobs naming the Monchengladbach ace and Tottenham Hotspur’s Ben Davies as players of interest.

The reporter said: “They definitely were interested in Davies when they were still in the Championship. Now we have to wait and see whether they move because targets can change due to promotion. Nico Elvedi is another name I hear for Leeds who can play left back or left centre back,”

“That’s one I expect them to bid for in the coming days. So the Ben Davies situation is open, but it is fair to say that Tottenham are open to offers. And if you’re open to offers, then extending the contract only helps you protect the value and bring in the most money possible.”

Leeds now "one to watch" in race for "outstanding" £25m Premier League ace

The Whites are in the running for a midfielder, who has a plethora of Premier League experience.

ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025 Elvedi could be "incredible" signing for Leeds

With Farke’s side set to return to the Premier League next season, it is important for the manager to bring in players proven at a high level, and the Swiss defender featured regularly for Monchengladbach in the 2024-25 season, making 25 Bundesliga appearances.

Former sporting director Max Eberl has also hailed the 28-year-old for his “incredible composure” in the past, which could be an important quality to have in a Farke side, given that the Leeds boss is known for playing out from the back.

The Switzerland international’s ability in possession of the ball is underlined by the fact he ranks in the 89th percentile for his pass completion rate per 90 over the past year, while also placing in the 93rd percentile for clearances, when compared to other centre-backs.

As such, Elvedi could be a perfect fit for Leeds at centre-back, and it is exciting news that a bid could be submitted in a matter of days.

Liverpool are acting like a team whose wish is not just to defend their Premier League crown next season, but to compete for and clinch silverware in the Champions League and the domestic tournamental trophies.

Standing on the precipice of devolution last summer (or so it seemed), Liverpool held their tongue amid the transfer din and let their rivals dart this way and that as they pieced together teams capable of competing for the biggest prizes.

With Jurgen Klopp leaving after coming a day late and a dollar short in the 2023/24 title race, the Reds were largely forgotten, condemned by public opinion to a season of scrambling to retain their recovered seat back among Europe’s elite.

But Klopp made sure Anfield knew the name Arne Slot before he left, and the Dutch coach returned the call 11 months on, having tied red ribbons onto the league trophy.

Liverpool might not have made much noise in last year’s transfer market, and indeed weren’t considered a threat for the top spot by many, but things have changed and now the Merseysiders are looking to consolidate their position at the summit, with so many waiting for them to fall.

There’s a lot going on, but FSG have yet to move for a new striker, and they need to do exactly that.

Liverpool need a new striker

With Darwin Nunez expected to leave this summer, Liverpool have been expected for several months to sign a new number nine.

Sadly, that won’t be Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak. The Athletic’s David Ornstein has claimed there’s “no chance” he leaves St. James’ Park after clinching Champions League football, with PIF sure to demand north of £150m for their star man.

With Isak looking like a no-go, Liverpool have instead shifted their attention over to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike in recent weeks, but the French forward, 22, currently looks to be leaning toward a move to Chelsea.

Ekitike is dynamic and layered in his approach, though perhaps not far enough into his development to justify the £84m payment Frankfurt want.

Ekitike’s good and all, but would Liverpool be getting bang for their buck? It’s uncertain. However, there’s a far greater chance a deal for one of Europe’s established powerhouses would provide Slot with the goals he craves.

Liverpool open talks for new striker

They say money talks, but the riches of Saudi Arabia appear to have fallen on deaf ears in Victor Osimhen’s case. The Napoli forward has rejected a staggering £25m-per-year salary to move to Al-Hilal, instead choosing to remain in Europe.

With a €75m (£63m) release clause in his contract, transfer insider Graeme Bailey believes conversations with Liverpool officials last month might have played a part in the Nigerian striker’s decision, with a move to the Premier League his preference.

Previous reports claim Osimhen, 26, has been on Liverpool’s radar for a while, and given that other options appear financially unviable, Liverpool may want to launch their move in the coming weeks.

Why Liverpool want Victor Osimhen

It’s been a long time since Liverpool had a consistent and reliable focal frontman, one who could rival any across the game.

Bobby Firmino was indisputably world-class, but not really a goalscorer in the strictest sense; Daniel Sturridge on his day could throw down with the best of them, but getting him into the ring and out of the infirmary proved a different battle altogether.

What Liverpool need is their new version of Luis Suarez, the Uruguayan legend turning the Premier League into his playground during his time on Merseyside. Steven Gerrard actually called the “world-class talent” the best that he had played with.

And in Osimhen, Slot could unearth exactly that guy. The deadly Napoli striker was out on loan with Galatasaray last season, winning trophies and scoring goals (37, in fact, across just 41 fixtures). For context, Isak scored 27 times in all competitions in 2024/25, while Ekitike netted 22 times for Frankfurt.

Osimhen might have endured a bitter divorce with his Naples parent club, but that only increases the chances of Liverpool enjoying a smooth negotiation process to bring him over to Anfield.

Once described as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Osimhen was the cream of Napoli’s incredible Scudetto-winning 2022/23 campaign, defenders powerless to stop his powerful movements and thunderous striking.

Regarded by one talent scout to have some of the best pressing in the business, the £83k-per-week goalscorer wouldn’t just stand isolated as a target man under Slot’s wing.

Indeed, as per FBref, he ranked among the top 4% of strikers across applicable leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive carries, and the top 16% for ball recoveries per 90, emphasising his energy and tenacity in winning back possession and then making things happen.

This was exactly the same with the veteran Suarez, whose unrelenting hunger for the ball built an invariably prolific career, deadly for so many clubs across Europe during his heyday.

Barcelona

283

195

113

Ajax

159

111

68

Liverpool

133

82

31

Atletico Madrid

83

34

6

Groningen

37

15

10

Barcelona actually wanted to replace Suarez with Osimhen back in 2019, but were tilting into financial ruin and ultimately opted against the move, instead signing Antoine Griezmann for £107m – a deal which worked out just great for La Blaugrana.

At his core, Osimhen is a deadly goalscorer, but he’s also so much more. Skilful, smooth and intelligent, he could certainly prove to be a striker as complete as Suarez was during his Anfield days.

Would there be an element of risk with signing a striker seemingly tagged with contention? Maybe, but then Suarez had a fiery streak too, and he did just fine on English shores.

Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"

Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 8, 2025

Bangladesh have Test series against Pakistan, India, South Africa and West Indies left in their 2023-25 WTC cycle

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2024The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has lined up seven red-ball games for Bangladesh as the focus shifts from T20Is to the World Test Championship for the rest of the year. Bangladesh have Test series against Pakistan, India, South Africa and West Indies left in their 2023-25 WTC cycle.The Test cricketers will play three four-day matches in Chattogram next month. The home matches will be followed by two four-day matches against Pakistan A in Darwin from July 19 to 29. The Bangladesh A team will then travel to Pakistan in August to play two four-day matches against the same opponents. Additionally, New Zealand A are also scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August or September.Bangladesh players have also been involved in training camps since May in Chattogram and Sylhet. BCB’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus said that the Test players are “progressing well” in the camps, adding that the four-day games against strong opponents will help them in the WTC matches.”We can give them the best preparation ahead of the grueling Test schedule in the coming months,” Yunus said. “The rest is up to the players. I have been following the Bangladesh Tigers camp, which is going well.”The Bangladesh’s senior men’s team is likely to travel to Pakistan on August 17 for two Tests, venues and dates for which are yet to be announced. After Pakistan, they will play two Tests against India in Chennai and Kanpur, followed by three T20Is.Bangladesh could tour India twice in three months if the BCB agree with the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s revised schedule for two white-ball series in late July. The ACB have proposed to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Greater Noida in their new itenerary. The tour was initially postponed in March keeping in mind Bangladesh’s workload in 2024, but now with the Champions Trophy also in their agenda, the BCB is considering this tour since they only have three ODIs scheduled between now and next February.ESPNcricinfo understands that the series is still in the “discussion” phase as the BCB is not too keen on playing in Noida during July due to the weather conditions.After the bilateral series in India in September, Bangladesh will host South Africa for two home Tests in October, and then tour West Indies for a full series in November and December.

With Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders already through the door, Manchester City are now reportedly in talks to sign a young midfielder this summer.

Man City open Club World Cup with routine victory

Whilst many Premier League sides are currently catching their breath following a frantic season, Manchester City and Chelsea are in America to compete in the Club World Cup. Some players have even gone from Premier League football to international duty then to the competition in a concerning period without a lengthy break, but that didn’t stop the Citizens from easing to victory in their opening game.

Securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Phil Foden and Jeremie Doku against Wydad FC, the only negative for Manchester City was Rico Lewis’ controversial red card.

Pep Guardiola was seen confronting the officials about the incident after the full-time whistle and he told reporters when asked about the red card in his post-match press conference: “[Rico’s] leg was little bit high, but he was on the grass. Touches the ball with the speed that they go through, your leg has to be a little bit high and the other player down.

“It was not intentional and it was a red card versus Crystal Palace after the referee came and said it wasn’t a red card. Rico never had intention to hurt anyone. A little bit unnecessary, the red card. The referee is the boss and had other intentions, VAR checked it and we have to accept the decision.”

Meanwhile, as the action continues on the pitch, the Citizens are set to remain just as busy in the transfer window amid reports that they’re not in talks to sign a Premier League gem.

Man City "in talks" to sign Dexter Oliver

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are now “in talks” to sign Dexter Oliver from Tottenham Hotspur. Negotiations are reportedly advancing and all signs are pointing towards a move to The Etihad for the young midfielder who Romano described as “talented”.

At 16 years old, Oliver is undoubtedly one for the future whether that’s at Spurs or, indeed, Manchester City. And he wouldn’t be the first talent to break out of City’s youth system if he decided to swap the Lilywhites’ academy for the chance to join the Manchester club.

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

From Cole Palmer to Jeremie Frimpong and Jamie Gittens, European football is littered with Manchester City’s talented graduates. Now, Dexter could commence his path towards similar stardom. Guardiola, meanwhile, will have the chance to make his mark on another young talent if the midfielder eventually breaks into the first-team.

Homegrown batter turns down offer of contract extension at Wantage Road

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2024Emilio Gay will leave Northamptonshire at the end of the season after turning down the club’s offer of a new contract. It is understood he will sign for Durham.Gay, 24, a talented batter who came through the talent pathway at Wantage Road from the age of 15, made his first-class debut for the county in 2019 and went on to establish himself in Northamptonshire’s top order.The left-hander boasts a solid first-class record, averaging 35.71 from 47 red-ball matches, with 19 fifty-plus scores including six centuries. His form has stepped up a level in 2024, with 860 runs at 61.42 in Division Two of the County Championship – a tally boosted by a career-best 261 against Middlesex in April. Gay has also represented Northants in 39 white-ball matches.”After the most important, and memorable decade of my life, this season will be my last with Northamptonshire,” Gay said in a statement released on Thursday. “Northamptonshire enabled me to fulfil my childhood dream, to become a professional cricket player.”Thank you to everyone at NCCC. Hopefully I will make the club proud. Over the last decade at Northants there have been so many people who have helped me progress. I will never be able to thank all my team-mates, the coaches, staff and fans enough. Northants will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you.”Northamptonshire put on record that they were “naturally disappointed” to lose a homegrown they had nurtured, and wished Gay well for the next chapter of his career.John Sadler, the club’s head coach, said: “From early we always believed Emilio would become a high-class batsman. He has a great work ethic and this is one of the reasons his game has developed so rapidly over the last two years. It is a shame that Emilio’s future doesn’t lie with us, but he is very ambitious and believes a fresh challenge will be the best thing for him on his quest to play international cricket. We wish him well and will all enjoy watching his career unfold.”Durham’s acquisition of Gay, regarded as one of the most naturally gifted batters in the country, is a shrewd bit of business and would come alongside the signing of Will Rhodes, who will join from Warwickshire after turning down the offer of a contract extension.

Sunderland are looking to build a squad capable of thriving in the top-flight and have now entered the race to sign a striker who excelled last season, according to a report.

Sunderland begin exciting summer of recruitment

Enzo Le Fee and Habib Diarra have been brought in at the Stadium of Light from Roma and Strasbourg, respectively, with the former becoming the Black Cats’ first addition of the window after a fine loan spell last season.

However, another brilliant piece of news for Sunderland is that Florent Ghisolfi has now arrived as their new Director of Football in the North East, and BBC radio’s Simon Pryde believes his remit will be solely focused on recruitment with Kristjaan Speakman handling external matters.

He stated: “I think Ghisolfi will be on recruitment. His umbrella will be over player recruitment and the first team squad. Speakman has a wide brief at the moment and this will allow him to focus because the structures in the Premier League are vastly different than those in the EFL.”

He added: “Ghisolfi has plenty of experience. (He was) assistant manager at Lorient for two years. (As a football director) he’s been at Lens, and he’s been at Nice, so he has a glowing reputation within football as a director.”

With that in mind, who could arrive to bolster the ranks? Reports suggest Lorient star Arthur Avom Ebong could be next to join Sunderland and discussions are an advanced stage between all parties over a £4 million deal.

Sunderland’s first five Premier League fixtures

West Ham United (H)

Stadium of Light

Burnley (A)

Turf Moor

Brentford (H)

Stadium of Light

Crystal Palace (A)

Selhurst Park

Aston Villa (H)

Stadium of Light

Now, the Black Cats are reportedly in the hat to sign a striker who showed a clinical edge in front of goal last term that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Sunderland position themselves to sign Luis Suarez

For the avoidance of doubt despite a name that will attract attention, Sunderland have entered the race to sign Almeria forward Luis Suarez this summer alongside Sporting Clube de Portugal, according to reports in Spain via Sport Witness.

The Colombia international registered 31 goals and eight assists in 43 matches across all competitions, though his side failed to gain promotion to the top-flight of Spanish football in the end.

Sunderland plotting bargain swoop to sign "great" Premier League midfielder

The Black Cats could land an excellent deal.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 30, 2025

Notably, Sunderland and Ghisolfi are willing to pay the £21.5 million fee needed to tempt Suarez to England, while Sporting feel that figure is excessive.

However, they have doubts the Santa Marta-born man would favour a switch to the Stadium of Light as he is being lined up in Lisbon as a replacement for Viktor Gyokeres.

Talks have taken place with ‘several’ clubs regarding his future, though the Black Cats’ interest in the 27-year-old is said to be fresh, so it remains to be seen how this one pans out as Regis Le Bris looks to bolster his side’s chances of remaining in the Premier League.

Arsenal could be closing in on two successive signings in the space of a few days, if all goes to plan, with another key transfer target reportedly nearing a switch to London Colney this week.

He's Cazorla 2.0: Arsenal make £100k-p/w "superstar" their new top target

The incredible international could be Arsenal’s new version of the Spanish magician.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 16, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta has made quite an impression already since he was announced as Edu Gaspar’s replacement in late March.

Berta’s deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard – all of which have been formally announced – strengthen key areas of Mikel Arteta’s squad ahead of another Premier League title challenge.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£75m

The experienced Kepa and Norgaard provide top-level competition for nailed-on starters in Arteta’s preferred eleven, while Zubimendi comes in to replace Jorginho after many years impressing with Real Sociedad in La Liga.

Zubimendi rejected a move to Liverpool last year, having long been linked with a move to the Premier League, but Arsenal were the side who ultimately tempted him to finally leave his boyhood club.

Noni Madueke also signed his contract as an Arsenal player today, after the north Londoners agreed a deal worth around £52 million to sign the England international from Chelsea.

As links still surround Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, who could join Arsenal as a central playmaker to complement club captain Martin Odegaard (Ben Jacobs), Berta is far more likely to see striker Viktor Gyokeres arrive at the club next.

Arsenal are believed to be closing in on Gyokeres after weeks of talks, and Arteta is on the verge of seeing a much-needed number nine arrive. Some reports in Europe have even suggested that he’s set for a medical on Friday (Diario AS), but this is yet to gain traction among reliable media outlets close to home.

As supporters wait for further updates, The Guardian’s Ed Aarons has shared what is holding up the deal just now.

Arsenal talks for Viktor Gyokeres near conclusion

According to the reliable journalist, Arsenal’s talks for Gyokeres are nearing their conclusion – and this last round of negotiations revolves around bonuses.

They’re thought to have reached an agreement in principle to pay an initial £54.8 million, plus £8.6 million in add-ons, and the striker’s agent even waived his commission fee to help this move go through (The Athletic).

However, Aarons reports that some add-ons discussions are ongoing, which could take the final cost of the transfer to around £68 million.

In any case, it looks like this will be done sooner rather than later, and there is reason for supporters to get excited.

Gyokeres bagged 54 goals in all competitions for Sporting last term, helping them to a first domestic double in 20 years, and former Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas believes he’d be a perfect signing for Arteta.

“He is an extraordinary striker,” said Fabregas on Amazon Prime. “He is a focused player, who pays attention to details, he is competitive, never lets his guard down, and doesn’t want to rest. He is an athlete, a player and team-mate who instils confidence in his team-mates with what he gives to the team.”

The governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, India and New Zealand have put out restrictions on travelling to Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam11-Aug-2024The Bangladesh government is making last-ditch attempts through the United Nations (UN) to keep hosting rights for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup. Asif Mahmud, the youth and sports adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, said that it will speak to the UN about the countries that have put out travel restrictions on their citizens travelling to Bangladesh.On Saturday, the ICC informed the participating boards that it is still monitoring the situation in Bangladesh, and that it will consider all options, including moving the tournament elsewhere. As it stands, the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), India and New Zealand have either asked their citizens not to travel to Bangladesh or discouraged them from doing so.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the BCB considers this as its biggest barrier to the hosting of the tournament. Travel bans or restriction announcements can only be lifted by the respective governments, and cricket boards have little influence over them.”There are travel restrictions for some countries and so we will speak with the United Nations,” Mahmud said. “There are some issues regarding security and infrastructure and we will talk in this regard with professor Yunus [chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government]. He is a sports lover and hope that he can resolve the matter.”Related

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Bangladesh in turmoil: how will cricket be impacted?

BCB set to meet new sports head as calls for reform grow louder

The uncertainty regarding the World Cup comes at a time when the BCB is also going through a major crisis. Their president, Nazmul Hassan, also the former sports minister, has gone missing since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5. Several directors, who have direct or indirect political connections, are also untraceable.Mahmud said that he had discussed the possibility of an interim body to run the BCB, but he was aware of the board’s need for autonomy in its decision-making.”The BCB president is missing. Of course, for a federation to function, all of its organs need to work. The president holds an important responsibility and he is absent. The BCB is an autonomous federation and we cannot give them any decision.”We have suggested to the BCB directors to look at how to resolve the issue within the ICC’s legal framework. They will report to us later on whether to appoint someone for an interim period. We will continue the process in this regard.”We want to make required changes but at the same time we need to follow a process. We don’t want to change the person; rather, we want to change the system so that whoever comes in by following that system, corruption cannot come in and we want to take steps so that we can make a permanent solution.”‘We lack in planning’ – Former BCB secretary calls for changeThere is a growing call for reform in the BCB within the cricket community in Bangladesh, with former BCB general secretary Syed Ashraful Huq also joining in.Huq, who is regarded as one of the main architects of Bangladesh cricket, especially for his involvement in bringing ICC Full Membership to the BCB in 2000, said that the BCB’s functioning has been disappointing.”The BCB needs reform,” Haq said. “We gained Full Membership in 2000 but apart from some infrastructural development, we haven’t seen much improvement in our performance in the last 24 years. BCB doesn’t own a cricket ground, for instance. We lack in planning, and even when we have a plan, nobody has delivered on it.”BCB officials don’t lack in experience. Many of the directors are involved for 20-30 years, so their failure is quite disappointing.”

Andy Gorvin, Ben Kellaway share seven wickets to knock Yorkshire out

ECB Reporters Network14-Aug-2024Glamorgan safely booked a home semi-final slot on Sunday in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup as they made it six wins out of eight to top Group B with a 62-run victory over the Yorkshire Vikings at Sophia Gardens.The champions in 2021, Glamorgan had already booked a play-off spot before the final round of games but now avoid having to play a quarter-final game on Friday.A solid 66 from former Yorkshire player Billy Root against his brother Joe’s county was the centre piece in the Welsh side’s total of 230 for 9 in a game reduced to 47 overs a side after early rain. His 56-run partnership with Timm van der Gugten for the ninth wicket proved crucial in hauling the home side past the 200 run mark.The Yorkshire spin attack of Dom Bess and Dan Moriarty tied down the Glamorgan batters with a spell of 20 overs between them that cost only 94 runs. Moriarty ended up with 3 for 47 from his 10 overs.Van der Gugten ended on an unbeaten 34, which included a six and three fours, and then gave Glamorgan the perfect start with a wicket with the first ball of the Yorkshire reply, trapping Harry Duke lbw. He ended with 2 for 32 from his 10 overs to complete a good all-round day.Yorkshire then lurched to 11 for 3 in seven overs as Noah Kelly and William Luxton were both clean bowled. Skipper Jonny Tattersall provided some much needed stability with his 51, enjoying profitable stands of 46 with Yash Vagadia and 59 with Matt Revis as the Vikings improved to 116 for 5.Then a burst of three wickets in 12 balls by Andy Gorvin in the 27th and 29th overs saw Revis (28), Tattersall (51) and George Hill (2) all depart to turn the game even more in favour of the Welsh county.With the required rate rising to more than six per over, Bess hit out before he was caught by Dan Douthwaite for an enterprising 22. That gave spinner Ben Kellaway his second wicket – one with his left arm and the next with his right.At 152 for 8 the Vikings were still 78 short of their total and needing to score at more than seven an over. Kellaway and Gorvin mopped up the tail as Yorkshire were all out for 168.Tattersall won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Glamorgan to bat on an overcast morning. The start was delayed to 11.30am due to light rain and the match reduced to 47 overs.Will Smale and Asa Tribe got off to a flying start for the home side with Smale taking 10 off Dom Leech’s first over. Tribe then sent Ben Cliff’s first ball crashing to the boundary at the other end.But Cliff got his revenge in the sixth over when he removed both openers with his first and last balls. Smale was caught at mid-on trying to hit him over the top for 16 and then Tribe was trapped lbw for 9.That made it 28 for 2 and in his next over Cliff captured the dangerous Sam Northeast for 7 as he was brilliantly caught one handed at slip by George Hill. That made it 40 for 3 and put the Group B table-toppers under considerable pressure.Skipper Kiran Carlson and Colin Ingram brought up the 50 in the last over of the first powerplay with two off-side boundaries from Ingram. Hill struck in the next over to remove Ingram, caught behind by Tattersall for 18.The partnership between Carlson and Ingram was worth 44 and his departure left Glamorgan on 84 for 4. Carlson was trapped lbw on 31 by Leech just after the 100 came up.