*Official* England in West Indies

[ozone]

Why? What has Anderson done in the last 6 months to deserve a place in the Test team? As far as I can tell, he's become more and more inconsistent, and only worthy of selection when the ball is likely to swing.

He's done a damn site more than Broad or Harmison. And saying he has become more inconsistent is just not true, he has become much more consistent in test cricket and I don't think you could find many people to argue with that.

And its not that people hate Broad, in fact I think he'll probably end up being a much better cricketer than Anderson, but ATM, he isnt, and you cant pick someone on the basis that they are going to be good in two or three years time.

 

[Prince EWS]

Foxtel returns at the perfect time! Gunnnn.

 

[Prince EWS]

? ? ?

A recall for Chris, clearly. Simpson-esque.

 

[Nate]

Foxtel returns at the perfect time! Gunnnn.

Haha, I love it.

MSN?

 

[Penguinissimo]

He's done a damn site more than Broad or Harmison. And saying he has become more inconsistent is just not true, he has become much more consistent in test cricket and I don't think you could find many people to argue with that.

And its not that people hate Broad, in fact I think he'll probably end up being a much better cricketer than Anderson, but ATM, he isnt, and you cant pick someone on the basis that they are going to be good in two or three years time.

Except you could argue that about half of Anderson's caps have come on the back of his "potential". Don't see why Broad shouldn't benefit from the same argument at his expense - he might actually fulfil his.

 

[andruid]

Bell over Shah, Broad over Anderson = massive lol.

Bring on Taylor and the Windies.

tsk tsk...

BTW loving Viv Richard's baritone

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

? ? ?

A recall for Chris, clearly. Simpson-esque.

Was a suggestion that Stuart Broad > Ian Bell. I thought you two were the clever ones in the family.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I don't feel quite so strongly on Panesar, unless you're advocating picking Rashid and seeing if he can cope.

As for Bell...I cannot tell you how enraged I am. I would rather we played ten men than included that waste of space.

Panesar is a non-factor of a bowler while his baggage costs you 10-20 runs every innings. In the field he's useless, with the bat he's useless.

No way does his toothless average-boosted bowling make up the deficit.

By picking that donkey that means England felt they needed a stronger tail. Hence they now weaken the seam attack to pick Broad - yet another toothless bowler.


I don't really care who was picked in the place of those two (Bell and Panesar). Just there's no way either should be picked.

 

[TT Boy]

Bit of luck there for Strauss.

 

[ozone]

Except you could argue that about half of Anderson's caps have come on the back of his "potential". Don't see why Broad shouldn't benefit from the same argument at his expense - he might actually fulfil his.

Well, that kind-of implies that Anderson has peaked or that he will never fulfil his potential, which is harsh to say the least as the guy is only in his mid-twenties. And quite simply, Broad should not be picked ahead of Anderson because he is not as good a bowler right now, and probably won't be for a while.

BTW, would love to be proved wrong about this and see Broad take hatfuls of wickets in this series, but I firmly believe to pick him right now at the expense of Anderson is unfair.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Steups. Good start, Marshall.

 

[Nate]

Taylor.

 

[pskov]

Marshall already proving his worth to the team here. The England team that is.

 

[Athlai]

Taylor is such a gun.

 

[Evermind]

Cook and Strauss are the most mind-numbingly boring and soporific openers in the history of this game. They could give Boycott a run for his money. FFS. Really makes you appreciate Hayden, times like these.

And shut up about Bell and Panesar already. Swann and Shah are almost equally incompetent. TBH, I think Bell definitely is the most talented of the lot, and I honsetly think he should be persisted with, in spite of his recent failures.

Broad is a pie-chucker - no idea why he's in the team.

 

[TT Boy]

Chattergoon couldn't catch a cold when he was in the team and now another guy who shouldn't be in the side lets them down.

Strauss to make them pay.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I can accept the selection of Broad. We are not in the position to pick a number eight who cannot bat; it was either Swann & Anderson or Broad & Panesar, and if we're going to select Panesar, either off his previous strong record versus the WI, or the fact that Swann was dismal in the warm-up game (both weak arguments IMO, but I can understand their basis) then Broad had to play.

Bell, however, I've said enough. Just obscene.

At least the West Indies have made an equally baffling call to retain Benn over Jaggernauth.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Cook and Strauss are the most mind-numbingly boring and soporific openers in the history of this game. They could give Boycott a run for his money. FFS. Really makes you appreciate Hayden, times like these.

Haha. I can think of several more boring openers than Cook and Strauss.

 

[Nate]

Cook and Strauss are the most mind-numbingly boring and soporific openers in the history of this game. They could give Boycott a run for his money. FFS. Really makes you appreciate Hayden, times like these.

I quite like their techniques on the whole tbh. Classical left-handers, in their own right.

 

[Nate]

Haha Taylorrrr. Nine to come!