***Official*** West Indies in New Zealand

[sirjeremy11]

If the West Indies can see off Shane Bond with the new ball they stand an excellent chance in this test series I reckon.

And the old one!

 

[sportychic33]

Sounds like you've been listening to that talkback caller Dave on Radio Sport (the guy with a jockey's voice who apparently rings up to 4 times a day). The whole 'Fulton is too limited a player' argument is far too hasty a judgement IMO. Unfashionable performers like Andrew Jones, Richardson, etc. all eventually got a chance through weight of runs; Fulton shouldn't suddenly be NZ's exception.

Besides, Fulton should've been irrelevant to this whole backlash IMO. Vincent's implied he wishes to bat # 4 or lower, while the current panel (or the skipper himself) seemingly dictate all future test sides are selected around Fleming being no higher than # 4. If Vincent bats at # 3 for Auckland in the coming weeks, then I'd agree, Fulton's in his sights.

Wow, no I haven't been listening to Dave from Radio Sport as I don't listen to Radio Sport much now, I have been talking to family members (no they aren't dave either) and friends who have also noticed about Fulton's limited shot selection, although he maybe able to show a wider range of shots in the longer game as he did manage to get 301 in State Champs a few seasons ago so he must have a few more shots up his sleeve.

Also my nit-picking about Fulton is probably also the fact that I really believe that Vincent should be in the team as he is the incumbent and with his 200 against Sri Lanka in the middle order in April last year should warrant him a place over Fulton

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

What's the big deal??!!

Can you imagine if Ponting had said to the British media after the loss to Bangladesh "Get off our backs. We have produced legends of the game. What have they done? Nothing."?

Or Nasser had said something similar in the late 90's when England were losing (to most teams)?

It was a stupid thing to say. Harsh words are fine. Words to fire up your team are fine. But stupid words are just stupid. How about a "I'm very disappointed in the boys performance. They are capable of so much more. Your boys have performed well". Not a virtual "I don't see what the big deal is. Up until ten years ago, we were thrashing you. Our history is better than yours so shut your mouth".

Lara is just lashing out because his team have lost 19 of their past 22 one-day internationals and 12 of their most recent 15 tests, including the last six consecutively. Why should the media not talk about that? This is the once great West Indies we are talking here. The team, who two tours ago, came here and thrashed the pants off us. Why would we not want to talk about it, to ask why? Lara took a cheap shot at our poor cricket history because he cannot defend the recent performance of the WI side vs the recent NZ side.

Plus, the reason I compared him to Ponting is that they are both brilliant batsmen. Ponting happens to say dumb stuff under pressure (much like George W), and I think Lara has given us motivation here to write a nice new piece of cricketing history.

Anyway, this series is mainly interesting to me as we have not performed that well in tests ourselves in recent times.

You're way over-reacting, especially for a fan of the team that is still huge favourite to win the series. James sums up my sentiments perfectly.

Again, what's the big deal?

 

[sirjeremy11]

You're way over-reacting, especially for a fan of the team that is still huge favourite to win the series. James sums up my sentiments perfectly.

Again, what's the big deal?

I'm not big on cheap shots. Especially from a player who should be able to do his talking from tomorrow by racking up runs against us.

If he wanted to fire up his team, he shouldn't have taken a swipe at our cricket history. That's disrespectful. Especially when the headlin is "Show some respect".

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

That you're upset over this due to it being a "cheap shot" shows that you're over-reacting. West Indies cricket has taken far harsher sledging from all manner of person, including New Zealand reporters in this very series. Lara's just standing up for his own. He's fully entitled.

 

[Blaze]

Let's just forget about Vettori while we're at it too...

The guy who averages 35 in tests?

 

[sirjeremy11]

The guy who averages 35 in tests?

Name any other NZ spinner in the last ten years would have done any better.

 

[honestbharani]

What's the big deal??!!

Can you imagine if Ponting had said to the British media after the loss to Bangladesh "Get off our backs. We have produced legends of the game. What have they done? Nothing."?

Or Nasser had said something similar in the late 90's when England were losing (to most teams)?

It was a stupid thing to say. Harsh words are fine. Words to fire up your team are fine. But stupid words are just stupid. How about a "I'm very disappointed in the boys performance. They are capable of so much more. Your boys have performed well". Not a virtual "I don't see what the big deal is. Up until ten years ago, we were thrashing you. Our history is better than yours so shut your mouth".

Lara is just lashing out because his team have lost 19 of their past 22 one-day internationals and 12 of their most recent 15 tests, including the last six consecutively. Why should the media not talk about that? This is the once great West Indies we are talking here. The team, who two tours ago, came here and thrashed the pants off us. Why would we not want to talk about it, to ask why? Lara took a cheap shot at our poor cricket history because he cannot defend the recent performance of the WI side vs the recent NZ side.

Plus, the reason I compared him to Ponting is that they are both brilliant batsmen. Ponting happens to say dumb stuff under pressure (much like George W), and I think Lara has given us motivation here to write a nice new piece of cricketing history.

Anyway, this series is mainly interesting to me as we have not performed that well in tests ourselves in recent times.

The difference is, I don't think the Bangladesh media said that Australia shouldn't be playing test cricket, which is what (I think) was said in the NZ media. Plus, Lara is someone who takes a lot of pride from the cricketing culture of the Windies. I think all the crap that was written in the NZ media (in fact, media all over the world write crap most of the time) has just fired him up. I personally don't see what is wrong with what he said if in fact the NZ media were questioning the test status of the Windies.

 

[Blaze]

Name any other NZ spinner in the last ten years would have done any better.

What? Why would I want to do that?

 

[Blaze]

Lara is the man, he can say whatever he wants IMO.

 

[sirjeremy11]

The difference is, I don't think the Bangladesh media said that Australia shouldn't be playing test cricket, which is what (I think) was said in the NZ media. Plus, Lara is someone who takes a lot of pride from the cricketing culture of the Windies. I think all the crap that was written in the NZ media (in fact, media all over the world write crap most of the time) has just fired him up. I personally don't see what is wrong with what he said if in fact the NZ media were questioning the test status of the Windies.

I don't think they were questioning the test status of the West Indies. They were just pointing out the fact they were at a very low ebb. I think anyone who knows about cricket can acknowledge that in the past, the West Indies have been plain scary in terms of talent.

 

[sirjeremy11]

What? Why would I want to do that?

I always find it interesting when people bag Vettori because I think "Who would have done a better job than him over the last ten years?". The times he was injured show you that the answer is no one. Sure, statistically he may not be very impressive, but if with him we have a second rate spinner (as an example), what would we have had without him.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I don't think they were questioning the test status of the West Indies. They were just pointing out the fact they were at a very low ebb. I think anyone who knows about cricket can acknowledge that in the past, the West Indies have been plain scary in terms of talent.

There have been questions over the Test status in recent times, and with the sort of media abuse that the West Indies received during the latter half of that ODI series, it only served to add to the fire.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I always find it interesting when people bag Vettori because I think "Who would have done a better job than him over the last ten years?". The times he was injured show you that the answer is no one. Sure, statistically he may not be very impressive, but if with him we have a second rate spinner (as an example), what would we have had without him.

Vettori takes the Giles path.

*waits for comment that Vettori is way superior*

EDIT *...but not necessarily from sirjeremy*

 

[sirjeremy11]

Lara is the man, he can say whatever he wants IMO.

I don't care who you are (and I agree Lara is the batting man), I don't think you should bag another teams (proud - yes some are proud of the patchy history) history to make your own team look better. It's irrelevant to how good (or not) they are at the moment. Viv Richards, Curtly Ambrose, the 3 W's, Sobers etc, are not going to make a jot of difference tomorrow.

 

[Kippax]

my nit-picking about Fulton is probably also the fact that I really believe that Vincent should be in the team as he is the incumbent and with his 200 against Sri Lanka in the middle order in April last year should warrant him a place over Fulton

The thing is I'm not really sure what the media, fans etc. have meant when they've said that over the last few days, because in the context of the current side it's just not that simplistic IMO.

Assuming sides will keep being selected around Fleming's locked-in position at # 4 (rightly or wrongly), are people saying Vincent should be at # 3? If so, clearly Vincent should be fired up to bat there for Auckland from Saturday onwards I would've thought.

Or perhaps they're saying they want Styris bumped up to # 3 and Vincent slotted in at # 6. In that case, the debate should've really been clarified as "Styris over Fulton, to make room for Vincent".

 

[sirjeremy11]

There have been questions over the Test status in recent times, and with the sort of media abuse that the West Indies received during the latter half of that ODI series, it only served to add to the fire.

And was that "abuse" all from NZ media? Read some of the Windies media. It is just has critical. If not more so.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I don't care who you are (and I agree Lara is the batting man), I don't think you should bag another teams (proud - yes some are proud of the patchy history) history to make your own team look better. It's irrelevant to how good (or not) they are at the moment. Viv Richards, Curtly Ambrose, the 3 W's, Sobers etc, are not going to make a jot of difference tomorrow.

With all due respect to NZ cricket, but Lara hardly has to bag New Zealand's history to make the West Indies' look better. The record books speak for themselves. I'm sure he's well aware of that too.

Please don't construe this as an arrogant comment, because I assure you it isn't.

 

[sirjeremy11]

Vettori takes the Giles path.

*waits for comment that Vettori is way superior*

EDIT *...but not necessarily from sirjeremy*

Maybe not way superior, but I could not imagine the Australians getting 29 runs off Giles in an ODI. Unless maybe he only bowled two or three overs.

I'm not saying Vettori is an all time great here. He is just less crap then Giles.

 

[sirjeremy11]

With all due respect to NZ cricket, but Lara hardly has to bag New Zealand's history to make the West Indies' look better. The record books speak for themselves. I'm sure he's well aware of that too.

Please don't construe this as an arrogant comment, because I assure you it isn't.

Lara's sure sounded arrogant...

That's my point.