England in the West Indies

Interesting things noted, Curran took the new ball ahead of Broad and Leach player ahead of Rashid and was used as the main spinner

We don't need 4 seamers in these conditions like, Stokes 3rd seamer, Leach main spinner with Ali as attacking spinner

Think that is way to go

Atherton, who is close to the team, says today they will go with Rashid and Curran, Broad and Leach missing out.

Wrong and wrong.
 


What are the pitches like over there these days? Seem to have less pace in them and take a bit more spin?
That said, don't expect England to go in with more than 1 spinner unless Ali can justify his place in the top 6 on his batting alone
What do we think?
Jennings, Burns, Bairstow, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Woakes, Rashid, Curran, Anderson

The general trend has been in this direction, but more recently the Windies blew the Sri Lankans away by preparing fast pitches.

They have selected one spinner and four quicks in their provisional squad, so looks like it may seam a bit after all. Duke balls too, remember.

Rashid over Leach is shocking.

Don't think Curran over Broad is much better.

If Ali is coming in at eight, we really don't need to lengthen the tail. So, with all due respect to Curran, if he's a better test seamer than Stuart Broad, I'm a dutchman.

I don't understand why any team with a half decent pace attack wouldn't want to use Dukes. They're just better than Kookaburras all round, but particularly for swing.

Who knows, maybe the Aussies will consider using them now that the Kookaburras have mysteriously stopped swinging for them.

They've started using them in Sheffield Steel matches to prepare for the Ashes.

Reckon the quicks over there will play hell on when they try to move back!

Whilst his home and away records are obviously very different, it’s hard not to feel sorry for Woakes a bit

Average of 30.66 with the bat and 32.94 with the ball. In any other time he would be a top class all rounder

Starts in the Ashes for me. Horses for courses.
 
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Atherton, who is close to the team, says today they will go with Rashid and Curran, Broad and Leach missing out.

Wrong and wrong.

Rashid and Ali as a pair just don’t work

Not sure leach is now our 3rd choice spinner. You can’t have 2 spinners in the side who go at around 3.5+ plus an over each
 
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Greetings from somewhere over the Atlantic! I see one of "our lot" has stoked the fires again, Big Mouth Boycott this time with a similar comment to Graves four years ago. Nothing like firing up the oppo, eh Geoff :rolleyes: We all know they play their best cricket after being wound up
 
Tell the selectors lad, not me. I agree - though I think Ali has looked tighter recently.

He is still expensive, but its no problem he bowls best when he is trying to get people out.

Just think Rashid and Ali were taking wicket as Leach was holding an end at 2 an over.

I get a flat pitch a leg spinner is nice, but Ali can be done in that attacking role

Not fuming or out, just my preference, just what has usually happened abroad when they have played together is when the pressure is on and they are leaking runs, Anderson and Broad usually come on and bowl themselves into the ground bowling outside off stump to keep the run rate down.
 
I've been critical of Broad over the last few years, but he was the stand-out bowler in the warm ups.

If Curran has been picked over him, then that is purely on batting. Likewise Rashid over Leach. It's a shame our flaky top order dictates our bowling selection.
 
He is still expensive, but its no problem he bowls best when he is trying to get people out.

Just think Rashid and Ali were taking wicket as Leach was holding an end at 2 an over.

I get a flat pitch a leg spinner is nice, but Ali can be done in that attacking role

Not fuming or out, just my preference, just what has usually happened abroad when they have played together is when the pressure is on and they are leaking runs, Anderson and Broad usually come on and bowl themselves into the ground bowling outside off stump to keep the run rate down.

If they pick Curran and Rashid, I think they've had a mare on both calls relative to Broad and Leach. The call for me should be Leach or Curran (as fourth seamer) and it is entirely dependent on pitch. That said, I think Leach is likely to get more wickets than Curran on most pitches around the world if they wear at all. But on the other hand Curran can keep the three main seamers fresher perhaps.

Either way, I think we are in danger of having our arses handed to us in this test. We're undercooked as usual and there is a whiff of complacency about us. We did this last time we were here, with arguably a better batting line up than we have now and the West Indies being at arguably an even lower ebb. We got skittled for 51 and memories are short - there is usually at least one humongous collapse from England in the Caribbean. Their quicks are no mugs and out batsman still have that in them, for all the depth and talent.

I think we'll win the series, because we'll switch on and adapt. But concerned about this test.
 
WI win the toss and bat

Burns, Jennings, Bairstow, Root(c), Stokes, Buttler, Foakes(w), Ali, Curran, Rashid, Anderson
 
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Leach is unlucky but I don't feel it's a terrible decision to go with Rashid. I just hope Root has faith in him if he's slightly expensive and let's him be really attacking.

Sam Curran has been brilliant since he came into the team and deserves his place imo. Again it's unfortunate for Broad but it shows that we are starting to build some strength in depth and shows we can swith the team around depending on the type of pitch we are playing on.
 
...and we get Hussain as the first commentator. FFS
I like Nasser me.

Greetings from somewhere over the Atlantic! I see one of "our lot" has stoked the fires again, Big Mouth Boycott this time with a similar comment to Graves four years ago. Nothing like firing up the oppo, eh Geoff :rolleyes: We all know they play their best cricket after being wound up
What's the walking mouthpiece said now? :rolleyes:
 
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Wrong team for me.

Broad deserves to play.

Agree. Best bowler in warm-ups easily and they are saying the pitch has been prepared for bouncier seamers. So we pick a left arm medium to open the bowling. Broads new run-up looks to have really improved him, brainless call.

Not wild about Rashid over Leach either, but you never know. Leggies can have their days.
 
Czeching in from snowy eastern europe, SkyGo is a wonderful thing.....

Don't understand the thinking with Broad, definitely would have been in my team.
Especially since (as reported) he's bowling well at the moment.

Maybe because Curran is a left armer - would maybe create rough for Ali although Rashid (or Leach if he had played would like rough too).
 
Not sure I'm liking this for a test match pitch mind. Surely there should be more in it than this first morning of a test. Hopefully I'm jumping the gun here and it's turning round corners straight away for our spinners.:lol:
 

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