***Official*** South Africa v West Indies

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

umm didn't they play better as a unit when he was not in the team for the 1st test?

I repeat - only 2 players scored runs in the first Test! One of those players is a proven outstanding Test batsman.

 

[biased indian]

I repeat - only 2 players scored runs in the first Test! One of those players is a proven outstanding Test batsman.

Proven Test batsmen would have been enough

 

[wpdavid]

umm didn't they play better as a unit when he was not in the team for the 1st test?

Not really. IIRC their innings was still massively dependent on two batmen and their bowling was still ineffectual once SA got their heads down. If any if their guys are intimidated or whatever by having Lara in the side, that's their responsibility, full stop. IMHO.

EDIT - I've just noticed that Liam beat me to it. By the best part of an hour. Oh well, if a point's a good one I suppose it's worth making more than once.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's a pretty shocking display of bowling from The Windies today. Shiv Chanderpaul is an admirable player, but unfortunately doesn't seem to be a leader of men. On a flat pitch like he's facing he really needs to be one move ahead of the game, instead his placings have been altogether too defensive.

That said none of the other senior pros are exactly models of positivity out there.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Of course as soon as I'd hit "Submit Reply" Reon King takes the first wicket by a bowler today!

Impressive stuff from AB de V, seems to be a great talent in the making.

 

[roseboy64]

This is so depressing. Oh well, I've gotten used to it. Bowling good but no wickets.

 

[roseboy64]

Oh wow a wicket!!

 

[jot1]

This is so depressing. Oh well, I've gotten used to it. Bowling good but no wickets.

Bowling good? Mmmmm wonder what the score would be if they were bowling badly?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Bowling good? Mmmmm wonder what the score would be if they were bowling badly?

If only you had as much understanding of cricket as you clearly do arrogance.

Do tell how the West Indies has bowled or fielded poorly today? They've been on target on a flat pitch, putting in clear effort and fielding brilliantly. If you're going to criticize anything, look at the West Indies batting, because the bowling has certainly done no shame. On this pitch it was always going to be difficult to take wickets.

Less arrogance and more sense please.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It's a pretty shocking display of bowling from The Windies today. Shiv Chanderpaul is an admirable player, but unfortunately doesn't seem to be a leader of men. On a flat pitch like he's facing he really needs to be one move ahead of the game, instead his placings have been altogether too defensive.

That said none of the other senior pros are exactly models of positivity out there.

Have you been watching the cricket at all?! It's no coincidence that every single commentator has commended the West Indian effort today with the ball. It has certainly been a very purposeful effort in very difficult bowlng conditions. Don't blame the bowlers for uninspirational captaincy. That's not fair on them.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Proven Test batsmen would have been enough

Wavell Hinds averages in low 30s. Shivanarine Chanderpaul averages in the mid50s and has averaged closer to 60 for the last couple of years. I don't see why I should put them on the same level. That's not fair on Chanderpaul.

 

[luckyeddie]

Totally agree with Liam here.

It's been an extremely disciplined performance to hold the South Africans in check on a total featherbed wicket - witness just how few sundries there have been.

Nuff said about Chanders.

As I type, Powell strikes with the new ball. 7 down.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Have you been watching the cricket at all?! It's no coincidence that every single commentator has commended the West Indian effort today with the ball. It has certainly been a very purposeful effort in very difficult bowlng conditions. Don't blame the bowlers for uninspirational captaincy. That's not fair on them.

I have been watching it, yes. Having read back my previous post I can see what I said wasn't very clear. I meant the performance in the field had been average as opposed to the bowling per se. The seamers have kept coming in & have bowled economically. Actually with SA's rate of scoring it's been pretty soporific stuff at times.

What I found puzzling were Chanderpaul's defensive fields so early in the day; at no point did SA really look like they were going to run away & chug along at 4.5 an over, so why the negativity?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Brilliant TV coverage this.
When the Pope was dying they managed to have a little box in the corner showing the cricket during the "breaking news" cut away. When the lottery is on though, it's a completely different matter. Quite clearly money is God.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I have been watching it, yes. Having read back my previous post I can see what I said wasn't very clear. I meant the performance in the field had been average as opposed to the bowling per se. The seamers have kept coming in & have bowled economically. Actually with SA's rate of scoring it's been pretty soporific stuff at times.

What I found puzzling were Chanderpaul's defensive fields so early in the day; at no point did SA really look like they were going to run away & chug along at 4.5 an over, so why the negativity?

The 3 points of criticism that can be brought regarding the West Indies:

1. Ridiculously poor captaincy.
2. Ridiculously poor batting (bar Lara, and Bravo and Chanders to a lesser extent)
3. Ridiculously substandard wicketkeeping.

The West Indies bowling attack has been called many things over the recent years, but disciplined is rarely one of them. Today they have been disciplined in glorious batting conditons (that are extremely disappointing for the Kensington Oval).

The positives:

1. Much less noballs.
2. More application with the ball.
3. DWAYNE BRAVO! - the effort of the young man today has really been something special. He should get a standing ovation when he walks off the field.

 

[jot1]

If only you had as much understanding of cricket as you clearly do arrogance.

Do tell how the West Indies has bowled or fielded poorly today?
Less arrogance and more sense please.

Actually, arrogance has nothing to do with it. Comparison was more the point.
WI bowled 172 overs, gave 521 runs and took 8 wickets.
SA bowled 92.2 overs, gave 296 runs (176 of which went to the world's best batsman, so effectively 120 runs to the other 9) and took 10 wickets.
On the same flat pitch.
Did the Windies really bowl that well?

 

[Prince EWS]

Actually, arrogance has nothing to do with it. Comparison was more the point.
WI bowled 172 overs, gave 521 runs and took 8 wickets.
SA bowled 92.2 overs, gave 296 runs (176 of which went to the world's best batsman, so effectively 120 runs to the other 9) and took 10 wickets.
On the same flat pitch.
Did the Windies really bowl that well?

From that, you could also conclude that the Windies batted really poorly.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Actually, arrogance has nothing to do with it. Comparison was more the point.
WI bowled 172 overs, gave 521 runs and took 8 wickets.
SA bowled 92.2 overs, gave 296 runs (176 of which went to the world's best batsman, so effectively 120 runs to the other 9) and took 10 wickets.
On the same flat pitch.
Did the Windies really bowl that well?

Congratulations, you've just proved how silly it is to look at stats alone.

As was stated above and is infinitely clear to those who have watched the game without bias, the West Indies batted extremely poorly. No educated cricket spectator in his/her right mind can say truthfully that the West Indies has bowled poorly.

 

[SJS]

The 3 points of criticism that can be brought regarding the West Indies:

1. Ridiculously poor captaincy.
2. Ridiculously poor batting (bar Lara, .....)
3. Ridiculously substandard wicketkeeping.

.

SO ? What's new ??

Oh yeah, for once it does not include...
Ridiculously toothless bowling

But why?

Did you find it having some teeth or was it not ridiculous enough ??

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

SO ? What's new ??

Oh yeah, for once it does not include...
Ridiculously toothless bowling

But why?

Did you find it having some teeth or was it not ridiculous enough ??

Ridley Jacobs would be very disappointed in you.
The ridiculously poor 'keeping is new too.