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

Rob I wrote:I'm glad that Flower is going for confident, agggressive types (Bops, Swanny, Onions) instead of bottlers and mentalists (Bell, Monty, Harami).

I think the character thing can't be understated. We had a couple of those in the latter category in our successful years, but they were probably carried along by those in the former group really, and I suppose when you look at it Bell contributed very little to the Ashes-winning cause and Harmison's form was patchy even by then.

Getting a good team spirit, positive attitude and winning mentality is the key, if you can get that and sustain it for a while anything's possible. Fresh faces can help with that - recreating that 18 months of success isn't just about picking as many of the same players as possible, and the selectors have now realised that!

Rob I wrote:Shivvers is looking a bit hit-and-miss these days.....

20, 1, 55, 70, 147*, 6, 0, 4 since the beginning of the last series.

he has dropped to #3 in the world on the ICC table, after Younis Khan and Sangakkara...

damn if only the rest of our batsmen were hit and miss we would have been much more competitive. I am not worried about Shiv, he got 2 excellent deliveries early on. It happens to the best of batsmen including the great Shivster and KP in this match.

I am annoyed with Gayle for his two wafts. Yes that is how he bats but he didn't even try to adapt to the conditions. Even young Simmo showed more application than him.

Sarwan played a bad shot in the 1st innings and got a crackerjack delivery that seamed back at him a huge amount. His body language in the field was not what you would expect of a senior player however.

Rob I wrote:Shivvers is looking a bit hit-and-miss these days.....

20, 1, 55, 70, 147*, 6, 0, 4 since the beginning of the last series.

he has dropped to #3 in the world on the ICC table, after Younis Khan and Sangakkara...

Averaged 100 over a 2 year span. He had to drop off eventually. If that's his rough patch then it is not too worrisome.

I would have given the M o M to Bopara - far and away the single largest contribution by a batsman on either side.

Here's hoping for a harder workout in the second test to find out a little bit more about the new boys.

Rob I wrote:Shivvers is looking a bit hit-and-miss these days.....

20, 1, 55, 70, 147*, 6, 0, 4 since the beginning of the last series.

he has dropped to #3 in the world on the ICC table, after Younis Khan and Sangakkara...

How exactly is Younis at number one? Pakistan have played about two Tests in two years haven't they?

I hope JK didn't have a ticket for tomorrow!

WIFAN wrote:[the best of batsmen including the great Shivster

Not sure I'd include Shiv in the set {the best of batsmen}.

Sobers, Viv and Lara however...

PeterCS wrote:

And coming up on Jools Holland if you tune to BBC2 now where available.

Along with some has been Welsh types.

You know a band's lost it when they come up with the song title, "Jackie Collins Existential Question Time."

Just face it - you've got nothing left to say have you?

Couldn't have asked for much more. England's most comprehensive test victory for a long time.

Henry wrote:Couldn't have asked for much more. England's most comprehensive test victory for a long time.

probably since the last home series against the Windies.

Ouch!

Still, a win is a win.

Re: Onions Test start ... nearly as impressive as those of Hirwani, Massie, Peter Taylor, Tony Dodemaide, Simon Cook, Frank Hayes, and Gary Cosier; ie it's too soon to tell, but he looked promising on the highlights I saw. Absolute death knell for Harmison, you'd think.

Nath wrote:

Henry wrote:Couldn't have asked for much more. England's most comprehensive test victory for a long time.

probably since the last home series against the Windies.

Actually probably since South Africa at The Oval last year.

So, are Vaughan and Bell finally consigned to the dustbin after Bopara's splendid {second) century?

Henry wrote:

Nath wrote:

Henry wrote:Couldn't have asked for much more. England's most comprehensive test victory for a long time.

probably since the last home series against the Windies.

Actually probably since South Africa at The Oval last year.

That was a dead rubber though.

This result says a lot about the sh1thouse West Indian highways.

And Red, the blonde in your latest avatar has man hands.

JGK wrote:This result says a lot about the sh1thouse West Indian highways.

Maybe not just that ... maybe a bit about the readiness of the West Indian players to play Test matches in England in early May.

Hopefully Gayle, Chanderpaul, and Sarwan will redeeem themselves in the Second Test. They, the 'big three', were the major failures at Lords.

Nash continues to do far better than expected.

Well done to the Poms. You can do nowt but beat those put on the paddock against you.

Well done to Onions, Swann and Bopara.

skully wrote:Well done to the Poms. You can do nowt but beat those put on the paddock against you.

Well done to Onions, Swann and Bopara.

Speaking of which, I have promised Mrs K that I will cook her a chicken curry for dinner tonight.

Interestingly, this is the first time that England have won the first test of a series for fourteen series, so that's progress, even if WI were dire.

Rob I wrote:Interestingly, this is the first time that England have won the first test of a series for fourteen series, so that's progress, even if WI were dire.

Really? That's quite a remarkable stat.

The English usually don't start to fight until they are backed into a corner (or 0-2 down in a series). Think about Dunkirk and then the Battle of Britain. To try to win from the outset smacks of trying too hard, and that's frowned on here. We see it time and time again in the Football WC - scrape into the knockout phase by a fluke, then suddenly start playing better.

skully wrote:

Rob I wrote:Interestingly, this is the first time that England have won the first test of a series for fourteen series, so that's progress, even if WI were dire.

Really? That's quite a remarkable stat.

And a first win at Lord's for what must seem like bloody decades.

Got 2 days left in London due to the WI craptitude, might pop off to the Slurrey/Middx game later.

Didn't get to see any highlights but from my frozen position at the bottom of the Compton stand - looked like we were doing the usual gift the oppo wickets on the first morning.

Got to say, well bowled Swanny - pick of the bowlers for me - Jimmykins was as craptacular as ever imo.

Onions did ok, I thought. Not sure how he'll go on a deck that offers nothing though?

Basil wrote:I hope JK didn't have a ticket for tomorrow!