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INFORMATION BULLETIN – OCTOBER 29, 2001The objective of this circular is to keep all members awareof the progress we are making in the various areas of endeavour.Please consider these as you plan your various activities for the short and medium term.A: CRICKET COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS INC. (CCAM Inc.)OrganisationalThe Cricket Council of the Americas has been officially incorporated as agreed at the inaugural meeting earlier this year. The offshore company has been incorporated in Antigua, with the registered office and address being that of the West Indies Cricket Board. There are some organisational matters that will require formalization and to facilitate these matters, I am suggesting a net meeting of the original parties. This will be to effectively wind up the old CCAM and transfer all assets and liabilities to the new entity, and to issue shares to all of the membership. I am proposing Friday November 9, 2001 at 11:30 DST (daylight saving time -east coast Canada). Details to be provided no later than Monday, November 5, 2001.Funding UpdateFunding of cricket in the region is severely capped. Discussions are close to conclusion in respect of a holistic package for the signature tournaments of CCAM over a 5-year period. It is envisaged that I shall be in a position to provide details within the next 30 days.Event StatusThe Americas Championship will be held March 7 – 17, 2002. At this stage, plans are progressing well and the next update will be issued on November 15, 2001.The Cricket Development Symposium and Under 13 Tournament has been rescheduled for late July 2002 at Disney in Orlando. Within the next few weeks, we hope to issue a revised programme and more details.The Americas Under 15 will be hosted by USACA, who have initiated plans for this tournament. The first bulletin on this tournament will be issued on November 30, 2001.B: UNDER 19A Combined Americas Team will compete in the 2002 WICB tournament. This tournament will consist of a three (3) day competition and a limited overs competition. The tournament will take place in August 2002 and will last for approximately 3 weeks. Additional details will be supplied at a later date.C: CRICKET ACADEMY PLACESThe West Indies Cricket Board has offered four (4) places in the Shell Cricket Academy of St. George’s University. Prospective candidates should submit application through their Associations and should reach the Regional office no later than November 16, 2001. The target age group is 18 to 23 years, and the Association must provide full educational and medical history as well as a comprehensive cricket history of the player. For further information, please contact me at your convenience. Other discussions are in progress to facilitate extra-regional places for regional players. Details will be supplied as they come to hand.D: MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONSAffiliate applications have been initiated for the following countries, and are at varying stages of progress awaiting expedition by the relevant associations:

1. Cuba
2. Costa Rica
3. Panama
4. Chile
5. Surinam
6. Turks & Caicos

The Cayman Islands are re-applying for Associate membership, and have likewise been advised on the procedure for such. The final application is pending expedition by the Association. There are no other intended applications for Associate MembershipE: MISCELLANEOUSWithin the next few days, you would have noticed that the website has been revamped. I encourage you to assist in maintaining this site through the provision of articles, pictures and other pertinent information to her in a timely basis.

Wolves could be in for a busy summer transfer window as they gear up to see some of their current players leave the club with their contracts due to expire at the end of the season.

However, it seems as though the Midlands club have a plan in place to keep hold of one of their other squad players that has been mentioned with a move away from Molineux in recent weeks.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones had this to say about the upcoming summer transfer window and what Wolves could do in regards to the future of Max Kilman, who has recently been linked with a move to fellow Premier League club Chelsea.

He said: “I think Wolves will probably price him out of the market at this stage if they possibly can. They’ll do what they did with Adama Traore last summer because he’s been so important to them.”

Fans buzzing

The defender joined the Old Gold back in the 2018 summer window on a free transfer from Maidenhead United and has gone on to make 62 senior appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing two assists along the way.

This season has seen the 24-year-old prove how vital he has become for Bruno Lage’s side by racking up more minutes in the league than any other outfield player, meaning that if he does indeed stay at Molineux, supporters will surely be buzzing.

Furthermore, he has racked up an overall performance rating of 6.93/10, making him the fourth-highest rated outfield figure in the squad according to WhoScored.

Taking into account what Jones had to say, if the Midlands club do try and price the centre-back out of a move this summer, it shows just how keen they are be to keep hold of him and how highly Lage rates him.

If the Englishman does end up staying, it would surely be a big thing for the fans to celebrate when you consider how good he’s been on the pitch in this campaign, contributing to an exceptionally good defensive record. Combine that with 99% of voters in a recent poll from Football FanCast declaring they’d been impressed with the defender this season and it’s clear he’s beginning to become a fan favourite.

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Given how young he is compared to his fellow defensive teammates as well such as Conor Coady, Romain Saiss and Willy Boly, Kilman certainly has the potential to be a long-term figure for Wolves if he ignores any potential interest in him from elsewhere and pledges his future to the club.

In other news: “I’m told…”: Journalist drops exciting Wolves transfer claim, Lage would love him – opinion

Sreesanth is looking forward to a good performance in South Africa © Getty Images

Sreesanth, the Indian seamer, is hoping a good showing at the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 will help him earn a recall to the ODI team to play against Australia and Pakistan at home.Sreesanth was dropped from the squad for the ODI series in England after his indifferent form in the Tests. Also, he has an unimpressive ODI record, having bagged 38 wickets in 29 games at an average of 34.94 and economy of 5.66.”I’m hoping to have good games in South Africa. I’ve been working on my bowling,” Sreesanth told . “I haven’t done greatly in one-dayers but I’ll try and come back hard. Hopefully I’ll do well in the Twenty20 and get back into the one-day team.”Sreesanth said he’s aiming at picking up wickets with the slower ball in South Africa. “I’ve basically been working on my slower ball. Twenty20 is about four overs per bowler and if I get my slower balls in the right areas, you end up getting a lot of wickets.””I’m hoping to stay relaxed [n South Africa] because things happen quickly in Twenty20 and as a bowler one has to think and try it at the right time for results,” said Sreesanth, who might lead India’s attack with Ajit Agarkar and RP Singh in the absence of spearhead Zaheer Khan.Sreesanth has also been working on his action. “I am working on my left arm [non bowling arm], which I almost lost during the tests in England,” Sreesanth told .India open the ICC World Twenty20 against Scotland on September 13, and will host Australia for a seven-match ODI series after the tournament, commencing with the first match in Bangalore on September 29.

Gayle’s animated performance cost him 30 percent of his match fee © Getty Images

Chris Gayle has been fined 30% of his match fee following an incident with Michael Clarke during West Indies’ win against Australia in Mumbai on Wednesday. Clarke was found not guitly and also rejected suggestions he called Gayle a “second-class citizen”.Gayle’s loud comments and animated demeanour during the 10-run victory were at odds with his usual placid self. The situation appeared to be getting the better of him at one stage and, when fielding off his own bowling, he hurled the ball back at Clarke to shy at the stumps but it went above the wicketkeeper for four overthrows. Gayle also followed Clarke down the pitch after one over and appeared to nudge him.”What started off as banter between the two players got out of hand and Chris Gayle went over the top in his reactions,” Mike Procter, the ICC match referee, said after the hearing. “We do not want robots on the field and we want to ensure players play with enthusiasm and passion. We saw a great deal of that during an excellent match on Wednesday but there is a line between what is acceptable and what is not and Chris crossed it.”Gayle was found guilty of a code one breach for failing to “conduct play within the spirit of the game”. Clarke was found not guilty of the same offence in a separate hearing in Mumbai.The Courier-Mail reported a West Indian “insider” saying Gayle was upset by being called a “second-class citizen”. However, Clarke dismissed the claim. “If anyone is second-class it’s me, I’m from Liverpool,” Clarke, who grew up in the working-class Sydney suburb, said. “I didn’t say that – I wouldn’t say that – and neither did any of my team-mates. Why Chris way fired up I’m not sure, I certainly know I didn’t say anything to Chris when he batted.”Ricky Ponting, who has been found guilty twice over the past year for poor on-field behaviour, was upset after the match that charges had not been laid immediately. “If there’s any consistency in the game that should be looked at,” Ponting said. He got his wish when the umpires Mark Benson and Rudi Koertzen changed their minds on Thursday morning.

Alex Gidman stays with Gloucestershire© Getty Images

Alex Gidman has signed a new contract that will keep him with Gloucestershire through to the end of 2007.Gidman, 23, scored 869 runs in all first-class matches last summer, and follows his team-mates Craig Spearman, Jon Lewis, Chris Taylor and Ian Fisher in staying at Bristol. Last winter Gidman was appointed as captain of England A for their tour of India, but suffered a hand injury which forced to return home without actually playing a match.”I am delighted to have committed to the club for three years,” he said, “and I very much look forward to striving as part of the team for more success in the future.”Gloucestershire have won seven one-day trophies in the past six years, including the C&G Trophy in 2003 and 2004 – both finals in which Gidman played.Tom Richardson, the Gloucestershire chief executive, added: “Alex Gidman has a wise head on young shoulders. He has the talent, the work ethic and the right attitude to be a major influence in this club for a considerable time.”

Clive Lloyd: ‘Umpires should be able to defer to the precision of Hawk-Eye …’© Getty Images

Clive Lloyd has called for increased use of technology to help umpires in decision-making. Delivering the Colin Cowdrey Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s, Lloyd suggested that umpires should be given the same aids that television offers its viewers.”How can it be right to ask an umpire to take a split-second decision based on his own eyesight and hearing while everyone else then judges that decision having made use of technology designed for the purpose?”It is time to use technology to the full extent,” Lloyd added. “Umpires should be able to defer to the precision of Hawk-Eye, particularly in determining whether a batsman is lbw, whether there has been a bat-pad catch, and whether a batsman is caught behind the wicket where there’s dispute over whether the ball has or has not been played.”Currently, technology is being used only for line decisions, and to help the on-field umpires with controversial catches taken close to the turf. There have been suggestions to allow both teams a certain number of appeals per day against decisions made by on-field umpires, and Lloyd, currently among the ICC’s panel of match referees, felt that would be the right way to use technology. “I know there are problems about the time this will take,” Lloyd said, “especially if a team is inclined to excessive appealing. But it should be possible to design restrictions on appealing to the use of technology, monitored by the referee.”The other issue that Lloyd was concerned about was the domination of the game by a few countries, leading to more and more no-contests. “World cricket must decide whether it is to consist of occasional riveting battles between three or four super cricket nations like Australia, England and South Africa and one-sided, poorly-attended intervening series between the strong and the weak, or whether it’s prepared to do what is necessary to build up the number of competitive Test-playing nations.”The solution, he said, lay in spreading the funds to the lesser nations, so that they could build sufficient infrastructure. “The ICC should effect and oversee the equitable distribution of funds between developed and under-developed countries. Currently, countries such as my own West Indies are seriously disadvantaged and, as a result, infrastructure development and player development are falling behind.”Despite individual exceptions, for sometimes great human character or talent overcomes all obstacles, there is a correlation between national economies and the performance of their sportsmen and women – it’s inevitable. It means the strong helping the weak and if they do, they will strengthen the whole international game. If they don’t, three or four countries will end up endlessly playing themselves – and everyone will lose patience with that.”

The Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF), which is already an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council, has applied for membership of theAsian Cricket Council (ACC), and also requested permission to send ateam to the 2003 Youth Asia Cup, which starts on July 15.While their membership application is an agenda item down fordiscussion at the ACC meeting on June 14, and likely to be approved, it will probably be too late for Afghanistan to compete in the youth tournament. Syed Ashraful Huq, the ACC’s chief executive, has turned down their request asthe Afghan federation is not yet a member of the council, and that even ifmembership is approved it leaves little time to include an Afghanistan teamin the tournament.However, he said that if ACF membership is approved then they could take part in the Under-17 Asia Cup, which is to be held later this year.The ACF is active in building up cricket in Afghanistan after the recentwar, and has already sent teams to play in two of Pakistan’s domesticcompetitions.The decision seems disappointing from the viewpoint of helpingdevelop cricket in the region, a primary goal of the Asian Cricket Council. Surely a special case could have been made to allow an Afghan youth teamto play while their application was pending? Such a decision would have allowed Afghan youngsters to gain useful experience against stronger Asian teams while boosting the ACF’s morale as they develop cricket in their wartorn country.

Right now, he’s half a world away from Grace Road. But, for Daniel Marsh, physical separation doesn’t necessarily equate to emotional separation from the Leicestershire Foxes’ bid to claim their first National League title in 24 seasons this Sunday.Back at home in Tasmania after a three-month stint as a county import, Marsh is enjoying life as he recovers from the cheekbone injury that shattered his English season.But, with nigh-on just 24 hours remaining before Leicestershire’s crowning match of the summer, he can’t help feeling a few pangs of frustration. That he is not still in England for the conclusion of an impressive one-day campaign that he helped to kick-start nearly five months ago is a cruel blow.”I’m still following their fortunes really closely,” says Marsh of the players he now knows as teammates after taking over from Anil Kumble as the team’s overseas professional this year.”I look on the Internet every day and see how they’re going. Obviously, I’ve got some really good mates there now so I stay in touch regularly.””I’d love still to be there and be a part of what they’re aiming at, especially because I was there for three months of day-to-day cricket. To be taken away from that was very hard. If the team wins on Sunday, it’ll be a good reward for everyone involved at the club. Hopefully, they can do it.”Leicestershire’s progress in the National League this season has proved a classical rollercoaster ride. Matters didn’t start propitiously: the side found itself at a scoreline of 5/14 in its very first match against Gloucestershire before it somehow climbed off the canvas to win. Alongside an equally impressive run which took the club all the way to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy Final, five victories from the next six games then followed to leave the side on the brink of claiming only its second-ever League crown.But the tide has turned dramatically again in the last month with only two wins coming from the last five fixtures. It all ensures that the Foxes now need either to win at Nottingham on Sunday – or hope that Kent loses to Warwickshire – to be confirmed as champions.”It seems like the guys haven’t been playing their best cricket over the past two or three weeks and that’s obviously to do with the pressure of trying to win this competition,” adds Marsh. “But, if they can play anywhere near their ability, they should hopefully beat Nottinghamshire and win the title.”When it became clear back in December that coach Jack Birkenshaw’s quest for a new import had netted the club the son of former Australian wicketkeeping icon Rodney, the revelation was greeted with surprise in some quarters. By contrast, those who knew Marsh’s game well realised it was a heady selection. Although he still remains underestimated in Australia, the 28-year old was Tasmania’s Player of the Year in 1999-2000 and has offered the state consistently impressive contributions ever since crossing from South Australia in 1996-97.After a nervous start with scores of 0 and 5 in the team’s final warmup match, he was duly a tower of strength in the nine first-class and 11 limited-overs appearances that represented his first foray into county competition. He found a formula for success quickly, tailoring his powerful batting and accurate left arm spin bowling to suit pitches which almost universally played lower and slower than those to which he is accustomed at home. His performance against Nottinghamshire – in which he hammered out an unbeaten 67, claimed 4/44, and held two catches – might even be remembered as one of the most complete individual efforts produced by any county player this season.Moreover, he was very much at the heart of the county’s inspired start to the National League season. It was no mere coincidence that Leicestershire won all five of the games in which he participated. Only with the advent of his freak injury – while fielding at second slip in a Championship match against Surrey in early July – was the gloss removed from the tale.”We’d just taken the second new ball … Ian Salisbury was batting, went to let one go, but it just hit the face of his bat and landed about a metre in front of me. I went down to try and stop it but it just took off and came straight into the side of my face.””Ultimately, I realised something wasn’t quite right, went and had it checked out, and sure enough it was broken. The doctor basically said I wasn’t going to be able to play for eight weeks.”Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi nevertheless helped the team to more League wins upon his appointment as a hurriedly organised replacement, and what looked a near-impregnable lead was duly maintained until deep into the summer. General reversals in confidence and form have threatened to undo all the hard work but the club still remains in the box seat to emerge as the competition’s Division One winner.In short, it’s now a case of attempting to add the final touch to a memorable campaign. And one thing’s for sure if the result does go the Foxes’ way on Sunday: the excitement will spread far beyond those at Grace Road. Half a world away, in fact.

Patrick Boyland has revealed that Richarlison could now leave Everton in the summer, if a substantial transfer offer is made.

The Lowdown: Key player

There is no doubt that the 24-year-old is still a key player at Goodison Park, having been a great servant to them over the years.

The Brazil international has scored 47 goals and provided a further 12 assists in 136 games across all competitions for the Merseyside club (Transfermarkt), but with a serious threat of relegation this season, they may find it difficult to keep him in the summer.

The Latest: Boyland’s Richarlison reveal

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, Boland has revealed that Richarlison could now leave Everton if a ‘big bid’ is made, with Paris Saint-Germain among a number of ‘top clubs’ who have tracked the Brazil forward.

The Toffees know that it would be ‘tough’ to replace him, and the 24-year-old has ‘lofty ambitions’ of his own.

The Verdict: Worrying

Especially in the midst of a relegation battle, it is certainly worrying that Richarlison could leave Everton this summer, a prospect which will no doubt be elevated if they go down.

Currently on £110,000-per-week, he would likely be one man who would have to be shown the exit door first if they were in the Championship, and even if they manage to stay in the Premier League, the forward will unlikely want to be part of another relegation battle, so he may look elsewhere.

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Dubbed ‘fantastic’ by former Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti, Richarlison is also a key player for Frank Lampard, who will be hoping that the 24-year-old can do enough to at least help the Toffees to stay up, before then evaluating his future at the end of the campaign.

In other news, Everton are ‘hedging their bets’ on this deal

ScorecardAfter a strong start, Lions collapsed dramatically in their chase of 176, losing nine wickets for 73 runs to fall 29 short of Knights in Potchefstroom.Lions had raced to 73 for 0 in 8.5 overs, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Devon Conway batting solidly. They needed 103 off 73 balls with all wickets intact, a fairly straightforward equation, before Conway was caught behind off Malusi Siboto for 36. That dismissal began the first part of the Lions collapse, in which three wickets fell for 15 runs. Offspinner Werner Coetsee dismissed Alviro Petersen and van der Dussen, who made 40 off 26 balls, in successive overs.From 88 for 3, Andre Malan and Thami Tsolekile took Lions to 122 for 3, but the run rate had slowed and they needed 54 off 25 balls. Siboto once again made the crucial strike for Knights, bowling Tsolekile for 20. The collapse was swift thereafter. Lions lost their next three wickets for one run in the space of five deliveries, with Shadley van Schalkwyk taking two off successive balls. The chase fizzled out and Lions ended with 146 for 9, with West Indian allrounder Andre Russell returning economical figures of 1 for 21 in four overs for Knights.Knights had also enjoyed a strong start after they had lost the toss, their openers Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw adding 90 in 10.3 overs. Rossouw made 46 off 29 balls, but Hendricks batted through the innings, remaining unbeaten on 72 off 56. Hendricks’ solidity at one end helped Knights overcome a period during which they lost three wickets for 26 runs. Wicketkeeper Tulemo Bodibe gave the innings a strong finish by smacking 22 off 9 balls, leading Knights to the match-winning total of 175 for 5.