First Test: West Indies v England, Bridgetown, 23-27 Jan.

[Durhamfootman]

England have Joe Denly to turn to if they want to change the batting...

... but usually they drop some bowlers.

well, it's their fault of course. Fancy allowing the West Indies to score 280? disgraceful. that's more than they'd need to win the the series.... batsmen didn't have a clue hope

[Arthur Crabtree]

The wickets have stopped falling.

[sussexpob]

The wickets have stopped falling.

[mikesiva]

Good idea of WI to play four face bowlers.

AmI in the twilight zone?

Roach 5-17
Holder 2-15
Joseph 2-20
Gabriel 1-15

Have we wound back the clock to the 1980s?

[sussexpob]

Have we wound back the clock to the 1980s?

England 77 all out is more the 1990s .... or maybe indicative of tests generally in 1890

[mikesiva]

Kraigg trapped by Moeen for 24.

Did Holder and co read the pitch better than Root and co?

Four pace bowlers seems to be the way to go in this match.

Campbell out for 33.

[sussexpob]

Did Holder and co read the pitch better than Root and co?

Four pace bowlers seems to be the way to go in this match

I think its really lazy pre-planning to be honest, Mike. The talk pre-series was about how Windies pitches have turned into dead dust bowls, but when other people pointed out that recent results suggest that pacers have done damage, they were dismissed as being against sub par teams (sub par teams like BD, who England didnt beat last time they played, but there you go).....

Makes you think if English cricket writers have watched this team bat recently. Its hardly like England can claim to have a batting line up thats been competitive. Cant remember the last time we knocked out scores over 350 with regularity.

So yeah.... it seems the England setup is living in 2013 still. And even when there was clear evidence that the pitch had something in it, they were still telling us the bowlers had done the job and England would throw up 900 runs and win by a mile.

[bigfluffylemon]

I maintain that Broad should have been ahead of Curran and Rashid on this pitch, but when you're bowled out for 77, it's academic.

No doubt they'll drop a bowler and keep the same batting line up.

Well done West Indies for a certain win. As observed, they seem to often raise their game against England compared to their performance against other teams.

[sussexpob]

Darren Bravo looks like he hasnt picked up a bat since the last time he played for Windies.

[sussexpob]

I maintain that Broad should have been ahead of Curran and Rashid on this pitch, but when you're bowled out for 77, it's academic.

No doubt they'll drop a bowler and keep the same batting line up.

There is rumours floating around that Broad got food poisoning from the food at the hotel; the hotel apparently came out and threatened to sue anyone spreading this lie, but he has apparently been locked in his room since not being picked... so hes ether in a massive strop, or he's sat on his toilet for 24 hours a day.

[sussexpob]

Windies are folding now...4 down

[sussexpob]

5 down....... the current target of 275 may as well be 4000 if today is anything to go on

[mikesiva]

Darren Bravo looks like he hasnt picked up a bat since the last time he played for Windies.

Bravo 1
Chase 0
Hope 3

Is this pitch as bad as it sounds?

[captaincolly]

5 down....... the current target of 275 may as well be 4000 if today is anything to go on

Yep. I'd give England virtually no chance even if the last 5 wickets go down for no runs...but there were a couple of Durham games last year when the notoriously fragile batting lineup managed to set up wins from seemingly impossible positions so maybe there is still a slight chance for England.

[sussexpob]

Darren Bravo looks like he hasnt picked up a bat since the last time he played for Windies.

Bravo 1
Chase 0
Hope 3

Is this pitch as bad as it sounds?

The bounce is inconsistent, but its by no means a 77 all out, followed by 60/5 type day