England in West Indies

[angryangy]

England are poo. This is an indication of how the series will go. Personally I hope we get whitewashed and then maybe the selectors will fnially sort it out.

I don't think it is simply because it's a blatant extreme. One rarely expects such conditions at Sabina Park. I personally think Barbados has one of the most sporting wickets in cricket. You might be likely to get similar conditions at the Viv, but definitely not at a majority of the Test grounds. While the flyweights of the West Indies might thrive on such a surface, they rarely seem to do the same on a less certain one.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Well at Sabina park I think we can just play Harmy and hope he remembers how to bowl.

We will get done because we're far too arrogant though, no-one has had it easy against the West Indies of late and we'll be no different. The only problem is whenever anyone puts up a fight, we never have the character to win the game. Plus I had a dream last night that England were 21/8 at some point in the series.

 

[sammy]

Good to see wallace taking 3 wickets so far, bowling bell and strauss

 

[irottev]

If England weren't losing warm-up games I think something would be wrong. They always lose but they turn up for the main event usually. It's not the result, it's the workout that counts. Getting smashed around a bit will only get more out of the players. More overs under their belts too.

 

[karnog]

Well i'm hoping England get roughed up before the Ashes plus i do support the WI (probably cause my best mate is from Antigua). Mind you if the Ashes were in two years i'd probably be neutral. I'm hoping its a close series. Obviously Gayle has to galvanise the side and play as a team. No point having half the team as passengers. Mind you England tend to buckle under pressure however Strauss is a very capable captain as i saw in the England Pakistan series. He does have the ability to create an air of calm although it could all of have been a rare moment of clarity in the English batsman's mind (especially Bell). Meh either way i'm hoping its a close series with the Windies winning 2-1 and 1-0 at England. However i believe it will be 2-0 to England. Chander will save 1 match and the other would be some great West Indian bowling and rather defensive English batters.

 

[King Pietersen]

Great West Indian bowling from an attack of Edwards, Taylor, Powell and Baker is just not going to happen. Only Jerome Taylor on current form is good enough to destroy a batting line-up, but he needs support. Edwards looked in poor form against New Zealand, Daren Powell is crap, and Lionel Baker has a shocking FC record and didn't look much cop against New Zealand in New Zealand. You need to be able to take 20 wickets to win a Test match, and I just can't see West Indies attack being good enough to do it consistently in the series. If England don't win both these Test series I'll be amazed, we've got a far stronger side.

 

[Geekery]

Finally some more test cricket, can't wait for this. England ftw!

 

[RoboRocks]

Great West Indian bowling from an attack of Edwards, Taylor, Powell and Baker is just not going to happen. Only Jerome Taylor on current form is good enough to destroy a batting line-up, but he needs support. Edwards looked in poor form against New Zealand, Daren Powell is crap, and Lionel Baker has a shocking FC record and didn't look much cop against New Zealand in New Zealand. You need to be able to take 20 wickets to win a Test match, and I just can't see West Indies attack being good enough to do it consistently in the series. If England don't win both these Test series I'll be amazed, we've got a far stronger side.

They should win. This England side has a lot to prove before the ashes and really they need to give the West Indies a good beating to look like the side that ill beat the Australians this summer.

 

[karnog]

Great West Indian bowling from an attack of Edwards, Taylor, Powell and Baker is just not going to happen. Only Jerome Taylor on current form is good enough to destroy a batting line-up, but he needs support. Edwards looked in poor form against New Zealand, Daren Powell is crap, and Lionel Baker has a shocking FC record and didn't look much cop against New Zealand in New Zealand. You need to be able to take 20 wickets to win a Test match, and I just can't see West Indies attack being good enough to do it consistently in the series. If England don't win both these Test series I'll be amazed, we've got a far stronger side.

Hence why i said one game would be drawn with the rare moment of form hitting all the bowlers coupled with the kind of batting we saw in the 2nd test match against india (second innings where they scored something ridiculous like 40 runs in a session and a half). But i really do hope West Indies can pull off a series victory.

 

[angryangy]

If Edwards took 7/87 in bad form on a dull pitch, I shudder to think how he'd bowl at the top of his game on a lively wicket. I think he's always a character to be wary of, even when he looks harmless. One day he gets nowhere, the next he causes a collapse.

Baker, I tend to agree about. He seems to have been picked for his accuracy at reasonable pace, but he does not look penetrative and his pace isn't overwhelming. He's a lot like Daren Powell in this regard. Kemar Roach looked like a prospect with more upside, though I would be keen to see what becomes of Kevin McClean, who in the second tour match appeared to be the pick of the bowlers in an otherwise batsman dominated contest.

 

[King Pietersen]

Seems I was wrong about Edwards in Test cricket, he was pretty poor in the ODi's though. His last 3 Test series he's done well, averaging under 30 against Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand. He also had an ok tour to England 2 years back. On his day destructive, just doesn't have enough of those good days to be considered as destructive as Jerome Taylor.

 

[WestIndian]

Well finally the start of the first test starts within the hour. There is a lot of talk about the West Indies and our bowlers inabilities to take 20 wickets to win a match, some persons even believe that Fidel Edwards is the second string bowler and that Jerome Taylor does not have the support he needs.

Fair enough, I respect all views, even those that believe that is their divine right and Godly insight to see into the future.
Most if not all seems to forget that the West Indies have to bat too, so taking 20 wickets is a two-side equation.

At this point talk seems cheap, especially come from those of us that are none participants of this test. The time is here and now, and for England "players" to prove they are the best side, the better team, the more united group, and as one person put it "give the West Indies a good beating", the West Indies on the other hand has to fight, all the way and make believers out of none believers and put a bridle on some mouths.

Since England is the superior side, then they don't need luck, I therefore wish the West Indies the best of luck and for them to do well!!

WestIndian added 2 Minutes and 36 Seconds later...

Seems I was wrong about Edwards in Test cricket, he was pretty poor in the ODi's though. His last 3 Test series he's done well, averaging under 30 against Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand. He also had an ok tour to England 2 years back. On his day destructive, just doesn't have enough of those good days to be considered as destructive as Jerome Taylor.

Yes, he can be, on his day. Kind of reminds me of Steve Harmison.

 

[Themer]

I love Edwards one of my favourite non English players and some of the England players for that manner great action and can be a bit on and off.

Why is Bell playing ffs Shah is being absolutley wasted by England they've given him so little opportunity.

 

[Deleted member 11215]

No Shah :

 

[Themer]

And Anderson has been overlooked he had a brilliant 2008 and still an out of form Harmison gets in infront of him terrible selections imo just hope Harmy fires.