*Official* England in West Indies

[Uppercut]

Is that a challenge?

 

[Jigga988]

Is that a challenge?

Yeh dawg, I'm throwing it down... (thought I should black it up... makes me sound more tough!)

 

[Uppercut]

The next match is in Antigua, meaning a draw is very much on the cards unless they take King Viv's advice and leave a bit of grass on. Unlikely since the Windies are already 1-0 up and spin is where they most had the wood on England in Jamaica.

 

[Uppercut]

Which is why I put a bet on the West Indies about three hours ago..

More good work from PEWS, your cricket betting record's been pretty solid indeed lately.

Then again, so was mine until this

Oh well. Still have the bail-out clause of the rest of the series.

 

[Uppercut]

Small piece of gold from Dave Tickner:

Top story on another website this morning read: 'No need for change, says Cook'. A headline roughly on a par for newsworthyness with 'No need for Christmas, says Turkey'.

 

[Jigga988]

Small piece of gold from Dave Tickner:

brilliant... like Cooky, but not sure why the hell he decided to speak out about no changes... YOU WERE ALL OUT FOR 51! if that doesn't ring alarm bells what does! This especially coming from the guy who hasn't scored a century for a year and a half, vice-captaincy however official it was has obviously got to his head and stopped blood flow to the brain.

 

[sammy2]

I think before this series is over alot of players in the english 11 position will be in question.

 

[Jigga988]

I think before this series is over alot of players in the english 11 position will be in question.

safe positions in England side:
KP
Freddy
Strauss
Broad (currently)
Sidebottom (providing he's fully fit, though he looked fit enough when he was bowling, just bowled poorly with new ball)
Prior

quite safe but could go after a bad series in the Windies:
Cook
Collingwood

could go right now:
Bell
Harmy
Pantybra

5 places debatable by end of series, but I will doubt we'll see more than three changes by the time England face the Aussies

 

[sammy2]

safe positions in England side:
KP
Freddy
Strauss
Broad (currently)
Sidebottom (providing he's fully fit, though he looked fit enough when he was bowling, just bowled poorly with new ball)
Prior

quite safe but could go after a bad series in the Windies:
Cook
Collingwood

could go right now:
Bell
Harmy
Pantybra

5 places debatable by end of series, but I will doubt we'll see more than three changes by the time England face the Aussies

Lawrence Booth: Everyone regards Andrew Flintoff as England's talisman, but is his Test cricket record that good? | Sport | guardian.co.uk

 

[Uppercut]

brilliant... like Cooky, but not sure why the hell he decided to speak out about no changes... YOU WERE ALL OUT FOR 51! if that doesn't ring alarm bells what does! This especially coming from the guy who hasn't scored a century for a year and a half, vice-captaincy however official it was has obviously got to his head and stopped blood flow to the brain.

Yeah, Cook should at least get the rest of the series though. I'm a big fan of his, he's an awesome prospect, and it's not like he's having a full-blown loss of form, just a lot of trouble converting fifties once he's in. If he's still struggling for the rest of the series, he should head back to Essex for a few county games and find himself some form, and if he succeeds and his replacement fails, he'll be back in the side in no time.

That's what I'd like to see done personally, but there's much, much more pressing issues in the England side than Alastair Cook. Bell and Monty are the two that must have a spell out of the team IMO.

 

[Jigga988]

Yeah, Cook should at least get the rest of the series though. I'm a big fan of his, he's an awesome prospect, and it's not like he's having a full-blown loss of form, just a lot of trouble converting fifties once he's in. If he's still struggling for the rest of the series, he should head back to Essex for a few county games and find himself some form, and if he succeeds and his replacement fails, he'll be back in the side in no time.

That's what I'd like to see done personally, but there's much, much more pressing issues in the England side than Alastair Cook. Bell and Monty are the two that must have a spell out of the team IMO.

Agreed, like I said, I like Cooky... I'm an Essex man. Besides, the only two replacements that come to my mind are Vaughan which has been discussed, and Rob Key, who I personally like, but unfortunately the selectors have never shared in my opinion. I'd much rather see Rob Key playing for England than Owais Shah (btw this is me talking as an English supporter not a Windies one)

 

[Uppercut]

Agreed, like I said, I like Cooky... I'm an Essex man. Besides, the only two replacements that come to my mind are Vaughan which has been discussed, and Rob Key, who I personally like, but unfortunately the selectors have never shared in my opinion. I'd much rather see Rob Key playing for England than Owais Shah (btw this is me talking as an English supporter not a Windies one)

Rob Key averaged 31 last season, captaining Kent to relegation. He may have been unlucky to miss out in the past, but there's no way he should be recalled now.

 

[Jigga988]

Rob Key averaged 31 last season, captaining Kent to relegation. He may have been unlucky to miss out in the past, but there's no way he should be recalled now.

Had a poor back end of the season, and the guys got talent and hasn't ever really done bad for England, his technique is alot more sound than Shah anyway, though tbh I did not know he had that dire an average, though if we're going on averages in the past Shah's isn't all that good either, thinks it around the forty mark (though I thought Key's was around the forty mark) Bopara/600 000 dollar man should be considered, average over fifty, though this was in division 2 where Essex will stay next season

 

[Uppercut]

Key's a pretty good player, but you don't recall someone in poor form. His whole career average is much better. Shah averaged a respectable 42 last season, and he's had a lot of ODIs to deal with the step up in class. He doesn't fill many full of confidence, but out of those on tour, it's him or Bell.

 

[Jigga988]

Key's a pretty good player, but you don't recall someone in poor form. His whole career average is much better. Shah averaged a respectable 42 last season, and he's had a lot of ODIs to deal with the step up in class. He doesn't fill many full of confidence, but out of those on tour, it's him or Bell.

Suppose your right, my heart ruled my head for a bit, like Key so much more than Shah, like the way Key does interviews and I like how festively plump he is and I like to see him bat in OD cricket... could go on and on here.

 

[Uppercut]

Haha yeah. I'm in a similar position with Dimi Mascarenhas in ODIs. He's possibly my favourite English player, and there's so many people in the ODI team he could do a better job than, but you don't want someone coming back into the international side in poor touch or lacking confidence. He'd probably play quite poorly and everyone would conclude that he's just not good enough to play international cricket, and you don't want that to happen to the players you like.

 

[Athlai]

Mascarenhas is in the form of his life ITBT.

 

[Uppercut]

Mascarenhas is in the form of his life ITBT.

Is he now? Who for?

 

[Athlai]

Otago Volts

List A- 178 @ 44.50 SR 97.80
T20- 80 @ 40 SR 166.66

List A- 9 W @ 32.66 Econ 3.50 (lowest economy out of everyone)
T20- 3 W @ 25 Econ 9.37

 

[Uppercut]

WAG. Keep him out of the England side so he can carry on captaining Hampshire.