***Official** West Indies in England***

[Spitfires_Fan]

Top tip for the exams - make sure you spell "there" properly or they'll fail you on the spot.

Anyway, best of luck.

 

[Raghav]

Nah, England to thrash, imo, weather permitting.

Hoping so...

 

[GIMH]

11.25am West Indies are in a huddle next to the pavilion railings, the umpires are walking sedately to the middle and a big cheer as the opening batsmen head out. The summer is about to start ...

 

[pasag]

Started! Yay!

 

[wpdavid]

Started! Yay!

Cricinfo frightened me for a moment with their main headline being "Flintoff out" until I realised they meant he isn't playing today.

 

[GIMH]

0.6 Powell to Strauss, no run
0.5 Powell to Strauss, no run, left by Cook, on off stump but it was too short (86.8mph)
0.4 Powell to Strauss, no run, a bit more bounce outside off stump and Cook was beaten as he sparred at the ball
0.3 Powell to Strauss, no run, leg-side line, Cook turns it square, in the air but short leg is a yard in front of him so it was safe
0.2 Powell to Strauss, no run, straight - no speed gun but it looked gentle -Cook into line to block
0.1 Powell to Strauss, no run, hint of swing towards leg, Cook takes it on the pad and the ball plops apologetically into the leg side

 

[Perm]

Good to finally start, now for 2 quick wickets to fall...

 

[GIMH]

off

 

[Perm]

Ganga too slow on the chance there, should've snaffled him.

 

[pasag]

Have to go. If I come back and KP is out, I'll be livid.

 

[GIMH]

KP to ton up tbh

 

[Perm]

KP to ton up tbh

I'd be disappointed if he didn't, I'm expecting him and Bell to score big runs in this series.

 

[GIMH]

Interested in how Shah and Prior get on tbh

 

[grecian]

Poor bowling by the West Indies here. Whenever they've got it in the right place it's done a bit, but they've only done that about one-in-ten. Most of it's been leg-side or short, sometimes both.

I guess they are undercooked though, tbh.

 

[Richard]

CricInfo make those sorts of errors ATT, TBH.

 

[Richard]

Ganga too slow on the chance there, should've snaffled him.

'Avin a laff ain't you?

 

[GIMH]

So, how are our batsmen looking?

 

[Perm]

'Avin a laff ain't you?

It was difficult, but it went right through him.

 

[Perm]

So, how are our batsmen looking?

Both looking a wee bit shaky when the bowlers get it in the right areas, Cook has played and missed a few times.

 

[Richard]

It was difficult, but it went right through him.

Nah, he never had a cat in hell. Unless those hit your hands in exactly the right spot, you don't catch 'em. No way was that a chance.