***Official*** West Indies in England

[shivfan]

Btw Ramdin knew that the Windies innings was going to end after 100 overs and decided to charge down the wicket to Dippenaar. He hit it pretty well but the long on fielder took an excellent catch.

Personally, I would've preferred it if Ramdin had batted until tomorrow morning, instead of us declaring this evening....

The object of these warm-up games is to get some vital practice under the belt. And Ramdin needs batting practice, especially in English conditions....

 

[Manee]

see: Saj Mahmood

Baker doesn't even have pace though - from what I've seen he bowls at 85mph.

 

[Manee]

When he takes 13 wickets in a test the newspapers can have 'Baker's Dozen' as the headline

Interesting faith in Lional, there.

 

[Beamer]

Personally, I would've preferred it if Ramdin had batted until tomorrow morning, instead of us declaring this evening....

The object of these warm-up games is to get some vital practice under the belt. And Ramdin needs batting practice, especially in English conditions....

Both teams agreed to only face 100 overs in the first innings so Ramdin only had 3 deliveries left and was trying to get as many runs as possible.

 

[Woodster]

Lionel Baker from what I've seen of him, seems to be the man Gayle goes to when he attempts to gain a bit of control, in terms of quiet passages of play, an economical spell, testing the patience of the batsmen, and tempting them with a disciplined line outside off stump. Never looks very threatening at all mind, and may have few answers should anyone decide to attack him.

 

[Uppercut]

From what I've seen he's been quite decent in ODIs. A bit of an antidote whenever Edwards (on an off day) and Powell have opened up with sustained prank-bowling.

Yet to see him do a thing in tests.

 

[Woodster]

Never seems to trouble in the Tests, although at times I wonder if that is because he has been told to bowl a line too far outside off stump in an attempt to stem the flow of runs.

 

[Flem274*]

In tests he's poor, but I can see him having limited overs success.

 

[shivfan]

Both teams agreed to only face 100 overs in the first innings so Ramdin only had 3 deliveries left and was trying to get as many runs as possible.

That explains it....

I wonder if they have a similar stipulation for the second innings.

To me, the bowlers for the first Test have to be Edwards, Taylor and Benn, with Sammy, Baker and Richardson contesting the final seamer's spot. Let's see how those three do today.

 

[Neil Pickup]

England Lions:

*RWT Key
SC Moore
IR Bell
IJ Trott
SR Patel
+TR Ambrose
LJ Wright
AU Rashid
CR Woakes
LE Plunkett
SI Mahmood

Not going to win this one then.

 

[superkingdave]

Lancashire might win next week though

 

[TT Boy]

Wright, Mahmood and Plunkett are very poor selections but they should still be too strong for this Windies outfit.

 

[Beamer]

Wright, Mahmood and Plunkett are very poor selections but they should still be too strong for this Windies outfit.

The Windies outfit that just won back the Wisden trophy? Shiv and JT will be back in time for that match as well so I doubt it some how.

To me, the bowlers for the first Test have to be Edwards, Taylor and Benn, with Sammy, Baker and Richardson contesting the final seamer's spot. Let's see how those three do today.

I'd agree with that but if Pascal has a strong warm up match or two he will be in with a shout. On the evidence of yesterdays play, Richardson is miles ahead of Baker.

 

[TT Boy]

The Windies outfit that just won back the Wisden trophy? Shiv and JT will be back in time for that match as well so I doubt it some how.

Yeah, that's the side.

 

[Richard]

Which matters for what reason, exactly...

There's no way Dippenaar's going to bowl again this season - probably, indeed, ever again in his career. So now he's going to have a 2009 average of 6. Bloody ridiculous.

I know it's hardly earthquake-level importance, but it irritates me when some upstart net-bowler batsman gets a season's average of single-figures.

Btw Ramdin knew that the Windies innings was going to end after 100 overs and decided to charge down the wicket to Dippenaar. He hit it pretty well but the long on fielder took an excellent catch.

Just play for the not-out FFS. What difference is another 5 or 6 runs going to make? None whatsoever. Completely and totally pointless to be trying to hit Dippenaar anywhere other than to square-leg for a single or two.

 

[superkingdave]

Good starts to the season so far for 2 of England's likely bowling attack. Broad has 4-35(to go with 60 with the bat) taking all 4 worcestershire wickets to go and Jimmy A took 6-56.

Panesar has started the season in horrendous fashion so it would take something miraculous for Swann not to be in the side. He'll probably get a longer bowl tomorrow but the fact that he's fit is good enough and he bowled well at the weekend.

Guess Flintoff is in there if he stays fit through the IPL. Possibly this is time to try 4 bowlers including Flintoff? No one else really putting their hand up for selection. Play Bopara at 6?

Neither Strauss or Cook playing, Sidebottom neither, Prior failed and the rest are in South Africa bar Vaughan and Bell. Both should get the chance tomorrow but i'd imagine if Vaughan scores more that 50 he's a lock. Bell might fight with Bopara for number 6 if we decide on 4 bowlers

 

[GIMH]

If Bell was to be recalled I reckon he'd do better at 6 than 3 - less pressure etc.

Presumably 4 bowlers including Flintoff would result in Prior batting at 8 though, this seems a waste

 

[Goughy]

Presumably 4 bowlers including Flintoff would result in Prior batting at 8 though, this seems a waste

Not really. Only need 1 partnership and he can do that at 8 just as well as 7. He will get to bat with at least one main batsman. Just means less tail.

Suddenly from a good number 7, we have the best batting number 8 in the world. The waste is now a strength.

The batting line-up would look very durable. You can never have too much batting.

 

[GIMH]

I suppose so, that's assuming you trust the men below to stick around. Then again, you'd probably have Broad at 9, Swann at 10 - not too shabby at all

 

[Prince EWS]

If Bell was to be recalled I reckon he'd do better at 6 than 3 - less pressure etc.

Presumably 4 bowlers including Flintoff would result in Prior batting at 8 though, this seems a waste

If the idea of playing Flintoff as a batting allrounder was to finally be dispensed with, I think we'd finally see the end of this Flintoff-batting-ahead-of-Prior nonsense. So it'd be Flintoff batting at 8. Either that or you'd pick a wicket keeper in the team.

Anyway, I've been in favour of playing Flintoff as one of four bowlers for as long as I can remember but I actually don't think it's a good idea at present. Swann and Broad had added depth to the batting so the need for another specialist batsman is reduced and, most importantly, any Test team in which Broad is a walk-up start as a specialist bowler needs the extra bowling help. I know there aren't a lot of options but I couldn't really bring myself to play Broad in a Test in a role greater than that of the fifth bowler, even though he's bowled okay of late. Have to play Sidebottom pending fitness IMO.