Story West Indies Tour Of England
- Thread starter rocklara
- Start date
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The Npower Discussion Panel Opens:
David: "Well ahead of this npower test series, we've seen the stronger side on paper, england are the definite favourites. When we look at the probable final 11 for england we view their batting. Trescothick and Strauss realtively good nick, Vaughn may open the batting, in the middle the solid Butcher and Thorpe, will give that scoreboard something to talk of. Geraint Jones, good wicket keeper batsman should add that needed depth over the 5 days. So against this young west indies pace attack, i think england should go on to post some good totals during this test series. The bowlers, well what can we say, Steve as the number 2 bowler in the world should be favoured against the likes of Lara, Sarwan and Gayle, Hoggard can definitley swing it, Flintoff fit as ever as england will need a workhorse type of bowler to bowl these important partnership breaking spells. Garreth Batty or Ashley Giles, well I'll go with Ashely, a finger spinner and the west indies do have around 6 leftys so it will be difficult to get him away. So i think its a good squad for england. Considereing the edgbaston pitch, it should have a tinge of green but over the course of the 3rd day or so, it will be a bit hard, take alot of turn and will deteriorate on the 4th or 5th day, so always the toss is important."
Ian: " Well we've discussed the english team, now let's focus a bit on the West indies. A good warm up game against Gloucsteshire should give them a bit of confidence. With their batting, a Gayle-Harmison duel looks on song, Devon Smith should try to get in and play a good innings, setting the platform for a young Sarwan, and ofcourse the the talisman Brian Lara. Shiv Chanders is struggling a bit for form, but as we know world class players need just that bit of luck or a good innings to take them back to their "old self". Dawyne Smith is still injured so the liking of Dwayne Bravo or a Ricardo Powell should be the middle order players along with the ever committed Ridley Jacobs. The bowling has been the problem of late with the west indies and that is where i think england has prevailed dramatically. These bowlers of the past have not been able to limit the opposing batsmen to decent scores of 250 or 300 to give their batsmen a chance of keeping neck to neck with the opposition. Their batsmen facing huge totals of over 500 will usually crack and wilt under the pressure. Fidel Edwards, Collins and Best should really try to get their act together. Collins can move it around, and is only the most decent Windies bowler to whom Lara can turn to. The spinner Mohammed on a 4th day or 5th day on the edgbaston pitch can likely pose problems, as england have yet to face a chinaman since Paul Adams. So the odds are against the west indies but i still think it will be an interesting series."
David: "Well ahead of this npower test series, we've seen the stronger side on paper, england are the definite favourites. When we look at the probable final 11 for england we view their batting. Trescothick and Strauss realtively good nick, Vaughn may open the batting, in the middle the solid Butcher and Thorpe, will give that scoreboard something to talk of. Geraint Jones, good wicket keeper batsman should add that needed depth over the 5 days. So against this young west indies pace attack, i think england should go on to post some good totals during this test series. The bowlers, well what can we say, Steve as the number 2 bowler in the world should be favoured against the likes of Lara, Sarwan and Gayle, Hoggard can definitley swing it, Flintoff fit as ever as england will need a workhorse type of bowler to bowl these important partnership breaking spells. Garreth Batty or Ashley Giles, well I'll go with Ashely, a finger spinner and the west indies do have around 6 leftys so it will be difficult to get him away. So i think its a good squad for england. Considereing the edgbaston pitch, it should have a tinge of green but over the course of the 3rd day or so, it will be a bit hard, take alot of turn and will deteriorate on the 4th or 5th day, so always the toss is important."
Ian: " Well we've discussed the english team, now let's focus a bit on the West indies. A good warm up game against Gloucsteshire should give them a bit of confidence. With their batting, a Gayle-Harmison duel looks on song, Devon Smith should try to get in and play a good innings, setting the platform for a young Sarwan, and ofcourse the the talisman Brian Lara. Shiv Chanders is struggling a bit for form, but as we know world class players need just that bit of luck or a good innings to take them back to their "old self". Dawyne Smith is still injured so the liking of Dwayne Bravo or a Ricardo Powell should be the middle order players along with the ever committed Ridley Jacobs. The bowling has been the problem of late with the west indies and that is where i think england has prevailed dramatically. These bowlers of the past have not been able to limit the opposing batsmen to decent scores of 250 or 300 to give their batsmen a chance of keeping neck to neck with the opposition. Their batsmen facing huge totals of over 500 will usually crack and wilt under the pressure. Fidel Edwards, Collins and Best should really try to get their act together. Collins can move it around, and is only the most decent Windies bowler to whom Lara can turn to. The spinner Mohammed on a 4th day or 5th day on the edgbaston pitch can likely pose problems, as england have yet to face a chinaman since Paul Adams. So the odds are against the west indies but i still think it will be an interesting series."
