England v West Indies, 2nd Test, Headingley, 25-29 August, 2017

Maybe I should've made the dates in the thread heading "25-27 Aug", such was the woefulness of the useless Ganjas in T1.

AC Malan to make a 100??

There's usually a bit of life in the Headingley pitch, so if West Indies can get Gabriel fit, and play a spinner, their bowling unit might be more of a handful.

On the other hand, none of their top six would come within a bull's roar of a place in a county side - so another three day thrashing beckons.

skully wrote:Maybe I should've made the dates in the thread heading "25-27 Aug", such was the woefulness of the useless Ganjas in T1.

AC Malan to make a 100??

Might get him Inter the Ashes squad...

We need one of the newcomers to go big here, I know it's like preparing for the marathon by jogging to the corner shop, but it will at least give them some belief that they belong. And if we have to spin the wheel again and throw a couple more batsmen straight in to go to Australia it's not a great prospect.

Anyway, this might go to the fifth day. More likely due to rain than any improvement in WI competitiveness though...

beamer wrote:

skully wrote:Maybe I should've made the dates in the thread heading "25-27 Aug", such was the woefulness of the useless Ganjas in T1.

AC Malan to make a 100??

Might get him Inter the Ashes squad...

We need one of the newcomers to go big here, I know it's like preparing for the marathon by jogging to the corner shop, but it will at least give them some belief that they belong. And if we have to spin the wheel again and throw a couple more batsmen straight in to go to Australia it's not a great prospect.

Anyway, this might go to the fifth day. More likely due to rain than any improvement in WI competitiveness though...

Boom-tish!!!

Woakes to replace Toby LeRone in the England XI.

If we win this one will they give Jimmy a break I wonder?

beamer wrote:Woakes to replace Toby LeRone in the England XI.

If we win this one will they give Jimmy a break I wonder?

Would you like to be the one to tell him?

England win the toss and bat.

Windies change two bowlers. Not bothered about losing 19 wickets in a day presumably.

Wanted: a new opener and number three for England.

Basil wrote:Wanted: a new opener and number three for England.

The captain has to step up into one or other of those spots now, surely.

Number 5's up for grabs as well. The Australians won't be so forgiving when we're three or four down for f**k all every innings.

Well, 258 would have near enough won by an innings at Edgbaston, but I'm not convinced it will be the same here. I'm backing WI for a first innings lead at least.

better effort

Well, a couple of early wickets as we needed. Good catch from Root to get rid of Bob, will No offer any more resistance?

Jimmy could make it to 500 today...

No (along with Kraigggg) giving them genuine Hope here.

As usual, England heads appear to drop when things don't go their way. They could lose this Test today.

Not so sure about 'no', perhaps 'glimmer'?

Another hour of this and WI might get a first innings lead, perhaps even a decent one. I hope so for the sake of their future in Test cricket.

^^ Just don't get JGK to support the Windies here.

The typical complacent England performance, after three decent ones in a row it was overdue.

Chance of real embarrassment now with the series set to be level going to a decider at Lord's.

Anyway, I was asking for it nicknaming him "No", even if he did average under 20 before this. Now it's West Indies Episode 2, A New Hope...

If we can keep the lead down to 100-150 there's still half a chance of setting them a testing target, but more likely we will just throw in the towel and lose by an innings.

beamer wrote:Anyway, I was asking for it nicknaming him "No", even if he did average under 20 before this. Now it's West Indies Episode 2, A New Hope...

If we can keep the lead down to 100-150 there's still half a chance of setting them a testing target, but more likely we will just throw in the towel and lose by an innings.

Nice one...made me smile, as did a promising WI effort.

The Brathwaite-Hope union was West Indies' best partnership in England for over 30 years (Greenidge/Gomes at Lords v Gower's declaration in 1984), and Hope's innings is the Windies' highest in England-based Tests for a period almost as long (Lara 179 at The Oval in 1995).

Unashamedly I'm hoping that these two and the West Indian tail can add another 100 plus, perhaps even 200, though that is almost certainly too much to hope for. A win here, especially a good win, would restore the series to parity but more importantly give this struggling side some much-needed pride and self-belief after the absolute shellacking it received in T1.

furriner wrote:^^ Just don't get JGK to support the Windies here.

Aye, just keep that Jonah in his box!

Really heartening to see this fight and promise from the Windies.

Welly well well. What a turnaround.

Stokes "saved" England and helped them make a mediocre total, then Brathwaite and Hope added 2-fitty.

Still, wrap up the tail and make 400, England are far from dead.

skully wrote:Welly well well. What a turnaround.

Stokes "saved" England and helped them make a mediocre total, then Brathwaite and Hope added 2-fitty.

Still, wrap up the tail and make 400, England are far from dead.

I can't remember when England last fought their way back into a Test from a position like this though. I'm expecting WI to add another 100 and then roll England for 150, game over today.