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West Indies cricket discussion

Salamuddin

International Debutant
The WIndies have decent bowling talent both pace and spin.

Their real problem IMO, and unless they rectify this they will forever be in the dumps in test cricket, is their inability to produce good batsmen who can bat for long periods and score big hundreds.
One thing that really strikes me from watching their teams at u-19 level is how poor their batting is compared to that of the other major cricketing nations.

Seriously, take out Lara and Chanderpaul, have they produced any other batsmen within the last 15 years that were genuinely world class at test level ? Suppose Gayle was OK and Sarwan passable but it is slim pickings really.
 

kyear2

Cricketer Of The Year
Thanks WW. Will look out for them.

Spoke to a person close to Keon Harding yesterday after your post. Apparently an excellent foorballer as well and already received a scholarship in that discipline. Talented youngster. Will try to make it out at some point to watch one of his first division games.
 

kyear2

Cricketer Of The Year
The WIndies have decent bowling talent both pace and spin.

Their real problem IMO, and unless they rectify this they will forever be in the dumps in test cricket, is their inability to produce good batsmen who can bat for long periods and score big hundreds.
One thing that really strikes me from watching their teams at u-19 level is how poor their batting is compared to that of the other major cricketing nations.

Seriously, take out Lara and Chanderpaul, have they produced any other batsmen within the last 15 years that were genuinely world class at test level ? Suppose Gayle was OK and Sarwan passable but it is slim pickings really.
Probably could add Adams, but yes get your point and it's a very valid one. Patience and application needed as well as talent.
 

Lokomotiv

U19 Cricketer
I have a question about Belize. Is Cricket popular in Belize? Is it possible to add Belize to the West Indies?
 

Beamer

International Vice-Captain
I have a question about Belize. Is Cricket popular in Belize? Is it possible to add Belize to the West Indies?
I'm not sure tbh. Anyone else more familiar with Belize?

As for the current state of our test team, I believe we now have a very clear best XI that surely even our selectors can't mess up. I think, injuries excepted, this side should play Bangladesh in August:

Gayle
Braithwaite
Edwards
Bravo
Shiv
Blackwood
Ramdin (c, wk)
Holder
Narine
Roach
Taylor

If they need another bowling option on a flat pitch, Dwayne Bravo can come in for Edwards or Blackwood (preferably Edwards). That's a good side and I feel optimistic about our future.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
A question for the WI posters. I thought the pitches in this 3-test series, while a little tough for the fast bowlers, were all very good - a bit of movement on day 1, good for batting on days 2-3, breaking up on days 4-5. Why is it that the international pitches are of such a high standard, whilst the domestic pitches are so poor in comparison?
 

Slifer

International Captain
When was the last time the West Indies had a decent left arm fast bowler and are there any coming through?
U know I was wondering the same thing myself. I don't think we've ever had a decent left armer. Perhaps BEamer and WW know a few.
 

Slifer

International Captain
I'm not sure tbh. Anyone else more familiar with Belize?

As for the current state of our test team, I believe we now have a very clear best XI that surely even our selectors can't mess up. I think, injuries excepted, this side should play Bangladesh in August:

Gayle
Braithwaite
Edwards
Bravo
Shiv
Blackwood
Ramdin (c, wk)
Holder
Narine
Roach
Taylor

If they need another bowling option on a flat pitch, Dwayne Bravo can come in for Edwards or Blackwood (preferably Edwards). That's a good side and I feel optimistic about our future.
AWTA completely especially the sentiment about Dwayne Bravo.
 

Slifer

International Captain
A question for the WI posters. I thought the pitches in this 3-test series, while a little tough for the fast bowlers, were all very good - a bit of movement on day 1, good for batting on days 2-3, breaking up on days 4-5. Why is it that the international pitches are of such a high standard, whilst the domestic pitches are so poor in comparison?
If I had to gander a guess, I would assume that a lot of our 1st class matches are played outside of our traditional test venues (Sabina, Kensington, QPO etc)
 

Flem274*

123/5
Cotrell bowls left arm at good pace. Not sure where he ranks though. Came on tour to NZ but seems to be forgotten about now.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
Dwayne Bravo can come in for Edwards or Blackwood (preferably Edwards). That's a good side and I feel optimistic about our future.
how realistic are some other options being touted?

Carlos Brathwaite batting 6? Looks pretty talented but possibly more of a 7. Ramdin 6, Brathwaite 7, Holder 8?

Alternatively, Kieron Pollard?
 

Beamer

International Vice-Captain
A question for the WI posters. I thought the pitches in this 3-test series, while a little tough for the fast bowlers, were all very good - a bit of movement on day 1, good for batting on days 2-3, breaking up on days 4-5. Why is it that the international pitches are of such a high standard, whilst the domestic pitches are so poor in comparison?
I thought the Jamaican pitch was very disappointing tbh and is on a downward curve. It used to be an awesome cricket wicket that suited pacers and spinners whilst aiding decent batsmanship. Now it is a slow low turner with a painfully slow outfield. The pitch at the QPO has been a good wicket over the last year or so, they've done a lot of work on it which is pleasing as that too was getting a bit slow and low. The pitch at the Kensington Oval is getting slower too but it still produces decent cricket and if the pacers work hard they get decent reward. So I agree the last two matches were excellent test strips.

These matches were played at 3 marquis venues with better facilities. The only other one with a half decent pitch is Beausejour in St Lucia IMO. The others are all slow low turners which make life very hard for fast scoring and good fast bowling. It is an area that really needs investing in as the only domestic matches played at these venues tend to be the semi-finals onwards so a number players will play their whole 4 day season on terrible wickets.

When was the last time the West Indies had a decent left arm fast bowler and are there any coming through?
Pedro was very good with the new ball and was capable of Boultesque spells (I remember him giving Michael Vaughan all sorts of problems. He could also move the old ball the other way but for some reason never really took off at test level. He also played less than he should because he was only 80-83mph.

Ian Bradshaw was another one of course. Only got up to 80mph at best but had wonderful accuracy and each way movement. He should have played an awful lot more international cricket instead of watching someone like Nixon Mclean play so many matches.

At the moment the lefties are:

- Kenroy Peters, who is a medium pacer but swings the ball prodigiously both ways and is relentlessly accurate. I was hoping he might get picked for the NZ series after dominating our 4 day tournament but alas they clearly decided he is too slow and at 33 years old his time might have passed.

- Sheldon Cotterrel, who has just been selected for the T20s. Tends to be pretty fast and nasty. Can swing the new ball but generally bowls too short. Could be decent, but not quite up there with Roach, Taylor and Holder IMHO.

- Delorn Johnson, who has a good record and once blew away an India A team with Dawan, Pujara and various others in it. He's not very quick (135kp max I would guess) but seams it both ways and is pretty accurate. If he had a better FC season he would be right in the mix.

- Krishomar Santokie is an outstanding T20 bowler and plays List A fro Jamaica too. Max speed of 80 mph and has a very low slingy action which enables him to swing the new ball a lot. Also has a devilish slower ball. Not 4 day material but an outstanding option in T20.

how realistic are some other options being touted?

Carlos Brathwaite batting 6? Looks pretty talented but possibly more of a 7. Ramdin 6, Brathwaite 7, Holder 8?

Alternatively, Kieron Pollard?
I think in the future Braithwaite could bat 6 but he's nowhere near ready yet. More like an outstanding number 8 or an okish 7. I actually really like his bowling and he wouldn't be far off selection in that discipline anyway.

Pollard needs to play more FC. Whenever he does he scores runs. If Edwards fails and Blackwood does as well as I think he will, Pollard could come in at 6 to destroy tired bowlers and Blackwood could go at 3 like he does for Jamaica.
 

Beamer

International Vice-Captain
Trini Off spinner Amit Jaggernauth was my personal favourite cricket name! I was very upset that the selectors kept ignoring such a force of nature.
 

Beamer

International Vice-Captain
AWTA completely especially the sentiment about Dwayne Bravo.
Yeah I'm not too down about this series defeat because there were improvements, especially in the bowling. We know we have a couple of good cricketers to come into the mix in Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo.

What do you think about Gibson? Personally, I would sack the selectors and Otis, administratively we need a completely fresh start. We've got some excellent cricketers back in action and have the nucleus of an excellent team that just needs to develop a winning mentality. Bangladesh in August would be an ideal start for a new coach to work with the players, in conjunction with Amby and Stuart Williams who have been working well as batting and bowling coaches during their short tenures.

There have simply been too many selection/management mistakes and the director of cricket Richard Pybus needs to be complemented by someone new without all these mistakes on their record.
 

Slifer

International Captain
Again I second your sentiments as far as sacking Gibson is concerned, as well as the selectors. Some of their selections like bringing back Gabriel and playing 5 freaking bowlers was just daft.I get the impression that Amby is working closely with our pace bowlers and imo that bodes well for our bowling. We do also need to find a batting coach and preferably someone with sound technique and if Mr Williams is the man then so be it.

Lastly , I'm not completely down following our loss I just wish we could be spared the ridiculous and overly obnoxious posts of a certain contributor .
 
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Beamer

International Vice-Captain
I guess we just ignore it, knowing that if Ramdin wasn't so lazy we would have probably won and then behaved with an awful lot more class (see end of 2nd test when we really could have rubbed his nose in it).
 

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