*Official* England in West Indies

[Neil Pickup]

Mmm, free wicket.

See above.

 

[Richard]

Would you still enforce it without too much of a thought though? Bearing in mind that the two bowlers who everyone thought would be the most potent on this pitch both have problems?

Possibly might think twice TBH. Especially as Harmison should be fighting fit again within a day or so. Flintoff may be more long-term but he may not.

 

[Richard]

Mmm, free wicket.

See above.

See virtually every dismissal this innings. On pitches this flat, wickets need to be gifted not taken.

And Gayle, Devon Smith, Chanderpaul, Sarwan and Ramdin have all done so. Taylor wasn't a million miles from doing there. All five played diabolical strokes and paid for it.

Can Nash play a few shots? I doubt it, but he's shown a few new sides to his game in a short time already.

 

[four_or_six]

Possibly might think twice TBH. Especially as Harmison should be fighting fit again within a day or so. Flintoff may be more long-term but he may not.

It'd be tempting if we could get through the tail without Fred and Harmy, save them for the 2nd innings.

 

[Richard]

Strauss evidently subscribes to the Flintoff\Vaughan\Hussain maxim of "try to get Harmison gifted tail-end wickets if you possibly can".

 

[shivfan]

Was anyone seriously discussing Lendl as a Test prospect until that tour-game at the start of this tour? I don't recall them doing so.

And back at The ARG, Sarwan continues to lay into Collingwood.

That doesn't mean Simmons can't be considered for selection....

At least he has shown himself capable of playing the likes of Anderson and Swann.

 

[four_or_six]

Strauss evidently subscribes to the Flintoff\Vaughan\Hussain maxim of "try to get Harmison gifted tail-end wickets if you possibly can".

Looks that way. So much for my theory.

 

[ozone]

And now Harmison comes on

Not only is it a weird time for him to come on to bowl (between the tea interval and the new ball), would you not want the bowler who has looked most threatening (i.e. Broad) to be bowling, rather than the one who looks like he's about to throw up before every other ball.

 

[Richard]

That doesn't mean Simmons can't be considered for selection....

It should do though, that's the point.

No-one should get the Test call-up based on 1 innings, even if that innings is 282.

 

[Richard]

And now Harmison comes on

Not only is it a weird time for him to come on to bowl (between the tea interval and the new ball), would you not want the bowler who has looked most threatening (i.e. Broad) to be bowling, rather than the one who looks like he's about to throw up before every other ball.

Stauss' captaincy this match has been diabolical, no other way to describe it. Dead-set bizarre that he appears to be on his way to captaining a handsome victory.

 

[shivfan]

It should do though, that's the point.

No-one should get the Test call-up based on 1 innings, even if that innings is 282.

That is his most outstanding innings, but he hasn't been doing too badly for Trinidad....

Simmons has averaged more than 46 for Trinidad this season so far.

Personally, I would rather see both Simmons and Dale Richards in the side than Smith and Hinds.

I really hope those two prove me wrong, but somehow I doubt it.

 

[ozone]

Stauss' captaincy this match has been diabolical, no other way to describe it. Dead-set bizarre that he appears to be on his way to captaining a handsome victory.

Despite the odd bowling changes, I like the fact he's taken the new ball straight away, even though the commentators don't seem to. And I think he's out-captained Gayle.

 

[Uppercut]

Stauss' captaincy this match has been diabolical, no other way to describe it. Dead-set bizarre that he appears to be on his way to captaining a handsome victory.

No, i don't agree. There's a few things you clearly think have been odd, but I'll try to address them. Firstly, not bowling Stuart Broad immediately after lunch. Broad had bowled a spell immediately before lunch, and Strauss wanted him to be fully fresh before bowling him- seemed strange, but Broad took the big wicket when he did come on, justifying the decision- and almost took the other big wicket too. Secondly, bowling Paul Collingwood immediately after tea. Clearly he felt none of his fast bowlers were currently in good enough condition for a go, especially considering England are set to spend the rest of the match in the field. Colly didn't manage to keep it as tight as was expected, but the concept of getting slow bowlers on and hoping the batsmen take unnecessary chances while waiting for the new ball did. In fact, it came off absolutely perfectly.

The only really poor decision was regarding the field placings early in the day- especially to Powell. The big decisions, which I presume you were referring to, were questionable but certainly not "diabolical". And in both cases, they brought results. You can argue with results, as you often do, but it's a lot harder to. Strauss has had a bit of a golden arm this innings in that what he's tried has come off, but there was a lot of bad luck for the team early on too. And had all this happened with Vaughan captain, we'd all currently be singing his praises.

 

[Kweek]

Unusual from Anderson. He is quite possibly the best fast-bowling fielder in the world

cricinfo a little biased?

 

[four_or_six]

Is this Tony Cozier commenating now? He's so depressed about everything all the time... if you could cross Cozier with Nicholas, I reckon that'd be pitched about right.

 

[four_or_six]

cricinfo a little biased?

Definitely one of the best.

 

[Uppercut]

cricinfo a little biased?

Who do you think is?

 

[Uppercut]

Rudi gives his fourth dodgy one of the innings against England.

 

[Kweek]

Who do you think is?

all england fans...

 

[Uppercut]

all england fans...

All fans in fact, is probably more accurate.

But what i meant was- who's the best fast-bowling fielder in the world if it's not Jimmy?