***Official*** England in West Indies 2015

[Pothas]

They guy that Kent pick ahead of him you would have thought....

I remember Danny Briggs taking loads of wickets on a Lions tour of the West Indies a few years ago, career has not really gone anywhere since then. I partly blame Hampshire for this, he had a decent season last year and they still went and brought Tahir in for the last couple of games.

 

[WalkingWicket]

God, if we're having problems selecting spinners for the WI tour, what the hell are we going to cope in the UAE later on, when we (have to) select two spinners. Panesar? Kerrigan? Rashid? Crumbs.

 

[grecian]

God, if we're having problems selecting spinners for the WI tour, what the hell are we going to cope in the UAE later on, when we (have to) select two spinners. Panesar? Kerrigan? Rashid? Crumbs.

A season to come, we'll hope someone comes through. It's all very well talking about Riley, but what's the point of picking him and probably not playing him, if he could be playing in County Cricket, same with Borthwick.

Anyway, am I just being more miserable than normal, or is this article/blog really hideous?

 

[Adders]

A season to come, we'll hope someone comes through. It's all very well talking about Riley, but what's the point of picking him and probably not playing him, if he could be playing in County Cricket, same with Borthwick.

Anyway, am I just being more miserable than normal, or is this article/blog really hideous?

No you're not. I read that piece about 10 mins ago before opening this thread............it's right up there with the worst thing ever published on cricinfo (and that is saying something)

Still got nfi what the author is trying to convey (is he bigging up or knocking Root??). The headline grabbed my attention and I really wished I hadn't bothered.........10 mins of my life I'll never get back.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Anyway, am I just being more miserable than normal, or is this article/blog really hideous?

Nah, it's not you.

Wrong-headed, lazy, format-conflating, baby-with-the-bathwater bollocks.

Batsman does worse against primo quick bowling? Well stripe me. Who'da thunk it?

 

[Pothas]

A season to come, we'll hope someone comes through. It's all very well talking about Riley, but what's the point of picking him and probably not playing him, if he could be playing in County Cricket, same with Borthwick.

Well I think they should pick him and play him. He would be much better served bowling in the Caribbean in May than in England. Moeen obviously comes back as soon as he is fit and Riley plays for Kent until the end of the season and if all goes well then plays in the UAE.

 

[Pothas]

And yes the article is awful. I hate how the always pretend for these things that players like Jos Buttler don't exist.

 

[NUFAN]

God, if we're having problems selecting spinners for the WI tour, what the hell are we going to cope in the UAE later on, when we (have to) select two spinners. Panesar? Kerrigan? Rashid? Crumbs.

I think its fine to go with one spinner, 3 quicks plus Moeen and Root in the UAE.

 

[morgieb]

God, if we're having problems selecting spinners for the WI tour, what the hell are we going to cope in the UAE later on, when we (have to) select two spinners. Panesar? Kerrigan? Rashid? Crumbs.

At least there's an extra season (so the Riley types may improve) and Moeen should be fit.

 

[wpdavid]

My current pet theory is that on suitable wickets, Moeen + Rashid present our least worst chance of taking a test or two off the Australians this summer.
Obviously we aren't going to compete with them them on wickets that suit the quicks.

 

[theegyptian]

My current pet theory is that on suitable wickets, Moeen + Rashid present our least worst chance of taking a test or two off the Australians this summer.
Obviously we aren't going to compete with them them on wickets that suit the quicks.

Not sure I necessarily agree.

The wickets that suit quicks aren't going to be really quick or anything. That kind of discounts the threat of Johnson to a degree who is already showing signs of being a lesser threat than he was. Sure Harris is still a massive threat but Anderson and Broad in home conditions are also very decent. And whilst Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, whoever are very talented they haven't show any real consistency in test cricket and have limited experience in test cricket in England.

With regards to the spinners I don't think Moeen or Rashid are good enough to really bank on them winning tests regularly. Lyon is the mystery in the equation because he would be the best spin bowler in either team but he seems to need the bounce that he only really gets from australian wickets and struggles on the slow low turners that you get in England- but you'd imagine that he will get it right at some point.

Best wickets for English will be the slowish slightly green wickets that aren't easy to play shots on (to counter the likes of Warner) and offer a bit in them for the swing bowlers. Broad and Anderson are still the best bet we have imo in English conditions.

 

[wpdavid]

My main concern over Broad and Anderson is that they weren't even a consistent threat 2 years ago. Both had one outstanding test, but didn't threaten the rest of the time. Harris, otoh, was outstanding throughout. Starc has played county cricket, and there have been plenty of Aus quicks over the years who have done a more than handy job in their first series over here. I agree that Rashid and Moeen won't regularly win us test matches, and I chose my 'least worst chance' wording deliberately.

Not that I'm looking to mount a seriously conclusive argument here. Just pondering really.

 

[Beamer]

The WICB have spent a lot if time on the pitches for this series so hopefully we'll see some good cricket in the tests, less of the turgid stuff apparently. I'll guess we'll see though!

 

[Niall]

'Haven't retired from any format' - Gayle | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Stunned.

Gayle not playing the test series, was a 0.0000001 chance that he would, bad back or not with the IPL on. However the IPL finishes at the end of May so I think he would be up for playing the Aussies in June. I'd assume that would him finished with test cricket then.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Chanders in good form for Guyana

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I wish Graves would keep his trap shut.

 

[Furball]

Plot twist: it's all an elaborate troll to get KP to give up an IPL contract.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Plot twist: it's all an elaborate troll to get KP to give up an IPL contract.

That would be funny but saying we should beat " a mediocre West Indies " is just stupid.

 

[Viscount Tom]

He's evidently just trolling WW.

 

[Scaly piscine]

That would be funny but saying we should beat " a mediocre West Indies " is just stupid.

England should beat them. WI's bowling is a threat though which makes them a threat in Test cricket.