***Official*** West Indies in England

[superkingdave]

They are now 8/1 and off again, seeminglyonly came out for one ball

 

[shivfan]

They are now 8/1 and off again, seeminglyonly came out for one ball

And that was the one ball that dismissed Simmons....

He must be fuming!

 

[stumpski]

What a pity that neither this match, nor any other for that matter, is being played in Kent today. I've been sitting in the garden most of the afternoon.

At least the forecast for the next two days is somewhat better. Still time for some meaningful practice.

 

[roseboy64]

Smith out now as well.

 

[Richard]

What a pity that neither this match, nor any other for that matter, is being played in Kent today. I've been sitting in the garden most of the afternoon.

Been shambolic down here in the west of south - rain almost constantly. Surprised there's been any play anywhere around the country with this TBH.

 

[superkingdave]

Woakes has 4-24, Chanderpaul and Nash at the crease now though

 

[four_or_six]

Always good to see a youngster bowling well.

 

[pskov]

Seems to me that the chances are pretty good we'll go with both Swann and Panesar for the first test. When was the last time England picked two specialist spinners in a home test match? It certainly hasn't been a regular occurrence since uncovered pitches.

 

[stumpski]

Good question - I can remember Croft and Giles playing together against South Africa in 1998 (Gilo's debut, IIRC) but can't recall it happening since.

For my part I'm far from sure that Panesar will play though. With five bowlers, they'll want a batting tail - and in Onions and Anderson they've already got two genuine tailenders.

 

[Richard]

Seems to me that the chances are pretty good we'll go with both Swann and Panesar for the first test. When was the last time England picked two specialist spinners in a home test match? It certainly hasn't been a regular occurrence since uncovered pitches.

Well actually it was pretty regular for the first 17 years or so after covering first started being used (of course there were some ridiculous rules used in the meantime so you could still get rain-affected pitches for the first 7 or 8 years or something after covering first started being used). Combinations such as Underwood-Illingworth and Emburey-Edmunds were common between '71 and '87. The fact that the likes of Victor Marks and Geoff Miller ever played for England says it all about how spin was seen as essential into the 1980s, because both were utterly nothing bowlers.

Anyway, the last time England played two spinners at home was 1999 at Old Trafford (Philip Tufnell and Peter Such, who was playing for the last time); before that, 1998 at the same ground (Robert Croft and debutant Ashley Giles, who had to wait 2-and-a-half years for his next Test). Croft and Ian Salisbury played also played at The Oval in 1996, but the only other instances in the 1990s came in 1993: Such and John Emburey played at Edgbaston; and Such and Tufnell played at Lord's and Old Trafford.

There were also a couple of instances in 1989: Cook and Emburey and Cook and Hemmings. But, as I say, '71 to '87, things were mostly stuck in the past. And clearly, in the days of covered wickets, two spinners was mostly the only sensible way to go.

 

[zaremba]

Some impressive research there, Richard.

 

[Julian87]

This may have already been answered, but why was Ramdin batting at 4 in the tour match? Just batting practice?

 

[four_or_six]

Gayle might stay two days longer at the IPL, and turn up on the evening of the first test.

Surely not, especially the captain? He looks half-injured already, too.

 

[Richard]

I don't know what anyone expects when you shove a series into a gap the way this one has been.

 

[TT Boy]

Fifer for Woakes.

 

[Howsie]

And Woakes has five, who is this guy. I was reading his Cricinfo profile and it say's he is only a Right-Arm medium bowler, how fast is he.

 

[grecian]

All six now. Good stuff

Just as importantly for England Saj And Plunkers are wicketless

 

[gio]

County Cricket - live! | Sport | guardian.co.uk

11.45am Woakes completed an impressive "five four" in his third over of the morning, having Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught at the wicket for 21, writes Mike Averis at Derby. The 20-year-old went close last night when Chanderpaul edged just short of gulley. This morning Woakes had him playing and missing twice in his opening over, but the left-hander appeared to have settled, clipping an overpitched delivery to square leg. The next delivery he attempted to drive on the offside and according to umpire Neil Mallender, got the slightest of edges to Tim Ambrose.

Chanderpaul may have thought otherwise, making great play of adjusting his pad before setting off for the pavilion after making 21. However, like it or not, Woakes had figures of 5-31 from 14 overs and there was absolutely no doubt about the sixth Woakes' wicket, Brendan Nash, for 20.

The Australian-born all-rounder, with Chanderpaul the mid-order steel in the West Indies Test batting, attempted a drive only to edge into the midrift of Samit Patel at second slip.

Woakes may not be the quickest thing around. He's very English in his style moving the ball both ways at around 80mph. But with six wickets in the bag, Robert Key immediately called up a fourth slip.

~80mph... Not great, but he seemed to cause Chanderpaul quite a bit of trouble. A decent prospect, though I doubt he'll get much recognition from England unless he can add some pace.

 

[Uppercut]

Decent prospect, could be very effective at home. The perfect replacement for Mark Davies in the Lions team- outperforms every other bowler, takes all the wickets, and gets none of the credit.

 

[Richard]

And Woakes has five, who is this guy. I was reading his Cricinfo profile and it say's he is only a Right-Arm medium bowler, how fast is he.

He's certainly above medium-pace, but he might well be little more than medium-fast. I certainly don't think he's fast-medium.

Of course, he could potentially add a bit of speed in the next year or two.