*Official* West Indies Tour of England 2020

[Neptune]

Is it meant to rain? Just heard the comms say England would look to be bowling again by tonight. Why?

It’s going to be a washout tomorrow.

 

[honestbharani]

Which, personally, I think is more valuable in a bowler than a batsman, because you can win a Test match in a session with an ATG spell more reliably and more often than you can with an ATG innings.

I can see the point but then there are any number of great spells that ended in defeats too. On average, a great spell seems more likely to win a match but then again, I prefer to take them case by case. Way too many variables across games to just say one is always better.

it depends what the flipside of the bowler is.

gabriel's career has been a bit of both extremes (and fidel edwards before him). when they're on it's fantastic and you can run through an oppo, but when they're bad they tend to melt down completely and be match losers.

bad broad just tends to be innocuous though which is...not fine, but fine.

Gabriel is a good example but if you are 1 of the 4 main bowlers and are completely innocuous that can be game losing by itself too.

 

[aussie tragic]

So Broad unbelievably dropped for 1st test when 15 wkts short of 500, now the leading wkt taker for the series with 12 wkts @ 11.58 and averaging 73 with the bat as well

 

[Burgey]

Cheers on te forecast but can we please have an NZ freeway camera feed to in fact confirm this is the case.

Bad luck for Holder there. Hope he’s back after lunch

 

[Howe_zat]

So Broad unbelievably dropped for 1st test when 15 wkts short of 500, now the leading wkt taker for the series with 12 wkts @ 11.58 and averaging 73 with the bat as well

I mean, they've been very clear that all their fast bowlers were going to play two tests out of three for fitness purposes. You can argue the merit of the idea - I wasn't convinced, though the way that the West Indies attack has flagged has added some evidence for it - but it's not the same thing as being dropped. No one really thought England's best attack has Wood and not Broad.

 

[Bahnz]

im in the broad camp because he runs through teams whereas southee is the 4fer king, but dare i lock it in before we check the deciding numbers?

where's the kookaburra stats?

Broad's kookaburrah stats are not too bad. It's only in India that he's been rendered completely inert.

 

[Flem274*]

is the sky uk sound mangled or is my sound mangled?

 

[Howe_zat]

is the sky uk sound mangled or is my sound mangled?

It's your sound unfort.

 

[aussie tragic]

I mean, they've been very clear that all their fast bowlers were going to play two tests out of three for fitness purposes. You can argue the merit of the idea - I wasn't convinced, though the way that the West Indies attack has flagged has added some evidence for it - but it's not the same thing as being dropped. No one really thought England's best attack has Wood and not Broad.

That's not true. Wood and Anderson were stated as 'rested' for 2nd test. Broad was dropped for 1st test and he went public on his anger of being dropped

 

[GotSpin]

The Windies have to make them play here. Bowl straight at the stumps

 

[BoyBrumby]

it's not the same thing as being dropped.

Not sure Stuart saw it like that though, tbf.

Was somewhat less than sanguine about his omission.

 

[Burgey]

If there’s been a less gainly looking opening batting pair than these two in test history, I would like to hear your nominations.

 

[Howe_zat]

If there’s been a less gainly looking opening batting pair than these two in test history, I would like to hear your nominations.

They've got a lot of potential in this area. The best I can come up with is Kirsten-Leibenberg, who opened for RSA here in 1998. Kirsten-Dippenar and Kirsten-Smith are other options, but it's probably something involving Gary Kirsten.

 

[honestbharani]

U **** s forget Philo Wallace and Clayton Lambert were a thing in the late 90s for the Windies.

 

[BoyBrumby]

If there’s been a less gainly looking opening batting pair than these two in test history, I would like to hear your nominations.

Doubt there's been a less orthodox partnership full stop, short of a couple of utter bunnies at 10 and 11.

Maybe Emburey batted with Peter Willey once or twice, but can't think of any other candidates.

 

[Burgey]

yeah I think these two are up there from an ugly but potentially effective pov. Was trying to think of someone opening with Wessels for us in the 80s but those blokes were mostly pretty orthodox even though borderline alternatively abled. I personally don’t see Kirsten as especially ungainly tbh - more stubborn rather than downright ugly like these two at set up

Seeing as I’ve had a decent weekend wine tasting, I think that session will see me out. Off to watch a UFO doco.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

What's with all the wanky headbands anyway

They are in a social bubble and nobody has had the chance of a haircut since before lockdown. Obviously they prefer to wait a bit longer and wear a headband rather than shave it off.

 

[StephenZA]

They've got a lot of potential in this area. The best I can come up with is Kirsten-Leibenberg, who opened for RSA here in 1998. Kirsten-Dippenar and Kirsten-Smith are other options, but it's probably something involving Gary Kirsten.

Elgar Smith opened a couple of times.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Shame Chanderpaul never played with Jack Russell, that would have annoyed bowling sides.

 

[Howe_zat]

They are in a social bubble and nobody has had the chance of a haircut since before lockdown. Obviously they prefer to wait a bit longer and wear a headband rather than shave it off.

I have heard it's to keep the sweat off the face, what with being discouraged from touching your own face and all.