It looks good for now but this has draw written all over it. England's bowling attack jon paper just isn't good enough to take 20 wickets.
West Indies vs England - Tests and One Day Series
- Thread starter Nick 0208 Ldn
- Start date
We're what...coming up on four hours into the day, 25 odd runs off 500, when do you want Strauss to call it?
552/5 at present.
EDIT: If we're lookign at symbolism we'll either be declaring when Bopara gets his ton or perhaps when England reach 600 i imagine.
One is 12 runs off, the other now 47. Rather the former myself.
EDIT: If we're lookign at symbolism we'll either be declaring when Bopara gets his ton or perhaps when England reach 600 i imagine.
One is 12 runs off, the other now 47. Rather the former myself.
Why do I think England will somehow screw this up too?
still looks a good pitch. best track of the series so far. just get the feeling this game will turn into a certain draw. hope i'm wrong.
Bopara got his hundred, it's time to retire now for England. No need to wait for Ambrose's potential century...
It'll be the next wicket or 600 it seems to me.
Bopara's surely proved his worth now.
The negativity in this thread is truly shocking. Whats with this irrational feeling of only we "screw up" or "throw it away". This is far from the truth, all teams lose/draw matches they ought to win but we keep going on about it feeling sorry for ourselves. This seems to have a domino effect at times on the following matches. What separates us from the truly world class teams is that they put bad results behind them straight away and move on.
As for this match we will win, I'm extremely confident about that. For me the spectacle is just as important as the result when it comes to cricket. I'd enjoy watching a player perform well even if he's on the opposing team, you get that feel when you attend the matches.
Proved it a long time ago in county cricket! Its funny to think that we were prepared to give the likes of Robert Key chance after chance but we've given limited chances to Bopara and Shah.
England declare on 600, it'll be a draw though.
England will easily bowl them out for under the amount they need to avoid the follow on.
Blimey, I don't like this decision either!!! The lads in were finding runs easy to come by, was about 50 runs in the last 30 minutes or something thereabouts. On a flat pitch, we've just made the follow on target that much more attainable - 400. I'd have been for giving it a clobber, 4 an over to reach a 700 lead, then they have 3 days to bat out if they want to save the test. Can't see this being anything other than a draw unless they do fail to reach the follow on target. If they're 401-9, its a shocker again I'm afraid
Let's hope our bowlers can do better than theirs eh!
Let's hope our bowlers can do better than theirs eh!
windies close on 85-1. pitch does look to be doing a little bit. hopefully be a bit more uneven bounce today. i thought england bowled ok with little reward.
swann's quite a tall man so will get a bit of extra bounce. will probably bowl from one end ALL day. jimmy did well to get rid of gayle early on. that fecker makes big scores quickly once he's played himself in. no shit, i did dream last night that we skittle them out for 300.
swann's quite a tall man so will get a bit of extra bounce. will probably bowl from one end ALL day. jimmy did well to get rid of gayle early on. that fecker makes big scores quickly once he's played himself in. no shit, i did dream last night that we skittle them out for 300.
Sarwan's 3rd century of the series.
Got out in his 90s once as well.
Amazing form.
Got out in his 90s once as well.
Amazing form.
The pitches have been a friend to all the batsmen truth be told but yeah.
Even if we'd had a six man bowling attack finding the 20 wickets would have been a labour fit for Hercules i'm thinking.
What's the consensus on the referral system out of interest? A touch more controversy today.
What's the consensus on the referral system out of interest? A touch more controversy today.
Seems like a load of old bollocks! But then again, I haven't seen it in use apart from the last two wickets today.
Makes me wonder whether the video umpire (or what ever they call him) can have a better view of events than the umpires on the pitch when it comes to lbw decisions. On the evidence of today, it doesn't seem that the use of technology offers a significant advantage in these instances.
However, I haven't seen much cricket recently so I don't know how well it is working overall. So I might be talking bollocks.
"A touch more controversy" is an understatement nick. Outrageous how those decisions to give the west indian batsmen out stood, after seeing the ball go comfortably high over the stumps. If it had happened to us, we'd have alot of fans STILL feeling hard done by it. The third umpire is incompetent.
Bore draw.
SA vs the Aussies looks more interesting. SA have a good chance of making history.
SA vs the Aussies looks more interesting. SA have a good chance of making history.
Ridiculously early to make such a statement.
Yh, i know. England have a chance of losing the test now, but the best bet is still a draw eh
England will easily bowl them out for under the amount they need to avoid the follow on.
&
The refereral system is fine, and a good thing if it eliminates some ridiculously bad decisions. It's only as good as the 3rd umpire though. That's easily solved, he has the same evidence we do, if he gets it badly wrong, well then he shouldn't be a 3rd umpire anymore, give the job to someone who can do it
Incidently, having watching England far too many times in this kind of a position, I wouldn't entirely assume a certain draw just yet, whatever the state of the pitch. Staying up to watch that last Ashes tour has obliterated any faith I once had in English cricket, I just can't see any situation in a positive light anymore! We're always 5 cheap wickets away from disaster, and all too often we're very good at shipping 5 cheap wickets!
I saw the vidoes of two referrals. Absolutely shocking. I can not for my life understand what Harper was thinking there. Sheer incompetence.
If it makes you feel any better Australia are getting done.
Its nowhere near as bad as you think Brad. This only happens to us against the superior sides, anyway batting collapses are endured by everyone. Sure we do seem to have a few (and I think its down to lack of concentration and a slight lack of belief) but most teams suffer this. I've never seen you be so negative (outside england and cricket). Chin up hey Brad. Our batsmen can bat out a draw here (but if we can get a 150 run lead and put them into bat for the last 25 overs, you just never know) and hopefully we'll win the next test match.
Hate to say this, but I told you so...
What would you have done then, gone at the pitch with a shovel?
Nothing, of course. What makes me qualified in such circumstances?
We didn't throw it away though, they surpassed our total and it could have been bad had it not been for two shocking decisions. So I don't see how we messed this up
Swann and Patel to miss out on ODIs.
England spinners Graeme Swann and Samit Patel will play no part in the Twenty20 and one-day matches in the West Indies.
Swann is to return home for surgery on his troublesome elbow injury and will be replaced by Gareth Batty, 31, who has not played for England since 2006.
All-rounder Patel, however, has been left out for fitness reasons.
"He failed, despite repeated warnings, to reach acceptable standards of fitness for international cricket," the England and Wales Cricket Board said.
The burly 24-year-old will instead remain with the England Lions on their tour of New Zealand after infuriating the hierarchy with his lack of fitness.
National selector Geoff Miller said: "The demands of international cricket are huge and Samit must recognise that fitness levels are a vital part of a successful team in international cricket.
"He really needs to understand and grasp that fact because his fitness levels have regressed between his first assessment during the build up to the England Lions tour and the second Test during the first week in New Zealand."
England cricket managing director Hugh Morris added: "It is extremely frustrating that Samit has not heeded the warnings of his county, Geoff Miller and the England management and strength and conditioning team.
"In the circumstances we had no option but to deselect him from the tour."
Worcestershire off-spinner Batty is currently in New Zealand, where he took 2-78 from 26 overs in the drawn Test with New Zealand A.
Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, 21, who has been in the Caribbean to gain experience with the Test squad, will remain for the one-day matches.
Swann meanwhile, will fly home from the Caribbean after the Test series ends in Trinidad on 10 March having experienced discomfort with pieces of floating bone.
"I have realised for sometime that I would need surgery on the injury," he said.
"We have managed it during the tour but the medical team believe this is the best time for the operation."
Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell is confident Swann is making the right decision and said: "He underwent a similar procedure a number of years ago which gave him lasting benefits.
"His immediate target will be to force his way back into the Test side after the impact he made in India and the West Indies."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/7923759.stm
England spinners Graeme Swann and Samit Patel will play no part in the Twenty20 and one-day matches in the West Indies.
Swann is to return home for surgery on his troublesome elbow injury and will be replaced by Gareth Batty, 31, who has not played for England since 2006.
All-rounder Patel, however, has been left out for fitness reasons.
"He failed, despite repeated warnings, to reach acceptable standards of fitness for international cricket," the England and Wales Cricket Board said.
The burly 24-year-old will instead remain with the England Lions on their tour of New Zealand after infuriating the hierarchy with his lack of fitness.
National selector Geoff Miller said: "The demands of international cricket are huge and Samit must recognise that fitness levels are a vital part of a successful team in international cricket.
"He really needs to understand and grasp that fact because his fitness levels have regressed between his first assessment during the build up to the England Lions tour and the second Test during the first week in New Zealand."
England cricket managing director Hugh Morris added: "It is extremely frustrating that Samit has not heeded the warnings of his county, Geoff Miller and the England management and strength and conditioning team.
"In the circumstances we had no option but to deselect him from the tour."
Worcestershire off-spinner Batty is currently in New Zealand, where he took 2-78 from 26 overs in the drawn Test with New Zealand A.
Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, 21, who has been in the Caribbean to gain experience with the Test squad, will remain for the one-day matches.
Swann meanwhile, will fly home from the Caribbean after the Test series ends in Trinidad on 10 March having experienced discomfort with pieces of floating bone.
"I have realised for sometime that I would need surgery on the injury," he said.
"We have managed it during the tour but the medical team believe this is the best time for the operation."
Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell is confident Swann is making the right decision and said: "He underwent a similar procedure a number of years ago which gave him lasting benefits.
"His immediate target will be to force his way back into the Test side after the impact he made in India and the West Indies."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/7923759.stm
Haven't you got someone better than Samit Patel? He's shit.
He is average, but not shit. He is just another decent option as an All-Rounder.
Okay, the word is that Amjad Khan and Panesar will join the attack, heard a little about Khan and this could be the beginning of quite a year for him.
I think they'll lean toward Shah over Bopara as goes the batsmen.
And just as an aside, Andy Flower is now so they say a strong favourite to be the new coach on a permanent basis, having built up a v.good working relationship with Strauss. That sounds promising.
I think they'll lean toward Shah over Bopara as goes the batsmen.
And just as an aside, Andy Flower is now so they say a strong favourite to be the new coach on a permanent basis, having built up a v.good working relationship with Strauss. That sounds promising.
The Windies have parked the bus in cricketing terms. lol You can't blame then in a way.
And thus far at least, another pitch that hasn't lived up to its billing. You know, for the continued resilience of test cricket in the face of Twenty20, we really do need to avoid a repeat of this.
And thus far at least, another pitch that hasn't lived up to its billing. You know, for the continued resilience of test cricket in the face of Twenty20, we really do need to avoid a repeat of this.
Yea. The pitches have been disappointing so far.
You don't see many 4 test series ending 1-0 these days. This one probably will.
Flintoff is replaced by Khan.. Who is Panesar playing instead of?
You don't see many 4 test series ending 1-0 these days. This one probably will.
Flintoff is replaced by Khan.. Who is Panesar playing instead of?
Bopara i suppose, all in the aim of having a five man attack which seems of greater value by the hour if we are to stand any chance of bowlign them out twice.
Shah has just retired hurt.
EDIT: KP nearly out LBW facing only his second ball, luckily pitched outside. If not for the referral system he'd be gone mind.
EDIT: KP nearly out LBW facing only his second ball, luckily pitched outside. If not for the referral system he'd be gone mind.
This has draw written all over it
I don't know why, but i think one of them will actually win this one.