England vs West Indies 3rd test Lords

[Durhamfootman]

aye... don't want to disturb the promotional material

[Durhamfootman]

does Samuels still play T20?

[Arthur Crabtree]

He's in the ODI squad, but I don't know if that's doubling up as the T20 squad.

He's already been winding Gentle Ben up a little.

[ianp1970]

Apparently he's playing. England have named their team. He'll have to make sure he doesn't accrue any more disciplinary points though otherwise he might have to be left off the promotional material for Brisbane.

Could he perform a minor infringement to then serve a ban in the upcoming ODIs he would probably be rested for anyway? Similar to how Beckham got a deliberate yellow card to miss the next (irrelevant) match rather than an important one?

[Arthur Crabtree]

I guess. Unless he misjudges it and gets kicked out the game for good.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Feels like a wet country at the moment. Must be likely some time is lost.

[bigfluffylemon]

Apparently he's playing. England have named their team. He'll have to make sure he doesn't accrue any more disciplinary points though otherwise he might have to be left off the promotional material for Brisbane.

One disciplinary point, and he can 'miss' the T20 and the first ODI, then get a clean sheet for Brisbane. It's gamesmanship of the highest level, but he could deliberately make the same infraction he did at Edgbaston.

Or he could, you know, stop being such an easily provoked idiot.

This is Lord's. Win the toss, bat, win the game. I just looked at the stats, and going back as far as 2010, only once in 16 test matches has the team batting first gone on to lose (last time the West Indies toured in fact - 2012). Teams have been fooled by the overheads quite often, and have elected to field first on winning the toss nine times, but it has almost invariably been a mistake - they've lost on six occasions, with two draws, and only win (England v West Indies, as above). Teams winning the toss and batting first have won six times, with one draw.

And in one of those bizarre statistical quirks, all three draws in this period have been between England and Sri Lanka, England batted first, and had set a target of at least 340 and had the upper hand when time ran out while Sri Lanka were batting.

The forecast suggests some play (if not all) will be lost on Friday, but a good batting day today, further increasing the importance of batting first, and reducing the likelihood the West Indies will be suckered into fielding first if they win the toss. Given last match as well indicated the West Indies should have confidence in their batting if the pitch and conditions aren't helpful for swing, England may well have an uphill struggle if West Indies win the toss.

On the other hand, Cook, Root, Bairstow and Stokes all have fine records at Lord's, so if England bat first a good score should be on the cards, top order frailties notwithstanding.

[alfie]

Given Root is about due to lose an important toss , this looks like a dangerous match for England.

Who would have thought that after brushing aside SA earlier young Joe's troops would be facing a must win showdown against a rampant West Indies ? Test for the new skipper...

Woakes has (logically enough) paid for his underprepared and disappointing game at Headingley as the selectors refocus on the immediate aim of winning the match you are playing rather than fiddling about with the team while apparently gazing into the future...hope the move isn't a match too late.

Last chance for Westley I think. (Hameed's runs for Lancashire are putting him back into the frame) And opportunity for Stoneman and Malan to stamp their tickets. Hope Broad can rediscover his magic : he has been a bit under par lately ; though he didn't have the best of luck in the second innings last week.

Think West Indies may discard Bishoo , since Chase seems to be doing a reasonable job as variety. Not sure it makes much difference : the main pace men are going to be their most likely weapons anyway.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Quote from Damien Fleming that seems to have been reported widely.

Watching the South African series, they’re some of the worst batsmen I’ve ever seen play test cricket.

A touch of Thommo style pre-Ashes provocation, or an unwelcome truth?

And is Australia's top order any better?

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cricke ... sportsNews

[andy]

West Indies win the toss and bat

Wimdies un-changed, England one change, Roland-Jones for Woakes

[Arthur Crabtree]

So, an unchanged WI win the toss and bat.

[bigfluffylemon]

So, an unchanged WI win the toss and bat.

Hmmm.

[Arthur Crabtree]

So, an unchanged WI win the toss and bat.

Hmmm.

2-1 to WI?

[sussexpob]

Does Ali Cook have shares in Braithwaite?

Another drop, how pricey is this one oging to be

[Arthur Crabtree]

Bairstow gets him anyway. Big breakthrough to get such a key batter so early.