***Official*** West Indies in England

[Howsie]

Hmm. I disagree. You don't need one defensive bowler any more than you need a leg-spinner or a left-handed batsman. All you need is good bowlers. West Indies need someone else at least at the level of Edwards and Taylor, the style of such a player isn't especially relevant IMO.

Well Dwayne Bravo is a good enough bowler not to be smacked around like others they have tried, so when he gets back to full fitness this West Indies team should improve. And what you have said is true, but is there anyone in the West Indies that is near there playing level. I can't imagine so.

 

[King Pietersen]

Rav gone. Desperately unlucky dismissal, an excellent 49 all the same though. One of my favourite batsmen to watch in world cricket atm.

 

[Howsie]

Ravi looking excellent once more, we have to stick with him. Hes got the perfect mix of talent and mental attitude, unlike players that have opened for us in the past... *cough* Bell *cough* Rav's just getting better and better, I knew he had it in him!

Aussie's.

 

[Manee]

Rav gone. Desperately unlucky dismissal, and excellent 49 all the same though. One of my favourite batsmen to watch in world cricket atm.

Rav gone after a solid start at the top of the innings. Who does that remind you of?

 

[King Pietersen]

Lol, you've got a point, but Ravi's impressed me far more than Ian Bell at the top of the order in ODI cricket. I've watched alot of Bopara in OD cricket for Essex, and last season he played some truely excellent innings. I agree it's a little early to be praising him highly, but I do think he's got the potential to be a top class cricketer. He's certainly very entertaining to watch as well, such a pretty style and so fluid through the on-side, a joy to watch when at full flow.

 

[Uppercut]

Rav gone after a solid start at the top of the innings. Who does that remind you of?

The difference is that when Ian Bell does it he's not dismissed with a strike rate of 90.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Needs to stop aerially picking out infielders in Tests though. Don't think Australia will drop him as readily as West Indies did. Sounds like a piss poor pitch for a limited overs match.

 

[Howsie]

Low and Slow, thats England's tempo.

 

[roseboy64]

Ravi Rampaul and Andrew Richardson for those wondering about other pacers who seem ready.

 

[King Pietersen]

Bopara was striking at 90 and Prior's striking at 140. I wouldn't say we're going too slowly. A run rate of 5.46 an over on a pitch like this is very healthy. I'd like to see Morgan come in ahead of Collingwood though, he'll do a better job of knocking the spinners around than Collingwood.

 

[pskov]

Ideally, Bopara would be at 3 rather than opening (well, really ideally he'd be at 4 with KP at 3). But then England have been more than willing to piss about with the openers for the last 3 years or so, so really as long as he is doing no worse than okay opening they'll probably stick with him considering how dire our openers have been in the recent past.

 

[Manee]

Lol, you've got a point, but Ravi's impressed me far more than Ian Bell at the top of the order in ODI cricket. I've watched alot of Bopara in OD cricket for Essex, and last season he played some truely excellent innings. I agree it's a little early to be praising him highly, but I do think he's got the potential to be a top class cricketer. He's certainly very entertaining to watch as well, such a pretty style and so fluid through the on-side, a joy to watch when at full flow.

The difference is that when Ian Bell does it he's not dismissed with a strike rate of 90.

Bopara was striking at 90 and Prior's striking at 140. I wouldn't say we're going too slowly. A run rate of 5.46 an over on a pitch like this is very healthy. I'd like to see Morgan come in ahead of Collingwood though, he'll do a better job of knocking the spinners around than Collingwood.

I'm just winding you up, KP.

 

[King Pietersen]

Ideally, Bopara would be at 3 rather than opening (well, really ideally he'd be at 4 with KP at 3). But then England have been more than willing to piss about with the openers for the last 3 years or so, so really as long as he is doing no worse than okay opening they'll probably stick with him considering how dire our openers have been in the recent past.

Yeh, that's a fair point, I reckon Ravi'd do well at 3, being where he bats for Essex in OD cricket. Would be nice to see a Trott or a Davies come in to partner Strauss if he is going to be staying in the side. But personally I'd love to see an XI of:

Trott
Davies +
Bopara
Pietersen
Morgan
Collingwood
Flintoff
Mascheranas
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Not sure who'd captain the side, possibly Colly, or KP if he'd take it. Don't think we'd be carrying any passengers in that side and I think it's a very strong OD side. Just unfortunate that the selectors seem unwilling to pick Trott for the ODi side, he must have rubbed someone up the wrong way.

 

[Howsie]

and Prior's striking at 140

 

[King Pietersen]

When I typed that he was striking at 140. =/

Strauss been taking tips from Eoin Morgan, reverse sweep for 4. Nice stuff.

 

[Howsie]

When I typed that he was striking at 140. =/

Strauss been taking tips from Eoin Morgan, reverse sweep for 4. Nice stuff.

And he had only faced eight balls.

Regarding your side wouldn't Colly be better suited coming in at five.

 

[pskov]

Just to make it clear how poor England's ODI openers have been over the last three years:

Trescothick - 9 matches, 45.57 ave, SR 87.47
Bopara - 10 matches, 32.30 ave, SR 75.64
Strauss - 24 matches, 31.45 ave, SR 72.76
Bell - 21 matches, 31.05 ave, SR 71.02
Joyce - 13 matches, 31.00 ave, SR 69.48
Cook - 23 matches, 30.52, SR 68.15
Prior - 18 matches, 26.13, SR 76.86
Mustard - 10 matches, 23.30 ave, SR 92.46

This is why even though Bopara has been no more than barely acceptable as an opener so far in his career, England may stick with him in that position purely because everyone else they tried has been even worse (and I didn't even bother to list Luke Wright, Mal Loye or Vaughan either...).

 

[King Pietersen]

I don't think so. Morgan is better in the middle overs, facing the spinners and bringing out his sweeps and reverse sweeps and paddle shots. Collingwood could then act as a finisher of the innings, a job that he has done in the past on the rare ocassion we've made a big score. I'd much rather see Morgan facing the middle overs ahead of Colly, he can come in and give it a whack at the end if need be.

 

[Howsie]

Just to make it clear how poor England's ODI openers have been over the last three years:

Trescothick - 9 matches, 45.57 ave, SR 87.47
Bopara - 10 matches, 32.30 ave, SR 75.64
Strauss - 24 matches, 31.45 ave, SR 72.76
Bell - 21 matches, 31.05 ave, SR 71.02
Joyce - 13 matches, 31.00 ave, SR 69.48
Cook - 23 matches, 30.52, SR 68.15
Prior - 18 matches, 26.13, SR 76.86
Mustard - 10 matches, 23.30 ave, SR 92.46

This is why even though Bopara has done no more than barely acceptable as an opener so far in his career, England may stick with him in that position purely because everyone else they tried has been even worse (and I didn't even bother to list Luke Wright, Mal Loye or Vaughan either...)

Mustard was the best ODI opener I had seen from England in a few years, I don't know why they didn't stick with him.

 

[King Pietersen]

LOL. He cashed in once on an awfully flat deck on a ground with incredibly short boundaries. Mustard was a 1 season wonder that failed miserably at international level. Just another poor attempt from England to try and find a Gilchrist-esque opener in ODI cricket. Mustard's done basically nothing since he was dropped from the England side. I'd take Strauss, Bopara, Bell and even Cook ahead of Mustard at the top of the order in ODi cricket.

50 up for Strauss. Looking decent enough in ODi cricket. His plan is clearly to bat for the full innings and get a hundred and build a platform and let the strokemakers play around him. Seems to be working so far.

Damn, jinxed him. Ah well, good innings all the same.