Sports
Pace Bowler Atkinson to Make England Test Debut Against West Indies
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Pace bowler Gus Atkinson is set to make his Test debut for England in the series opener against the West Indies at Lord’s on Wednesday. The 26-year-old will join Chris Woakes and the retiring James Anderson as the specialist seamers in the squad.
Atkinson, who has previously played nine one-day internationals and three T20s, was part of the England squad for the Test tour of India earlier this year but did not feature in any matches. His Surrey team-mate, Jamie Smith, will also make his Test debut behind the stumps, having been named in the squad ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.
Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, selected ahead of his Somerset team-mate Jack Leach, will play his first home Test after winning three caps on the tour of India.
England XI:
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Chris Woakes
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- James Anderson
Atkinson, capable of bowling at high pace, has taken 59 wickets in 19 first-class matches. He was preferred over Matthew Potts and the uncapped Dillon Pennington, who are the other seamers in the squad.
Smith, an attractive stroke-maker averaging over 40 in first-class cricket and more than 56 in the County Championship this season, has long been touted as a future England prospect.
Batter Harry Brook returns at number five after missing the tour of India to be with his ill grandmother, who passed away in March. Captain Ben Stokes is expected to play a full part as a bowler after recovering from a long-term left-knee injury. He had surgery in November and has been accelerating his rehab in three County Championship matches for Durham.
Stokes bowled a substantial spell in the nets at Lord’s on Tuesday, with the team able to practice outside despite the mixed weather in London.
Sports
Warren Gatland to Step Down as Wales Head Coach
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Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Sports
Tiger Woods Withdraws from Genesis Invitational Following Mother’s Passing
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Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Sports
Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin Suffers Season-Ending ACL Injury
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Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.