*Official* England in West Indies

[superkingdave]

Jimmy doesn't drop those...shame for Gayle Vaughan isn't playing

 

[wpdavid]

5 no balls and a wide already... bit sloppy. That's as many as WI had in 165 overs.

It's more than a bit sloppy - it's village green stuff.

EDIT
As was Gayles dismissal
Extraordinary innings. Well held Jimmy.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Daren Powell?!

Interesting call. He's getting hurt or getting out.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Physical gifts and technique are linked and it is a complicated relationship.

Talent can only be expressed as freely as the technique allows. Collingwood has a very limited technique with a short backlift that doesnt make the most of his considerable gifts. Doesnt mean they dont exist.

Few without Collingwoods talents could make his technique successful.

Expressed rather basically, the better the technique the more efficient usage of the ability and gifts. Collingwood has a far less efficient method of mining more considerable ability for roughly the same output as Bell.

I know Bell looks 'nice' but Im not sure you will find many that interact with them that would say Bell is more physically gifted.

Well, suffice to say I disagree and I'm not alone. Mike Selvey said of the two in the Guardian before the 2nd test:

which to drop? Bell, the obvious one, with the sublime game but a mentality so flabby that it might require liposuction? Or Paul Collingwood, with his limited skills but strong will?

 

[Uppercut]

Harmison keeping the pressure on ...

Who cares about pressure, we want wickets

 

[roseboy64]

Poor execution of the shot there.

 

[Nate]

Very impressed with Smith here.

 

[sammy2]

Poor execution of the shot there.

Lack of respect for harmison who is garbage.

 

[Furball]

I will go all Richard here and bemoan the fact that Harmison, with some piss poor bowling, gets the breakthrough.

As for the Bell vs Collingwood debate, Bell would average mid 50s if he had even half of Collingwood's mental strength and talent.

 

[wpdavid]

So who comes in if Powell goes?

 

[superkingdave]

FFS with the noballs. Get Jimmy back on

 

[roseboy64]

So who comes in if Powell goes?

I say Benn but Powell won't be out.

 

[Furball]

Remember a couple of years back Colly V Bell was a constant debate. Anyone still prefer Bell? Genuine question

Played Colly

As much as I dislike Collingwood, I'd have him in the side before Bell 99 times out of 100.

 

[Evermind]

Collingwood's reflexes + Bell's correctness = Ponting already

 

[Woodster]

Good day made better with the dismissal of Gayle towards the end, when despite looking very unsettled with a couple of deliveries that displayed more than little indifferent bounce, he looked his usual dangerous self. Just felt if he got to 30 or 40 he may settle down and be more selective in his attacking strokes. Devon Smith played a solid role, didn't play at anything he didn't need to and can build upon it tomorrow.

As for the England attack, Flintoff was unlucky, got a few to rise worryingly for WI batsmen, while Harmy showed a bit more fire, visibly buoyed by the wicket of Gayle, although not a typical quick man's wicket, being thumped to wide mid-off! And he was quick in parts of his brief spell, hitting the 90mph mark, which is encouraging.

 

[Uppercut]

Do people think this England attack has what it takes to bowl the West Indies out twice here? Because I still firmly believe their bowling is quite easily their stronger suit, but they've failed to take wickets on fairly flat decks a fair few times recently. Thoughts?

 

[Woodster]

Do people think this England attack has what it takes to bowl the West Indies out twice here? Because I still firmly believe their bowling is quite easily their stronger suit, but they've failed to take wickets on fairly flat decks a fair few times recently. Thoughts?

I think we do have the attack to bowl WI out, the signs with regards the pitch look encouraging from an England perspective, also the pressure that such a big 1st innings score brings will be a problem for WI. I don't doubt in Shiv, Sarwan, and a few of the others, they have a line-up that may prolong England's search for 20 wickets, but I do think there's enough time in this Test for us to get 20 wicks.

Freddie's length on the half way line will undoubtedly create some uncertainty and I think Swann will get some purchase from this track also. Very confident at the minute.

 

[grecian]

Well, for me, it's all about the pitch, if it carries on degrading like it has done, then we should win this. If it reverts to the first day or/and loses it's pace then I don't see us getting out Chanders/Nash/Sarwan twice with this attack.

 

[ozone]

Do people think this England attack has what it takes to bowl the West Indies out twice here? Because I still firmly believe their bowling is quite easily their stronger suit, but they've failed to take wickets on fairly flat decks a fair few times recently. Thoughts?

TBH, with 3 days to pick up 19 wickets, we should manage it on a pitch which seems likley only to get worse. And with the fact that we've already got Gayle, the one player who I think can take them past the follow-on total within a relatively short space of time, it should give England the best chance of bowling them out tommorow short of the follow-on score.

 

[Woodster]

Ok, are there any circumstances where anyone thinks England will not enforce the follow-on should they get themselves in a position to do so ?