Re: West Indies v England, 4th Test, Bridgetown - Feb 26-Mar 2

by LeFromage Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:20

Call it off already.

Some of us called this game a draw early on day two.

What a total waste of five days.

by beamer Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:32

I wouldn't have discounted England losing it until quite recently, but it does seem to have been something of a waste of time. Apart from boosting the confidence of most of our batsmen, and destroying that of our bowlers further!

All that remains is for our batsmen to get some "Ian Bell runs" - meaningless average-boosting scoring under no pressure. What would he have given to be in the side for this game...

by JKLever Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:35

This is test cricket at it's worst.

When can they call this sh!te off? I'd rather watch IPL...

by LeFromage Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:42

beamer wrote:I wouldn't have discounted England losing it until quite recently, but it does seem to have been something of a waste of time. Apart from boosting the confidence of most of our batsmen, and destroying that of our bowlers further!

All that remains is for our batsmen to get some "Ian Bell runs" - meaningless average-boosting scoring under no pressure. What would he have given to be in the side for this game...

Knowing Bell, he probably wouldn't have fancied it.

Should be a fun XI England dream up for the final Test. They're going to have to drop Shah - who they had earlier announced was going to get a good run in the side - or Bopara, fresh from his maiden hundred, to accommodate a fifth bowler. Who that bowler will be and how he's likely to make the slightest difference to an attack where the other four bowlers won't be good enough, is anyone's guess. But it's win or bust, baby.

And I suppose if they're playing the extra bowler, they'll have to recall Matt Prior to bat at six, which is another awkward conversation after Ambrose's 76*.

One thing is certain: Harmison will be back. Yay.

by WIFAN Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:42

Yeah I'd prefer to see part time joke bowlers than these ordinary darts from Ryan Hinds.

David Gower is trying to state Powell's case for inclusion in the next test Very Happy

. Cheeky Englishman.

by JKLever Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:45

We have to go on for another hour after Tea FFS

by beamer Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:47

Dello wrote:
beamer wrote:I wouldn't have discounted England losing it until quite recently, but it does seem to have been something of a waste of time. Apart from boosting the confidence of most of our batsmen, and destroying that of our bowlers further!

All that remains is for our batsmen to get some "Ian Bell runs" - meaningless average-boosting scoring under no pressure. What would he have given to be in the side for this game...

Knowing Bell, he probably wouldn't have fancied it.

Should be a fun XI England dream up for the final Test. They're going to have to drop Shah - who they had earlier announced was going to get a good run in the side - or Bopara, fresh from his maiden hundred, to accommodate a fifth bowler. Who that bowler will be and how he's likely to make the slightest difference to an attack where the other four bowlers won't be good enough, is anyone's guess. But it's win or bust, baby.

And I suppose if they're playing the extra bowler, they'll have to recall Matt Prior to bat at six, which is another awkward conversation after Ambrose's 76*.

One thing is certain: Harmison will be back. Yay.

So:
Strauss
Cook
Shah/Bopara
KP
Collingwood
Prior
Broad
Swann
Harmison
Anderson/Khan
Panesar/Rashid

with batting order changed as appropriate for the either/or choices?

by LeFromage Mon 02 Mar 2009, 18:47

JKLever wrote:This is test cricket at it's worst.

When can they call this sh!te off? I'd rather watch IPL...

15 overs before the close, I think.

Should have put the game out of its misery on Friday.

by WIFAN Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:05

Hahahhaahahahhaahahah West Indies assistant coach is fielding in the slips.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Basil Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:09

beamer wrote:
Dello wrote:
beamer wrote:I wouldn't have discounted England losing it until quite recently, but it does seem to have been something of a waste of time. Apart from boosting the confidence of most of our batsmen, and destroying that of our bowlers further!

All that remains is for our batsmen to get some "Ian Bell runs" - meaningless average-boosting scoring under no pressure. What would he have given to be in the side for this game...

Knowing Bell, he probably wouldn't have fancied it.

Should be a fun XI England dream up for the final Test. They're going to have to drop Shah - who they had earlier announced was going to get a good run in the side - or Bopara, fresh from his maiden hundred, to accommodate a fifth bowler. Who that bowler will be and how he's likely to make the slightest difference to an attack where the other four bowlers won't be good enough, is anyone's guess. But it's win or bust, baby.

And I suppose if they're playing the extra bowler, they'll have to recall Matt Prior to bat at six, which is another awkward conversation after Ambrose's 76*.

One thing is certain: Harmison will be back. Yay.
So:
Strauss
Cook
Shah/Bopara
KP
Collingwood
Prior
Broad
Swann
Harmison
Anderson/Khan
Panesar/Rashid

with batting order changed as appropriate for the either/or choices?

Anderson will play - he was, God help us, our best seamer. FFS! Evil or Very Mad

by beamer Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:11

Basil wrote:Anderson will play - he was, God help us, our best seamer. FFS!

Well, he bowled with more control than usual at least. Still didn't look like taking many wickets and is averaging close to 50 for the series.

by Merlin Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:22

Dello wrote:

One thing is certain: Harmison will be back. Yay.

And Bell returns for Ace.
Betcha!

Poor poor poor advertisement for test cricket and at the end of the day, it IS all down to the flat lifeless wicket.
Sure England have trundlers (some half dead) but FFS, other than the 2 tgm's I really cannot see any other bowler doing much more on that road to make things exciting, let alone turn the match around.
Absolute f**king disgrace - yet I notice the Curator (Proff) hasn't come in for any criticism whatsoever . WTF ???

Ho hum ... on to Trinidad in the hope that at the very least the wicket is green, uneven and breaks up on day 3.

by holcs Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:34

Well this has been fairly dull dull dull. The pitch has kind of slaughtered this game, although if the Windies would catch there would be some interest now I expect.

Fark me sideways though, Bopara at 3?! Not fancying that at all really. Good 100 but had the Windies not been dreadful he would've got 4. Plus the shots he played were not akin to a Test # 3.

Be an interesting selection meeting for sure.

Saw Otis Gibson stil trying to state that Harmison was a strike bowler! Fool!

by beamer Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:41

holcs wrote:Fark me sideways though, Bopara at 3?! Not fancying that at all really. Good 100 but had the Windies not been dreadful he would've got 4. Plus the shots he played were not akin to a Test # 3.

I wasn't suggesting him batting at 3 - if Shah has to miss out in order to play another bowler, KP will surely bat at 3. I've always believed that at 3 you should either have your best batsman, i.e. Pietersen, or another opener-type player if you want to be more cautious. Never been convinced that Bell, Shah or Bopara for that matter should bat there really.

by PeterCS Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:44

holcs wrote: ....

Saw Ottis Gibson stil trying to state that Harmison was a strike bowler! Fool!

What do you mean? Ottis got it on the nail. Harmi's bowling has gone on strike as much as anyone else's I can think of.

by PeterCS Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:51

It's all over.

by WIFAN Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:54

Well 1-0 up with only 1 test to go. Good job Windies.

But lets hoep for more entertainment on Friday onwards in Port of Spain.

by PeterCS Mon 02 Mar 2009, 19:58

And so say all of uzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Sleep

by LeFromage Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:01

holcs wrote:
Saw Otis Gibson stil trying to state that Harmison was a strike bowler! Fool!

He also seemed to be indicating that it was based upon his "local knowledge" that England chose to go into this Test with a medium-paced swing attack...

by Chivalry Augustus Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:08

Good on Alastair getting a ton. For a young bloke his career stats are really good, especially when you look at the breakdown. He has scored a ton in every country except for Snoozer Land. Good home/away averages, no great discrepancy. If he could convert more 50s he'd be averaging 50.

by Merlin Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:10

WIFAN wrote:Well 1-0 up with only 1 test to go. Good job ~~Windies~~ Proff .....

But lets hoep for more entertainment on Friday onwards in Port of Spain.

Fixed

by beamer Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:11

The remaining members of the 40 Club certainly giving themselves some breathing space now...

Strauss 43.61
Collingwood 42.73
Cook 44.08 Shocked

They were all struggling to stay above that 40 mark last summer. Guess with the flatness of pitches and crapness of bowlers we will soon be viewing 45 as mediocre!

by PeterCS Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:13

But - by the same token - what of the bowlers?

Averages soaring north.

by PeterCS Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:14

Swann apart.

by WIFAN Mon 02 Mar 2009, 20:17

Merlin wrote:
WIFAN wrote:Well 1-0 up with only 1 test to go. Good job ~~Windies~~ Proff .....

But lets hoep for more entertainment on Friday onwards in Port of Spain.

Fixed

You do realise Windies requested a lively pitch for Taylor and Edwards who they believe are more threatening than any of the England bowlers ?

They have been as let down by this as England. Nobody is happy with pitches like this.

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