How bad are the Windies

[Jigga988]

Basically, i am an avid windies supporter and i want to know if we are in the tier that countries like Australia India Sri lanka England etc are in. Basically, the way i am doing this is you'd have to assume which of the windies players would go in to each respective line up out of those ranked higher than the west indies.For example if i had a name like Dwayne Bravo i would think he'd get in to the following teams:

New Zealand - he's 10 times better than Grant Elliot in every respect as well as fulton and probobly flynn

Sri Lanka - I reckon he could add some good fielding prowess and is probobly better than players like kapadugera

India - I think he could take Yusuf Pathan's place, he can hit the ball just as hard and is a way more effective bowler in terms of tests he has no chance

England - close for ODI's with him and Rav but i would give it to bravo and again probobly wouldn't get in the test side*

 

[Richard]

West Indies are and have been for quite a few years the worst of the Test-class teams. However, they've still had plenty of quality players in that time.

There's been the odd sign throughout that things might be on the up. So far, no doing. But we live in hope.

 

[krkode]

I think Chanderpaul could easily land a spot in almost any batting lineup, save maybe India and Australia.

Besides that, Gayle and Sarwan are decent and could probably get into a few sides.

The rest, I am unsure about. WI's bowling has been fairly ordinary for a very very long time, IMO, and it's a little saddening considering how lethal they used to be. A huge range of bowling greats' careers overlapped each other, ranging from the 70s to Ambrose and Walsh. But after Walsh retired, nobody seems to have stepped up. And Walsh even prolonged his career beyond what most ordinary people are capable of doing.

 

[Athlai]

Chanderpaul would get a spot in any Test team in the world. >>> Clarke >>> Ganguly (Ganguly's replacements) and possibly even > Laxman/current Dravid

 

[Uppercut]

Chanderpaul>>>all.

 

[andruid]

Chanderpaul is my spare God.

 

[Rant0r]

the windies are horrible

chanderpaul and bravo should seek a transfer

problem is, they still strut around like the viv swaggerers of the 80's and play like ordinary grade cricketers, only they field worse. I watched some of what they dishes up in england a couple of years ago and was embarrassed for cricket, not sure if the effort against australia now shows they have improved or the aussies have declined looking at recent events.

their attack is led by edwards, who does more snarling than wicket taking (averages about 40 too, ooo scary), and daren powell, who's best and worst deliveries are so far apart it's not funny.

does anyone know anything about the new boys coming through ? i see an 'aussie' in their at the moment

 

[Athlai]

Edwards is much much better than he used to be, and Taylor is quite good too. Could be a half decent Windies attack soon.

 

[Rant0r]

Edwards is much much better than he used to be, and Taylor is quite good too. Could be a half decent Windies attack soon.

he may be better, but i still struggle to see where else in the world he would get a game, and how someone so average thinks he can carry on the way he does.

bravo probably has the most potential with batg, ball and in the field, which is scary, he could end up burnt out and playing IPL and/or county cricket

 

[Uppercut]

Edwards is much much better than he used to be, and Taylor is quite good too. Could be a half decent Windies attack soon.

Powell's improved too, but that's more a case of being slightly less poo than he used to be.

 

[Athlai]

he may be better, but i still struggle to see where else in the world he would get a game, and how someone so average thinks he can carry on the way he does.

bravo probably has the most potential with batg, ball and in the field, which is scary, he could end up burnt out and playing IPL and/or county cricket

Edwards could get in a few teams on recent form. Everyone wants a genuine quick who can swing a bit. He used to be incredibly dire though, finally got a bit of accuracy in him.

 

[roseboy64]

Taylor leads the attack really not Edwards. Powell should find himself out of a Test place soon with any luck.

 

[Rant0r]

whatever happened to the 2 metre tall intimidating quicks ? i reckon if you ran into fidel edwards in a pub and he carried on like that you would fart in his general direction

 

[Dissector]

I think Chanderpaul could easily land a spot in almost any batting lineup, save maybe India and Australia.

Chanderpaul has a strong claim to being the best batsman in the world at the moment and could walk into any team. As for the rest of the team, the batting isn't half bad with Sarwan, Bravo and Gayle with Marshall also showing a bit of promise. The bowling has a long way to go. Still I think the gap between the Windies and New Zealand is quite small and I wouldn't be surprised if West Indies held their own in aggregate against them in two test series at home and abroad.

 

[NZTailender]

NZ have the better bowling, WIndies the better batting.

 

[Athlai]

I think in our conditions we'd win 75% of the time (or a draw) and that would lower to 50ish in the Windies.

 

[NZTailender]

I think in our conditions we'd win 75% of the time (or a draw) and that would lower to 50ish in the Windies.

I'm not so sure. The last time the WIndies toured, the first match we won by 27 runs, which isn't a big total. Astle's partnership breaking handy bowling got rid of Gayle and Ganga after they put on 148, Sarwan retired not out then came back and got out for no more addition, which allowed Bond and Vettori to cut through the mid-to-low order.

I mean, our batting then was better than now, and we made scores of 275 & 272 to their 257 & 263. All in all, it was an even Test match that could've gone either way.

The second Test was more clear cut as our bowling really fired even with Bond out.

And the third was entirely rained out.

Most of our top order has retired since then (Fleming, Astle, Styris, while Marshall opened) but our bowling has more experience since then and are in some alright form.

For WIndies Lara's obviously the big gap, but they still have Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul, who, in terms of experience, career and skill, are better than any of our batsmen currently in the line up. AFAIK Bravo isn't touring, though.

I'd back the series to be like the Sri Lanka one not long back, where basically one person will win the match for either side, which will most like be Chanders for them and Vettori for us.

 

[Athlai]

HJH Marshall
JM How
PG Fulton
SP Fleming
NJ Astle
SB Styris
BB McCullum
DL Vettori
JEC Franklin
SE Bond
CS Martin

This side was a lot better than our current one. While our current side is full of potential you have to feel that besides the improvements in players like How and McCullum this team > than ours in almost every aspect. Oram for Styris and mayyyybe Taylor could squeeze in but I'd take that team in a heart beat.

CH Gayle
D Ganga
IDR Bradshaw
RR Sarwan
BC Lara
S Chanderpaul
DJ Bravo
DR Smith
D Ramdin
FH Edwards
JE Taylor

Edwards and Taylor are far far better bowlers right now. Ramdin too has improved with the bat. Chanderpaul, Sarwan and Gayle are still the crux of this batting lineup which has lost a little bit of its lustre in time. Yet due to the improvements in their two finest bowlers you never know where this could go.

I'm just backing New Zealand to swing our way to victory, three batsman can't win a match (unless they score BIIIIIIIG).

 

[fredfertang]

The current Windies side at full strength plus one top class bowler would be competitive - they've produced plenty in the past and must surely be due one soon - I certainly hope so - the cricket world will be a better place when they are back in the ascendancy

 

[Athlai]

Edwards and Taylor really impress me, Powell is far too hit and miss to ever be very good. One more bowler and West Indies will be a cricket force again IMO.