All posts by h716a5.icu

Everton have had a busy transfer window securing three signings early into the window and with Rafa Benitez recently sacked, no further signings have been made or attempted with the Everton board distracted by finding the next manager to lead the side at Goodison Park, but the Toffees have now been linked to a huge player.

What’s the word?

Bundesliga journalist, Christian Falks, has confirmed that Everton are interested in signing Bayern Munich player, Thomas Muller, alongside Newcastle United.

Falks tweeted; “TRUE @Everton and @NUFC want @esmuellert_ (contract til 2023 at @FCBayern).”

It has not been confirmed as to whether this interest is for an immediate move in the last days of the January transfer window or if they are looking to the summer window to snatch the World Cup winner from Bayern Munich.

Imagine him & DCL

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is having a slow start in his return to the side since he endured a long term injury for the majority of this season so far and is yet to score since after missing a penalty in his first game back, with fans surely hoping he can find his form as soon as possible to help Everton climb the Premier League table back into a safe place from their current position just four points shy of the relegation zone.

Muller, who was hailed “world-class” by his former teammate Mario Gomez, has been instrumental to the success of both Bayern Munich and his German national team, winning ten Bundesliga titles, two Champions Leagues and one World Cup to name just 13 of his 30 trophies won throughout his career so far, and that kind of winning experience is something Everton are desperate for.

The £22.5m-rated star is the third-highest scoring player ever for Bayern Munich, bagging 223 goals and registering 238 assists in his time at the club, with an astonishing goal involvement every 98 minutes he has played.

This phenomenal attacking output could definitely provide Calvert-Lewin with a fierce attacking partner who can change the trajectory massively for Everton’s future in the Premier League.

If the interest is genuine, it is a no brainer for Farhad Moshiri to make a move for the 32-year-old who is still having a huge impact this season with nine goals and 20 assists already in just 29 appearances.

That means Everton should not be put off by his age and should seize the opportunity if it arises to bring Muller to Goodison Park either this month or in the summer, as he’s exactly what Duncan Ferguson needs if he is to remain in charge.

In other news: Alan Myers drops two-word update on Everton manager search

Lasith Malinga has said that he is honoured to join Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas as the only three Sri Lankan bowlers to take 100 Test wickets

Sa'adi Thawfeeq at the P Sara Oval05-Aug-2010Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga has said that he is honoured to join Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas as the only three Sri Lankan bowlers to take 100 Test wickets after he reached the milestone during the third day’s play at the P Sara Oval.His landmark wicket was that of the greatest run-getter in Test cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, whom he had caught behind for 41. Malinga later went on to dismiss the Indian captain MS Dhoni to finish with figures of 3 for 119.”I was keen to get wickets in Test matches but I was injured and couldn’t play Test cricket for nearly three years,” Malinga said. “I came into this series with 92 wickets from 28 Tests and I am extremely happy with my effort to capture my 100 wickets in my 30th Test.”After taking a five-wicket haul in the first Test in Galle, Malinga said he was actually rested for the second game at the SSC as a precautionary measure.”Normally when a bowler comes back from an injury he plays a few three or four-day games before playing in a Test match. I played in ODIs and Twenty20s but I was confident I could go through a five-day Test match and that is why I played at Galle,” Malinga said. “Because I was playing five-day cricket after a long time I found that I had strained my body and was not fit so I took rest in the second Test and came back to play in the third.”Malinga stated that he could be a more effective bowler if he got good support from the other end. “But unfortunately Chanaka Welegedara didn’t have a good game in the Indian first innings, but that does not mean he is a bad bowler. He can always come back and get wickets in the second innings. He is a good bowler.”I bowl as many wicket-taking balls. If I think I can get a wicket with a bouncer I will bowl it. I thought bowling bouncers at the Indian batsmen was the best thing to do so I used the short ball a little bit more than usual.”Malinga said that a target of 275 in the fourth innings could be a challenging one for India.”We have batsmen who can play according to the situation and have made runs even on bad wickets. If we bat the whole day tomorrow we can set India a target and put them under pressure,” Malinga said. “Suraj Randiv and Ajantha Mendis are getting the ball to turn and they will be effective on a turning wicket and pose a real challenge to the Indian batsmen. I think it will turn out to be an interesting contest on the final day.”

Kent kept alive their hopes of reaching the Clydesdale Bank 40 semi-finals with a comfortable victory over Leicestershire in their Group C clash at Grace Road.

30-Aug-2010
ScorecardKent kept alive their hopes of reaching the Clydesdale Bank 40 semi-finals with a comfortable victory over Leicestershire in their Group C clash at Grace Road. After dismissing the Foxes for 182 in 38.1 overs the Spitfires cruised to their target with little trouble to clinch a six-wicket win with 6.4 overs to spare.Openers Joe Denly and Robert Key provided the platform for the victory with a stand of 86 in the first 15 overs. Then, after a mini collapse when four wickets fell for 36 runs, Darren Stevens and Alex Blake steered Kent home with an unbeaten stand of 73.The Foxes, who have not won at home in the competition since beating Nottinghamshire in their first match in April, fell away badly after making a solid start to their innings. Put in to bat they raced to 52 for 1 in the eight overs of Powerplay with James Benning and Jacques Du Toit sharing a stand of 44 before Benning was bowled by a well disguised slower ball from Matthew Coles.But the run out of Du Toit for 25 six overs later triggered a collapse which saw four wickets crash for 10 runs in four overs, leaving the Foxes struggling at 81 for 5. The innings was given some much needed backbone by Matthew Boyce and Tom New who joined forces in a sixth-wicket partnership of 79 in 16 overs.The two left-handers played sensibly but took their opportunities to pick up boundaries off anything off line or loose. But the stand was finally broken by some clever bowling from leg spinner Malinga Bandara who had Boyce smartly stumped by Geraint Jones as he stretched forward having made 41 off 58 balls.Although New continued to defy the Kent attack with an unbeaten 47 the innings folded alarmingly with the last three wickets falling 11 runs in 13 balls with the Foxes unable to bat through the full 40 overs. Coles finished with 3 for 27 and there was two wickets apiece for Bandara and Simon Cook.Denly and Key gave the Spitfires a flying start with a succession of boundaries. Denly hit five fours and a six in a knock of 40 and Key hit seven boundaries before being trapped lbw by Matthew Hoggard for 45.Then Stevens and Blake ensured Kent stayed in the hunt for a semi-final place with a brisk sixth-wicket stand, Stevens hitting the winning boundary off Alex Wyatt to finish with 42 not out. Blake was 41 not out off 40 balls having hit six fours and a six.One unusual note from the match was that there was not a single catch in a game in which a total of 14 wickets fell.

Leeds United are still looking to bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s playing squad before Monday’s transfer deadline despite suffering a blow to top target Brenden Aaronson…

What’s the word?

Indeed, the American midfielder has been subject to intense interest from the Yorkshire giants this January transfer window but RB Salzburg have rebuffed all of their advances so far, including a £15m bid last week.

However, according to reliable Express journalist Ryan Taylor, those at Elland Road are working hard to bring in alternative options.

“We haven’t really heard much on specific names, but from some of the people I’ve spoken to, it seems like there is other stuff going on [than the Aaronson pursuit ]behind the scenes,” he revealed to GIVEMESPORT.

Exciting news

Now, this is surely going to alleviate some of the fears from the Whites’ faithful.

It’s no secret that manager Marcelo Bielsa desperately needs reinforcements to his depleted squad, having had to deal with a major injury crisis at Thorp Arch throughout the season.

Earlier this month, he was left with eight academy prospects on a bench of nine players for a Premier League clash against West Ham United and is still missing several key stars, including skipper Liam Cooper and defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-lufc-transfer-rumours-gossip-bielsa-orta-radrizzani-elland-road-updates” title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

That’s why Leeds have seemingly targeted an engine room addition in Aaronson, a role they have been looking to strengthen for several windows now but with a lack of options available, that has become a priority.

However, they will struggle to convince the Austrian champions into a sale before Monday, leaving that deal likely to happen in the summer instead.

But it still leaves Bielsa in a tricky situation, so it’s got to be hugely encouraging to see this latest update from Taylor, who is usually on the money with Premier League transfers.

United have been linked to other midfield names in recent times, including Derby County gem Jason Knight, Marseille powerhouse Boubacar Kamara and long-time target Nahitan Nandez.

Either way, the fact that Victor Orta and co aren’t resting on their laurels after missing out on Aaronson is hugely exciting news and many supporters should be thrilled.

It could be a busy few days in west Yorkshire.

AND in other news, Graham Smyth reveals worrying Leeds United transfer update…

England will reveal their Ashes squad on Thursday afternoon as everyone tries to move on as quickly as possible from the scandal-ridden visit of Pakistan

Andrew McGlashan22-Sep-2010England will reveal their Ashes squad on Thursday afternoon as everyone tries to move on as quickly as possible from the scandal-ridden visit of Pakistan. Often Ashes hype can become tiresome, but given the controversies of the last few weeks there is nothing people would like to talk about more.However, for all the interest surrounding the 16 names that will fly to Perth on October 29 there are going to be very few surprises from the selectors. At least 14 of them are inked in with just the final paceman and second spinner the positions carrying a question mark. It’s a far cry from picking Ashes squads of the 1990s when selectors were often pulling last-minute names out of the hat based on a few late-season performances.The current regime of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, along with national selector Geoff Miller, have been clear in their planning throughout the summer, hence their decision to stick with four frontline bowlers which will now be the approach for Brisbane. The only time they diverted from Plan A was the resting of Paul Collingwood and Stuart Broad for the Bangladesh series at the start of the summer and Ian Bell’s injury which ruled him out of the Pakistan Test series.Eoin Morgan was the batsman to benefit and, despite fading against Pakistan following his debut hundred at Trent Bridge, will be one of seven batsmen in the squad although is likely to be pushed aside by Bell for the first Test. Paul Collingwood is facing a vital series because, at 34, it could be his final Ashes while all eyes will be on Kevin Pietersen who will warm up with a two-week stint for the Dolphins in South Africa.With the batting sorted, and Steve Davies’ successful return to the one-day side making him the logical understudy to Matt Prior, it’s just the final two bowling slots that are awaited. James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn and Graeme Swann are the first-choice attack, while Ajmal Shahzad has done enough with his displays of reverse swing to be in the squad.Graham Onions and Ryan Sidebottom would usually have come under consideration, but Onions is facing a career-threatening back injury and Sidebottom, somewhat surprisingly, announced his international retirement three days ago. Tim Bresnan has been part of the Team England bubble for the last 12 months across all formats and Flower puts great emphasis on the strong bond the squad have built up in recent times. Therefore, Bresnan is probably squeezing into the final 16 – he also provides allrounder cover should Broad suffer an injury.However, the selectors could pull out the closest they’ll come to a wildcard and recall Chris Tremlett, who enjoyed a resurgent season with Surrey taking 48 Championship scalps at 20.18. Six weeks ago he was in prime form and although he tailed off towards the end of the summer he has earned good reviews. He’ll have to convince the selectors he has the ticker for an Ashes tour; four years ago his game fell apart during the one-day leg of the tour, but his height will be a very temping quality to have in reserve.Then it’s down to the second spinner. So strongly are England’s Ashes plans built around Swann – both his ability to take wickets and contain which allows them to play just four bowlers – that an injury to him would be a horrendous blow. However, tours to Australia are known for throwing such spanners in the works.There are three men in contention to be Swann’s No. 2. James Tredwell, who did the job in Bangladesh and made his Test debut in Dhaka, Adil Rashid after an impressive season with Yorkshire which brought 732 runs at 45.75 alongside 57 wickets at 31.29 and Monty Panesar who took 52 Championship wickets at 25.53 for Sussex.All three will be in Australia because the Performance Squad will be based in Brisbane and Perth concurrently with the main party, but the one who makes the main 16 will give an insight into England’s thinking. If Swann is injured before a Test then it would be a huge ask for Rashid to make a Test debut, while Tredwell is an honest bowler but not a matchwinner. Despite his difficult two years, Panesar remains the one with the best chance of troubling Australia.However, if England divert from their standard gameplan and play two spinners – most likely at Sydney, although it’s not the raging turner it once was – then Rashid is the best option because he can bat at seven or eight alongside Broad to balance the side.The Performance Squad could also include the likes of Adam Lyth, Michael Carberry, Ravi Bopara and James Hildreth as batting cover, Craig Kieswetter for the wicketkeeper and Tremlett if he doesn’t make the lead group. But once the 16 are named, Flower and Strauss will hope they are the players to keep hold of the Ashes.Probable Ashes squad Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Steve Davies, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Ajmal Shahzad, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Monty Panesar

Leeds United reportedly face competition from AC Milan and RB Leipzig for the signing of RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson next summer.

The Lowdown: Aaronson stays put in January

Despite being endlessly linked with a move to Elland Road in the January transfer window, Salzburg ended up keeping hold of the 21-year-old. The Austrian club are still in the Champions League after progressing past the group stage and were clearly desperate not to lose a key player.

All hope is not lost for Leeds, though, and they are expected to again pursue a deal for the American in the summer.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Leeds face summer competition for Aaronson

It may not be easy for the Whites to get their man, though, with journalist Manuel Veth claiming on Twitter that both Milan and Leipzig are also eyeing up Aaronson.

He outlined: “#LUFC not the only interested club in a potential summer move for Salzburg’s Aaronson. Both #Milan and #RBLeipzig are monitoring the situation. Also Leeds United are fighting relegation from the Premier League so a move right now is not ideal.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-33/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Primary target?

Given Aaronson’s age and potential, and the interest they have clearly shown, he will surely be at or near the top of Leeds’ summer transfer wish list. He has already proven himself in the Champions League – arguably the highest level in club football – starting all six of Salzburg’s group games this season.

Arguably most adept in a number 10 role, Aaronson could be a perfect foil for the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw, bringing creativity in the final third, as highlighted by 12 assists in 51 games for Salzburg.

Hopefully Leeds’ lengthy pursuit of him will ultimately bear fruit, but with Marcelo Bielsa’s team peering nervously over their shoulders at a possible relegation battle and Milan and Leipzig both in contention to qualify for Europe, the Whites could have a big task on their hands to bring an attractive sales pitch to Aaronson.

In other news, a positive Leeds contract update has emerged. Read more here.

Writing for The Sunday World, journalist Kevin Palmer has shared what could be a boost for Liverpool in their hunt to secure Fulham forward Fabio Carvalho.

The Lowdown: Liverpool fall at final hurdle…

In the final hours of deadline day last month, the Reds were racing against time to complete a deal for Carvalho as the 19-year-old’s representatives entered talks over a five-year Liverpool contract (The Athletic).

After much negotiation, both the Cottagers and Jurgen Klopp’s side apparently shook hands on an £8 million transfer fee, including add-ons and various clauses, but Liverpool could not finalise Carvalho’s signing before 11pm (The Athletic).

The Championship starlet missed out on a January move to Merseyside as a result – potentially opening the door for other interested clubs to swoop in.

However, in a boost for Klopp, Palmer has an update on the German’s personal transfer target.

The Latest: Carvalho makes things clear…

According to the Sunday World reporter, sources ‘close to the deal’ have now claimed that a Liverpool agreement is in place to sign the teenager this summer.

As well as this, club chiefs have been ‘assured’ that Fulham are not open to discussions with any other club over Carvalho with the homegrown ace ‘making it clear’ he ‘only wants to join Liverpool’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

This update comes as a potentially major boost for Klopp, not only because an alleged agreement is already in place, but also the fact Carvalho has his heart set on a move to Anfield.

Scoring seven goals and assisting four others in the Championship this campaign, impressive numbers for such a young player, he’s also been called ‘very exciting’ by pundit Kevin Phillips.

Over many years, it’s safe to say Liverpool could nurture a real star if they can get him over the line.

In other news: ‘In the coming weeks’…Journalist makes big Liverpool transfer claim involving £220,000-per-week star, find out more here.

The first half-hour of the day was superb for Zimbabwe A; the last hour was disastrous

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2010
Scorecard
The first half-hour of the day was superb for Zimbabwe A; the last hour was disastrous. Zimbabwe’s seamers began by scything through the New Zealanders, dismissing the tourists for 208, but the advantage was squandered when the last seven Zimbabwe wickets crumbled for a mere 73 runs and the home side were bowled out for 189. New Zealand require 168 for victory on the third day of the four-day match, a task they should complete safely unless there are major shocks in store.The first thirty minutes in the morning were dramatic, as the fired-up Zimbabwean seamers shattered the back of New Zealand’s innings. The tourists were 79 for 3 overnight, but in no time were reduced to 93 for 6 thanks to fine bowling by Tinashe Panyangara and Mike Chinouya. New Zealand’s batting policy on this tour has usually been to play the first half-hour of the day with extreme care, but this time they seemed to abandon that plan and it was to their cost.The first to go was Dean Browlie (10), who faced five balls from Chinouya that moved away before the sixth went straight on and through his defences to clatter into the stumps. Captain James Franklin played two fine strokes but was then caught at the wicket off Panyangara for 7 and moments later Jamie How turned a ball from Chinouya straight to midwicket and departed for 17 to leave Zimbabwe exultant.The wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins was still there, though, and he once again proved tough to dislodge. He and Jeeten Patel entrenched themselves at the crease, five overs passing without a run before Hopkins broke free and hammered Panyangara for 13 in an over. The pair batted almost until lunch before Panyangara returned to have Patel caught down the leg side, and Hopkins was left with just three tailenders for company.But he handled similar tasks admirably on this tour, and reached a 67-ball fifty after lunch and had made 69 before he top-edged a slash off Trevor Garwe and was caught at third man. Brett Arnel again belied his reputation as a rank No. 11 with a good unbeaten 19 and the innings closed for 208, a lead of 22. There were three wickets each for the seamers Panyangara, Chinouya and Garwe, with the purposeful and determined Chinouya perhaps the best of them.Zimbabwe, batting again in mid-afternoon, began confidently. The opening pair put on 44 before Steve Marillier, after being dropped in the gully on 16, ran himself out for 21. The innings then began to falter, Friday Kasteni quickly caught in the slips and Vusi Sibanda, having survived a skied hook that the keeper misjudged, trapped lbw by Franklin for 8. It was a disappointing end to the series for the Zimbabwe A captain, who is highly rated by the New Zealanders.Tino Mawoyo, however, looked in fine form, driving with power and placement through extra cover. He ran confidently to his fifty off 64 balls, but then grew a little careless and enjoyed a couple of narrow escapes before being trapped lbw by Patel for 62. His dismissal hastened Zimbabwe’s slide as, without any addition to the total, Malcolm Waller was lbw swiping across the line and Regis Chakabva, usually so reliable, managed to get himself brilliantly stumped without scoring. Zimbabwe A were 116 for 6 and the fight seemed to have ebbed from the innings.Garwe briefly showed some spirit, but Timycen Maruma fought back in superb style, slamming four fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 44 as the tail subsided around him. Brett Arnel and Graeme Aldridge cleaned up the latter part of the innings, which ended for 189. Thanks to Maruma, Zimbabwe A go into the final day with a glimmer of hope, even if it is a small one. For the second day in succession, there was a disgraceful over rate by the teams, with even an extra half-hour being insufficient to complete the scheduled 90 overs.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United transfer target Dean Henderson…

What’s the talk?

According to reports, Manchester United have made the decision to send the shot-stopper out on loan for the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that they are willing to contribute to his salary in order to find him a new club for the season, due to his £120k-per-week wages.

A number of sides are said to be interested in the Englishman, with Newcastle, Bournemouth and Fulham all mentioned as possible destinations for him.

Newcastle can get rid of Dubravka

The Magpies must now act on this update by snapping the England international up this summer to bolster their goalkeeping options.

He must be brought in to compete with Martin Dubravka for the number one spot. Karl Darlow averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.47 in his eight Premier League appearances earlier this season, suggesting that he is not fit to push the Slovakian for his place in the starting XI.

This means that Eddie Howe can benefit from signing another shot-stopper to create a competition between the goalkeepers – pushing each other on to improve.

Henderson can be the ideal player to bring in as he has a different set of skills to Dubravka that can make him a useful alternative, whilst he also has caught the eye playing in the Premier League for Manchester United and Sheffield United.

Alan Shearer previously dubbed the £40m gem as a “star in the making”, whilst his ex-teammate Sander Berge once lavished him with praise as he said: “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. One thing in matches, he is almost a defence alone at times, and you feel so secure with him.

“But people have to see him at training. It’s crazy. He saves balls from one yard. Sometimes I am completely speechless by how good he is. It’s like having two goalkeepers in goal with him. He’s awesome.”

These comments show that he has been able to impress in the top-flight, which means that he would not be coming in as an unproven quantity.

He would be an upgrade on the £80k-a-week earning Dubravka in the way he sweeps up at the back. As per FBRef, Henderson ranks in the 95th and 96th percentiles for the percentage of crosses stopped and defensive actions outside the box per 90 over the last year in Europe’s top five leagues.

The Toon number one, meanwhile, ranks in the 64th and 9th percentiles respectively for those two statistics. This shows that the Englishman would be a major improvement on him in that area of the pitch and that is why PIF must bring him in to give Howe an alternative option between the sticks.

AND in other news,  Fewer touches than Dubravka: Newcastle’s £72k-p/w passenger went missing in LCFC win…

Gerald Majola, is expected to be “cleared of all charges” of financial impropriety at the associations board meeting on Friday

Firdose Moonda18-Nov-2010Gerald Majola, chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), is expected to be “cleared of all charges” of financial impropriety at the associations board meeting on Friday, a CSA insider told ESPNcricinfo. The body’s internal commission of inquiry, headed by CSA vice president AK Khan, that was looking into the bonus payments Majola received after last year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa, found “no evidence of fraud against Majola,” according to the source.However, the methods of awarding bonuses to CSA staff members could face an overhaul after the committee presents its findings. “The questions of procedure and governance are totally different matters and what will probably happen now is that the board will put in rules in place over how bonuses should be paid out, so that everything is accounted for.”Majola and 39 other staff members were paid bonuses after the successful second season of the T20 tournament, but they did not go through CSA’s remunerations committee. This was picked up by CSA’s auditors Deloitte who reported irregularities in the body’s financial statements in August. CSA insiders said that nothing suspicious could be read into the payments because they were made according to a precedent for paying bonuses after major tournaments that was set at the 2003 World Cup.Also under the spotlight will be a report leaked to the Sunday Times newspaper, allegedly written by CSA president Doctor Mtutuzeli Nyoka, which accused Majola of other wrongdoings. The report alleged that besides questioning the bonus payments, Nyoka also claimed that Majola had used R318 238 (approximately US$ 45,462) in travel costs for his wife. The source expects Majola to be cleared on that charge as well. “I’ve heard as part his [Majola’s] contract that he is given a travel allowance for his family and I’ve also heard that the numbers involves in the costs have been greatly inflated.”The leaked report also brought to the fore what the insider claims is a “very strained relationship” between Majola and Nyoka. The two have been at loggerheads since Nyoka was Chairman of the Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB) at the turn of the millennium. In 2002, Nyoka resigned from his post at the GCB after unsuccessfully challenging then United Cricket Board (UCB) president Percy Sonn for his position.Nyoka was also one of the loudest critics of the UCB’s pace of transformation and questioned the body’s commitment to developing players of colour. At the time, Nyoka was quoted as saying, “Gerald Majola must understand that his appointment was an affirmative action and others should be getting the same opportunities as him if transformation is going to work.”Nyoka returned to cricket in 2005, as chair of a 22-man steering committee that was set up to run the GCB. His role to assist in mediating between warring clubs who were up in arms over the lack of transformation in the province He was elected President of CSA in October 2008. The two have not had any public spats since then.CSA initially appointed an external commission, under Judge Pius Langa, to investigate the bonus payments but u-turned on their decision a few weeks later, opting to conduct the probe internally. At the time, ESPNcricinfo was told that the decision to make use of the Langa commission was made “unilaterally by a member of the CSA executive, who did not consult with the board”. When the board met on the August 21, they voted to shift the probe internally because they had “not exhausted all their own procedures.”The move resulted in CSA being criticised for a lack of transparency but the source said they took it upon themselves to ensure independence. “What will come out is that even though the commission was internal, CSA got an external person to run it. I can’t say who that person is but those details will emerge on Friday.”The board meeting will take place at 10am South African time at the OR Tambo International Airport.