**Official** England in The West Indies

[tooextracool]

My tip is don't take up tipping.




AFAIK, he's not with the squad - if so, I'm shicked he didn't play in that FC match between the 2nd and 3rd Tests.

Either way, he won't come in.

yeah i found that very surprising too....even if they werent considering him for a place in the test squad he will definetly be part of the ODI starting lineup and it would only be good practice for him. surprised to see in form players like butcher and thorpe in there instead of him.

 

[Langeveldt]

Sylvester Joseph in for Shiv Chanderpaul???

Thats one less proven international class batsman for England to worry about....

 

[SpaceMonkey]

yeah i found that very surprising too....even if they werent considering him for a place in the test squad he will definetly be part of the ODI starting lineup and it would only be good practice for him. surprised to see in form players like butcher and thorpe in there instead of him.

I do believe he was in England during the game as once Thorpe was cleared to play he went home.
He's only recently flown out again to get ready for the one dayers.

 

[marc71178]

yeah i found that very surprising too....even if they werent considering him for a place in the test squad he will definetly be part of the ODI starting lineup and it would only be good practice for him. surprised to see in form players like butcher and thorpe in there instead of him.

That's what makes me think he returned home after the 1st Test when the injury problems subsided.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Sylvester Joseph in for Shiv Chanderpaul???

Thats one less proven international class batsman for England to worry about....

If Chanderpaul isn't fit to play, I don't see a problem with it. Surely Joseph can at least average the 16podd that Chanders has.

Would have preferred Reifer though...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I do believe he was in England during the game as once Thorpe was cleared to play he went home.
He's only recently flown out again to get ready for the one dayers.

Correct.

 

[Craig]

My tip is don't take up tipping.

And not have 5 quicks?

And no I dont gamble.

 

[marc71178]

And not have 5 quicks?

Definitely not.

Jones didn't even get a bowl second time round in Barbados, so why add a 5th and lengthen the tail?

 

[tooextracool]

if antigua is the slow wicket that we know of then i dont see how the selectors could drop their beloved giles.
the only change i can possibly see is jones for read although it is highly unlikely

 

[Craig]

Definitely not.

Jones didn't even get a bowl second time round in Barbados, so why add a 5th and lengthen the tail?

Yeah I soon realised it. In fact didnt I mentiton it?

BTW I forgot to add I have had some success in tipping comps 8D

 

[PY]

But I long for the day when the country which produced Rhodes, Verity, Laker, and Underwood is able once again to pick a good spin bowler.

Also, to a lesser extent, Illingworth, Lock, Such ( :saint: ), Emburey???

I agree that England's side would look lot more balanced with a spinner who has the ability to take wickets on all surfaces with regularity.

 

[garage flower]

If Chanderpaul isn't fit to play, I don't see a problem with it. Surely Joseph can at least average the 16podd that Chanders has.

Would have preferred Reifer though...

Of the 13-man squad, I would leave out Ganga and Smith, with Sarwan or Lara moving up to open. Don't see any point in having Powell and Joseph as part of a squad that is performing woefully and not playing them. What message would it send?!

You're in the squad because you're the next in line for a spot in the side, but despite the abject failure of the incumbent batsmen, we don't want to bring you in.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I don't have any problem with dropping Ganga, except that I'm not overly confident in Sarwan at the moment. Still, it can't be any worse than it has been.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Also, to a lesser extent, Illingworth, Lock, Such ( :saint: ), Emburey???

I agree that England's side would look lot more balanced with a spinner who has the ability to take wickets on all surfaces with regularity.

James Middlebrook and Jason Brown are 2 I would have tried, but haven't played a Test as yet.

 

[tooextracool]

what happened to chris schofield?he wasnt that bad was he?

 

[roseboy64]

Why not make Powell and Smith play? I'd drop Ganga and make Powell open with Gayle. So you'd have Gayle, Powell,Sarwan,Lara,Smith and Hinds as your batsmen with Jacobs as the wicketkeeper ( gotta learn how to play the short ball). The bowlers would be Best, Collins, Edwards(if fit) and Collymore with Gayle,Sarwan,Powell,Hinds and Smith providing support. I'd much rather have seen Jermaine Lawson in the squad than Joseph ashe gives you a pacer who's more fit than Edwards and has had success against the English(re: the practice games).

 

[Langeveldt]

what happened to chris schofield?he wasnt that bad was he?

He wasnt bad at all, but he got a severe case of the yips after he was given just one test against the Zimbos....

Now he can barely land the ball properly, and he plays for lancs as a specialist batsman who bowls a few overs.... (in the NCL anyway)

 

[luckyeddie]

He wasnt bad at all, but he got a severe case of the yips after he was given just one test against the Zimbos....

Now he can barely land the ball properly, and he plays for lancs as a specialist batsman who bowls a few overs.... (in the NCL anyway)

He had a few overs in that championship game last year against Kent at Blackpool - the game when Ed Smith hit a double hundred. Sky covered the game and he had a few overs, but frankly he was really struggling for consistency.

At 26 there's still time for him to get it right, of course, so here's hoping. He certainly gave the ball a rip.

He played twice for England - in the first game he didn't bowl a ball (Zim were crushed)

 

[marc71178]

In quite a major shock, Jones will start in place of Read for the 4th Test.

Personally I think it's a wrong move from reports of Read's keeping, and certainly I don't understand the timing of it.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'd much rather have seen Jermaine Lawson in the squad than Joseph ashe gives you a pacer who's more fit than Edwards and has had success against the English(re: the practice games).

Err... Edwards hasn't exactly been out of form against the English either and he's about as fit as Lawson is right now. Don't be fooled, Lawson is not 100% match-fit yet, not by a long way.