EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Sportsmail has learned that the ECB are insured for the value of all tickets sold up until April 1 if the Tests do not take place as planned.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Sportsmail has learned that all players are entitled to 12.5 per cent of their deals even if the competition does not take place.

SPECIAL REPORT: There are growing concerns that the new franchise-based tournament is unaffordable given the challenges facing cricket amid the coronavirus pandemic.

English cricket supremo Tom Harrison has warned of dire financial consequences for the sport amid fears that the new season will not take place at all because of the coronavirus.

In a report seen by Sportsmail, consultants Oakwell Sports Advisory recommend selling a stake in each of the eight franchises to private equity as a potential solution to the financial issues.

EXCLUSIVE BY DAVID COVERDALE: Durham chief executive Tim Bostock no longer expects him to come over as he is needed back Down Under in September ahead of the Sheffield Shield.

EXCLUSIVE By MATT HUGHES: The ECB will face opposition from MCC and counties who play at major Test venues if they seek to sell stakes in Hundred franchises to private equity,

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY DAVID COVERDALE: Hales could have done no more to push his case for a place in England's T20 World Cup squad but he knows that runs alone are not enough.

Charlie Sheen returned to the spotlight in a big way this week, proving to be just as unfiltered and unpredictable as ever during a slew of live television appearances to promote his new film.

Charlie Sheen has claimed that Lady Gaga rang him out of the blue one day to offer him a naked lap dance.  

The 54-year-old actor was initially set to compete on the current season 28 of Dancing With The Stars but walked away from the opportunity according to a Wednesday report from Us Weekly.

BAZ BAMIGBOYE: The Shining is to be adapted for the stage by Belgian theatre artist Ivo van Hove in London. No theatre dates will be confirmed until the part of Jack Torrance has been cast.

Several weeks ago, Bush may have ignored Trump's chest beating. Today, he tolled his 2016 rival right back and said his 'immigration plan is not conservative and does not reflect our nation's values.'

'This is ludicrous for the Clinton campaign and others to suggest that somehow, somehow I am using a derogatory term,' he said today after his visit to the United States' southern border.

Donald Trump suggested on Fox News Sunday that his tough stance on immigration might have prevented the terrorist attacks on 9/11. 'I doubt that those people would have been in the country.'

It's an act of desperation from the onetime front-runner who was thought of as the Republicans' best shot at the White House until Donald Trump came along and stole all his thunder.

Bush, along with his brother and parents, are reportedly going to be at the Sunday and Monday meeting in Houston, Texas.

While some suggested that last night's messy GOP debate was a win for the Democrats, Donald Trump said he knew who the real winner was – and it was him. Trump called it his 'best performance.'

Watch Marco Rubio as a robot, Hillary Clinton become an assassin for Goldman-Sachs and Donald Trump be a tricky fighter in 'The Debateful Eight,' a short animated Simpsons skit.

Failed Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush made a surprise appearance at the Emmys, appearing as Julia Louis-Dreyfus's limo driver in the cold open.

Zac Oliver, four, from Shropshire, who is undergoing a particularly harsh cycle of chemotherapy to contain his rare form of leukaemia, has penned a letter to Father Christmas.

Iman was seen making a rare red carpet appearance as she attended The Jane Club private dinner at the Melrose Mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday.

Gary Neville has hit back at Angel Di Maria and his wife Jorgelina Cardoso after she claimed they had a 's***' time in Manchester and branded English people 'skinny and weird' on Spanish TV.

Paul Pogba has opened up on his injury nightmare as he reveals his plans to 'be the best' when football returns, stating he is more 'hungry' now than ever to get back on the pitch

Both strikers notched 18 goals in France's top flight before the season was ended last week. Paris Saint-Germain's Mbappe was crowned the Ligue 1 top scorer on Thursday by the LFP.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The contracts are in addition to the introduction of salary caps, which are likely to be set at £2.5million in League One and £1.25million in League Two.

Despite the huge points gap between the clubs, Neville believes the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen the season suspended since April 3, could help United.

The 2019-20 season has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak, but plans are afoot for the campaign to get back underway in June.

Assistant coach Michael Carrick has revealed that the players have now been given compulsory training schedules to follow at home instead of the optional work-outs they've done in past two months.

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: Sportsmail runs the rule over the Barcelona full-back to see why United have targeted him, his style of play and the reaction from Barca fans at news of his departure.

Manchester United are set to enter the race alongside Real Madrid to sign Real Vallodolid youngster Mohammed Salisu this summer, as questions over Victor Lindelof's ability persist. 

EXCLUSIVE BY MIKE KEEGAN: Users were directed to bogus stories which reported persistent slurs against the Premier League champions.

Manchester City's partnership with the NHS is facilitating 1,000 coronavirus tests a day at the Etihad Stadium. The Premier League side have been praised for opening their doors to the NHS.

The Dutchman was fired after leading United to victory in the FA Cup final which was the first piece of silverware the club had won since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.

Speaking to analysts following a store tour in Southampton, bosses explained their reasoning behind the changes, which will ultimately lead to cost savings of £500 million.

Argos has revealed dupes of some of Soho Home's most sought after collection - including sofa's, rugs and even throws - with some of them at almost a tenth of the price.

PATRICK COLLINS, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: One balmy evening in Cape Town, in the summer of 2010, a television camera followed Wayne Rooney from a football pitch.

PATRICK COLLINS: Dylan Hartley's latest violent outburst sends out the wrong message to young rugby fans. Stuart Lancaster should take the opportunity to drop him.

PATRICK COLLINS: Manchester United against Cambridge is what the FA Cup is all about. ‘The magic of the Cup’ may be a desperate cliche but, in truth, there are times when only a cliche will do

JAMIE REDKNAPP: With Carlo Ancelotti as a manager and Duncan Ferguson as a mentor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is getting the best of both worlds. He can become a true No 9.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: This was not a day to analyse Liverpool's downfalls to death but rather to celebrate Watford for what was a complete team performance.

Ahead of facing Watford this weekend, Fernandes opened up on the impact Cristiano Ronaldo, who he plays alongside for the Portuguese national team, has had on his career to date.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner may make his 1000th professional appearance against the Serie A strugglers. Ronaldo has played 835 games in club football and 164 times internationally.

Cristiano Ronaldo chose to join Manchester United in 2003 because every other club that was interested in signing the winger wanted to loan him back to Sporting Lisbon, Jorge Mendes has revealed.

The Frenchman has been heavily linked with the exit door at Old Trafford, with his agent fuelling the fire of his impending move away, and it is thought he could be eyeing up a return to the Serie A giants.

Ferguson won an unprecedented 38 major honours during his reign at United, managing to maintain the club's dominance over two decades before retiring in 2013.

Italian Football Federation are hoping to restart the Serie A season in mid May, and with that in mind Juventus have allowed Adrien Rabiot to return to France for the remainder of the lockdown period.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003. To improve his game, Mike Phelan has said the club needed to teach him to become a 'team player' to help him to grow.

West Bromwich Albion manager Slaven Bilic has predicted there will be widespread change to football finances after the coronavirus crisis comes to an end.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely regarded as the two biggest stars in world football. Though Roberto Mancini has claimed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 'on the same level'.