1st Test: West Indies v England at Antigua, April 13-17 2015

[The Charlatan]

Hoping they put up a fight. Save Chanderpaul and the odd effort from Gayle, they have been dreadful to watch for ages now. Really sad to watch given they once ruled the cricketing world.

 

[JJ]

Gootta love Shiv though - with absolutely no fuss he has gone about putting together a career that stacks up with anyone

 

[Arthur Daily]

Really?

Broad has completely lost it.
Anderson looks jaded and tired but still has a bit left in him.
Bell is and always was a minnow basher.
Cook was made the scapegoat and went into a massive slump, though he seems to be improving.
Root is class.
KP is class (if he returns).
Ali has potential imo
Hmm..... better than the ODI squad I agree but not by much.

If the West Indies decide to show up they can fight these guys, and I expect NZ and Australia to roll them.

England generally over the years have had a better test team than ODI.
Broad is struggling.
Anderson will struggle playing 10 tests over the next few months.
Root, Ballance and Buttler should do well.
Bell will cash in when it suits him.
Ali is injured so won't tour WI
I have doubts if KP returns.
Trott is back in favour could partner Cook at the top of the order, although Adam Lyth has been playing well and could be a bolter.
Stokes is back who knows how he will play.

I expect England to beat the Windies and NZ. They will get their pants pulled down against Australia. which is a shame because I am sick of seeing one sided Ashes contests.

 

[JJ]

Yeah, I saw a lot in that ODI match in Wellington to suggest England would have the upper hand if only the game went longer :crazy:

 

[The Charlatan]

Gootta love Shiv though - with absolutely no fuss he has gone about putting together a career that stacks up with anyone

Shiv's done well, like Sangakkara he's getting better with age.

 

[Red Bear]

England NZ should be a very good contest. Southee and Boult should be a real handful in English conditions. Depends how the rest of the quicks go after that. I guess they'd have Bracewell, Henry, Milne, Wagner all in line?

 

[JJ]

England NZ should be a very good contest. Southee and Boult should be a real handful in English conditions. Depends how the rest of the quicks go after that. I guess they'd have Bracewell, Henry, Milne, Wagner all in line?

Southee and Boult will tear then a new one - Bracewell likely has the inside running for third spot there, but Henry and Wagner both good options

Firmly believe we'll beat them well, suspect Guptill will have first crack at the openers spot

 

[Red Bear]

Southee and Boult will tear then a new one - Bracewell likely has the inside running for third spot there, but Henry and Wagner both good options

Firmly believe we'll beat them well, suspect Guptill will have first crack at the openers spot

Guptil, Latham, Williamson, Taylor, McCullem, Neesham, Watling as the top 7?

Not sure about Taylor in current form and McCullem in hit f**king everything mentality in English conditions, which would leave a bit of reliance on Williamson. Just not sure that Batting lineup is quite as dependable as it could be just yet. Bowling very good though.

 

[JJ]

Guptil, Latham, Williamson, Taylor, McCullem, Neesham, Watling as the top 7?

Not sure about Taylor in current form and McCullem in hit f**king everything mentality in English conditions, which would leave a bit of reliance on Williamson. Just not sure that Batting lineup is quite as dependable as it could be just yet. Bowling very good though.

Baz's test batting has been pretty measured whilst aggressive, Taylor is a fine player. Neesham vs Anderson will be interesting, and the second opener too.

Watling is a fine keeper batsman - aside from opener #2 I am very happy with the lineup, Guptill has put a lot of effort into a test comeback, so will be interesting.

 

[Red Bear]

Baz's test batting has been pretty measured whilst aggressive, Taylor is a fine player. Neesham vs Anderson will be interesting, and the second opener too.

Watling is a fine keeper batsman - aside from opener #2 I am very happy with the lineup, Guptill has put a lot of effort into a test comeback, so will be interesting.

I agree on both McCullem and Taylor, but Taylor's form has not been good for a while. I hope he returns to his best over there

 

[Mr Angry]

Dead set cripple fight.

 

[JJ]

Back on topic - Carter looked ok, why is he not there?

Darren Bravo is a good player, and Shiv just keeps churning out runs - could be interesting against England, as I said before the Windies have the core of a decent side, just a matter of them performing - who despite maintaining high team and individual rankings have been appalling for a while now

 

[Iafeta]

The new ECB Chairman described the Windies as "mediocre." Probaly a fair enough comment, but not one you would normally make publicly and certainly not when your sides confidence is at rock bottom.

Could be an interesting series

Reminds me of when Mike Gatting came out in the press in 1985 and said playing New Zealand would be like the World XI v the Ilford Second XI. New Zealand went onto win that series.

Or Tony Grief's infamous "Make 'em grovel", which preceeded a 5 blot drubbing by the West Indies.

 

[Iafeta]

I agree on both McCullem and Taylor, but Taylor's form has not been good for a while. I hope he returns to his best over there

I agree Taylor looks like he is batting like a set of hemorrhoids at the moment, but in his last 11 test matches he averages 59.32, and his last 2 ODI seasons he's average 50+ in both seasons.

 

[JJ]

I agree Taylor looks like he is batting like a set of hemorrhoids at the moment, but in his last 11 test matches he averages 59.32, and his last 2 ODI seasons he's average 50+ in both seasons.

Yep, people forget he (with Williamson and Southee) were picked for the ICC test team of the year - no great problems there, opener #2 is the only real issue

 

[Twizzle]

He seems to suit test cricket better than ODI cricket but he is handy to steer the ship in ODIs too.

 

[JJ]

Reminds me of when Mike Gatting came out in the press in 1985 and said playing New Zealand would be like the World XI v the Ilford Second XI. New Zealand went onto win that series.

.

He said it was like facing the World XI at one end (Hadlee) and the Ilford 2nd XI at the other... he wasn't inferring England were like a World XI...

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Our Kiwi friends have a dreadful record against England in Tests,must be 15-20 years since they won a Test in England

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Kraigg Brathwaite will go riding on the horses yeah yeah

 

[African Monkey]

Our Kiwi friends have a dreadful record against England in Tests,must be 15-20 years since they won a Test in England

Yes it is lol. 1999 infact.