West Bromwich Albion forward Grady Diangana is set to be ruled out for the ‘remainder’ of the Championship season, according to journalist Lewis Cox.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Baggies winger was forced off the pitch with a serious foot injury during the 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns on February 25, which saw him miss the following defeat to Hull.

Carlos Corberan had confirmed that the Midlands outfit were awaiting news from a specialist to discover the exact extent of the damage, but it sounds like supporters shouldn’t be hoping to see him again anytime soon.

The Latest: Diangana update

Taking to Twitter, Cox revealed that Diangana is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the 2022/23 campaign. He wrote:

“Looks like bad news on Grady Diangana. Set to miss remainder of season due to surgery on ligament damage in foot. #wba waiting for second opinion but surgery likely.”

The Verdict: Blow for Corberan

Diangana has been a regular feature for Corberan since being appointed at West Brom, starring in 19 of his 21 games in charge, so it’ll be a massive blow to lose one of his most trusted players.

The Congo-born talent has netted four goals and provided three assists in the second tier this season, where he was averaging 1.3 shots and the same number of key passes prior to his absence (WhoScored).

The 24-year-old is also strong in the defensive aspect of his game, ranking in the 99th percentile for most blocks made per 90 minutes by players in his position.

Diangana is a valuable player to have in the building having operated in four different positions this term, so it’s vital that he begins his road to recovery to get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

Manchester United have reignited their interest in Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic ahead of a possible summer move, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Pulisic out of favour at Chelsea

The American moved to Stamford Bridge from Borussia Dortmund in 2019 with a big reputation, having burst onto the scene as the face of a nation, dubbed ‘Captain America’ for his influence on USA ‘soccer’.

Pulisic’s time at Chelsea has arguably been a little underwhelming overall, however, with the 24-year-old struggling to consistently nail down a regular place in the team under various managers.

This season, he has only started seven matches in the Premier League, as well as making 11 substitute appearances, with only one goal and assist apiece coming his way in the competition.

Pulisic’s future has been a key talking point of late, with reports linking him with a move away at the end of the season, and United have been considered a potential suitor for him.

Now, a new update has emerged that suggests the Red Devils’ interest in him is not done yet.

The Latest: United back in for forward

Writing for Give Me Sport, Phillips claimed that United are now back in for Pulisic ahead of the summer transfer window:

“I was told over the weekend that Manchester United have reignited their interest in the USA international and are considering a summer move.

“With Jadon Sancho struggling, Antony lacking consistency and fitness, and potential loans for Facundo Pellestri and Alejandro Garnacho, United are looking at profiles like Pulisic, and they really appreciate the player.”

The Verdict: Good squad option

There would be a potential risk element in United signing Pulisic, given his hit-and-miss form for Chelsea, but he could still be a strong addition this summer, with former Chelsea player Pat Nevin saying:

“There have been periods of time at Chelsea where you think he can be world class and be one of the best players on the planet, but it has been very stop-start.”

This is a player who, at just 24 years of age, has already scored 22 goals in 56 caps for the USA and racked up 92 goal contributions (45 goals and 47 assists) at club level in his career for Dortmund and Chelsea combined.

Pulisic may have to accept that, like with the Blues, he is not guaranteed to start every week, but his pace out wide could be a devastating weapon from the bench and he would provide strong competition for the likes of Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho.

The Chelsea attacker has been dubbed ‘The LeBron James of Soccer’ in the past, highlighting his reputation in his homeland, and his marketability could help United grow further in America, both financially and as a fanbase.

TalkSport pundit Carlton Palmer has claimed that he would quit Manchester United if he was Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw was starting ahead of him at centre-back.

What's the latest on Harry Maguire and Manchester United?

It's not been a particularly easy season for the 30-year-old defender, who has fallen down the pecking order behind Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez under Erik ten Hag.

Indeed, Maguire has started just five Premier League games all season. What's more, 27-year-old teammate Shaw has been trusted more as a centre-back of late. Indeed, the full-back has started four of the last 11 league games in that position for the Red Devils.

Maguire was at least trusted to come back in and start for England against Italy, but that ended badly for him as fans took to Twitter to slam his display – while Shaw also got a red card in what was a poor evening for the Man Utd duo.

Regardless of that, while speaking on TalkSport, Palmer claimed that the 30-year-old should threaten to quit if Ten Hag won't play him at centre-back.

The pundit said: "I mean, it would upset me, to be honest with you. Do you know, I'm not playing well, Maguire, but if he's [Shaw] being picked ahead of me at centre-back, I would have gone and knocked on the door and I'd have been away, full stop.

"I'm not bothered about my contract. If you're picking Luke Shaw at centre-back ahead of me, right, I'm gone."

Is Shaw a better centre-back option for Man Utd than Maguire?

To be fair to Ten Hag, Shaw hasn't lost any of those games he's started at centre-back in the league – which includes a derby win over Manchester City.

Maguire, on the other hand, started the first two games of the season in that position and lost on both occasions, so it's easy to see why his manager lost faith early on.

According to reports, the 30-year-old currently earns about £190,000 per week. On top of that, his deal runs until the summer of 2025. With that in mind, it would be a bold move for him to tear up his contract and leave as Palmer suggested.

Even so, it's not hard to see why Maguire might be unhappy with his current role in the team even if he's not gone public with any issues.

Having soared to table-topping prominence in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are looking to bolster the offensive ranks this summer, and Lille phenom Jonathan David has been distinguished.

What’s the latest on David to Arsenal?

Reports from TEAMtalk in recent days suggest that Arsenal are known to be long-term admirers of the forward, although they will face competition from Manchester United amid a previous £44m valuation.

Speaking to the Independent following Canada’s exit from the 2022 World Cup, the 23-year-old proclaimed the Premier League to be the "best league in the world", igniting further rumours in his future on the major stage.

Should Arsenal sign Jonathan David?

With Arsenal firing at full throttle, Arteta will be cautious at making any drastic changes to disrupt the fluidity of his frontline.

Mykhaylo Mudryk, who was fiercely pursued by the north London side before Chelsea swooped for £88.5m at the eleventh hour this winter, has registered just one assist from seven outings thus far in his career with the Blues.

Arsenal instead opted for the more prudent route in signing Brighton & Hove Albion’s Leandro Trossard for £27m, who has been a revelation having scored a goal and five assists for his new outfit thus far.

Therefore, continuing this trend and targeting David, who albeit won’t come cheap but will be a sterling addition to provide competitive competition alongside Jesus, could be a most auspicious path to take, with the in-form forward dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world” by Tony Marinaro.

And by ditching Eddie Nketiah, whose finishing has been branded “wayward” this season by the Athletic's Paddy Boyland, the continuation of emphatic growth at the club will only increase the pace.

The Canadian David has scored 21 goals and served four assists from 29 outings across all competitions this term, hailed as “clinical” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his endeavours.

As per FBref, the phenom, with 22 goals from 37 international displays, ranks among the top 5% of forwards in Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, illustrating a ball-playing aptitude that would suit Arteta’s progressive system to a tee.

Nketiah has scored nine goals from 32 appearances this season, but only four times in the Premier League, and with the 23-year-old Englishman valued at just £17m by Football Transfers, signing David – who “just keeps on rolling” according to Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic – in his stead could cement newfound superiority.

The Gunners’ meteoric rise has been spectacular as it has been mechanical, with the system seemingly oiled to a sheen unseen at the Emirates for decades, cohesion suffusing across north London like shining sunlight, and with David complementing a burgeoning strike force, stability may well be intact for years to come.

Southampton “hope to keep” hold of midfielder Romeo Lavia beyond the summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia’s future?

The Belgian only made the move to the St. Mary’s Stadium from Premier League rivals Manchester City back in July 2022 but has taken to life like a duck to water becoming one of his side’s most promising players. Ruben Selles’ star won’t be out of contract until 2027, but following his impressive level of performances on the south coast, has already been generating interest ahead of the upcoming window.

The Mail Online report that Chelsea, Manchester United and his former club the Sky Blues are all keeping tabs on the 19-year-old, who recently received his first senior international call-up for his nation’s Euro 2024 qualifier vs Sweden and a friendly against Germany which is set to take place on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Southampton would like to retain the services of Lavia but understand that it will be a difficult task considering the calibre of his potential suitors. He wrote:

“Romeo Lavia will be one to watch in the summer. Man City £40m buy back clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him.”

Should Southampton keep or sell Lavia?

Southampton’s manager Selles recently admitted that Lavia is “not impressing” him and that he “needs to step up” moving forward, but regardless of this criticism, the club should definitely keep him.

The Saints ace is naturally a defensive midfielder but offers versatility having operated slightly higher up in central midfield this season, which is a useful attribute to have should he ever be asked to play out of position in the future. The Brussels native currently ranks in the 90th percentile for most blocks by midfielders whilst averaging 1.9 tackles per top-flight game, highlighting his desire to get stuck in and win back possession for his team.

The £25k-p/w starlet can also pose a threat in the final third having scored one goal and provided one assist in his 24 appearances since joining, which makes it clear that he’s got so much potential to offer despite still being a teenager who is finding his feet at the highest level.

Should Southampton be relegated at the end of the season, Lavia will more than likely end up looking for a move elsewhere, so it’s vital that they maintain their top-flight status should they not want to lose one of their most prized assets.

Newcastle United will host Manchester United at St James' Park this afternoon and Eddie Howe will be hoping that his team are out for revenge on their League Cup rivals as they meet for the first time since the Wembley defeat.

The Magpies have everything to play for in the Premier League as they are just two points adrift of a Champions League qualifying spot, so snatching all three points from Erik ten Hag's side in front of the home support today would put them in a fantastic position to knock Tottenham Hotspur out of the top four ahead of their game against Everton tomorrow night.

Howe will be thrilled as Joelinton is now available to start after serving a two-match suspension due to yellow card bookings and there is no doubt that he will make an instant return to the midfield alongside his fellow Brazilian, Bruno Guimaraes.

Having said that, following their disappointing meeting with Man United in the League Cup final, the Newcastle boss could look at switching up his starting XI to counter the successful style of play that the Red Devils executed against them just weeks ago.

One player who could earn a spot in the starting eleven is the club's £45m January signing Anthony Gordon, as the young winger could be the difference that helps his side secure another victory.

Will Anthony Gordon start vs Manchester United?

The former Everton forward hasn't had too many opportunities to stake his claim for a starting position in the competitive Newcastle starting line-up ahead of his ankle injury blow, but he could be the perfect profile of player to taken on Ten Hag's formidable side.

Gordon is renowned for his incredible pace, ability to win possession high up the pitch and tenacity in one on one situations – with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer hailing his "fearless attitude" ahead of his move to the North East.

Over 20 Premier League appearances this season, the 6-foot ace – dubbed "different class" by former teammate James Tarkowski – has scored three goals, offered up 29 shot-creating actions, won 24 tackles and made 64 ball recoveries – proving that he is not only effective in the attacking threat but also not afraid to get stuck into challenges to win the ball for his team.

Howe wasted no time in heaping praise on the 22-year-old versatile winger upon his debut for Newcastle against West Ham United:

“Very pleased. First action here at St James’ Park is important, and his first pass was a brilliant one, he injected some life into us at a time when we needed it in the game.

“What he delivered was very bright. I'm really pleased. I was hoping for a goal or assist, but overall, very good."

Now Gordon may get the chance to deliver that goal contribution for his manager against Man United as he could provide the difference in class that Newcastle's forward line needs to earn the important three points to break back into the top four this afternoon.

Aston Villa are currently in their fourth season back in the top-flight of English football after securing a promotion from the Championship in 2019.

Dean Smith led the club to promotion via the play-offs in 2018/19 and they have remained in the Premier League to date, after spending three years in the second tier.

The Villans were initially relegated from the top division in 2016 and the side suffered a number of flops in the transfer market in their attempts to bounce back at the first time of asking.

In the 2016/17 campaign, Villa made a whopping 16 first-team signings and this included the likes of Ross McCormack, Scott Hogan, and Mile Jedinak.

One addition the club had a nightmare with was the signing of Pierluigi Gollini after the shot-stopper arrived for a fee of £4.25m from Hellas Verona during Roberto Di Matteo's tenure.

What happened to Pierluigi Gollini?

The Italian U21 international played 20 matches in the Championship and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.79 – making one error leading to a shot or goal.

However, Steve Bruce – who replaced Di Matteo in the dugout – dropped him in favour of Mark Bunn before signing Sam Johnstone on loan from Manchester United, which opened the door for the young goalkeeper to move out on loan to Atalanta on an 18-month deal.

At the time of Gollini's exit, Bruce explained that the gem needed to learn his "trade" out on loan but the youngster only played 11 Serie A matches in his 18 months back in his home country.

This led to the Villa head coach sanctioning a permanent move for the shot-stopper in the summer of 2018 as the Italian giant joined Atalanta on a long-term deal.

FootballTransfers placed the 6 foot 4 titan's Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at just £3.2m (€3.7m) at the time of the transfer and that price soared over the following two-to-three years as he established himself as a number one in the Serie A.

Gollini played 20 times in the Italian top-flight in 2018/19 before featuring in 58 matches in the division across the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns. He kept 18 clean sheets in the latter two seasons combined and his development was reflected in his market value.

The ex-Villa man's xTV soared by a whopping 544% to £20.6m (€23.5m) by January 2021 and this shows that the colossus, who journalist Josh Bunting hailed as "improved", was able to fulfil his potential by being a capable performer in a major European league.

Therefore, Bruce endured a nightmare with the former Verona talent as his development after leaving the Villans suggests that they either missed out on a big payday, with £20.6m being a significant profit on the £4.25m they paid for him, or an impressive goalkeeper.

Instead of using his loan as a springboard to kickstart his career at Villa, the head coach axed the player from the squad and that turned out to be a miscalculation from the English boss, who was later replaced by Smith.

Gollini has gone on to play for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and is currently on loan at Napoli in Italy and Villans supporters may wonder what could have been for the goalkeeper at Villa Park if Bruce had more faith in him.

Vusi Sibanda’s first T20I fifty and Elton Chigumbura’s audacious finishing ensured Zimbabwe had enough runs to beat Hong Kong, although they will be disappointed in an all-round messy performance

The Report by Firdose Moonda08-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsVusi Sibanda’s maiden T20I fifty gave Zimbabwe a strong total to defend•International Cricket Council

Vusi Sibanda’s first T20I fifty and Elton Chigumbura’s audacious finishing ensured Zimbabwe had enough runs to beat Hong Kong, although they will be disappointed in an all-round messy performance. Three run-outs stunted what should have been a more imposing total, and loose bowling and fielding, and a gutsy Hong Kong chase could have easily pulled the carpet out from under them.Jamie Atkinson’s career-best 53 held Hong Kong’s innings together but he battled against a constantly rising required rate which ballooned from a shave under eight to more than 13 with five overs left. With Zimbabwe’s slower bowlers struggling for control, Hong Kong were in it until almost the end, when the task proved just a little too much.Zimbabwe could have made it a much more comprehensive result with a better batting performance. They were plagued by lack of partnerships and soft dismissals, which started with the casualness of their captain.Hamilton Masakadza gave himself an over to get his eye in and then unleashed two fours and a six off seamer Haseeb Amjad. His innings, however, met a farcical end when he failed to ground his bat or his foot after setting off for a quick single. Babar Hayat nailed a direct hit from mid-off to catch Hamilton short. Sibanda, who had faced only one of the first 14 balls, took over from where Hamilton left off. Richmond Mutumbami, however, holed out to long-on for a three-ball duck.On a sticky pitch, Hong Kong’s captain Tanwir Afzal sensed Zimbabwe’s hurry and slowed them down. Sean Williams was particularly fidgety and fell when he attempted a cut and played on. Sikandar Raza was run-out in the next over, after Sibanda insisted on a second run, and Zimbabwe were left in trouble at 62 for 4 in 7.5 overs.Sibanda, though, knuckled down and built a steady partnership with Malcolm Waller. They were cautious against seamer Aizaz Khan and Ryan Campbell whose contribution was crucial in pulling Zimbabwe back from a score that seemed to be heading towards 170. Hong Kong conceded just 38 runs in the next six overs before Sibanda slammed left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed down the ground to raise his fifty off 40 balls.Sibanda showed signs of cutting loose, but just as his partnership with Waller looked to take off, it ended. Waller gave a gift to sweeper cover, trying to clear the boundary, and then both Sibanda and Donald Tiripano were dismissed. Hong Kong took three wickets in eight balls to leave Zimbabwe wobbling again.Elton Chigumbura, however, teed off early. He hit the ball cleanly and down the ground, slapping 30 off 13 balls to take Zimbabwe past 150. Ultimately, Chigumbura’s cameo turned out to be the difference after Hong Kong put up an impressive fight.Campbell and Atkinson started slowly in the chase against the discipline of Zimbabwe’s seamers. The slow-burn approach backfired when Campbell hit Tiripano straight to mid-on. Atkinson could have been removed an over later, on 10, had Sibanda not misjudged a catch at deep midwicket off Wellington Masakadza.Wellington then had some reward when he trapped Babar Hayat in front but his joy was short-lived. He was attacked by Mark Chapman, who also went after Raza. But the allrounder had the last laugh when Chapman hit him to deep midwicket with Sibanda redeeming himself.Atkinson, however, went on to bring up his maiden T20I half-century off 41 balls with a crunch down the ground off Tendai Chatara. Although Hong Kong needed 53 off the last four overs, they would have felt they had a chance.Zimbabwe brought back their seamers to finish things off. Tiripano rewarded his captain when he deceived Atkinson with a slower ball that he hit to long-on. But the threat from Hong Kong was only properly diffused in the penultimate over with a Chatara double-strike. His hat-trick ball was a beamer, which went for four, an indication of Zimbabwe’s sloppy performance. They sealed the win, but will be mindful of the need to tighten up to stay on top of the group.

An emotional Peter Borren made another impassioned plea to the ICC to give the Associates and Affiliates more opportunities to play, with Netherlands knocked out of the World T20 after a washout

Sidharth Monga in Dharamsala11-Mar-2016An emotional and distraught Peter Borren has made another impassioned plea to the ICC to give the Associates and Affiliates more opportunities to play, which eventually boils down to spending more money on them. His side Netherlands, perhaps had one bad over with the ball and another with the bat in their first match of this World T20, and they are already out of the event after a washout in their second match.The World Cup, of a format that is considered the most ideal to spread the game to non-traditional outposts, is restricted to 10 teams, which leads to a cruel round of qualifying where only one of four teams goes through. There are no reserve days. This stage of the tournament is almost like a chore that has to be completed. For teams such as Netherlands, they hope they can make these three days the days of their lives, but don’t have any room for error.”It’s a pretty emotional dressing room,” Borren said. “Guys have put a lot of work into this campaign. It started a year ago or close to that starting with the first part of the qualifier in Ireland and Scotland. We shared that trophy and played some really good cricket. We sit here now after playing three hours of cricket against Bangladesh, where we came up short. It’s extremely disappointing. Obviously we can’t do anything about the weather.”There are obviously questions about how much we’ve had to do to get to this stage as it is. We’ve won a lot of games and an eight-run loss to Bangladesh and we’re gone. It’s hard to take.”

Associates’ requests falling on deaf ears – Porterfield

When Peter Borren pleaded for more games, he referred to William Porterfield’s scathing comments after the last World Cup, in Australia. After Ireland bowed out of this World T20, Porterfield said his comments had fallen on deaf ears. “That is why the ICC has the tournament in two phases because they will lose a lot of revenue if one of the ‘top nations’ go out to any of us in the early rounds,’ Porterfield said. “It doesn’t happen in any other sport. Every sport grows. Football has increased the number of teams for the 2023 [sic] World Cup. Rugby have done the same. They are looking to progress their games.
“It is a shame that the ICC at the top level insist on cutting teams. It has fallen on deaf ears a lot of time. After the last World Cup there were quite a few people at the top table who were quite happy that we missed out on run rate. Makes it a bit easier for them to ignore all the comments and let it die over time. This is what happens. It is frustrating from our point of view. We will keep fighting. We have got good performances on the pitch. We come to every major event. Not just major events, we have got four big games this year. Two against Sri Lanka and two against Pakistan at home. Those are the games we have to win especially on home soil to put more pressure, to get even more fixtures.”

While Borren hoped there was a reserve day, he did repeat there can be no excuses for losing to Bangladesh after having competed evenly for 35.5 overs. Looking at the future, though, he was desperately disappointed. He had tweeted earlier in the day, imploring the weather to co-operate because the match was 10% of the cricket they were going to play all year. As of now, they are left with one more T20I, two one-day games against Nepal in the World Cricket League and a four-day game against Afghanistan, and that’s it for the rest of the year.”It’s obviously not enough cricket, that’s fair to say,” Borren said. “If we had managed to get through here, it would have been fantastic. But today’s rain means that we’re in a position where we possibly won’t be playing in a world event for how many years [four]. And in this sort of environment, I’ve been lucky to have played in a few, but it seems like it’s becoming less opportunities for Associate teams, which is frustrating. For me, I’m getting older but some of our young guys… it’s pretty hard to tell a guy like Paul van Meekeren, for example, who bowls four overs, gets 2 for 17 against Bangladesh, that there might be another opportunity if we get really really good cricket over three-four years time. It’s pretty tough.”What do they do to keep this team together and motivated given such few opportunities? “Keeping this unit together, I don’t know, time is an interesting thing,” Borren said. “We have got an interesting blend of experience and younger guys. We are not playing too much cricket. We move our attention to two days time, to the visit of Nepal and Afghanistan later in the summer. We’ve worked very hard to get where we are now. I’m very proud of what we’ve done in the World Cricket League and the I-cup but right now the feeling is absolutely devastated. It’s just a cruel, cruel place to be. I guess, I wish we could find those nine runs somewhere from the other night.”What really seems to have hurt Borren is the fact that the ICC has becomes less concerned about Associates. He acknowledged the hard work of some passionate people at the ICC who work hard towards spreading the game, but asked for a more even share of the revenues cricket generates. “The level of Associate cricket has dramatically improved,” Borren said, crediting ICC’s high performance programme. “The opportunities for games, however, have become far less. Four or five years ago I, we, used to play quite a few games. These days not many with WCL going to a three-year cycle.”I don’t think it is those people who work hard… they do work hard for Associate cricket. But maybe above them there is a sort of malaise towards Associate cricket. To grow further in the game, we always hear it is not commercially viable. We can’t afford to do our own bilateral series. It is very difficult for us. We then hear World Cricket League has gone to a three-year cycle because it is not affordable otherwise. To be honest there is money somewhere. There is a lot of money in cricket. Just not really being spent on expanding the game. Although a bit of it is being spent, the revenue should be spread more far out so that we have that opportunity to play more.”Borren had a message for those who feel the Associates don’t deserve a healthier share of the revenue because they don’t generate it: “I will tell them we don’t need that much. We are not looking for millions and millions of dollars. Just a very small percentage of this huge amount. Obviously we are not going to probably be the source of much revenue, we understand that, but if the game wants to grow, then surely the revenue needs to be shared more evenly not just amongst three, eight, ten teams but throughout the Associates and Affiliates as well.”I can remember William Porterfield saying pretty similar stuff after the 2015 world cup. People keep saying ‘fair enough’, ‘fair enough’, but there is no real change. That can be extremely frustrating. Real change would be welcomed in world of cricket. For example I watch Indian TV, going through the channels, highlights of us beating England, so we think, ‘Hang on, everyone likes watching that, everyone likes watching new teams do well, you know give us the opportunity.”

Cricket fans who complain vociferously about the absence of live cricket on free-to-air TV might find mild consolation in Sky TV’s launch of a new channel to showcase their live sports to all their subscribers

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2016Cricket fans who complain vociferously about the absence of live cricket on free-to-air TV might find mild consolation in Sky TV’s announcement that they intend to launch a new channel to showcase their live sports package to all their subscribers.Sky have confirmed that live cricket will occasionally be among those sports made available to all their 12-million plus subscribers. Slightly less than half take out a sports package for an additional fee.Sky Sports Mix is seen as offering an extra inducement for its subscribers not to leave Sky in favour of rivals such as BT Sport or Virgin.Most attention has been given to Sky’s promise that it will air a number of live Premier League and Championship matches free of charge, but it is the mention of cricket that will interest the ECB as it pursues TV rights negotiations for the period beyond 2019.Sky announced: “For the first time, millions more Sky customers will be able to watch a mix of live sport – including football, golf from Europe and the US, international cricket and much more – as part of their basic subscription packages.”Women’s cricket will also be included.The ECB remains committed to a future where most international cricket remains behind a paywall, adamant that the revenue gained is necessary to sustain the game, not just at first-class level but in terms of the women’s game and recreational cricket.Nevertheless, there is unease about the fall in numbers in recreational cricket, which seem to signal lessening interest in the game, and which will tempt the ECB to explore the possibility of some live cricket being viewed free to air, beyond the England international highlights that are already available.Discussions will centre not just upon England cricket, but on the availability of England’s domestic T20 tournament – in whatever form it takes from 2020 onwards.Sky Sports Mix might become a useful bargaining chip as negotiations continue. It could not count as free-to-air for all, but any increase in cricket’s reach will be regarded as something worth talking about.