First Test: West Indies v England, Antigua, April 13-17.

[hopeforthebest]

not for the first time I am sitting thinking "wtf" when listening to nick knight

saying that joe root is a bit different in front of the mic than we have been used to and shows he is his own man or something , to me he sounds like he just rattles off the same PR clichés as anyone else

not criticising the guy as a cricketer but with the press he just sounds like the next clone off the production line after strauss and cook

Yes he's always alert to the belief, encouraged by the media, that he's the heir apparent to the England captaincy. Don't make waves is his byword.

[sussexpob]

not for the first time I am sitting thinking "wtf" when listening to nick knight

My *modded* filter kicked in with him a long time ago, when he is on all I hear is silence..... ie, I mute the TV for 30 minutes.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Root is not a robot... robot... robot... robot... rob... Buzzzzz.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I want a ton for Stokes, fifty for Buttler and the tail to get wiped out and get the West Indies in.

[Aidan11]

Been some rain around but should start on time.

[captaincolly]

England probably have enough runs already, obviously want well over 500 and bat only once.

[mikesiva]

Benn is one of the worst bowlers I have ever seen who has played this many tests. So toothless its unreal.

And they have a guy with one of the lowest FC averages of all time in domestic cricket who never plays!

That's Miller, right?

I really do hope this is Benn's last Test...341-5, jeez another typical WI bowling performance. Take a few wickets with the new ball, but totally innocuous afterwards.

That's the one. I like the Windies and I want them to do well, but their cricketing board make it difficult to care.

I once read that Benn's first class average was 14 runs more than Miller's when both were picked....... but Benn is given test after test to be mediocre (his record against everyone but BD is appalling for a part timer).... at one point Miller had taken 250 wickets at 15 runs and still couldn't get in the team, he got one test where the skipper hardly passed him the ball. On pitches more reminiscent of Asia now, surely two frontline spinners (sacrificing one of the trundlers they often pick) is the way to go?

If the pot is empty, don't ignore the bloke with bowling figures that make him comparable to a bowling version of Bradman. Its beyond me, in fact it makes me angry they ignore him!! What the hell are they doing?

Id hate to be a Windies fan, the cricket board make the ECB look genius.

I agree on so many points....

1) I'm really frustrated with the WICB. They seem to be stuck in slave plantation mode, and having taken over from the plantation owners, the overseers are behaving just as badly.

2) Benn has played 93 FC matches, and his bowling average is nearly 27. Miller has played 71 FC matches, and his bowling average is less than 17.

3) Given that the vast majority of wickets this PCL were taken by spinners, surely now that we're playing three Tests at home, the time is right for playing a pair of spin twins? Put a medium-pace bowling allrounder at six or seven, and this is the team I'd put out in the second Test:

1) Kraigg Brathwaite
2) Devon Smith/Tyrone Theophile
3) Darren Bravo
4) Marlon Samuels
5) Shiv Chanderpaul
6) Denesh Ramdin
7) Chris Barnwell
8) Jerome Taylor
9) Veerasammy Permaul/Nikita Miller
10) Dev Bishoo
11) Kemar Roach

This team still might not win, but I can't help feeling it will give a better showing....

4) "Id hate to be a Windies fan, the cricket board make the ECB look genius." Imagine how I feel, SP....

But I'm wasting my breath...it will be back to the same tried and failed routine come Grenada.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes batted really well last night. Quite a nice strokeplayer, and plays pretty straight. Having scored a ton at Perth, you'd expect him to be able to play pace. Have to see against spin.

The top order was too docile. Like ducks waiting to be knocked over. Root's proactiveness changed the balance of the day, and Bell delivered his most convincing innings since Bell's Ashes.

I think Cook averages about 31 since his last ton against NZ (17 Tests). With the Ashes approaching, they're getting into the sort of situation they encountered before the WC. Do they delay leaving him out in the hope he'll make that score that sets the dials back to zero. Or delay until they are forced into acting at a ridiculously late moment.

If they make the decision based on how likely he looks to turn it around, they'd drop him.

[Aidan11]

The question is where do they put Stokes when Moeen comes back?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cook averages 29.2 in that time. And that included two batting friendly home series against India and SL, and now this one.

[rich1uk]

The question is where do they put Stokes when Moeen comes back?

we will have a 6/7/8 of moeen, stokes and buttler I would think

its just as unfair on buttler to demote him as low as 8 as move stokes

[Aidan11]

Stokes gone now.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The question is where do they put Stokes when Moeen comes back?

Well he hasn't got the ton that would have made moving him look a bit difficult to justify. I'd go Stokes/Moeen/Buttler.

[Gingerfinch]

The question is where do they put Stokes when Moeen comes back?

we will have a 6/7/8 of moeen, stokes and buttler I would think

its just as unfair on buttler to demote him as low as 8 as move stokes

Ali, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, looks strong. Not convinced Woakes and Stokes are good enough as back up seamer's, though.

[mikesiva]

Taylor!!!