*Official* South Africa in West Indies

[Beamer]

Adrian Barath, Rannaresh Sarwan and Jerome Taylor have been ruled out of the first test at least. We really can't catch a break can we?

Windies Squad for 1st Test:

Chris Gayle (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin, Brendan Nash, Nelon Pascal, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Shane Shillingford.

So the likely 1st test team is:

Gayle
Dowlin
Darren Bravo
Chanderpaul
Deonarine
Nash
Dwayne Bravo
Ramdin
Shillingford
Rampaul/Pascal/Benn
Roach

It's going to be a weak side whichever way we look at it but it might be an idea to go with the two spinners on that QPO track.

 

[Jarquis]

Please not Rampaul

 

[Beamer]

Please not Rampaul

Well if they go with the 3 pacers they will have a decision to make. Pace and swing but plenty of four balls from Nelon Pascal or Fast-medium and swing with plenty of four balls from Rampaul.

I think I know which one I'd choose tbh .

 

[roseboy64]

Pascal's too much of a risk.

Gayle
Dowlin
Deonarine
Chanderpaul
Bravo
Nash
Ramdin
Sammy
Benn
Rampaul
Roach

 

[Beamer]

Pascal's too much of a risk.

Gayle
Dowlin
Deonarine
Chanderpaul
Bravo
Nash
Ramdin
Sammy
Benn
Rampaul
Roach

Tbh I think both he and Rampaul are too much of a risk. Far too many loose deliveries on offer from both of them. I would go with the two spinners and I wouldn't play Sammy on that wicket.

 

[Jarquis]

Only problem is with the side you listed you'd have DwBravo opening the bowling? With Nash first change? Ouch.

 

[roseboy64]

Only problem is with the side you listed you'd have DwBravo opening the bowling? With Nash first change? Ouch.

No way should Bravo be opening the bowling in Tests unless a bowler got injured batting.

 

[roseboy64]

Tbh I think both he and Rampaul are too much of a risk. Far too many loose deliveries on offer from both of them. I would go with the two spinners and I wouldn't play Sammy on that wicket.

Rampaul much less of a risk than Pascal. Might be a reward to Sammy for his recent performances.

 

[Jarquis]

No way should Bravo be opening the bowling in Tests unless a bowler got injured batting.

Well that was providing they took Beamer's lineuo and then selected Benn, which probably has 0 chance of happening.

I agree that Bravo shouldn't be opening the bowling. Just who does is a pretty big question, I've been massively unimpressed whenever I've seen Rampaul play. Have no idea about this Pascal fellow.
Could you get away with Sammy opening? If there's any movement with the new ball he'd find it wouldn't he? Means you could play both Benn and Shillingford.

 

[Briony]

West Indies seem to cop a lot of injuries.

 

[morgieb]

Cricinfo seems to think that Barath is dropped.

Haha, will Taylor ever get fit?

 

[shivfan]

This would be my team for the first Test....

1) Chris Gayle
2) Adrian Barath (Travis Dowlin, if Barath's still injured)
3) Ramnaresh Sarwan (Narsing Deonarine, if Sarwan's still injured)
4) Shiv Chanderpaul
5) Brendan Nash
6) Dwayne Bravo
7) Denesh Ramdin (still the best keeper for Tests)
8) Jerome Taylor (if he hasn't hurt himself too much in the ODIs)
9) Suleimann Benn
10) Kemar Roach
11) Shane Shillingford

I must admit, I like Windie's idea of playing two spinners on a turning Trinidad pitch. Bravo is there to be first change seamer. My main concern is the injury front, as can be seen from my several 'ifs'....

Well, with the recent announcement of the squad, my team still looks basically the same, except for the debate as to who opens the bowling with Roach instead of Taylor....

Windie, obviously from the squad announced Dowlin plays, because he's the only other opener there, with barath injured. Why don't you name your XI, now that the squad's announced?

Here are the candidates for Taylor's replacement:

1) Rampaul: has Test experience, but little to show for it. Not fast enough on a track that should favour spin, not accurate enough to restrict the scoring, better suited for ODIs, IMHO.

2) Pascal: Faster than Rampaul, but inexperienced. Given that Trinidad is unlikely to favour pace, is this the best pitch on which to give him a debut?

3) Sammy: more of an ODI bowler, but at least can bat a bit, and may shore up the tail, which will probably need bolstering, since both Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin are inconsistent with the bat.

I still don't see Darren Bravo playing, though I can see why he was called up into the squad, with injuries to Sarwan and Barath. It's a pity, because I think he can learn more from a tour with the A team in England, than from the inevitable thrashing that the Saffers are going to dish out to us. When either Barath or Sarwan are fit again, I hope Lil Bravo goes to England to join the A team tour. This is about building for the future, and sometimes we have to put up with beatings in order to ensure that a few years down the line we have a decent team for a change....

 

[Beamer]

West Indies seem to cop a lot of injuries.

I used to think this was bad luck but that is clearly not the case. It can only be a poor standard of personal fitness that leaves the majority of our players incapable of stringing together more than 10 international matches in a row.

 

[Briony]

I used to think this was bad luck but that is clearly not the case. It can only be a poor standard of personal fitness that leaves the majority of our players incapable of stringing together more than 10 international matches in a row.

One of the Windies commentators was remarking during their innings in one of the recent ODIs that they don't like to run, merely hit boundaries. Then Sarwan copped a hammy injury attempting a single. The commentator's sarcasm could have cut the air.

 

[kingkallis]

Dowlin shouldn't be considered. Go for some young, fresh blood.

Is Smith's place in jeopardy? He appears to be in the worst form of his career atm and is definitely Bravo's bunny.

Its cause of his injured fingure for sure...he should take a break if its not 100% healed!

 

[WindieWeathers]

Well, with the recent announcement of the squad, my team still looks basically the same, except for the debate as to who opens the bowling with Roach instead of Taylor....

Windie, obviously from the squad announced Dowlin plays, because he's the only other opener there, with barath injured. Why don't you name your XI, now that the squad's announced?

Here are the candidates for Taylor's replacement:

1) Rampaul: has Test experience, but little to show for it. Not fast enough on a track that should favour spin, not accurate enough to restrict the scoring, better suited for ODIs, IMHO.

2) Pascal: Faster than Rampaul, but inexperienced. Given that Trinidad is unlikely to favour pace, is this the best pitch on which to give him a debut?

3) Sammy: more of an ODI bowler, but at least can bat a bit, and may shore up the tail, which will probably need bolstering, since both Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin are inconsistent with the bat.

I still don't see Darren Bravo playing, though I can see why he was called up into the squad, with injuries to Sarwan and Barath. It's a pity, because I think he can learn more from a tour with the A team in England, than from the inevitable thrashing that the Saffers are going to dish out to us. When either Barath or Sarwan are fit again, I hope Lil Bravo goes to England to join the A team tour. This is about building for the future, and sometimes we have to put up with beatings in order to ensure that a few years down the line we have a decent team for a change....

You've got to get over the fact that Darren Bravo isn't in the A-team anymore Mike , the kid is in the senior squad because he EARNED the right to be in it, whether he plays or not is entirely up to Gibbo, personally i wouldn't mind seeing Chanders opening with Gayle and have Darren Bravo, Deo and Nash in the middle order, i think that would be a better option, Chanders, Nash and Deo in the middle order are good but a little too static for my liking, Darren is capable of rotating the strike and can attack when he's in the mood, the last thing we need is the likes of Nash and Deo getting bogged down again like they was in OZ,

Also Pascal should open the bowling alongside Roach and hopefully my idea about playing Benn and Shilly together comes to fruition, although looking at the way Odean Brown is playing right now both of them are gonna have to perform if they want to retain their places for the next Test!! .

 

[roseboy64]

Cricinfo seems to think that Barath is dropped.

Haha, will Taylor ever get fit?

Injured more than dropped.

 

[roseboy64]

You've got to get over the fact that Darren Bravo isn't in the A-team anymore Mike , the kid is in the senior squad because he EARNED the right to be in it, whether he plays or not is entirely up to Gibbo, personally i wouldn't mind seeing Chanders opening with Gayle and have Darren Bravo, Deo and Nash in the middle order, i think that would be a better option, Chanders, Nash and Deo in the middle order are good but a little too static for my liking, Darren is capable of rotating the strike and can attack when he's in the mood, the last thing we need is the likes of Nash and Deo getting bogged down again like they was in OZ,

Also Pascal should open the bowling alongside Roach and hopefully my idea about playing Benn and Shilly together comes to fruition, although looking at the way Odean Brown is playing right now both of them are gonna have to perform if they want to retain their places for the next Test!! .

Absolute rubbish. He's in there because he's flashy and had one good season.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Absolute rubbish. He's in there because he's flashy and had one good season.

So his performances for the A-team didn't earn him a chance? yeah sure!! , no doubt "he doesn't deserve it" just like you said about Shilly the other day!! .

 

[shivfan]

You've got to get over the fact that Darren Bravo isn't in the A-team anymore Mike , the kid is in the senior squad because he EARNED the right to be in it, whether he plays or not is entirely up to Gibbo, personally i wouldn't mind seeing Chanders opening with Gayle and have Darren Bravo, Deo and Nash in the middle order, i think that would be a better option, Chanders, Nash and Deo in the middle order are good but a little too static for my liking, Darren is capable of rotating the strike and can attack when he's in the mood, the last thing we need is the likes of Nash and Deo getting bogged down again like they was in OZ,

Also Pascal should open the bowling alongside Roach and hopefully my idea about playing Benn and Shilly together comes to fruition, although looking at the way Odean Brown is playing right now both of them are gonna have to perform if they want to retain their places for the next Test!! .

Open the batting with Chanderpaul?

This is Test cricket, not ODI cricket, Windie....

No, Dowlin is the only opening option in that current squad.

In case you're misreading my posts, let me make it clear: I think Darren Bravo is a great prospect for the future, but I don't want to see him rushed in too soon, and made into another Xavier Marshall. I feel he could learn a lot more from batting in English conditions with the A team. As Guillen is discovering, it's quite a different prospect, with the ball seaming and swinging in overcast and humid conditions!

In England, batsmen have to use their feet if they want to stay alive, and it's a good education for our stone-footed batsmen....