Richard Scudamore’s elevation to the role of Premier League executive chairman reinforces his commitment to the organisation, which he has led for the last 15 years. His promotion and the appointment of two non-executive independent directors in Claudia Arney and Kevin Beeston, as revealed by Sports Agenda, was finally rubberstamped at Thursday’s club summit. The three-strong board will meet monthly to ensure proper scrutiny of Scudamore’s increased powerbase, with the newcomers also attending the PL’s club summits six times a year. Richard Scudamore was elevated to the role of Premier League executive chairman on Thursday . Scudamore, who has recovered from serious heart surgery last summer, said: ‘This is almost a re-commitment. This isn’t something you would do if you were about to leave. ‘Look at me, I’m up for it and my health is absolutely fine. This is a very enjoyable job. My enthusiasm for it has never waned.’ Arney, an Arsenal season ticket-holder, is a non-executive director of Halfords. She used to work at Goldman Sachs and the Treasury. Beeston is chairman of housebuilder Taylor Wimpey. He was a board member of Ipswich during their financial troubles and is a Chelsea season ticket-holder. Oddly, the Premier League say he enjoys watching rugby and tennis. Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves vows an inquiry if England don't beat West Indies in their Test series . Colin Graves, the incoming chairman of the ECB, has already stated he expects England to beat a ‘mediocre’ West Indies side in the Caribbean next month. And Graves will be in Barbados for the last of the three Tests, when head coach Peter Moores and England managing director Paul Downton will surely have to be shown the door if a series defeat follows the World Cup debacle. Barclays will definitely not be renewing their title sponsorship of the Premier League when their £40million-a-year contract expires at the end of next season, clubs were told on Thursday. The PL will not be short of offers, even at a higher price, to endorse the world’s richest league, with Guinness said to be interested. Barclays first raised doubts about their deal at the start of 2014, when a senior executive was alleged to have said the sponsorship had ‘zero value’ in the UK. On top of that, group chief executive Antony Jenkins doesn’t like football. Barclays have sponsored the Premier League since 2001 but the 2015-16 season is set to be their last . It will not help promoter Barry McGuigan’s negotiations with ITV over Carl Frampton’s next fight that foreign exchange traders CWMFX, who heavily sponsored his first super-bantamweight world title defence on the network, have had their London offices raided by police. Thirteen people were arrested on suspicion of fraud. ITV declined to comment. The Webb Ellis trophy will be contested for at the home World Cup, which begins in September . Around 350,000 World Cup tickets being returned by the International Rugby Board to ER2015 are not expected to include many for England matches at Twickenham. This is much to the annoyance of the official England Rugby Supporters Club. They are upset at the number of Twickenham tickets that have gone to official hospitality, especially after being told they had priority status for World Cup matches — apart from England at Twickenham. ER2015 say they will have a ‘few thousand’ extra England tickets to put on sale, while corporate hospitality were given 21,000 tickets for England group games at HQ. FA chairman Greg Dyke is adamant more homegrown players need to play in Football League sides . Premier League clubs and FA chairman Greg Dyke had a remarkably civil encounter on Thursday considering their conflicting positions on Dyke’s campaign for more homegrown players. It was agreed there would be consultation on the issue after a club asked Dyke whether he would force through changes. The FA and Milltown Partners, their PR advisers, had been very bullish about making it happen after Dyke announced his campaign last Monday, but the FA chairman rode back on Thursday, telling clubs he only wanted debate. England rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster has just been told by RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie that four runners-up finishes in the Six Nations is ‘unacceptable’. So it’s not the best week for the Leaders in Sport website to be promoting a video about Lancaster ‘creating a winning formula for one of the most physical sports in the world’. Not yet he hasn’t.
Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore has been made chairman . It coincides with the appointment of two independent directors . Barclays have sponsored the Premier League since 2001 . The bank will not renew their agreement when it expires next year .