*Official* England in West Indies 2022

[grecian]

I wonder if both teams will just write it off as a rubbish pitch or if the likes of Overton and Permaul could be in trouble.

Well dunno about Permaul, but Overton should get another go, if Wood is injured. He did bowl okay yesterday. Permaul has been desperate though.

 

[Gob]

Hmm Vaughany was right when he gave Crawley the tick and refused to give one to Hameed in the Ashes

 

[Prince EWS]

I do like our bowling attack, particularly the Roach, Seales and Holder combo, but I think we need to upgrade on Alzarri. He is not accurate enough to be a solid change bowler and although he is 140kph -145kph, he's not quick enough to be a Gabriel like enforcer.

In general, we need to start looking for real pace to replace Shannon, who is both injury prone and getting old.

I wonder if Joseph's recently improved batting is playing a part in him being selected ahead of other bowlers. Roach is great at sticking around with established bats and forming partnerships which makes him more useful than his average at #9, but having someone who averages ~11 pushed up to #8 would be stretching the friendship.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1502379507667415040

 

[GotSpin]

I wonder if Joseph's recently improved batting is playing a part in him being selected ahead of other bowlers. Roach is great at sticking around with established bats and forming partnerships which makes him more useful than his average at #9, but having someone who averages ~11 pushed up to #8 would be stretching the friendship.

You wish you could stretch the friendship

 

[Gnske]

Reminder even Keaton Jennings had two tons

 

[Prince EWS]

You wish you could stretch the friendship

Haha at least keep it out of Cricket Chat you ****

 

[Beamer]

I wonder if Joseph's recently improved batting is playing a part in him being selected ahead of other bowlers. Roach is great at sticking around with established bats and forming partnerships which makes him more useful than his average at #9, but having someone who averages ~11 pushed up to #8 would be stretching the friendship.

Definitely his batting is a factor and probably why he played instead of Philip, especially with Holder at 6 to accommodate Permaul.

 

[honestbharani]

One impressive thing about Crawley's knock was how he was able to down his tempo a bit and be patient for a while there after passing 50. While a lot of times in test cricket, it does seem like your batting just goes up gears the longer you spend at the crease and the more runs you have, in reality, especially in today's game, test match batting tempo is always gonna ebb and flow. You gotta be prepared to dominate for an hour and then just stay in and not get out for the next hour etc. Its good to see that, mentally, he is able to make that adjustment. Probably unlocks another level in him as a batsman.

As far as his opening partner goes, it is too harsh to judge based on one game but Lees does not seem like he can be a long term option. Still feel Rory Burns is the next best opener in England but his confidence seems absolutely shot from that first baller in the Ashes. And mental stuff can usually be harder to come back from than technical issues. I wont mind if they gave another shot to either Ben Duckett or Keaton Jennings tbh. Once again, both seemed able to play shots to good balls and it usually means they can get into positions reasonably early to play the ball. Its a question of getting them to understand their percentages and cut out certain shots till they are set etc. Both have a bit of mongrel about them that England side currently could do with, IMO.

Crawley
Jennings/Duckett
Root
Lawrence
Stokes
Bairstow
Foakes
Woakes
Robinson
Mahmood
Leach


wont be the worst side they can play. Unfortunately, they dont have either Duckett or Jennings on tour, I guess.

 

[Line and Length]

One impressive thing about Crawley's knock was how he was able to down his tempo a bit and be patient for a while there after passing 50. While a lot of times in test cricket, it does seem like your batting just goes up gears the longer you spend at the crease and the more runs you have, in reality, especially in today's game, test match batting tempo is always gonna ebb and flow. You gotta be prepared to dominate for an hour and then just stay in and not get out for the next hour etc. Its good to see that, mentally, he is able to make that adjustment. Probably unlocks another level in him as a batsman.

As far as his opening partner goes, it is too harsh to judge based on one game but Lees does not seem like he can be a long term option. Still feel Rory Burns is the next best opener in England but his confidence seems absolutely shot from that first baller in the Ashes. And mental stuff can usually be harder to come back from than technical issues. I wont mind if they gave another shot to either Ben Duckett or Keaton Jennings tbh. Once again, both seemed able to play shots to good balls and it usually means they can get into positions reasonably early to play the ball. Its a question of getting them to understand their percentages and cut out certain shots till they are set etc. Both have a bit of mongrel about them that England side currently could do with, IMO.

Crawley
Jennings/Duckett
Root
Lawrence
Stokes
Bairstow
Foakes
Woakes
Robinson
Mahmood
Leach


wont be the worst side they can play. Unfortunately, they dont have either Duckett or Jennings on tour, I guess.

.... or Broad or Anderson

 

[wpdavid]

I still don't get why this is called the Botham-Richards series considering how crap Beefy was against the Windies.

Agreed, and I remember saying something similar last time it was played. There was a counter-argument from someone but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. Gooch-Richards would make more sense.

 

[ImpatientLime]

*Fraser-Richards

 

[wpdavid]

*Fraser-Richards

Fine bowler, but I think we're talking about one good series against WI. Without checking, Gooch made five or six hundreds against them over a 12 year period.

 

[Line and Length]

Was Beefy's relationship with Viv (together at Somerset, protesting about Viv being delisted etc) part of the reason for the name?

 

[wpdavid]

Was Beefy's relationship with Viv (together at Somerset, protesting about Viv being delisted etc) part of the reason for the name?

Maybe. Terrible reason though.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Fine bowler, but I think we're talking about one good series against WI. Without checking, Gooch made five or six hundreds against them over a 12 year period.

two really good tours in fairness with two 8fors which is mad but I was only kidding. deffo in favour of Gooch-Richards

Gooch is what Gavaskar thought he was versus the West Indies.

 

[wpdavid]

two really good tours in fairness with two 8fors which is mad but I was only kidding. deffo in favour of Gooch-Richards

Gooch is what Gavaskar thought he was versus the West Indies.

Being honest, I'd forgotten Fraser's contribution in 1990, which was unforgivable really. But, yes, Gooch's track record at the top of the order against WI was astonishing. Especially as his first three hundreds were against four from Roberts, Holding, Garner, Croft & Marshall and his other two were against Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh and Patterson. Not many easy runs there.

 

[theegyptian]

Sounds like England are trying to get on with it this morning which is interesting.

 

[wpdavid]

Sounds like England are trying to get on with it this morning which is interesting.

I think that has to be the right approach, maybe aiming to set 300 in two sessions. I read elsewhere that they should aim to bat all day and wear out the WI bowlers. But surely the WI would just bowl their part-timers throughout the final session in that scenario.

EDIT
Well batted Joe. It's easy to forget that we were in arrears when he came to the crease.

 

[grecian]

Well done Joe, this lad could be quite good ya know?