England v West Indies, 2nd Test, Trent Bridge, 25-29 May, 2012

Despite their unbeaten run there no West Indian captain has scored a century in a Trent Bridge Test. Nearest has been Gary Sobers with 94 in July 1966.

Good to see Windies putting up a fight, but pretty depressing viewing watch England give club batsman Sammy his maiden Test ton. Bressy Lad has not really done it so far this summer.

Samuels has his century, top innings. Now Sammy FFS

Highest overall 7th wicket partnership at Trent Bridge and record West Indian 7th wicket partnership v. England beating Sobers & Julien's 155* at Lord's in August 1973. Highest 7th wicket partnership v. England in England beating Tendulkar & Prabahkar's 160* at Old Trafford in August 1990. 4th highest 7th wicket partnership v. England overall and highest since Jayawardene & Chaminda Vaas' 183 at Galle in December 2007. 3rd highest 7th wicket partnership for West Indies and highest since Dwayne Bravo & Ramdin's 182 at Hobart in November 2005.

WI to win this test match! Very happy for both these gentlemen, Sammy seems like the nicest person in cricket! Samules on the other hand is transforming himself from a wasted talent to a very useful # 6.

Is this the highest partnership by a pair of unrelated players whose surnames begin with the same 3 letters?

Quite amazing really. I mean, I shouldn't be amazed because he always does it, but Strauss' decision to abandon all hope of taking wickets at 130-6 and hold fire for the new ball from TWENTY-FIVE OVERS OUT was f*cking pathetic even by his astonishing standards of f*cking pathetictude. That's obviously not a word. You can stick your red line underneath it all you want, auto spellcheck, but I'm keeping it. Shove that up your programming.

It highlighted starkly England's problem with this attack - they're f*cked after two sessions because Anderson and Broad are the only wicket threats and they need them relatively fresh for the second cherry. Swann will come into the game later on in the week, but his role on the first few days is pretty limited. Can't carry that third seamer. He's got to be contributing the same level of menace as the other two or the whole balance goes to shit.

Jimmy Anderson should go on a wild killing spree in that dressing room tonight. Two edges fly through the slips without anyone getting a finger on them. Then Captain Spacker throws him the new ball but is still too f*cking pathetic to attack with, say, three slips (got to save those runs - defend, defend, defend) and watches like a slack jawed mong as successive edges fly through the vacant third slip area.

Pricks.

Good on Samuels, though. Looks an LBW candidate all day long, but he's got quality. Sammy's got 80 runs of arse, though. Jammier than The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

I'd fancy the Windies to win from here, but their attack looks as benign as anything on what is a decent track.

High scoring draw.

Not much happening all day off the pitch, was never a 130-6 deck and none of the exaggerated swing we've seen at this ground previously but well played WI.

Bresnan looks way down on pace atm I thought. Will be lucky to still be in the side come the 3rd test. England look a bit like they're in cruise mode and look surprised when the wickets don't keep coming.

Samuels has talent, and I actually quite like Dazza Sammy. He's not really test class but I like his style and he's blended the WI into a side that doesn't give up even if it is a bit like Derek Pringle taking a ton off you...

It's a very good pitch, aided by the strange weather we're having (what's that yellow thing in the sky?). I think Windies are only at par, and the increase in run-rate has advanced the game somewhat. With four days to go, I'm still backing England to win from here if they can wrap things up for under 400 tomorrow. Very hot in the stands, though. Not convinced Bresnan is fully Test class after that. Bustled in hard, and invariably got carted to the boundary. Caused few problems for the batsman and flattered himself with the wicket he did get. Broad and Anderson were excellent. Strauss played for the new ball straight after Tea (Trott and Bresnan - f*ck me) and the result was one of slow agony.

Bresnan's 13th Test - wonder if his "lucky mascot" streak is due to end?

Although no West Indian captain has ever scored a century in a Test at Trent Bridge (to date) Gary Sobers scored 153 in the tourists' match there against Nottinghamshire in May 1966.

Dello wrote:\
I'd fancy the Windies to win from here, but their attack looks as benign as anything on what is a decent track.

High scoring draw.

I reckon England are still favorites unless the tail continuing to battle long in tomorrow( I'm hoping Rampaul gets in tomorrow and starts bashing fours and sixes as he tends to do if you don't get him quickly). But in the likely event England finish up the tail quickly tomorrow the pitch is flat and I reckon England should score a massive total and put pressure on the WI in the second innings. The pitch is flat, both frontline seamers are carrying injuries, Shillingford is having trouble gripping the ball in England and Sammy is Sammy. So I think England will disappointed if they don't get past 500 in their first innings.

Trent Bridge is the West Indies' lucky ground - they have never been defeated in any fc match. They are also due to win a test in England after a 12-year lacuna. We could be in for a shock result here.

kkf wrote:

Dello wrote:\
I'd fancy the Windies to win from here, but their attack looks as benign as anything on what is a decent track.

High scoring draw.

I reckon England are still favorites unless the tail continuing to battle long in tomorrow( I'm hoping Rampaul gets in tomorrow and starts bashing fours and sixes as he tends to do if you don't get him quickly). But in the likely event England finish up the tail quickly tomorrow the pitch is flat and I reckon England should score a massive total and put pressure on the WI in the second innings. The pitch is flat, both frontline seamers are carrying injuries, Shillingford is having trouble gripping the ball in England and Sammy is Sammy. So I think England will disappointed if they don't get past 500 in their first innings.

If Shillingford can't grip the ball in 26 degree heat, then he must have spasticated hands and should consider another career.

I think if the Windies can eke it out to 400, England will struggle. They're strong front runners, but don't do well chasing a game.

Well, what a pleasing WI recovery to wake up to. Well done by Marlon Samuels; that's a performance sufficiently obdurate to totally justify PPs mis-spelling of his name. Can he now turn it into something really memorable?

I hope Sammy can scramble his way to a century and that somehow yet another 100 can be conjured from this pair and the tail. Haven't seen England under pressure for a while; it would be nice to see their openers under some scoreboard pressure for a change. 400+ would go some way towards that. The current 304 is a bare pass mark for a team total on this pitch.

What a turnaround. When i turned in the Windies were four down & looking like they would'nt bother the scorers a whole lot more. Samuels, Sammy & Chanders have given them a good foot in the door.

lardbucket wrote:Haven't seen England under pressure for a while

aye, for at least.... ooh 4 test matches

lardbucket wrote:

Big Dog wrote:I have very fond memories of Trent Bridge. In particular the press members bar which my mate & i talked our way into during the 1977 Ashes Test. I think we drank 15 pints each of Red Barrel during the course of the day & plugged the gaps with numerous mini Pork Pies. I bought a beer for Chapelli & had a civil chat with him (he was'nt such a twat in those days)
Went back the next day & did it all again.

Good times.

you must have been completely pissed

Not completely. We spread it out over about seven hours & Red Barrel isnt the most potent of Ales.

Wow - I went to bed when the Windies were 6/150 odd.

At least we have a contest again.

Big Dog wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Big Dog wrote:I have very fond memories of Trent Bridge. In particular the press members bar which my mate & i talked our way into during the 1977 Ashes Test. I think we drank 15 pints each of Red Barrel during the course of the day & plugged the gaps with numerous mini Pork Pies. I bought a beer for Chapelli & had a civil chat with him (he was'nt such a twat in those days)
Went back the next day & did it all again.

Good times.

you must have been completely pissed

Not completely. We spread it out over about seven hours & Red Barrel isnt the most potent of Ales.

You must have been on something mind-altering to find chappelli to be something other than an arrogant twat ...

(hope you spat in his beer)

lardbucket wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Big Dog wrote:I have very fond memories of Trent Bridge. In particular the press members bar which my mate & i talked our way into during the 1977 Ashes Test. I think we drank 15 pints each of Red Barrel during the course of the day & plugged the gaps with numerous mini Pork Pies. I bought a beer for Chapelli & had a civil chat with him (he was'nt such a twat in those days)
Went back the next day & did it all again.

Good times.

you must have been completely pissed

Not completely. We spread it out over about seven hours & Red Barrel isnt the most potent of Ales.

You must have been on something mind-altering to find chappelli to be something other than an arrogant twat ...

(hope you spat in his beer)

It WAS 35 years ago. He was quite affable as i recall & not the opinionated qunt he is today.

He was already an arrogant qunt by 1971-2, far too self-important to give a group of waiting kids at the TCA the time of day, or even resist telling them all to feck off. It wasn't as though he'd had a bad day there either, I remember him making 90.

He was also instrumental in getting Bruce Francis into the Australian team. Even skully can't be blamed for that.

I never carry a grudge though! Forgive and forget ...

Bressy's pie shop is open for business again.

Perhaps Marlon Samuels is finally, 12 years after first playing international cricket, ready to fulfil his potential.

Just out of bed now (10 am-ish) after watching the whole day's play last night. Fantastic day's cricket. England all over the Ganjas like a rash pre-Tea, then a stellar fightback by Sammy and Samuels. Excellent ton by Marlon and great selective hitting by the Windies skipper.

However, the wicket looks pretty benign, other than the odd climber and shooter, so I can see Trott batting for 2 days on it.

Watched a few of the highlights of bits I missed today, i'll say this.... we need to 'up' the aggression factor in our game tenfold. Infact Bressie v India and today was like chalk and cheese.

It does look a belter, but 400 always puts you well in the game and always reserve judgement until both sides have batted.

Sammy's 88* is currently the 2nd highest score by a West Indian No.8 v. England exceeded only by 121 by B.D.Julien at Lord's in August 1973. It is the highest score by a West Indian No.8 against all opponents since 106 v. New Zealand by J.E.Taylor at Dunedin in December 2008. It is the highest score by any No.8 v. England since Chaminda Vaas' 90 at Galle in December 2007.