*Official* England in West Indies

[Richard]

I have watched more Aus matches than Subcontinental games. The sound is pretty different from about 4-5 years ago.

Not really. I've also watched Australian cricket solidly for the last 6 years and there's no real difference.

However, subcontinental bats do make a notably different noise to those from elsewhere.

 

[Uppercut]

Tim Ambrose- somehow finds a way to cut balls on his pads.

 

[Richard]

Tim Ambrose - a virtually perennial disappointment with the bat.

 

[Evermind]

The one good thing about a Eng-WI match is the decent quality of commentary.

WI bowling pies, Hinds no-balling gentle offies, and Ramdin dropping a dolly. Dire game.

 

[Richard]

Waiting for a declaration is the most thing in history.

Hope we might declare at Tea but ideally I'd like us to get 600 so both are not an option.

 

[Evermind]

Strauss might wait for a Bopara ton, declare right after.

 

[BoyBrumby]

BTW Ian Botham always sounds slightly drunk while commentating.

Sounds?!?

I imagine Sir Ian's blood alcohol level is such he just needs a couple of clarets to top him up nowadays.

Good little knock from Tiny Tim, anyway. Be interesting decision for selectors if he tons up.

 

[Richard]

If England bat long enough for him to get another 41, we'll know there's some serious problems.

Wonder if he'll look to go far beyond 600?

 

[Evermind]

If England bat long enough for him to get another 41, we'll know there's some serious problems.

Wonder if he'll look to go far beyond 600?

Bopara, not Ambrose.

12 to go.

 

[pskov]

Not sure they'll have a run target so much as an overs target. Leave them 12-15 overs for the fast bowlers to have a real go at them with the new ball before the close would be the plan I suspect.

 

[Richard]

Bopara, not Ambrose.

12 to go.

I can read, you know - I'm well aware Bopara is on 88.

Ambrose, however, is on 59. Which means he'd have to get another 41 for a century.

 

[Uppercut]

I can read, you know - I'm well aware Bopara is on 88.

Ambrose, however, is on 59. Which means he'd have to get another 41 for a century.

Challenge him to score them before the declaration.

 

[Scaly piscine]

England have to approach it like the end of a limited overs innings, give themselves an hour or thereabouts and score as many as they can. If there's a real clatter of wickets and you've got the last couple poking about then just declare.

 

[Richard]

Not sure they'll have a run target so much as an overs target. Leave them 12-15 overs for the fast bowlers to have a real go at them with the new ball before the close would be the plan I suspect.

I'd be so much happier to see twice that given TBH. Never like to see a first-innings last too much longer than 5 sessions, not when you're 0-1 down (if it's 0-0 or better still you're 1-0 up then certainly go longer).

 

[Uppercut]

I'd be so much happier to see twice that given TBH. Never like to see a first-innings last too much longer than 5 sessions, not when you're 0-1 down (if it's 0-0 or better still you're 1-0 up then certainly go longer).

They will probably need these runs though. It's unlikely that the Windies will score less than 550 in two innings combined.

 

[Evermind]

I can read, you know - I'm well aware Bopara is on 88.

Ambrose, however, is on 59. Which means he'd have to get another 41 for a century.

Indeed. However, nobody suggested Strauss is gonna wait for Ambrose's century. When you say "him", it usually refers to someone mentioned before.

 

[Richard]

BTW was Ambrose actually dropped? Annoyingly I was eating tea when it happened so I've not seen it. But was it actually just a small deflection that Ramdin should swallow every time, or was it a big thick edge that he had no chance of taking and that was just called a chance because people do that sometimes?

 

[Richard]

Indeed. However, nobody suggested Strauss is gonna wait for Ambrose's century. When you say "him", it usually refers to someone mentioned before.

This post was above mine:

Good little knock from Tiny Tim, anyway. Be interesting decision for selectors if he tons up.

Does "Tiny Tim" sound like it's referring to Bopara to you? Doesn't to me.

 

[Richard]

They will probably need these runs though. It's unlikely that the Windies will score less than 550 in two innings combined.

If they score 350 in 100 overs in the first dig they'd be mad to enforce the follow-on, so you can't be expecting an innings victory.

 

[Evermind]

I was eating tea

Like the leaves? Or the powder?

Yeah it was an awful drop. Popped into his gloves, then out. Took it again on one bounce, but that's just called fielding then. And the batsman gets to stay.