Ball seamed and swung around quite a bit and there was a bit of variable bounce... that being said, you can defo score on here and they mentioned it is currently the highest scoring pitch in the carribean.I wasn't able to watch any of yesterday. I was shocked Braithwaite stuck us in. Was it a bad decision?
Definitely bowls a similar pace to Grinning Gus. This would've been the perfect pitch for the eeyoreish old bugger too. He'd have been that imaginary fourth stump outside off all day long. Sigh.Angus Fraser would have been proud of his namesake doing this damage.
Pretty sure he actually was. Most be the only person in the world named after both Angus Fraser and Nelson Mandela. Not two people I would usually especially associate with eachotherDefinitely bowls a similar pace to Grinning Gus. This would've been the perfect pitch for the eeyoreish old bugger too. He'd have been that imaginary fourth stump outside off all day long. Sigh.
Vic Marks notes in today's Observer that Keemo was born two weeks after Gus took 20 wickets in the back-to-back Bridgetown tests in 98 (excuse me while i pause to scream how old I fecking suddenly am) so it's not too fanciful to suggest he is named after the big fella.
Yet people were vehemently disagreeing with me last week that Bayliss and his England set up actively makes the players worse.Just got the highlights so a few thoughts and observations:
> It looks like a bat first first pitch. A poor decision to bowl, especially as it may get worse.
> Roach seemed down on pace, a lot of balls around 128-130 km/h. Gabriel also seemed a little slower than he has been
> WI seemed much less sharp in the field and bowling wise. A lot of erratic deliveries and more fielding errors too
> Needless to say, Jennings is absolutely dire
> Denly is not a long term prospect either, unsurprising with his poor FC career
> About that chat a couple of pages back about Burns' technique becoming significantly worse, I bet you 100% it's alterations made while in and by the England coaching setup, quite probably with an eye to making him more attacking
> Joseph needs to start bowling much closer to the stumps and start those booming outswingers on middle stump. Edge of the crease should be a variation not standard. Would improve his bowling to left handers especially.
> Root's dismissal was a shocker, something I'd expect from an attacking no. 9
> I'm really not sold on Chase as a bowler despite his 8-for. It'd be nice to keep four fast bowlers and get Cornwall into the team, but I feel that weakens the batting which is something WI can't afford even a little bit
> Keemo looks decent when the ball moves, but I have doubts about when it isn't
It's certainly true that a lot of the players haven't developed in the way that I'd of hoped since Bayliss came in.Yet people were vehemently disagreeing with me last week that Bayliss and his England set up actively makes the players worse.
1) Of course it's why the step up too test level can be so difficult. They were trying to cut off his scoring areas, but that wasn't the issue, he was struggling to even get bat to ball in his strong areas.It's certainly true that a lot of the players haven't developed in the way that I'd of hoped since Bayliss came in.
However with Burns in mind and the comment by Starfighter, I wouldn't rule out Starfighter been right, however there are some other reasons why he may be struggling which seem more likely imo.
1). Teams work out quick how to bowl to players and adjust bowling plans and fields accordingly. Burns tends to hit very square of the wicket on the leg side. Wasn't watching too closely at the time but they may have closed off his main scoring areas.
2) The wickets haven't been good for fluent batting throughout the series. They've been two paced, with up and down bounce. Batsmen get out of rhythm and form playing on tough wickets like these.
3) If anything Burns was more defensive and timid that he has been. I would suggest that this actually came from management- and rather than asking Burns to be more aggro, it was a team edict to play with more care, and Burns was a bit timid as a result. Teams don't tend to play well when losing either, pressure magnified etc.
The good news with Burns is that he's been a consistent scorer for years, so even if his technique is a little idiosyncratic, it should be a consistent technique and he should know how to correct things if things go a little bit wrong, hopefully anyway.
Probably thought our batting is so crap and the top order is so weak they could have had us 30-3 again. I'd bowl against this line up.I wasn't able to watch any of yesterday. I was shocked Braithwaite stuck us in. Was it a bad decision?
A bloke who has played over 30 tests averages 35 and only has 1 test ton isn't a test top 6.Quick ball but I'm baffled how a Test top-6 misses that.
Rare that two of a top-6 shouldn't be playing Test cricket.
And why are we still talking about Flintoff and the pedalo. Really Athers?
He's bowling really well too.Gabriel's quick here. All the WI guys look quicker than the gun is showing them.