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The ICC’s code of conduct commission will conduct an inquiry into the two-year ban imposed on Marlon Samuels by the West Indies board, and submit its findings to the ICC board in July

Cricinfo staff12-Jun-2008
Marlon Samuels’ fate hangs in the balance while the ICC code of conduct commission conducts its inquiry into his two-year ban © AFP
The ICC’s code of conduct commission will conduct an inquiry into the two-year ban imposed on Marlon Samuels by the West Indies board, and submit its findings to the ICC board in July. The ICC board will then decide on the course of action.On May 9, the WICB’s disciplinary committee deemed that Samuels had breached section C4 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct regulations, which involves receiving money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute.”The official enquiry, headed by Michael Beloff, QC, and two other code of conduct commissioners, will review the finding of the WICB disciplinary committee and decide whether or not the punishment was appropriate,” Brian Murgatroyd, the ICC’s media and communications manager, told Cricinfo.”It [the commission] can approve or raise the sanction handed down but as that sanction imposed was the minimum, it does not have the power to reduce the ban.”In their submission to the ICC, Samuels’ lawyers, Churchill Neita and Delano Harrison, have included a written statement from Samuels, interviews given by Richie Richardson, who was a member of the West Indies board’s disciplinary committee, as well as a letter from Aubrey Bishop, the only dissenter in the committee.It was reported that, in case the ban is upheld, Samuels’ lawyers would file for a judicial review in Antigua in the hopes of gaining an injunction to allow him to play while the case is being deliberated.

South Africa and Pakistan will meet twice, on Wednesday 11 December in Port Elizabeth and Friday 13 December in East London, in the Eastern Cape in games two and three of the five match Standard Bank one-day series.

Keith Lane10-Dec-2002South Africa and Pakistan will meet twice, on Wednesday 11 December in Port Elizabeth and Friday 13 December in East London, in the Eastern Cape in games two and three of the five match Standard Bank one-day series.Traditionally, the St George’s Park and Buffalo Park pitches have a slower and lower bounce, which will suit the visitors. Playing in conditions that are the closest to the pitches back home that they will find in South Africa, together with their experience in Zimbabwe will make them a more formidable adversary.Add to this the probable return of Shoaib Akhtar, and Pakistan have a pace attack that can blast out many a team. In Durban Wasim Akram was awesome, while Waqar Younis, Mohammad Sami and Abdur Razzaq did not bowl to their full potential. Saqlain Mushtaq also did not prove much of a threat and he cannot expect much from either pitch. A lot will depend on the form of the front-line bowlers.The Pakistan opening batsmen, Taufeeq Umar and Saleem Elahi, will have to get their act together by keeping the scoreboard ticking over and reducing the pressure on the rest of the batsmen. Players like Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam-ul-Haq are at their best when they are allowed to attack from a platform.South Africa will be aiming for a more solid performance in the top order. Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis failed in Durban, while Boeta Dippenaar is expected to come in for Neil McKenzie as South Africa continue to seek a solution to their number three problem. A good start from Graeme Smith and Gibbs, with the home team batting to number nine, could spell trouble for Pakistan.The South African bowling has been firing on all six cylinders. Pollock, Ntini, Kallis and Donald have been brilliant to date, well assisted by the likes of Klusener and Hall, with Boje used mainly in a containing role.The lights at both grounds are satisfactory but not brilliant. Neither team would like to bat second against the respective attacks, but dew at the grounds has also caused problems for the fielding side. Depending on the conditions on the day, either captain could decide to bat on winning the toss.Pakistan will not want go two down in the five-match series, and are expectedto come out hard, but will be hard pressed by a South African team growing in confidence and performance.

Graham Roberts reckons Tottenham should sell up to eight players this summer, amid new manager Nuno Santo’s stance of preferring to work with a smaller squad.

Following another poor season by their own high standards, Spurs missed out on the top four once again and only qualified for Europe in the final seconds of the campaign after beating Leicester City.

The man who secured their place in the UEFA Conference League, Gareth Bale, has returned to Real Madrid, whilst Tottenham have decided against signing another loanee in Carlos Vinicius.

Juan Foyth has joined Villarreal permanently, whilst several of their first-team squad have been linked away from the club having failed to perform in 2020-2021.

The likes of Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon are expected to bolster numbers by joining the first-team set-up following their respective loan deals with Norwich and Hoffenheim.

To sum up Spurs’ problems last season, 20 different players made 15 or more Premier League appearances – epitomising how much Jose Mourinho struggled to find a settled XI.

With that in mind, former Tottenham captain Roberts exclusively suggested to Football FanCast that he wants a summer clear out in north London amid Nuno’s small squad preference.

“Me personally, there would be eight players that I would get rid of – there will be the two right-backs Aurier and Doherty, I’d let Sanchez go. Although, saying that if I had to keep him, I would let Dier go, Winks go.

“They’re just squad players and they’re not happy being squad players, so it just causes you problems.”

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes Ezgjan Alioski has ‘three options’ this summer, as his Whites future remains up in the air.

The Lowdown: Alioski on the move?

The 29-year-old has been a good servant for Leeds – he has been hailed as ‘brilliant’ by Kevin Phillips – making a total of 171 appearances, scoring 22 goals and registering 19 assists along the way.

Alioski is out of contract at the end of this month, however, and he has been strongly linked with a move away from Elland Road.

There is still a chance that the North Macedonian signs a new deal with Leeds, but nothing concrete has emerged, in that respect.

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The Latest: Mills makes key claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills claimed Alioski isn’t without offers this summer, with a big decision set to be made before the end of June:

“It’s probably about what other options he has and what else is on the table.

“Does somebody else come in? Does somebody offer him a better deal? I would suggest that he’ll have up to three options on the table and he’s just trying to work out which is the best option.

“There might be some that are better financially but he has to decide whether that’s the right way to go or whether the best option is to stick where he is.

“Now, he can look at his future and sit down and make real decisions.

“All his efforts were going into the North Macedonia games to give the best performances to see what they can do and what he can produce.

“Now, he can sit down and assess the situation, look at the realistic options. He’ll look at who else might come into Leeds and if he may be moved down the pecking order. Then he can go from there.”

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The Verdict: Keep him or let him go?

There are arguments for Alioski both staying and leaving ahead of next season, and ultimately, it could be a win-win situation for Leeds.

The left-back’s vast experience and knowledge of Marcelo Bielsa’s system mean he could continue to thrive and a new signing wouldn’t then need to bed in.

That being said, Alioski is now 29 and a natural left-back such as Ajax’s Nicolas Tagliafico could arguably bring more balance to the team.

Whatever happens, Leeds are unlikely to be weakened, which is the most important thing.

In other news, a Leeds player has been tipped to leave this summer, assuming one Premier League star replaces him. Read more here.

Odsonne Edouard may be considering a potential stay at Celtic this summer, but that hasn’t stopped the Hoops from considering alternatives.

Ange Postecoglou has been quick to press on with his transfer business, being linked to a number of players in Japan and Australia.

What’s the word?

A new name in the crosshairs of Celtic this summer is Rafael Santos Borre.

That’s according to Football Insider who suggest that the Bhoys and their Old Firm rivals Rangers will battle it out for his signature.

Borre is set to become a free agent this summer and thus, the Celtic hierarchy won’t need to part ways with any cash in order to lure the River Plate striker to Paradise.

That being said, the Colombian’s contract demands are likely to be key in determining whether a move can be completed in the coming weeks.

Edouard heir inbound?

If the Frenchman does leave then it will leave Celtic with a giant void in their squad to fill.

Edouard has been relentless in front of goal over the last few years and despite the club’s struggles last term, he still found the net on 22 occasions in all competitions.

Borre might be a difficult name to attract but he is one of the most devastating forwards in South America.

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Speaking about his form for River, former Argentina striker Javier Saviola said: “Borré is a great striker. Right now River has forwards of the highest level, both Rafa, Suárez and all the boys who are emerging with so much projection. Rafa is among the best forwards today, due to his way of playing and his goals.”

It’s clear to see why Saviola holds the 25-year-old in such high regard.

Borre beat the goalkeeper 22 times in 42 outings for River last term, before taking his tally for the Argentine club to 56 goals after scoring on eight occasions this season.

A ruthless bully in front of goal, the attacker is a wonderful exponent of space, dragging defenders away from his teammates and taking up canny positions inside the area.

Like Edouard, Borre is also capable of working in the channels and bringing his teammates into play. Although his assist count isn’t too eye-catching, he provided 1.3 key passes per game for River in their last recorded season for WhoScored.

Although not the most physical of strikers, his pace and athleticism make him a difficult player for the opposition to deal with.

Combine that with his ability to find the net regularly and you have a very dangerous individual. Dominic McKay must ensure Celtic secure his services; not Rangers.

AND in other news, Celtic submit bid to sign “dynamic” 24 y/o beast, he’d be a big upgrade for Ange…

Manchester City right-back Yan Couto enjoyed a superb campaign on loan with Girona and he could well prove to be the next Joao Cancelo in Pep Guardiola’s side in the future.

The Brazilian defender, who was signed from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba in March of last year, looks to have an extremely bright future if his performances on loan are anything to go by.

Last season saw the 19-year-old join Manchester City’s sister club Girona on loan in the Spanish second division, and he was a key player for Juan Carlos Unzué’s side throughout the campaign.

The right-back, who can also feature further forward down the right-hand side, would play 29 times in all competitions for the Spanish side, in which he contributed two goals and five assists.

As per Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig on Twitter, the teenage defender was named “the best” right-back in the division last season, whilst he also dubbed him a “superb talent”.

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He suggests that the youngster averaged one key pass, 1.8 dribbles, 1.3 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per 90 minutes for Girona, which is extremely similar to the numbers averaged by Cancelo in Guardiola’s side last season.

The Portugal international would average 1.6 key passes, 1.7 dribbles, 2.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions in the Premier League, in a campaign where he was one of the most consistent players in Guardiola’s side.

Whilst he has the better of Couto overall for now, there is no reason why the Brazilian won’t be producing these sorts of numbers at the Etihad in the future.

He looks to be an extremely attacking full-back, so could fit in well with City’s current tactic of pushing the right-back high up the pitch and into midfield, whilst the left-back usually plays a more conservative role.

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Although Guardiola will most likely stick with Kyle Walker and Cancelo as his first-choice right-backs next season, he will surely have been made aware of Couto’s superb performances out on loan, so fans may not have too long to wait until they see the Brazilian pull on a Man City shirt for the first time.

And, in other news… Txiki must sign “world class” beast for Man City 

Aston Villa look set to beat Manchester United in the race to sign Fleetwood Town defender Josh Feeney, according to Birmingham Live.

And, as to be expected, plenty of Villa fans have been sharing their thoughts on the transfer news on social media.

Reliable reporter Ashley Preece wrote the story on Birmingham Live on Thursday evening, claiming Villa Park is Feeney’s preferred destination.

The England Under-16 captain, who plays as a centre-back, has been in talks with Villa this week and visited the club’s Bodymoor Hath facility on Thursday afternoon.

Feeney’s representatives were reportedly impressed with what they saw in the Midlands, and it seems as if the 16-year-old is now edging closer to becoming the club’s third summer signing after Emiliano Buendia and Ashley Young.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared the news on Feeney on Thursday evening. These Villa supporters were excited at the update, with one describing the teenager as a potential ‘brilliant’ acquisition.

“Villa’s academy is booming you love to see it”Credit: @GW_94″we are massive”Credit: @avfc365″U16 England captain and trained for the senior fleetwood team for ages, unsure whether he’s made his debut yet though. Looks like a brilliant addition to me”Credit: @JoeAVFC_”We are on fire”Credit: @NickPJThompson”We are becoming a very tempting move for talented youngsters these days. Big investment in the academy staff and facilities, a dominant performance in the FA Youth Cup and players making their way into the first team setup this season showing a pathway for the future…”Credit: @sportdw”6’4 CB training with the first team. Proper talent”Credit: @DOUGLASLUlZ

In other news: Big James Ward-Prowse update emerges, find out more here. 

It was an odd day at the Bath Recreation Ground as in-between stoppages for rain and bad light, the game progressed, but not in a way that many of the patient crowd had expected.

Victor Isaacs14-Jun-2002It was an odd day at the Bath Recreation Ground as in-between stoppages for rain and bad light, the game progressed, but not in a way that many of the patient crowd had expected.Somerset soon lost their overnight savour Ian Blackwell when he fell to a sucker punch, being caught by Udal at backward point off Mascarenhas. He had played exactly the same shot the ball before which went for four.Robert Turner and Keith Dutch shared a 41-run partnership at two runs per over to show some signs of recovery but when three wickets fell in quick succession, either side of a length rain break shortly after the lunch interval, Somerset captain surprised everyone at the ground, including the Hampshire fielders by declaring, 91 runs behind.The crowd were so surprised, that some of them even booed the umpires, as they thought they had been brought off for bad light!On a wicket that had been playing tricks from the first day, with overcast conditions, some thought that the boldness of the declaration was sheer folly. However, the home side took four Hampshire wickets for just three runs, before bad light curtailed play for the day.Derek Kenway was first to go when he attempted to hook Richard Johnson’s first ball into the Bath Rugby Club, but was well caught on the boundary edge. White edged Johnson to keeper Turner and when Kendall and Laney fell off successive Matthew Bulbeck deliveries, Nic Pothas survived the hat-trick ball.Hampshire finished the day, however, still in a good position, 94 runs ahead with six wicket in hand, but will be looking for a least another 100 runs which on that Bath wicket could be enough to secure a much-needed victory.

Aston Villa have been urged to ‘hijack’ Leicester City’s move for Odsonne Edouard by their former striker Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The lowdown

According to Sky Sports, Leicester have held constructive talks with Celtic over signing the French Under-21 international.

Edouard could apparently cost around £18million, with one year left on his contract at Parkhead.

He’s scored 83 goals in 168 appearances for Celtic, contributing a further 37 assists.

The striker is intent on a move to one of the top European leagues and Brendan Rodgers is said to be a ‘keen admirer’ after their time together in Glasgow.

However, Villa have been mentioned in connection with the talented young Frenchman as well.

The latest

Agbonlahor was effusive in his praise of Edouard and believes he’d be an excellent addition to Villa’s attacking ranks.

“I’ve said it for so long about Edouard, I rate him highly,” he told Football Insider. “If I had the money, I’d buy him myself.

“I think he’s outstanding and I’d love him at Aston Villa as the second striker behind Watkins.

“I think Villa should hijack Leicester and go and get him.”

The verdict

Villa’s depth would be pretty enviable if they were to snap up Edouard, a significant upgrade on the likes of Wesley and Keinan Davis.

The issue, though, is that he has a clearer route to first-team football at Leicester. Jamie Vardy will turn 35 during the 2021/22 season and Edouard, 12 years his junior, would see himself as a long-term successor to the Englishman.

At Villa, he might be concerned that he’d only be a back-up option for Watkins.

Perhaps Dean Smith would look to change shape in order to accommodate both, but it seems likely the current set-up will remain, with Jack Grealish, new signing Emiliano Buendia and one of Bertrand Traore or Anwar El Ghazi deployed behind Watkins.

In other news, there’s been a fresh update on Jack Grealish.  

Speaking in a Q&A for football.london, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold has shared news on Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans and how they will fund summer swoops ahead of the 2021/2022 season.

The Lowdown: Big summer ahead…

Tottenham are arguably in need a big rebuild, with former boss Mauricio Pochettino explaining that fact over two years ago now.

Last summer, chairman Daniel Levy did more than most expected with the acquisition of seven players through the door.

Indeed, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart, Matt Doherty, Sergio Reguilon, Gareth Bale, Carlos Vinicius and Joe Rodon all arrived in 2020, but two of them were on loan (Bale and Vinicius) and Spurs still missed out on a star centre-half.

Technical performance director Steve Hitchen flew to Italy in an attempt to strike a deal for Serie A colossus Milan Skriniar, but couldn’t reach an agreement on price (football.london).

Lilywhites supporters will be hoping they can bolster their backline this time and it is known they are keen on signing a ‘leader’ (football.london).

The Latest: Gold shares news on Spurs transfer plans

Speaking in a Q&A, when asked what kind of budget Tottenham will be working with and how they will be funding moves, Gold shared what he’s been told.

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Amid the coronavirus pandemic, club finances are stretched, meaning Spurs must first offload players who are surplus-to-requirements.

“Everything I’m told suggests it’s based on sales,” explained Gold when asked about the Tottenham transfer kitty.

“So many clubs have been stuffed financially by the pandemic. That could though have a knock-on effect in prices coming down across the board.”

The Verdict: Who should go…

Spurs have no shortage of candidates for the chopping block when it comes to player sales this summer.

As the Lilywhites need to bolster their funds for the 2021/2022 transfer window, which opens shortly, we believe Serge Aurier, Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko are certainly most suited for the exit door.

Aurier, despite a fine start to the season, tailed off and has just one year left on his current deal – he also recently dropped a big hint over his future.

His international compatriot, Sissoko, is 31-years-old and was used far more sporadically over 2020/2021 than in previous seasons (WhoScored) – with the midfielder also hinting he could be open to a move away.

Lamela, the longest serving member of Tottenham’s ‘magnificent seven’ brought in to fill the void left by Gareth Bale in 2013, should also leave.

Similar to Aurier, the Argentine has just one year left on his current deal and Spurs should take advantage of alleged Serie A interest in the player.

In other news: Spurs now eyeing this ‘amazing’ 103-goal striker, find out more here.