**Official** England in The West Indies

[luckyeddie]

If Trescothick scores runs here and others fail, then why should his be the name to be under fire?

Because the poster (not you, marc - the other one) has only two topics of conversation.

Unfortunately for England, he's only wrong on one of them - and it's not this one.

 

[Anil]

Congrats, Brian Charles Lara!!! Another towering innings!

On a different note, why do the West Indies flourish nowadays only after the series is lost and there is nothing to fight for except a semblance of dignity? This kind of innings and batting performance at the start of the series could have psychologically demoralised England and would have given Windies a more than even chance of taking the series.

 

[Lions81]

Congratulations to Lara! It's really a magnificent feat to score 400 runs in a whole test series, let alone one innings and to be not out at the end is another amazing thing! This innings really removes any doubt I had as to who is the best batsman in the world.

 

[marc71178]

Lara being unbeaten leaves me thinking.

Will he make England follow-on or will he go in again and aim for SRT's world record?

 

[Swervy]

Congrats, Brian Charles Lara!!! Another towering innings!

On a different note, why do the West Indies flourish nowadays only after the series is lost and there is nothing to fight for except a semblance of dignity? This kind of innings and batting performance at the start of the series could have psychologically demoralised England and would have given Windies a more than even chance of taking the series.

well its all if's and but's.

We must not forget that England have completely dominated the WI's this series

 

[Swervy]

England in allsorts of trouble....puts laras innings into perceptive i think.

 

[Lions81]

Well despite whatever kind of pitch it may be, it's never easy batting under the weight of knowing you've already given up 751 runs. Teams don't even score 751 runs using up both of their innings, and maybe even give them a third innings and they'd struggle to make that, so that score really is massive. It's tough knowing you have to spend the next three days not losing as opposed to going out there to win. It's a real tough change of mind and it doesn't always happen so successfully.

 

[Meg]

I hope we see runs for good batsmen (the most for the best)

Well I just saw Lara get his 400, beating Hayden's record for most runs in a test. Was it generally a deserving century or was it too easy with the small field and slow pitch? But at least it was against Eng and not against Zimbabwe in which Hayden got the previous century

 

[luckyeddie]

I hope we see runs for good batsmen (the most for the best)

Well I just saw Lara get his 400, beating Hayden's record for most runs in a test. Was it generally a deserving century or was it too easy with the small field and slow pitch? But at least it was against Eng and not against Zimbabwe in which Hayden got the previous century

Like all epics, it's an exercise in concentration and as such deserves to have nothing taken away from it.

 

[Swervy]

Like all epics, it's an exercise in concentration and as such deserves to have nothing taken away from it.

indeed...and that is why haydens 380 shouldnt be down graded in anyway because of the opposition

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Botham's thought was that you could get another ball between the real one and the bat. My immediate thought was that Lara looked far more out on 0 than Vaughan did on 7.

Indeed. Lara's was not out and was a fantastic decision by Hair. Vaughan's was not out and was a terrible decision by Dar (who's had a good game otherwise). As Gower (?) said, Vaughan must be thinking, "And I was feeling good for 400."

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Unfortunately Tino Best had to go off the field injured a couple of overs back. He was bowling very well and got Hussain with a beauty.

 

[Lions81]

indeed...and that is why haydens 380 shouldnt be down graded in anyway because of the opposition

I'm not downgrading it at all! 380 is 380, more than most teams score.

 

[Lions81]

Ah, the English look fully focused and intent on losing this match. This is the exact same pitch which took their own bowlers 3 days to extract 5 wickets on.

 

[Sehwag309]

I imagined someone in Indian Team to make 400 in a Test Match, was only possible while closing my eyes. I also tried to make that score in the Cricket 2004 PC games, couldn't do it. Brian Lara did it in reality, atleast an Indian did it, (West Indian).

Would the West Indians forget the 3 Test Loss, and cheer upon this World Record, and currently England are 104-5...so will this win (if it's a win) cover the 3 test loss in mind?

 

[luckyeddie]

Ah, the English look fully focused and intent on losing this match. This is the exact same pitch which took their own bowlers 3 days to extract 5 wickets on.

I think you've nicely summed it up - and probably given the reason for England's demise too.

 

[Meg]

Like all epics, it's an exercise in concentration and as such deserves to have nothing taken away from it.

Sure I Agree, Well done Lara

 

[marc71178]

England in allsorts of trouble....puts laras innings into perceptive i think.

If Richard were here he'd be saying which innings - the 0, the 359 or the 41*?

He'd also be telling us how he told us so about Harmison...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If Richard were here he'd be saying which innings - the 0, the 359 or the 41*?

He'd also be telling us how he told us so about Harmison...

Lara wasn't out on 0 and I wouldn't call the 359 a chance per se.

 

[luckyeddie]

He'd also be telling us how he told us so about Harmison...

Who was still by a mile the pick of the England bowlers. I thought they stuck to the task well. 10 years ago, when Lara hit 375, the England bowling totally fell apart. That didn't quite happen this time.

The West Indian bowlers (especially Best, Edwards and Collins) were quite superb with the new ball, bowling quite a bit fuller.