**Official** West Indies in England Thread

[wpdavid]

IMO Tino Best will be the best WI bowler.

I saw him last year on his Test debut v Australia at Barbados, I saw there was potential there if he could fix his run up and his delievery jump, and to his credit he has.

How fit is Simon Jones?

If not James Anderson should play ahead of him.

Jones played for Glamorgan against SL 'A' - and got dispatched all over Cardiff. Unfortunately Glam don't have any 4-day games before the 1st test due to the 20/20 tournament.

Personally I'd play Anderson ahead of Hoggard anyway.

 

[tooextracool]

Yup. I was pleased to hear him recognise that he wasn't bowling at his best. His attitude is *so* much better nowadays.

Anyway Marc, time to get off the fence. Which 2 from Jones, Hoggard & Anderson should support SH, assuming they're all fit?

if jones is fit....not just fit but match fit then he should be part of the starting lineup. if you ask me, he has more potential than hoggard,anderson and flintoff combined and provides some well needed variety into the attack. between anderson and hoggard it really doesnt matter because i dont think either of them would fair better.....but the selectors will pick hoggard ahead of anderson.

 

[wpdavid]

if jones is fit....not just fit but match fit then he should be part of the starting lineup. if you ask me, he has more potential than hoggard,anderson and flintoff combined and provides some well needed variety into the attack. between anderson and hoggard it really doesnt matter because i dont think either of them would fair better.....but the selectors will pick hoggard ahead of anderson.

I'm struggling to see how Jones will be match fit by next Thursday as Glam don't have a FC game before then. Like you, I think he could potentially offer something very different, judging by that spell he bowled with the old ball at Lord's, but I agree that he shouldn't play unless match fit.

I disagree slightly about Anderson. At present it may be a close call between him & Hoggard, but I think Anderson should improve over the next 12 months, whereas it's hard to see Hoggard getting much better. That's why I'd play him now rather than throw him in against SA or Aus.

 

[marc71178]

Anyway Marc, time to get off the fence. Which 2 from Jones, Hoggard & Anderson should support SH, assuming they're all fit?

I'm in danger of getting splinters!

For me it's Jones and Hoggard - that foursome really gelled IMO, and I see no reason to change it.

 

[Andre]

IMO Tino Best will be the best WI bowler.

I saw him last year on his Test debut v Australia at Barbados, I saw there was potential there if he could fix his run up and his delievery jump, and to his credit he has.

The same Tino Best who took 0/99 from 20 overs and had Steve Waugh asking if he had ever bowled before?

 

[garage flower]

The same Tino Best who took 0/99 from 20 overs and had Steve Waugh asking if he had ever bowled before?

Yes, and the same sterile Barbados wicket that Waugh described as the worst he'd ever played on in terms of assistance (or lack of) offered to bowlers.

 

[Andre]

Yes, and the same sterile Barbados wicket that Waugh described as the worst he'd ever played on in terms of assistance (or lack of) offered to bowlers.

What I'm trying to suggest is that Craig saw Bests potential through his statistics and Butsa Cup/Red Stripe Bowl performances than his performance in that Test, because he was absolutely and utterly woeful. An embarrasment.

To his credit he's worked hard with Wayne Daniel over the past 12 months and returned as a bowler who is in a differant ballpark to the player we saw on debut. Now, we have a bowler with limitless potential. Then, we had a pile of garbage who collapsed on the occassion.

 

[garage flower]

What I'm trying to suggest is that Craig saw Bests potential through his statistics and Butsa Cup/Red Stripe Bowl performances than his performance in that Test, because he was absolutely and utterly woeful. An embarrasment.

To his credit he's worked hard with Wayne Daniel over the past 12 months and returned as a bowler who is in a differant ballpark to the player we saw on debut. Now, we have a bowler with limitless potential. Then, we had a pile of garbage who collapsed on the occassion.

I was only stirring really. Just suggesting that his ugly performance should be looked at in the context of facing the best, most aggressive batting team in the world on a ludicrously dead pitch, with the added pressure of it being a debut in front of an expectant home crowd (with the benefit of hindsight, we can see how this latter factor might have affected an excitable character like Tino).

Presumably, Craig saw potential based largely on his raw pace and the considerable scope for improvement in his action.

As you point out though, he's made big strides since then and now clearly has the potential to be world-class.

 

[biased indian]

Originally Posted by Sudeep
Shouldn't this go into "Sticky" now, only a week left?

Originally Posted by marc71178
Usually goes sticky when it starts (or just before), so next Thursday I imagine.

So what is unusal about this thread that is has been made "Sticky" so soon
i have no problem though just asking

 

[wpdavid]

What is a "sticky" thread?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

What is a "sticky" thread?

One where people get a bit **too* excited over.

 

[marc71178]

So what is unusal about this thread that is has been made "Sticky" so soon
i have no problem though just asking

Dunno - it all depends on the whims of the mods - I guess one of the key things is to aviod have too many sticky at once as it clears a load of current threads off the top page.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm struggling to see how Jones will be match fit by next Thursday as Glam don't have a FC game before then. Like you, I think he could potentially offer something very different, judging by that spell he bowled with the old ball at Lord's, but I agree that he shouldn't play unless match fit.

Jones will be playing for the MCC tomorrow I believe.

 

[wpdavid]

Jones will be playing for the MCC tomorrow I believe.

That would make sense. We'll see how he goes.

 

[Craig]

What I'm trying to suggest is that Craig saw Bests potential through his statistics and Butsa Cup/Red Stripe Bowl performances than his performance in that Test, because he was absolutely and utterly woeful. An embarrasment.

To his credit he's worked hard with Wayne Daniel over the past 12 months and returned as a bowler who is in a differant ballpark to the player we saw on debut. Now, we have a bowler with limitless potential. Then, we had a pile of garbage who collapsed on the occassion.

His Carib Beer Cup stats didn't come into contention to what I saw.

GF summed it correctly. I saw pace and he could improve.

I don't usually listen to what Steve Waugh has to say. And I don't see why I should.

 

[Adamc]

This MCC Team could be quite a handful - 7 of the XI have represented their country.

 

[Andre]

I don't usually listen to what Steve Waugh has to say. And I don't see why I should.

I'll use one of your weird analogies to sum it up:

'There is as much chance of you knowing more about cricket than Steve Waugh than there is of the Melbourne Storm playing their home games for the rest of the season in Monaco.'

The words of Steve Waugh have a lot to offer to most students of the game.

 

[Craig]

What I'm saying is Andre is that I shouldn't take Steve Waugh's opinions for gospal and what he says should direct what I think. That is all.

Of course he is going to know more then me, did I ever deny it? He played his first Test when I was 6 months old.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

This MCC Team could be quite a handful - 7 of the XI have represented their country.

How is the MCC team selected? As many of these players don't exactly come from Marylebone in London, I'm a bit uncertain about what the criteria are.

 

[Craig]

I guess it is a like an Invitation XI I think.

That should help.