***Official*** West Indies in England

[roseboy64]

England with 5 bowlers. Early inroads could be telling.

 

[wpdavid]

England with 5 bowlers. Early inroads could be telling.

Especially as 3 of England's top 5 are fresh back from the IPL, and one of those didn't even play a game there. A couple of early wickets and England could fold for not-very-many at all.

 

[shivfan]

The pitch has provided a little assistance for Taylor and Edwards so far....

But will it still do so, after 20 overs?

 

[Nate]

The match will probably be a draw regardless, but the deck looks flat-as to me.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Is it just me or do we seem to lack batting and bowling depth?

Actually, I suppose we bat down to 9, but not sure Broad is a test 7 at this stage. His runs have always been a nice bonus previously, but now we're relying on them to an extent it'll be an interesting test of the young bloke's metal.

 

[inbox24]

5 bowlers and no spinner? Fair considering the direness of the Windies bowling attack.

 

[BoyBrumby]

5 bowlers and no spinner? Fair considering the direness of the Windies bowling attack.

Harsh on Swann, tbh. Moves the occasional one off the straight...

 

[TT Boy]

Good decision to bowl first.

 

[King Pietersen]

Swann turns the ball far more consistently than Panesar does, he really gives the ball a rip. It's Swann's drift that's his main weapon as well, not turn, and it's something he uses brilliantly. He's a very good spinner I think, and one that will provide far more consistent results than Panesar, who relies on a spinning track at Old Trafford to bump up his series averages.

 

[wpdavid]

Is it just me or do we seem to lack batting and bowling depth?

Actually, I suppose we bat down to 9, but not sure Broad is a test 7 at this stage. His runs have always been a nice bonus previously, but now we're relying on them to an extent it'll be an interesting test of the young bloke's metal.

Yeah, numbers 7 & 8 are both batting a place higher than ideal. Presumably there will be an extra batsman in a couple of months' time.

Bowling depth? Sure there's a lack of quality. Or familiarity, anyway. We'll have to see how they go. It would be nice of we could fast-forward Rashid a couple of years when he's learnt more of his trade.

 

[Briony]

Good decision to bowl first.

Running scared of batting first?

 

[four_or_six]

Everyone should chill, we're going to win this series easily.

 

[TT Boy]

Captain gone.

 

[King Pietersen]

Straussy gone. Bit of a flash outside off-stump, Taylor's bowled better in this over, certainly been pitching it up more. It's RV Bopara time =D

 

[four_or_six]

Oops, jinxed them.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, numbers 7 & 8 are both batting a place higher than ideal.

I have absolutely no problems with Bresnan as a #8 batsman. He averages in the high 20s at First Class level and his figures suggest he's been getting better. Whether or not he's a good enough bowler to be selected is a different matter and I agree about Broad, but I don't think Bresnan's a spot too high at 8.

 

[TT Boy]

Running scared of batting first?

Strauss said he would have bowled first as well. Don’t know why but it is now rather overcast.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ravi clipped that ball from Edwards off his pads quite beautifully. Help yourself delivery, but needed to be put away.

Big chance for young Ravinder, this. Pitch resembles the proverbial witch's **** and after Edwards and Taylor the attack not the most fearsome he'll have to cope with.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is it just me or do we seem to lack batting and bowling depth?

Actually, I suppose we bat down to 9, but not sure Broad is a test 7 at this stage. His runs have always been a nice bonus previously, but now we're relying on them to an extent it'll be an interesting test of the young bloke's metal.

I don't think you lack depth of players in the team that could make a significant impact with either the bat or the ball - in fact I think the depth in both those areas is quite strong in a way - but you're right in that you lack quality depth in both areas.

You've got five frontline bowlers and batting down to 9 - it's the actual quality of bowlers 3-4 and batsmen 5-7(in order of competence, not in batting order - so I mean Bopara, Prior and Broad) that are the problem.

 

[four_or_six]

Considering Bresnan averages 40 in FC cricket over the 2007 and 2008 seasons, you could argue that it's him that should be at 7, not Broad.

Edit: Actually, so does Broad, albeit over fewer matches presumably due to England duty.