Xavier Marshall

Hi everyone,

I'm back after a long trip to the US/Canada, where I managed to sample the last two ODI's of the tri-series between Windies, Bermuda and Canada. Meaningless minnow bashing pyjama cricket I hear you say? Well you'd be right as Windies won without really trying very hard and fielding at a very low intensity (apart from Nash who was sensational in the field).

But I saw an unbelievable innings from Xavier Marshall, who played some of the most exquisite shots imaginable on both sides of the wicket. Yes the attack was crap and the ground was small so you have to take the World Record 12 sixes with a pinch of salt, but now I have seen him live I am convinced he will be our next World Class batsman.

My opinion on Brendan Nash hasn't changed. He was even better in the field then I thought, but his batting was stodgy even against minnows and his bowling will be taken apart by the better sides. I can understand giving him a go in tests where at least he will stay at the crease with Shiv but he shouldn't be anywhere near our ODI side. Dwayne Bravo needs to get fit asap.

Nikita Miller looks a very decent left arm spinner too, giving it decent amounts of flight and turning it a fair way too. I would give himself and Amit Jaggernauth extended runs in the team.

Must give a mention to the Canadian opening batsman Reezwan Cheema, who smacked it to all parts in both matches that I watched and looks very useful.

Also, how the hell have England managed to thrash SA while I have been away? It was only a year ago that we were thrashing them and placing 9 slips in a ODI! How times have changed.

So smashing some pie-chuckers around means he is going to become a world-class batsmen? In that case I declare Cameron White the new Bradman

xavier marshall so far to me looks more of a devon smith than a brian lara. plays some great attacking shots, but not too hot in defence or playing long innings. i could be wrong, but i dont think the way he currently plays is going to get him very far

marshall looks a notch above devon smith to me. Still very green though...

There is a vast difference between Marshall and Devon Smith. Smith has become like Gayle without the god-given talent, hardly moving his feet and getting caught between the keeper and gully every innings.

Marshall has the best footwork of any young West Indian batsman bar Adrian Barath. He gets forward properly and is a sumptuous driver of the ball.

His flaws have been psychological in his career so far, as he was called up after just one good List A tournament and the word is he developed a bit of a love for the herb which saw him left out of the Jamaica team for 2 years.

Now he is getting a run in the team, has everyone behind him and some good scores under his belt, it will be hard to stop him. He should do well in NZ IMO as he is technically sound and is great off the front foot.

He played some shots against Aus that literally seemed to take the crowd's breath away. However- Young, extremely gifted, very raw, rumours of off field indiscipline.....Probably applies to almost every young Windies cricketer of the last 10 years.

He could go down the Marlon Samuels route.

Henry wrote:He played some shots against Aus that literally seemed to take the crowd's breath away. However- Young, extremely gifted, very raw, rumours of off field indiscipline.....Probably applies to almost every young Windies cricketer of the last 10 years.

He could go down the Marlon Samuels route.

Lord lets hope not, though I would go further and say that young Jamaican batsmen fit your description very well. Samuels, Hinds, Leon Garrick and Ricardo Powell were all extremely talented and promising at the start of their careers.

banned now for smoking moroccan woodbines!

Basil wrote:banned now for smoking moroccan woodbines!

Sad.

WIFAN wrote:

Henry wrote:He played some shots against Aus that literally seemed to take the crowd's breath away. However- Young, extremely gifted, very raw, rumours of off field indiscipline.....Probably applies to almost every young Windies cricketer of the last 10 years.

He could go down the Marlon Samuels route.

Lord lets hope not, though I would go further and say that young Jamaican batsmen fit your description very well. Samuels, Hinds, Leon Garrick and Ricardo Powell were all extremely talented and promising at the start of their careers.

Looks like it's all but confirmed.

Marshall cursing the day he was born West Indian, not Pakistani.

taipan wrote:Marshall cursing the day he was born West Indian, not Pakistani.

umm he is back

SQUAD FOR ABU DHABI:
Chris Gayle (Captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (Vice-Captain), Lionel Baker, Carlton Baugh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Shawn Findlay, Leon Johnson, Xavier Marshall, Nikita Miller, Dave Mohammed, Brendan Nash, Daren Powell, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor

looks like a really weak bowling attack even S Malik will score runs against them.
I wish they had given F Edwards a chance

Why is Daren Powell still there?

Powell is quite talented but then again most W Indian fast bowlers are.

lardbucket wrote:Why is Daren Powell still there?

Powell gave more for Stanford and his $$$$ than i've ever seen him give for the Windies

JKLever wrote:

lardbucket wrote:Why is Daren Powell still there?

Powell gave more for Stanford and his $$$$ than i've ever seen him give for the Windies

oh good stuff!

Is that why ENG got stuffed?

p.s how did our superman do?

I am just glad that two young fast bowlers have been given the chance to challenge Powell (who I agree is poor most of the time). I thought Ravi Rampaul looked ready to take his place, but I guess they want to see him dominate our regional competition first.

As for X-man, lets hope he buckles down and continues his meteoric rise. I just can't wait to see him bat again tbh.

WIFAN wrote:I am just glad that two young fast bowlers have been given the chance to challenge Powell (who I agree is poor most of the time). I thought Ravi Rampaul looked ready to take his place, but I guess they want to see him dominate our regional competition first.

As for X-man, lets hope he buckles down and continues his meteoric rise. I just can't wait to see him bat again tbh.

WIfan,

How fast is Kemar Roach? heard he is 90+
I hope PAK give Sohail Khan all 3 ODIs(he is 90+ as well)

Aziz Cheema and M Aamer will be nice too but unfortunately Aziz Cheema DESPITE bowling at 90+ is sitting around in CLUB cricket when we have average bowlers like Rao bowling at the national level.

p.s how was the trip?

Cheers mate, the trip is still ongoing, will be back in the UK mid november.

Kemar is probably an 85 - 92 mph guy at the moment, but the word is that he can bowl at that pace pretty much all day and is not a one spell merchant like Powell. He swings the ball both ways as well when he is in good form so he should be good to watch.

I would love to see a ODI where both Pakistan and Windies have at least 2/3 90 plus merchants (Taylor has been bowling like lightening during the Stanford 20-20 matches, he reached 153 kph on 3 occasions). It's a shame that they don't pick Fidel for ODI's these days.

WIFAN wrote:Cheers mate, the trip is still ongoing, will be back in the UK mid november.

Kemar is probably an 85 - 92 mph guy at the moment, but the word is that he can bowl at that pace pretty much all day and is not a one spell merchant like Powell. He swings the ball both ways as well when he is in good form so he should be good to watch.

I would love to see a ODI where both Pakistan and Windies have at least 2/3 90 plus merchants (Taylor has been bowling like lightening during the Stanford 20-20 matches, he reached 153 kph on 3 occasions). It's a shame that they don't pick Fidel for ODI's these days.

That will be brilliant!

Yeah Fidel is certainly very talented. I remember he DESTORYED Pakistan at Barbados in 2005!

I hope the pitches have lots of pace and bounce.

PlanetPakistan wrote:

WIFAN wrote:Cheers mate, the trip is still ongoing, will be back in the UK mid november.

Kemar is probably an 85 - 92 mph guy at the moment, but the word is that he can bowl at that pace pretty much all day and is not a one spell merchant like Powell. He swings the ball both ways as well when he is in good form so he should be good to watch.

I would love to see a ODI where both Pakistan and Windies have at least 2/3 90 plus merchants (Taylor has been bowling like lightening during the Stanford 20-20 matches, he reached 153 kph on 3 occasions). It's a shame that they don't pick Fidel for ODI's these days.

That will be brilliant!

Yeah Fidel is certainly very talented. I remember he DESTORYED Pakistan at Barbados in 2005!

I hope the pitches have lots of pace and bounce.

Are they likely to have a bit of pace? I can't remember what they were like last time we played you at a neutral venue.

Sami got a hatrick if I remember but that was more about pace through the air than off the pitch.

Pace and bounce in the Middle East? You've gotta be kidding.

WIFAN wrote:

Are they likely to have a bit of pace? I can't remember what they were like last time we played you at a neutral venue.

Sami got a hatrick if I remember but that was more about pace through the air than off the pitch.

yeah unfortunately the pitches are very flat in that region of the world. It certainly won't be anything like OT or Perth.

PlanetPakistan wrote:

WIFAN wrote:

Are they likely to have a bit of pace? I can't remember what they were like last time we played you at a neutral venue.

Sami got a hatrick if I remember but that was more about pace through the air than off the pitch.

yeah unfortunately the pitches are very flat in that region of the world. It certainly won't be anything like OT or Perth.

or even Barbados