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

[stumpski]

Weather report - for those of you not in the south-east - after a grey and damp start the sun is shining here (about 30 miles from the Oval) - and very little cloud around now so unless there's a deterioration in the conditions there's no reason why they shouldn't start on time this afternoon.

 

[wpdavid]

Weather report - for those of you not in the south-east - after a grey and damp start the sun is shining here (about 30 miles from the Oval) - and very little cloud around now so unless there's a deterioration in the conditions there's no reason why they shouldn't start on time this afternoon.

And right now, about 10 miles from the Oval, it's absolutely tipping it down.

btw have they found the ball that Samuels belted out of the ground yesterday? Extraordinary stuff, even if Collinwood seems to have inherited yet another bunch of stiffs to open the bowling for us in the oneday games.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Filtered to show his record in ODIs since 06/07. So you're pretty much talking rubbish on the whole.

I said last year, not over the season.

filtered              26  175     811  27  5/45   4/29   [B][U]30.03[/U][/B]  [B][U]4.63[/U][/B]  38.8  2  1

Mat    O       R   W    BBI    Ave 4w 5w  W/R   I Match

  1   10      50   2  2/50   25.00  0  0  2/50  1 1st ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2332]
  2   13      68   2  2/50   34.00  0  0  0/18  2 2nd ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2335]
  3   20     101   3  2/50   33.66  0  0  1/33  1 3rd ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2337]
  4   29     174   4  2/50   43.50  0  0  1/73  1 4th ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2342]
  5   39     219   9  5/45   24.33  0  1  5/45  1 5th ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2346]
  6   47     248  11  5/45   22.54  0  1  2/29  1 1st ODI   v Zim 2006    [2368]
  7   51     259  11  5/45   23.54  0  1  0/11  2 2nd ODI   v Zim 2006    [2369]
  8   61     313  12  5/45   26.08  0  1  1/54  2 4th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2370]
  9   61     313  12  5/45   26.08  0  1   -    - 6th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2372]
 10   69     342  16  5/45   21.37  1  1  4/29  2 7th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2373]
 11   71     348  16  5/45   21.75  1  1  0/6   1 4th ODI   v Ind 2006    [2381]
 12   76     376  16  5/45   23.50  1  1  0/28  2 5th ODI   v Ind 2006    [2382]
 13   85     415  18  5/45   23.05  1  1  2/39  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2413]
 14   92     458  19  5/45   24.10  1  1  1/43  1 DLF Cup   v Ind 2006/07 [2414]
 15   99     496  19  5/45   26.10  1  1  0/38  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2417]
 16  109     527  23  5/45   22.91  2  1  4/31  1 DLF Cup   v Ind 2006/07 [2419]
 17  117     562  23  5/45   24.43  2  1  0/35  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2422]
 18  123     576  25  5/45   23.04  2  1  2/14  1 ICC CT    v Zim 2006/07 [2424]
 19  126     605  25  5/45   24.20  2  1  0/29  2 ICC CT    v SL  2006/07 [2428]
 20  129     621  25  5/45   24.84  2  1  0/16  2 ICC CT    v Aus 2006/07 [2432]
 21  139     658  25  5/45   26.32  2  1  0/37  1 ICC CT    v Ind 2006/07 [2437]
 22  143     670  25  5/45   26.80  2  1  0/12  1 ICC CT    v SA  2006/07 [2442]
 23  153     703  25  5/45   28.12  2  1  0/33  2 2nd ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2460]
 24  159     750  25  5/45   30.00  2  1  0/47  2 3rd ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2463]
 25  169     779  27  5/45   28.85  2  1  2/29  1 4th ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2464]
 26  175     811  27  5/45   30.03  2  1  0/32  2 5th ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2466]

 

[Poker Boy]

We really should have picked Monty - but instead of a seamer (Sidebottom?)NOT Yardy. The selectors obviously don't know that spin is the key in 20-20 - as Sky's commentators will happily tell you. As for the specialist debate, is it worth picking say Maddy over Cook for two games? And just because he's good in domestic 20/20 doesn't mean he will be the same in the international version .It was a heroic effort by PC and Yardy, but one always thought they were behind the eight ball. As for the Windies, have they found a form of the game that suits their bating style (ie poor technique does not get exposed) or was it a one off good performance (by all accounts at Derby they were appaling) and remember at the WC they couldn't even beat England and you would think ODI cricket would suit their batting. We'll see if they perform as well tonight. btw, that Samuels six - no one can blame that one on small boundaries, can they?

 

[Prince EWS]

Disagree. All matches should be treated seriously, otherwise why play them? Regardless of the format, people are still paying to watch, the players are getting paid a fair sum, AND if they are treating them as warm-ups for the ODIs then they should definitely be treated seriously. It'd be nice to start winning an ODI series here and there and as such they should prepare thoroughly.

Yeah, I meant the result shouldn't be taken seriously - not the effort put in to the games or chance to use them basically as practice matches for ODIs. My point was that the selectors aren't really too fussed over whether Cook is the right man to open the batting in Twenty20 cricket as he'll be doing it in the ODIs - and the matches are essentially treated as practice. I agree with this stance on them from a selection point of view, however the players should obviously put full effort into playing the games whilst they are out there.

 

[pskov]

And right now, about 10 miles from the Oval, it's absolutely tipping it down,

And as we draw even closer in, a mere 5 miles from the Oval, it's lovely and sunny outside and has been all day barring a short shower this morning.

Cue someone actually at the Oval....

 

[Prince EWS]

I said last year, not over the season.

filtered              26  175     811  27  5/45   4/29   [B][U]30.03[/U][/B]  [B][U]4.63[/U][/B]  38.8  2  1

Mat    O       R   W    BBI    Ave 4w 5w  W/R   I Match

  1   10      50   2  2/50   25.00  0  0  2/50  1 1st ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2332]
  2   13      68   2  2/50   34.00  0  0  0/18  2 2nd ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2335]
  3   20     101   3  2/50   33.66  0  0  1/33  1 3rd ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2337]
  4   29     174   4  2/50   43.50  0  0  1/73  1 4th ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2342]
  5   39     219   9  5/45   24.33  0  1  5/45  1 5th ODI   v NZ  2005/06 [2346]
  6   47     248  11  5/45   22.54  0  1  2/29  1 1st ODI   v Zim 2006    [2368]
  7   51     259  11  5/45   23.54  0  1  0/11  2 2nd ODI   v Zim 2006    [2369]
  8   61     313  12  5/45   26.08  0  1  1/54  2 4th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2370]
  9   61     313  12  5/45   26.08  0  1   -    - 6th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2372]
 10   69     342  16  5/45   21.37  1  1  4/29  2 7th ODI   v Zim 2006    [2373]
 11   71     348  16  5/45   21.75  1  1  0/6   1 4th ODI   v Ind 2006    [2381]
 12   76     376  16  5/45   23.50  1  1  0/28  2 5th ODI   v Ind 2006    [2382]
 13   85     415  18  5/45   23.05  1  1  2/39  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2413]
 14   92     458  19  5/45   24.10  1  1  1/43  1 DLF Cup   v Ind 2006/07 [2414]
 15   99     496  19  5/45   26.10  1  1  0/38  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2417]
 16  109     527  23  5/45   22.91  2  1  4/31  1 DLF Cup   v Ind 2006/07 [2419]
 17  117     562  23  5/45   24.43  2  1  0/35  1 DLF Cup   v Aus 2006/07 [2422]
 18  123     576  25  5/45   23.04  2  1  2/14  1 ICC CT    v Zim 2006/07 [2424]
 19  126     605  25  5/45   24.20  2  1  0/29  2 ICC CT    v SL  2006/07 [2428]
 20  129     621  25  5/45   24.84  2  1  0/16  2 ICC CT    v Aus 2006/07 [2432]
 21  139     658  25  5/45   26.32  2  1  0/37  1 ICC CT    v Ind 2006/07 [2437]
 22  143     670  25  5/45   26.80  2  1  0/12  1 ICC CT    v SA  2006/07 [2442]
 23  153     703  25  5/45   28.12  2  1  0/33  2 2nd ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2460]
 24  159     750  25  5/45   30.00  2  1  0/47  2 3rd ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2463]
 25  169     779  27  5/45   28.85  2  1  2/29  1 4th ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2464]
 26  175     811  27  5/45   30.03  2  1  0/32  2 5th ODI   v Pak 2006/07 [2466]

Would be interesting to see what that would be like if you took out that Zimbabwe series though (and the game against Zim in the CT). Smith certainly is under-rated with the ball in ODIs, but he's still not particularly good.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, I meant the result shouldn't be taken seriously - not the effort put in to the games or chance to use them basically as practice matches for ODIs. My point was that the selectors aren't really too fussed over whether Cook is the right man to open the batting in Twenty20 cricket as he'll be doing it in the ODIs - and the matches are essentially treated as practice. I agree with this stance on them from a selection point of view, however the players should obviously put full effort into playing the games whilst they are out there.

Fair enough....I suppose...

 

[roseboy64]

Oh right

Well in that case, would an expat sound like an Englishman?

If he spent enough time there maybe or could quite possibly be the offspring of one.

 

[pskov]

Yeah, I meant the result shouldn't be taken seriously - not the effort put in to the games or chance to use them basically as practice matches for ODIs. My point was that the selectors aren't really too fussed over whether Cook is the right man to open the batting in Twenty20 cricket as he'll be doing it in the ODIs - and the matches are essentially treated as practice. I agree with this stance on them from a selection point of view, however the players should obviously put full effort into playing the games whilst they are out there.

I am very dissapointed that the ECB aren't taking these matches as seriously as I feel they should be. We should have selected a specialist Twenty20 squad in preperation for the up coming World Cup in September.

Typical ECB really. Not only spurning good preperation for a high profile international tournament, not some two-bit trophy like the Nat West or VB rubbish, but one in which we would have a realistic chance of winning and possibly be the favourites if we took it bloody seriously. We could put together the most experienced Twenty20 team in the world, including several players who know they are never going to represent England in any other format or ever again, so would be doubly commited to do their best. I get a feeling we'll just take it as a lark and send over the ODI team and let Graveny act all shocked when we can't score quicker than 6 an over with Bell and Cook in the top order.

 

[stumpski]

And as we draw even closer in, a mere 5 miles from the Oval, it's lovely and sunny outside and has been all day barring a short shower this morning.

Cue someone actually at the Oval....

Aren't you just sick and tired of this weather now? Three times in one afternoon I've had to go out and bring the bloody washing in. So I've given up wondering what it's going to be like at the Oval. Whether it's dazzling sunshine for four hours, or match abandoned without a ball bowled, I won't be surprised either way.

 

[Woodster]

Forecast looks ok I think (?) for the game. I'm looking forward to it actually, not Twenty20's biggest fan but enjoyed it last night. IMO its certainly a game that should not be taken too seriously, but it is always nice to win!

 

[stumpski]

West Indies won the toss and will bat first. Simmons and Richards in for Devon Smith and Chanderpaul. England unchanged.

 

[Prince EWS]

Chanderpaul and Dev Smith both out - England should really win pretty comfortably.

 

[stumpski]

Chanderpaul and Dev Smith both out - England should really win pretty comfortably.

* mockers *

 

[roseboy64]

Chanderpaul and Dev Smith both out - England should really win pretty comfortably.

Greigy?

 

[roseboy64]

Interested to see how Richards does. Shouldn't have been selected IMO but we shall see.

 

[roseboy64]

Starts with a four.

 

[stumpski]

Simmons looking a bit desparate now. Can see him slogging one up in the air soon.

 

[grecian]

Gayle in fine form, Prince must be enjoying this, Gayle batting in a 20/20