West Indies vs England, Barbados - Friday 1st May to Tuesday 5th May

First topic message reminder :

With England having taken an unexpected (at start of day) lead in Grenada we move to Bridgetown for the last match of the tour. Team selection will be interesting, though I do expect England to select the same team.

Good arguments can be made for giving Lyth a chance to open, while by and large the bowlers have not looked overly threatening. This is demonstrated by the four different centurions WI have had, plus some good late partnerships.

WI may well have Taylor back. Holder has been the least impressive of the Windies seam bowlers, but his batting will be valued. Bishoo bowled well, but had to bowl too many overs in Englands first innings due to lack of options. Perhaps Taylor could return for a batsmen. If so whom? Blackwood has a century, but also some brainless cricket, so the old man Chanderpaul could be the most vulnerable. It woudl be a shame if his career was to end like this - but Phil Simmons will not allow sympathy or emotion to drive his selections.

If the weather holds could be a fascinating clash.

Meanwhile, a reminder from today's only CC match that Lyth isn't the only alternative to Trott ... Middlesex's Sam Robson (remember him) has 150 and is still going against Durham at Lord's.

guildfordbat wrote:Meanwhile, a reminder from today's only CC match that Lyth isn't the only alternative to Trott ... Middlesex's Sam Robson (remember him) has 150 and is still going against Durham at Lord's.

Suppose Lyth should remain first in line though ? Hales in magnificent form too.

Trouble is no one since Strauss has carried first class form into the Test arena...

Alfie - agreed for now about Lyth although that could soon change. With other county openers heavily in the runs, he'll need to score a few when he does finally get to the crease.

Slightly surprised to see Moeen straight after lunch...but it takes him only a few balls to send Bravo packing for possibly the worst nine in the history of Test Cricket

Jordan safe hands again

MOEEN!

guildfordbat wrote:Alfie - agreed for now about Lyth although that could soon change. With other county openers heavily in the runs, he'll need to score a few when he does finally get to the crease.

I guess he will , guildford . Would be hard on him not to get a chance , after carrying drinks around the Caribbean ...
But if others are scoring heavily he does need to confirm he is in form . Don't think he needs monster scores though to be preferred to Robson at this stage ; just decent innings.

Some right old tripe from Moeen that last over ! Blackwood enjoyed it more than the bat-pad fieldsman

Jordan now at the other end...

Moeen continues to bowl rubbish...not sure what is wrong since the wicket of Bravo but England seem to have lost the plot ...

At 99-5, West Indies are trying just for survival and get as close as possible to the England score. On a lively track, against this brittle lineup, I did say even 240 was a decent total, and England didn't add too many to that and yet, they are pretty much in control.

Broad strikes as the West Indies skipper goes.
WI 107-6, still 150 behind.

Now its Stokes, as he gets Holder. Blackwood is playing his shots and has gone pass 50, but West Indies are being crushed here.

On a track offering something to the seamers, Stokes was introduced into the attack only in the 40th over and he struck right away.

Blackwood trying to go after everything. He has to stay positive and try to take the attack to the bowlers, but he shouldn't be reckless, he has to still try and get them as close as possible.

At tea, WI are 139-7, still 118 behind in the first innings.

At tea I'd say England are in firm control. To change that the West Indies tail will have to wag and take them up past England's total.

Permaul going after Anderson, managed a couple of boundaries but the veteran seamer had the last laugh as Anderson takes 4. A useful 8th wicket partnership of 38 ends as WI are now 162-8.

And now Taylor goes after Anderson, hits a 6 and a 4, but Anderson again having the last say as he hits the stumps to take 5.......

Blackwood now should try not to expose Gabriel too much to the bowling. Blackwood is someone from the Chanderpaul/VVS Laxman school, takes every run available....... Think he should change his approach now and try and drag the total to 200, and that would mean he should keep Gabriel away from strike as much as possible.

A fine catch from Moeen Ali of Anderson as Blackwood goes last man out for 85. So WI bowled out for 189. So England lead by 68.......

And Blackwood finally holes out in the deep. Great innings that by the youngster and Jimmy Anderson ends with a superb 42 for 6. West Indies bowled out for 189 and they trail by 68 runs. I don't see anyway back now for the Windies.

Trott trapped lbw for 9. England 11 for 1. Is that the end for him?

I'm gonna miss Trott

Cook out for 4 and England 13 for 2. Wow what a day, Fifteen wickets have fallen today and just over 200 runs scored.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Trott trapped lbw for 9. England 11 for 1. Is that the end for him?

I think so. You should probably never say never but Trott's surely now gone to the back of the queue behind quite a few in-form contenders. He'll need them to fail and to get a shedload of County Championship runs himself to return ... plus a desire to do so.

All very difficult and a great shame for a very fine England player of the last decade but I did post before the first Test that I had a bad feeling for him about this series.

ENGLAND BATTING COLLAPSE ALERT

Getting home to an England collapse...

Hello summer 2013/14

kingraf wrote:Getting home to an England collapse...

Hello summer 2013/14

Probably will be a regular occurrence this summer Raf!

We're crumbling against a glorified county attack - this summer could be a bloodbath

Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

JDizzle wrote:Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

#blasphemy

It is the mentality that England must be worried about. All it needed was one of them to be aggressive but no. They were far too negative. It needed more of a Blackwood approach and it would have crushed the Windies spirit.

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

#blasphemy

Is averaging 30, but doing it stylish enough for a number six batsman? For England, probably...

JDizzle wrote:

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

#blasphemy

Is averaging 30, but doing it stylish enough for a number six batsman? For England, probably...

He should be batted at 8 and concentrate on being the #1 spinner imo tbf

I go along with what Atherton said at close of play. You'd sooner be in England's shoes right now than the West Indies.

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

#blasphemy

Is averaging 30, but doing it stylish enough for a number six batsman? For England, probably...

He should be batted at 8 and concentrate on being the #1 spinner imo tbf

This is the same guy who bowled so many long hops today that one nearly broke Ballance's arm. Panesar is the best spinner in England, by a distance.

Well what to make of all that carnage ?

Obvious for a start that this pitch is not the easy ride for batsmen that
Antigua and Grenada served up. But not sure that justifies 18 wickets in a day ...some good bowling , on both sides ; but some pretty poor batting as well.
After an ordinary first day , Taylor got his act together , and showed that he is a seriously good bowler. And Anderson once again demonstrated that since Swann's retirement he is the key player in the England team : better hope he has a year or two left in him , because right now he is just not replaceable. Good to see Broad looking better too - didn't have much luck.
Spin bowlers on both teams a bit disappointing : pitch is giving them decent assistance but so far just five wickets in the match have fallen to their wiles ...and far too many loose deliveries , especially from Ali , who really had a poor day , early wicket apart.
Of course , those for whom players not in the team are always the superior choice will be in no doubt that if Rashid had been picked he'd have had England on the brink of victory by now
We'll never know of course ; but I for one would have missed Jordan's slip catching... I still think the pace men will decide this match.

I'd have West Indies marginally on top right now . This England innings is in such disarray now that a couple of early strikes tomorrow could see a victory target of under 150. But if Stokes or Buttler were to take a leaf out of Blackwood's book and succeed in attacking for an hour or so that target could grow rapidly...
Incidentally both those players have a chance here to show that they can live up to the considerable hype surrounding their futures . I like both ; but it is probably not unfair to say that up to now most of their batting successes in Tests have been in consolidating a good position or accelerating to a declaration ...this time , tough runs are needed.

If England are still batting at lunch I will fancy their chances. But this match has thrown up too many quick changes of momentum to be confident in predicting anything.

So weird cricket. If you look at the match as a whole and take into consideration the ability of the Windies, you'd say England aren't too badly placed. If you look at the day's play and all that jazz. England are 39/5!

I don't care about the pitch, the bowling or anything else. That is absolutely pathetic from England, and makes the world cup performances actually seem good

Seems like Strauss will be the new Cricket thingy they made - disappointing choice I was hoping they'd chase someone like Alec Stewart personally

Gerry SA wrote:

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:

Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Fairly ordinary shot from Moeen. Regardless of his first innings knock, I have my doubts over his Test Match batting ability.

#blasphemy

Is averaging 30, but doing it stylish enough for a number six batsman? For England, probably...

He should be batted at 8 and concentrate on being the #1 spinner imo tbf

This is the same guy who bowled so many long hops today that one nearly broke Ballance's arm. Panesar is the best spinner in England, by a distance.

Is that Monty panesar who can't into the Essex XI Monty panesar?

So everything I heard before this match, and backed up by Nasser hussain in commentary yesterday, Moores told Rashid he had to bowl quicker if he wanted to be in the team. Of course by doing this you lose all flight and are at real risk of pulling the ball down and bowling long hops.

I wonder if that is also what we have seen with Ali and Root yesterday. Neither are bowlers with huge experience and I just wonder if they have been told the same thing - to the detriment of their bowling?

Olly - Monty Panesar walked right past me in one of the members' areas at the Oval on Monday lunchtime. It's very unusual to see a player there during the day, they normally stick to the ''players only'' areas when not on the outfield. He was by himself and didn't seem to be a happy bunny. Apparently, he then went and had a look round the club shop. He had picked up one wicket in the morning session but hadn't bowled well.

Draw your own conclusions but once more it seems things aren't quite right.

RUT OH

Need Stokes and Butler to have a partnership here or we can forget it. 

Also if we want Monty back as spinner I despair. Bloke not only isn't good enough but is just a complete fool.

Billy Bowden really needs to be struck from the elite umpires panel

NickisBHAFC wrote:Need Stokes and Butler to have a partnership here or we can forget it. 

Also if we want Monty back as spinner I despair. Bloke not only isn't good enough but is just a complete fool.

A bit extreme on your first point. Would you back the Windies to chase down even 131? And I am talking about this side not ones of old. Even Curtley Ambrose before play didn't sound too confident if they have to chase 140+.

CaledonianCraig wrote:I go along with what Atherton said at close of play. You'd sooner be in England's shoes right now than the West Indies.

Hi Craig - I didn't see any of the play y'day (just v brief highlights this am, Sky did well to cram 18 wickets into 25 minutes!!). Anyway, I like Atherton and his usual reading of a match situation. I assume his view was based on the state of the wicket and the general fragility of the West Indies - is that right? Cheers.

Yes guildfordbat that was about the gist of it. The pitch is offering much more (though not a minefield) for the bowlers and the West Indies can and have collapsed in this series already. Plus I suppose (Atherton never tapped onto this) Anderson needs just four more wickets to break the 400 barrier so that will inspire him if he needs it.

Stokes caught and out for 32. England 95 for 7.

Thanks, Craig.

A 30 from Jordan would be good for England and him ....

Sorry but I'd 100% rather be in the west Indies position - pitch isn't doing nearly as much as they suggest