England v West Indies, 1st Test, Lord's, May 6-10

He knows them.

taipan wrote:Judging by the score it ain't working.

Cricket's a fast-moving game.

Windies were made to look very ordinary today with the honourable exception of Fidel Edwards - he must really want to take a bat to some of his fielders though.

You could argue that giving Swann the new ball was a pointless exercise given the liklihood that the ball would swing, but it shows a willingness to be creative - so that's a tick in the very good box for Strauss.

Basil wrote:Windies were made to look very ordinary today with the honourable exception of Fidel Edwards

Yes, he clearly should be batting higher up the order...

well, fark me, at 50-1 it looked like a long afternoon for the unwashed . . .

well bowled that man Onions . . .

tac wrote:well, fark me, at 50-1 it looked like a long afternoon for the unwashed . . .

well bowled that man Onions . . .

I went to bed with England 7 for 360 odd and Swann and Bopp looking comfortable.

When I heard the Windies were 2-39 I thought the poms must have wagged for a fair while. Now I think fark me

This Onions chap, what's he do, then?

And Swann seems to have really slammed the door shut on Montay's Test career.

And I feel sorry for WIFAN and his colleagues. Fark me, the Windies are such gash.

Just saw the highlights....


Onions is quite quick

It's nice to see an English fast bowler come into the side and pretty much look the finish article already. Onions has been toiling away on the county circuit for about 4 years now, honing his skills, learning new tricks, bowling in different conditions. He looks ready for international cricket.

The pace of England's quickies was very impressive- Broad with a top speed of 93 mph, Anderson 91 mph, and Onions 90 mph.

The only sour point of the day for me was seeing Andrew Flintoff on crutches, hanging around the England dressing room like a bad smell. FFS. You're injured (again) and Andy Flower and Andy Strauss are trying to build a new team in your absence. Get off home Fred, and watch the game from your couch. It reminded me of Vaughan during the 2006-07 ashes.

169 FC wickets @ 32.35 prior to this Test. And not yet 27. Mebee the England NSP got it right and allowed the man to, as Trev says, become the finished article.

Henry wrote:It's nice to see an English fast bowler come into the side and pretty much look the finish article already. Onions has been toiling away on the county circuit for about 4 years now, honing his skills, learning new tricks, bowling in different conditions. He looks ready for international cricket.

The pace of England's quickies was very impressive- Broad with a top speed of 93 mph, Anderson 91 mph, and Onions 90 mph.

No wonder WI are in serious strife!

My advice:
KEEP BOWLING FAST....

Henry wrote:
The pace of England's quickies was very impressive- Broad with a top speed of 93 mph, Anderson 91 mph, and Onions 90 mph.

I find that a bit suspicious. I'm sure Broady can wind the odd ball up past ninety but he and Jimmy weren't at that pace in the Caribbean.

I'm not surprised they weren't at that pace in the Caribbean considering how flat the pitches were. They knew they were going to have to toil, so i'm sure they left a bit in the tank.

skully wrote:This Onions chap, what's he do, then?

Right Arm, quite nippy, not an out and out speed merchant. Not the tallest bowler,so makes it skid on to the batsman and he's got a fast bowler's temper!

Cheers Bas. Nice to see some new blood do well first up.

I think a comparison between Onions and Peter Siddle is a good one- Not the most gifted of fast bowlers, but keeps running in, and hits the deck hard. Nips it a bit both ways at around 86-87 mph.

A lot to be said for this type of bowler. I wish him well.

Ashes contest starting to look real interesting - the reason we love these clashes and why they will always be the most anticipated.

Rob I wrote:

Henry wrote:
The pace of England's quickies was very impressive- Broad with a top speed of 93 mph, Anderson 91 mph, and Onions 90 mph.

I find that a bit suspicious. I'm sure Broady can wind the odd ball up past ninety but he and Jimmy weren't at that pace in the Caribbean.

I was also wondering about the accuracy of the speed gun.

Have to agree. 3 bowlers above 90 mph seems a bit dodgy. Maybe they were really bending their backs to try to get sumpent out of a slow deck.

Basil wrote: quite nippy, not an out and out speed merchant.

That sounds like something tac pays extra for

No denying Onions bowled exceptionally well - AFTER he bagged up Simmons ... up until then his bowling was plain okay.

But hey - it's early days folks ... after all, 3 of his 5 wickets were bunnies.
However, on the plus side - he has a quicks grouse attitude, a sharp focus, skids the ball awkwardly and, on a day like yesterday (damp, heavy cloud cover) was swinging it like a well hung champion bull does.

Sky pundits - forget who - were starting to compare his action and close-to-the-wicket release with Hawaii the metronome (as was Boycs on TMS) ... but again the warning ... It's.Early.Days.

I thought Jimmy's opening spell in the WI second dig was far more lethal - Crystal and Sarwan were completely muzzled.

Heavy cloud cover out there again today .... can England force an innings win ?

Onions still a bit green?

The poms should have waited to spring onions on Oz . . .