West Indies Tour of England - May to June 2012

[Papa_Smurf]

Apart from this test, haven't the conditions been more or less the same? Good batting pitches, but a lot of overhead conditions for the bowlers is how I would define England summers this decade.

 

[sifter132]

Certainly still supports playing four bowlers away from home

Thanks for doing that I think it's the old Premiership mentality: you want to NOT LOSE away, but you want to win at home. So 4 bowlers should be the standard away attack, I agree. Although I remember Australia in their days of arrogance where they talked about playing 5 bowlers away to try and win all those as well eg. I think on a tour of WI they played Hogg at #7, Symonds debuted basically because he could bowl on a tour of SL. I don't think it worked, but we were pompous enough to try

At home though I think you have to pick the attack that gets you 20, especially if you are worlds #1 team. If I'm England, I'd probably try the 4 bowlers for 1st Test vs SA, and if it doesn't work bring Finn in straight away and move Prior up to #6.

 

[Sureshot]

Apart from this test, haven't the conditions been more or less the same? Good batting pitches, but a lot of overhead conditions for the bowlers is how I would define England summers this decade.

The pitches in 2010 were much greener. Overhead conditions in this test? There was some at Lord's, but not like 2010.

I think resting bowlers and giving others a chance doesn't prove much, but does give Anderson and Broad a rest ahead of a mad 12 months. It's not just South Africa, it's T20WC and 4 Tests/ 3 & 1/2 month tour in India starting in October.

 

[puddleduck]

Surely the stats are massively weighted by the fact England will only have played 5 bowlers when they think the pitch will be difficult to take wickets on in the first place? That when they pick 5 bowlers they invariably play 2 spin bowlers (one of whom will normally be average at best) in alien conditions on batting flatbeds...

 

[Aalay]

West Indies in England 2012: Sunil Narine replaces injured Kemar Roach | Cricket News | England v West Indies | ESPN Cricinfo

Big blow for WI as Roach goes out but guess what? Narine is back.

 

[zimrahil]

West Indies in England 2012: Sunil Narine replaces injured Kemar Roach | Cricket News | England v West Indies | ESPN Cricinfo

Big blow for WI as Roach goes out but guess what? Narine is back.

Nooo - I have recently removed him from my IC10 roster for Shillingford

 

[Owzat]

I was talking to a colleague about cricket and couldn't remember the name of a certain cricketer for windies, but found it this morning.

Has Pollard ever been considered for Tests? While some countries can afford to label players "one day specialists", I would have thought Pollard would have been worth a punt.

 

[angryangy]

I think there was a time when they wanted him to play for West Indies A and that maybe they'd consider him for Tests after doing that. So he said no thanks and they said right well we don't like you. Of itself, it looks like the sort of think that Dr Hilaire would pontificate over, but it's not like this is a fixed process for all their selections. They treat players differently depending on how they perceive them; for example, they don't believe Jerome Taylor works hard enough, so he has to play a full season before they'll consider him. At other times, they're willing to overlook form or experience or any semblance of quality.

So really they've biased themselves against selecting someone perceived as a limited overs specialist, but in reality he is one of the most talented players in the world. Few in the Test squad can say the same.

 

[Sedition]

I thought Pollard had a good chance of making the squad and fighting for the #6 spot with Deonarine in the Aus/Eng tests. Now Samuels has forced his way back in and Fudadin's sort of hanging around if needed.

So they've basically got a bunch of middle-order batsmen, and no one who can play at the top. At least one of them should look to make the move, couldn't do any worse than Barath, Brathwaite, Powell and Edwards at the moment.

 

[Sureshot]

Pollard has hardly played any FC games, 22 matches in 4 and a half years? Though, got to be worth a go given how Edwards is going.

Powell (9 from 20) and Edwards (0 from 3) out for single figures already in the match at Grace Road. One of the friendliest attacks on the county. Powell seems to be okay if he isn't driving...

 

[Leggie]

Sorry if it has already been covered before, but what has happened to Dwayne Bravo? Is he one of the players who has is also in dispute with the WICB? Also I'm sure Chris Gayle's name was being thrown about a coulpe of days ago. Anyone know what happened about the possibility of Gayle making his way back into the side?

 

[Sedition]

Anderson's been dropped (or rested if you prefer factual information) for the third test. Should see Finn as his replacement with Onions missing out I guess.

 

[barmyarmy]

I think the ECB are in a muddle here. The SA series is ages away. What is Anderson meant to do? Put his feet up, bowl in the nets, play for Lancs and bowl more overs than he would be England?

 

[angryangy]

I'd rather see a player bowl a decent workload than take too much time off and start to pull up sore.

 

[War]

I think the ECB are in a muddle here. The SA series is ages away. What is Anderson meant to do? Put his feet up, bowl in the nets, play for Lancs and bowl more overs than he would be England?

I would think he is going to be part of the odi squad in these home conditions and the ecb as they usually do to control the amount of games he may plays for lancs ahead of the 1st test vs the proteas.