**Official** England in The West Indies

[tooextracool]

and hoggard goes...229/8

meanwhile it appears flintoff is playing a sehwag
79.2 Collins to Flintoff, no run, on line, forward, drives, in the air,
Collins gets hands to it, can not hold on, 3rd chance for Flintoff

 

[Rich2001]

Well if the purists want their immaculate little keeper who cant bat, then let them have it

Jones has impressed me, and I hope he starts against New Zealand.. Read is going to have to make some big headway with the bat in the future..
Just keeping is not enough these days....

Hehe, Iam going to get on well with you

It's ok Langeveldt, M.Vaughan has already stated that Jones will have at least the same chances as Read had and that Jones (injury depending) would def' start the NZ series.

Now 8 games if that is just Tests would mean he would keep for the vast morjority of the summer, however if they throw him into a few ODI's too then the re-evaluation would be before the WI series.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Good to see most of the quicks rested, but it would have been nice to see a few young batsmen and/or Reifer looked at.

Er... Only Lara and Chanderpaul are over 30 years of age of the batsmen there. Joseph, Gayle, Sarwan, Powell, Smith, Bravo, Hinds are all under 28 years.

 

[chris.hinton]

Er... Only Lara and Chanderpaul are over 30 years of age of the batsmen there. Joseph, Gayle, Sarwan, Powell, Smith, Bravo, Hinds are all under 28 years.

on this note England are stuggling for young batsman IMO bell, Kadder, Troughton, Key are not good Enough

A Side looks top heavy judgeing by this team

Struss
Key
Smith
Pietersen
Clarke
Collingwood
Read
Kabir Ali
Anderson
Batty
Mahmood

 

[marc71178]

Intresting, that didn't stop you laying into Ed Smith after he had a couple poorish Tests at the likes of the death trap Trent Bridge last summer.

It is an unfair direct comparison to say Jones has outscored Read without looking at the underlying facts.

No-one has ever denied Jones to be likely to score more runs, but Read's keeping has been exemplary in far from easy conditions.

Also, Ed Smith played in 3 matches, but the pitches were far from death traps - 2 hundreds and 5 fifties in the first, 9 and one in the second (including a 99* and a fifty from a rookie number 9) and 3 centuries (including a double) and 5 fifties in the Third.

 

[marc71178]

its about proving that u can hold the bat outside of the oval.

Yet when people have pointed out that he can, you ignore them.

 

[chris.hinton]

I agree with Marc

 

[Swervy]

Freddie opening up now..some big hitting

 

[Lions81]

The West Indians need to stop doing their excellent Indian impersonation and knock these tail wickets out quickly.

 

[Swervy]

congrats to Flintoff for a fighting hundred

 

[Swervy]

oooops..Jones off injured

 

[luckyeddie]

The West Indians need to stop doing their excellent Indian impersonation and knock these tail wickets out quickly.

Well, Lara has used Edwards and especially Best quite sparingly - and of course there's a good reason for that.

Once England are bowled out (or knocked out), the West Indies have got to do the whole thing all over again.

Simon Jones retired hurt - took a nasty one on the arm from Best

 

[Lions81]

Well, Lara has used Edwards and especially Best quite sparingly - and of course there's a good reason for that.

Once England are bowled out (or knocked out), the West Indies have got to do the whole thing all over again.

Simon Jones retired hurt - took a nasty one on the arm from Best

Yes, I completely understand and agree with Lara's decision to rest his main strike bowlers for the third innings, but why have such a defensive field with everyone on the boundary line? Be aggressive, it's not often you have 500 runs to play with when you need to get two wickets.

 

[luckyeddie]

Yes, I completely understand and agree with Lara's decision to rest his main strike bowlers for the third innings, but why have such a defensive field with everyone on the boundary line? Be aggressive, it's not often you have 500 runs to play with when you need to get two wickets.

Totally agree with that. Mind you, if they bring the field in, Flintoff will in all likelihood make 200 because they're showing no signs of being able to catch him out.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Flintoff dropped again.

 

[Swervy]

now call me crazy...but what would everyone think if when this innings finishes,and England then bat again,Flintoff actually opens the batting.

Freddie has his eye in at the moment..and is facing the new ball. This would protect Trescothick for a bit.

I dont think for a minute this will happen but it would be interesting captaincy by Vaughan if he did

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

And Best rocks Harmison's stumps. I didn't actually see it, but on the radio they suggested that he gestured Harmison back to the pavilion. There may be a fine involved there.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

now call me crazy...but what would everyone think if when this innings finishes,and England then bat again,Flintoff actually opens the batting.

Freddie has his eye in at the moment..and is facing the new ball. This would protect Trescothick for a bit.

I dont think for a minute this will happen but it would be interesting captaincy by Vaughan if he did

It would definitely be sensible captaincy.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Exciting stuff now! Best bowling quite fast and Jones looking a lot more scared than he should be. This pitch isn't exactly Perth.

Best warned for running down the pitch... second time now.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Best has to be very careful here. Straddling the McGrath line...