West Indies Tour of England - May to June 2012

[Sureshot]

Think the weather is set fair, even if not warm!

Pretty decent effort so far. Broad came back well, Anderson was good and Swann was tight on a 1st day pitch. Not much to say about the batting, just going about what is needed. KP going for 32 is a disappointment, 400+?

Pitch has played as I thought, even with all the rain about, it's still a good pitch and the WI haven't really turned up apart from Chiv. I really don't know why Darren Sammy is playing, most mediocre player to play so many games?

Good to see Strauss in the runs, some will say "It's only WI" and they're right, it is, but they'd have all been berating him if he'd gotten ducks, so credit where it's due.

 

[puddleduck]

I agree though, dissapointing how ineffective Windies bowlers have been in these conditions. Although Lords is notoriously tricky for bowlers who aren't used to bowling there.

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More I think about it, the more dissapointing that is from KP. Everytime you think he has turned the corner and will now not make silly mistakes and put pressure on the batsman to come at stupid times he promptly does

 

[Papa_Smurf]

I agree though, dissapointing how ineffective Windies bowlers have been in these conditions. Although Lords is notoriously tricky for bowlers who aren't used to bowling there.

You'd still expect something. A few jaffa's here and there, some controlled swing, a few oohs and aah's.

Maybe I'm expecting too much. After the 2010 summer, controversies aside, where both sides were making the ball talk, I was expecting each English summer to be of the same quality. And from England it has been. Can't say the same for the others. I dismissed the SL and Ind attacks from last summer down to just being rubbish. But the likes of Roach and Edwards do clearly have potential.

On the plus side, it has built up my pre-series hype for the SA series.

 

[Sureshot]

Roach has been good in parts today, Edwards doesn't look fit. They've just not been pitching it up enough. Gabriel looks to have some potential too, but as said, their length has been the problem for most of the day. Credit to the batsmen though, they've done a good job.

 

[sifter132]

You'd still expect something. A few jaffa's here and there, some controlled swing, a few oohs and aah's.

Yeah look, if that ball from Edwards to Strauss in over 1 was 2cm closer to the stumps, then Strauss it out for 0, Cook was slashing through the slips. It coulda been a lot better.

But then again, they needed consistency. For that I would have played Shillingford - I hate 4 fast bowlers. 3 should be enough, and if it's not - your bowlers probably suck anyway.

Plus...against Strauss and Cook, I'd have opened the bowling with Samuels. Yes, I know overhead conditions, new ball, blah blah, but come on - England struggled all winter against spin, those 2 are pretty leaden footed and much prefer the pace. I think EVERY team should bowl spin against them really, and I'm hoping beyond hope that Lyon gets the new ball vs them in next years Ashes. Not talking about a 10 over spell and wasting the new ball, but I think a handful of overs testing their weakness against spin should be almost mandatory.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

I'd have opened the bowling with Samuels.

He's no Ajmal.

 

[angryangy]

I don't think they saw no chances, but they don't have the consistency to pressure the batsmen like the English did. When bowlers put pressure on, you start to remember everything that goes their way because you're not seeing much going the batsman's way.

 

[Owzat]

Time to drop Strauss. He just isn't up to is anymore. Also is Stuart Broad really a test-standard bowler?
I think it's time to recall Mark Ramprakash.

Sarcasm?

T'was a good chance for all batsmen to fill their boots, only Strauss has really made most while a couple did more to get themselves out than the bowler.

re Strauss, his average post-Ashes 2009 has been :

45 inns, 1459 runs @ 33.93

Exclude his current score and he went into the match with 1338 runs in his last 44 inns @ 31.12. Since the Ashes 2005 he has averaged 39.39, only 35.19 against Australia, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa. His average since 2005 against West Indies is currently 51.76

 

[puddleduck]

Always good when Owzat turns up with the stats that back up my theorys

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

I think sifter's made a good point about spin. ok, it's in england, it's far more suited to pace bowling but england struggled with spin in the last few months, spin was working well for the west indies againt australia recently and it meant bringing in an untried debutant.

hindsight and everything but it seems like a strange gamble to go with such an unorthodox bowling line up with so few factors in it's favour.

 

[Owzat]

Interesting stat from TMS :

"Strauss has resumed on overnight 100 six times before - and never added more than 6 runs." (Malcolm Ashton)

 

[puddleduck]

Yeah he doesn't really hit big hundreds. Strauss at no point ever looks like he's in. He basically has to play the same innings from ball 1 to ball 500. This is fine, except that he hasn't been scoring runs. Whenever he seems to get away from his standard solid, compact game, he gets out. If he hadn't been dropped in the 90's late yesterday, we'd still be talking about 1 hundred in over 50 innings and an average dipping below 40...

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

is this roach's thing? that he's all cool about taking wickets so doesn't really appeal very much. a lot of footballers do that these days but perhaps not such a good idea in cricket.

both bowlers seem to have come out with a bit more intent this morning.

 

[barmyarmy]

Interesting stat from TMS :

"Strauss has resumed on overnight 100 six times before - and never added more than 6 runs." (Malcolm Ashton)

Yup, I was vaguely aware of that. Strange for a quality batsman.

 

[Owzat]

I expect Bell will be determined to make most of this bowling attack. He made hay against India but has scored 0,4,29,3,5,10,52,13 and 18 since - not including this innings. That's nine innings, 134 runs @ 14.89.

Might only be one prospect included, but I hope he gets at least a fifty. Maybe show some grit and determination and hold the tail together, assuming the innings of Bell endeth soon