Windies Team Discussion, and Other Related Things Thread

[JOJOXI]

The selectors have supposedly met to select the teams for NZ (15 test, 15 T20, 5 reserves). Looking forward to seeing what they come up with, particularly for the Tests.

They need to decide what to do with the second opener spot (John Campbell or Joshua Da Silva?), the number 3 slots (Shai Hope surely needs a rest). Basically the batting selections will be interesting.

Also, the reserve pacer slot and whether it goes to Chemar or Keemo Paul will be very interesting.

Would have persisted with Hope up until now I think but needs time to refind his form in domestic cricket now I think, I suspect Chemar Holder might edge it if the pitches are less green like they were against England and given West Indies have bowled on more helpful pitches of late you'd imagine WI's best chance of winning and therefore NZ's most likely way of losing is if Roach, Holder and Gabriel make the absolute most of helpful conditions and get NZ out for low scores. If the pitch is flat NZ still have Wagner and a solid batting lineup that you imagine will out bat the West Indies top 7.

 

[Shady Slim]

rakheem going to be selected right? he better not be left behind

by the very same token, given it is new zealand i wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t tear it up though i do hope that he does - will need the pace attack to carry most of the load, and likewise, the bats to give the pacers a break and a vague target to work with

 

[Beamer]

rakheem going to be selected right? he better not be left behind

by the very same token, given it is new zealand i wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t tear it up though i do hope that he does - will need the pace attack to carry most of the load, and likewise, the bats to give the pacers a break and a vague target to work with

He should definitely be selected. Chase's bowling has improved but is still only really good for holding up an end occasionally in tests. I'll just be really interested to see what they do as it seems that Bravo and Hety will both tour. Bravo has to come in, he has a wonderful record in NZ, unlike most of our modern bats.

 

[Beamer]

Windies A team to tour New Zealand

Not sure how this is going to work but I guess it will mean that we have plenty of reserves to pick from!

 

[Tom Flint]

I'd like Narine to play but it looks less likely with him recently being reported in the IPL - not sure who the best T20 spinner is for West Indies after Walsh Jr - Cornwall doesn't have an amazing T20 record - I'd probably play Chase in some of the T20s before the WT20 and if he does decently with the ball include him as a definite in the XI as a floater who could come in if early wickets had been lost or come in at number 8/9 if side is going well and then include one of Paul/Holder. Its a shame as a few years ago - Narine and Badree were a great spin pair and sometimes overlooked - people talked about WI power hitters but Narine and Badree ensured the bowling was good too, had the likes of Santokie and Bravo who could mix things up too, now the bowling attack looks relatively meh in my view. Think Cottrell is solid but after that bowling seems meh - just hope Russell is fit enough to a) play and b) bowl.

That team did win the t20 WC and badree played and opened the bowling I think?

 

[JOJOXI]

Windies A team to tour New Zealand

Not sure how this is going to work but I guess it will mean that we have plenty of reserves to pick from!

Hope that means we get to see Pooran - think he needs to show he can do it in four/five day cricket before going into the Test side - ideally needs to play domestic FC cricket even if that is as an overseas player for an English county side in an all-formats deal but certainly given these 'A' tours are meant to find and develop those close to Test selection think it makes sense to play Pooran - if he fails, its better he fails on an 'A' tour and can think about how to redevelop himself and it also shows Pooran is willing to play FC cricket, fail for the senior Test side and you might as well retire him from Test cricket if he isn't going to play FC cricket. If he succeeds in a couple of 'A' team series then feels Pooran has a solid case for Test inclusion but someone like Shai Hope has performed in ODI cricket, looks more then solid enough to do a job in Test cricket but I can't imagine anyone will be rushing to call for his inclusion in Tests if he gets dropped then has a couple good ODI series.

That team did win the t20 WC and badree played and opened the bowling I think?

Yep if you mean the 2012 team, a shame now that both spinners may not be there and Bravo whilst he makes the XI for me probably isn't quite the same Bravo as a few years back. The likes of Rampaul are arguably better then the seamers around now in the T20I format outside of Cottrell so think that could be a key weakness for the side going into next WT20. Even the preview for 2016 WT20 had Nicholas suggesting the West Indies "were short of brains" - I'm pretty sure I saw him in ESPN Cricinfo effectively question the smarts of the team whilst commenting on the sides brawn - it wasn't as bad as the "short of brains" comment but in many ways highlighted the stereotype more - West Indies being about power rather then skill or game match intelligence despite having an experienced and highly skilled bowling attack. However, now I'm less sure of the bowling, hope someone like a Keemo Paul could prove handy if pitches are slow with his slower balls but he seems a bit up and down at times and the spin attack is nowhere near what it was a few years ago if Narine doesn't play.

 

[Beamer]

So Andre Russell opts out of out tour of NZ as he feels he has been stuck in bubbles for too long. Fair enough.

But .... He has signed up for the Lanka premier League that lasts longer than the T20 tour and starts before it.

At what point do we say thanks but no thanks, we won't select you anyway? That is downright disrespectful to west indies cricket fans IMHO.

 

[Beamer]

So Andre Russell opts out of out tour of NZ as he feels he has been stuck in bubbles for too long. Fair enough.

But .... He has signed up for the Lanka premier League that lasts longer than the T20 tour and starts before it.

At what point do we say thanks but no thanks, we won't select you anyway? That is downright disrespectful to west indies cricket fans IMHO.

Still pretty mad at this tbh. I'm at the end of my tether with him. He chose the Lanka premier league over a West Indies selection? I'm not sure I would have him in the World Cup side, no matter how good he is. We have to take a stand at some point. I feel the board and selectors are now very flexible, but there needs to be give and take.

 

[Beamer]

So...... It's groundhog Day. Our batting is the second worst in the world, behind even Afghanistan.

We keep selecting the same people. It's not working. I'm so tired of it honestly. What do we do about it? They are not good enough and for the most part never will be.

I'd honestly just start again and invest in players that have visibly decent technique and won't get trapped on the crease series after series after series.

For a start, I'd bring Pooran and Da Silva in. I've seen enough of their batting to know they have decent fundamentals even if they lack fundamentals.

We have the likes of Blackwood, Holder and Joseph down the order to score quickly to f tiring bowlers, just like yesterday.

What we need is a 1-5 that have the technique to at least take some shone off the ball and maybe even score a hundred occasionally.

My 1 to 7 for Bangladesh would be:

Kraigg (flawed but can see off the new ball)
A new opener (no idea who, possibly Mosely)
Pooran (our most gifted player)
Bravo (give him a run to rediscover form)
Brooks (one more series)
Blackwood
Da Silva (good technique and work ethic)

the next first class season is so important. We just have to see some batsman scoring runs and putting pressure on the incumbents who clearly haven't been good enough over a long stretch.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Working on technique takes countless hours in the nets.

From what I’ve seen with a few of our batsmen is that they lack confidence in their techniques...they simply don’t trust their respective techniques.
Shiv used to face the bowling machine for countless hours. Where is the commitment from our current crop of batters(women included)?

 

[Beamer]

Working on technique takes countless hours in the nets.

From what I’ve seen with a few of our batsmen is that they lack confidence in their techniques...they simply don’t trust their respective techniques.
Shiv used to face the bowling machine for countless hours. Where is the commitment from our current crop of batters(women included)?

I think the current top 5 just aren't good enough. I'm done with the excuses.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I think the current top 5 just aren't good enough. I'm done with the excuses.

I was talking with my brother last night as we were both watching the second innings of our batting.
I said that one of the top 5 have to get a start and build on it...play positive...not block block block. That’s just builds pressure. A single here and a single there wouldn’t hurt. It gets you off the strike and you can assess the bowler from the other end. I thing wrong with that.

 

[Beamer]

I was talking with my brother last night as we were both watching the second innings of our batting.
I said that one of the top 5 have to get a start and build on it...play positive...not block block block. That’s just builds pressure. A single here and a single there wouldn’t hurt. It gets you off the strike and you can assess the bowler from the other end. I thing wrong with that.

We are at our best when being positive anyway, I agree. But their techniques just aren't good enough, I am honestly just so done with them.

 

[Flem274*]

it starts in youth cricket unfortunately. teenagers need to want to bat time with soft hands.

more short term, you need to find talented players who can be honest with themselves and seek help to improve. back in 2007 ross taylor realised he wasn't going to crack test cricket as he was so he asked martin crowe to teach him how to play straighter. tonned up on recall against england in 2008 and the rest is evident.

blackwood, bravo, brathwaite and even campbell are easily good enough they just need to commit to it. if they can't, they go.

always felt the difference between the lower and higher ranked teams is the lower ranked sides come at you just as hard as the good ones for a session but if you can hang in there they will lose their fire and heads will drop and then you can punch back.

australia, south africa, india and nz just refuse to die.

 

[mr_mister]

Love that subtle dig at England

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Somehow we always raise our game up against England.
+
+
+
Moving on, Jason Holder’s reluctance to rest fast bowlers and bring in some of the new guys is hurting us.
Chemar should have already have test match experience...Preston Mcsween as well.
We need a battery of fast bowlers who can deliver when called upon. Guys with experience...
Jason, build a squad of test players

 

[Beamer]

Great to see Jayden Seales make his FC debut at 19 in the A match against NZ A. Looks like he bowled tidily and got Phillips out with a nice delivery.
It was a good day for our fast bowling with Chemar bowling so impressively on test debut also.

 

[Flem274*]

chemar holder looks really good. nice to watch, bowls good areas, i hope he works out for you (after this tour).

 

[Beamer]

chemar holder looks really good. nice to watch, bowls good areas, i hope he works out for you (after this tour).

He has earned his stripes in FC and A cricket and you could tell. He bowled sensible lines and lengths.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

He has earned his stripes in FC and A cricket and you could tell. He bowled sensible lines and lengths.

Especially in the last domestic season where Barbados was crowned champion. That Bajan pace attack was legit strong.