Story Hot and Sticky Tour (ENG vs WI)

[tigerdes]

RB: Welcome back to the cricket and a truly intriguing games play today. England started well Chris Gayle the hero of the first innings for teh West Indies was dismissed during a fiery opening spell by Steve Harmison. Harmison claimed the first three wickets making up for a barren tally in the first innings.

However, Harmison had to be patient for his third scalp as West Indies recovered through a superb partnership between Lara and Sarwan. Lara eventually dismissed for 46 with West Indies 209/3. England were certainly nervous as Samuels came to the crease and looked assured. However, with the score at 260/3 the match turned on its head. After surving a large number of snicks, Sarwan dollied one to cover and it seemed as though his marathon effort was over. To the complete disbelief of the England team Trescothick dropped the catch, Sarwan breathed a sigh of relief and a certain young man's PC nearly went through the window. Believing that divine intervention was playing a part in his innings carefree Sarwan swung at the next delivery Vaughan making no mistake at extra cover and the West Indies resistance was over.

Despite a battling display by Ridley Jacobs, the spinners tore through the tail before Collingwood returned to dismiss Fidel Edwards. West Indies 346 all out and England victorious by 177 runs.

England record an historic series win in the West Indies and will be hoping to finish with a 4-1 scoreline as they go into the last test. It's back to the drawing board for the West Indies with a small consolation of the Men of the Match award presented to Fidel Edwards and Chris Gayle.

 

[tigerdes]

Ramnaresh Sarwan - lucky, lucky man

 

[tigerdes]

Scorecard

 

[tigerdes]

Bowling figures

 

[m_vaughan]

Go England!! Fantastic win!! seems a batting paradise for the entire length of this test match

 

[tigerdes]

Definitely. If I didn;t have Giles and Batty I'd have been in a world of trouble pace bowlers were just getting dispatched all over the shop. Either that or getting edged for 4. I must have had about 10 edges through the slip cordon!!!!

Series sealed now. Just want to get the last test out of the way so I can get stuck into the one dayers. Having a break from revision tonight because I had an exam today. West Indies are 130/2. Another batting track and I've got to bat fourth.

I'll make a proper post at the end of the first day.

 

[tigerdes]

RB: Well welcome to Barbados for the fifth and final test between England and the West Indies. England may have already secured the series but there is still much pride left to play for. England making just one change to their side with Flintoff rested and being replaced by Matthew Hoggard. The West Indies also making just one change with Pedro Collins making way for Darren Ganga. Over now to Tony Greig and the pitch report.

TG: Thank you Richie and this pitch markedly different from the last one. Flat and smooth like a baby's bottom and their won;t be much of anything in this for the bowlers. England naming two spinners in their side and only time will tell if they will be able to make any difference on this pitch. Unfortunately the lack of gaps means that crack cam will not be in operation in this game. Certainly one to bat on first.

RB: Well we've already had a toss, er huh hum, i mean we've already had the toss this morning and West Indies won it and unsurprisingly chose to have a bat. I'm afraid our camera's have been playing up today and so we have no pictures of the first days play.

Windies off to a flyer though Chris Gayle seemingly back on form. However, he as well as a number of West Indian bastmen failed to make the most of it when they got in on this pitch and all the top five batsmen out. Collingwood the pick of the England bowlers taking three wickets including Brian Lara with an absolute peach. Lara playing back to an inswinger and it flew through the tiniest of gates before clipping the off stump bail.

Darren Ganga also in amongst it taking 200 balls to score just 39 runs. However at stumps on Day 1 West Indies have scored 253/5. Ridley Jacobs batting well at the moment with Bank looking a tad nervy. Day one certainly Englands with West Indies surely disappointed to be five wickets down on this sublime batting surface.

 

[m_vaughan]

Yeah..England surely have the upper hand going into day 2. Anyways, the tailenders in c2k4 can give you a hard time, so it aint over till its over. You should try and restrict the Windies below 320.

It seems Darren Ganga is one of the most boring players in c2k4.

 

[duffarama]

Whoa, what a big tour this has become to be.

 

[tigerdes]

BL: Welcome back here to Barbados. The game tensely poised here with West Indies on 277/6, Jacobs taking 5 runs off the first over of the day from Steve Harmison. Before Matthew Hoggard got Banks with a peach of a delivery that caught the outside edge. West Indies surely out of the game now.

TG: Well Bill, I think you're wrong there, these two could put on a good stand here and get West Indies back into this match. Jacobs has batted well all series hitting a string of boundaries right off the meat of the bat and Drakes has always threatened to do some damage, with a marvellous knock of 100 in the last test.

BL: Hardly Tony, Drakes had one lucky innings that doesn't make him a world class batsmen like Sir Donald, as in come Harmison to bowl striding in like the BFG with a sack full of dreams, and he carries Englands dreams on his shoulder the big man....AND HE'S GOT HIM, YES!!!! STICK THAT UP YOUR ARSE TONY GREIG. STEVE HARMISON HAS FOUND THE BIG FAT EDGE OF JACOB'S BAT, A DIVING CATCH BY STRAUSS AND WEST INDIES TRULY F**KED NOW AT 277/7.

RB: Well it wasn't to go all England's way. Hoggard made another break through getting Collymore for 1 but the tail yet again causing England problems and West Indies limped to a relatively respectable score of 347. Only time will tell if it is enough as England look to post a significant total on this dream of a pitch.

 

[tigerdes]

Scorecard

 

[tigerdes]

batting

 

[tigerdes]

Bowling figures

 

[m_vaughan]

Well looking at the wicket....I would put my money on England getting a healthy 1st innings lead.

 

[tigerdes]

RB: Welcome back here to the third day of cricket from Barbados. The England innings over just before lunch with a marvellous performance put in by Jamie Foster to rescue what looked like a desperate situation for England. Foster playing a graceful 73, vital runs that helped England gain a slender lead. He was eventually dismissed by Vasbert Drakes wielding the new ball. Over to Max Walker and Bill Lawrie.

MW: In comes Drakes now to bowl, such a smooth fluid bowling action, see how he reahces for the sky and then whips the right arm through and yes he's got him Jamie Foster finally out after a marvellous knock of 73.

BL: Well he'll be disappointed with that Foster he was just starting to look in good nick out there and yet another ENgland batsmen has been bowled. But what's this Foster seems to be waving frantically, he's calling for a stretcher - oh what tragedy.

MW: Yes Foster calling for the emergency services and it seems to be the stump cam operator that's injured.

BL: Well I'm not f**king surprised Max to be honest. He's copped several harp ones to the head the stump cam operator and though they wear protective gear I think that blow with the new ball was the last straw and I think we'll now be without stump cam for the rest of the match.

RB: Yes and news from the hospital is that the stump cam operator is in a stable condition suffering from a nasty concussion. So England finally all out for 363 a lead of just 21. And lookking at the scorecard - well like the West Indies a number of batsmen making starts: Trescothick, Hussain, Thorpe and Collingwood all out in the 40's. An opportunity missed by England but nearing the half way stage of this match and the game is finely poised.