Test Frank Worrell Trophy First Test West Indies v Australia June 25-29 2330hrs @ Kensington Oval, Barbados

[Bedi]

Very odd for Chase to be skipper as he isn't in the best 6 batsmen.

Shai Hope should have been the choice , he is the best batsmen in that line up by a mile and skippers white ball sides. He got a ball keep low today but the guy can bat.

Really sad on Shamar, what a talent on the cricket field but if any of that is true he is gone which would be such a shame for WI cricket. At least they have Roach to come back in so bowling wise shouldn't be to bad still. What happened to Gabriel and Cornwell? Gabriel was a very underrated bowler and Cornwell didn't do to bad from what I saw in tests.

Brathwaite on his last chance too. Has been deadweight for some time now

 

[madjoe]

Very odd for Chase to be skipper as he isn't in the best 6 batsmen.

Shai Hope should have been the choice , he is the best batsmen in that line up by a mile and skippers white ball sides. He got a ball keep low today but the guy can bat.

Shai knocked back playing test cricket in the past it's abit like asking a ex to marry you to put the C on a guy who doesn't value test cricket imo. plus he AVGs 25

 

[jb04]

Absolutely shattered my perception of Shamar.

There's always a soft spot in the Australian sports psyche for international athletes who lift and give their best against Australia. I think we were all enjoying his bowling and were looking forward to more. That means nothing if you're the monster that would inflict the hurt on other people as it is alleged.

 

[corbies]

Brathwaite on his last chance too. Has been deadweight for some time now

 

[onthehill24]

Easy win

Does it gloss over our average top 4

 

[peternorth]

Does it gloss over our average top 4

never in doubt

 

[Whiskers]

Does it gloss over our average top 4

They should look a lot better next test.

 

[JimmyBC]

Windies batting is grade level tier if that unfortunately.

 

[240volt]

Steve Smith at 36 is still our best batsman.
That’s pretty poor when you think about it.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

I really hope those allegations are false

 

[Zach Package]

Kez runs are increasingly becoming my favourite runs

 

[Borisdog]

I really hope those allegations are false

Well let's just see if charges are laid.

If and when charges are laid, then there will be a trial.

Then there will be a verdict.

 

[MarcMaverick]

I really hope those allegations are false

When there's that much smoke.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Absolutely shattered my perception of Shamar.

There's always a soft spot in the Australian sports psyche for international athletes who lift and give their best against Australia. I think we were all enjoying his bowling and were looking forward to more. That means nothing if you're the monster that would inflict the hurt on other people as it is alleged.

It paints WI cricket in horrible light as well if true they helped cover it up

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Steve Smith at 36 is still our best batsman.
That’s pretty poor when you think about it.

He is in the top few batsman in the world so not really, he would be most teams best batsman

 

[CrowBloke]

I went to bed @ about 0245 ACST hoping Webster would get a ton, or maybe Carey, half-dreading an Aussie collapse that might leave the door open for the Windies .

I get up and we've won it by 159 runs !!! GREAT , but wtf happened?

Did the up and down wicket get them? Was Hazlewood unplayable?

Time to look up some highlights ... .

 

[Bedi]

Absolutely shattered my perception of Shamar.

There's always a soft spot in the Australian sports psyche for international athletes who lift and give their best against Australia. I think we were all enjoying his bowling and were looking forward to more. That means nothing if you're the monster that would inflict the hurt on other people as it is alleged.

Exactly. It's a seriously sad day in the history of the sport to lose someone who was going to bring so much joy to the game, but if guilty there's no coming back and I would forever despise him for what he did.

 

[240volt]

He is in the top few batsman in the world so not really, he would be most teams best batsman

There’s nothing behind him, this is our worst batting line in up many of years.
If not for the bowling we wouldn’t win a test match.

 

[DaRick]

Pretty good win considering we were on the canvas, but like other posters have noted (more eloquently and thoroughly than yours truly), my god, our top order is worrying.

The Shamar Joseph allegations are absolutely awful, but without meaning to sound flippant, he is innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Young Redleg]

Hazelwood >> Gillespie

Sorry Joffaboy

 

[Tugga27]

Assuming Smith is available, who misses, Inglis or Green?

I'm thinking Inglis as he was in for Smith.

 

[Dead Eye Didak]

never in doubt

It shouldn't be in doubt considering the Windies have finished 8th on the points table the last 2 test cycles, but the concern is the batting performance of the Aussie team.
It struggled against a strong opposition in South Africa and we lost that test. It struggled against a poorer quality team in the Windies and fortunately for us they have a poor batting line-up, so any score over 150 was going to be a tough chase.
There's mumurs that this summer will be Steve Smith's last here in Australia, so after he's gone, there's a real concern going forward, and the talent of batting in the country.
We will be totally screwed if one or two of the bowlers pulled the plug as well....

 

[big_e]

Pretty good win considering we were on the canvas, but like other posters have noted (more eloquently and thoroughly than yours truly), my god, our top order is worrying.

The Shamar Joseph allegations are absolutely awful, but without meaning to sound flippant, he is innocent until proven guilty.

In a strictly legal sense, yes. But just because someone isn't convicted, it doesn't mean they didn't do it.

 

[CrowBloke]

What are the criteria for Man-of-the-Match, anyone?
Head was chosen (another big-game contribution) since his two 60's clearly contributed massively to the win
BUT
Shamar Joseph took 9/133 (with several catches dropped off his bowling) with 8 and 44 runs off a total of 30 balls.
Stiff not to get MotM, I reckon.

P.S. you can bet the Poms' Coaches are looking at hours of Head's recent batting to formulate a plan to get him out.

 

[DaRick]

In a strictly legal sense, yes. But just because someone isn't convicted, it doesn't mean they didn't do it.

No, it doesn't.

However, rape is an extremely serious matter. Assuming that somebody is guilty of rape when they actually turn out to be innocent not only sullies their reputation unnecessarily, but also means that people might be more sceptical of such allegations going forward, even when the accused actually turns out to be guilty. Which, needless to say, does nothing for the survivors.

EDIT: 'Survivors' is a more appropriate term than 'victims' in this context.