*Official* England in West Indies

[four_or_six]

Probably, but after the first test not necessarily. Bell's twatty dismissal quota finally exhausted perhaps.

Yeah, perhaps. I'm not so much complaining about Bopara, I guess, more that the whole selection policy this tour seems inconsistent.

 

[Benny2k1]

I think england are going to need the ice baths out in force tonite

 

[Richard]

Yeah, perhaps. I'm not so much complaining about Bopara, I guess, more that the whole selection policy this tour seems inconsistent.

Just this tour? It's been shocking since the summer of '07. And obviously it left plenty to be desired on any number of occasions before that, but for a time between '99/00 and '07 it was at least relatively consistent if not always inspired.

 

[wpdavid]

Obv England are quite capable of losing this tomorrow anyway, but I'm surprised Gayle hasn't declared tonight with them absolutely dead on their feet and looking dead set to lose a clutch of wickets in no time at all.

 

[four_or_six]

Just this tour? It's been shocking since the summer of '07. And obviously it left plenty to be desired on any number of occasions before that, but for a time between '99/00 and '07 it was at least relatively consistent if not always inspired.

Well no... not just this tour. But I was trying to keep my ranting level down a bit for my general sanity.

 

[Richard]

Obv England are quite capable of losing this tomorrow anyway, but I'm surprised Gayle hasn't declared tonight with them absolutely dead on their feet and looking dead set to lose a clutch of wickets in no time at all.

Yup, ditto. Said it a couple of hours ago, that that's what I'd have done. Baffling.

With a night's sleep behind them they should... note the term used... be fine. But if they'd been sent in for an hour et demi tonight they could perfectly possibly be 3-4 down. If so, they'd have virtually nowhere to hide.

 

[Richard]

Got that 5th, thank heaven for that.

And Gayle declares with the 9th-highest total in Test history - another 10 runs and it'd have been the 6th-highest; another 7 and it'd have been the 5th-highest.

 

[four_or_six]

Declaration from Gayle... like that. The WI have played with plenty of guts this series.

 

[Richard]

I'm a bit disappointed they didn't get 766 TBH - if they'd done that they'd have made a total directly comparable to the one Pakistan made a few days ago.

Also if they'd done that this'd have been the 2nd-highest total in a five-day Test and the 3rd-highest in a finite one.

 

[wpdavid]

Got that 5th, thank heaven for that.

When you can't rely on the unpire or your own fielders, you might as well bowl the buggers. Confirmation that Swann is about the only definite positive to come out of this tour to date.

 

[ozone]

Ha, dunno whether it'll happen, but I would love to see Strauss asking Anderson to stick his pads on after bowling 37 overs and standing in the field for two days.

 

[Richard]

According to CricInfo there's a sum-total of 1 over to be bowled tonight. But SS seem to think it's 2.

Either way, what's the point? What a pointless session.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Expecting one down at stumps.

Half expecting to see Anderson.

 

[Richard]

Ha, dunno whether it'll happen, but I would love to see Strauss asking Anderson to stick his pads on after bowling 37 overs and standing in the field for two days.

Anderson and Sidebottom should open IMO. And I mean that. To lose one of Strauss or Cook tonight would be really very worrying indeed.

 

[wpdavid]

Yup, ditto. Said it a couple of hours ago, that that's what I'd have done. Baffling.

With a night's sleep behind them they should... note the term used... be fine. But if they'd been sent in for an hour et demi tonight they could perfectly possibly be 3-4 down. If so, they'd have virtually nowhere to hide.

I can see why Gayle wanted a 100 run lead, but even 45 minutes at us tonight could quite conceivably seen us torn to shreds. Still, who knows what nightmares await us in the remaining few minutes. Must have been tempting to open with Anderson.

EDIT
Ok, so I'm the 4th person on this page to say that.

 

[ozone]

Anderson and Sidebottom should open IMO. And I mean that. To lose one of Strauss or Cook tonight would be really very worrying indeed.

Actually, its not a bad idea, but I can't see it happening.

 

[wpdavid]

Anderson and Sidebottom should open IMO. And I mean that. To lose one of Strauss or Cook tonight would be really very worrying indeed.

Reminds me of a game against SA in 2003 when we had to face one over at the end of the day. Sure enough, Pollock got Tres 1st ball, and there was a lot of discussion whether we should have opened with a tail-ender.

 

[wpdavid]

btw what's the highest score a side has made and then gone on to lose a test?

 

[Richard]

Reminds me of a game against SA in 2003 when we had to face one over at the end of the day. Sure enough, Pollock got Tres 1st ball, and there was a lot of discussion whether we should have opened with a tail-ender.

Got him off the thigh-pad as well IIRR.

Remember there was a county game in 1999 (or may have been 1998) where Northants sent in one tailender at one and another at three and both were dismissed in the only over of the evening.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

btw what's the highest score a side has made and then gone on to lose a test?

In the first innings of the match 586 (according to Martin-Jenkins and Boycott on TMS.)