England in West Indies

[Skater]

It sounds like the most likely thing to happen is there will be back-to-back Tests in Barbados. The people will be treated well for the rest of the time in Antigua and then sent to Barbados for the replay. I still go for the ARG. What a great story that would be.

 

[angryangy]

Yeah, the wait and see approach is not terribly useful when you find exactly what you were wary of. It seems like they don't know how to solve the problem and still won't at the end of the day.

 

[evertonfan]

"Fifty quid says this match gets abandoned and then Ian Bell is recalled for Shah with the selectors saying he has played his way back into form."
Nick, London, in the TMS inbox

Probably true...

 

[Leicester Fox]

I'm pretty sure sky can get there cameras fixed up a lot faster than normal when it's that or no viewers for 5 days though.

They need to make a decision asap though, time is running out.

 

[evertonfan]

Haha, this is even funnier;

1440: Windies skipper Gayle is clearly not happy and we've got a mass debate out in the middle.

 

[King Pietersen]

I'm pretty sure sky can get there cameras fixed up a lot faster than normal when it's that or no viewers for 5 days though.

They need to make a decision asap though, time is running out.

Time is running out for what? This isn't something that's going to be sorted in the next few hours with play at the ARG today or tommorow. It's going to take 3 or 4 days to get things setup at the ARG.

 

[barmyarmy]

Botham reckons the ARG has been used for practice for both teams so they could have a test wicket ready in 2/3 days.
Should be enough time to get all the media equipment moved too.

 

[Themer]

I doubt that Gas, you know what the ICC are like. The words piss-up and brewery come to mind.

evertonfan added 1 Minutes and 38 Seconds later...



It's not Test cricket's fault though, it's whoever's responsible for sorting out the outfield.

I know it isn't Test Crickets fault but those in charge wonder why they get less and less supporters coming to watch as debacles like this and poor pitches put people off and ruin crickets reputation.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Time is running out for what? This isn't something that's going to be sorted in the next few hours with play at the ARG today or tommorow. It's going to take 3 or 4 days to get things setup at the ARG.

Well if they want to play this game in Antigua they'll still want to give the players a bit of rest time after the 2nd test because I'm sure they would still like to seee the tour game go ahead.

 

[Themer]

They will cancel a tour game they won't be arsed about playing a tour game compared to a test match. A test match is easily more important.

 

[King Pietersen]

Yeh, but what's that got to do with my point? It's just not possible to get the ARG prepared in 1 day, it's going to take a few days minimum, and I don't see why they'd need the warm up if they're going to be playing at the ARG as this Test and the one in Barbados would be fairly close together anyway. It's just a monumental balls up.

 

[Themer]

The fact that they still haven't told the supporters is an absolute disgrace those supporters are obviously unaware as to what is happening.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Just not a lot of cricket for us in a short space of time. Could be good I suppose given the West Indies good form though

This is totally rubbish though. I'll have to watch Steve Bunces boxing hour instead. I wonder what cricket sky will repeat this time? Hopefully not just the last test match, that would be boring. Maybe the third test from Barbados last time we were in the Windies.

Seriously this is just crap. The groundsmen have 1 job. Prepare a pitch. They failed. End of. Sack them.

 

[Skater]

Andy Roberts doesn't think the ARG will be playable any time soon so it seems as if Antigua has lost its Test match.

Sad day for cricket. Two utter farces. One in Antigua, one in Brisbane.

 

[madmusician]

Well, when I watched the BBC News preview report this morning, they pointed out the outfield then, with Strauss saying that it looked dodgy. It obviously wasn't a surprise to anybody, and so this farce has come about. Throwbacks to Jamaica 1998.