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Worcestershire trail by 392 runs as Ben Raine adds 71 for hosts before showers force early close

ECB Reporters Network14-Apr-2023Worcestershire 96 for 2 (Pollock 41, Libby 19*, Potts 2-41) trail Durham 425 for 9 dec (Bedingham 118, Raine 71, Lees 70, Gibbon 4-92) by 329 runsTwo wickets from Matthew Potts allowed Durham to make inroads into the Worcestershire batting line-up before rain ended day two prematurely in their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two clash at Seat Unique Riverside.The home side posted 425 for 9 declared in their first innings after Ben Raine scored an impressive 71 to build on David Bedingham’s century and Alex Lees’ knock of 70 from day one, securing four batting bonus points to the total.Ed Pollock got the Worcestershire reply off to a blistering start, scoring 41 from just 26 balls before he was bowled by Potts. The England seamer produced a timely peach to remove Azhar Ali just before the close, signalling that he is well prepared to fill the void of Chris Rushworth’s departure. The visitors will resume day three 329 runs behind with eight first-innings wickets in hand.Resuming on 363 for 7, Durham were in need of further runs to shore up their exploits from day one. Raine continued his rich vein of form against Worcestershire following on from his century in the contest between the two sides at the Riverside last season. He sent a cut through backward point to the boundary to register his 14th fifty in first-class cricket.Raine and Paul Coughlin tormented Worcestershire with a record-breaking stand of 213 last season, and proved to be a thorn in their side again by reaching their century stand, securing the fourth batting bonus point for Durham in the process. There was no repeat of their mammoth effort as Coughlin fell for 42 and Raine was caught on the fence before Scott Borthwick declared.Pollock displayed no appetite to see out play until lunch as he unleashed an assault against the new ball. The left-hander bludgeoned nine boundaries to bring up the visitors’ fifty in the sixth over. The ferocity of Pollock’s innings fired up Potts and the England seamer took delight in dismantling his stumps for an entertaining 26-ball knock of 41.Azhar and Jake Libby were more sedate in their approach as the sunshine was gradually replaced by cloud cover. The elements allowed Potts, Raine and Coughlin to control the run rate while beating the bat on several occasions. It appeared as though Durham’s search for a breakthrough would end in frustration as the rain closed in.Azhar was put down by Ollie Robinson for 29 down the leg-side in a rare error from the gloveman. However, his reprieve lasted only two balls before Potts pinned the former Pakistan international lbw just before rain ended the day’s proceedings early.

Celtic got a look at what life could look like after Callum McGregor’s playing days are over when he missed the Old Firm clash with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.

The former Scotland international missed the match through injury and Arne Engels was deployed in a deeper role than usual, with Reo Hatate and Luke McCowan either side of him.

Unfortunately, it was a disappointing afternoon for the Hoops as they lost 3-2 to their city rivals, despite coming from 2-0 down to make it 2-2 in the second half.

Why Callum McGregor is important to Celtic

McGregor’s absence was felt for multiple reasons because the central midfielder is a big cog in Brendan Rodgers’ system, whilst he is also the current club captain and leader in the dressing room.

The left-footed star operates at the base of the midfield and uses his composure and ability on the ball to dictate the tempo of matches, completing an eye-catching 94% of his attempted passes in the Premiership this season.

McGregor, who has scored eight goals in the league this term, tops the club’s collection of midfielders for passes completed per game (78.3) and pass accuracy (94%), which speaks to how important he is to the midfield set-up with his metronomic presence for Celtic.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Scottish star does turn 32 this summer, though, and Rodgers may have to start thinking about whom the next captain will be for the Hoops, and Cameron Carter-Vickers is one potential candidate – as the Hoops have hit the jackpot with the American titan.

Celtic struck gold on their next captain

Ange Postecoglou initially signed the USA international on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the 2021/22 campaign before the club swooped to sign him permanently for £6m at the end of that season, having been impressed by his performances.

This is his third season with the Hoops as a permanent player, and he is on course to help the club to a third Premiership title in that time, having also won the division in his season on loan at Parkhead.

The 27-year-old star, who was described as “aggressive” by Rodgers, has delivered consistently brilliant performances in that time, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year in each campaign.

June 2022

£5.8m

November 2022

£7.9m

March 2023

£9.2m

June 2023

£10.8m

May 2024 – present

£11.7m

As you can see in the table above, his defensive brilliance for Celtic has caused his market value to soar to a whopping £11.7m – millions more than what the club reportedly paid to sign him permanently from Spurs.

He has also developed into a leader for the Hoops. The central defender has captained the club on three occasions in the Premiership this season when McGregor has been absent, as well as in four league games last term, which shows that Rodgers believes he has the leadership qualities to be the next captain at Parkhead.

This means that Carter-Vickers could succeed the Scottish midfielder, who is four years older than him, as the new skipper in the future if he remains in Glasgow.

Overall, Postecoglou struck gold with Carter-Vickers because the central defender is worth millions more than what Celtic bought him for, and has the potential to be a future captain for the club, due to his performances on the pitch and his leadership on and off it.

Celtic star who's "so underrated" can become Rodgers' next Ryan Christie

Celtic have a star on their hands who could be the next Ryan Christie at Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Mar 20, 2025

The Fire’s goalkeeper has expressed high praise for teammate Gutierrez, suggesting his omission from the Gold Cup roster could benefit him

Brady believes Gutierrez possesses an "incredibly high ceiling" as playerFire goalkeeper suggests Gold Cup roster omissions will motivate both playersComments come as Fire builds momentum with improved team chemistryGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

While the USMNT have released the roster for the 2025 Gold Cup, some big names didn’t make the cut, including Chicago Fire’s star goalkeeper Chris Brady. Not only that, another Fire star in Brian Gutierrez also didn’t make the final list, and it has many Fire fans up in the air. But Brady believes that the omission will only serve to add fuel to the fire for a player he believes has an incredibly high ceiling.

“Incredibly high ceiling, that’s my boy,” Brady told “The magic I’ve seen from him, the development I’ve seen from him over the last few years has been incredible, I can’t even put it in words. But he’s a guy who definitely changes the pace of games, brings it every day in training and I’m happy to see things working out for him, right now.

He added, “I noted the omission of him on the roster, but I think this will just add more fuel to the fire from him, and like you see on the weekends, he’s doing everything he can to help the team out and help himself. So yeah, he’s definitely been making a case for himself.”

Gutierrez is the midst of a breakout season for Chicago, with five goals and one assist in 10 appearances. Brady also touched on his own omission from the squad and added that like Gutierrez, that it also adds fuel to the fire for him that he was left out as well.

“A lot,” Brady said when asked how much fuel to the fire it adds. “But I would love to represent my country at the highest level, but I think with this omission and with myself off the roster, I think it just, as you said, adds more fuel to the fire and more focus to really what we’re trying to accomplish here at Chicago, that being the playoff and a deep run.”

Brady has two clean sheets for a Fire side which sits 11th in the Eastern Conference.

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The 21-year-old goalkeeper also talked about the Chicago Fire’s lethal front-four of Jonathan Bamba, Hugo Cuypers, Philip Zinckernagel, and Guti (Gutiérrez).

“The front-four, that’s the first thing that comes to mind,” Brady said when asked what Chicago Fire fans should and can be excited about. “Jonathan Bamba, Hugo Cyupers, Philip Zinckernagel and Guti. They’re a very dangerous front-four and they allow us to execute our gameplan onto other teams, and that’s something I think every team we play against definitely makes a note of and definitely prepares for.”

Brady further touched on Greg Berhalter’s tactics and how the team is finally coming together the way the former USMNT head coach wants them to play.

“Yeah, for sure,” Brady said when asked if he thinks things are starting to come together. “Especially with the way we’ve been performing, but also the chemistry between all the guys on the field, and with regards to our depth, I think the chemistry has grown there as well. So everybody who is on the field, starting the game or coming onto the field during the game, understands what we want to do with the ball, how we want to play, and how we want to impose our gameplan on other teams.

“So it’s definitely coming together piece by piece, I mean it’s a long season, but yeah, definitely coming together.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Both Brady and Gutierrez represent key pieces in Chicago Fire's rebuilding process, sparked by the arrival of former U.S. boss Gregg Berhalter. The club is showing signs of improvement after several challenging seasons, sitting just two points away from the final playoff spot in its conference. Brady and Gutierrez's individual development trajectories mirror the team's growth.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

The Fire face Orlando City next on the road on May 31 and then D.C.United away from home on June 7.

Despite a massive salary on the table from Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, Victor Osimhen remains unconvinced as Napoli turned down a massive bid.

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Napoli reject Al-Hilal’s €70m offer for Osimhen.Striker not convinced by €26m salary proposal.Galatasaray remain interested after 37-goal season.Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Napoli have rejected an initial offer from Al-Hilal for Osimhen, according to . The Saudi Pro League club submitted a €70 million (£59m/$76m) bid, which falls short of the Italian club’s valuation, believed to be the full €75m (£64m/$81m) release clause. Furthermore, Osimhen has not accepted the contract proposal from the Middle East, which is reported to be worth of €26m (£22m/$28m) per season plus bonuses.

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The Nigerian's striker's future remains unresolved following a prolific season at Galatasaray, where he managed to hit at the back of the net 37 times across all competitions on loan from Napoli. Despite his form, Osimhen and potential suitors have not reached a complete agreement. After his outstanding performance, Galatasaray is also seeking to keep the striker and persuade him to remain permanently in Turkey.

DID YOU KNOW?

Osimhen scored 37 goals and provided eight assists in 41 matches across the Super League, Turkish Cup, and Europa League for Galatasaray in the 2024-25 season. He lifted the Super Lig and the Turkish Cup while also being named as the Player of the Season.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR OSIMHEN?

Osimhen is likely to return to Napoli at the end of his loan spell, with his contract with Serie A winners running until June 2026. However, it is being reported that Galatasaray are still working on an offer to bring him back for the 2025-26 season, either permanently or on another loan.

While Trent Alexander-Arnold’s name is dominating the news at the moment, it’s important to remember that he’s not the only Liverpool player expected to leave this summer.

Though Arne Slot’s side are heading toward the Premier League title, there’s little question that the Reds need to make a series of changes to challenge across the biggest fronts in the years to come.

There aren’t many Redmen who need to leave this summer, but you’d have to say that Darwin Nunez is one of them.

Darwin Nunez has reached the end

When Nunez arrived at Liverpool in the balmy summer of 2022, anticipation was rife. Nearly three years on, there’s an overwhelming sense of resignation as Nunez reaches the end of his time at Anfield.

Across 136 appearances, the 25-year-old has scored 40 goals and provided 24 assists, which isn’t a bad tally unto itself, but when considering £85m was forked out for Nunez’s signature, it makes for grim reading.

Moreover, he’s missed 53 big chances in the Premier League since his debut, a staggering number, made worse by the fact he’s only bagged 25 goals in the division, as per Sofascore.

Having come close to leaving for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League in January, the £140k-per-week striker’s day may be done sooner rather than later, especially with Liverpool getting ready to sign a new number nine.

Nunez’s day is done, sadly. However, he’s not the only member of Slot’s frontline who’s in the firing line this summer.

Slot must cash in on struggling Liverpool star

As Liverpool settle into the Slot era, it’s time for changes to be made. Federico Chiesa is the only player to be welcomed through Anfield’s gates so far, and he was a cut-price, low-risk addition at that.

Nunez has been reduced to a bit-part role this year and patently needs a change of scenery to scramble back into the limelight, but he’s not the only one toiling.

Indeed, Mohamed Salah can only carry so much, and Diogo Jota’s long-standing injury issues appear to have finally caught up with him, for he has endured a torrid run of form over the past several months.

The Portugal international, 28, is typically an elite-standard marksman, breathtaking in the consistency of his finishing. But his skill has deserted him. In fact, Jota has gone 11 matches in all competitions without scoring a single goal.

Below, take a look at Liverpool’s highest earners in a table which excludes the ‘big three’ who are all out of contract this summer.

1.

Andy Robertson

31

£160k-per-week

2.

Alisson Becker

32

£150k-per-week

2=

Alexis Mac Allister

26

£150k-per-week

2=

Ryan Gravenberch

22

£150k-per-week

2=

Federico Chiesa

27

£150k-per-week

6.

Darwin Nunez

25

£140k-per-week

6=

Diogo Jota

28

£140k-per-week

Nestled at the bottom, Jota and Nunez. The former has been a staple of Liverpool’s journey over the past several years, signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £45m in 2020, right after Premier League and Champions League titles had been conquered.

Earning £140k per week, Jota has actually raked in over £30m – and cost £75m in total – since joining Liverpool and while he’s deserved his pay packet, it’s not exactly small. If he can no longer produce the goods to his former level, it becomes unjustifiable.

Indeed, Sky Germany reported at the start of the month that Jota has been made expendable by FSG, joining Nunez on that list. BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has acknowledged Jota has a “deadly” strike, but that it has sadly abandoned him right now.

Though it seems improbable that Liverpool will make sweeping changes across the frontline, selling Nunez and Jota would free up ample room for investment, perhaps freshening the ranks with two additions who could fire Slot’s project even further into the ascendancy.

Better than Kerkez: Liverpool join the race for "world-class" £50m LB

Liverpool are ready to spend big in the transfer market this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Mar 28, 2025

Unexpected appearance of a “big hole” in crease not enough to throw Smith off his stride

Andrew McGlashan08-Jun-20231:18

Steven Smith is chuffed at two half-volleys to start his day

Not much could knock Steven Smith out of his batting stride at The Oval as he compiled his 31st Test century although David Warner’s unusual guard nearly did it.A segment for Channel Seven by Ricky Ponting during the lunch interval on the second day brought attention to the crater Warner had created in the batting crease as part of a plan to aid his footwork.Unlike a normal batting guard where the marks run perpendicular to whichever stump the batter asks for, Warner dug what resembled a small trench parallel to the stumps with holes at either end.Related

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Smith, who came in following Warner’s dismissal shortly before lunch on the opening day, admitted it had taken him by surprise.”I nearly fell in it,” he joked. “I got used to it eventually but almost twisted my ankle a few balls to be honest then I sort of got used to it. I’ve never experienced that before on that side really, you occasionally get the edging of the footmarks at the backend of the game where you kind of fall into them where you are off balance, but when I’m moving to off stump and I’ve got this hole there it’s something I haven’t experienced before.”I’d no idea it was coming until I walked out and marked my guard and saw this big hole. Was just wondering who made this? Think I asked Marnus [Labuschagne] what was going on at the end, there’s a big hole I’m about to fall into. It was odd.”But once Smith was settled he was almost faultless until dragging Shardul Thakur into his stumps and he did not see a problem with Warner’s creative digging.”Maybe he should it more often, it worked for me,” he said. “He can keep digging that hole I suppose… whatever the batter needs I suppose to get themselves into a good position.”David Warner made 43 after employing a new method of marking his guard•Associated PressWarner, whose position has been under scrutiny, had made a compact 43 on the opening day, becoming increasingly assured after a tricky first hour, and later said it was as good as he had felt for 24 months.Ponting, who is Warner’s coach at Delhi Capitals in the IPL, explained that the method he was using was to aid his footwork and stop him going too far to leg stump.”He’s actually got a line going across the back vertical to the stump line,” Ponting said. “And look at each end of that line there, there’s two quite deep holes. Now I know for a fact, having worked with David Warner for the last couple of years, a lot on his batting, when he’s batting his worst, his trigger movement has gone back outside leg stump.”So only two days ago he came up with this plan of digging two holes and making sure that when he moved his foot that his foot stayed within those two holes. If he moved back and across, he could feel his heel going into the hole. If you move too far across to the off stump, then his toes go into the hole.”That’s the sign of a modern player, someone that’s played over 100 Tests still trying to find a way to get better.”Although what Warner did was unusual, it did not contravene any Laws which only come into play for the protected area in front of the popping crease where bowlers are not allowed to encroach in to and batters are not allowed to enter “without reasonable cause” or take their guard in.

England seamer comfortable that Steven Smith got “benefit of the doubt” over contentious call

Andrew McGlashan28-Jul-2023Stuart Broad said he had been told by umpire Kumar Dharmasena that if zing bails had been in use for the Ashes Steven Smith would have been given out on the second day at The Oval, but he was comfortable with the borderline decision having gone Smith’s way.What could be a vital moment in the Test – and crucial to whether the series ends 2-2 – occurred in the 78th over when Smith, on 42, took on the arm of substitute George Ealham, the son of former England allrounder Mark, who sprinted in from deep midwicket and produced a rocket-like throw which was collected by Jonny Bairstow.Initially, it appeared that Smith was short of his ground – and with Ricky Ponting on Sky Sports commentary mentions of Gary Pratt soon followed – but on subsequent replays umpire Nitin Menon ruled that the bail was not completely dislodged from both grooves until Smith, who had pulled out a full-length dive, was in his crease. There was also debate about whether Bairstow had dislodged the stumps fractionally before taking the ball.”I honestly don’t know the rules,” Broad said. “I think there was enough grey area to give that not out. It looked like benefit of the doubt sort of stuff, first angle I saw I thought out, and then the side angle it looked like the bails probably dislodged.”Kumar said to me if it was zing bails it would been given out, I don’t really understand the reasoning why.”Under the Laws, the bail has to be completely removed. Law 29.1 states: “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”Related

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, MCC’s Official Interpretation of the Laws of Cricket, adds: “For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves.”Smith had started to walk off when he first saw the replay on the big screen. “I saw the initial replay and saw the bail come up, and when I looked at it the second time looked like Jonny might have knocked the bail before the ball had come,” he said. “Looked pretty close at that stage, if the ball had hit at the initial stage when the bail came then think I was well out of my ground.”Smith admitted he was caught out by Ealham’s swift work. “I know now that he’s very quick,” he said. “The next one we hit out there when it was a similar push for two, I was like, gee, this guy’s tearing around the boundary, he’s coming at pace. Had I known that previously I might have just stayed there for the single.”Had Smith been out it would have left Australia 194 for 8 and facing a considerable deficit, but he went on to make 71 before skying a whip across the line at Chris Woakes having added 54 with Pat Cummins. Todd Murphy then swiped three sixes off Mark Wood, adding a further 49 with Cummins, to gain a narrow lead.”Did I pull the trigger too early? Maybe,” Smith said. “But had I not got out, Murph might not have come in and smacked 30 like he did. We are in the position we are because of our batters, you can’t fault what the bottom few did. Thought the partnerships they put together were outstanding.”A lot of us got starts, the scorecards are very similar in a way, and we weren’t able to capatalise and [turn] one of those partnerships that were 40-50 into 100-150 and that gives us a decent lead. Bit disappointed from that aspect.”

Former Manchester United and England megastar David Beckham has received the ultimate accolade the United Kingdom can bestow.

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Beckham knighted at lastRecognised for football career Charity work also a big factorFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Beckham, OBE since 2003, was named on the King's Birthday Honours list, recognised for services to football and charity. Former England Women player Rachel Daly was awarded an MBE for services to football., while the extensive list also included MBEs for darts stars Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, as well as rugby league's first-ever knighthood, awarded to 90-year-old Billy Boston.

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Beckham played 394 games for Manchester United between 1992 and 2003, before also turning out for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain at a time when high-profile English players abroad were less common. He represented England on 115 occasions, a Three Lions record for an outfield player at the time of his retirement, and set up his own club, Inter Miami, in 2018. He has represented the very best of British football at a global level for the best part of 30 years and has worked as a UNICEF ambassador since 2005.

WHAT DAVID BECKHAM SAID

"Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour," said Beckham.

"It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Beckham was first nominated for a knighthood in 2011, two years before he'd actually hung up his boots. In 2017, leaked emails published by several newspapers purported to show the former England captain criticising the honours system and committee. They were denounced as "doctored" by his camp. The ex-midfielder joins the likes of Sir Kenny Dalglish on the list of football figures to have been knighted.

Arsenal and England star Leah Williamson enjoyed sunshine, laughs and paddle boarding during a romantic holiday with girlfriend Elle Smith.

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England captain recharging before EurosSoaked up sunshine in the MediterraneanLooking to add to Champions League titleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lionesses captain Williamson is – after gruelling domestic, continental and international campaigns in 2024-25 – readying herself for a European Championship title defence on Swiss soil this summer.

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Before another bid for Euros glory gets underway, the 28-year-old has jetted off to Majorca with model partner Smith for some rest and relaxation. Williamson was able to unwind by the pool, while also padding out to sea.

DID YOU KNOW?

Williamson and Smith had a private pool at their luxury apartment, while plenty of laughs were had when heading out in the evenings for some food. American journalist Smith has since headed to Hamburg.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LEAH WILLIAMSON & ENGLAND?

Williamson has been in trophy-winning mood of late, helping Arsenal to a memorable Champions League triumph, and will see England’s Euro 2025 campaign get underway against France on July 5.

Uncapped Alick Athanaze was retained in the 13-man squad

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2023Left-hand batter Kirk McKenzie has earned a maiden call-up in the 13-man West Indies squad that will face India in the first Test from July 12 in Dominica, while Rahkeem Cornwall and Jomel Warrican have been recalled as the spin options. Uncapped batter Alick Athanaze was retained in the side after he traveled to South Africa for West Indies’ last Test series but didn’t get a game.With Gudakesh Motie undergoing rehabilitation for his lower-back injury, an “opportunity” opened up for the two spinners, according to CWI lead selector Desmond Haynes. Kyle Mayers and fast bowler Jayden Seales were recovering from their niggles but were not considered to risk any further injuries. The selectors also named wicketkeeper-batter Tevin Imlach and right-arm quick Akeem Jordan as the two traveling reserves for the first Test.ESPNcricinfo LtdShannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder will form the pace attack with Raymon Reifer as the all-round option.”We had Jayden Seales here in the camp and he has made good progress during his rehab from surgery. However, we felt he is not yet quite ready to return, and we don’t want to risk him at this stage,” Haynes said. “Kyle Mayers was also considered but he has some niggles, and the precaution is not to have him in the rigors of a five-day match at this stage.”We are without Motie, who is doing his rehabilitation, and this has created an opportunity for Warrican and Cornwall in the spin-bowling department. They have both played at Test match level before and are capable of doing the job.”We were very impressed with the approach to batsmanship of McKenzie and Athanaze on the recent ‘A’ Team tour of Bangladesh. These are two young players who got good scores and played with great maturity, and we believe they deserve an opportunity.”McKenzie, 22, and Athanaze, 24, hit two half-centuries each in Bangladesh with the A team in May. McKenzie scored 91 and 86 in Sylhet after the 221 he scored in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series competition in April. Athanaze most recently struck the joint-fastest fifty on ODI debut, against UAE in Sharjah and also earned a CPL contract recently, with Barbados Royals.McKenzie has played just nine first-class matches to average 39.40 after scoring 591 runs with a century and four half-centuries. He made his first-class debut last year for Jamaica.Both Cornwall and Warrican last played a Test in Sri Lanka at the end of 2021. Warrican toured Zimbabwe earlier this year but didn’t play and also missed the subsequent tour of South Africa.Cornwall, who made his Test debut against India in 2019, returned on the back of strong recent form in first-class cricket. He was the top wicket-taker in the last first-class season with 35 scalps in just five outings – including four five-wicket hauls – while also scoring two half-centuries.This series will be the first for both West Indies and India in the new cycle (2023-25) of the World Test Championship. West Indies finished eighth out of nine teams in the previous iteration, winning only four of their 13 games in that cycle.The first Test is scheduled for July 12 to 16 followed by the second in Port of Spain from July 20. The two teams will then play three ODIs and five T20Is.West Indies squad for first India Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kirk McKenzie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican. Traveling reserves: Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan