***Official*** West Indies in England

[cover drive man]

Well done England, not much too beat, but we couldn't do it two months ago.

MOM Swann for me, mainly coz he got Chanders twice, which is most of their batting, to be fair.

Onions and Bop must have a chance too.

Like Dav said, Swann realy is starting to nail himself into the spinner spot for England, reckon maybe Bopara though, his first innings contribution was brilliant especially after England being in such a poor position.

 

[GIMH]

Decent win, first time we've won the first match of a series in the last 14

 

[aussie]

Hmm nah he was pretty useful in the West Indies. Gained a few Ks too. Sidebottom's properly gone. After seeing him at Lancs on Saturday I'd have more faith in Simon Jones's fitness.

It's a bit unfortunate and difficult to take because he was a quality bowler.

Damn, all this time i was thinking that game was being played at the Bridge. Would have been good to see Sidebottom bowl this weekened...

 

[zaremba]

Decent win, first time we've won the first match of a series in the last 14

... and the last time we managed that was v Bangladesh in - yes! - 2005. A good omen, perhaps?

 

[Woodster]

Just the style of win we need really if we are to gather any momentum leading into the Ashes. A ten wicket win with a number of positives against an admittedly below par side in English conditions. WI look completely lost how to play in this Test, a lack of a clear gameplan, and unforgiveable basic errors, not only in the fielding, but in their play generally. England did exactly what they had to, but enjoyed the fact they played a side willing to do their best to help them.

 

[zaremba]

Interesting interview with Flower on Sky this evening. He comes across as a deeply impressive individual: eloquent, thoughtful, knows his own mind, the sort of guy you can imagine the players taking a lot of notice of.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Indeed. Very impressive gentleman, Mr Flower. Doesn't strike one as a ranter, rather one who speaks softly but carries a big stick. Clearly a man of principle too.

With his test record I imagine his words have a weight with his charges that Moores's (rightly or wrongly) might not have done.

Early days, but a thoroughly decent win with plenty of scope for improvement. A solid "B" bordering on "B+" for me.

 

[Woodster]

Yes initially I was unsure whether promoting from within was an advantage or a complete fresh batch of ideas was the way to go. However, having heard Andy Flower talk in the past with Essex, know what he was capable of as a cricketer, and his general attitude he has and the respect he has gained, although it's very early days, the signs are certainly good.

 

[Kweek]

Yes feel very proud of Andy as he used to play for my club in Holland before Zimbabwe got test status.
he actually learned my 12 year older brother play cricket

 

[Neil Pickup]

He actually learned my 12 year older brother play cricket

Didn't teach you English though, did he?

 

[rivera213]

Interesting interview with Flower on Sky this evening. He comes across as a deeply impressive individual: eloquent, thoughtful, knows his own mind, the sort of guy you can imagine the players taking a lot of notice of.

And more importantly- not trying to get sacked!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Yes feel very proud of Andy as he used to play for my club in Holland before Zimbabwe got test status.
he actually learned my 12 year older brother play cricket

Andries Bloem?

 

[zaremba]

I've only just seen the ball with which Swann bowled Benn in the 2nd innings - an absolutely excellent arm ball. Yes he lacks a genuine doosra but with an arm ball like that (which also did for one or two of the other Windian batsmen) his bowling doesn't really suffer.

What a find - he can bowl, he can bat, he can field. A massive step up from the joke that Monty Panesar sadly still is.

 

[oitoitoi]

Swann's certainly being effective so far, but i still don't think he'll make England competitive in the subcontinent, also not sure how he'll handle it if some of the aussies start going after him (which they inevitably will), Haddin and Watson/Symonds in particular I reckon, can't see Hughes and Ponting holding back either). I really want to see him vs DeVilliers, AB hitting with the spin, Swann with the good arm ball, recipe for a great contest. His handiness with the bat and the fact that he can actually field (a rarity for spinners) makes him a really useful player for England, with himself and Broad at 7 & 8 that's a pretty decent tail. Very suprised at his effectiveness so far, he's never really torn up the county circuit.

 

[Uppercut]

Swann's certainly being effective so far, but i still don't think he'll make England competitive in the subcontinent, also not sure how he'll handle it if some of the aussies start going after him (which they inevitably will), Haddin and Watson/Symonds in particular I reckon, can't see Hughes and Ponting holding back either). I really want to see him vs DeVilliers, AB hitting with the spin, Swann with the good arm ball, recipe for a great contest. His handiness with the bat and the fact that he can actually field (a rarity for spinners) makes him a really useful player for England, with himself and Broad at 7 & 8 that's a pretty decent tail. Very suprised at his effectiveness so far, he's never really torn up the county circuit.

Australia going after a spinner and playing him well? Pfft. If England have one hope of success this summer it's in Swann's form coupled with Australia's recent incompetence against spin.

 

[DaRick]

Australia going after a spinner and playing him well? Pfft. If England have one hope of success this summer it's in Swann's form coupled with Australia's recent incompetence against spin.

They've been incompetent against spin in ODI's - not really in Tests.

Anyway, I'm surprised at just how effective Graham Onions was. I thought of him as just another county cricket journeyman - certainly didn't expect him to take a 5-fer on debut.

Still, I was expecting more from the West Indies. It was a disappointing performance. They still have a long way to go.

 

[Noble One]

Very disappointing performance from the West Indies. Showed a lack of application that is certainly worrying for a team supposedly on the rise.

Lost the plot on the morning of day 2. When the game is roughly all square overnight, such a poor effort to show up the next morning and show a total lack of intensity. The bowling was half-hearted, fielders lacked any buzz, and Chris Gayle did what Chris Gayle does best, hands in pocket. The game was lost from that point; momentum of game had switched towards England.

West Indies supporters really should expect more from this side now. If ever there was a moment for this team to stand up, it is now. Chanderpaul won't be around forever.

 

[Prince EWS]

They've been incompetent against spin in ODI's - not really in Tests.

Paul Harris took a lot more wickets in both the home and away series than the pitches really should have allowed him to. He didn't bowl poorly but he really didn't bowl that well. Beyond that, Harbhajan and Mishra both had good series against Australia in India, although I suppose you'd expect that regardless. They played Vettori pretty well, granted, but they didn't look to target him as has been suggested they might do to Swann, and I think Swanny's bowling a lot better now than Vettori was at the time (and Harris did in both series, and TBH even better than Harbhajan did in India although he won't be getting those sort of pitches).

 

[DaRick]

Paul Harris took a lot more wickets in both the home and away series than the pitches really should have allowed him to. He didn't bowl poorly but he really didn't bowl that well.

Harris took wickets mostly because the Australian batsmen chose to go after him. Sometimes, it worked. Sometimes, it didn't (most notably in Cape Town).

They'll need a lot more than Swann to win the Ashes, IMO.

 

[Prince EWS]

Harris took wickets mostly because the Australian batsmen chose to go after him. Sometimes, it worked. Sometimes, it didn't (most notably in Cape Town).

Indeed, and Swann's a better bowler than Harris, so I don't think the whole "the Australians will target Swann and he'll go the journey" thing really has much merit.

I don't think he'll be ripping through the lineup but people have been suggesting that Ponting and Symonds/Watson will take him apart.. I really don't think that'll happen.