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The WICB has appointed Johnny Grave as its new chief executive

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Jan-2017The WICB has appointed Johnny Grave as its new chief executive. Grave, who is serving his notice period at the Professional Cricketers’ Association in England, where he has been employed as commercial director for the last nine years, will assume the WICB role from February.The position of the WICB CEO was left vacant once Michael Muirhead stepped down on October 14 last year, although he continued in the role until December at the request of the board.Dave Cameron, the WICB president, said in a media release on Monday that Grave was a “unanimous choice” of the interview panel from a shortlist drawn up by global consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers.The WICB stated that among the “top” priorities for Grave would include overseeing $40 million budget of the WICB with “an increased focus on player relations and improved performances on and off the field”. Muirhead’s tenure saw the board turn around its finances but also featured disputes with senior players over pay and selection.”Johnny has a proven track record of success in his career to date and a huge amount of relevant experience and will add exceptional value to the organisation,” Cameron said.Grave, who will be based in Antigua, said he was excited by his next challenge. “I am genuinely excited by the opportunity of improving cricket at all levels within the region and am looking forward to working with the many stakeholders who are committed to the long-term development of West Indies Cricket.”

Liverpool are creeping towards the latter stages of a deal to bring OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram to Anfield, according to reports.

What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?

A report from Football Transfers claims the Frenchman has 'verbally agreed terms' on a deal with the Anfield side, with manager Jurgen Klopp tracking the player since January.

Such claims are corroborated by the prominent Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter on Thursday to state that the Reds have scheduled a fresh round of talks with the Merseyside outfit.

With interest in Thuram believed to be high, as much as €60m (£52m) could be required to prise him away from the French Ligue 1, though such a sum could be worthwhile considering the calibre of his skill set.

What would Khephren Thuram bring to Liverpool?

It cannot be surprising to any avid football fan that Liverpool are undergoing major midfield surgery following a dismal campaign that illuminated the need for change, compounded by the mass exodus – James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left upon the expiry of their contracts, while stricken loanee Arthur has also left the Premier League club.

However, given the situation Klopp is beset with, failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons and ceding acres of territory to those at the forefront of the division, this is a blessing in disguise and the opportune moment to rekindle the flame has arisen, with the bargain £35m transfer of Alexis Mac Allister already concluded.

Considering the aforementioned departees, Thuram would have the perfect chance to cement a starting berth as the prestigious outfit look to commence a renaissance, having earned praise as the "perfect profile" by journalist Alex Jaquin.

While the midfield and its inability to effectively protect the defence this season has been the crux of Liverpool's demise, Thuram's acquisition could actually bolster the offensive ranks, too, with the new-look frontline exhibiting glimpses of brilliance over the past year but yet to click into top gear.

Mohamed Salah has been as imperious as ever, though, and plundered 30 goals and 16 assists from 51 matches across all competitions, and while he did not start off as emphatically as he would have hoped, 20 of his 31 direct contributions in the top flight occurred after the midpoint and could tantalise further stunning form when Liverpool ostensibly return to prominence next year.

Thuram can aid this and then some; as per FBref, the £15k-per-week machine ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons and the top 25% for assists per 90, illustrating his knack at driving forward and creating danger in the final third.

Salah, who ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box, can act as both the conduit from which Thuram can latch onto and the dynamic forward to provide a multi-faceted edge to the attack.

Hailed for his "tremendous" abilities by one Anfield Wrap podcaster, Thuram could be the dream signing to both enrich Liverpool's midfield vibrancy and infuse the robustness of the centre with the potency of the attack, and Klopp must throw the kitchen sink at tying up a deal this summer.

Tom Westley finished the day unbeaten on 238, his highest first-class score, to put Essex in total command at Chelmsford

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Chelmsford01-Sep-2016
ScorecardTom Westley passed 200 for the first time in his career•Getty Images

“It’s not very often I bat a whole day,” said Tom Westley, as he mopped the sweat away from his reddened face and scratched a beard that may not have been there when he began this innings. He is, at the time of writing, unbeaten on 238 from 361 balls. His maiden double hundred arrived from 319 balls and provided Essex with the brunt of a dominant performance that saw the hosts hammer Worcestershire for 401 runs in the day.Talk of Tom Westley’s feats this season bring with it the caveat of Division Two cricket. And that is right up to a point: James Vince’s Test form may have put the feats of second-tier stylists into context. But Westley’s is a case that deserves to be heard. He is a player in the form of his life, with an appreciation of his batting that has matured from flaky to reliable without any loss of indulgence.Yesterday’s portion of his innings saw him bring up four figures in the Championship for the first time in his career. If that surprises somewhat, then factor in that this is the first season in which Westley has struck more than two red-ball centuries. And he only previously managed multiple centuries in 2012, both in Championship cricket. When he reached 100 today, from 182 balls – his fifth of 2016 – he became the third Essex batsman to score three Championship hundreds, alongside Alastair Cook and Dan Lawrence.Even as early as the start of May, Westley knew he was onto something: runs came better and quicker than they ever have. Even abject failure from now until the season’s end will leave him with his best season average. Currently, only Jonny Bairstow has more first-class runs in 2016.He cannot quite put his finger on what has given him this extra push, but he does credit age – at 27, this is his 10th season of first-class cricket – and a winter spent working with Andy Flower, Graham Thorpe and Gary Kirsten on the England Lions tour in the UAE. There were not too many adjustments but enough to allow him to embrace his leg-side game, without leaving him susceptible outside off.Having started the season well, with a notable century against Sri Lanka, he dipped through the middle but was buoyed by a one-day hundred and “quite a few fifties” to reassure himself that the purple patch was still going. Once the previous personal best of 185 was out of the way, thoughts turned to the double hundred.Westley’s ability to find midwicket is unparalleled in the domestic game and often sees him spoilt for company when new to the crease. In the corresponding fixture at New Road earlier this year, he was greeted with four midwicket fielders in the second innings after reeling off 125 in the first. Aided by a bottom hand that wraps all the way around his bat handle, he is able to punch and drive through the region with ease. Today, even his forward defence seemed to send the ball in that direction. Fittingly, on 199, he beat the three fielders stationed there for the boundary that took him to 203.The number of balls he sent in that particular direction made Chelmsford seem like a slanted pool table, as the majority of his 37 boundaries were collected from the midwicket rope. Try as they might, Worcestershire could not find the appropriate book or folded bit of paper to level things up.What success they had was erased by what followed. Cook nicked off for 66 after bringing up his second fifty of the season, which made way for a 213-run partnership between Westley and Ravi Bopara. When Worcestershire then took two wickets for one run, Ryan ten Doeschate ran them – and Westley – ragged to score his fifth Championship half-century in a row. A real salt-in-the-wounds partnership brought up 100 in 101 balls.If there was one blot for Essex, it was a 99 for Bopara. After 18 Championship innings, he is still without a century this season, despite six fifties including a previous season-best of 94. He looked as good as he has done, playing with time and panache – the sort of innings you expect from Bopara. In among the 16 crisp boundaries was a six off George Rhodes that cleared the sight screen and cannoned off a house at the Hayes Close end and into its garden. However, the pursuit of three figures is proving a struggle for a man weighed down by his sheer volume of nineties in the past three seasons.”You know I’m not going to get a hundred, right?” he joked to Westley, as the landmark loomed. A short ball from Jack Shantry was smashed to square leg for four, to take him to 99. The very next delivery, Bopara plopped forward, perhaps looking for a single into the off side, and edge through to Ross Whiteley. “He was right,” remarked a sympathetic Westley. Should Bopara not complete the journey to three figures with his remaining innings, it will be the first time since 2004 that he has not scored at least one first class hundred in a season.

India captain MS Dhoni said he had guessed correctly that the final delivery from Dwayne Bravo would be a slower ball but his execution of the shot let him down. With two runs needed off one ball, Dhoni was caught at short third man and West Indies won the first T20 international by the narrowest of margins.Dhoni said his team should be commended for their valiant chase in the highest-scoring T20 game ever. “I feel there were plenty of positives in this game because the way we chased down 245 runs, apart from the last ball,” he said after the match. “I felt we were totally in the game. Even the last ball, the thinking was right, the execution was wrong.”A cat-and-mouse game that had been developing over the course of the final six balls reached a new level as Bravo engaged in several discussions, stalling for several minutes ahead of the last ball, with two required by Dhoni to secure what would have been a record chase. Even though Dhoni said he knew what was going to be sent down, he praised Bravo’s skills in such a pressure moment.”When it comes to Bravo, I feel in the current scenario he’s among the best when it comes to the death bowling,” Dhoni said. “The amount of experience that he has really counts so you always know if he’s bowling it’s tough. What then becomes important is how we’re executing.”You have to really guess what he’s looking to bowl and according to that you play your shots. So if you guess the bowler well and execute well, you’ll end up winning. Rather than thinking who is bowling, what’s important is to think what his strength is and where he’ll look to pitch the next delivery.”Despite India conceding the third highest total in a T20I, Dhoni praised his bowlers for their effort to reel West Indies back in after Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis added 126 for the first wicket in 9.3 overs. By the end of the 11th over – a 32-run sequence in which Lewis struck the first five legal deliveries from Stuart Binny for six before mis-hitting a full toss – West Indies were 164 for 1.Dhoni said he thought West Indies were on track for 270 or more before R Ashwin started to shift momentum with a four-run 12th over, bowling with the breeze at his back.The wind from the pavilion end helped the spinners throughout the rest of the innings, and Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja conceded just 18 runs in the 12th, 14th and 16th overs. India’s pace bowlers also began nailing their yorkers and the result was just 40 runs off the final four overs to keep West Indies to 245.MS Dhoni said his bowlers did well to pull West Indies back to 245, after they had looked like getting 270•BCCI

“I felt the way the boys performed overall was very good,” Dhoni said. “I was very happy how we brought the opposition down when it came to the last eight overs. That really matters because that is something where we have struggled quite consistently but it was a good exposure to our bowlers and they finished up well to restrict them to 245.”Dhoni also praised the batting efforts of KL Rahul, who struck his maiden T20I century in just his fourth match. Rahul ended 110 not out off 51 balls, having missed the fastest T20I ton by two deliveries, taking 46 balls to reach three figures.”He has been very consistent,” Dhoni said. “I feel that is a strength of Rahul also, compact player but at the same time unorthodox shots. He plays all over the ground, over covers, mid off, mid on. So a complete cricketer. Of course there’s a long way to go for him but the way he has played in the last six months, it’s very encouraging to see him bat.”As for the experience of playing in Florida in front of a heavily partisan Indian diaspora, Dhoni joked that “even if we’re playing in Bermuda Triangle, they’ll be there”. He also praised the efforts put in by the groundstaff at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill.”The facility is as good as anywhere else,” Dhoni said. “The ground itself is up to international standard. You can’t score 500 runs on a bad wicket, so fantastic wicket. The practice wickets were fantastic. When it comes to the stadium, it’s not a big stadium. The moment I say stadium I mean the number of fans it can house. I think it’s close to 15,000. So overall looking at everything as a complete package, I think it was fantastic. We had fun.”When it comes to the Indian fans, it’s a pleasure playing in front of them. They follow us everywhere wherever we are playing. So it’s a first time we are playing in the USA but not to forget we have a big Indian community out here so thanks to them for coming and watching the game.”

HLTCO host Dan Cook has claimed that Crystal Palace should take the "difficult" decision to sell Michael Olise this summer if a big enough bid comes in.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

The good news for the Eagles is that they will be playing Premier League football again next term as Roy Hodgson has done enough to keep the club from relegation with three games to spare.

The bad news is that a couple of key first-team players could be leaving. First of all, Wilfried Zaha looks poised to leave Palace this summer when his contract expires – with Arsenal and Chelsea named as possible destinations.

On top of that, centre-back Marc Guehi has impressed plenty in recent times and looks likely to be a target for Tottenham Hotspur amid strong transfer links in the media.

Adding to this, it was now been reported by the Daily Mail that French Giants PSG are keen on bringing Olise to Ligue 1 next season as they consider a future beyond Lionel Messi and Neymar.

While most Palace fans won't want to lose any of the three above, Cook has reasoned that the club's 21-year-old winger was signed with the intention of one day selling for a big profit and so they would be unwise to turn down any major offers from the likes of PSG.

Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, the host explained (7:20): “It's very difficult, isn't it? Because you look at Michael, a jewel in our crown, but ultimately someone that we've signed with the intention of selling at some point in the future for an astronomical sum of money.

"I think we paid roughly 8 million pounds to sign him from Reading, which in the fullness of time has looked like an absolute bargain from our perspective.

“But if PSG are serious about taking Michael off our hands, then you've got to be looking to 60, 70 million pounds potentially, once the entire deal is shaken out.

"And if we can do that, then it is very much part of the business model, you know to buy low and sell high.

"And it might not be the most positive news story you will ever hear in relation to Crystal Palace. But as I've said throughout the last 12 to 18 months, we as a fan base have to get used to this as the long-term project us.

"You know, we need to manipulate the market in a way that suits us."

How much did Palace pay for Olise?

It's not hard to see why the 21-year-old winger has caught the attention of some top clubs. After all, with two goals and nine assists in the league this term, no Palace player has more direct goal contributions – with Eberechi Eze also on 11 with eight goals and three assists.

What's more, only Eze has a better average WhoScored rating than Olise in the entire palace – 6.96 compared to 6.94 – and so you can appreciate how important the young winger is for the Eagles.

But If Palace can turn a considerable profit on that £8m they paid for him back in the summer of 2021, now might be the perfect time to cash in and then reinvest that money in another undiscovered gem.

Tottenham Hotspur have gone all-in on a three-at-the-back system in recent years, first appointing Nuno Espirito Santo only to follow that up with Antonio Conte, one of the most infamous users of such a philosophy.

Whilst this has its benefits, often remaining compact in the middle whilst retaining attacking options out wide in the wing-backs, it is somewhat restrictive, as the Lilywhites have showcased during this struggling season.

To truly achieve success, as Arsenal and Manchester City are outlining, a fine blend of various systems must be struck that seeks to achieve the perfect balance.

Regardless, to appoint a new boss this summer who instead prefers four defenders would essentially be resigning the club to further transitional years whilst the players develop and the squad can be slowly altered.

It would have to be a truly outstanding manager to surrender precious years to this move, but in Ange Postecoglou, it might just be worth it. They have to go all in on one coach eventually.

The Australian remains a fine option for Daniel Levy, who would provide the free-flowing attacking play that has been missing in north London for so long.

However, his appointment could spell danger for Pedro Porro, despite a promising start to life at the club. Given the 4-3-3 system that the 57-year-old employs, the Spaniard would be left floundering given his role would become obsolete.

How does Ange Postecoglou set up?

The all-action philosophy of the tactician is based upon the foundation set by this formation, which has brought unbridled success to Celtic since his move.

Across 108 matches in charge of the Parkhead club, he has enjoyed 81 wins at an impressive points-per-match average of 2.35, claiming three trophies, with another league title on the way.

He has done so in a manner that BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves described as "such good football," claiming: "They go at everyone. Ange Postecoglou and the way he plays with beautiful attacking football, he goes after everyone."

By sending his wingers very wide, the hope is that space will open up in the channels between the opposition's full-back and the centre-back. His full-back or central midfielders can then operate in this area, afforded ample space to provide for the striker.

Although this would align with Porro's desperation to push forward, given his four goal contributions recorded already since his January move, the 23-year-old is neither a right winger nor a natural right back.

This awkward middle ground could frustrate the incoming boss, who had preferred someone who can mix attack and defence whilst remaining solid, like World Cup star Josip Juranovic.

In his 12 Premier League games since joining the club, the defender has been dribbled past twice per game, via Sofascore. For all his offensive impetus, Postecoglou could not allow such defensive tardiness in his team.

Levy seemingly would have to choose whether his desire to appoint this particular manager outweighs his appreciation for their big January signing.

Referee Simon Hooper and his VAR team may have made a big mistake as they missed a possible foul on Gabriel Jesus late on in the latest Arsenal game.

What's the latest on VAR and Arsenal?

The Gunners suffered another setback in their hunt for Premier League glory as they were held to a third conservative draw last night.

Indeed, after picking up just a point from Liverpool in a 2-2 draw and then doing the same against West Ham United, Arsenal repeated the trick against Southampton.

This time, however, instead of going two goals up, they went two behind and eventually had to claw back a 3-3 draw thanks to two late goals from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Indeed, the club captain netted in the 88th minute and the Saints conceded again just two minutes later. Then, with just seconds left on the clock, the ball fell to Jesus inside the penalty box.

As the footage shared on Twitter shows, the Brazilian takes a touch and is about to shoot before an opposition player clumsily bundles him over.

Was it a penalty on Jesus for Arsenal?

The replay shows that the ball isn't won clearly and Jesus is knocked to the ground without getting his shot away. It's the sort of decision where had Hooper pointed to the spot, VAR likely wouldn't have overturned it.

However, the Gunners didn't have any luck here as the referee decided against awarding a penalty and those in charge of the technology didn't feel as though it was a big enough mistake to get involved.

And so, Southampton cleared their lines and hung on to a point. This could prove costly for Arsenal now, as they've failed to extend their league at the top of the table quite as much as they would have hoped.

Indeed, they next travel to the Etihad to play Manchester City just five points ahead of Pep Guardiola and co, despite having played two more games.

With that being the case, the situation is simple. Mikel Arteta and his team almost certainly need an away win on Wednesday night if they are to do the improbable and actually lift the Premier League at the end of May.

No doubt they'll be hoping for a little bit more luck with the officials in Manchester – though they'll also need a vastly improved performance from the whole team.

Newcastle United continued their rampant recent form with a thumping 5-1 victory over relegation strugglers West Ham United on Wednesday evening, with Eddie Howe’s side strengthening their hold on third place in the Premier League.

Just a matter of days after overpowering top-four rivals Manchester United, the Magpies looked rather ferocious again at the London Stadium, with both Callum Wilson and Joelinton netting a brace, while substitute Alexander Isak bagged his fourth goal from his last four top-flight games.

On a day of overwhelming positives for the St James’ Park outfit, it was undoubtedly that man Wilson who stole the headlines, with the England international yet again proving a thorn in the side of the Hammers after bagging his 11th and 12th goal against yesterday’s opponents in just 13 career meetings.

We at Football FanCast had suggested prior to the match that it would be an astute move to slot the 31-year-old back into the starting lineup due to that stellar record against the Irons, with the Coventry-born ace undoubtedly warranting the faith of his manager after getting the nod over man of the moment, Isak.

While Wilson’s impact may have perhaps been expected due to his remarkable history in the fixture, there were few who anticipated the returning Joelinton to also bag a double, with the Brazilian maestro proving yet again just why he has been “magic” for Howe this season, as per Simon L’Estrange.

How did Joelinton perform against West Ham?

After only featuring off the bench against the Red Devils last Sunday – after serving a two-game suspension prior to that – the 26-year-old more than made his mark after replacing Joe Willock in the starting XI, having been a “tireless” presence in the centre of the park, according to writer James Nalton.

The ‘rock solid’ machine – as hailed by the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder – showed great composure to round the advancing Lukasz Fabianski to bag his first of the night – and Newcastle’s second – before capping a fine individual and collective performance with another goal at the death from the angle.

The £85k-per-week man was truly “outstanding” on the night – according to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope – with his 8.5 match rating, as per Sofascore, the highest of any player for either side.

That stellar rating was more than justified due to the 27-pass ace’s all-round display, having also proved a real asset in a defensive sense after winning six total duels and earning two fouls for his side.

While the former Hoffenheim powerhouse did lose possession on 14 occasions, he was able to offer a real dynamic and creative threat in the final third after registering one key pass and completing his solitary dribble attempt, with the home side having simply been unable to live with his desire to surge forward from deep.

Following his recent absence from the side, Joelinton certainly reminded both his manager and supporters of his importance to the Magpies’ midfield machine, with it set to prove difficult to dislodge the all-action hero from now on.

Manchester United appear to be interested in a potential summer swoop for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The Lowdown: Onana profiled

Onana is 26 years of age and made the move to Italy from Ajax last summer on a free transfer. The Cameroon international is on a £3.48m-a-year contract with his current employers but began the current campaign on the bench.

He seems to have established himself as first choice ahead of Samir Handanovic, making 28 appearances in all competitions, keeping an impressive 14 clean sheets.

Lauded as a ‘superstar’ by journalist Oma Akatugba back in February, Onana is under contract until 2027 but has already been linked with a move away this summer.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Gazzetta Dello Sport regarding Onana in the last 48 hours. They claimed that United and Chelsea have ‘knocked on his door’, seemingly making contact, with Premier League rivals Tottenham also keen.

The report adds that Inter wish to hold the goalkeeper for longer and that a ‘mind-boggling offer’ could be needed, with Onana himself not thought to be interested in an exit.

The Verdict: Needed?

Erik ten Hag could be on the search for a new goalkeeper this summer, even if David de Gea signs a new contract to remain at Old Trafford.

Dean Henderson is reportedly ‘unlikely to be welcomed back to Old Trafford when his loan at Nottingham Forest expires after criticising Ten Hag’, whereas Jack Butland is only on loan until the end of the season and Tom Heaton is out of contract in the summer.

Therefore, a new ‘keeper to rival De Gea like Onana could be a wise move. He has worked under Ten Hag before at Ajax and has actually made more than half of his senior career appearances under the Dutchman.

Ten Hag will know all about the shot-stopper’s qualities, however, he did once drop him for a cup final prior to making the move to Manchester following Onana’s decision to join Inter, while the player was also sent home from the World Cup in Qatar after a row with manager Rigobert Song.

A move for the Cameroon international could be a tricky one to complete given the player and club’s stance, but it is good to see the Red Devils are seemingly exploring the market ahead of the summer, with a new midfielder and forward also high up on their transfer wishlist.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has personally set his sights on Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs links…

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve been hearing links to the Ivory Coast international with reports of Spurs interest dating as far back as Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign.

Indeed, sporting director Fabio Paratici apparently tried to sign Kessie for his former manager, as 2021 claims suggested offers were sent to the player from north London.

Kessie was repeatedly mentioned as a target for the Premier League side before his move to Barcelona, yet in recent weeks, rumours have resurfaced that Spurs could make a move.

The Latest: Conte eyes Kessie…

Even despite the uncertainty surrounding Conte’s future at Spurs. it’s now been reported that the Italian wants Kessie at N17.

Spanish outlet Sport state that the Tottenham boss really likes him, and as a result, the Lilywhites are seriously interested in his signing.

They add that the 26-year-old could be a ‘good deal’ for Spurs and it is a ‘serious’ track to follow.

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The Verdict: Great player…

The £153,000-per-week man has found life difficult at Barca so far, having failed to cement his place in the starting eleven on a consistent basis under Xavi.

That being said, the former AC Milan star has proven his undoubted ability as a midfield threat in recent seasons – scoring 21 goals and grabbing a further seven assists in all competitions from the beginning of 2020/21 to 2021/22 (Transfermarkt).

Members of the media have previously branded Kessie an ‘exciting’ player, and at just 26, he has only just begun to hit his prime.

Tottenham could offer him a way out this summer, a move which could be practical given the long-term injury to star man Rodrigo Bentancur.