England v West Indies, 2nd Test - Trent Bridge

First topic message reminder :

England unchanged. Rampaul and Shillingford in for the Windies.

Windies win the toss and will bat. A great toss to win - runs galore today.

eirebilly wrote:South Africa will be very difficult. England have some very good grounds for swing bowling which is the main bowling strength but the Saffers have some decent swing bowlers as well. That will be a cracking series

The Perth Test when Mitchell got his radar working and blew us away shows that this side has, or at least had, a weakness against really good fast bowling. Morkel and Steyn might be able to do us. I think we have an attack that threatens anyone, especially at home, but I worry that our batting might not be up to it.

Yeah, real shame the Test series vs SA is only 3. Ditch some 50 over crap and make room!

I'd gladly sacrifice 2-3 ODIs for a test match. Any more than 2 T20 games is overkill.

We've had 3 tests and 7 ODI series in recent times. 4-5 tests and 5 ODIs would be much better.

84-4. As usual, a poor early session for the West Indies. Their top order is so weak that only lack of early wicket would surprise anyone.
Anderson was superb and Broad was pretty good. Bresnan also produced some cracking deliveries.
Again s usual, Shiv Chanderpaul is resisting for the West Indies, with relatively more dificulties I must say.
Will he ply another typical Chanderpaul to frustrate England? More importantly, will Samuels and the rest of the batting lineup including wicket keeper Ramdin and all-rounder Sammy be able to put up some resistance?
Shillingford is a capable slogger lower down the order, and Rampaul could hit a long ball and at times stick around. At least, the tail looks better placed to put up 30-40 runs on a good day.
The WI will certainly need the rest of the lineup to bat with at most sense, and they would obviously need some luck against these quality bowlers.

89/4 then so far - I'd take that since the sun is baking down and the pitch looks good. Chanderpaul is the key wicket and probably has been since Lara retired so come on England!

The pressure is mounting here. Has to be a wicket soo i feel.

Samuels has done well so far not to leave Chanders out in the cold. Is he at last coming off age?

Things have rather settled down since lunch... Both batsmen seem more comfortable though the run rate has dropped right away.
Bit of donkey work for Bresnan coming up I think.

And I suppose if he doesn't get a breakthrough we will see a lot of "why not Finn" posts...

Still Jimmy for now though ...but not for much longer unless he gets a wicket ...this will be his fifth since the interval and he bowled nine in the first spell. Interesting to see him attacking Samuels from around the wicket.

cricinfo says Swanny hasn't picked up a test wicket at his home ground. Surely time to change all that Swanny? Come on, get the big one of all!!.

Somewhat explainable when you consider the damage swing bowlers do.

Yeah he's not bowled many overs, in fairness.

This what the Windies should have been doing this morning. Much more measured and careful.

So an attacking shot from Chanderpaul after a long time. He had started quickly but then settled down for the long. Yet again it seems the opposition will have to focus on the batsman at the other end. Wonder what would have happened if WI had another good solid batsman in their lineup!.

WI reached their hundred, Samuels playing his shots, better be careful not to get carried away.
Swann going for a few in this over, a wicket would let him settle nicely!.

By the look of things, it seems Swanny will have to bowl a lot more overs than he did in the past 2 tests he played in his home ground. And a couple have turned from him, so he'll have a greater role in this game.
Tim B is back on, replacing Anderson.

These two won't be moved today.

Thats the way trebbs

England drying up the runs here ....

Won't worry Shiv but Samuels may get itchy and take a risk.

The pitch looks a good one for batting , so if this partnership goes long , as at Lords , West Indies could yet recover to a decent total...

These two are forming an impossibly good partnership, eng have nothing to break it, impossible.

Nice cut Samuels...fifty partnership.

Still Swann wicket less at TB ...

Samuels is fighting away, England need a wicket soon. Another fine shot from Samuels here.

This is an excellent partnership. Really what the Windies needed.

Brilliant ball and review from Swann and he gets the Big One

Now the door is ajar...

Swann breaks his Trent Bridge duck with the wicket of Chanderpaul. The beginning of the end?

Swanny!! Shiv is his bunny!

Its all in the timing

Well done eirebilly, great jinx! Swann has got the wicket of Chanders, 125/5 - let's get 'em out for 200, come on England!

I didn't gather in all that how Chanderpaul was actually out. lbw?

Massive chance to keep the Windies under 200 now.

Swann gets Chanders LBW.

Swann has his first test wicket at TB

Doors open now

Utterly crucial. Chanders gone and the other wall that's the samuelman is still there and he will not be moved.

Great battle.

Bresnan rather lost his radar there...most unusual and a harsh (to Prior) call of byes...

Swann hasn't got any left handlers left now but he is looking a bit dangerous here. Feel if another wicket goes soon this innings might just fold up.

This puts pressure on with chanders gone fairly early.

Before that wicket I was just furiously typing how it is ridiculous that the supposed best side in the world simply cannot get Chanderpaul out. He does well against everyone, granted, but it is ludicrous that we just have no clue how to remove him (in hindsight, the Swann lbw is the best bet!).

We certainly operate with a resigned air when bowling to him, that is for sure. Not good.

Rauf having a bad day today, by the way. Didn't someone mention the possibility of that earlier?!

Ramdin bowled by Bresnan! About time Tim did something, he has been average today.

... Was about to say Bresnan was having rather a poor second spell when ...bingo !

Bye bye Ramdin

Kept a bit low , did it not?

Well done Bresnan, 136/6, not much batting left now.

You have to feel sorry for Chanderpaul. One of the best batsman of his generation spending so much time with such inept teammates.

No , on second viewing just nipped back in and did him like a kipper...

Nice piece of bowling.

Sammy and Samuels with not much to follow...

Oh that's pressure,

Probably the last real bat has fallen.

Fists of Fury wrote:Rauf having a bad day today, by the way. Didn't someone mention the possibility of that earlier?!

I commented on how good Dar was and joked I might have hexed him. You might be thinking of that.

I forgot about sammy. This samtastic pairing are going nowhere. Double ton in the offing.

300-6 at the close, Trebs?

I reckon 500 -2. They will play so well the umpires will give them extra wickets.

my sky go isnt working- there is cricket and golf on-

Unless we take our foot off their necks, we might have them all not long after tea at this rate.

Boycott appears to be advocating removing sponsored cars from bowlers and making them walk everywhere, to improve their fitness....

154/6 at tea. Good two sessions of work by England, in 20 minutes they need to show the clinical edge and have a bit of a bat before stumps.

back on it, but ihave to listen to the radio because my technolgy has broken- comeon england- quick wicket lads

Samuels to 50.

Patience required by England, ideal batting conditions.

He's a very frustrating batsmen Samuels don't you think?. Very nonchalant approach, sort of just dabs it away here and then with a couple of boundaries, very frustrating to watch, get's the job done. Sammy's technique also get's on my nerves, what's up with that front foot and arm movement with the bat?