***Official*** West Indies in Zimbabwe and South Africa

[Fiery]

Wow...just checked the score. Must have been a pretty psychotic innings from Gayle

 

[chalky]

Bravo and Sammy aren't quicks.

And the choices of extra batsmen are Parchment and Devon Smith IIRC. The former has played a couple of ODIs against the might of Zimbabwe and a Twenty20, with one exceptional first-class season to his name. The latter is woefully out of form and could not even make double figures against said Zimbabweans.

I'd say West Indies are best served bolstering the bowling if they can't properly bolster the batting. And consider that Sammy was one of the few bright signs with the bat for WIndies in the tour match.

There not spin bowlers though are they? So you have 5 right arm medium/fast /Fast bowlers seems 1 too many for me in most circumatsnces

As you say though if there isn't anouther batsman in the squad who can do a job & Sammy can hold a bat then it may be the best selection.

It is a bit worrying though when a test team can't find 6 batsmen who can potentially do a decent job, test standard bowlers can be hard to find but usually not so batsmen.

 

[TT Boy]

Also, does anyone have an update on M. Mørkel? I would of thought he would be around the fringes of the team, is he still injured?

Yeah, Mørkel's with the squad but still isn't fit. South Africa are looking at the third test for him, if not then the one day series should see his comeback.

 

[Prince EWS]

There not spin bowlers though are they? So you have 5 right arm medium/fast /Fast bowlers seems 1 too many for me in most circumatsnces

As you say though if there isn't anouther batsman in the squad who can do a job & Sammy can hold a bat then it may be the best selection.

It is a bit worrying though when a test team can't find 6 batsmen who can potentially do a decent job, test standard bowlers can be hard to find but usually not so batsmen.

Yeah, Sammy took a 7 wicket haul in the last (and first!) test he played, is in decent batting form and has a ridiculously good record in first class cricket with the ball. One of the first on the team sheet for mine.

 

[Laurrz]

There not spin bowlers though are they? So you have 5 right arm medium/fast /Fast bowlers seems 1 too many for me in most circumatsnces

As you say though if there isn't anouther batsman in the squad who can do a job & Sammy can hold a bat then it may be the best selection.

It is a bit worrying though when a test team can't find 6 batsmen who can potentially do a decent job, test standard bowlers can be hard to find but usually not so batsmen.

bowling allrounder at 6 IMO is good

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

There not spin bowlers though are they? So you have 5 right arm medium/fast /Fast bowlers seems 1 too many for me in most circumatsnces

As you say though if there isn't anouther batsman in the squad who can do a job & Sammy can hold a bat then it may be the best selection.

It is a bit worrying though when a test team can't find 6 batsmen who can potentially do a decent job, test standard bowlers can be hard to find but usually not so batsmen.

Big gap between quick bowlers and spin bowlers. That's without being pedantic too. Calling Bravo and Sammy quicks is almost as bad as calling Mullally a quick bowler.

Anyway, this West Indies team is batting down to number 8. Not sure how that's lacking depth in the batting department. Clearly they consider Bravo a true allrounder and therefore worthy of justification at number six. After all, he has a hundred against Australia and was second-best to Chanderpaul agaisnt England this year. The kid can bat. And then there's Ramdin at seven, which is perfectly acceptable for a wicketkeeper, no? So to slot Sammy in at eight, given that he was pretty composed in the tour match and has a first-class hundred, 'tis not the worst move. And it certainly does not reflect a lack of depth in batting. To replace Sammy with a specialist batsman would be to restrict the bowling severely. South Africa is not an easy side to bowl out twice in a match. And Bravo is NOT a specialist bowler. Five main bowling options are necessary.

The more I think about it, the more ridiculous it seems to leave out Sammy from this side, as you are suggesting they might have.

 

[Prince EWS]

So to slot Sammy in at eight, given that he was pretty composed in the tour match and has a first-class hundred,

He does?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He does?

'Twas one of those things I typed and meant to check before posting.

I hate to admit it, but I believe I've momentarily confused him with...Dave Bernard jr.

EDIT: And now that I've checked, Bernard has 3 first-class hundred, which is shocking to me.

 

[Prince EWS]

'Twas one of those things I typed and meant to check before posting.

I hate to admit it, but I believe I've momentarily confused him with...Dave Bernard jr.

EDIT: And now that I've checked, Bernard has 3 first-class hundred, which is shocking to me.

To be honest, I didn't really feel right picking you up on that as it's not something I'd usually know - I'd only looked at his profile about 5 minutes earlier to check to see how many wickets he took on debut for my previous post though and remembered seeing a HS of 87. I couldn't just let it slide though.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

To be honest, I didn't really feel right picking you up on that as it's not something I'd usually know - I'd only looked at his profile about 5 minutes earlier though to check to see how many wickets he took on debut for my previous post though and remembered seeing a HS of 87. I couldn't just led it slide though.

It had to be done really. It keeps me sharp and humble. And similar rubbish.

Darren Julius Garvey Sammy is a great name btw. I'm sure we're all agreed on that.

 

[Prince EWS]

It had to be done really. It keeps me sharp and humble. And similar rubbish.

Darren Julius Garvey Sammy is a great name btw. I'm sure we're all agreed on that.

Agreed.

On a side note, I'm disappointed you didn't point out my overly liberal use of the word "though" or my inability to type the word "let". The post read like a dog's breakfast before I edited it.

 

[TT Boy]

Samuels caught off a no-ball, good call by the umpire.

 

[TT Boy]

And that's lunch. South Africa have bowled well since Gayle has departed but they will be gutted that Samuels is still there.

 

[alternative]

Gayle simply incredible in that innings there. Was there any dropped chances for those who watched the game?

 

[andruid]

I reckon he may have at least temporarily neutralised Steyn while he was at the crease.

 

[Prince EWS]

Very good decision. Hand off the bat.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Not sure why Harris isn't bowling atm. With regards to Morton, I struggle to think of a lesser player of spin among specialist batsmen in world cricket.

 

[Prince EWS]

Not sure why Harris isn't bowling atm. With regards to Morton, I struggle to think of a lesser player of spin among specialist batsmen in world cricket.

Cumming is pretty ordinary. Morton may have shocking footwork to the spinners and play with hard hands, but at least he gets his pad out of the way when he does it. Cumming puts his pad out there and then plays in behind it - surprisingly jerkily considering what he's doing, too.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Cumming is pretty ordinary. Morton may have shocking footwork to the spinners and play with hard hands, but at least he gets his pad out of the way when he does it. Cumming puts his pad out there and then plays in behind it - surprisingly jerkily considering what he's doing, too.

Seen precisely nothing of Cumming, so I'll take your word for it. Morton is just the kind of cricketer who, even when he's performing, I always expect him to get out the next ball. He's like Wavell Hinds in that way.

 

[albo97056]

Is there a radio station covering this over the internet please?