**Official** West Indies in England Thread

[Adamc]

A very strange one if that's now a shot!

Where is it in the MCC Coaching manual?

None of Chanderpaul's shots are in the coaching manual.

 

[Swervy]

None of Chanderpaul's shots are in the coaching manual.

i think the point is that he didnt play a stroke

 

[tooextracool]

Yes Gayle has been exceptional this morning, Jones gone to a beauty from Lawson

i dont think gayle was exceptional yesterday, he was accurate and he bowled it flat and fast. but whether he deserved to get 5 wickets, im leaning towards a no because most of it was due to the batsmen trying to get quick runs.
lawson bowled better on the 4th day than he did on the 3rd when he got 3 wickets. he managed to get the ball to reverse(as shown by the one that got jones) and for the first time this test he bowled on target.....meanwhile strauss really needs to stop going after everything thats way outside the off stump.

 

[Craig]

Fielding: Engalnd are pretty good, although these simple catches being dropped would be punished by Australia..but anyone see Andersons catch!!!!!

Like Vaughan's dolly he dropped?

England, and in particular Mark Butcher drop too many catches for my liking against Australia

Confidence: Confidence comes with victories, of which now England have, is it 8 out of 9.

This happens most of the time in the lead up to an Ashes Series. They play well, then against Australia, they seem to lose it all like they don't think they can win.

 

[Swervy]

Like Vaughan's dolly he dropped?

England, and in particular Mark Butcher drop too many catches for my liking against Australia.

as i say these simple catches being dropped will be punished by Australia..england really need to step up on those.

This happens most of the time in the lead up to an Ashes Series. They play well, then against Australia, they seem to lose it all like they don't think they can win.

I think that anyone watching this England team can see things are a bit different from the past...the line up is pretty stable, they are playing the game with a bit of that killer instinct that is required...and the one factor that is in Englands favour compared to previous times is the play of Flintoff

I am not saying that England are in a position to win YET, but if improvement keeps on happening at this rate (and I am not just talking about results, just improvement in play) England will give Australia a run for their money...I think McGrath will be in for a bit of a shock if he thinks it will be 3-0

 

[Craig]

Look if they are fully fit, then England have as good as a chance as any and I feel this is England's best chance is years.

Kevin Pietersen will be available, but whether or not he is in the England team is anybodies guess. At this stage I see no spot for him.

I think they also have to back themselves a lot more, that should give them a chance. They hit plenty of fours off Warne and McGrath, and these two dominate England, so I think a good tatic would be show videos of them hitting fours, and just general highlights when they have done well v Australia to show they can compete against them.

Is it correct that Bob Willis has written off England already?

 

[tooextracool]

as i say these simple catches being dropped will be punished by Australia..england really need to step up on those.

yes time and time again we've seen poor fielding from england cost them games against australia.....personally i think if butcher doesnt improve his fielding by then it would be better to have pieterson in his place(if he establishes himself at the intl level)

I think that anyone watching this England team can see things are a bit different from the past...the line up is pretty stable, they are playing the game with a bit of that killer instinct that is required...and the one factor that is in Englands favour compared to previous times is the play of Flintoff

i couldnt agree with you more about flintoff, i think the side without flintoff looks a bit frail because hes crucial in just about every department and that includes motivating the side. hes never played an ashes series before so he has no dirty laundry and i think he will be crucial to englands fortunes.

 

[garage flower]

Umpires have been crap. The West Indies were in with a chance to save this test until Lara and Chanderpaul were given out. Shocking decisions.

England have now become the biggest exponents of over-appealing in test cricket. They bully umpires by appealling for everything. It is unsportsmanlike conduct.

We'll see how they go against the Aussies....

It'll sound like sour grapes, but I tend to agree. When Giles has been bowling they've appealed for absolutely everything that's hit the pad or gone past the edge. Certainly verging on unsportsmanlike and particularly when compared to Lara's attitude.

The umpires may not have been "crap" in general, I haven't really been able to watch enough to give an informed opinion, but they've definitely made some howlers and the 2 notable ones in the 1st test (Gayle and Lara) could quite conceivably have altered the result.

 

[Swervy]

It'll sound like sour grapes, but I tend to agree. When Giles has been bowling they've appealed for absolutely everything that's hit the pad or gone past the edge. Certainly verging on unsportsmanlike and particularly when compared to Lara's attitude.

The umpires may not have been "crap" in general, I haven't really been able to watch enough to give an informed opinion, but they've definitely made some howlers and the 2 notable ones in the 1st test (Gayle and Lara) could quite conceivably have altered the result.

the way i have seen it alot of the appeals are when Giles is bowling to the left handers,and so you have got to expect a bit of appealing...but what do you expect when the lefties are just padding up and playing no shots

 

[Arjun]

Suddenly, Giles returns to form. What could have started this wicket-taking streak of his?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Suddenly, Giles returns to form. What could have started this wicket-taking streak of his?

He favouring bowling over the wicket and has found more accuracy of length from what I saw in the Caribbean. He's also got a better loop to his action now. I think Giles is the type of bowler who needs to be bowled and he's only now getting in the number of overs he needs to stay sharp.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It'll sound like sour grapes, but I tend to agree. When Giles has been bowling they've appealed for absolutely everything that's hit the pad or gone past the edge. Certainly verging on unsportsmanlike and particularly when compared to Lara's attitude.

I don't think the appealing has been excessive. They have appealed a fair bit, but when you know you've got a chance, however minute, of taking a wicket, go ahead and appeal IMO. It's better than having a batsman out and not bothering to appeal.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

i dont think gayle was exceptional yesterday, he was accurate and he bowled it flat and fast. but whether he deserved to get 5 wickets, im leaning towards a no because most of it was due to the batsmen trying to get quick runs.

And a part-time spinner bowling in those circumstances is easy stuff is it?

 

[Swervy]

I don't think the appealing has been excessive. They have appealed a fair bit, but when you know you've got a chance, however minute, of taking a wicket, go ahead and appeal IMO. It's better than having a batsman out and not bothering to appeal.

which i beleive is what happened in the first test, when a WI player caught someone in slips and WI didnt appeal

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

which i beleive is what happened in the first test, when a WI player caught someone in slips and WI didnt appeal

Smith wasn't sure if he caught it, understandable. However, Lara appealed then Smith joined in, but the umpire said not out.

 

[Revelation]

brilliant umpriing won't you say??

 

[marc71178]

Suddenly, Giles returns to form. What could have started this wicket-taking streak of his?

IMO the 35 straight overs he bowled at Lords against NZ on the Sunday.

He regained his rhythm, didn't concede many runs, and got a little confidence boost.

 

[marc71178]

Smith wasn't sure if he caught it, understandable. However, Lara appealed then Smith joined in, but the umpire said not out.

Didn't Smith initially shake his head indicating he didn't think it had carried?

 

[Swervy]

IMO the 35 straight overs he bowled at Lords against NZ on the Sunday.

He regained his rhythm, didn't concede many runs, and got a little confidence boost.

yeah Giles more than many bowlers is a confidence bowler, when he has that, his true potential comes through...also the fact that England are scoring big runs gives him a bit more to play with

 

[garage flower]

His bat wasn't anywhere near it. I caught that on first glance.

Same here. A bona fide howler.