***Official*** West Indies in Australia

[andyc]

With Bracken in the squad for Hodge I think it's a good sign for MacGill, because now the selectors will have to play Watson for Hodge which, to me, looks like they're trying to have that third seaming option for playing two spinners.

 

[Craig]

Inevitable. The selectors tend to prefer having the 12th man as a bowler, and I think now that they've blooded Watson, he needs to be given a good shot in the side, just as Brad Hodge should have if he got the guernsey. Hodge now will probably be relegated to this generation's "Jamie Siddons", very unlucky to never played International cricket.

Well he did make 32 off 37 before Wasim Akram got him out

 

[Craig]

yea i know about all of that, but i have heard that their is a lot of rain in brisbane currently & those type of conditions could come about....

Well it is hot and humid here and there is a habit of huge eletrical storms hitting the region in summer time (doing so right now).

I mean Kevin Mitchell Snr once (famously I should add) drove onto the field in an ODI in the mid 80's when dark clouds were threatening without the umpires signalling for him to come on, telling them to get off because it is about to start pouring down with rain, wisely they did just that and when the covers got laid it started and the match was saved and not abandoned.

 

[Craig]

Who opens now that Hinds is out until the 2nd Test?

 

[The Baconator]

Who opens now that Hinds is out until the 2nd Test?

Most likely Devon Smith.

 

[Prince EWS]

Who opens now that Hinds is out until the 2nd Test?

I dont think Hinds would have opened anyway to tell you the truth. He was likely to bat #6 with Devon Smith opening. It'll just be a straight swap with Marlon Samuels now.

 

[Nate]

Go Bracks. He should bowl well, did it in the Pura Cup final. Best of luck to him, if selected. And I would like to see Collins in the team, he`s awesome. Lawson, Collymore to open, Bravo as a change bowler and then either Powell, Collins or Dave, most likely Powell and Dave

 

[Prince EWS]

Go Bracks. He should bowl well, did it in the Pura Cup final. Best of luck to him, if selected. And I would like to see Collins in the team, he`s awesome. Lawson, Collymore to open, Bravo as a change bowler and then either Powell, Collins or Dave, most likely Powell and Dave

Collins isnt in the squad - he was ruled out with injury.

 

[Nate]

My bad. Well, Collymore is also cool.

 

[aussie]

I completely agree with all of that. Powell, Lawson and Collymore are the West Indies best bowlers. If they decide to play four specialist quicks, Best, Collins and Edwards should fight it out based on form and conditions (obviously Collins would be useful if the pitch had a bit of grass and it was overcast, while Best would be a better choice if the pitch was quick and carried, with Edwards lying somewhere in between). I'd be inclined to just pick Powell, Lawson and Collymore though, with Bravo in there primarily for his bowling, and Gayle and Samuels to only bowl sparingly.

not wild Lawson, him and best are practically the same. Edwards is a much better option his accuracy this year at least has improved a great deal & once he gets it right he would be more dangerous than either Lawson or Best. West Indies best combination once everyone is fit should be Collins, Collymore, Edwards/Powell.

With regards to Powell he has been good but once Edwards continues to improve on his control etc i would pick him over Powell...

 

[Prince EWS]

not wild Lawson, him and best are practically the same. Edwards is a much better option his accuracy this year at least has improved a great deal & once he gets it right he would be more dangerous than either Lawson or Best. West Indies best combination once everyone is fit should be Collins, Collymore, Edwards/Powell.

With regards to Powell he has been good but once Edwards continues to improve on his control etc i would pick him over Powell...

I really rate Lawson quite highly. He gets more movement than Best and generally bowls a much better length. Powell is lightyears ahead of Edwards at this stage of their careers.

Edwards may be able to produce a 6/30 performance once a year, but its really not worth the twenty instances of 1/120 he dishes out inbetween them. Edwards has more talent, but Powell is more consistant and seems to have a better head on his shoulders.

 

[Mister Wright]

You will note that I said, "whilst he was there."

Obviously , Maher's innings was much more valuable but he certainly did not look as good as Watson during the time they shared together at the crease.

You're kidding. You've just lost any respect I had for you. Maher always looks comfortable at the crease, the same can't be said of Watson.

 

[Mister Wright]

Inevitable. The selectors tend to prefer having the 12th man as a bowler, and I think now that they've blooded Watson, he needs to be given a good shot in the side, just as Brad Hodge should have if he got the guernsey. Hodge now will probably be relegated to this generation's "Jamie Siddons", very unlucky to never played International cricket.

Siddons played a ODI...

 

[Mister Wright]

Great effort from Powell today. This Queensland side has 8 current or former Australian players in it, and it's certainly not a weak batting lineup. If it wasn't for Ryan Le Loux turning it on with the bat in his second ever FC match, Queensland could have been bowled out for 220 or 230 easily. As it is, it's still not a huge score.

Powell bowled excellently, shame he was injured.

The problem with the Windies bowlers today is they didn't bowl enough on the stumps. Also, they let the pressure off when they got 8 wickets, it was very annoying, there is nothing worse than watching tailenders bat even if they are from Qld.

There wasn't much playing and missing, plenty of four balls, but the Windies bowlers definitely have the ability to bowl wicket balls. Watch out Clarkey.

 

[Mister Wright]

yea i know about all of that, but i have heard that their is a lot of rain in brisbane currently & those type of conditions could come about....

Even still, the pitch is only going to swing for half an hour and then be flat as. Kevin Mitchell Jnr, is the best groundsman in the country, you can be guaranteed of a belter of a pitch.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Hmm, not too bad from WI point of view. Impressive effort from Powell to dismiss Hayden, Love, Watson and Hopes, poor return for Best though. A bit odd that WI went into the match with basically three bowlers, with Samuels bowling a lot of overs. Quite a good performance to keep Queensland to 300-ish in light of that, though it could've been much less at 7-183.

I expect Hinds was expected to bowl a fair few overs too. Still, it is rather strange indeed, especially since I figured the bowling department would be the area where the most competition would be heading into the first Test.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I completely agree with all of that. Powell, Lawson and Collymore are the West Indies best bowlers. If they decide to play four specialist quicks, Best, Collins and Edwards should fight it out based on form and conditions (obviously Collins would be useful if the pitch had a bit of grass and it was overcast, while Best would be a better choice if the pitch was quick and carried, with Edwards lying somewhere in between). I'd be inclined to just pick Powell, Lawson and Collymore though, with Bravo in there primarily for his bowling, and Gayle and Samuels to only bowl sparingly.

If fit (which he rarely seems to be these days) Pedro Collins is as good a bowler as any in the West Indies.

I'm not sure Powell, Lawson, Collymore, Bravo can take 20 wickets against Australia tbh. I think one more bowler may be needed in there. From what I've seen of each of them lately, I'd prefer Edwards to Best. That leaves a long tail, but unless the teams takes 20 wickets, it doesn't matter how many runs they score.

That said, England won the Ashes with 4 seamers and Giles. Gayle is at least as good a Giles as Ashley is, IMO.

 

[Mister Wright]

If fit (which he rarely seems to be these days) Pedro Collins is as good a bowler as any in the West Indies.

I'm not sure Powell, Lawson, Collymore, Bravo can take 20 wickets against Australia tbh. I think one more bowler may be needed in there. From what I've seen of each of them lately, I'd prefer Edwards to Best. That leaves a long tail, but unless the teams takes 20 wickets, it doesn't matter how many runs they score.

That said, England won the Ashes with 4 seamers and Giles. Gayle is at least as good a Giles as Ashley is, IMO.

Best was very ordinary today. I don't know if he knows what stumps looks like, because he never aimed at them.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Best was very ordinary today. I don't know if he knows what stumps looks like, because he never aimed at them.

He struggled for effectiveness for the most part throughout the KFC Cup. I'd think he was injured in some way, then I'd remember we're referring to Tino Best. Maybe he got over-excited at the quick and bouncy pitches.

 

[tooextracool]

typo..., i meant it wasn't good enough.

and he wasnt picked for his bowling in the first place. he was picked because they thought his batting had potential, and all the impact that he made until then in FC cricket came with the bat not the ball.