Second Test: West Indies v England, April 21-25

[andy]

i doubt they will drop Trott. He made a half century 1st innings, and they have worked hard to get him back, so i think he will get the 3rd test

[sussexpob]

Ridiculous statement by Pollyanna Hussain about Anderson, 'who can do no wrong'. He's doing ok, but can he really do no wrong?

There seems this determination to insist he is 'the most skillful bowler' in the world. Who averages 30? Why are Harris and Steyn so successful?

He must be the most highly rated 30 averaging bowler ever.

Well , this morning , he could do no wrong...

Apart from one set of four overthrows...and even that was a decent attempt at another run out. Surely that is what Nass meant ?

I was stirred up a bit by Agnew criticising Jordan in comparison with Anderson, who is 'so skillful'. Which was on the back of a pretty ordinary game to that point (close of play last night). But if he is that skillful, why does he have such an ordinary SR? Why does he do no better than Stuart Broad?

That is a good question , Arthur. I believe he is indeed more skillful than almost any pace bowler currently around : what he doesn't have is the outright pace (he can get up around 88-90 , as he showed this morning. But not consistently) This mightn't matter if he was part of a good balanced attack ; but as Dobell pointed out the other day , he has all too often been asked to do all the work for England , often on unresponsive pitches - with some cost to his figures. The lack of extreme pace , and the fact that he always bowls a lot early in an innings , also means he doesn't often get to hoover up cheap tail end wickets.

If you look at the figures, Anderson bowls only 12 odd balls per test more than Broad, or an over extra..... Graeme Swann bowled much more than both. Tremlett bowled more than both of the other quicks. Harmison, a quick strike bowler, only bowls 9 balls per test less than Anderson, Hoggard slightly less by 2-3 overs per test.

The figures seem to indicate no proof that Anderson has been used that way, and to be frank when I remember Anderson carrying the attack for instance in 2013 at home to Australia, he was visibly shot by the middle of the series, and his returns pettered out.

[Aidan11]

At least Bishoo wont have to bowl another 50 overs this innings.

[andy]

problems for the windies.. Holder already injured, and it appears that Bishoo has a problem with his spinning finger..

[Aidan11]

Is Ballance going to take on the spinners?

[shankycricket]

Cook is looking ominous. What exactly has changed?

[Gingerfinch]

Well, looks like we're going to win.

[alfie]

Cook is looking ominous. What exactly has changed?

Perhaps being removed from the fifty over game has enabled him to get back to playing to his strengths ...and taken a bit of pressure off too ?
I certainly suspect trying to adapt to the shorter form had made him a bit more prone to nibbling at balls better left alone.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well, looks like we're going to win.

Is the weather forecast okay, no storms nearby on the radar?

[yuppie]

Well, looks like we're going to win.

Is the weather forecast okay, no storms nearby on the radar?

One will have to come in just to make it interesting.

[Aidan11]

It'll be stormy on here if we lose a couple of quick wickets after tea.

[Aidan11]

Holder's injury isn't as bad as first thought which is good news.

[andy]

will still most likely be out of his home test match though, i would have thought

[captaincolly]

will still most likely be out of his home test match though, i would have thought

According to various tweets it's a ligament strain and recovery period is days rather than weeks. Think you're right though, probably won't be fit for the next game.

[Aidan11]

Half way there now.