*Official* England in West Indies

[ozone]

Reverse swing from Amjad, but at 79.2 mph. I hope thats just a loosener pace wise.

 

[Richard]

I think you're being harsh on Amjad. He had a good season last year, averaged 20 with the ball, taking a decent haul of wickets, and has had decent enough campaigns in the last 2 seasons. I'm not too sure who else could have come in and done a great deal better.

Well he's just gotten his 1st wicket, but he didn't bowl well last season at all.

 

[TT Boy]

Wow, that was easy as they come. Shocker.

 

[pskov]

Good ball from Amjad there. Hope he proves the doubters wrong!

 

[BoyBrumby]

Get in! Lovely nut from the young Dane! Sarwan goes. Hint of reverse, maybe?

 

[Richard]

Dropped catch?

Turned-out pretty unimportant.

 

[ozone]

Ha, Collingwood looks relieved, first test wicket for Amjad, and not a bad one to get either.

 

[TT Boy]

And by the sounds of it my stream seems to be very slow...

 

[King Pietersen]

Told ya Amjad gets the breakthrough, bit of reverse swing, looked far more relaxed this morning. Nice stuff Amjad!

 

[Richard]

Collingwood would have caught that 99 times out of 100.

Collingwood actually drops slip catches far more regularly than such a good outfielder should do.

Don't much like Collingwood in the slips TBH, especially to the spinner. Flintoff is a huge loss there.

 

[ozone]

Collingwood actually drops slip catches far more regularly than such a good outfielder should do.

Don't much like Collingwood in the slips TBH, especially to the spinner. Flintoff is a huge loss there.

Its something I've noticed about Collingwood in general actually, he tends to take brilliant catches regularly and then all too often (for someone of his talent) drop a sitter. Still, that wasn't even a tricky catch to take.

 

[Prince EWS]

I can understand why Chanderpaul bats 5 in normal circumstances, but it really is beyond absurd that he drops down to 6 when there's a nightwatchman

 

[pskov]

Collingwood actually drops slip catches far more regularly than such a good outfielder should do.

Don't much like Collingwood in the slips TBH, especially to the spinner. Flintoff is a huge loss there.

Agree. Collingwood is of of the very best in the world on those positions around the ring, but in the slips he is merely decent.

 

[ozone]

I can understand why Chanderpaul bats 5 in normal circumstances, but it really is beyond absurd that he drops down to 6 when there's a nightwatchman

Can't understand him batting 5 normally TBQH.

 

[Uppercut]

I think it was a pretty decent selection tbh.

Just expanding on this, i don't think the selectors have done too badly here. They've decided they're going with a five-man attack, which is completely vindicated given the first innings scorecard and West Indian tactics. Two spinners looks a good shout, given how the pitch is, so no problem there. Then you have three fast bowlers. Broad and Anderson pick themselves, and there's room for one more.

Harmison's useless on a pitch like this, so he's out. Sidebottom's unfit. So you're looking outside the initial squad. You could go for Mark Davies or someone with a good FC record, but will they really give you anything you don't already have? Remember, when picking the fifth bowler for an attack, you're going for someone who doesn't have to bowl many overs- especially when two are already spinners. He'll be a fifth option when your first four options fail. If Anderson, Broad, Swann and Monty fail, will a player like that break the partnership?

Alternatively, you could take a shot on the fastest bowler you can find and tell him to go out and try to break records. It probably won't come off, but remember, you need to win. It's almost a last resort, but it might just make stuff happen.

Personally I'd probably have plumped for Kabir Ali. But i can definitely see where the selectors are coming from in selecting Amjad. It's nothing like the horror show that Pattinson was.

 

[King Pietersen]

Amjad looking nice here. Decent pace, very good bouncer to Gayle, abit of reverse swing, and a slower ball that decieved Gayle, had a nice bit of dip on it. Good signs, England looking far better than yesterday!

 

[ozone]

Up to 88.6 mph on Amjad 'speed watch' now. And it was a legal delivery

Prior is still gash behind the stumps though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Not short of a word for the batsmen, our Amjad.

Intrigued to hear his accent, actually. Hoping it's a Owen Hargreaves-esque fusion accent.

 

[Richard]

Just expanding on this, i don't think the selectors have done too badly here. They've decided they're going with a five-man attack, which is completely vindicated given the first innings scorecard and West Indian tactics. Two spinners looks a good shout, given how the pitch is, so no problem there. Then you have three fast bowlers. Broad and Anderson pick themselves, and there's room for one more.

Harmison's useless on a pitch like this, so he's out. Sidebottom's unfit. So you're looking outside the initial squad. You could go for Mark Davies or someone with a good FC record, but will they really give you anything you don't already have? Remember, when picking the fifth bowler for an attack, you're going for someone who doesn't have to bowl many overs- especially when two are already spinners. He'll be a fifth option when your first four options fail. If Anderson, Broad, Swann and Monty fail, will a player like that break the partnership?

Alternatively, you could take a shot on the fastest bowler you can find and tell him to go out and try to break records. It probably won't come off, but remember, you need to win. It's almost a last resort, but it might just make stuff happen.

Personally I'd probably have plumped for Kabir Ali. But i can definitely see where the selectors are coming from in selecting Amjad. It's nothing like the horror show that Pattinson was.

Amjad was picked before anyone knew Sidebottom was going to be unfit or what this pitch was going to play like though. The only reason he's playing this Test is because he was the only option.

The choice of a week-and-a-bit ago should've seen Kabir Ali and Davies picked ahead of Amjad without a moment's thought.

 

[Nate]

Amjad's action seems dodgier than when I saw him last.