*Official* England in West Indies

[Manee]

There's a slight chance England might play 2 spinners in the next Test. Maybe.

Leaving your personal views aside, this might be a good move considering the success that spin bowlers have had in West Indian domestic cricket due to the pitches and the batsmen tending to be poor players of spin bowling.

BTW: What a spell from Edwards, quickest spell I've seen in a while, up to over 94mph!

 

[Neil Pickup]

Sky suggesting England to bat until tea tomorrow...!

I can see us failing to win this game as we're too afraid to risk a miracle...

 

[superkingdave]

Dissapointed in not enforcing the follow on, and dissapointed, much as i love seeing him bat, at Anderson being sent in. Typical England, way to minimize the advantage you have

 

[four_or_six]

Sky suggesting England to bat until tea tomorrow...!

I can see us failing to win this game as we're too afraid to risk a miracle...

Lol at Botham getting so agitated at that.

 

[NUFAN]

The fact that they've sent in a night-watchman just about takes the biscuit here.

Agree exactly.

What on earth is the point?

In my opinion England should look to declare 45 minutes before tea at the latest to get in about 8 or 9 overs at the Windies top order.

This means that England would bat for 3hrs 15mins, so about 45 overs as I don't think Windies will be rushing through the overs.

I just don't think having the most defensive batsman in the team from the start of the day is a good decision at all, especially seeing as though he's batting with the out of form Cook.

 

[grecian]

Hmm, way to make an encouraging day into a "meh" feeling.

Well done England. We've picked 5 bowlers, the spinner has taken most wickets in the first innings so he can wheel away at one end all day, so you waste tons of overs batting. I think we're all looking forward to Cook and Jimmy forcing the pace tomorrow

 

[Durham_CCC]

Bat until lunch tomorrow, get 400 ahead, then just before tea when England have a 460 lead put them in and have a right go until the close.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Strange decision to bat again for me. I can see why we didn't enforce, what with Fred's hip & Harmy's heart stomach issues, but surely one of the whole points of a five-man attack is that we have another two front line seamers? Quick burst from Broad & Jimmy tonight, spell on the physio's couch for Fred & an infusion of brown ale, a few episodes of The Likely Lads on DVD & a night's rest in the coffin full of Ashington soil he takes on tour to counteract the crippling effects of being away from t'north-east for Harmison and we're good to go tomorrow.

 

[andruid]

Has anyone noticed a marked disappearance of 'The Windies are crap against spin anyway' now that the England spinner doing the damage is not Panesar?

 

[sammy2]

Has anyone noticed a marked disappearance of 'The Windies are crap against spin anyway' now that the England spinner doing the damage is not Panesar?

swann didn't take any wickets, he was gifted them.

 

[Richard]

Has anyone noticed a marked disappearance of 'The Windies are crap against spin anyway' now that the England spinner doing the damage is not Panesar?

Well, I haven't on my part. As I say, Swann certainly bowled encouragingly but he'd not have gotten very many wickets against good-quality batting - good-quality against spin, that is.

 

[Richard]

Sky suggesting England to bat until tea tomorrow...!

Well, Graeme Swann suggesting on Sky.

I can see us failing to win this game as we're too afraid to risk a miracle...

I doubt it. We've already had one miracle go against us this winter - the chances of lightning striking twice are extraordinarily slim.

 

[roseboy64]

Terrible batting by the guys out there in gifting their wickets. Stay out there and get settled and then hand their wickets over on a platter on a flat wicket.

 

[Neil Pickup]

swann didn't take any wickets, he was gifted them.

Part of me wants to respond to this, however the rest of me is urging maturity to prevail.

So I shall raise the tone of the conversation by saying, "yayyyyayaayyyy Swaannnnyyyyyy he good bowler man!"

 

[sammy2]

Part of me wants to respond to this, however the rest of me is urging maturity to prevail.

So I shall raise the tone of the conversation by saying, "yayyyyayaayyyy Swaannnnyyyyyy he good bowler man!"

how many tail enders did he get ? and how many wickets did he get by beating the batsman >?

 

[Uppercut]

I doubt it. We've already had one miracle go against us this winter - the chances of lightning striking twice are extraordinarily slim.

Haha, and if an Indian batting lineup filled with legends chasing 380 is a miracle, I don't think a word in the English language exists to describe what the Windies chasing 450 would be.

 

[Nate]

Would you believe it?

 

[Jono]

Can't believe England sent in Anderson again.

 

[Jakester1288]

I reckon anything over 430-440 will be enough for England to defend with the bowlers they have left, but they need to make that score but also give themselves time to bowl out the West Indies.

Pretty much whatever decision Strauss makes will be critisiced from some angle.

 

[craigyc43]

Awful batting by the windies...no surprise there really...and straight accurate bowling by an Englishman, now there is a shock!!

Good on you Swanny.

I was a bit apprehensive when he got picked ahead of Monty but he has done himself mighty proud! Now lets put a quick 200 on the board and then have plenty of time to watch them self destruct again!