***Official*** West Indies in England

[BoyBrumby]

I don't think you lack depth of players in the team that 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.

Yeah, that's really what I meant. Think we've gone for the quantity rather than quality approach. Can't shake off the suspicion that Bresnan's selection has at least as much to do with his batting as his bowling and, obviously, Prior's batting his stronger suit too.

 

[Penguinissimo]

I don't think you lack depth of players in the team that 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.

I agree - you can just see the Aussies thinking "get them 4 down and we're into the tail", or "see off Anderson (if he's having a good day) and defend Flintoff, plenty of runs off the rest".

 

[wpdavid]

I agree - you can just see the Aussies thinking "get them 4 down and we're into the tail", or "see off Anderson (if he's having a good day) and defend Flintoff, plenty of runs off the rest".

I think that's been the way for a while now: apart from when Swann's found conditions helpful, anyway. imo the selection accurately reflects waht's available to us.

 

[Howsie]

Come on Baker take a few wickets, can somebody tell me how fast he was in his first over.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, that's really what I meant. Think we've gone for the quantity rather than quality approach. Can't shake off the suspicion that Bresnan's selection has at least as much to do with his batting as his bowling and, obviously, Prior's batting his stronger suit too.

I think Bresnan being picked as an allrounder is fair enough when he's replacing your regular #6. Broad at seven means you probably need the extra insurance, although "Agarkar's law" will ensure he fails with the bat in this game..

Personally I think the best balance while Flintoff is out is six specialist batsmen, a wicket keeper who can catch and your four best bowlers (plus some overs from Colly who's increasingly underrated as a bowler IMO). It's a bit of a dilemma though because of how well Prior batted in the West Indies and the disruption changing the keeper every time Flintoff missed a game would actually cause, not to mention the Broad situation (although to be fair to him, he probably justifies his spot on bowling merit alone ATM based on how he did in the Caribbean).

Of course this could all be solved to an extent with Samit Patel, but he's been blacklisted it seems.

 

[Penguinissimo]

the Broad situation (although to be fair to him, he probably justifies his spot on bowling merit alone ATM based on how he did in the Caribbean)

At the beginning of that series, how many people thought that line could be written without sarcasm?

 

[Jono]

Backing Bopara to score here.

 

[four_or_six]

Backing Bopara to score here.

Shhh, no jinxing!

 

[King Pietersen]

Come on Baker take a few wickets, can somebody tell me how fast he was in his first over.

Quicker than I thought he was. Topped at 87mph in his first over, averaged about 84-85. It's thought that the Sky Speedo's are a little exaggerated though, so he probably bowls about 81-83mph.

 

[Prince EWS]

Shhh, no jinxing!

You're one to talk.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Uh, look at that, I'm exactly one year older than 'young Ravinder'.

*sigh*

 

[four_or_six]

You're one to talk.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Uh, look at that, I'm exactly one year older than 'young Ravinder'.

*sigh*

Boo ****ing hoo.

 

[GIMH]

There is something fundamentally wrong about having a home Test on a Wednesday. And also the fact that I am away from my desk most of the day cand can't follow it

 

[four_or_six]

Pretty happy I didn't waste £60 to see Brendan Nash bowl the 30th over on a slow pitch. Windies playing for the draw already?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ugh. Nash bowling first up after lunch on the first day. I seem to have spent several years of my life watching him send down his slow-medium wobblers.

Doesn't bode well.

In fact, Nass & Knight just treated us to a discussion over Cook's issues with the pull shot, which suggests the action maybe not all that enthralling.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ha, Cook goes off an inside edge. Bat too far away from his body for the shot. 92/2.

 

[Briony]

Blame the Lord's curator.

 

[four_or_six]

Oops

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

That's a ****ing gem! :o