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Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, will not seek to renew his term of office once it ends on June 30, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2011Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, will not seek to renew his term of office once it ends on June 30, 2012. Lorgat will have led the ICC for four years by the time he steps down after the 2012 annual conference scheduled in Kuala Lumpur.Lorgat was offered a three-year extension to his initial three-year term, which ended in June 2011, but he accepted an extension of only one year. “My sense is to step aside after having delivered a successful ICC Cricket World Cup and the new global ICC strategy which is now in place,” Lorgat said. “In 2010, I felt there was much work for me to complete during 2011 which included protecting the integrity of the game and restoring the reputation and image of the ICC.”Having dealt decisively with the spot-fixing issues, delivered a highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup and adopted a new global strategy, I feel the time is right to move on.”I am hopeful that the independent governance review currently in progress and due to be published after the next board meeting would find acceptable outcomes and thereby leave a legacy for future generations.”Although disappointed that the Test World Championship will not be played in 2013, I am confident that with the strategic restructures we have undertaken, all three formats can be sustained at international level.”The ICC’s nominations committee will use an executive recruitment agency to advertise and identify a successor for Lorgat. ICC vice-president Alan Isaac will manage the recruitment process.Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, said Lorgat had helped the ICC overcome several challenges during his term. “Haroon Lorgat has steered the ICC through some tricky situations, such as the rescheduling of the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy, the location of the ICC headquarters in Dubai, the response to the Lahore attack, several doping issues, the recent spot-fixing hearings and the highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.”I am satisfied that his contribution to the ICC and to cricket leaves us in a solid position.”

Stuart Meaker took five wickets as Surrey seized the initiative on day two ofthe County Championship match against Division Two leaders Northamptonshireat Wantage Road

01-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Stuart Meaker took five wickets as Surrey seized the initiative on day two ofthe County Championship match against Division Two leaders Northamptonshireat Wantage Road.Paceman Meaker took career-best figures of 5 for 37, including three wicketsin the 58th over alone, as the hosts collapsed from 178 for three to be bowledout for just 194. Rob Newton top-scored with 80 from 162 balls for Northamptonshire before Surrey closed on 115 for 3 to have an overnight lead of 190.Northamptonshire began the day on four without loss – 265 runs behind theiropponents’ first-innings total – with openers Newton and Kyle Coetzer bothresuming on one. But Scotland international Coetzer was to last just two balls before he wastrapped leg before wicket by South African veteran Zander de Bruyn for one.Alex Wakely made it to 29 before he was caught by Surrey wicketkeeper StevenDavies off a good delivery by Meaker. Newton went on to complete his half-century off 105 balls in the third over before lunch but David Sales perished on 23 in the fifth over of the afternoonwhen he was pinned lbw by Tim Linley.Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall walked on 36 when he edged his attempteddrive off Meaker to Davies, and this triggered a dramatic collapse. Wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien followed him back to the pavilion with the next ball when Meaker’s yorker clattered into his stumps. Meaker struck again three balls later when De Bruyn took a catch at second slipto dismiss James Middlebrook for a duck. He then sealed the fourth five-wicket haul of his first-class career and his fourth wicket in just seven deliveries when Newton finally departed by nudging him to Davies.Chaminda Vaas made just a single before being caught at short leg by Jason Royoff India spinner Pragyan Ojha. And with Stephen Peters absent hurt with a back injury the innings ended when Linley bowled David Burton (six) to give Surrey a first-innings lead of 75.They then lost their captain Rory Hamilton-Brown cheaply for 22 in the seventhover when he was caught by O’Brien after playing loosely off Vaas. Hall brought himself on with six overs to go and he had Mark Ramprakash caught leg before after he had plundered 38. Middlebrook then bowled nightwatchman Linley for a duck before Davies and De Bruyn survived until the close and will resume tomorrow on 41 and two respectively.

A round-up of matches from the eighth weekend in Kenya’s East African Cup and East Africa Elite League

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2011East Africa Premier LeagueRift Valley Rhinos reignited the Twenty20 competition with a surprise five-wicket win over leaders Rwenzori Warriors in Kampala. The result cuts the Warriors lead to four points whereas two rounds ago they were a seemingly unassailable eight points ahead. Warriors never got going after winning the toss and batting, and only Roger Mukasa (32) hung around for any time as they were bowled out for 93. The Rhinos were wobbling on 58 for 5 before Ramesh Mepani (29* off 31 balls) calmly saw them home with two overs in hand.Nile Knights, unbeaten in five T20 games, took the chance to close the gap with a comfortable 33-run victory over Nairobi Buffaloes. The Knights made 140 for 9 – Collins Obuya picked up late wickets to return figures of 4 for 20 – and the Buffaloes lost too many early wickets to mount a serious challenge.Kongonis enjoyed a straightforward five-wicket win against winless Coast Pekee in Mombasa with 23 balls to spare.

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR

Rwenzori8610126+1.164Nile Knights8520122+0.933Rift8430118+0.115Kongonis8440016+0.487Buffaloes8350012-0.579Pekee807012-2.159East African CupAll three matches were rained off leaving the table unchanged.

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR

Kongonis8510224+0.951Nile Knights8410322+1.213Rwenzori8420220+1.454Buffaloes8320318+0.120Rift8250110-0.675Pekee807012-2.071

They may have dragged the match into a fourth day, but Somerset will surely stumble to their fourth defeat of a bitterly disappointing first half of the Championship season early on the final morning. With nine second-innings wickets down, they lead Warwi

George Dobell at Edgbaston22-Jun-2011
Scorecard
They may have dragged the match into a fourth day, but Somerset will surely stumble to their fourth defeat of a bitterly disappointing first half of the Championship season early on the final morning. With nine second-innings wickets down, they lead Warwickshire by just five runs. More was expected of a team that started the year with high hopes of a first Championship title.It doesn’t take too much analysis to work out Somerset’s faults. They have a tail longer than a diplodocus and they’re overly reliant on Marcus Trescothick. Zander de Bruyn, who they allowed to go to Surrey over the winter, has been sorely missed. Their bowling, with Geemal Hussain struggling to make the step-up to the top division and Charl Willoughby beginning to show signs of wear, has also lacked bite. It may yet be matters at the wrong end of the table that occupy them come September.Here their middle-order was blown away by some well-directed pace bowling from Boyd Rankin and, in particular, the distinctly sharp Rikki Clarke. At one stage Clarke took three wickets in 25 balls. On a pitch that remains slow, flat and blameless, that’s a fine effort.Only Trescothick and Nick Compton showed any meaningful resistance. No-one else scored more than 15.There’s little that is entertaining about Compton. He’s so far batted for just six-minutes short of five hours in this innings and, at one stage, was scoreless for 33 minutes. Had he been sprayed silver, passers-by may have thrown money at him.But Somerset could do with a few more batsmen of his ilk. For, until the admirable Steve Kirby joined him in a ninth-wicket stand that thwarted Warwickshire for 53 minutes, there was remarkably little resistance from a middle-order of whom more is expected.James Hildreth, whose hopes of forcing his way into the England side are receding by the week, was trapped in front by one that nipped back, before Lewis Gregory’s middle stump was sent cartwheeling by a perfect yorker and Peter Trego played-on as he was hurried by Clarke’s extra pace. Geemal Hussain, again beaten for pace, jabbed his bat down on a full ball and squirted a catch to leg gully before Murali Kartik attempted the most hideous sweep shot imaginable and departed lbw. Earlier Arul Suppiah clipped obligingly to square leg.Maybe Somerset can consider themselves a little unfortunate. While Trescothick was at the crease, a draw looked well within their grasp. There was even some talk of a challenging fourth-innings run chase.So to lose him in such unusual fashion was wretched luck. Middling a ferocious slog-sweep, Trescothick looked on in dismay as the ball thumped into Ian Westwood – hardly the largest of obstacles – at short-leg and somehow lodged itself in the fielder’s clothes. While both Westwood and Trescothick were left in pain, the smile was far quicker to return to the face of the Warwickshire man. Trescothick was also dismissed in unfortunate circumstances in the first innings; caught down the leg side as he attempted to glance.But Somerset can’t rely on their captain to save them every time. The likes of Hildreth – who has yet to score a century this season – also need to contribute far more.It was a particularly grim day for Craig Kieswetter. England’s newly recalled keeper departs with on international duty having just suffered the first ‘pair’ of his first-class career. His second innings dismissal, playing across a straight one from his new England colleague, Chris Woakes, meant Kieswetter had faced just nine balls in the match. Incidentally, Kieswetter and Woakes’ places on the final day of this game will be taken by Jos Buttler and Keith Barker respectively, though it’s hard to see either man making much of an impact.Earlier Warwickshire extended their first innings total to 448. It’s their highest score at Edgbaston this season and the highest score they’ve managed anywhere in their first innings since they last played Somerset. When they wrap-up victory on the final day, it will be the first time they’ve achieved home and away victories over Somerset in 50 years. While it might be pushing it to suggest that their fifth Championship victory of the season will revive their title hopes, it should, at least, ensure they are not looking over their shoulders in the final weeks of the season.Meanwhile Warwickshire finalised the signing of West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul as overseas player for the second half of the season. He’ll join them from mid-July.

West Indian fans are approaching the Sabina Park Test with optimism because of its reportedly fast pitch

Sriram Veera in Kingston19-Jun-2011There’s hope in the Caribbean air. You can feel it at Sabina Park. You can hear it in the chuckle of Charles Josephs, the curator, and in conversations with ground staff. “This is Jamaica. Not Mumbai. The ball will bounce and get your men,” is its essence. A simple, age-old theory: bounce the Indians and expect them to wilt. Though we’ll have to wait to see how the pitch actually plays, and whether West Indies’ fast bowlers can unsettle India’s batsmen, it can only be a good thing that home fans are approaching the Test with optimism, considering the shenanigans beyond the boundary.There is confidence in the West Indian camp as well. Darren Sammy, the captain, expects the pitch to suit his bowlers, who will be aggressive. Even young Darren Bravo said “a few of the Indians can get intimidated.” Ian Bishop, a former West Indian fast bowler and commentator, isn’t convinced a few Indian players, Suresh Raina for instance, can handle the bounce and pace.”This is the pitch that suits our style,” Sammy said. “We managed to restrict India to 250 and the batters were very comfortable chasing it. The mindset is different, the batsmen are confident that the ball won’t spin like it did in the first three ODIs. Records speak that if you have more firepower, you have a better chance against India.”Darren Sammy says the Sabina Park pitch will suit West Indies better than it will India•Associated PressSammy’s presence in the Test side is still a thorny issue, though. Does he upset the balance? Wouldn’t Fidel Edwards or Andre Russell be a better pick? Is Sammy weakening the attack? “My role has been the same since I started playing for West Indies,” Sammy said. “I am a stock bowler. I go out and do it to the best of my ability.” If he can be a consistent performer with the bat, it wouldn’t be so bad. “I am disappointed that my Test batting hasn’t been as consistent as it should be, but I am working hard.”Sammy expects West Indies to restrict India to less than 300. “In the last two games played here, the most recent one was against England, both teams scored around 300 in first innings. The one before was against Australia. We lost by 60 runs. We restricted them to just over 250. If we restrict them [India] to under 300 or so and can get a lead …”West Indies’ batting, though, has been the discipline with the most problems in the recent past. Sammy is confident that Kingston’s conditions will help. “Our batsmen will favour their chances against Indian bowlers knowing the type of wicket we will get,” he said. “Harbhajan is very experienced and Mishra has given us some trouble. You can’t be complacent. This wicket would be suited to our batsmen. I am expecting our batsmen to give a better show.”Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo, who comprise the top order, are light on experience, but Sammy highlighted their quality. “Barath is very promising cricketer. He scored a hundred in his first Test. He is coming back from injury but we all know his mental strength. He has the mental capability to carry on with his starts. Young Darren Bravo came to form in the last ODI and Simmons is in good nick. He knows his game and executes his plans. The top order might be short of experience but they have the game to do it.”

A round-up of the third and fourth quarter-final games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Twenty20 tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2011Wriddhiman Saha and Ashok Dinda turned in top-drawer performances to propel Bengal to a convincing 49-run win against Maharashtra at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. It was not all smooth-sailing for Bengal after they chose to bat, as Akshya Darekar and Kishore Bhikane dismantled the top order with five cheap wickets, including captain Manoj Tiwary for 21. Coming together at 68 for 5 in the 12th over, Saha changed the complexion of the game in Arnab Nandi’s company. Saha smote six sixes and five fours in a brutal display of hitting that was worth 85 off 41 balls and took the score to 171 for 5. Still reeling from the onslaught, Maharashtra’s chase sputtered against Dinda who finished with 4 for 13. Harshad Khadiwale and Nikhil Paradkar saved their side from complete embarrassment, but the result was never in doubt.Haryana completed the semi-final line-up in a more closely-contested game against Kerala, also played in Uppal, where they prevailed by 20 runs. Haryana openers Sonu Rathee and Rahul Dewan launched their innings with a 43-run stand in 5.2 overs to set up the platform. Dewan and Hemang Badani got identical scores – they both made 43 – but in contrasting styles. Dewan consumed 44 balls for his effort, while Badani hit five fours and a six in 28 balls. Haryana’s innings never gathered momentum thanks to a spate of run-outs in the latter stages, and they closed with 155 for 8. Kerala’s chase was spiked by Haryana’s two most feted bowlers – Joginder Sharma (2-25) and Amit Mishra (2-14), and the sluggish chase went nowhere until VA Jagadheesh scored a fluent 49 from No. 5. However, like in the other game, the effort was not to prove enough for the team batting second.

Gerry Alexander, who kept wicket for West Indies during the tied Test, has been remembered by his opponents in that match as a pioneer of the wicketkeeper-batsman trend, and as a man who helped ensure the game was played in the right spirit

Brydon Coverdale18-Apr-2011Gerry Alexander, who kept wicket for West Indies during the tied Test, has been remembered by his opponents in that match as a pioneer of the wicketkeeper-batsman trend, and as a man who helped ensure the game was played in the right spirit. Alexander, who died on the weekend at the age of 82, made 484 runs during that famous 1960-’61 tour, which at the time was a world-record run-tally for a wicketkeeper in a Test series.”He was what you’d call a competitor, which lifted his performance enormously,” the Australia allrounder, Alan Davidson, told ESPNcricinfo. “We used to say if we knocked over Conrad Hunte and Kanhai and Sobers and Worrell and everybody, all of a sudden in comes this bloke Alexander. He could’ve batted No. 3 for them, because he was that sort of player.”He was a good wicketkeeper as well. Let’s face it, he had to take Wes Hall and then keep to Ramadhin and Valentine and Gibbs and everybody. Gerry was a great mate. We had tremendous respect for them. He was one of the real friends I made out of that tour.”During the tied Test at the Gabba, Alexander made 60 in the first innings and 5 in the second, and Davidson recalled the friendly on-field banter in what was to become the most famous Test of all, and the first match in a series that revitalised Test cricket.”I can still remember bowling to him in a couple of the Test matches,” Davidson said. “I remember in the tied Test, he played it just to the off side of the wicket and took off for a single, and of course I picked it up and from five or ten yards I’d knock the stumps down 100 out of 100 times. But just as my arm was coming through to throw it, guess who ran into my arm but Gerry Alexander, and it went for four overthrows.”I appealed to the umpire and said, ‘he knocked my arm, ump!’ But of course Gerry said ‘you were in my running line too, don’t forget!’ That’s the wonderful thing about playing in those Tests, there was always the friendship that more or less bore out. It didn’t stop your competitiveness, but there was a relationship that is lacking today.”Neil Harvey, who also played for Australia during that 1960-’61 series, described Alexander as a “fine cricketer” and a “very likable fellow”. Harvey recalled how difficult Australia found it to dislodge Alexander during that tour, when only Australia’s Norm O’Neill and West Indies’ Rohan Kanhai made more runs than Alexander, who made 108 in Sydney, scored a half-century in each of the other four Tests and averaged 60.50.

He was probably one of the pioneers of this batting wicketkeeper business. He was a fine cricketer and a good bloke to go with itNeil Harvey on Gerry Alexander

“That was one of the best series that’s ever been played. It resurrected the game of cricket in this country, and he was a big part of it,” Harvey said. “He was a thorn in our side with the bat, actually, more than with the gloves. He was probably one of the pioneers of this batting wicketkeeper business. He was a fine cricketer and a good bloke to go with it. He was one of many West Indian blokes who we got on well with during the series.”Alexander featured in the final stages of the tied Test, when he caught Richie Benaud in the last over off Wes Hall, and four balls later he whipped the bails off after collecting a long-range throw from Conrad Hunte on the boundary to run out Wally Grout. Late last year, Alexander spoke to ESPNcricinfo about the 50th anniversary of the tied Test, and he recalled with a chuckle the chaos on the field as the West Indians made their late charge in that final eight-ball over.However, there were tough times for Alexander as well, and as the captain on the 1958-’59 tour of India, he played a key role in having the fast bowler Roy Gilchrist sent home for refusing to stop bowling beamers.”He was the one who had to deal with it when Gilchrist went crazy,” Davidson said. “He pulled a knife on Gerry in Karachi, when he was captain. Gerry never had malice in his mind at any stage, with anyone. You knew you were playing against him and he was a great cricketer in his own right, but he upheld all the virtues of cricket.”And, as the last white captain of West Indies, Alexander also had to deal with a campaign to oust him in favour of Frank Worrell. However, even after Worrell took over as leader, Alexander remained a supportive member of the side and gave his all for the team.”He was a very good keeper,” batsman Joe Solomon, who played under Alexander’s captaincy in nine Tests, said. “He always encouraged the players on the field. He was a good captain and then Frank Worrell took over, but even after that he was always a good leader and would give good advice to the players.”He was a great friend of mine. He was a very likable person, the kind of man who you’d like to meet and be in his company.”

Manchester City are reportedly set to rival Manchester United for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, according to the latest reports…

What’s the word?

As per journalist Jonathan Shrager, the reigning Premier League champions are keen on a deal for the Dutchman, with the Etihad Stadium outfit’s ability to offer Champions League football next season likely to bolster their chances ahead of struggling neighbours United.

Writing on his Twitter feed, Shrager said of the 24-year-old’s situation: “Barça and Xavi are keen to keep De Jong, Frenkie wants to play in UCL, and MCFC are interested in him, with Pep an admirer of the player. So, whilst MUFC have been interested long before ETH arrival, at this moment, these factors seem to reduce the chances of FDJ coming to United”.

Recent reports had suggested that the Red Devils were eyeing a move for the 40-cap international and that the Blaugrana could be inclined to sell, although this latest update suggests that the advantage is with Pep Guardiola and co, should the Nou Camp outfit sanction a sale.

Imagine him and De Bruyne

While City remain firmly in the mix for a potential Premier League and Champions League double this season, it would appear that the club are keen to strengthen their already stellar squad even further, with De Jong the latest high profile figure to have been linked with a switch to the Etihad.

Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland is the potential new arrival stealing all the headlines, while Sporting Lisbon’s Matheus Nunes has also cropped up on the radar, with Guardiola having dubbed him “one of the best in in the world” earlier this season.

Links to the latter would suggest that a new midfield addition is on the agenda for the league leaders this summer, particularly with veteran stalwart Fernandinho recently confirming his desire to leave at the end of the campaign once his existing deal expires.

Potential target De Jong may not be the same profile of player as the Brazilian, although he would likely add his own sprinkling of quality to the club’s midfield ranks, having previously been labelled “extraordinary” by his current boss Xavi.

With Rodri likely to remain in a holding role with the Cityzens for years to come, there is potentially a slot available as part of a midfield three alongside Kevin De Bruyne, particularly with uncertainty over the future of Bernardo Silva.

A De Jong-De Bruyne midfield partnership is a truly salivating prospect, with the younger of the two offering undoubted quality in possession to match the talent of City’s chief creator.

The former Ajax man is a master at dictating tempo and conjuring attacks from his midfield berth, ranking in the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 5% for progress passes received per 90 among those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues.

The latter statistic showcases his knack at probing into the final third, while his quality as something of a midfield metronome is also emphasised by his stellar 91% pass completion rate so far this term in La Liga.

The £63m-rated De Jong seemingly fits the mould of a Guardiola player with his ability to break the lines – as showcased by his 86% dribble success rate in the Spanish top flight this season – while his previous comparisons to Andres Iniesta, a player with whom the City boss enjoyed huge success during his time in charge at Barcelona, also illustrate how he could thrive for the Manchester outfit if this prospective move comes off.

AND in other news, Man City now plot exciting move for £33.5m “monster”, Stones could be in trouble

England bounced back from the disappointment of losing the one-day series with a four-wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 international as Lydia Greenway guided them home 10 balls to spare at Adelaide

The Bulletin Andrew McGlashan at Adelaide Oval12-Jan-2011
ScorecardLydia Greenway hit an unbeaten 39 to secure victory•Getty ImagesEngland bounced back from the disappointment of losing the one-day series with a four-wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 international as Lydia Greenway guided them home 10 balls to spare at Adelaide. Greenway gained important support from Suzie Rowe and despite a flurry of wickets in the closing overs England had enough in the tank.Greenway, a vital source of experience in the absence of Claire and Sarah Taylor, added 43 for the fourth wicket with Rowe after Australia had made inroads, but the home side fought back and when Fran Wilson was bowled by Sarah Coyte they still had a chance. However, Greenway was gifted another boundary when Lisa Sthalekar misfielded at cover and the victory came with four wides down the leg side.Ellyse Perry was taken for 13 off the opening over with Charlotte Edwards (16) collecting boundaries off the first two balls of the innings. England were well ahead of the required rate when Edwards gave her innings away by reverse sweeping to cover.Laura Marsh scored at a run-a-ball before falling to Lisa Sthalekar’s first delivery and Danielle Wyatt (16) was well stumped by Alysaa Healy to leave England 3 for 59 in the ninth over. The chase was being throttled, but England found crucial momentum when firstly Greenway and then Rowe struck sixes over the leg side. Suddenly the required rate was back to a run-a-ball and England resorted to tip-and-run batting.Australia didn’t give up, though, and Perry returned to have Rowe lbw and Coyte struck twice in the 17th over including a fine yorker to remove Wilson for a duck but Greenway remained cool until the end.England made a poor start in the field with two early dropped chances, but pulled their performance around with a strong emphasis on spin. Isha Guha was the only pace bowler used during the innings as the visitors tried to take the pace off the ball.Holly Colvin, the left-arm spinner, removed Shelley Nitschke (17) with Greenway taking a fine catch in the deep then Colvin held onto a sharp caught-and-bowled when Leah Poulton (26) chipped a full toss straight back to her.At 3 for 63 the innings was stuttering before the experienced pair of captain Alex Blackwell and Sthalekar produced an important partnership of 58 in eight overs. Both players found the boundary twice and ran hard between the wickets, but in the end Australia made too many mistakes in the field.

West Ham United boss David Moyes is desperate to sign a new striker target as news emerges on Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins, as per insider reports.

The Lowdown: Irons eye striker…

The Irons and Moyes, reportedly convinced that Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata had signed in the late hours of January, thereby ending West Ham’s long search for a forward, were left bitterly disappointed (The Evening Standard).

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Phone calls to the Colombian’s representatives were unanswered with the 31-year-old going AWOL, leaving Moyes stranded without a senior back-up option for the second half of 2021/2022.

Their quest to add a new central striker now continues into the next summer transfer window, and according to club insider Claret & Hugh, the Hammers boss is very keen on Premier League star Watkins.

The Latest: Moyes sets sights on Watkins…

Moyes has allegedly been ‘seriously tracking’ the 26-year-old in his quest to finally fill the striker’s position.

Watkins is the Scotsman’s top target, and despite Steven Gerrard’s side being adamant they won’t sell, it is believed that won’t stop West Ham from attempting a move.

A ‘key London Stadium insider’ told C&H: “It’s become clear Villa are not interested in selling the player but that won’t stop us trying.”

The Verdict: Move on…

There are various stumbling blocks to this move, not just Villa’s strict no sale stance, but also the fact he could cost around £60 million, according to reliable reporter Luke Hatfield.

Moyes’ interest is certainly understandable given Watkins’ status as a fairly young England international with proven goalscoring ability over the last few seasons.

He’s also been called ‘unbelievable’ by Villa pundits like Dan Bardell (via This is Futbol), but given the appear to make West Ham’s life difficult in attempts to land the striker, it could be best to move on for now and look at alternatives.

In other news: West Ham insider makes contrary Rice claim in big boost for Moyes, find out more here.