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Newcastle United have been strongly linked with a move for Sandro Tonali this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Sandro Tonali?

According to The Athletic, Newcastle are closing in on a move for the Italian midfielder.

The report suggests that a fee in the region of €70m (£60m) has been agreed after face-to-face meetings took place on Wednesday.

He has emerged as a key target in the early stages of this window with Craig Hope later revealing that Dan Ashworth boarded a plane today in order to fly out to Milan to conclude a deal.

Would Tonali be a good fit for Newcastle?

It is no secret that Bruno Guimaraes' attacking talent has been sacrificed to an extent this season due to the departure of Jonjo Shelvey in January, meaning the Brazilian star has needed to adopt a much more defensive role in the midfield set-up.

Indeed, the Newcastle talisman has done a fine job in the lone deep-lying role just ahead of the back-line, notably contributing to ten goals last term. As such, it would be advantageous to Howe next season if he could unlock Guimaraes and allow him to return to his more free-flowing role where he thrived expeditiously in his first six months at St James'.

As a result, Tonali could be a huge asset in the competitive midfield when they take on multiple competitions next season in their pursuit of success and trophies, as he could be the ideal profile player to partner Guimaraes in the centre of the pitch.

Over 34 Serie A appearances, the 23-year-old talent – hailed "world-class" by the Athletic's Martino Puccio – registered seven assists, created 12 big chances and tallied up an 81% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.9 tackles, 1.8 key passes and 3.5 duels won per game, operating as a prolific ball-winner with strong play-making and progressive capabilities too.

Not only that, the Italian ranks in the top 14% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for chance creation – according to Opta Analyst Radar – again demonstrating that Tonali could work well alongside Guimaraes to deliver strong attacking opportunities for Newcastle's front-men.

The news of the Magpies' bid for the Champions League semi-finalist led football analyst and writer Connor Holden to speculate about a potential midfield partnership between the two, suggesting the Toon were looking for an "elite partner" for Guimaraes.

With that being said, a move for Tonali is definitely a big coup as he could be an ideal like-minded companion for their Brazilian dynamo in the heart of the team.

New Zealand women allrounder Sophie Devine has been ruled out of the upcoming home and away limited-overs series against Australia with a dislocated thumb

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2017New Zealand allrounder Sophie Devine has been ruled out of the upcoming home and away limited-overs series against Australia due to a dislocated thumb. Devine, who suffered the injury during the recent Women’s Big Bash League, managed to avoid surgery, but her hand will be in a splint for four to six weeks in order for her to fully recover before the Women’s World Cup in England later this year.Northern Districts allrounder Anna Peterson has replaced Devine in the T20 squad that will travel to Australia, while Sam Curtis has taken her place for the ODIs at home.”Sam was unlucky to have missed out on the initial squad and is now coming off a match-winning unbeaten 111 off just 72 balls in the SKYCITY Hamilton NPL (Northern Premier League) on the weekend — the best innings I have seen her play,” head coach Haidee Tiffen said.”The way she combatted the threat of Holly Huddleston was a great sign of a player hitting her best form. Sam will bring her strength to our ODI middle order, while Anna Peterson’s versatility sees her get the nod for the Twenty20 squad.”In the same match that Curtis struck that century, Peterson took three wickets for 11 in four overs, apart from claiming a catch and effecting a run-out. Peterson has also been among the top six in both the batting and bowling charts in the domestic women’s Twenty20 competition, where she plays for Auckland. She last played for New Zealand in last year’s Women’s World T20.”Since her WHITE FERNS appearances last season, Anna has taken our feedback on board and worked on everything we have been looking for from her, as well as adding a further string to her bow by accepting the challenge of opening the batting for the Auckland Hearts,” Tiffen said.”That’s been tremendous to see and she has been performing well as an attacking batsman. Like Sam, she is also a strong fielder, important assets in the white ball format.”New Zealand travel to Australia to play three T20Is, starting on February 17, before the teams move back to New Zealand for a three-match ODI series that begins on February 26.

A round-up of the Ford Trophy matches played on February 8, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2017Central Districts confirmed a third-place finish to the league stage of the Ford Trophy after beating Auckland by seven wickets at Pukekura Park. Auckland crashed out, collapsing spectacularly to hand Central Districts the advantage.Having chosen to bat, Auckland were well placed to gun for a big total when they were 203 for 3 in the 33rd over, courtesy contributions from Jeet Raval (46), Sean Solia (60) and Colin Munro (62 off 43). Ajaz Patel’s dismissal of Solia, to end a 36-run fourth-wicket stand with Colin de Grandhomme (37 off 23 balls), triggered Auckland’s slide: they lost their last seven wickets for 34 runs and were bowled out in the 44th over. Left-arm spinner George Worker was the wrecker in chief, with figures of 4 for 22 in six overs.Central Districts took only 39.1 overs to romp home, thanks to an unbeaten 106 by their captain Will Young (104b, 15×4) and his partnerships of 81 with Jesse Ryder (54) for the second wicket and an unbroken 137 for the fourth wicket with Tom Bruce (70* off 53 balls).Central Districts finished on 16 points, while Auckland ended up on 15. Auckland were knocked out despite having the same points total and a better net run rate (+0.001) than Northern Districts (-0.307) or Otago (-0.448), since Northern Districts had earned more bonus points.Northern Districts, as a result, finished in fourth place and qualified for the playoffs despite losing their last match to Otago, by two wickets at University Oval.An unbeaten 143 (85b, 11×4, 8×6) by Anaru Kitchen helped Otago blaze through their chase in just 34.1 overs, though their frequent wicket losses kept Northern Districts in the game. Northern Districts may have fancied themselves when Otago slipped to 191 for 6, but Kitchen added 67 for the seventh wicket with Josh Finnie (32 off 16) to keep the match in the balance. Finnie and Derek de Boorder fell in quick succession to Ish Sodhi, who finished with figures of 4 for 85), before Kitchen and Christi Viljoen steered Otago home with an unbroken 26-run stand for the ninth wicket.Kitchen also opened the bowling for Otago and bowled economically, finishing with 0 for 21 from six overs. That spell – along with James Neesham’s 3 for 58 and Michael Rippon’s 1 for 34 – helped restrict Northern Districts to 288 despite half-centuries from Bharat Popli (69), Nick Kelly (67) and Daryl Mitchell (72 off 48 balls).Wellington ensured a top-spot finish after beating Canterbury by two wickets at Hagley Oval. An unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 20 between Matt Taylor (48*) and Hamish Bennett (5*) dragged Wellington home after they had slipped to 229 for 8 in a chase of 247. Despite the regular loss of top- and middle-order wickets, Wellington had always stayed in touch with the target thanks to Hamish Marshall’s 100-ball 108. Marshall was one of three batsmen dismissed by the legspinner Todd Astle.Canterbury’s 246 for 9 was achieved on the back of an unbeaten 50 from their No. 6 Cole McConchie, who held one end together even as the lower order fell apart around him, with no one from Nos. 7 to 11 getting into double figures. Canterbury had made a solid start to their innings, thanks to Tom Latham (38), Henry Nicholls (64) and Peter Fulton (43), and were at one point 190 for 4 in the 40th over of their innings. Left-arm spinner Luke Woodcock was Wellington’s most successful bowler with figures of 4 for 50.

Liverpool target Kephren Thuram could be another Xabi Alonso-like midfielder at Anfield, believes Dean Jones.

The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Anfield this summer, and 'has got quite a few people excited' according to Jones.

Liverpool transfer news – Kephren Thuram

Liverpool remain in talks to sign Thuram this summer, but the midfielder's current club, Nice, would love a bidding war for the 22-year-old, according to David Lynch of Football Insider.

Lynch also reported that the Reds could turn their attention to Ryan Gravenberch if a deal for Thuram fails to reach completion in the coming months.

Currently, the young midfielder is playing into the final two years of his contract with the Ligue 1 side; providing Nice with some power over the future of the 22-year-old.

Given the fact that Jurgen Klopp has already welcomed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion this summer, too, it remains to be seen just how much is left of Liverpool's budget.

What has Dean Jones said about Kephren Thuram and Liverpool?

Speaking to Football FanCast, when asked about Thuram, Jones said: “Liverpool would love another Xabi Alonso-type player and I think Thuram’s got quite a few people excited I think.

"When you go through the normal list of players that Liverpool are pursuing, Kone is always on there, Thuram’s always on there.”

How did Kephren Thuram perform in Ligue 1 last season?

Thuram was one of the few bright sparks in a disappointing campaign for Nice as a whole, as they sunk to a mid-table finish.

The young Frenchman did enough to earn a potential Liverpool move, however, as further backed up by the statistics.

If Liverpool are to complete a move for Thuram, he'd offer them something crucially different from midfield. According to FBref, for example, the reported target completed 3.25 progressive carries per 90 last season. For context, Jordan Henderson completed just 1.61.

A player of Thuram's dribbling ability could help unlock defences where the likes of Henderson struggle at times, potentially handing the Reds' midfield a whole new dimension.

Defensively speaking, too, the Nice man fits Jurgen Klopp's pressing style, making 1.34 interceptions, and 1.80 tackles per 90, both of which are higher than the amount Henderson totalled in the last campaign at Anfield.

So, if Liverpool are to get Thuram, they could be getting themselves an upgrade in a midfield in desperate need of a rebuild.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is hoping to bolster his side's defence with the signing of Wolfsburg centre-half Micky van de Ven.

What's the latest on Micky van de Ven to Tottenham?

The London outfit's desire for the Dutchman has been clear for the past several weeks, with Football Insider recently reporting that Spurs will battle against Premier League rivals Liverpool for his signature.

The indication is that Die Wölfe are willing to conduct business with suitors for a fee of around €30m (£26m), which could prompt Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to instigate a move following the club's dismal 22/23 campaign.

Given that Van de Ven is a left-footed central defender, he is something of a rarity and would be a fantastic addition to a Spurs backline yearning for some inspiration and exuberance to dispel the present misfortune.

How good is Micky van de Ven?

Tottenham capitulated in the closing weeks of the 22/23 Premier League season, winning just four of their final 13 matches and hurtling away from Champions League contention to squander European qualification in its entirety.

The crux of the matter? The disastrous defensive displays; the Lilywhites shipped 63 league goals, a tally bettering only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and the three relegated outfits.

This is why Van de Ven's signing is so imperative to the club's progress, wiping away the cobwebs from a forgettable campaign and restoring the equilibrium at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

At just 22-years-old, the "complete" and "flourishing" defender – as hailed by journalist Ronan Murphy – has made his mark in the German Bundesliga and earned an average Sofascore rating of 6.85, keeping 11 clean sheets from 33 games, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 1.4 tackles per game and succeeding with 64% of his ground duels.

Such numbers are impressive, particularly when you consider only two defenders in the squad – Cristian Romero (2.5) and Clement Lenglet (1.5) managed more tackles per match last term.

The Netherlands U21 international is a burgeoning titan and would likely leave Eric Dier quaking in his boots if he were to arrive in London under Postecoglou's wing, with the 29-year-old culpable of producing poor performances over the past year.

Rebuked by journalist Ryan Taylor for being "nowhere near the required level that Spurs are trying to achieve", Dier has since made 361 appearances since signing from Sporting Lisbon for £4m in 2014.

Also said to be "not good enough" by pundit Darren Ambrose, Dier's ranking across metrics for progressive passing (bottom 40%) and ball-carrying (bottom 24%) could further leave him down in the pecking order, with Postecoglou favouring pass-proficient central defenders to complement his possession-based, free-flowing system.

And with Van de Ven ranking among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, he has the forward-thinking mentality to displace Dier, who also occupies the left side of the central defence.

That's not to mention his frightening pace either, with the centre-back clocking up a top speed of 35.97 km/h in the Bundesliga; a number that defeats even that of Son Heung-min's 34.4 km/h.

With journalist Jonathan Veal suggesting that Dier's "time is up" at Tottenham, it might be time to hoist him from his starting berth and provide Van de Ven with the license to cement a prominent role in an outfit craving a resurgence.

Former international batsman Asanka Gurusinha has been appointed Sri Lanka’s manager

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Feb-2017Former international batsman Asanka Gurusinha has been appointed Sri Lanka’s cricket manager, SLC has announced. Presently residing in Melbourne, Gurusinha will arrive in Sri Lanka over the next few days to begin work with the team ahead of the series against Bangladesh.”Gurusinha, a marketer by profession, was awarded the title of Deshabandu in 1996, for his role in the World Cup victory, and has since been domiciled in Australia for the past many years,” an SLC release said. “Gurusinha is a Level 3 certified cricket coach with many years of experience, and most recently served as the Consultant Regional Cricket Coach for Cricket Australia.”Though he had not held any official role with Sri Lanka cricket since moving to Australia soon after the 1996 World Cup, Gurusinha had always said he was open to the possibility. He will work alongside Ranjit Fernando, who will remain with the team performing some of the managerial roles.*”It is indeed welcome news that Gura will be coming on board with our vision,” SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said. “”We are enhancing our resource team with professionals to achieve or national objective.”*This story had originally said Gurusinha would relieve Fernando. However, Fernando will remain with the team, also in a managerial capacity.

Afghanistan sealed a 3-2 ODI series win over Ireland in Greater Noida by chasing down 230 with the help of an unbeaten century from Rahmat Shah

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRahmat Shah hit 10 fours and a six in his unbeaten 108•Associated PressTwice in this series, Rahmat Shah failed to kick on after scoring a half-century. In the decider, he scored in triple-figures, for the second time in ODIs, to help Afghanistan recover from an early wobble and convert a potentially tricky 230 chase into a cruise. He steered them towards the target in Samiullah Shenwari’s company and then sealed a seven-wicket win with a six that helped them clinch a 3-2 series win to go along with the T20 clean sweep in Greater Noida, their adopted home ground.While Rahmat came up with the blockbuster knock, Shenwari’s unbeaten 62 was also important. The fourth-wicket pair added 133, helping them recover from 98 for 3 and overcoming pressure Ireland’s slow bowlers built in the aftermath of Asghar Stanikzai’s wicket for 39 in the 25th over. They eventually won with eight balls to spare and completed their second bilateral series win in three attempts against Ireland. The five-match ODI series in July 2016 in Ireland ended 2-2.Ireland, who won their first toss of the series, elected to bat and were driven by the experienced pair of Ed Joyce (42) and Paul Stirling (51), who added 69 for the first wicket. William Porterfield and Niall O’Brien also got off to starts and put Ireland in a position from where 275 looked a possibility. But the absence of the big-hitting Kevin O’Brien, out due to a hamstring niggle, perhaps hurt them in the end overs.The inability of the lower middle order to bring out the big hits on a slow wicket resulted in a flurry of wickets, the bulk of which were taken by Rashid Khan. The legspinner finished with 4 for 29 to top the wicket-takers’ list with 16 as Ireland lost their last seven wickets for 59 runs to be bowled out for 229 in the penultimate over.Left-arm quick Fareed Ahmad, playing his first game of the series, picked up three wickets, while Dawlat Zadran, who kept the pressure up early on in cloudy conditions, finished with two scalps including a ripper of a yorker that sent back the experienced Gary Wilson in the 39th over to delay their slog.Afghanistan lost the big-hitting Mohammad Shahzad in the fifth over when he was snuffed out courtesy a sensational catch at cover by Porterfield. Three overs later, Najeeb Tarakai, who faced 18 deliveries for 5, let pressure get to him as he skewed a catch to long-on to leave Afghanistan wobbling at 25 for 2.Stanikzai, the captain, held down the fort briefly before falling to George Dockrell’s left-arm spin. With the asking rate escalating and pressure building, Afghanistan needed a rescue act and they had one with Rahmat and Shenwari scoring together at a run rate of over 5.5 per over.

Wolverhampton Wanderers may revisit a target from the past, as Chilean winger Daniel Osorio could become available this summer.

The teenager was linked to Wolves during last summer’s window, with Sport Witness relaying news that suggested the teenager was all but a player at Molineux.

Fast forward to this transfer window, and the 19-year-old is once again circulating in news regarding the Midlands club, with the Express and Star linking the teen with a move back in May.

The saga doesn’t quite end there, with Molineux News relaying reports from Chile that the youngster is likely to be sold this summer, due to a dip in form at Universidad de Chile.

With a reported price tag of £7.5m and West Ham United also circling the winger, it could be now or never to finally bring the Chilean to Molineux.

What could Dario Osorio offer to Wolves?

Having sold Nathan Collins to Brentford and Ruben Neves to Al-Hilal, Wolves will be eyeing signings to balance the departure and arrival ratio, with Joao Moutinho, Diego Costa and Adama Traore departing at the expiration of their contracts.

In Traore's departure, Julen Lopetegui will lose some firepower in his attack, with the Spaniard averaging in the top 5% of wingers in the Premier League last season in terms of successful take-ons, averaging 2.95 per 90, via FBref.

Despite being a threat 1v1, Traore has lacked in the final third in situations where ultimately Wolves were crying out for him to deliver.

The Old Gold ended the campaign scoring just 31 goals in 38 games, cementing themselves as the league’s lowest-scorers.

In a total of 157 appearances in the Premier League for Wolves, the Spaniard netted just ten goals, via Transfermarkt, highlighting that his threat can indeed be replenished on the flank following his exit.

Lopetegui could find himself with an adequate heir to the former Barcelona man in Osorio, who shone last season in Chile.

Hailed as a “talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Osorio has shown glimpses of the player he could be, hence interest from the English top tier.

Last campaign in the Primera Division, the "flamboyant" teenager – as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – scored seven goals in just 16 starts for Universidad de Chile, deployed as a left-footed right-winger.

The youngster's energy in the final third is something that Lopetegui could benefit greatly from, as well as signifying that he could add more in front of goal than the player he could replace in Traore.

While his seven goals were impressive for a player of just 18 at the time, the Hijuelas-born gem acted as a live wire whenever in possession, as supported by his numbers.

As per Sofascore, the teenager averaged one successful dribble per game, as well as 1.4 shots, despite averaging just 58 minutes per game.

Another element that the Chilean could bring to Lopetegui’s attack in addition to his threat on the ball, is his distribution and eye for a creative pass, as highlighted through his average of 1.1 key passes per game last season, with Traore averaging 0.7 this term.

With West Ham also circling the teenager, Wolves must act fast if they are to finally end the saga between Osorio and Molineux.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has been a busy man throughout the summer transfer window so far as he has made a number of signings to bolster the squad.

The Light Blues head coach has officially completed six new signings as a reaction to the club's failure to secure a single trophy by the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland have all joined on a permanent basis, whilst Abdallah Sima has also arrived on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, the 42-year-old boss still has well over a month to make further additions to his team and bringing in more creativity in the middle of the park should be one of his priorities.

No Rangers central midfielder produced more than four Scottish Premiership assists and Tom Lawrence, who only started four league matches, led the way with 1.8 key passes per game in that position.

Therefore, Beale must ignite the club's reported interest in FCSB creator Darius Olaru, who is available for a release clause of €4.9m (£4.2m), from earlier this summer.

How good is Darius Olaru?

The Romanian international is coming off the back of an exceptional campaign with the club and could be an excellent player for the Gers if he can translate that form over to Scotland.

Olaru has the potential to be Beale's own version of Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne, who FCSB general manager Mihai Stoica claimed is similar to the 25-year-old maestro as they both provide 'assists decisively' and play 'total football'.

The left-footed wizard showcased his ability to carve open opposition defences with 2.2 key passes per game and 19 'big chances' created in total across 34 Superliga starts last season.

Meanwhile, De Bruyne racked up an outstanding 31 'big chances' created and averaged 3.1 key passes per outing in the Premier League for Pep Guardiola, which came after he produced 16 'big chances' for his fellow forwards throughout the previous top-flight campaign.

These statistics show that both players are capable of conjuring up excellent opportunities for their teammates in the final third on a regular basis from a central midfield position.

This is particularly useful in games against opposition who want to sit in a deep block, which requires creativity to open them up in order to win the match. De Bruyne and Olaru have both proven themselves to excel in these situations, based on their terrific form last term.

Last season, James Tavernier led the way for Rangers with 13 Premiership 'big chances' created.

This suggests that the Gers target would provide a significant creative boost to Beale's squad, particularly in the central midfield department.

The Romanian technician also registered 12 assists in 37 league games during the 2021/22 campaign, which is three more than any Light Blues star managed in their 2022/23 outings.

Olaru, who was once described as an "exciting" talent by scout Jacek Kulig, has the quality to be Beale's outstanding creative force on the pitch, and in midfield in particular, if he can adapt to Scottish football and replicate his FCSB form.

Therefore, the Gers manager must reignite the club's previous interest in ten-cap international to bolster his team's creativity ahead of next season, as the 25-year-old wizard could be his own version of De Bruyne by being a pass master in the middle of the park.

ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC’s settlement offer of an additional $100 million to the BCCI is still on the table

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Apr-2017The door has not yet been completely shut on the BCCI as far as the ICC’s finance model is concerned. ESPNcricinfo understands that immediately after the BCCI was outvoted at the ICC Board meeting on Wednesday, the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar informed Amitabh Choudhury, the BCCI secretary, that the settlement offer of an additional $100 million was still on the table.Under the new finance model, the BCCI stands to receive $293 million from the ICC revenue across an eight-year cycle. The BCCI had wanted $570 million – the share it would have received under the previous Big Three finance model – but Manohar had made a counter offer of an additional $100 million over the $293 million to raise the Indian board’s share to nearly $400 million.On Wednesday, the ICC board read the letter submitted by Choudhury on the mandate given to him by the BCCI and rejected his proposal.How did the BCCI lose?
Hours before before the ICC Board met, Choudhury and BCCI CEO Rahul Johri conducted discussions with heads of various boards such as the ECB, Cricket Australia, the WICB, Associates representative Imran Khawaja, and Manohar.It is understood that both BCCI representatives wanted to try and find a “middle path” on the finance model. The idea was to get as close to the $445 million figure the Committee of Administrators (CoA, appointed by Supreme Court of India to supervise the BCCI) had asked Manohar for in March.There was then a separate meeting between Choudhury and three members of the ICC working group, which had drafted the new constitution. Manohar, ECB president Giles Clarke and CA chairman David Peever once again placed the offer of an additional $100 million to Choudhury.ICC chairman Shashank Manohar (right), ECB chairman Giles Clarke (left) and CA chairman David Peever once again offered the BCCI a settlement•Getty Images”Earlier the offer had been made by Manohar, but this was a formal offer from the ICC working group. He [Choudhury] turned it down,” an official said. “He was told that in that case the original proposal had already been approved in February and we can’t change that. Hence the ICC model went through.”With Choudhury refusing to enter a discussion on the settlement deal, the ICC working group was left with no choice but to ask for a show of hands. The BCCI was taken aback when Full Members whom it understood to be in its corner swayed to the ICC side. The BCB, Zimbabwe Cricket and the WICB have been BCCI allies for a long time, but on Wednesday they voted against it. The case of the BCB and ZC was surprising only because both had submitted strong reservations at the outset of the ICC Board meeting. ZC even called the draft constitution “discriminatory.”The official said one main reason behind these three boards changing stance was the ICC’s decision to provide them financial help. It is understood ZC could be given $19 million to clear its debt while the WICB had asked for $40 million as a grant.What now for the BCCI?
A ray of hope still exists, considering Manohar wants the BCCI to be happy. A source who has worked closely with Manohar since he arrived at the ICC last year said he has no “desire to alienate” the BCCI. He has asked the ICC to continue engaging with the BCCI.The other reason for the BCCI remaining optimistic was a significant decision the ICC Board agreed on: to move the finance model out of the constitution. The BCCI feels there is still some room for manoeuvre.The working group will meet once again during the ICC’s annual conference in June to approve the final changes to the constitution, governance structure and finance model – all of which would be finally ratified by the ICC Board. “All the boards want this resolved also,” the official said. “What happened yesterday does not mean India has diminished.”Choudhury told the ICC that he would need to head back to the BCCI, which will take a final decision at a special general body meeting (SGM).The official said India still had the bargaining power because of its importance in bilateral cricket. He pointed out that the ICC might need to increase its settlement offer and “go beyond” the proposed $100 million.”There are two ways of resolving this now. One is the SGM says okay, 390 is good. Let us go ahead. The ICC will agree immediately and resolve it. Or [the SGM] says we need more time. Then there will be another round of negotiations [with the ICC].”However, the scope of any further negotiations, the source pointed out, were remote. “He [Manohar] would still want to negotiate with the BCCI, but would he take it beyond $390 million? Questionable.”One other interested party, which could play the catalyst, is the CoA. It has been keeping a close watch on the events in Dubai this week. Any decision taken by the BCCI office bearers would need to be conveyed to the CoA, which would need to approve anything that is sent in writing to the ICC as per the court order. “The CoA can step in, but it will only step in also at $445 million,” the official said.