England vs West Indies (3 Tests)

[Gethelred]

For all that Denly's not a patch on him yet, I get something of Michael Clarke about the way he bats. Something about the way he holds himself at the crease, goes for pulls when it's short wide of off and frequently gets it through mid on, and pulls using his wrists and hip rather than his feet and his waist.

 

[Fudge Nuggets]

Windies are going to * around and lose this.

 

[Gethelred]

Windies are going to fu** around and lose this.

Nah. Draw.

England batting slowly, pitch is - despite the commentary - a bit more even and bouncy than yesterday, so the stuff that was skidding through on days 2-3 are bouncing over the stumps, so less LBW chance off a good length. England are just doing what they do best; conservative cricket, plodding along and picking up runs at under 2 an over, hoping to bat until just before lunch tomorrow if not a little later to put the result beyond doubt.

They're playing not to lose.

 

[MJG14]

Classic commentator's curse from Nasser!

Oh no, no ball (very tight).

 

[Gethelred]

Very close.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

There is no line to tell. How can anyone overturn that

 

[Kram]

Well that's ****ed.

 

[Gethelred]

On first viewing, I thought it was a clear no ball, but there's a bit of white behind his foot that was just the shadow of his pant leg falling on his shoes that looked like it was behind the line.

He's very lucky, and that's another decision for England in this test.

 

[Kram]

What a shite way to get out, lol this better not be another no ball.

 

[Gethelred]

Bit of justice there.

 

[PhatBoy]

*en Gabriel you lucky son of a gun

 

[PhatBoy]

Windies are going to fu** around and lose this.

they haven’t exactly done a lot wrong. They’ve kept it to 2 an over and bowled to pretty clear plans.

 

[JezzasOnTheAsphalt]

Yeah generally don’t see another wicket right after the no ball overturns one but there you go. In luck with that.

 

[Gethelred]

Crawley (when he isn't charging Chase) looks a bit dodgy to the spinners. Gets his back leg well across, and plays the ball off the back foot to full balls.

If they take him to the subcontinent and he bats like that, he's going to be Ashwin/Jadeja bait.

 

[Gethelred]

I find it funny how critical English commentators are of defensive bowling when it isn't them doing it.

 

[PhatBoy]

Agreed. There is nothing at all happening in the air and off the pitch so the options for the bowling side is either get very left-field with their placements etc, or you try and dry it up for 20 overs until the new ball.

And right on cue the dry approach works.

 

[JezzasOnTheAsphalt]

Soft out from Denly.

 

[PhatBoy]

There really is not much aesthetically appealing about the england batting line up outside of Stokes at the moment

 

[Gethelred]

There's a lesson in Chase's bowling here.

He didn't do much, just kept bowling at them, floating them up there to defensive fields, and eventually - due to the bounce and the lack of runs - both Burns and Denly just lost concentration. Sure, it's defensive bowling to a defensive field, but sans a credible spin option it's bought them two wickets in very placid bowling conditions.

 

[PhatBoy]

There's a lesson in Chase's bowling here.

He didn't do much, just kept bowling at them, floating them up there to defensive fields, and eventually - due to the bounce and the lack of runs - both Burns and Denly just lost concentration. Sure, it's defensive bowling to a defensive field, but sans a credible spin option it's bought them two wickets in very placid bowling conditions.

The one thing chase offers that not a lot of other West Indies spinners of recent times bring, is a bit of discipline. If holder sets a field for him and asks him to bowl a particular way, generally he can be relied upon to do it. He probably doesn’t have the same amount of variations but a guy like Vettori would be a good bowler for Chase to model himself on. Accurate and disciplined.

 

[Gethelred]

The one thing chase offers that not a lot of other West Indies spinners of recent times bring, is a bit of discipline. If holder sets a field for him and asks him to bowl a particular way, generally he can be relied upon to do it. He probably doesn’t have the same amount of variations but a guy like Vettori would be a good bowler for Chase to model himself on. Accurate and disciplined.

Certainly got patience going for him.

I will say, though, the game's going to be decided today, IMO. If the West Indies can bowl them out before close of play, they win; if England can stonewall and scrape their way to 150+ before halfway through the first session tomorrow, it becomes an interesting chase; if England bat for longer than lunch tomorrow, they aren't interested in winning.

 

[PhatBoy]

Certainly got patience going for him.

I will say, though, the game's going to be decided today, IMO. If the West Indies can bowl them out before close of play, they win; if England can stonewall and scrape their way to 150+ before halfway through the first session tomorrow, it becomes an interesting chase; if England bat for longer than lunch tomorrow, they aren't interested in winning.

agree on all fronts.

 

[JezzasOnTheAsphalt]

Certainly got patience going for him.

I will say, though, the game's going to be decided today, IMO. If the West Indies can bowl them out before close of play, they win; if England can stonewall and scrape their way to 150+ before halfway through the first session tomorrow, it becomes an interesting chase; if England bat for longer than lunch tomorrow, they aren't interested in winning.

Bookies are saying draw and an England win quite heavy favourites over a Windies win at the moment. Should be a bit more evenly poised between all 3 results at the moment for me.

 

[Gethelred]

As much as I like hearing about Sibley's batting competency in first class cricket and his powerful concentrating ability, d'you lot think you might call the byes off Stoke's leg that could've been off his bat?

 

[JezzasOnTheAsphalt]

Actually quite looking forward to hearing Rory Burns in the tea break assuming he will be explaining a few of his technical idiosyncrasies