Category Uncategorized

Aston Villa have now leapfrogged a Premier League rival in the race to sign a replacement for Harvey Elliott, according to a report this afternoon.

Aston Villa prepare for active January window

As recently confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, the title-chasing Villans are looking to back Unai Emery next month and are working on potential January additions behind-the-scenes.

Villa suddenly find themselves slap bang in the middle of a race for the Premier League crown after making a statement by beating frontrunners Arsenal earlier this month.

Emiliano Buendia’s 95th-minute winner sent Villa Park into raptures, with Emery’s side passing every single test thrown their way since then, including a 2-1 win over Man United over the weekend.

Their torrid start to 2025/2026, when Villa took five games to even score their first goal of the season, feels like a distant memory, and they have every reason to be overwhelmingly positive heading into Christmas.

Related Aston Villa now looking at signing Tottenham star after pre-agreed January deal

The Villans could be more active next month.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

The club’s incredible 10-game winning run across all competitions makes them the most in-form team in England right now, not to mention one of Europe’s sides to beat at the moment.

Villa’s summer transfer window was marred by PSR roadblocks, with NSWE spending the least cash out of any Premier League side.

Now, reports suggest they could invest more next month instead, having already reached a pre-agreement to sign Brazilian sensation Alysson from Gremio.

After successfully negotiating that deal, it is believed Villa have their eyes on Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson.

Aston Villa eye Crystal Palace hijack by opening talks with Brennan Johnson

According to TEAMtalk today, Aston Villa have made contact with Johnson’s representatives over a potential January transfer, threatening to hijack Crystal Palace’s move for the Tottenham forward.

The 24-year-old has fallen out of favour under Thomas Frank this season, starting just six Premier League matches despite scoring 18 goals across all competitions last term, including the Europa League final winner against Man United.

Palace appeared frontrunners for Johnson’s signature with manager Oliver Glasner confident of agreeing personal terms as the Eagles looked to bolster their attack.

Staying in London was viewed as attractive for the forward too, who seeks regular minutes ahead of Wales’ World Cup qualification play-offs.

Sources suggested a fee between £30m-£40m could be enough, with Tottenham open to either a permanent sale or loan deal.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Villa transfer insight Want deeper context on Villa’s transfer plans? Subscribe to the newsletter for expert analysis on targets, tactical fit and financial context – clear, focused coverage to help fans understand what each signing means. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for Villa transfer insight Want deeper context on Villa’s transfer plans? Subscribe to the newsletter for expert analysis on targets, tactical fit and financial context – clear, focused coverage to help fans understand what each signing means.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, Villa’s recent intervention has complicated Palace’s plans, and they could now ‘hijack’ the move.

Emery has identified Johnson as the ideal addition to provide pace and versatility to his frontline, with the winger potentially replacing Elliot, whose loan from Liverpool is likely to be terminated in January after failing to earn the manager’s trust.

Tottenham remain willing to consider offers for Johnson, who cost £47.5m from Nottingham Forest in 2023, though Frank would prefer retaining him for squad depth.

West Ham have also expressed interest in the Welshman, but Villa’s title ambitions and financial resources could prove decisive in securing his services ahead of their London rivals.

Related Aston Villa now plotting swoop for £30k-a-week defender, they're frontrunners

He’d jump at the chance to move to Villa Park…

Posts ByDominic Lund

Scorecard
New Zealand jumped right back into Rose Bowl contention with a crunching 82-run win against Australia to leave the series level at 1-1. The home side made plenty of 240-plus scores at the Lincoln ground against England without always winning but found 238 was more than enough in the second match to conquer Australia, the current holders.Katey Martin’s good form continued with 45, while Nicola Browne and Amy Satterthwaite both posted 48. Sarah Andrews was Australia’s best bowler with two wickets, while Ellyse Perry, Shelley Nitschke and Lisa Sthalekar both took one.New Zealand’s new-ball pairing of Helen Watson and Sophie Devine then worked well together, taking two wickets each to set Australia on the back foot at 4 for 43. They could not recover, as Lucy Doolan chipped in with 3 for 42.Australia will take some comfort from a half-century from Jodie Purves, who was included as a specialist batsman while Leonie Coleman kept wicket. Her fifth-wicket stand of 82 with Perry made the score more respectable but by the time it was broken Australia needed ten an over from the last ten overs, which proved too much.

If it is one thing West Indians have given generously, it is their thoughts on how the cricket they love should be run © Andrew Miller

Perhaps the major reason there has not yet been a substantive coup in the management of West Indies cricket lies within the realm of recognition by the international governing body, the International Cricket Council [ICC].It is certainly not because no alternatives have been proposed. If it is one thing West Indians have given generously, it is their thoughts on how the cricket they love should be run. Taken one by one, the ideas offer partial solutions, as they often deal with one aspect at a time. However, a careful study of the collection (such as the one generated by the 2000 Caricom/UWI cricket conference) yields a comprehensive range of proposals for the development of the game.What we need is the commitment and will to refine the existing body of thought into a practical plan. But as long as people feel that the ownership of West Indies cricket cannot be wrested away from the current proprietors, they will see such action tantamount to a spinning top in mud.There is a hopeless sense that international recognition will not be granted to any new structure because the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) already has it. Maybe we should think about the nature of that recognition and its basis.The ICC recognises the body that represents the national cricketers of its members. The West Indies has a different circumstance in terms of the definition of nation, given its multinational nature.It might be mentally liberating to examine the status quo and explore some possibilities.Legally, as far as we know, the WICB administers the regional game. As far as we know, the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) formally represents a substantial number of regional cricketers at various levels, and the WICB formally recognises WIPA as their representative.

What we need is the commitment and will to refine the existing body of thought into a practical plan

It is a little less clear when it comes to contractual relationships. As far as we know, a few players on the senior team have retainer contracts with the WICB. The majority are contracted on a series by series basis. At least, technically that is how it stands, right? We can’t really be sure because memory relates a different reality of players touring without contracts.For now, let’s just imagine a scenario. Let’s say that the CEO of the WICB announces that players on retainer have no choice but to go on the England tour, and that if the others don’t sign the proffered contract, the WICB will just keep running down the list until it gets a squad of 15.So what happens if nobody signs? A squad of what, eight, ten retained players goes? Unlikely, but imagine what would happen if the players, like everyone else in the region, decide that it is time to act. What if they are made aware of plans for an alternative system and find it attractive? What if they all decide not to sign any new contracts; what if nobody renews? What if WIPA endorses another structure and advises players that they would benefit from affiliating themselves with a new order that is committed to rebuilding West Indies cricket and treating its players as the centre of that resurrection? What if it takes less than a year for existing contracts to end? What if in that period there is massive investment in developing a modern, intelligent, entity to manage West Indies cricket?Who would the WICB then be representing? Would it be able to legitimately keep its seat on the ICC? Would the ICC then recognise another West Indian body?It might mean a period of upheaval that could even see the West Indies having to temporarily withdraw from ICC-sanctioned cricket as things get sorted out.But what if at the end we get it right and West Indies cricket begins its genuine rebuilding, would it be worth it?Sometimes a door needs the push of imagination to swing it open.

Mohammad Asif: All set for a swinging summer? © Getty Images

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, has said that his stint with Leicestershire will be ideal preparation for the side’s tour to England this July.Asif is expected to be a serious threat to England during in the four Test series, coming off a successful tour against Sri Lanka in which he took 17 wickets, with a career best of 6 for 44 at Kandy.Asif, 23, came to prominence after taking 10 wickets for Pakistan A against England last winter. “It was almost the same England team that had won the Ashes and when I started I was under pressure bowling to some big names,” Asif told BBC Radio. “But the ball started swinging both ways and after that I was OK.”Though he didn’t play in the Tests against England, he came for the last one-day match of the tournament and picked up two wickets for 14. He was then picked for the second and third Tests against India at home, and had a memorable game at Karachi, taking seven wickets in Pakistan’s 341-run victory.Asif insisted that England will prove to be difficult to beat this summer, despite the fact that Pakistan have not lost a series in England since 1982. “You only have to look at the last Ashes, and they were playing well even before that in England.”

Dinesh Mongia pulls out the reverse sweep as Leicestershire started the defence of their Twenty20 title with a win © Getty Images

North Group

Leicestershire, the defending champions, got their campaign off to a winning start against Nottinghamshire with a five-wicket success. Paul Nixon guided them home, with four balls to spare, hitting 32 with four fours and a six. Dinesh Mongia made an elegant 39 but a middle-order wobble kept Notts in the game. Notts’ batting never really fired against Leicestershire’s experienced attack. Jeremy Snape was superb, bowling his four overs for 18 runs and taking three important wickets.Lancashire beat Roses rivals Yorkshire by five wickets in front of 14,119 spectators at a sunny Headingley with blistering half-centuries from Mal Loye and Brad Hodge. Loye took Matthew Hoggard to the cleaners as he went for 65 runs and Loye smashed 59 from 33 balls. Hodge showed further evidence of his Twenty20 skills, guiding Lancashire home with 64 not out. Phil Jaques peppered the boundary for Yorkshire striking 72 off 40 balls but Lancashire’s spinners proved hard to get away.Derbyshire secured a comfortable six-wicket win against Durham after James Bryant guided them home with 53 from 46 balls. Jonathan Moss provided the necessary power with a rapid 46 off 28 deliveries. Gordon Muchall top-scored for Durham with 46 but the rest of the batsmen could not locate the boundary often enough. Ant Botha was especially economical with 2 for 16 from his four overs.

South Group

Owais Shah on his way to a 30-ball 72 at Southampton © Getty Images

Owais Shah blasted 72 from 30 balls as Middlesex launched their Twenty20 season with an 18-run win against Hampshire in front of 80000 spectators at Southampton. Shah’s innings, and useful contributions from the other top-order batsmen, powered Middlesex to 210 for 6. Craig McMillan’s only over was dispatched for 28. He returned some of the damage with 31 from 12 balls but Hampshire couldn’t keep up the required momentum, despite Nic Pothas’s 59 as an opener.James Benning starred with the bat as Surrey cantered to a seven-wicket win over Kent at Beckenham. .Sussex had few problems getting past Essex, cruising to a nine-wicket win with more than five overs to spare. Matt Prior crashed his way to 66 as Sussex raced to their target of 110. Mushtaq Ahmed had bamboozled Essex’s middle and lower-order, whose approach verged on the suicidal, completing figures of 5 for 11 as Essex slid from 98 for 4 to 109 all out, without using 3.3 of their overs.

Midlands/Wales/West Group

The closest match of the day was at Cardiff where Glamorgan and Somerset tied, but Glamorgan won by virtue of losing fewer wickets. A superb 39-ball 68 from Mike Powell thrilled the 6,000 capacity crowd who thought that the game had been tied when Glamorgan, needing two off the last ball, ran a bye to the wicketkeeper. Both sides seemed to think they had shared the spoils until the PA announcer gave the correct result to the delight of the home supporters.Northamptonshire racked up the highest ever Twenty20 total in England, reaching 224 for 5, before completing a 81-run thrashing of Gloucestershire. David Sales led the carnage smiting 78 from 42 balls and added 72 with Damien Wright who made 38 off 20 balls. Gloucestershire’s bowlers had no answers and the batsmen were in a hopeless situation and were soon 47 for 5. Ben Phillips went through the middle-order, finishing with 4 for 28. “That was one of our worst performances this year and that’s saying something,” Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire’s coach, said. “There has got to be a big change. We can’t afford to go on like this.”Worcestershire held their nerve to seal a thrilling one-run win against Warwickshire. At 68 for 5 Worcestershire’s quest of 178 looked forlorn but Jonathan Trott and Michael Powell hit rapid forties, however Warwickshire couldn’t quite get over the line as David Leatherdale kept his head at the end. Graeme Hick had provided the base of Worcestershire’s 177 for 7 with 67, while Ben Smith made a useful 47.

Western Australian fast-bowling legend Jo Angel will retire after the Pura Cup match against NSW at the WACA Ground starting this Friday.Angel said that by leaving the side he was hoping to create opportunities for some of the young bowlers coming through the WA ranks."Hopefully some guys can get an opportunity over the last couple of games to go on and be ten-year players, which I’ve been very fortunate to be," he said.Angel debuted for WA in 1991-92 against New South Wales at the WACA Ground. The NSW team included Mark and Steve Waugh."It’s ironic I suppose that the last game will be against them (NSW),"he said."It would be nice to get them plus a few others hopefully in this game and hopefully we can get a few points and finish off on the right note."I have thoroughly enjoyed my time it’s gone very, very quickly, my first game only seems like only yesterday."Angel said the game has changed in his 13 years at the top."Everything’s more professional these days, all the I’s are dotted and all the T’s are crossed," Angel said." I think back in the old days it was a bit more hap-hazard. It’s amazing how much the game has changed and developed."The game will move on, I hoped I’ve left a bit of a legacy there to aim for and I hope someone can beat my record."Angel said that he wanted to give something back to the game through coaching.Angel is WA’s leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket. In 120 first-class matches for WA Angel has taken 480 wickets at an average of 25.14. In 104 Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup games he has taken 414 wickets at an average of 24.90.He has taken five wickets in an innings on 16 occasions and has once taken 10 wickets in a match.Angel is the second highest wicket-taker in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history. Only legendary leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmet has taken more with 513 wickets, a record unlikely to ever be beaten.Angel and Grimmet are the only bowlers to take more than 400 wickets in the Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup.The WACA Ground has been a happy hunting ground for Angel. In 53 Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup matches here Angel has taken 248 wickets at an average of 22.94 with 10 five-wicket hauls.He recorded career-best figures of 6-35 against Queensland at the WACA Ground last season.The WACA has dedicated the final home Pura Cup match of the season to Angel and will hold a lunch in his honour on Friday at the WACA ground. Many past WA greats are expected to attend.In other news Warriors fast-bowler Michael Clark will not be available for the Pura Cup match against NSW after he strained a quadriceps muscle while batting against NSW in WA’s ING Cup win last night.Darren Wates comes into the WA 12 for the game. John Taylor is on stand-by for Beau Casson who is nursing a stitch in the webbing of his left hand. Casson suffered the injury while fielding for WA last night.A decision on whether the left-arm wrist spinner will play will be made before play tomorrow morning.The WA Squad
Justin Langer (c), Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Beau Casson, Ben Edmondson, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Michael Hussey, Scott Meuleman, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, John Taylor and Darren Wates.With the call up of Brad Haddin to the Australian VB Series side Nathan Pilon has joined the NSW team and will take over wicket-keeping duties.The NSW Team
Steve Waugh (c), Dominic Thornely, Phil Jaques, Mark Waugh, Grant Lambert, Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken, Greg Mail, Matthew Nicholson, Stuart MacGill, Nathan Pilon, and Aaron O’Brien.The match starts at 11.00am with gates opening at 10.00am

Pakistan stormed into the final of Asia U-15 cricket cup with a 27 runs victory over Nepal on Friday in the semifinal played in Dubai, according to a message received here.Nepal bowlers did well to skittle Pakistan out for a modest 117 in 36.3 overs but found the target too steep and were bowled out for 90in 37.1 overs.For Pakistan Adnan Raza Ali (25) and Man-of-the-Match Sardar Nawaz (25) batted well. Raj Shreshtha emerged as the most successful bowler for Nepal taking four wickets for 15 runs from his quota of eight overs.When Nepal batted they too found run making a difficult proposition. Only two of their batsmen Shreshtha and Irfan Siddiqui could reach doubles. Suleman Ali was pick of Pakistani attack claiming three wickets for 13 runs from 6.2 overs.ScoreboardPakistanFayyaz Ahmed c Sharad b Khadke 0Suleman Ali lbw b D.Shrestha 4Fazal Mohd c Ravi b D.Shrestha 11Adnan Raza c Sunil b R.Shrestha 25Salman Akbar b R. Shreshtha 13Raza Dar c Mahesh b R.Shreshtha 11Sardar Nawaz run out 25Owais Ahmed c Bantu b Irfan 1Mansoor Ahmed c Ravi b R.Shreshtha 0Nasir Ahmed c Mahesh b Bantu 12M.Jamshaid not out 4Extras (nb 2, wb 7,byes 2) 11TOTAL (all out in 36.3 overs) 117Fall of wkt: 1-7, 2-11, 3-25, 4-59, 5-64, 6-96, 7-101, 8-101,9-105, 10-117Bowling: Paras Khadke 8-1-20-1; Deepak Shrestha 6-1-22-2;Bantu Bataju 7.3-1-26-1; Susan Man Shrestha 1-0-10-0;Raj Shreshtha 8-0-15-4; Irfan Siddiqui 6-2-22-1NepalS.K.Jain lbw b Nasir 0Pawan Das run out 4S.Vesawkar c Owais b Nasir 3P.Khadka c Owais b Sardar Nawaz 8Mahesh Chhotri b Jamshaid 1R. Thapa lbw Sardar Nawaz 1Raj Shreshtha st Owais b Raza Dar 15Irfan Siddiqui st Owais b Suleman 22Bantu Bataju c Fayyaz b Suleman 3S.Shrestha b Suleman 8D.Shrestha not out 2Extras (nb 3, Wb9, lb 11) 23Total (all out in 37.1 overs) 90Fall of wkt: 1-1, 2-11, 3-13, 4-23, 5-25, 6-28, 7-67, 8-71, 9-76, 10-90Bowling: Nasir Ahmed 5-1-13-2; Sardar Nawaz 8-2-15-2;Mohammad Jamshaid 6-1-11-1; Mansoor Amjad 5-3-8-0;Raza Ali Dar 7-0-19-1; Suleman Ali 6.1-0- 13-3.

ECB Division One – Time games

Andover 169 (2pts) (R Miller 52, Brunnschweiler 33, Keighley 28, King 4-37)
Bashley (Rydal) 170-3 (21pts) (Thurgood 59, Loader 50, Knowles 34)
Bashley (Rydal) won by 7 wicketsBournemouth 142 (1pt) (Swarbrick 35, Goldstraw 5-42)
B.A.T.Sports 143-4 (19pts) (Banks 74*)
B.A.T.Sports won by 6 wicketsHavant 272-3 (12pts) (Perry 160*, Hindley 53, Gillies 31, Hibberd 3-76)
Calmore Sports 195-7 (5pts) (Goode 67, Bailey 64*, Hindley 6-87)
Match drawnBurridge 218-6 (4pts) (Cunningham 78, Jackson 34, Hawkins 32, Ford 4-67)
Hungerford 220-4 (20pts) (Laney 95*, Barr 43, Maier 36)
Hungerford won by 6 wicketsSouth Wilts 282-6 (11pts) (Rowe 170*, Lamb 32, Williams 29, Jansen 4-88)
Liphook and Ripsley 242-8 (10pts) (Smyth 71, Bulled 37, Wright 34, RIley 32)
Match drawn

Division Two – Overs games

Cove 238-4 (reduced to 200 in 42ovs) (22pts) (Randall 87*, Benham 86)
Trojans 133 (3pts) (Subnaik 40, Ashton 3-47)
Cove won by 38 runsEaston & Martyr Worthy 176-8 (6pts) (reduced to 162 in 45ovs) (Shaun Green 31, D Birch 26, Steve Green 26)
Hambledon 162-7 (20pts) (Kenway 72*, Turner 49*, Stone 4-27, Summers 3-28)
Hambledon won by 3 wicketsO.T. and Romsey 224-9 (6pts) (S Tulk 91, K Trodd 30, Allen 3-48)
Lymington 226-4 (21pts) (Treagus 80, Clemow 69)
Lymington won by 6 wicketsU.S.Portsmouth 313 (22pts) (Geogehan 92, Hounsome 52, Fulton 32, Quantock 5-75)
Old Basing 165 (5pts) (Dooley 27, Carson 3-24)
United Services won by 148 runsPortsmouth 302-5 (21pts) (reduced to 272 in 45ovs) (Cook 117, Keech 81, Dew 33, Frith 3-83)
Sparsholt 204-8 (7pts) (Frith 64, Mariner 38, Nichols 27, Savident 4-49)
Portsmouth won by 67 runs

Division Three – Overs games

Lymington II 196-7 (5pts) (reduced to 177 in 45ovs) (Holt 33, Tapper 31, Oliphant 3-45)
Alton 177-4 (20pts) (M Heffernan 98*)
Alton won by 6 wicketsHursley Park 164 (17pts) (Harris 47, Marks 26, Lowe 25, Hall 5-37, Paul 3-25)
Bashley (Rydal) II 132-7 (6pts) (Dean 43, Pardey 25, Halder 3-14)
Hursley Park won by 32 runsGosport Borough 217-2 (8pts) (Wateridge 100*, Adams 51*)
Havant II 218-8 (18pts) (Jones 55*, Hole 51, Benton 33*, Collins 4-53, Freeman 3-44)
Havant II won by 2 wicketsHook and Newnham Basics 219 (5pts) (Kaminski 40)
Winchester K.S. 220-3 (22pts) (Taylor 102)
Winchester K.S. won by 7 wicketsNew Milton 248-8 (22pts) (Griffiths 57, Hoare 34, Gargaro 31, Taylor 26, Howard 4-30)
Leckford 89 (4pts) (Dolman 5-28)
New Milton won by 159 runsPortsmouth II 239-7 (22pts) (Morris 54, Rogers 49, Bellchamber 36, Scott 26)
Paultons 88 (3pts) (Scott 5-12, Marston 4-25)
Portsmouth II won by 151 runsPurbrook 221-8 (20pts) (Pay 68, Hennessy 50, Repsold 33, Brittan 3-47)
Flamingo 150-8 (6pts) (Hitchings 46, Brewster 3-24, Hunter 3-24)
Purbrook won by 71 runsRowledge 252-6 (21pts) (Harland 66, Morrant 59, Mitchell 46, Poling 3-48)
United Services II 208-9 (6pts) (Kitching 73*, Braithwaite 48, Eichler 3-35, R Yates 3-43)
Rowledge won by 44 runsWaterlooville 197 (6pts) (Oliver 41, Baumann 40, Charman 4-46)
St.Cross Symondians 199-6 (22pts) (Barrett 50, Parker 49, J Adams 37)
St.Cross Symondians won by 4 wickets

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen on bringing West Ham midfielder Declan Rice to Anfield this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Rice superb for Hammers

The 23-year-old has matured into a formidable footballer in recent times, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet for both the Hammers and England.

Rice has been magnificent for West Ham this season, starting 28 Premier League games and even being hailed as ‘world-class’ by former head of academy recruitment David Hunt, while David Moyes has suggested he will cost any interested parties a whopping £150m.

Even still, the Englishman has of course been linked with a move away this summer, and it now appears Liverpool could be in the hunt.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on move

According to Football Insider, a Reds recruitment source has claimed that Rice is Klopp’s ‘number one target’ in the summer transfer window.

This is quite the twist from reports just last week which suggested the Anfield outfit will not be involved in the race for Rice.

Football Insider’s report does say that there is ‘little chance’ of a move coming to fruition, however, due to the likely astronomical transfer fee that West Ham would demand.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-26/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Not the right fit

While Rice is a superb player, it is hard to imagine Liverpool signing him this summer, both in terms of his price tag and the fact that he isn’t necessarily needed.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In Fabinho, the Reds have one of the world’s best holding midfielders and it is difficult to see how Klopp would fit both players into his starting lineup, with the German generally only playing with one No.6.

It feels more likely that Rice will end up at one of Liverpool’s rivals – Chelsea or Manchester United, for example – with the Reds eyeing up more of an advanced No.8 instead.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

	Michael Kasprowicz doesn’t think a lack of commitment is going to be an issue when he plays in the ICL © Getty Images

Retired Australian stars such as Michael Kasprowicz, Damien Martyn and Jason Gillespie were named in the squads announced by the unofficial Indian Cricket League for its Grand Championships. The event which starts on March 9 features eight teams – including one consisting entirely of Pakistan players – up from the six in the inaugural Twenty20 tournament held last December in Panchkula.Kasprowicz called time on his first-class career last month, finishing with a record 501 wickets for Queensland. “The decision to join ICL was actually a no-brainer. I have played 19 years of first-class cricket for Queensland, have had my time at the top with Australia and have also played county cricket,” he told Cricinfo. “It would be a great opportunity for me to live in India and play here. I love coming to India, I love the passion, hospitality and the people here. My best days of international career were here.”Asked whether he would able to give his 100% commitment while playing a Twenty20 league, he said, “It’s about personal pride. You can’t relax while playing and I have always played my cricket hard.”He also questioned the rationale behind banning players who have joined the ICL. “It can only be good for Indian cricket,” he said. “So many domestic players get a chance to play with the players from around the world and the quality can only go up. It’s sad that the players are being banned.”The other big-name signings for the ICL include New Zealand pair Shane Bond and Lou Vincent, Justin Kemp, Heath Streak, Russel Arnold and Wavell Hinds.Squads for Grand championships
Ahmedabad Rockets Damien Martyn (capt), Murray Goodwin, Heath Streak, Wavell Hinds, Jason Gillespie, Abhishek Tamrakar, Anshu Jain, Baburao Yadav, P Bhima Rao, Parviz Aziz, Rakesh Patel, Pallav Vora, Reetinder Sodhi, Sachin Dholpure, KM Sanjeev, Sridharan Sriram, Sumit Kalia
Chandigarh Lions Chris Cairns (capt), Mathew Elliot, Lou Vincent, Andrew Hall, Daryl Tuffey, Amit Uniyal, Bipul Sharma, Chetan Sharma, Dinesh Mongia, Gaurav Gupta, Harpreet Singh, Ishan Malhotra, Karanveer Singh, Love Ablish, Manish Sharma, Rajesh Sharma, Sarabjeet Singh, Tejinder Pal Singh
Chennai Superstars Stuart Law (capt), Ian Harvey, Russel Arnold, Shabbir Ahmed, Adam Parore, Michael Bevan, G Vignesh, Hemang Badani, Hemanth Kumar, J Hariesh, P Vivek, R Jesuraj, R Sathish, Syed Mohammed, Dakshinamoorthy Kumaran, Thirunavukarasu Kumaran, V Devendran, Vasanth Saravanan
Delhi Giants Marvan Atapattu (capt), Avishka Gunawardene, Nic Pothas, Dale Benkenstein, Shane Bond, Abbas Ali, Abhinav Bali, Abhishek Sharma, Abid Nabi, Ali Murtaza, Dhruv Mahajan, Dishant Yagnik, JP Yadav, Mohnish Mishra, Raghav Sachdev, Shalabh Srivastava, Taduri Prakash Sudhindra, Ali Hamid Zaidi
Hyderabad Heroes Chris Harris (capt), Nicky Boje, Justin Kemp, Abdul Razzaq, Jimmy Maher, Alfred Absolem, Ambati Rayudu, Anirudh Singh, Ibrahim Khaleel, Inder Shekar Reddy, Kaushik Reddy, Pagadala Niranjan, Shashank Nag, Stuart Binny, Syed Sahabuddin, Vinay Kumar, Zakaria Zuffri
Kolkata Tigers Craig McMillan (capt), Lance Klusener, Upul Chandana, Nantie Hayward, Andre Adams, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Abu Nechim, Deep Dasgupta, Mihir Diwakar, Pritam Das, Rajiv Kumar, Rohan Gavaskar, Sayed Akhlakh Ahmed, Shiv Sagar Singh, Subhomoy Das, Sujay Tarafdar
Lahore Badshahs Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Azhar Mahmood, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Nazir, Hasan Raza, Naveed Latif, Humayun Farhat, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Sami, Arshad Khan, Riaz Afridi
Mumbai Champs Brian Lara (capt), Nathan Astle, Johan Van der Wath, Tino Best, Michael Kasprowicz, Anupam Sanklecha, Avinash Yadav, Dheeraj Jadhav, Kiran Powar, Nikhil Mandale, Pushkaraj Joshi, Ranjit Khirid, Robin Morris, Shreyas Khanolkar, Shridhar Iyer, Subhojit Paul, Suyash Burkul, Raviraj Patil