*Official* England in West Indies

[Richard]

The pitch description so far seems to be that it's a belter and if Harmison had picked and taken 1-130 the "it's not a favourable pitch" line would've been trotted-out.

 

[Woodster]

Surprised with the omission of Harmison, perhaps his recent back troubles have led England to leave him out.

However, batting first, on a track that is described as looking excellent. Big 1st inns runs required please. Loving the inclusion of Bopara.

 

[Richard]

First ball looked very tennis-ball-bounc-ey. Though obviously the game's opening delivery doesn't neccessarily offer any indication of anything for the over, never mind the match.

 

[Richard]

Haha, I never knew "Prof" Edwards was Kensington Oval groundsman. Looking in pretty decent nick for his 68 years as well.

 

[Scaly piscine]

However, if he's been dropped on his performances over the past five years, it's a perfectly reasonable decision.

Then why would you pick him in the other Tests in the first place?

Everyone with a brain knows he needs overs under his belt and that's why he's not bowled well in the past, in this series he's done fine on pitches that didn't help him.

A match-ready Harmison is easily good enough to make the first XI. If he's fit he should be playing, end of story.

 

[Richard]

Looking like another fairly slow, not-especially-bouncy deck. Strauss and Cook just need to be careful here and there's a massive stand in the offing.

 

[Richard]

Powell starting well... as per usual... and Strauss almost being beaten for slowness.

 

[Penguinissimo]

Looking like another fairly slow, not-especially-bouncy deck. Strauss and Cook just need to be careful here and there's a massive stand in the offing.

Until Cook gets to 58.

 

[Richard]

Probably. But he has to break the jinx sometime - let's hope it's today.

Either way, I know we've yet to see the spinners, but this doesn't look like a pitch on which it's going to be easy to get a result.

 

[Penguinissimo]

Strauss driving again....always a really good sign

 

[Richard]

On this pitch you'd probably say it is, though obviously normally it isn't. Strauss is much better the less off-side driving he does.

Either way he's looking in terrific touch today. Really, really hope he doesn't give this away.

 

[Penguinissimo]

Probably. But he has to break the jinx sometime - let's hope it's today.

Or maybe not. Someone like Stuart Clark could destroy Cook...and if his position is weak enough it's another way back into the team for MPV.

 

[Penguinissimo]

On this pitch you'd probably say it is, though obviously normally it isn't. Strauss is much better the less off-side driving he does.

Depends whether he's driving square or through cover-point to mid-off. The latter is a sign of real confidence, the former is what nearly ended his international career.

 

[Richard]

Or maybe not. Someone like Stuart Clark could destroy Cook...and if his position is weak enough it's another way back into the team for MPV.

Great, Vaughan opening - that's all we need.

 

[Richard]

Depends whether he's driving square or through cover-point to mid-off. The latter is a sign of real confidence, the former is what nearly ended his international career.

I'd say there's a bit of crossover between the two TBH. I think he tried to do too much of it in 2006 and 2007 (and the first 5 innings' in New Zealand in 2008) and in part that might've been due to overconfidence, though other factors were probably playing too many ODIs and trying to adapt, the wrong-headed thought that one of the openers had to be aggressive and as Trescothick mostly missed the Tests in those periods he thought it had to be him, and purely and simply not being able to play as well as he did in his opening year in Test cricket.

Obviously with Strauss' technique he's going to be far more accomplished driving through mid-off and extra-cover with a high elbow rather than trying to use the wrists and drive through cover and extra-cover. But on a pitch that does anything, I'd advise him against doing either.

 

[Xuhaib]

So another Karachi in the offering?

 

[Woodster]

Strauss has driven solidly showing the full face in the first hour, and has looked to play positively. The pitch looks very flat, and as Rich stated, not easy to get a result on, only judging by the opening hour. Of course with a big score on the board, it does get into the mind of the side batting second, we shall see. First things first, a big opening stand leading to a big 1st innings total would be nice.

 

[ozone]

Whatever a "hit-the-deck" bowler actually is. No-one's ever really defined it. All bowlers hit the deck, some at faster speeds than others, some from greater height than others, some losing more pace off the deck than others, some getting the deck to make the ball do more than others, some getting the ball to do more before hitting the deck than others...

Hence the quotation marks in my original post. TBH, thats being quite picky, because everyone who follows cricket to at least some extent knows roughly what is meant by a 'hit-the-deck' bowler. Its all really a matter of perception.

 

[Uppercut]

Then why would you pick him in the other Tests in the first place?

Exactly.

 

[Uppercut]

So another Karachi in the offering?

Possibly. There's a bit more potential for collapse in these two sides than there is in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Say what you want about their batsmen, but they're absolute pros at cashing in on subcontinental featherbeds.

What England really need, given their attack, is one session where the ball swings.