***Official*** West Indies in England

[rivera213]

Woakes is quality.

I'd rather him in the team ahead of Harmison, Mahmood, Plunkett and Sidebottom.

As for KP, It's definitely a blow. He needs some time in the middle but he can easily just step into the team for the 1st test and get 150 so I don't think it's as essential as someone like Paul Collingwood spending time in the middle.

 

[grecian]

Hussain is rubbish at commentary, and it seems, judging players. One of the best bowlers under his leadership was a RFM bowler names Andrew Caddick ffs, you'd think he'd think about what he's saying.

Actualy, solid gritty not-as-talented-as-some batsmen seem to have a thing for fast bowlers. Mark Richardson clearly wants to have *** with Mitchell McClennaghan, who atm is about as much use as Harmison (reminds me of his a bit actualy)/

Who even is Woakes?

Nasser, best English commentator, IMHO.

Caddick would of struggled in today's Test cricket with the flat pitches also IMO, as the discrepancy shows between his first bowling efforts and second on the old pitches which deteriorated. Perhaps Nasser having captained him knows that, and looks for the x factor.

Even though I personally wish he'd stop looking in Saj or Harmys direction....

 

[Flem274*]

Nasser, best English commentator, IMHO.

Caddick would of struggled in today's Test cricket with the flat pitches also IMO, as the discrepancy shows between his first bowling efforts and second on the old pitches which deteriorated. Perhaps Nasser having captained him knows that, and looks for the x factor.

Even though I personally wish he'd stop looking in Saj or Harmys direction....

Haha yeah thats the problem. No problem with looking for X factor (though I disagree with sentiments expressed by some media that its limited to genuine quicks) but look at reasonably decent people please...

 

[rivera213]

Considering Nasser is an Essex man and like shis quick bowlers, I'm surprised he hasn't buffed up Maurice Chambers yet.

I like his commentary. Opinions are opinions and humans get things wrong but compare the Sky roster to the Setanta roster and which would you rather have?

Bob Willis is my favourite commentator/pundit. He just has to speak his mind once in a while...

 

[tooextracool]

Caddick would of struggled in today's Test cricket with the flat pitches also IMO, as the discrepancy shows between his first bowling efforts and second on the old pitches which deteriorated. Perhaps Nasser having captained him knows that, and looks for the x factor.

Caddick has always been a swing bowler, and when he got his length right, he was as devastating a swing bowler as any around. I dont see how the pitches affect him, since his hallmark has always been swing bowling. Even at the ripe old age of 38 he was taking 75 odd wickets in CC at under 24 a piece, and he has consistently been taking over 50 wickets every season when fit. He struggled when the ball was not swinging, especially in the subcontinent but otherwise he was a more than able deputy to the likes of Darren Gough.

Agreed on Nasser though, decent commentator IMO.

 

[tooextracool]

Hussain is rubbish at commentary, and it seems, judging players. One of the best bowlers under his leadership was a RFM bowler names Andrew Caddick ffs, you'd think he'd think about what he's saying.

Actualy, solid gritty not-as-talented-as-some batsmen seem to have a thing for fast bowlers. Mark Richardson clearly wants to have *** with Mitchell McClennaghan, who atm is about as much use as Harmison (reminds me of his a bit actualy)/

Who even is Woakes?

Judging players is not quite equivalent to good commentator though. Nasser always has been a poor judge of players, even when he was captain. His greatest skillset as captain, surprisingly enough given his reputation for having a very short fuse, was his communication relations role both with the players to get the best out of them and with the press so that they respected him which took the pressure off from Duncan. Like Hussain, Fletcher was also a very poor judge of players and we saw exactly what happened when he was given the omnipotent role on the selectorial panel.

However, I think Hussain is one of those commentators who actually thinks about the game and makes you smarter for having listened to him. He was innovative on the field as captain and hes definetly streets ahead of the likes of Gower and Botham in that sense.

 

[shivfan]

But the batting isn't strong enough. Having Bravo @ 6 & Ramdin @ 7, in test matches aint a recipe for success.

Horses for courses, IMHO....

I can see this being the line-up for the Bangladesh visit. But I take your point for the tour of Australia. On that tour, I believe Nash should be at six, Bravo at seven, and Ramdin at eight.

 

[superkingdave]

sat in the leeds rhinos supporters club sinking a few. Doesnt look great

 

[scorpiogal]

Well, there's a rain delay. Damn. I can't see it 'cause I'm at work

 

[roseboy64]

Showing the 2004 Champions Trophy Final.

 

[oitoitoi]

this one's a washout for sure

 

[zaremba]

I think Hussain is one of those commentators who actually thinks about the game and makes you smarter for having listened to him.

Yes, this is Hussain's great strength as a commentator - he offers genuine insight which always seems to elude most of the others. Botham and Gower being, as you say, two huge culprits in this regard.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Inspection at 3 (five mins from now for non UK readers). Think it's going to confirm the worst, myself.

Bummer for dav.

 

[superkingdave]

Inspection at 3 (five mins from now for non UK readers). Think it's going to confirm the worst, myself.

Bummer for dav.

yeah its been blazing sunshine for nearly four hours will be dissappointing tstl

 

[BoyBrumby]

yeah its been blazing sunshine for nearly four hours will be dissappointing tstl

Match abandoned. Bet that'll go down well.

EDIT: £600k on the drainage well spent, clearly...

 

[shivfan]

Match abandoned. Bet that'll go down well.

EDIT: £600k on the drainage well spent, clearly...

It makes no sense to stage a game like this at a ground which is a 'work in progress', as Holding points out....

This game could've been held at the Oval.

Maybe Headingley, like North Sound, should be barred from hosting internationals, until it gets its drainage sorted out.

 

[andruid]

It makes no sense to stage a game like this at a ground which is a 'work in progress', as Holding points out....

This game could've been held at the Oval.

Maybe Headingley, like North Sound, should be barred from hosting internationals, until it gets its drainage sorted out.

I'm in Leeds right now and if the Sun shines any hotter we will be talking fire storms

 

[Daryl Harper]

Nasser, best English commentator, IMHO.....

 

[superkingdave]

I'm in Leeds right now and if the Sun shines any hotter we will be talking fire storms

Was really frustrating, was an afternoon for beergardens. Only positive is that when we actually went and had a look at our seats at about five to 3 they were right next to a load of screaming schoolkids so we weren't sure we could have lasted the match with them next to us anyway.

Got a special deal for the tickets which gave us a free ticket to a domestic twenty20 (excluding Lancs ) and a free ticket to any county championship game with the ticket for the ODI so another good thing is we'll still have the other free tickets despite getting a full refund (minus administration fee ) for the ODI.

Not a good advert for crossing the border. They also questioned me over the amount of money i was carrying over the border (£15) on the way back.

 

[PhoenixFire]

It makes no sense to stage a game like this at a ground which is a 'work in progress', as Holding points out....

This game could've been held at the Oval.

Maybe Headingley, like North Sound, should be barred from hosting internationals, until it gets its drainage sorted out.

I don't know where you are from, but I am from about 10 miles away from Headingley and I have never known a sustained period of such sustained heavy rain as we have had over the past 2 weeks. It would be ridiculous to expect any sort of drainage system to be able to cope with the levels we have had.