[Cricket] West Indies v England Test Series

[Da Man Clay]

They're rudderless. They've been rudderless for a long time. The treatment of Broad and Anderson is telling. Doesn't seem to be a clear plan with all the chopping and changing. Only now bringing Foakes in. This isn't just about ability, it's about team spirit, and it's been lacking for a few years now. It can't be a great atmosphere to come into, and so new players are finding it even tougher than test cricket is anyway. He's the best batsmen by a country mile, but we've been too frightened to take the captaincy off him.

All reasonable points - but replace him with who? There is no one else in the squad for the job IMO. Outside of Stokes there is not one automatic pick and this wouldn’t be the right time for Stokes who doesn’t appear to want it anyway. We need a strong coach to come in desperately

 

[Titanic]

Lunch Day One

England won the toss and batted

57-4 (24 overs)

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Lunch Day One

England won the toss and batted

57-4 (24 overs)

Jesus looks a lot more stable than our batting line-up

 

[Badger]

Why can't they show new test matches? I'm bored of these repeats.

 

[Bold Seagull]

All reasonable points - but replace him with who? There is no one else in the squad for the job IMO. Outside of Stokes there is not one automatic pick and this wouldn’t be the right time for Stokes who doesn’t appear to want it anyway. We need a strong coach to come in desperately

I'd have maybe looked at a bowler. Batting is where we've really struggled, so maybe given Broad a go and take a bowlers perspective. been a while since a genuine bowler was England captain. I think Root sees Broad and Jimmy as potentially senior voices that undermine him, hence he's been supporting leaving them out. I think England often obsess about an England captain needing to have 6+ years in front of them as captain. I'd perhaps have seen we need to transition this team out of it's current direction and I've have done that with Broad, even if just for 18months / 2 years or so. We seem to be stuck with Root, and he appears isolated to me. Sometimes the great players don't make great captains because the expectancy they put on everyone else. The reverse can also be true that someone like Brearley wasn't the best player, but he galvanised a dressing room full of big characters. After Brearley we had Willis, as a reluctant captain did a decent enough job in a role he didn't really want.

 

[PeterT]

I've got two mates who paid a lot to go out to Antigua for this and posted a pic on one of our whatsapp group of them in shorts and t-shirt drinking a morning lager. My retort, once I saw we were batting, was "what are you doing on Thursday?"

I was due to go to Sri Lanka in 2003, managed to get a hernia and had to cancel it so went instead to Antigua in 2004. It was the Lara 400 game at the old Antigua Rec, what a game to be at. Alan Smith (the old Palace manager) was sat near us for the whole test, had quite a few chats with him, seemed a decent guy all things considered!

Got some great pictures from that visit, not sure I really want to go to the new stadium and see 2 second rate teams battle it out! I guess I could be persuaded though!

 

[bhafc99]

A modest step towards recovery underway, at 89-4.

Now mostly watching for the possibility of Bairstow being next man out, which will make the ‘current partnership and next man in’…

…Stokes, Foakes & Woakes.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

93 for 4

I see the latest great rebirth of English cricket has gone according to plan.

Next.....

 

[Titanic]

50 partnership, 119 balls

Stokes 27* Bairstow 23*

England 98-4 (35.3 overs)

 

[Bold Seagull]

Good question on BBC text, what is the longest a test team has gone without scoring 300+ in an innings?

England's last inning scores under 300:
124
188
270
294
68
185
192
236
297
147
210
290

 

[Pavilionaire]

If you just accept we are a poor side at the moment it's easier to process these type of performances. We are bottom on the test championship for a reason - our players aren't good enough right now.

Agreed, but with the current structure of domestic cricket there is no hope of the players improving in the longer format.

The only way I can see our results getting better is if the rest of the world gets worse as one-day cricket sidelines the longer format in the other nations, as it has in this country.

 

[Beach Hut]

229/6 Bairstow approaching a ton

 

[Pavilionaire]

Ton-up Jonny!

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well done Jonny Bairstow

 

[A1X]

100 for Bairstow

 

[Beach Hut]

Fantastic innings

 

[Bold Seagull]

Good question on BBC text, what is the longest a test team has gone without scoring 300+ in an innings?

England's last inning scores under 300:
124
188
270
294
68
185
192
236
297
147
210
290

Will the new ball mean England's 13th consecutive innings without reaching 300, or will it fly...

 

[jakarta]

268-6 at close, honours just about even; If Bairstow kicks on (and Woakes hangs on) maybe 350?

About time we posted a decent First Innings score.

 

[A1X]

[tweet]1501309092912054274[/tweet]

 

[South west gull]

268-6 at close, honours just about even; If Bairstow kicks on (and Woakes hangs on) maybe 350?

About time we posted a decent First Innings score.

Good days cricket yesterday looking forward to see Johnny & the boys kick on today([emoji1696])

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