The huge cost of the adidas kit deal with Manchester United that starts next season is going to impact on the England cricket team.

Adidas will need to make cutbacks elsewhere in their global business to afford the staggering £750million over 10 years that they have invested in United - with cricket one of the endangered sectors.

The German company have been the teamwear suppliers to all England cricket sides since 2008 and in 2011 the deal was extended to run until 2017.

Adidas have agreed a £750million, 10-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United

That huge deal will impact on their other sponsorships, including their relationship with England's cricket side

But it’s understood that adidas, who will not renew the contract again, want to downgrade the deal in its remaining seasons - so it becomes more similar to the licensing agreement they have with England Hockey rather than one of their marquee partnerships.

This follows not only the vast sum set aside for Old Trafford, but the poor sales of England replica kit with cricket fans far less likely to wear the team strip to matches than football supporters. And adidas have made the strategic decision to concentrate on core sports that will not include cricket.

The ECB are reported to have already started talking to other sportswear companies.

The ECB are believed to have already starting talking to other sportswear companies about new deals

Thierry Henry received decent reviews for his expensive debut as a £3.6m-a-year Sky Sports pundit at the weekend, even though the Frenchman shamelessly put forward holding midfielder Alex Song as the answer for Arsenal’s defence.

Former Arsenal player Song, now on loan at West Ham United from Barcelona, just happens to share the same agent - former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein’s son Darren - as Henry.

Thierry Henry is being paid £3.6m a year to be a Sky Sports pundit and made his debut at the weekend

Henry endorsed Alex Song, who has the same agent as himself, as the answer to Arsenal's defence

Jerome Champagne, former advisor to Sepp Blatter, announced his fanciful candidature for the FIFA Presidency in London a year ago and has laid out his manifesto on a regular basis since.

Yet Champagne has yet to receive a single nomination from the 209 member associations when five are needed - a clear sign he has outlived his usefulness to Blatter.

Meanwhile, bookmaker-stunt funded ‘candidate’ David Ginola, described as a ‘gold-digger’ by Champagne, was in Wales trying to court the FAW to no effect.

Jerome Champagne, former advisor to Sepp Blatter, has yet to receive a nomination to be FIFA president

David Ginola, running as a candidate after being paid by a betting company, was in Wales trying to get votes

The upset in racing about TV national treasure Clare Balding snubbing the Grand National to present the first women’s Boat Race on April 11 was underlined by champion jockey AP McCoy saying he was ‘disappointed’ with Clare three times in quick succession when commenting about her decision on BBC 5 Live.

Claire Balding's snub of the Grand National to present the first women's Boat Race has not been well received

PULIS' AGENT IN COURT

Football agent Dave Sheron is one of the people being pursued by middle man Tony McGill in a private prosecution alleging perjury and fraud to be heard at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on February 25.

This follows McGill losing his case after claiming he was cut out of the £1m deal - by Bolton Wanderers and agency SEM - for Gavin McCann’s transfer from Aston Villa in 2007.

Sheron has left SEM to set up HSH Sports with two other SEM personnel, Craig Honeyman and Steve Horner, who is also facing perjury allegation summons from McGill. Sheron’s clients include West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis and Paul Jewell. Sheron is unlicensed but FIFA are disbanding agents regulations.

Tony Pulis' agent, Dave Sheron, is one of the people being pursued by by middle man Tony McGill

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner, after trying to offload the club, is said to be energised about taking the team forward having brought in former Arsenal commercial director Tom Fox as CEO.

Nevertheless, there is speculation billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the richest owner in the NFL whose Seattle Seahawks have reached back-to-back Superbowls, could be interested in buying Villa.

Allen, who was in talks to buy Southampton in 2007, part-owns MLS side Seattle Sounders. Villa are sceptical about any bid but a source involved with Allen’s investment vehicle Vulcan said: ‘This is Americans talking to Americans.’