2nd Test: West Indies v England at North Sound (Antigua) Feb 1-5 2019 -WEST INDIES WON BY 10 WICKETS

[Mr Spock!]

You actually get interesting cricket when you don't prepare roads to fit the opposition.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Watched the final session this morning.

Brute of a pitch, and Bravo batted brilliantly in the conditions. True test cricket, great to watch and a big part of me is really happy the Windies are performing well in the test arena, helps they are playing England.

 

[vvvrulz]

About f**king time, but sadly someone like Michael Vaughan will kick up a media tanty about how these pitches were not 'fit for purpose' because got forbid one of the big three is getting pumped.

I hope the rest of the world wakes up, Black Caps needs to be presenting decks that swing like a banana to our Indian buddies.

 

[hineyrulz]

LOL!! The Poms are one wicket away from utter pawnage.


Great way to start a lazy hungover Sunday.

 

[vvvrulz]

Beautiful, Windies about to romp home with a target of 14.

An aside: I love how Bumble and Nasser are truly impartial and are quite happy to let rip into the English and praise the Windies. Shane Warne, Ian Smith and Ravi Shastri would've sounded like they're at a funeral.

 

[Iafeta]

Lol oh my.

Time to send out an SOS to Phil Mustard or James Foster.

 

[T-Boon]

Great stuff, hopefully this will inspire the youth of the caribbean and they get the test team back to being great again. 4 fast bowlers look good they need to add some batting. A young Viv would be nice.
As others have said cricket is great when there is plenty there for the fast bowlers.

 

[TheParraboy]

LOL Might mighty Ungerlund

This deck was lethal, WI had to bat on it as well. Braithwaite and in particular Bravo, outstanding, very Pujara like. Though Pujara didnt bat on anything like this deck in Australia. Bet the poms are eager for the WC to commence and 350 par wickets

Congratulations to the WI, Lot of their guys seem to be developing the right temperament for test cricket, hope it continues

 

[Twizzle]

its so good to see the Windies performing on the world stage in test cricket once more

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Can't wait for our hobos to lose to England's bums.

 

[T-Boon]

This deck was lethal, WI had to bat on it as well. Braithwaite and in particular Bravo, outstanding, very Pujara like. Though Pujara didnt bat on anything like this deck in Australia. Bet the poms are eager for the WC to commence and 350 par wickets

These are the kind of deck the Windies should produce from now on. So that they get use to batting on them and when teams that play on flat wickets travel out there they get found out.

Additionally if we want the Windies to come out here and be interesting series we should play them on the pitches that have a lot of life (if there are any left in Australia other than Perth). Maybe play them in a 2 test series in Brisbane and Perth.

The Windies would never win a test on the MCG or Adelaide drop in roads. They should refuse to play there.

 

[JJ]

Good to see decks doing more, and the Windies knuckling down

 

[Timbo]

I can’t stop laughing.

 

[Mr Spock!]

Where's ol mate to tell us how wonderful England selectors are.....

 

[Meth]

By the way, out of interest, this is thread #1000 on this forum

 

[blaza88z]

Are England taking the piss or what?

Do they have any better opening bats?

 

[Iafeta]

Are England taking the piss or what?

Do they have any better opening bats?

I’m sure there will be a couple of keeper bats out there...

 

[Timbo]

Are England taking the piss or what?

Do they have any better opening bats?

Honestly, there are a couple of dour openers floating around the county championship. One names that keeps being brought up is Daryl Mitchell who has been opening on one of the greenest decks in England for 15 years with an average in the 40s.

The problem is, Mitchell is 36 and the other few names I’ve seen are in the same age range. England have become so obsessed with aggressive batsmen at the top they neglected to nurture the next Cook which is why they’re in such a mess.

I think their quest to win the 2019 ODI WC at home has blurred them a bit too. You don’t need four all-rounders in your test team. You can’t just take the gloves off Bairstow and move him from 7 to 3. There is no reason to play Foakes at 8 when Buttler or Bairstow can keep.

Test match is a game where you need specialists and England’s side are all bits and pieces players at the moment.

I also think Root needs to stand down as skipper. His form has gone off a cliff since taking the top job.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Are England taking the piss or what?

Do they have any better opening bats?

Most of my great mates are poms. I asked them what ever happened with the likes of Stoneman Vince and Malan. In a soundly beaten English side last year they were the ones who stood out on tour as newcomers with promise. But much like us, the need for “instant gratification” is compounded even more when there is a distinct lack of senior players in the group you can develop them around. Any form slump and you’re out on your ear.

But I was also told that unlike Australia, they have numerous star performers in their first class competition. But none have grabbed hold of it in tests.

 

[Mr Spock!]

England need more allrounders.

Woakes to open the batting with the other notasgood Curran..

Honestly if you're a batsman you'd be working on your bowling in the nets now.

Stoneman and Vince should work on their fast mediums if they want to get back in.