A Plea for Change

[fredfertang]

A Plea for Change

As the West Indies endure another difficult series one of their most knowledgeable and passionate supporters, Professor Keith Sandiford, has let us have his views.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Interesting point about the scheduling. Yes, because of their minor status as a nation at the moment, they were never going to get the marquee time from July onwards, but why in recent times has the ECB scheduled Tests before the One Dayers in the early part of the season?

The OD games would allow the countries to get better used to the conditions before the Tests, and there'd be better preparation for the Test matches and less IPL issues.

 

[GIMH]

All English Tests come before the ODIs nowadays, since 06, and I think it should be changed, for the first series at least, for all visitors.

However, I think the reasoning behind the scheduling being the way it is may be to avoid Tests clashing football where possible. If the next Test goes five days then day five will clash with England's first Euro game, which is unusual, but the bulk of the Euros will clash with ODIs. This has been the way the schedule has been set up of late.

 

[uvelocity]

"Had we the intelligence to secure the support of Gayle, Sarwan and Taylor (our very best players), we would almost certainly have won all of our tours and tournaments since 2010."

I'm sure he's your friend and all, but really??

"The rookies can never receive inspiring leadership from a mediocre and inexprienced player who cannot otherwise command a place in the Test XI."

I'd like to know why so many have a problem with Sammy. He seems to me the least of West Indies problems. I guess this is a dig at Sammy anyway.

 

[vic_orthdox]

"Had we the intelligence to secure the support of Gayle, Sarwan and Taylor (our very best players), we would almost certainly have won all of our tours and tournaments since 2010."

I'm sure he's your friend and all, but really??

"The rookies can never receive inspiring leadership from a mediocre and inexprienced player who cannot otherwise command a place in the Test XI."

I'd like to know why so many have a problem with Sammy. He seems to me the least of West Indies problems. I guess this is a dig at Sammy anyway.

There's a clear implication though, and that is that Sammy is the board's lackey. Which in some respects is hard to argue against, because - while his performances have been pretty good since coming into the side - his place in the side, and especially the captaincy, he is indebted to the board.

He's hardly going to stand up against their wishes, is he?

 

[vic_orthdox]

All English Tests come before the ODIs nowadays, since 06, and I think it should be changed, for the first series at least, for all visitors.

However, I think the reasoning behind the scheduling being the way it is may be to avoid Tests clashing football where possible. If the next Test goes five days then day five will clash with England's first Euro game, which is unusual, but the bulk of the Euros will clash with ODIs. This has been the way the schedule has been set up of late.

It's not just Euros years though, is it? Last year the Lankans played their limited forms after the Tests, didn't they?

 

[Spark]

"Had we the intelligence to secure the support of Gayle, Sarwan and Taylor (our very best players), we would almost certainly have won all of our tours and tournaments since 2010."

Yeah given that they were hardly beating all and sundry with Gayle/Sarwan/Taylor I find this hard to believe in any shape/form even accounting for wild exaggeration.

 

[GIMH]

It's not just Euros years though, is it? Last year the Lankans played their limited forms after the Tests, didn't they?

Oh yeah, it's not just tournament years but I suspect one of the reasons behind the scheduling change was to avoid such clashes, given that if we qualify then it's every other year that it would happen.

Tests before ODIs also reduces the likelihood of rained off Tests in the second summer series, as well as the fact that the whole series would clash with the start of the footy season.

No reason, though, why:

a - the ODIs and Tests couldn't be a different way round for both visitors
b - The schedule has to follow the same formula each year

I've no evidence for my claims btw, just something I've noticed. I would personally always rather the ODIs were first. I remember watching an ODI game in the pub before the 05 Ashes and my mate, not much of a cricket fan but will watch it, said "these games are alright but it's a bit like those friendlies England play before the World Cup isn't it?" And now we get the anti-climatic feeling each time.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah given that they were hardly beating all and sundry with Gayle/Sarwan/Taylor I find this hard to believe in any shape/form even accounting for wild exaggeration.

During the last Test, someone wrote into cricinfo saying that the performance at Lord's this time out, where they were about to lose by nine wickets, was a wicket better than their ten wicket defeat on their previous visit to Lord's with Gayle et al. SLightly tenuous argument but made me laugh.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The other thing is that ODIs before the Tests are probably more of a help for the hunter rather than the hunted. Such was the case in the 2005 Ashes, and helping out nations with acclimatisation isn't probably in England's best interests. But with the "weaker" sides coming early, it will probably help ECB's coffers by letting the games get into fourth and fifth days!

I guess what I'd like to see is a big bloc of Tests during the middle, the ODIs acting as book-ends for the summer. But the players would probably argue that the load would be excessive, especially for the quick bowlers, if the Test schedule were being crammed into too few weeks. A couple of week break in the middle might then allow a few of the Test players to slide back into their county teams for a T20 or two, as well. The second side coming over has ample time before the Test series to help organise their own preparation, and be ready for the Tests.

Again, this is from the perspective of wanting to watch the best quality Test cricket possible. It's probably not in England's best interests, so they have every right not to implement it.

 

[Furball]

I think the schedule's fine as it is. Besides, the Tests being first fits in with the English domestic season, where the bulk of April and May is filled with Championship cricket.

 

[uvelocity]

He's hardly going to stand up against their wishes, is he?

well vicaroo I have no idea about the politics, only recently invested in foxsports so I've seen precious little of sammy outside of our recent tour and theirs in pomgolia.

On the basis of those performances and WI's relative upswing I can't see any blame laid at his door, yet I've heard holding and others from WI keep harping about his failings while ignoring the most glaring - top order and usually fidel edwards with the new ball.

I don't really want to go there but I keep thinking in the back of my mind that there is some island origin or racial issue going on, because it just doesn't make sense to me. The team is going better, the dramas are getting less, and he is performing above most of the team - so why the hate?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Because he wasn't even in the team when he got the captaincy.

 

[uvelocity]

yeah but it worked

I'm sure we would get over it, like we have clarke. many hated him, i wasn't sure, we did better, we love him

 

[VCC44]

Always thought the ODI's were better before the tests. The One Dayers before the 2005 Ashes series were like a starter and provided us with a taste of a great Test Series to come. Could have been the same for any series, especially the upcoming SA one which has a lot riding on it and has the potential to be a cracker between two top sides, the ODI's could have given us a nice wee taster if played first.