Test series
Taylor picks up a silly three day cold just before the first test.
At least it makes the decision on whether to go with 4 or 5 bowlers a lot easier.
England vs West Indies - 1st Test
Gayle*
Richards
Chanderpaul
Sarwan
Nash
Pollard
Bravo
Ramdin+
Sammy
Miller
WI first innings 594-9 dec (Sarwan 236, Nash 100, Swann 3-149)
We win the toss and choose to bat on a good pitch with a little in it for the fast bowlers. Unfortunately they find that little bit and we fall to 60-3 and it's looking a bit dodgy. But then Sarwan plays a magnificent innings, finding willing partners in first Nash and then Pollard. We eventually declare midway through the third morning after an hour or so of bashing around with the tail to make up for the slow run rate on the first day day.
Eng first innings 171 all out (Flintoff 36, Edwards 5-48, Miller 3-50)
Sensational. Edwards bowls what must be the spell of his life as he takes 4 wickets and forces Bell to retire with another ripper in his opening 8 over spell. England rebuild slightly in the middle order but they are now looking down a very big barrel.
England second innings 191 all out (Strauss 53, Bravo 4-43, 2-30 Sammy)
Now it's Bravo's turn as his opening spell brings 3 wickets, added with a run out and England are 42-4 inside 15 overs and clearly on the way to losing. Again they rebuild slightly but the loss is inevitable. We wrap up the victory just after tea on the 4th day. Oh to read the virtual tabloids in the morning!
West Indies win by an innings and 232 runs
England vs West Indies - 2nd Test
Sammy is unfortunate to miss out, but his three wickets were all tail-enders and Taylor is our number one bowler - he comes in as the only change.
WI 1st Innings 347 all out (Pollard 119, Richards 72, Swann 3-32)
We are put in to bat on a good pitch but England pushing for a win obviously want to make the best of the heavily overcast conditions on the first day. We get off to a solid start but after Richards gives way following a solid knock we suffer a mini-collapse to 180-6. However it looks like we've found a future star on this short tour as Pollard plays an excellent counter attacking innings whilst guiding the tail to take us to a decent score.
Eng 1st innings 321 all out (Bopara 76, Miller 5-89, Bravo 3-49)
No spectacular opening spell as Cook and Strauss get off to a solid start but after the first breakthrough we make regular openings. Bopara bats well but no-one can really stay with him long enough to build properly and Miller finds just enough turn in the pitch to be consistently threatening (maybe England knew what they were doing picking two spinners). Taylor was under par and expensive taking just one wicket, maybe I shouldn't have brought him back in when only half fit.
WI 2nd innings 250 all out (Gayle 85, Sidebottom 5-39, Panesar 3-57)
The pitch is worsening and the cloudy conditions come back in as Sidebottom finds his groove and is swinging it sideways. Gayle battles valiantly with uncharacteristic restraint and Bravo and Ramdin put on a nice little partnership to give us something to bowl at but it's going to be a close run thing to decide the series - and its not even lunch on day four yet so we will have a result. England will need 277 to win.
Eng 2nd innings 278-7 (Bopara 60, Prior 51, Taylor 4-99)
Well it wasn't to be. We had a chance after a flurry of wickets through the middle order but Swann and Sidebottom resisted and carried England to a drawn series with a 31 run partnership to win the match. Edwards may have bowled a match-winning spell in the first test but has had a shocker in this one, going for 2-162 at more than 3 and a half an over.
England win by 3 wickets
Well I guess I would've taken a drawn series before the tour, but considering the absolute hammering we handed out it in the first test its still a bit disappointing.
Batting
Sarwan - 269 runs @ 89.67, 1 hundred
Pollard - 188 runs @ 62.67, 1 hundred, 1 fifty
Ramdin - 147 runs @ 147, 1 fifty
Nash - 128 runs @ 42.67, 1 hundred
Richards - 100 runs @ 33.33, 1 fifty
Gayle - 91 runs @ 30.33, 1 fifty
Chanderpaul - 78 runs @ 26
Bravo - 52 runs @ 17.33
Sammy - 37 runs @ 37
Bowling
Bravo - 9 wickets @ 19.67
Edwards - 9 wickets @ 35.12, 1 5wi
Miller - 8 wickets @ 26.67, 1 5wi
Taylor - 5 wickets @ 38.40
Sammy - 3 wickets @ 19.67
On to the ODI series with some optimism.