England tour of West Indies 2015

[IceAgeComing]

why do they not have a slip in?

 

[blockerdave]

Really showing you need express pace and/or a wrist spinner in these situations.

 

[IceAgeComing]

Even then, its not exactly conducive to anything: Bishoo didn't exactly rip through England and 3 of England's wickets were run outs, one of which was incredibly dumb

I think I understand what England was trying: leg theory with a leg slip, short leg and a silly mid on - I think you still need a slip there - leave a gap in the covers to try and encourage the offside drive when it is available and pray for a nick. Then again they took out the leg slip and silly mid on for Brathwaite in the end so I don't know what they were doing in the last few overs

e: although England should make some changes for the final test imo: I'd personally rest Anderson and Jordan in the final test and play two of Plunkett, Wood and Rashid depending on what the conditions are - it'd at least help us work out how good the latter two are. I'd also have said that Lyth should play in the final test but I don't see anyone that you can drop to let him in

Also Stokes isn't that good and I wouldn't play him in England unless you found a spinner good enough to play as a bowler

 

[MUFC1987]

The problem is, on a pitch that isn't doing much, you need a batsman who needs to score, to be aggressive and offer you chances that way, like Samuels eventually did in the first innings. But with Brathwaite, he just seems to have a great temperament, where he doesn't need to be scoring runs to feel comfortable.

On Stokes, I think he does a decent enough job, we just need to back our batsmen to get another bowler in there. There's no need to play Buttler at 8 on most of the pitches around the world, especially when Stokes and Ali are both probably not quite good enough as a genuine 4th bowler, although both are great as a 5th option. I'd drop one of the top 7 and get another bowler in for the next Test.

And Root looks very comfortable in the same confines of the middle order, away from that dastardly new ball.

 

[Samuels]

Anderson deserves the mention for bowling beautifully with the new ball. He has brought England right back into the game. Shame for Marlon to miss out on the big innings after settling in so nicely. Chanders' surprising drought of runs in the series continues.

C'mon Jermaine!

EDIT: Jinxed him.

 

[Skater]

Well played, skipper. Cook's looked pretty good with the bat on this tour.

 

[MUFC1987]

Yeah, good to see him doing well. For all the flak he gets for his Captaincy and his ODI batting, at Test level, he is the only World Class opener that we've got, so we need him to carry on scoring well. Only a matter of time until that next century, I think.

 

[_Sam_]

Gotta admit I was surprised to he's currently the 2nd leading test player on runs scored that is still playing the game behind Chanderpaul. Guess he got in so young and recent memories have tainted him a bit. Not long now before he reaches Gooch.

 

[bigred]

Great win that. Wasn't predicting it at the end of day 4. Superb stuff from Anderson set it up. Nice to see Cook look so settled, and Ballance continue his brilliant form.

Trott's duck puts him under a bit of pressure again. If he gets two single figure scores in the next test, I don't think he'll open against NZ.

 

[Skater]

Gotta admit I was surprised to he's currently the 2nd leading test player on runs scored that is still playing the game behind Chanderpaul. Guess he got in so young and recent memories have tainted him a bit. Not long now before he reaches Gooch.

Whatever has happened to Cook recently, he will always have those 25 Test centuries (and he will make more) and they have all been made as an opener. That's really good going.

 

[MUFC1987]

The thing about Cook is that he's being going long enough to have survived the lows of Test cricket and come out the other side. He came in for his debut and did well for a while, before we all thought he was broken, only for him to come back even stronger after almost reshaping his technique. Now he's had another low, but looks to be on the up with all these 50s, so only a matter of time for me before he's back to his best. And it's great timing, because with so much doubt about his opening partner, we need him this summer.

 

[blockerdave]

Cook did well; encouraging that if you throw in the India series last year plus this, his recent record looks better after 18 very ordinary months that looked like a possible long term decline. He will face bigger tests this summer of course, but better he goes into it with a modicum of confidence/form.

Brilliant spell by Anderson in the morning that changed the whole course of the game. Another one who needed that because it was his best spell since Trent Bridge 2013!

 

[cricket_icon]

Strong end to a game which was meandering a long. Now, I'd like to see how the Windies will come back into this because they have not been outplayed and have matched England almost all the way. I think this series has come down to experience and there is no one in the WI team with the experience that Anderson and Broad can bring to the table.

Holder however has really impressed and is playing for the team. There's a great chance of the WI drawing the series.

 

[_Sam_]

Holder however has really impressed and is playing for the team.

Would be very surprised if he plays in the last match.

Chanderpaul is also most likely the most experienced player around in test cricket at the moment . I get where you're coming from though.

 

[cricket_icon]

Would be very surprised if he plays in the last match.

Chanderpaul is also most likely the most experienced player around in test cricket at the moment . I get where you're coming from though.

Good old Shiv is nearing the end and there really isn't anyone else for the WI to tell them how to get through a tough spot.

And yeah, forgot about Holders injury.