*Official* England in West Indies

[Slifer]

Those of u complaining about flat wkts, not fair to England yada yada yada need to wheel and come again. the last time the WI prepared bowler friendly wkts for an England series they lost 3-0. Dont blame them for not wanting to go thru that again. I suspect most of u wanting bowler freindly wkts are English cricket fans who cant stomach the thought of losing to the much maligned WI team. So to the curators at the QPO prepare the flattest wkt u can so that the rejuvination of WI cricket can atleast get off the ground.

 

[Uppercut]

If you hate seeing a test series conclude with a flat pitch then too bad...

Question, if it's the ashes, England are 1-0 up coming in to the last test and you prepare a flat pitch, will you be complaining then... and if Windies win this series it might as well be as big a test accomplishment as you guys winning the Ashes, seeing as though we havn't won a proper test series in donkeys years...

Tbh, I don't exactly enjoy watching what cricket was on display, but the match could've turned quite easily if Windies had took the catches in the first test match... it only got a bit flat during the last two or three days...

Anyhoo, Trinidad is never that flat is it??? Chances are some turn will arise even though seemers been taking most wiockets on it lately... Windies will do their best to ensure it's a flat pitch though

Look, I'm not even an England fan. I'm a cricket fan, and i think preparing flat pitches in order to hold on to a 1-0 lead in a 4-match series is utterly pathetic, is killing cricket, and should be stamped out by the ICC as soon as possible.

If England were to go 1-0 up in the second game of the Ashes then prepare three flat-as-**** pitches for the rest of the series, I wouldn't even feel cheated, I'd just feel depressed. Last time the Ashes was in England it was possibly the greatest series of all time. It's the one cricket series I look forward to years in advance, the only one you have to go on Ebay months beforehand to get tickets to, the world's greatest cricketing event to which, for me, nothing comes close. If England were so desperate for victory that they'd **** all over the concept of a five-match series and rob the other team of a chance to hit back, of course I'll ****ing be complaining then. And if anyone says any differently, they have no right to call themselves cricket fans.

 

[Bonnie Prince C]

I wouldn't say it is unfair on England. I just think its rubbish for cricket. Its all well and good trying to get tests to last 5 days but this could of gone on for 5 weeks. Prepare batting friendly wickets by all means but try also preparing wickets that will produce results. I do not think England can complain too much though. They could of easily won the 3rd test, that was not the pitches fault. Just inexperienced captaincy. England should have this at 1-1 but they screwed up not the grounds staff.

 

[Uppercut]

Oh England lost, fair and square. They lost when they were playing badly and failed to win when playing well. But if the next pitch is as flat it'll call into question the point of even having a test series. Why not just play a one-off test, because if the home side wins that the series is over anyway.

Let's be honest, it's not like the pitch for the abandoned test was ever going to be anything other than a prank-pitch. The Viv Richards stadium knows nothing else. The only reason either of the past two matches had a chance of a result is because of the farce surrounding that test.

 

[Bonnie Prince C]

I agree. It would not surprise me if you see this happening more and more TBH. With the great pressure to win groundsmen could well start making results almost impossible if their team is in the lead. Lets just hope that isnt the case.

 

[cowboysfan]

Look, I'm not even an England fan. I'm a cricket fan, and i think preparing flat pitches in order to hold on to a 1-0 lead in a 4-match series is utterly pathetic, is killing cricket, and should be stamped out by the ICC as soon as possible.

If England were to go 1-0 up in the second game of the Ashes then prepare three flat-as-**** pitches for the rest of the series, I wouldn't even feel cheated, I'd just feel depressed. Last time the Ashes was in England it was possibly the greatest series of all time. It's the one cricket series I look forward to years in advance, the only one you have to go on Ebay months beforehand to get tickets to, the world's greatest cricketing event to which, for me, nothing comes close. If England were so desperate for victory that they'd **** all over the concept of a five-match series and rob the other team of a chance to hit back, of course I'll ****ing be complaining then. And if anyone says any differently, they have no right to call themselves cricket fans.

how do you think they should go about doing that?

 

[Furball]

how do you think they should go about doing that?

The home board should be fined for pitches such as the joke that was served up in Karachi. If it persists then the ground should be banned from hosting international contests until they can serve up pitches which are suitable for Test cricket.

Pitches like the one in Mumbai in 2004 get roundly slated as being unfit for Test cricket, when joke pitches where average teams can rack up 600 runs get away with it.

 

[pskov]

Always spell it that way in that particular cliche TBH. "Long chalk" just doesn't look right. Hints at a massive great thin piece that a teacher is sitting at the back of the room writing on the board with, which just doesn't sit right with me.

The expression comes from pub games like darts or snooker where the score is marked by chalk on a blackboard. If you beat someone heavily you win by a long chalk. If you say 'This game isn't over, not by a long chalk' then you're saying you're not giving up because the scores are still close.

 

[Steulen]

Don't think I've forgotten Uppercut, will give you your new avatar upon the finish of the last test, but could be sooner... seen a couple good Graham Norton pictures... but if anyone's got any suggestions as to what Uppercut's new avatar should be post it on this thread...

 

[Evermind]

That is simply cruel. Nobody deserves that.

Or maybe...

 

[King Pietersen]

England's lack of decent bowling is what's cost us a win in this series. We were humiliated in Jamaica by Jerome Taylor, and although it was a good spell of bowling, only Prior and Pietersen got geniunely unplayable deliveries. The rest just threw their wickets away. Since then we've bounced back well, but have lacked the killer instinct to win a Test. If Harmison and Flintoff were fit at Antigua we'd have certainly won there. The bowling attack seemed to lack backbone in the last game as well, with Sidebottom bowling awfully, and the bowling saved by Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann.

The batting is something I've been very pleased with though, we've attacked the Windies bowling attack, and made runs at a good pace. Strauss has played very well, Cook's got the hundred monkey off his back, Pietersens' played nicely without making a big score, Collingwood's made his customary series hundred, Ravi's come in with jet lag and scored 2 hundreds in 2 innings (albeit 1 in a warm-up), it's just Shah that's failed to make a score of real substance. He needs to be given time though, he's a class act, and needs a good run in the side.

Personally I wouldn't change the team too much for the final game, just make 1 change to the bowling attack, with Sidebottom thrown out, with Amjad Khan coming in. I'm not entirely sure he's worthy of his place though, and can't really see what he's done to deserve to leapfrog the likes of Hoggard, Tremlett, Bresnan and Kabir Ali. I'd take all 4 of those ahead of him tbh, but Simon Jones is the guy I want back most, if he's fit for the Ashes, he's in the side, simple as, we need a class 3rd seamer, and Jones is that.

My XI for the final Test;

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Prior
Broad
Swann
Amjad
Anderson

 

[Goughy]

An XI with 1 very good Test cricketer and 3 above average (possibly I am being generous). The rest well below that.

 

[Steulen]

An XI with 1 very good Test cricketer and 3 above average (possibly I am being generous). The rest well below that.

I assume Pietersen is the very good one, and Strauss is one of the above average ones...who are the other two?

 

[King Pietersen]

Guessing Pietersen's the 1 very good Test cricketer? With Strauss, Collingwood and Cook the 3 above average ones? After that I think you're being incredibly harsh to say that guys like Anderson, Swann, Shah, Bopara, Prior and Broad are well below average cricketers. Anderson's a very capable Test bowler, swings the ball both ways, has incredibly good fitness levels, and is a brilliant outfielder. The rest are pretty unproven at Test level, but I'm sure most of them will come good. Shah and Bopara are class batsmen, Swann's taken consistent wickets and looked constantly threatening in his few games, and Prior and Broad have done well.

My Ashes XI would be a little different to that, and be:

Strauss *
Cook
Pietersen
Bopara/Shah
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior +
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Jones

Looks a far better side I think.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Personally I think England are screwed til they get shot of Andy Flower (and culling some of the other deadwood would help). The guy talks such bollocks and the selections seem to done on the back of a envelope the night before.

He goes on about Sidebottom's chronic Achilles problem and how is ankle hurts etc., then he gets picked in the next Test when he's clearly not fit in a 4 man attack and he's not remotely suited to the conditions.

He goes on about Harmison not being hostile enough. I mean how is he going to be hostile on really slow dead wickets? If he bowls it short it sits up. There's been accounts of him and Anderson being hostile in the nets - where the surfaces allow for it.

 

[GIMH]

Always spell it that way in that particular cliche TBH. "Long chalk" just doesn't look right. Hints at a massive great thin piece that a teacher is sitting at the back of the room writing on the board with, which just doesn't sit right with me.

LOL Richard you can't just make up your own spellings because you feel like it

 

[craigyc43]

Guessing Pietersen's the 1 very good Test cricketer? With Strauss, Collingwood and Cook the 3 above average ones? After that I think you're being incredibly harsh to say that guys like Anderson, Swann, Shah, Bopara, Prior and Broad are well below average cricketers. Anderson's a very capable Test bowler, swings the ball both ways, has incredibly good fitness levels, and is a brilliant outfielder. The rest are pretty unproven at Test level, but I'm sure most of them will come good. Shah and Bopara are class batsmen, Swann's taken consistent wickets and looked constantly threatening in his few games, and Prior and Broad have done well.

My Ashes XI would be a little different to that, and be:

Strauss *
Cook
Pietersen
Bopara/Shah
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior +
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Jones

Looks a far better side I think.

There is no way unfortunately that Simon jones will ever play test cricket again. He added that something extra to our bowling attack but he will not compete at that level again. We need to look elsewhere for the answer. Any suggestions? Our bowling attack is not strong enough at the moment.

I dont think we need to do much to our batting though

 

[Woodster]

Personally I think England are screwed til they get shot of Andy Flower (and culling some of the other deadwood would help). The guy talks such bollocks and the selections seem to done on the back of a envelope the night before.

He goes on about Sidebottom's chronic Achilles problem and how is ankle hurts etc., then he gets picked in the next Test when he's clearly not fit in a 4 man attack and he's not remotely suited to the conditions.

He goes on about Harmison not being hostile enough. I mean how is he going to be hostile on really slow dead wickets? If he bowls it short it sits up. There's been accounts of him and Anderson being hostile in the nets - where the surfaces allow for it.

Harmison has not been genuinely hostile for some time (in England colours), not on a consistent basis. I agree certain pitches do not help, but it seems if his first few deliveries don't whizz through head high to the keeper, then his pace drops and he maintains speeds around 83 mph. If there isn't much in it, I would like him to be a little mentally tougher and still bowl as quick as he can, that's his role in my eyes. Yorkers take the pitch out of the equation! There are better bowlers around that do more with the ball at this kind of speed.

I'm a fan of Harmy and have defended him numerous times on CW, but it seems he's always coming into series underbowled, and he needs time to find his rhythm. We need him firing from the opening delivery of a series, and he must do whatever he has to to ensure he's in the right condition, mentally and physically. A fit and firing 90mph Harmison will pretty much always get into my England XI.

 

[TT Boy]

Samit Patel not selected for the ODI series due to being a fatty...

"Samit Patel is a talented cricketer but he, like every other player who joins the senior England team, must be aware of the strict fitness criteria that will be set," England cricket manager Hugh Morris said.

"It is extremely frustrating that Samit has not heeded the warnings of his county, Nottinghamshire, and the England national selector Geoff Miller as well as the England management and strength and conditioning team. In the circumstances we had no option but to de select him from the tour."

Supercricket

Good stuff from the ECB.

Although Gareth Batty is now apparently inline for ODI selection with Swann's injury.

 

[Goughy]

Samit Patel not selected for the ODI series due to being a fatty...

"Samit Patel is a talented cricketer but he, like every other player who joins the senior England team, must be aware of the strict fitness criteria that will be set," England cricket manager Hugh Morris said.

"It is extremely frustrating that Samit has not heeded the warnings of his county, Nottinghamshire, and the England national selector Geoff Miller as well as the England management and strength and conditioning team. In the circumstances we had no option but to de select him from the tour."

Supercricket

Good stuff from the ECB.

Although Gareth Batty is now apparently inline for ODI selection with Swann's injury.

Its a tough balance. Do you pick the best player even if they are unfit or do you pick the lesser player and not lower the acceptable standard?

I really dont know. Any time you pick a player not as good for non-cricketing reasons then I have an issue with it. He is only a batsman and spinner. On the flip side, you let one guy slide and it becomes hard to maintain standards and unprofessionalism can become endemic (as I think happened in English cricket in the 80s).