W Indies v England Test Series

[Coyboy]

No but we have a sizable lead, we aren't going to lose. I am just following the scoreboard but it looks like we are just trying to get as many runs as the wickets fall. Cook gets a fifty as usual.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Loving the fact I can watch a stream at work while proofing. Makes working until 2am a little more palatable.

I feel sorry for Straussy. He was obviously looking to grind the Windies into the dirt and mentally disintegrate them by aiming for 500. However, unless he told every batsmen "Go and play a stupid shot or try to give your wicket away and undermine our authority", he was let down a bit.

Thankfully it doesn't matter in the context of the game but there was a definite sense of anti-climax about setting the opposition 500 to win, which there really shouldn't be.

In hindsight, Strauss should have declared at 450 as England seemed imperious then and it would have not been as distracting as watching the game of changing room musical chairs play out. However, that's only with hindsight. At the time I totally backed Strauss. No one could have foreseen the village efforts from the batsmen who, eagerly though they through the bat at the ball, seemed to want to be elsewhere.

 

[riversmonkey]

If you've watched England over the last few years, or Post-Fletcher then you will understand why Strauss set a target of 500 to win. I still think West Indies have a very tiny sniff, should Sarwan get going and his partnership remains in tact with Chanderpaul then the West Indies could knock off the remaining runs. It's a big ask but with England anything is possible.

 

[Coyboy]

Exactly but I think the only way we won't win is if they hold out rather than get the runs. It's possible but I see Chanderpaul and Sarwan being more dogged and if they do start to chase runs, we would have to bowl and field pretty shit not to get wickets and then there is only Nash and maybe Rashid left.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Ramdin, no? (apologies for pedantry.)

Anyway, Chanderpaul and Sarwan can bat for long periods but the pitch is misbehaving enough to keep us in it. Especially as, due to the target, we can always have 2 catchers in close. Plus, its only 36 overs to the new ball. Swanny can bowl up to 40 overs today. You'd fancy as long as he picks up 3 or 4 in that time that the pacemen have enough about them to take advantage of any breaththroughs.

Unless it rains...

 

[Coyboy]

Ramdin, no? (apologies for pedantry.)

Anyway, Chanderpaul and Sarwan can bat for long periods but the pitch is misbehaving enough to keep us in it. Especially as, due to the target, we can always have 2 catchers in close. Plus, its only 36 overs to the new ball. Swanny can bowl up to 40 overs today. You'd fancy as long as he picks up 3 or 4 in that time that the pacemen have enough about them to take advantage of any breaththroughs.

Unless it rains...

Sorry what am I talking about? The thing is that Chanderpaul isn't exactly prolific, they would have to score quite quickly. If Gayle had remained in, I would think there is a chance, a slight chance, but I don't really see it now. But who knows? Losing Freddie is a blow.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

They'll never win, you're right. If they even got close, England would delay things like Gayle did for a bit yesterday. Or put people on the boundary. It isn't even a remote possibility. A draw I would rate at 20-80%. Far more likely is the appearance of rain - 40% (Source: Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports).

 

[Coyboy]

I'd rather we lost than it rained.

 

[Coyboy]

Damn rain.

 

[Supersonic]

Well all in all apart from one match that was an utterly shit series ruined by crappy boring pitches where bowlers cant get a wicket.

This is why I only ever actually watch cricket when the bowling side is causing the batsmen trouble.