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Despite their recent aversion to silverware, Harry Kane remains one of Tottenham Hotspur's greatest-ever players given his goalscoring feats over the last decade.

It is this consistency that has led to widespread interest in where he might finish his career: whether the 29-year-old will leave the club that made him in search of that elusive trophy, or remains faithful that a major honour will come along to repay his loyalty.

Daniel Levy certainly hopes to achieve the latter, given his recent remarks that almost pleaded with England's all-time leading goalscorer to stay. He claimed: "Harry Kane can absolutely win a trophy at Spurs, but being a legend is also important. I hope one day there is a statue of Harry outside our stadium."

In order to achieve such a goal, bringing Champions League football to their state-of-the-art stadium next season is imperative in tempting the top talent to north London. That opportunity could well be bolstered on Sunday when the Lilywhites take on fellow European chasers Newcastle United.

In what is surprisingly now a top-end clash, with huge repercussions for whoever claims victory, it could provide quite the spectacle.

Harry Kane's goal record v Newcastle United

Kane has now faced the Magpies 16 times in all competitions, and the Tyneside outfit's struggles prior to their takeover have often left the striker in a more favourable position to face them. However, this campaign has seen the tables turn, and any goal that the former Norwich City loanee notches this weekend could be crucial in cutting down the three-point gap that separates them at present.

Despite that, Spurs' record when facing them has been somewhat underwhelming. Six losses during Kane's time at the club is perhaps indicative of the struggling mentality that has plagued the club for years. It is likely what has contributed to their lack of silverware in recent years too.

One of his most memorable outings, however, remains last season's clash at St James' Park in October 2021, where the England captain ended his seven-game goal drought with a remarkable display.

After falling behind, Kane would later fire them in front with a calculated chip over the on-rushing goalkeeper. Then, maintaining an onside position, the lethal finisher would turn provider to ghost in behind and drill the ball across. Heung-min Son couldn't miss, and a win had been claimed.

His first goal against Newcastle had come six years earlier at the same ground but in very different circumstances for both clubs, with Spurs enjoying their first season under Mauricio Pochettino, while the Toon were under Mike Ashley's ownership. It has only been recently that the forward has become a consistent thorn in the side of The Toon, although few teams ever truly manage to silence the legendary marksman.

This has culminated in a total of nine goals and a further three assists across 16 games, one of which came in the EFL Cup.

Harry Kane's head-to-head record v Newcastle United

Since his first appearance against Newcastle in August 2012, Kane has won eight times against the Magpies during his illustrious career. With just two draws, a further six losses is a surprisingly high figure considering the fourth-placed outfit has only recently become a real threat.

Harry Kane's Premier League goal record

Kane heads into this fixture second in the Premier League scoring charts for this season, dwarfed by the unstoppable Erling Haaland. His tally of 23 would usually earn widespread praise, but with the Norwegian set to shatter all goalscoring records in his debut year, he has understandably commanded all the attention.

It was back during the 2014/15 season when Kane truly enjoyed his own breakout season, leading many to brand the youngster a 'one-season wonder'. 21 goals and five assists marked a fine return, but few thought he would replicate it.

However, it is now a figure that he has surpassed in five further seasons, hitting double figures every year since.

This consistency has seen him grow into a true threat to the great Alan Shearer, who still retains the record as the all-time top goalscorer in Premier League history. His tally of 260 has comfortably sat above the competition thus far, but with Kane now on 206, the record is well in his sights.

As the all-time top scorer for club and country, too, he has form for shattering records.

Harry Kane's favourite Premier League opponents

In terms of teams scored against, Kane has plenty of opponents with who he thrives when facing. As mentioned previously, few ever really keep him quiet.

Leicester City have been his top casualty, with 20 goals against them in as many appearances. Everton sit just below them having shipped 16 goals against the £200k-per-week ace, with Arsenal in third. His tally of 14 goals against the Gunners makes him the record goalscorer in the north London derby – yet another accolade.

With regard to wins claimed against Premier League opposition, the Foxes again feature alongside Crystal Palace, who have both lost 12 times to the striker.

West Ham United and Burnley sit just below them, having lost ten times, with Everton appearing again with nine losses.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that supposed Manchester United transfer target Lamine Yamal is set to sign a new contract.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

According to reports in Sport (via Manchester World), the Red Devils have been keen on luring the young forward to Old Trafford.

The same report notes that a number of top teams are also interested in the Barcelona teenager, with

Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig all named.

With that being the case, there aren't many 15-year-olds with bigger reputations in football right now but it sounds as though he's going to stay put for now.

Indeed, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that Yamal is in negotiations with Barca about signing a new deal.

He said: "What's happening right now guys, we have some rumours about Manchester United from the Spanish press. It was September, October, mentioning Lamine Yamal as a possibility.

"But guys, it's too easy to put Man United, Chelsea, these kinds of clubs around this player because scouts are always there. But the reality is that there is no negotiation.

"The only negotiation at the moment is between Lamine Yamal and Barcelona to extend the contract, to sign a professional contract. Barcelona are very optimistic about that."

Will Lamine Yamal join Man U or stay at Barca?

Due to his age, Yamal is yet to be tied to a professional contract with Barcelona, which explains why some man top teams, such as Man United, are keeping tabs on the situation.

However, in an attempt to keep the player happy with life in Catalunya, manager Xavi has actually included him in the match-day squad ahead of their game against Atletico Madrid – making him the club's youngest player to achieve this.

The Barca boss was even asked about the possibility of Yamal leaving. He told the press (via Goal): “We are focused on the present. He has trained with us this week and we have liked what we have seen. That is why he is on the list, regardless of his contract situation.”

It certainly seems as though the talented 15-year-old is one name to keep an eye out for as he continues to develop over the coming years.

However, after Romano's latest update, it sounds as though he'll remain in Spain for now with Man United likely to miss out on Yamal for the time being.

West Ham United return to Premier League action in the early kick-off this afternoon as they take the short trip across London to face Crystal Palace.

Following on from their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in midweek, David Moyes’ side currently occupy 15th spot in the table and are five points above the relegation zone, however three points against Palace would be welcomed.

The Hammers have a few knocks to deal with ahead of the tie yet Moyes may not have to tinker too much, having stated in his pre-match press conference: “In the main we are okay.

“Scamacca is the one player who is not available. People have picked up some knocks in midweek but hopefully, it will be a similar squad.”

The Scot will be hoping for a performance that saw them score four goals against Bournemouth last weekend and we at Football FanCast predict the West Ham starting XI that will take on Palace today.

What could the West Ham United starting XI look like?

4-3-3 – Lukasz Fabianski; Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri; Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice, Lucas Paqueta; Jarrod Bowen, Danny Ings, Pablo Fornals

Fabianski will retain his spot between the posts for the trip to Selhurst Park and will be aiming to keep just his tenth league clean sheet of the campaign.

There will be one change to the back four from the game against Liverpool, with Emerson coming into replace Aaron Cresswell at left-back. Coufal will once again start on the right-hand side of the defence whereas Zouma and Aguerd will operate at the heart of the defence as the duo made eight clearances and eight interceptions between them against the Anfield side.

Paqueta, fresh from scoring his third goal in as many games will start again, and he is finally showing the form that convinced Moyes to splash out £51m on him last summer. Rice and Soucek will form the rest of the midfield trio and this could be key to victory especially as they appear to be clicking together quite well.

Bowen and Ings will be tasked with causing the Palace defence plenty of problems while Fornals could come in and claim a starting berth. The £65k-per-week Spaniard scored a wonderful scorpion kick against the Cherries last weekend that was dubbed “unbelievable” by former Watford striker Troy Deeney, and he could find himself in a confident mood to add to his meagre goal tally this afternoon, having scored just five times all season.

Journalist Jacques Talbot has claimed that Liverpool will make at least five signings in the summer window in a major squad "overhaul".

What are the latest Liverpool transfer rumours?

While there is a chance that the Reds finish inside the Champions League at the end of the season, that's not guaranteed as they still sit fifth in the Premier League with just three games to go.

Even if they do squeeze into the top four, it's been a disappointing campaign by the club's recent lofty standards as it will end without any major silverware.

With that in mind, it's no shock that the Reds will be hoping to revitalise the team in the summer with a number of senior men potentially departing as their contracts expire, such as Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Arthur Melo (who is only on loan).

While talking about all this on his YouTube channel, Talbot claimed that as many as six players could come in, with a goalkeeper and a defender on that list.

Indeed, when asked how many signings he thinks Liverpool will make this summer, the journalist replied (26:00): "Five, I reckon five. Liverpool will do five signings, including a goalkeeper, a defender.

"Maybe even more, maybe even six. But that doesn't mean they're all going to be like £40m million pound signings or anything like that.

"But I reckon there will be a relatively sizable overhaul this summer."

Who is going to leave Liverpool?

It's interesting that Talbot specifically names a goalkeeper as one position to target, as Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has recently been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Brighton.

As for incomings, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister seems to be one name that keeps popping up in the media, while Football Insider claim that Liverpool are also considering making a possible move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Talbot also states a defender is on the club's list and Le Parisien report that Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio could be the next centre-back to arrive at Anfield.

It certainly seems as though the Reds are in for an extremely busy summer with a number of familiar faces set to leave and a collection of new stars to come in.

No doubt the club will have a better idea of just how much money they can spend when the season ends and it's known if they'll be playing in the Champions League next term.

Neil McKenzie, South Africa’s batting consultant, has called on his line-up to develop “thick skins” and concentrate on rotating strike on the Providence pitch ahead of their second match in the triangular series

Firdose Moonda06-Jun-2016Neil McKenzie, South Africa’s batting consultant, has called on his line-up to develop “thick skins” and concentrate on rotating strike on the Providence pitch ahead of their second match in the triangular series. South Africa take on Australia on Tuesday, four days after losing their opener to the hosts West Indies. On the evidence of how Australia brought West Indies back to down earth on Sunday, South Africa will need to put more runs on the board than the 188 they posted on Friday.”It comes down to having a thick skin when you are batting. It might mean soaking up a few balls but trusting you technique and your game plan to get you out and get you to a decent strike rate,” McKenzie said. “We will be looking to try and rotate the strike a little bit more, hit with the spin, utilise the space and run hard because boundaries aren’t that easy to come by.”South Africa scored at a fraction over four runs to the over in their first match, even though they had raced to 47 runs in the first eight overs. They did not manage a single six in their innings – while Kieron Pollard hit six – and only found the boundary nine times. Although more than half their runs (99) came in singles they also faced 152 dot balls as they struggled to get the West Indies spinners away.On a surface Rilee Rossouw, South Africa’s top-scorer from the first match, described as “a bit subcontinental” and which Australia captain Steven Smith thinks may be best to bat first on, McKenzie has cautioned against going too hard, too early. Instead, he advocated a conservative start, much like what South Africa had after 35 overs when they were meandering at 159 for 3, and a late assault.”It’s easier to set a platform and really hit at the death, going for your big shots later on rather than upfront,” McKenzie said. “The skilled shots over cover or midwicket are not that easy on a deck where its really slow and there is some purchase. You’ve got to try and find your ones; make sure you can get to the other side. You’ve got to take calculated risks at certain times but it all comes down to rotating your strike.”McKenzie has also advised trying to take on the seamers, if possible, to make the task a little easier when the spinners are brought on. “If you’ve taken the seamers for quite a few runs, the pressure is off you when face the spin,” he said. “It’s going to be another grind on Tuesday and boys are looking forward to it.”They are most looking forward to showing that they have been able to adapt to conditions on which they have often been undone. Following their disastrous Test tour of India last November and struggles at the World T20, South Africa’s reputation of being soft was reinforced by defeat on Friday but Rossouw is confident they can prove they have moved past that. “We’ve got a fairly good idea what’s happening now. We know what to expect,” he said.With the attention focused on South Africa’s batting, their attack has escaped scrutiny, even for the purpose of praising it. The three-seamer, two-spinner pack performed admirably, even without much to defend, and swapped roles seamlessly. Unlike the traditional South African strength of attacking with quicks and holding with spinners, the pacemen held their ends to allow the spinners to take wickets.Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris all went for less than four runs an over while Imran Tahir, Aaron Phangiso and JP Duminy claimed the six wickets that fell. That may leave no room for Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell or Tabraiz Shamsi just yet but McKenzie is not complaining.”Kyle Abbott and KG started really well, hit some great areas and asked a lot of questions upfront,” McKenzie said. “The seamers will be the ones that will keep it a bit tighter. They won’t get the wicket count that you normally get in Australia or South Africa but they are vitally important. They’ve got to hit off stump, be wicket to wicket, not give any width on these types of wickets and force the batters hand to try and come after the spinners.”

As Zimbabwe rediscover their fight, they stand on the cusp of winning their first series comprising two or more T20Is

The Preview by Sirish Raghavan19-Jun-2016Match factsMonday, June 20, 2016
Start time 1300 local (1100 GMT)The first T20I saw a return of the vibrant Zimbabwe the world loves to watch•Associated PressBig PictureZimbabwe made a few changes to their team for the first T20I against India, most notably the inclusion of pluck, spirit and ebullience.Spirit was brought to proceedings when Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha punished India’s opening bowlers for missing their lengths. It intervened again when Elton Chigumbura, put a pair of golden ducks behind him to cream seven sixes in a dazzling half-century. That knock took Zimbabwe from a flagging 111 for 5 to a competitive 170.Pluck was a steady presence throughout the match, never more so than when Neville Madziva nailed wide yorkers and slower balls to defend seven in the last over. Ebullience came to the fore thereafter as the home team’s players and fans revelled. Zimbabwe will hope that Messrs P, S and E retain their place in the team for a long time to come.Of immediate interest is the second T20I in Harare, which will present the hosts a chance to secure a historic series win. Never before have Zimbabwe won a T20I series of two or more matches, although they did beat West Indies in a one-off T20I in Port of Spain six years ago. A win now would offer much needed cheer to their fans and send out a message to other teams thinking of sending a second-string side to Zimbabwe.For India, the wake-up call is timely – perhaps even welcome. Things seemed to be coming too easily to them in the ODI leg of the tour. On Saturday, however, they were put under serious pressure for the first time. They were reminded that sloppy mistakes can be costly, even against unfancied oppositions. How will India’s young side respond, now that they know they are in a genuine contest, with the series on the line?Form guideZimbabwe: WLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
India: LLWWWIn the spotlightChigumbura was Zimbabwe’s star with the bat, but Hamilton Masakadza’s brief fireworks at the top constitute a promising sign for the team. Masakadza was sacked as captain prior to India’s visit, and went on to have a quiet ODI series. Zimbabwe’s most accomplished batsman’s hitting form could be vital if Vusi Sibanda cannot recover from the injury that kept him out of the first T20I.Yuzvendra Chahal had a disappointing T20I debut, offering the batsmen too much room to swing their arms and bowling the no-ball that precipitated Chigumbura’s assault. Nevertheless, his willingness to flight the ball in search of wickets and a potent googly make him a threat to batsmen. It also makes for compelling viewing.Team newsSibanda has joined Craig Ervine and Sean Williams on Zimbabwe’s injury list. Richmond Mutumbami, who had to retire hurt after taking a blow to the hip area on Saturday, will not be available either. This probably leaves the door open for Peter Moor, who will be a straight swap considering he is a specialist wicketkeeper, or Timycen Maruma.*Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Timycen Maruma/Peter Moor, 4 Sikandar Raza, 5 Malcolm Waller (wk), 6 Elton Chigumbura, 7 Tinotenda Mutombodzi, 8 Graeme Cremer (capt), 9 Neville Madziva, 10 Taurai Muzarabani, 11 Donald TiripanoIndia fielded five debutants in the first T20I, including Mandeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan and Jaydev Unadkat, who had their first outing of the tour. Unadkat and Dhawan bowled poorly; whether Dhoni chooses to give them another chance or brings Barinder Sran and Dhawal Kulkarni back is open to debate.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Mandeep Singh, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Rishi Dhawan/Dhawal Kulkarni, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Jaydev Unadkat/Barinder SranPitch and conditionsThe pitch is expected to be batting friendly again at Harare Sports Club. The size of the outfield should test the fielders and reward batsmen who run hard between the wickets.Stats and trivia Only once have Zimbabwe won consecutive T20I matches against Full Member oppositions – against Bangladesh in Khulna this January. Since India made their debut in T20 cricket, only twice have they packed as many as five debutants into an XI – against Zimbabwe on Saturday and against Zimbabwe a year ago. *June 20, 08.00GMT: The preview was updated after Richmond Mutumbami’s injury update came in

"Now we have to keep going." These are the words of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who despite his elation with the "world-class" Mohamed Salah's match-winning goal to defeat Brentford – the Egyptian's record-breaking ninth in a row at Anfield – maintains an air of pragmaticism ahead of Liverpool's late-season objective.

Sinking the Bees gave the Reds a sixth successive victory in the Premier League, but despite the colourful purple patch, top four remains a stretch away, with the fifth-placed Anfield side trailing both Newcastle United and Manchester United by four points.

With imperilled Leicester City awaiting tonight, the Merseyside squad will understand the task with perfect clarity; leaving with three points is paramount if the tantalising thought of Champions League football next term will cement itself in reality.

To achieve this, Liverpool must be under no illusions that pitted against them stand a desperate Foxes outfit looking to ascend from the relegation zone with a season-defining result.

It will be a fiery affair, but Leicester's weakness lies in their shoddy defence, and as such unleashing the likes of Luis Diaz could be the formula to silencing the home faithful this evening.

Should Luis Diaz start vs Leicester?

The respective Premier League teams in question have been embroiled in dismal campaigns on either side of the spectrum: Leicester's illustrious stay in the top flight faces a miserable conclusion, while Liverpool's six successive years in the Champions League – with three finals reached and one triumphed in – is over unless one of the aforementioned rivals suffers a late-season collapse.

Seven victories in succession will indeed give Liverpool the optimum chance of pulling off a monumental turnaround, and to do so the offence must indeed harness the full scope of its might and terrorise a defence which has shipped 64 goals from 35 divisional outings this year – for reference, the Foxes finished eighth with 59 goals conceded across last year's edition.

With Diaz returning to full fitness, the away side will be expected to utilise his fleet-footed sorcery and wreak havoc on beleaguered City.

Signing for Klopp’s team for £37m at last season’s midpoint, Diaz swiftly asserted himself as an exciting presence and scored six goals and five assists en route to triumph in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Starting the current term brightly, clinching the Community Shield and impressing across his first 13 outings across all competitions, plundering seven direct contributions and leaving his German manager waxing lyrical and hailing him as "world-class", like his Egyptian confrere on the alternate wing.

As per FBref, the 39-cap maverick ranks among the top 15% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 10% for pass completion, the top 10% for successful take-ons and the top 10% for aerials won, which underscores the mercurial dynamism of his trade, direct and unflinching against even the most formidable of defenders.

Presented with a starting berth, the "sensational" Diaz – as per one writer – could inflict misery upon Leicester right-back Ricardo Pereira, who is said to be fit again after a lengthy injury which has ruled him out since February.

The marauding full-back has started just four times in the top-flight this term due to his injury woes and yields an average rating of only 6.63, as per Sofascore, and against the £55k-per-week South American, he could find his task is too tall an order to prevent him from exhibiting his brilliance.

With such a meagre output on the defensive front, the 29-year-old will find it difficult to contain such a bouncing threat, and it could spell detrimental danger for the Foxes.

Liverpool, in retrospect, could revel in the increasing possibility of securing a place in next year's Champions League season; they must have their wits about them against a Leicester side desperate for a galvanising victory, but with Diaz in the mix, it will be anything but easy.

Cricket Australia has announced a new $4 million investment into female cricket, particularly targeted at growing participation among teenagers

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2016Cricket Australia has announced a new $4 million investment into female cricket, particularly targeted at growing participation among teenagers.The move comes on the back of a successful inaugural WBBL last summer, and will involve a $1 million investment per year over four years, half of which will go directly to cricket clubs, associations, and secondary schools through the new Growing Cricket for Girls Fund.The other half will be used to employ full-time female participation specialists across Australia to provide ongoing support to clubs, associations and secondary schools.”Girls and women are playing cricket in record numbers and participation growth last summer was fuelled by the incredibly successful launch of the Women’s Big Bash League,” James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive said.”Whilst cricket has had a national female competition for 70 years, we are committed to further investment to grow the female game with the Women’s Big Bash League at the forefront.”The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars are the world’s number one ranked women’s team – and our female cricketers are deservedly the best paid of all women’s team sports in our country.”Our female cricketers are wonderful role models and we are delighted to see their increasing exposure is inspiring more and more girls to play cricket.”Cricketer Alyssa Healy said: “It’s exciting to see this new investment in cricket. I know from my own experience of coming through community cricket that dedicated competitions for girls to play against other girls of the same age will have a huge impact on the development of them as cricketers and female cricket in general.”

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their attempts to bolster their midfield options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Newcastle?

According to Calcio Mercato, the Magpies are one of the clubs eyeing up a potential bargain swoop to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the Old Lady powerhouse is yet to reach an agreement over a new deal with the Italian giants and this means that he is set to be a free agent at the end of June.

It is stated that Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also in the race for his signature, whilst the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona could also join the growing list of suitors.

How has Adrien Rabiot performed this season?

The former Paris Saint-Germain maestro has been in terrific form in the Serie A for Juventus in 2022/23 and his arrival could be bad news for current Toon midfielder Sean Longstaff.

Newcastle's academy graduate has been a crucial cog in Eddie Howe's side in the Premier League – starting 27 matches – but his position in the starting line-up would be under threat with Rabiot in the building.

Longstaff has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 and chipped in with one goal and 1.8 tackles and interceptions per match in the top-flight. The Englishman has also created 0.7 chances per game for his teammates and won 47% of his physical duels.

Rabiot, meanwhile, could offer more quality at both ends of the pitch and in his average performance level.

The 28-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.06 across 28 Serie A starts and produced eight goals and 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game for the Italian giants. This suggests that the Frenchman, who has created 0.9 chances per match in the Italian top-flight, would be an improvement on Longstaff in terms of what he is able to provide in and out of possession.

Rabiot, who ex-teammate Gianluigi Buffon once hailed as a "wardrobe" due to his impressive physique, wins the ball back more frequently for his side and carries a great goalscoring threat, whilst they create a similar amount for their respective sides.

The France international has also averaged more progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 (3.3) than the 25-year-old (1.04) over the last 365 days and this indicates that the Juventus star is better at bringing the ball forward and progressing the team up the pitch.

The £152k-per-week machine has also featured in 60 Champions League matches across his career, whilst the Magpies man has never played in a European game, and Howe could lean on his experience in the competition if they qualify for it in their last two Premier League outings.

Therefore, Longstaff should be concerned by the possible arrival of Rabiot as the Frenchman could take up his position in the starting XI and leave the English gem as a rotational option rather than a go-to starter.

West Indies captain Jason Holder said on the eve of the first Test match against India that he was confident in the abilities of the young group he was leading

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Antigua20-Jul-2016Only three members of West Indies’ 13-man squad for the first Test against India have played more than 20 Test matches. Six of them have either played four Tests or fewer, and two are yet to make their debuts. West Indies captain Jason Holder, who has himself played only 13 Tests, said on the eve of the match though that he was confident in the abilities of the young group he was leading.”Most of these guys have performed really well in the domestic competition,” Holder said. “You’ve got young Roston Chase, who’s in the squad for the first time. He averages around 40 in first-class cricket. You’ve got Shane Dowrich, who’s been doing well over the last few seasons. Leon Johnson had a really good season. Those are just a few names who did well back in the first-class competitions. So I think all of them are really eager for an opportunity and I’m very very eager to go into the competition with them.”The players, Holder said, were hungry to make a name for themselves.”I think what motivates this young group is that everyone is trying to make a mark on international scene. It’s a very young team. Many of us are looking at finding our way in international cricket. I think it’s important for the youngsters to just come in, to make their mark and solidify their place in the team, and to make a name for themselves. You know there is a rich legacy in West Indies cricket. Many of the young players are looking to make a legacy for themselves.”A lot of the inexperience in the West Indies team is concentrated in their bowling, following the loss of their long-time new-ball pair of Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach to retirement and non-selection respectively. Holder said he, as one of the four seamers in the squad, did not feel any specific pressure to step up and lead the bowling attack, but reiterated the need for all the quick bowlers to know their roles and perform them well.”You know, if you look at our side, we’ve got Miguel Cummins who’s come into the side, he’s done really well for the last two seasons in domestic cricket. You’ve got [Shannon] Gabriel, who’s been bowling really well, but has been struggling from injuries. He’s fit and ready to go. Carlos Brathwaite and myself, you know, are the two seamers and we are just looking to do what we’re asked to do.”I think it’s important that each one knows their role. You know Shannon’s obviously a fast and aggressive bowler. Miguel similarly. Myself and Carlos, we’re mainly the workhorses in the unit. You just have to know your role. I don’t think there’s pressure really. Once you know understand your role, you perform your role.”West Indies won the World T20 earlier this year, and were impressive in their recent ODI triangular series that also featured Australia and South Africa, beating both teams in the league stage and reaching the final. They have struggled to match that level of performance in Test cricket, with a number of their star players not featuring in the longest format. Holder said it was important for the team to keep improving steadily, while not expecting too much of them too soon.”You know that’s the ultimate aim [to be equally competitive in all three formats]. We’ve got a young side, and it’s good to see we have some young faces. We’re looking to build something. In the last series we played in Australia, we didn’t start really well. Moving on into the Test series, we got significantly better. All I stress and address with the guys is to keep improving. You can’t expect leaps and bounds, too much from a very young side. Once we get the steady progression in terms of improvement, I think we’ll move forward.”The last time West Indies played in Antigua, in April 2015, they saved a Test match against England courtesy an unbeaten fourth-innings hundred from Holder. Batting remains the second string in Holder’s bow, but in the days leading up to the Test against India, he has batted far more than he has bowled in the nets. Asked about this, he said he preferred to conserve himself for the long spells he often bowls in Test matches.”I’ve played a lot of cricket this year already. As I said, it’s about managing your body to get through a four-match Test series. I am a workhorse, so I don’t particularly like to bowl that much leading into a Test match. I like to save my energy for the Test match because I know I’ll be required to bowl quite a few overs. That’s how my preparation goes in terms of my bowling.”I try to bat a lot because I feel as though I need to pay a lot more attention there. That’s more of my secondary part of my training. I try to work really hard to get my footwork going and my balance going which I feel is the key to my success.”Asked about his team’s preparations to bowl against a batting line-up of India’s quality on pitches that are expected to play on the slower side, Holder reiterated what players and coaches from both sides have already stressed: the need for patience.”The name of Test cricket is discipline, when it comes to bowling,” he said. “Where we fell down in the past is not being as disciplined as we would like. We’ve stressed discipline and being patient for longer periods. We come in and string together a good session but we tend to falter or fall off going deeper into the day. So far, what I’ve seen in the nets I’m really, really pleased. The bowlers look good and we need to transfer that into the game.”