West Indies v Australia, 3rd Test, Roseau, 23-27 April, 2012

Now Hilfenhaus

Brass Monkey wrote:WI: making batsmen look shit, making non-batsmen look brilliant since 2011.

Since 2011? Since 1995 more like. Dominic Cork made stacks of runs against them.

They did go through a phase of being plain shit. At least, now they can get the good ones out cheaply.

What does it matter? They're still ranked 8th in the World, and have been for 10 years now.

Henry wrote:
Since 2011? Since 1995 more like. Dominic Cork made stacks of runs against them.

Stop me if I'm wrong, but I'm certain their bowlers were making batsmen look good.

They made Andrew Strauss look better than Sobers when he started off.

It's what happens when a team has no idea how to win cricket matches- They manage to lose them in so many different ways. Will the Windies ever be a force in world cricket again? I'm starting to think not. Perhaps their naturally laid back approach just doesn't cut it in modern sport these days. Just like the Southern European habit of long lunches followed by siestas during the week, compared to the ultra hard working ways of the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese, means Europe is in the sh*t, and Asia isn't.

Well, they are better off now than a few years ago. Maybe it requires more time, nearly ten years is a long time to be uncompetitive.

Now Wade going fully potty.

I don't really see how they are better off, to be honest. Their batting is as weak now as it's ever been. I truly fear for them once Chanderpaul retires. And their bowlers, whilst gifted, still lose concentration and discipline at the first sign of an opposition counter-attack.

To me, they're no better now than they were 10 years ago. They still have players of "talent" and "promise" who never actually end up fulfilling their potential. And now the IPL has come along and half of their best players are choosing that over representing the West Indies....things aren't going to get better.

Big Dog wrote:Looks like WEED will need to step up this test....or else.

"In my opinion Brad will come back into the Test when fully fit and available," Clarke said ahead of the third Test at Dominica starting Tuesday (Australian time).

"That's certainly nothing against Wadey. He learned a lot during the one-day series through facing spin in completely different conditions to what he was used to back in Australia.

113.2
Roach to Wade, FOUR, yells out "yeah" as soon as he makes contact, comes forward and drives wide of the covers and jumps to celebrate his hundred! A century on not the easiest wicket to bat on will always be remembered, hopefully the first of many for Wade

Now what?

Henry wrote:I don't really see how they are better off, to be honest. Their batting is as weak now as it's ever been. I truly fear for them once Chanderpaul retires. And their bowlers, whilst gifted, still lose concentration and discipline at the first sign of an opposition counter-attack.

To me, they're no better now than they were 10 years ago. They still have players of "talent" and "promise" who never actually end up fulfilling their potential. And now the IPL has come along and half of their best players are choosing that over representing the West Indies....things aren't going to get better.

Maybe I'm being wishful, but I hope and think they'll get better from now and yes, Chanderpaul's retirement is a worry.

Around forty minutes for his last fifty runs Wade, wonder who'll be the long term keeper now.

Gone, slacker just throwing his wicket away after a milestone.

What afantastic innings by Weed. There is something very enjoyable watching the lower order batting with ftree abandon. Haddit - phurt. And now 4hilly gets Milf.

328 is pretty grouse but the wicket seems to have flattened out. Well boeletoot Shilly.y.

Best analysis by a West Indian right-arm spinner at home since Lance Gibbs' 6-108 against Blighty at Port of Spain in February 1974.

Quality stuff from Sharapova. I really like the way the sexy Russian went about the innings, resolute last night, attacking when with the tail today. Looks like a keeper to me, pardon the pun.

Wade becomes the 3rd Ozzie 'keeper to make a century in the Caribbean following Wayne Phillips' 120 at Bridgetown in March 1984 and Gilchrist's 101* at Port of Spain in April 2003 and the first to hit his maiden Test century there.

Rhino catches Kraig on the second attempmt for hgis 3rd straight duck.

Crab who loves ducks.

This WIndies top three is extremely inexperienced and shaky. All three of them have major problems with their techniques, actually. You look at their first class records and it's not really surprising that they're not cutting the mustard at test level.

Frustrating bit is how long will Barath be inexperienced? Been quite a while since he started playing tests. Of course he has had injuries.

tricycle wrote:Frustrating bit is how long will Barath be inexperienced? Been quite a while since he started playing tests. Of course he has had injuries.

You could say that about numerous Windies batsmen over the last 10 years- Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Devon Smith, Ricardo Powell (although to be fair to him, he only got two tests).......heaps of batsmen who got by for far too long because they were supposedly "inexperienced" but had "promise"...I mean, Marlon Samuels is 31 years old now FFS, and despite all the talent and potential that he has supposedly had for the last 12 years, he still doesn't even average 30 in test cricket. Dwayne Smith was another guy who looked very much the biz when he first came onto the scene. He smashed a 70 ball hundred on debut against South Africa. But he too has faded away.....

I'm not really sure why so many Windies batsmen have failed to realise their potential. I suspect it's a combination of a lack of coaching and guidance, and bad attitudes.

Aye, many batsmen in that list. Seems an era ago when Samuels had a decent meaningless ODI match or series against India. Must be an era ago, even Afridi would've been in his teens then. Wavell Hinds was another one.

Dwayne and Powell seemed more sloggers than proper batsmen anyway.

Well, to be fair to them they've come up against some decent bowlers this series, especially new ball bowlers. They're sticking in there at the minute. Maybs some slack should be given.

I'd be a tad more appreciative of Wade's century if he didn't do his darndest to subtly run all over a length every time he takes a return from the outfield.

I look forward to a damning essay from Ricky Ponting criticising Wade for not playing in the spirit of the game.

But how good a batsman is that Taswegian Wade?

Brass Monkey wrote:Well, to be fair to them they've come up against some decent bowlers this series, especially new ball bowlers. They're sticking in there at the minute. Maybs some slack should be given.

Shit shot by Barath. Shouldn't have kept the faith.