*Official* England in West Indies

[ozone]

Absolutely deserved by WI insofar as any side bowled out for 51 and then fails to finish the job in Antigua deserve nothing. Great day's play though.

Pondering the winners & losers in England's side this series ..

Winners - Strauss, Collingwood, Swann & Broad. Probably Prior for his batting. And Bopara, although it won't get him in the side yet.
No change - KP, Cook, Anderson, Flintoff
Losers - Bell, Shah, Panesar, Sidebottom & probably Harmison, although GBH's standing may have improved for missing the last 2 games.

Looking ahead, 9 of the side are dead certs for the start of the home series. We just need to find a number 3 and another quick from somewhere.

Anderson surely has to go in the winners section? Other than that this is probably spot on, although Panesar will cop a lot of stick (not entirely undeservedly) despite bowling really well in this test.

 

[Richard]

Anderson surely has to go in the winners section? Other than that this is probably spot on, although Panesar will cop a lot of stick (not entirely undeservedly) despite bowling really well in this test.

Anderson was magnificent on occasions (and shocking on others) on this last afternoon\evening, and of times elsewhere in the series bowled well. He also of times bowled poorly.

Given that the most recent memories are of him trying his heart out it's easy to forget he's been poor as often as good this series.

 

[Uppercut]

Anderson surely has to go in the winners section? Other than that this is probably spot on, although Panesar will cop a lot of stick (not entirely undeservedly) despite bowling really well in this test.

I think I'm finally 100% convinced of Jimmy as a test-class bowler now. It's his ability to still bowl decently when he's not on fire, and not bowl pies when the ball isn't swinging that's impressed me, possibly even more than ripping a batting lineup under heavy clouds would have.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Disappointing that a game of cricket broke out at the end there; tedium looked to have comfortably carried the day before those last 4 sessions.

Fair play to the Windies. It's been pretty unedifying stuff at times, but I suppose from their point of view the end has justified the means. When Bravo Snr returns (soon, one assumes given his subbing in this test) they're probably only an opener, a batsman & another seamer away from being truly competitive again.

 

[ozone]

Anderson was magnificent on occasions (and shocking on others) on this last afternoon\evening, and of times elsewhere in the series bowled well. He also of times bowled poorly.

Given that the most recent memories are of him trying his heart out it's easy to forget he's been poor as often as good this series.

Typical Anderson you could say. But I think (and its been said before) that when he bowls badly now, he no longer bowls as shockingly as he used to. And of course he is still unbelievably good when he's on song. First seamer on the team sheet IMO.

 

[steve132]

Second tense finish in three matches. This is great cricket.

 

[Jamee999]

:'(

 

[WindieWeathers]

I think I'm finally 100% convinced of Jimmy as a test-class bowler now. It's his ability to still bowl decently when he's not on fire, and not bowl pies when the ball isn't swinging that's impressed me, possibly even more than ripping a batting lineup under heavy clouds would have.

I wouldn't go judging him just on his performances in this series, because lets be honest he was up against a side who's still in the development stages, against the South Africans or Aussies i think he'll have to step it up even more to be honest.

 

[Richard]

:'(

Strauss seems about as on-edge as I've ever seen him, given how extraordinarily level-headed he is. Seems close to tears.

As diplomatic as ever though.

 

[oitoitoi]

Nice work!

I kinda ballsed up here . But luckily I more than won everything back immediately by snapping Australia up for their series at the unbelievable price of 3/1.

Yeah Australia made it a good day for me too, though I didn't get anything like those odds!

 

[zaremba]

The received wisdom is that if you play an extra batsman as a defensive move, it won't help you avoid defeat - "if 5 batsmen won't do the job for you then a 6th will make no difference". Just as Collingwood with his epic 10 at the Oval on 12.9.05 and Ryan Hinds showed in this match, this piece of received wisdom is, like so many others, total bollocks.

 

[Richard]

Sarwan really the only choice for MOTS.

 

[Jamee999]

JAMEE'S ASHES FIRST TEST ELEVEN

Andrew Strauss (captain)
Alastair Cook
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Ravi Bopara
Matthew Prior (wicket-keeper)
Andrew Flintoff
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
Monty Panesar
James Anderson

 

[wpdavid]

Strauss seems about as on-edge as I've ever seen him, given how extraordinarily level-headed he is. Seems close to tears.

As diplomatic as ever though.

He must be desperately disappointed - basically his side have blown it or at least missed out at every turn on this tour.

And he's got a seriously tough 12 months ahead of him. it'll be a tough year for those in charge of the side, because I don't think we'll win many games and the trick will be to try and build anyway.

 

[superkingdave]

Thing to think about with Jimmy as well(as has been said about Swan as well) is he was left out for the only test where there was a decent contest between bat and ball.

 

[Jamee999]

Taylor for MOTS, imo.

 

[Richard]

JAMEE'S ASHES FIRST TEST ELEVEN

Andrew Strauss (captain)
Alastair Cook
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Ravi Bopara
Matthew Prior (wicket-keeper)
Andrew Flintoff
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
Monty Panesar
James Anderson

Post it in t'Ashes build-up thread, there's a good lad.

 

[Richard]

He must be desperately disappointed - basically his side have blown it or at least misssed out at every turn on this tour.

And he's got a seriously tough 12 months ahead of him. it'll be a tough year for those in charge of the side, because I don't think we'll win many games and the trick will be to try and build anyway.

Any hopes of England coming close to West Indies' 27 years in possession of the Wisden Trophy now extintinguished.

Even if England can and should win it back within a few months.

 

[Richard]

Prior's batting > Chanderpaul's this match, imo.

 

[wpdavid]

Any hopes of England coming close to West Indies' 27 years in possession of the Wisden Trophy now extintinguished.

Even if England can and should win it back within a few months.

Did the Wisden Trophy exist in 1973?