*Official* West Indies Tour of England 2020

[Woodster]

Firstly, credit to WI for yesterday had a feeling it’d go closer than it did in the end but fair play to Blackwood for taking them right to the line.

As for England and any changes, I see the case you can make for Denly, and you could also say he’s an ok job in the role he’s been given. I think we’re trying to get some stability in the top three in terms of non-flashy players and players capable of batting long periods of time and while Crawley at this stage may not fit that particular role I think the way he batted in the last innings means he deserves to remain in the XI at the expense of Denly.

Other than rotation to look after someone like Wood and the obvious return of Root, I can’t see them making a change such as Foakes in for Buttler after just one Test. So I think it’ll be Broad in for Wood and Root in for Denly.

 

[Arachnodouche]

England lacked the edge to put WI away after the early blows in the chase. The biggest blunder on day 5 was not bowling Bess more, especially after seeing him turn it at right angles to Chase. Stokes should have had him bowling non-stop till 50 runs shy of the target if for nothing than keeping at least one of the faster men fresh for the final hour. As it is, England were still in the game till the last 20 runs.

 

[Woodster]

There were a few opportunities throughout the Test that presented themselves to England, but credit to WI they fought back on those occasions and we weren’t quite good enough to take full advantage and close out the Test. We had them seriously on the ropes in the first session yesterday and also on the fourth day with the lead building nicely and only three wickets down. We didn’t have the quality in either situation to assert full control.

 

[GotSpin]

Completely agree, though quite how we do that I just don't know. I'd get Pooran playing FC and Test cricket but there's no guarantee he would do better than other excellent ODI players like Hope.

Pooran has only played three FC matches right? With the last being 4 years ago or something from memory

 

[GotSpin]

Anyway, I?d be seriously tempted to bring in Chemar Holder and Da Silva for the next test

 

[Beamer]

Pooran has only played three FC matches right? With the last being 4 years ago or something from memory

Yep. Basically after his accident he decided to focus on short form cricket. Hopefully now he gets put on a programme to give him the best chance of succeeding at test cricket. We need him.

Anyway, I?d be seriously tempted to bring in Chemar Holder and Da Silva for the next test

Definitely bring in Da Silva if Campbell isn't fit. Holder could come in if we want to rest Roach or Gabriel. Good options to have.

 

[GotSpin]

Yep. Basically after his accident he decided to focus on short form cricket. Hopefully now he gets put on a programme to give him the best chance of succeeding at test cricket. We need him.



Definitely bring in Da Silva if Campbell isn't fit. Holder could come in if we want to rest Roach or Gabriel. Good options to have.

Chemar for Joseph?

 

[Beamer]

Chemar for Joseph?

I think Alzarri needs a run. He was the best bowler in the warm up and his spell on day 4 turned the test in our favour.

 

[GotSpin]

Id for an unchanged bowling attack then tbh unless Gabriel has pulled up sore

 

[GoodAreasShane]

CHolder definitely needs to play at some point. Partly because he's an absolute gun, and partly because it gives me yet more chance to talk about his time in Adelaide grade cricket

 

[GotSpin]

CHolder definitely needs to play at some point. Partly because he's an absolute gun, and partly because it gives me yet more chance to talk about his time in Adelaide grade cricket

Alright, do tell...

 

[the big bambino]

I'm not entirely against Ben Gardner's reasoning, above. We know what sort of player Denly is and accept he's rarely going to go on and make the big score. He kind of reminds me of a poor man's Ian Chappell. Chappelli often rescued Australia with scores between 50 and 100. The skill in seeing off amped bowlers who've taken an early few poles in helpful conditions probably costs a lot of metal exhaustion that often prevents the accumulation of a large score. So just as Chappelli withstood the pressure and made it easier for those that followed, I think Zak has reason to be thankful for Denly's belligerence. But he is a poor man's Ian Chappell and in a stronger team there wouldn't be a need for him. But 3/30 is a problem and if Denly can stop that happening he has a role in the team. Anyway either one of Zak or Denly could be omitted for the other and it wouldn't be controversial.

What they'll do with Wood is interesting. Part of Stokes' justification to defend his selection was for team solidarity. Explaining that it would effectively be disloyal to players to say you regretted picking them. Yet if Wood is dropped for OT that is what you would be saying. Nonetheless they'll have a range of ego massaging reasons for dropping him I suppose and Broad will come back. Though I wouldn't be against Woakes either. Archer plays - always.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Alright, do tell...

I was at this game

Saw him and was instantly impressed, he bowled fast, got bounce and seemed to be decking it around a touch as well. He just looked like a proper West Indies quick should. Only the one wicket, but it was a cracker to disturb the furniture. Actually a genuinely interesting Port attack, O'Hara was known to have a yard on him too, yet Nick 120k Benton had better figures than either

 

[jimmy101]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm really excited at the Windies' chance of retaining the Wisden trophy here. Really, really glad to see Jermaine Blackwood stepping up to the plate as I never quite agreed with the bad wrap he got when he first appeared on the international scene.

 

[GotSpin]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm really excited at the Windies' chance of retaining the Wisden trophy here. Really, really glad to see Jermaine Blackwood stepping up to the plate as I never quite agreed with the bad wrap he got when he first appeared on the international scene.

He still looks really suspect to me

 

[Howe_zat]

What they'll do with Wood is interesting. Part of Stokes' justification to defend his selection was for team solidarity. Explaining that it would effectively be disloyal to players to say you regretted picking them. Yet if Wood is dropped for OT that is what you would be saying. Nonetheless they'll have a range of ego massaging reasons for dropping him I suppose and Broad will come back. Though I wouldn't be against Woakes either. Archer plays - always.

Nah. With Wood’s injury record, half the attack coming back from injury and 5 seamers in a 13-man squad picked, they almost certainly made it clear last week that they were always going to rotate the bowlers.

 

[Woodster]

I was at this game

Saw him and was instantly impressed, he bowled fast, got bounce and seemed to be decking it around a touch as well. He just looked like a proper West Indies quick should. Only the one wicket, but it was a cracker to disturb the furniture. Actually a genuinely interesting Port attack, O'Hara was known to have a yard on him too, yet Nick 120k Benton had better figures than either

Did he just have half a season at Port Adelaide upto Christmas? Any idea how that came about?

 

[the big bambino]

Nah. With Wood’s injury record, half the attack coming back from injury and 5 seamers in a 13-man squad picked, they almost certainly made it clear last week that they were always going to rotate the bowlers.

The sort of ego massaging excuse I'd imagine. Completely believable too. I hear that OT reverses and favours pace. Wood got some reverse at Southampton. He's fast. So he'd wonder. The injury/rotation explanation is the way to go.

 

[Beamer]

Did he just have half a season at Port Adelaide upto Christmas? Any idea how that came about?

He was at the Darren Lehman Academy. I believe he came to Adelaide a month or so early and played some grade cricket as a result.

 

[Flem274*]

i don't think the windies are going to just dig up a couple of high quality batsmen. domestic leagues where averaging 30 is an achievement isn't the breeding ground for world class batsmen, and tends to turn good prospects into jermaine blackwood speculative dashers who want to score as many as they can before the grenade arrives with their name on it.

they need to sort out their domestic decks before the batting will make sustainable improvement imo.