England v West Indies, 1st ODI, Rose Bowl, 16 June, 2012

No thread for this yet? Looks slightly less like a washout than it did a few days ago. Avoiding the crappy new sponsored name for this ground, who do they think they are, Newcastle United?

Belf doubtful with a jaw injury. Could be a boost to England's hopes if he is ruled out, though we might miss a nice 50-ball knock of 20 at the top of the order...

Watching the England ODI side is a bit like watching the footie team.

I doubt they'll risk Bell so Bopara to open? WI favourites for me.

beamer wrote:Belf doubtful with a jaw injury.

Who snotted him?

skully wrote:

beamer wrote:Belf doubtful with a jaw injury.

Who snotted him?

The England fielding coach, Richard Halsall, although Bell himself, it appears, bears the chief responsibility for attempting a cut shot off Halsall's throw-downs. The stroke's name had an ironic resonance in this instance.

So he top-edged it into his own jaw?

Oh come ON! Are you all THICK? He blatantly sucked plenty of selectorial penis to get his pedestrian self onto the 'he's great at ODIs' roster... look at his harrowed face:



That's what happens when you have images of Dusty Miller's monkey custard going all over your face...

WI win toss and field. Score after 10 overs anyone?

Bell plays but Gayle doesn't.

He still looks like a cowardly little weasel.

England team: Cook, Bell, Trott, Bopara, Morgan, Kieswetter, Bresnan, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn
West Indies:Smith,Simmons, Bravo, Samuels, Pollard, Bravo, Ramdin, Russell, Sammy, Rampaul, Narine
The official two teams. Gayle dropped his bling on his foot allegedly!

Clamson wrote:He still looks like a cowardly little weasel.

Ouch!!!

At least he wasn't crying, Clam!

Come on doctorspin, where are you? Cook has been out for a good 20 seconds!!

This is probably a win the toss, win the match situation, a bit like the old NatWest Trophy finals in September... won't tell us much about this England team, but we might be spared a papering over the cracks win in favourable conditions that adds to the selectors' delusions that this side can win ODIs away from home.

Excellent leave

Ooh, driven nicely to extra cover.

Beautiful forward defensive.

Blocked that one a treat.

I assume Bell is batting.

Belltrott. Still, Bell just smashed one for six.

Ha! And one for four.

Bell's wrecking Russell.

Bell has been KPesque. Still, 54 balls bowled, 38 dot balls. Going at 5s.

skully wrote:So he top-edged it into his own jaw?

Indeed, he appears to have taken the coaching injunction to get your head over the ball a mite too literally.

Bell made his highest ODI score on this ground against India in August 2007 when he made his only 3-figure score of 126* and participated in a 2nd wicket stand of 178 with Alastair Cook who also made a 100.

Highest partnership for England by 2 players registered with same county is 170 for 3rd wicket v. NZ by Alec Stewart & Graham Thorpe at Christchurch in February 1997. The highest partnership between Bell & Trott is 167 also for 3rd wicket v. Ireland at Bangalore in March 2011. The highest partnership between players of same county in domestic ODIs is 135* for 5th wicket v. Australia at Headingley in May 1997.

At least Chavi didn't let us down in terms of producing his usual craptitude.