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

[Scaly piscine]

Moeen really is pretty good value now, Dan. Thanks.

Moeen Ali hails England's Alastair Cook but says West Indies hold edge | Sport | The Guardian

Yea strange odds, Would have Moeen as 3rd still a long way behind Anderson and Broad. It's simply because of the way Cook uses the bowlers, ie he'll grind those two into the dust with the best conditions, but he could also go the West Indies way and then Moeen will bowl twice as many overs as anyone else. Jordan isn't the sort of bowler to knock over a few one after the other. Stokes is but he'll only get on after about 30 overs anyway, plus they'll probably not bowl him much with half an eye on his back even though he's been passed fit.

 

[wpdavid]

Looks to me like an opportunity missed, with more than half of the dismissals being easily avoidable. Unless the tail bat extraordinarily well, WI should have a good chance to build a decent lead before the pitch significantly deteriorates.A three figure lead with England not batting again until the latter stages of day 3 could win it for them.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Mike Selvey points out in today's Granuaid that Trott is the first England opener ever to record 3 ducks in a three (or less) test series. Yikes.

& it's not just the blob, it was the manner of the dismissal. Just nowhere against the short ball. Sending him in against Boult and Southee, never mind Harris and Johnson, would be culpable homicide right now.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Mike Selvey points out in today's Granuaid that Trott is the first England opener ever to record 3 ducks in a three (or less) test series. Yikes.

& it's not just the blob, it was the manner of the dismissal. Just nowhere against the short ball. Sending him in against Boult and Southee, never mind Harris and Johnson, would be culpable homicide right now.

He isn't and opener. There were certainly merits to trying to bring him back as he was a God Tier player but not opening.

 

[wpdavid]

As others have said, it's not even a case of not being able to open, as there would have been many occasions when he came in very early at number 3 and faced plenty of short stuff. I agree with Boycs that there's a mental thing about opening (and ditto openers coming in later on), but this is more than that. He'd actually been in decline for a couple of years before the 2013/14 Ashes, and that was simply the final straw. Mentally, he's shot. It's not his fault, and I have a certain amount of sympathy, but he just shouldn't be anywhere near the test team now. Or probably at any point in the future. Beyond how it affects the outcome of this match, the selectors have completely blown the opportunity to have a look at Lyth, Hales or whoever. Not that this would remotely prepare them for what they are about to receive (remember Bopara's twin tons last time out here?) but at least they'd have played a few games for the side.

 

[Furball]

Well played Cook. Looks like it was a needed knock too, not like England were coasting.

Lot of pressure on Trott I'm reading. Will he open come Ashes first test?

No chance. Sky's heavy hitters basically said he was finished, I'd be amazed if we see him in an England shirt again.

 

[we're yorkshire]

Sad way for Trott to shut the door on a fine international career, barring the greatest innings ever seen in the history of test cricket in the 3rd innings.

You'd think so, but I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps his place with a fifty, and Lyth carries the drinks before opening in the ashes

 

[we're yorkshire]

You seem to have a lot more faith in the ecb than I do...would sticking with Trott be any worse than sticking with Moores after his debacle at the world cup?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Looks to me like an opportunity missed, with more than half of the dismissals being easily avoidable. Unless the tail bat extraordinarily well, WI should have a good chance to build a decent lead before the pitch significantly deteriorates.A three figure lead with England not batting again until the latter stages of day 3 could win it for them.

WI have a good chance? Nah. You're basically talking about a team scoring 400, a good batting side would have a reasonable shot. But WI have scores of 295, 350-7, 299 and 307. On what were featherbeds compared to this.

 

[Spark]

You seem to have a lot more faith in the ecb than I do...would sticking with Trott be any worse than sticking with Moores after his debacle at the world cup?

Yes, significantly so.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Stupid review, no way was that going to be overturned.

 

[NUFAN]

Any CW live commentary planned for today? It has to be said, the live commentary isn't needed so much with this lot on the air. Roll on the nein boys in the Aussie summer and that will change.

This is an excellent Test wicket..

 

[flibbertyjibber]

This is arguably the biggest innings of his career for Broad, stick it out for an hour and not get out stupidly and he may beat the demons in his head and be able to play much more comfortably in the future.

 

[Spark]

Looks to be really determined to hang in there, but his mind looks scattered. Moving so much around the crease.

This is also the sort of situation where Broad used to smash 60* all the time, though

 

[Spark]

oh well

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Don't think that will do his mind much good.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Absolute ****house.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Absolute ****house.

Collapse started by Stokes the plank.

 

[Antihippy]

Yeah, hindsight and all that but I thought buttler really shouldn't be so shy about being aggressive.

 

[Spark]

That's fairly magnificent bowling.