Windies First XI

* Gayle
Barath
Sarwan
Nash
Shiv
Bravo
+ Ramdin
J Taylor
Benn / Another Spinner
Fidel
Roach

looks pretty good though obviously fitness is a major issue.

What is the status of Marlon Samuels?

I haven't checked his Facebook yet, one moment please.

I think Bravo is too high at 6. He should play as the 3rd quick who can bat at 7 because I don't think Ramdin is good enough for 7.

Also, Shiv followed by Nash runs a real risk of getting the scoring bogged down like it did today.

Not sure who the batsman to come in is. Maybe Dowlin?

philcric wrote:* Gayle
Barath
Sarwan
Nash
Shiv
Bravo
+ Ramdin
J Taylor
Benn / Another Spinner
Fidel
Roach

looks pretty good though obviously fitness is a major issue.

Yep that is the full strength XI, I reckon it's a damn good side, particularly if we get a proper spinner in the side . If we needed the extra batsman then Deonarine would probably come in for the spinner as his off spin is pretty tidy. Ramdin had an excellent 2009 up until the Adelaide test, but his last 4 innings have been extremely disappointing.

JT is quite handy with the bat too

Windies could turn into a meaningful scalp again in the next few years. Can see them beating anyone at home with that lineup and a bit of luck.

Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

WIFAN wrote:Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

I don't want to think about that. If I see Floyd Reifer on the WI team again I might throw up.

kkf wrote:

WIFAN wrote:Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

I don't want to think about that. If I see Floyd Reifer on the WI team again I might throw up.

I bet you Reifer ends up captaining West Indies A in 2010. Even that would be a tragedy.

WIFAN wrote:

kkf wrote:

WIFAN wrote:Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

I don't want to think about that. If I see Floyd Reifer on the WI team again I might throw up.

I bet you Reifer ends up captaining West Indies A in 2010. Even that would be a tragedy.

I went to cricinfo to see his stats, saw a batting average of 9 and thought "ah, must be a bowler" only to be confused as to why there were no bowling figures. Then it hit me .

philcric wrote:* Gayle
Barath
Sarwan
Nash
Shiv
Bravo
+ Ramdin
J Taylor
Benn / Another Spinner
Fidel
Roach

looks pretty good though obviously fitness is a major issue.

I'd go with -

Barath
Another opener(Deonarine?)
Shiv
Sarwan
Gayle
Nash
Bravo
Ramdin
JT
Fidel
Roach

Gayle, Sarwan, etc, can bowl spin if required. Remove Nash if a specialist spinner is really needed. Still think Gayle would be best suited to the middle order. They need a more solid, if not even a quarter as flamboyant, opener than CG. Also think he'd be a lot more productive at 5.

Gayle should stay at the top, he is their Dilshan/Sehwag...

Benn is a very handy bowler, i don't know why people don't rate him.

vilkrang wrote:

WIFAN wrote:

kkf wrote:

WIFAN wrote:Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

I don't want to think about that. If I see Floyd Reifer on the WI team again I might throw up.

I bet you Reifer ends up captaining West Indies A in 2010. Even that would be a tragedy.

I went to cricinfo to see his stats, saw a batting average of 9 and thought "ah, must be a bowler" only to be confused as to why there were no bowling figures. Then it hit me .

Whenever he batted against Bangladesh I am sure viewers from other countries would have been under the impression we had sent in the night watchman incredibly early.

WIFAN wrote:

vilkrang wrote:

WIFAN wrote:

kkf wrote:

WIFAN wrote:Well it's about time we were able to put a full strength team together. We haven't been able to do that for about 2 years.

Now this tour has been pretty positive for the most part so look for a crippling player strike just before the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

I don't want to think about that. If I see Floyd Reifer on the WI team again I might throw up.

I bet you Reifer ends up captaining West Indies A in 2010. Even that would be a tragedy.

I went to cricinfo to see his stats, saw a batting average of 9 and thought "ah, must be a bowler" only to be confused as to why there were no bowling figures. Then it hit me .

Whenever he batted against Bangladesh I am sure viewers from other countries would have been under the impression we had sent in the night watchman incredibly early.

It really puts the England strength in depth into perspective. At the moment I don't actually think there is a big difference in class between the first choice England line up and the first choice Windies line up, but I couldn't ever see our second 11 losing a match against the Windies second 11.

Really hope the Windies first 11 stay fit and don't strike, they have the makings of a decent side and it would be fantastic for world cricket if they managed to win a few series against some of the top sides (which I think they are capable of), but the backup is just shocking.

Yep England A would probably thrash ours because the bowling is so carp but it was not long ago that our A team gave the England senior team a right shellacking in a tour game. Admittedly that had a lot to do with Simmons and Barath who went on to play for the senior team not long afterwards. In our defence Reifer would struggle to make a Windies D team, he was just the leader of the scabs and became the first 37 year old in the history of international cricket to receive a 'developmental contract'.

This would be my West Indies A team for March 2009 tours to destination unknown:

Kieron Powell
Kraigg Braithwaite
Lendl Simmons
Darren Bravo
Andre Creary
Kieron Pollard
Devon Thomas (wk)
Darren Sammy (c)
Nikitta Miller
Kevin McLean
Nelon Pascal

Reserves:

Andre Fletcher
Brandon Bess
Jason Dawes
Davendra Bishoo

It's a mixture of teenage batting prodigies like Braithwaite or Creary, proven First Class performers like Miller, McLean and Pascal and raw but extremely talented young players like Bess (extreme pace, no direction) and Bishoo. The pace bowling is poor and the batting is extremely inexperienced but ridiculously talented.

Was going to post something similar to this. If they can get Edwards, Roach and Taylor all fit and firing the West Indies could really start to close the gap.

Chanderpaul is a quality bat and Gayle is a ledge, plus with Nash adding some much needed grit they're not too far off being a good team.

Now with 3 fast bowlers if they can strive to get some hard and bouncy wickets for home Tests, even if they can't get the 1980s strips something like the ones they prepared for England in 2004 (except the road at Antigua).