Windies squad for 2nd test

Jaggernauth and Marshall dropped, and the two form batsmen in the Caribbean in Lendl Simmons and Ryan Hinds have been given the nod. You know things are on the up when even our selectors get things right!

Squad: Gayle (c), Ramdin (vc), Smith, Sarwan, Hinds, Chanderpaul, Simmons, Nash, Benn, Taylor, Powell, Edwards, Baker

Likely team:

Gayle
Smith/Simmons
Sarwan
Hinds
Shiv
Nash
Ramdin
Taylor
Benn
Powell
Edwards

Now apart from Powell, it appears that we will actually start a test match with our strongest available team. I never would have believed it. Bare in mind that Ryan Hinds is a solid left arm spinner as well, and it gives our team more bowling depth.

Well done selectors Can't wait until Friday.

Poor Jaggermeister.

Yeah I feel for him, but he keeps knocking on the door and if Benn has a poor 3/4 test matches Jaggers will be right back in there.

Hope so. When are Windies expected to tour the Sub Continent again?

Would be nice to see Wallace/Jagger partnering Benn. (If he's kept his form by then).

Not sure when we are next in India, but it can't be too far away. I wonder if there will be any turn at Lords in early May? Two spinners?

Possibly. Completely forgot about the two test series in May.

Hopefully it'll be bumped up to a 3 Test Series after the Quality of Competition by the Windies in this series.

Whatever happened to other Windian spinners...

Omari Banks
Dave Mohammed

Also, just checked up on some dude called Shane Shillingford in the Domestics. 133 wickets at 27 runs apiece. 25 years old.

Banks plays for Somerset so can't be picked for Windies duty. His batting is pretty damn good but his off spin bowling has regressed at quite a rate.

Mohammed is still a solid performer for T & T, but he has been outshone by Jaggers over the last 3 years. He is the best 20-20 bowler in the region though and should be part of the limited overs set-up.

SHillingford turns the ball more than any other finger spinner in the Caribbean, and is a nuggety lower order batsman. Sounds good right? Unfortunately he pelts so obviously that he has been called during FC matches. Maybe he has improved his action, but the selectors seem to doubt that.

Will the changes make it harder for England to bounce back?

WIFAN wrote:Not sure when we are next in India, but it can't be too far away. I wonder if there will be any turn at Lords in early May? Two spinners?

I was thinking the same. Generally tall spinners do quite well in India and Benn is tall indeed. India has not hosted WI since 02-03. Wonder when we'll host them! Any chance of vising SL in near future?

Anyway, even I can't wait for the next test to start!!

WIFAN wrote: You know things are on the up when even our selectors get things right!

Comments like that have the tendency to bite you in the arse.

Zat wrote:Will the changes make it harder for England to bounce back?

The test has increased the interest of neutral fans. I'm quite eager to see what the new guys bring to the team.

taipan wrote:

WIFAN wrote: You know things are on the up when even our selectors get things right!

Comments like that have the tendency to bite you in the arse.

I'll risk it. The fact is that the selectors have got it right for once. If we lose in Antigua it is not because the best team wasn't selected, and that is not something I have been able to say for a long time.

And the changes should make it harder for England as Marshall was a walking wicket, his confidence was completely down, while Ryan Hinds is in the form of his career and Simmons made 282 against England on an Antigua like pitch just a couple of weeks ago.

FFS, how does Powell keep getting picked?

doremi wrote:FFS, how does Powell keep getting picked?

I think we're gonna have to live with him. He is good friends with Gayle and the coach loves him because he's one player who is always fit and ready to go. Maybe he'll grow a brain.

I'm glad to see Ryan Hinds there. Was wondering out loud when he'd be back in the squad whilst watching test, and there I go.

Prepare to be pulverised, Windies. You have had your traditional 'one Test win' this year - it is a forlorn hope to expect another.

Augustus wrote:Prepare to be pulverised, Windies. You have had your traditional 'one Test win' this year - it is a forlorn hope to expect another.

Fair play to you Sir! You have recovered from events on Saturday very quickly! Now we may only win one test, but bowling a team out for 51 is not something we do every year

Antigua will be an absolute road anyway (but given the way the Sabina Pitch suddenly moved continents, we may get a greentop).

a lot of talent there....

England should be grilled again.

WIFAN wrote:

Augustus wrote:Prepare to be pulverised, Windies. You have had your traditional 'one Test win' this year - it is a forlorn hope to expect another.

Fair play to you Sir! You have recovered from events on Saturday very quickly! Now we may only win one test, but bowling a team out for 51 is not something we do every year

Antigua will be an absolute road anyway (but given the way the Sabina Pitch suddenly moved continents, we may get a greentop).

There is no point being negative, my friend - that can wait until Friday at least! I reserve the right so slit my wrists at just such a time as my prediction is blown completely and utterly out of the water. And it probably will be...

PlanetPakistan wrote:a lot of talent there....

England should be grilled again.

Should be interesting, no? But somehow I still do not have faith in their consistency!