West Indies v England, 1st Test, Kingston, Feb 4-8

You mean we didn't ever play eight batsmen all at once?

I can't believe it...

Dello wrote:You mean we didn't ever play eight batsmen all at once?

I can't believe it...

If they'd all been fit, we bloody would have!

JKLever wrote:

"Good toss to win, I think," says a smiling Strauss. "The guys are chomping to get out here," he adds

230 for 8 at the close here we come then...

236/5. Not too bad a guess.

Augustus wrote:Flintoff showed great application though, to his credit. Bell played prettily for ten minutes and then crabbed like a scared girl who knew it was all a bit too good to be true. Cue a self-fulfilling prophecy. Pietersen is a GOD among batsmen, yet one whom has suffered the curse of unbelievable arrogance allied with stupidity. He is quite possibly the best batsmen in the world in so many respects - I suppose one must forgive him his foibles. Strauss and Cook simply doesn't work as an opening partnership. Hard to work out if they're both shite or simply really, really boring. Probably both.

Colly's sound - a gutsy cricketer. More a number six than five, but what can you do?

Aye, fair play to Andrew. He sometimes lacks nous, but never courage. If only he could go on and become that all-rounder. Colly almost always looks more like a Number 6, someone to hold the tail together. Taking the two together tends to leave England looking a batter short.

Sometimes five or six short, but you know what I mean.

Of course, if Shah got his chance and came half-good, there would be more solidity than there is, and less reliance on 5 and 6 to stride out early and save the day on an all-too-regular basis.

I think the openers will come good. Just that one might be a bit jaded presently, and the other with his second almost-immediate dismissal doesn't obviously inspire from the front on that apparent form. But then, Strauss took a century in the second innings after an immediate duck in the other game. Maybe he just needs better jump leads.

In three words, Shah for Bell.

Anyone with a pommy passport for Bell

hehehe...with apologies to Cuzz and the eagles, ian bell is surely the spiritual leader of the pomgolian test team

What happened with KP's dismissal?

JGK wrote:What happened with KP's dismissal?

Hit it straight up in the air.

He got out

KP was interviewed by Hussain after close of play and the suggestion was that Benn had him in trouble before tea - the look on KP's face at the suggestion was a sight to behold!

Yeah saw that ... makes you wonder if Naz was deliberately inviting a brain hemmorage, silly sod!

I can only imagine he was locked up in the bog with a copy of The Sun at the time KP began his onslaught!

It was a dumb shot to get out to, but on reflection I'll take the 97 he scored. At least we're competitive.

Merlin wrote:Yeah saw that ... makes you wonder if Naz was deliberately inviting a brain hemmorage, silly sod!

I can only imagine he was locked up in the bog with a copy of The Sun at the time KP began his onslaught!

wasn't the onslaught after tea?

taipan wrote:

Merlin wrote:Yeah saw that ... makes you wonder if Naz was deliberately inviting a brain hemmorage, silly sod!

I can only imagine he was locked up in the bog with a copy of The Sun at the time KP began his onslaught!

wasn't the onslaught after tea?

It was yes, but you couldn't honestly say KP was "in trouble" against Benn once he'd settled.
The situation demanded caution and survival and KP always looks awkward and clumsy when defending (like a stick insect on hot coals) ... so, combine the two and you might be mistaken for thinking the way Naz did.

But "in trouble" ... nah, think the look Naz got said it all!

Baz - yeah, 'orrible shot to follow three out of the middle ... 4..4..6.. rush of blood ... the end!
Typical KP!

So slow pitch, slow outfield, shortened day due to light?? 236 in the day that included a near-100 by KP seems awfully crabbish.

skully wrote:So slow pitch, slow outfield, shortened day due to light?? 236 in the day that included a near-100 by KP seems awfully crabbish.

At one stage, Freddie with some forceful batting, had reached 28 off a 100.

Lordy, and against the might of Taylor, Edwards, Powell, Benn and Gayle.

Awaits the wolf-pack from the subcontinent to bay at the grouseness of IPL.

Banfarkinindia.

skully wrote:Lordy, and against the might of Taylor, Edwards, Powell, Benn and Gayle.

Went to bed at teatime.

Was better than any sleeping tablet.

God, must've been as boring as it is in here at the moment.

Worse

Banfarkinindia.

Oh dear!

skully wrote:So slow pitch, slow outfield, shortened day due to light?? 236 in the day that included a near-100 by KP seems awfully crabbish.

Harsh skulls ... (though yeah, at times England looked crabbish) - but we were 94 - 4 against a very controlled Benn (unexpected, bowling 32overs unchanged) and Crystal on a turner! Sabina Park a turner ... FFS !
The situation needed digging out of and to finish the day on 236 - 5 was a relief, to say the least!