England tour of the Caribbean 2015, April 13-May 5

[Aidan11]

Graves' "Mediocre" comment could come back and bite us.

It's not on the scale of Greigy's "grovel" quote but nothing motivates a team more than the opposition dissing them before the game has begun.

[mikesiva]

I know the West Indies are "mediocre" in Test cricket, but this just revives the discussion we've been having during the World Cup about showing respect to your opposition, no matter how superior you are to them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32037349

'There will be "some enquiries" if England do not beat a "mediocre" West Indies in their upcoming Test series, says incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves. The three-Test series in the Caribbean begins on 13 April in Antigua. Graves starts his new role on 15 May. "I'd certainly be disappointed if we don't win the West Indies series, because I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have a mediocre team," Graves told BBC Radio Leeds. "A lot of their stars are going to be playing in the Indian Premier League anyway, not in the Tests, so we should win that series."'

[Aidan11]

It's definitely an own goal by Graves but maybe this was his way of saying to his team - especially Cook - that lose this and changes need to be made.

[Aidan11]

Ottis Gibson's appointment as bowling coach for this tour has now been confirmed.

[mikesiva]

Gibson will be able to help the England pacers to exploit the weaknesses of the WI batsmen, of which there are many....

This is what Andrew Strauss had to say in yesterday's Sunday Times:

"The chastised England team head to the West Indies to play a low-key Test series in front of a few thousand English holidaymakers, and against a team decimated by IPL defections, retirements and internal strife. Test cricket is supposed to be the ultimate form of the game but next month it won't look that way. So far, the methods of the ICC and individual cricket boards to prop up the Test game have centred on playing more matches between the top, commercially viable teams...while releasing those same teams from the obligation, though the future tours programme, to play the smaller Test nations. Instead, the small fry are given money to offset the losses they will inevitably incur by playing Tests among themselves....The answer lies in embracing, rather than fighting, the changing landscape. If Test cricket keeps pitting itself against the 20/20 format, there will be only one winner. Instead, a window desperately needs to be created for the IPL so players aren't forced into agonising over the country vs earning conundrum."

[Alviro Patterson]

Gibson will be able to help the England pacers to exploit the weaknesses of the WI batsmen, of which there are many....

This is what Andrew Strauss had to say in yesterday's Sunday Times:

"The chastised England team head to the West Indies to play a low-key Test series in front of a few thousand English holidaymakers, and against a team decimated by IPL defections, retirements and internal strife. Test cricket is supposed to be the ultimate form of the game but next month it won't look that way. So far, the methods of the ICC and individual cricket boards to prop up the Test game have centred on playing more matches between the top, commercially viable teams...while releasing those same teams from the obligation, though the future tours programme, to play the smaller Test nations. Instead, the small fry are given money to offset the losses they will inevitably incur by playing Tests among themselves....The answer lies in embracing, rather than fighting, the changing landscape. If Test cricket keeps pitting itself against the 20/20 format, there will be only one winner. Instead, a window desperately needs to be created for the IPL so players aren't forced into agonising over the country vs earning conundrum."

Play IPL cricket from mid-September to early November, problem solved. Barely any international cricket is scheduled during that time and England players can participate in the tournament too.

[braveneutral]

Monsoon can go as late as October I think?

[braveneutral]

Not sure though.

[Dr Cricket]

Gibson will be able to help the England pacers to exploit the weaknesses of the WI batsmen, of which there are many....

This is what Andrew Strauss had to say in yesterday's Sunday Times:

"The chastised England team head to the West Indies to play a low-key Test series in front of a few thousand English holidaymakers, and against a team decimated by IPL defections, retirements and internal strife. Test cricket is supposed to be the ultimate form of the game but next month it won't look that way. So far, the methods of the ICC and individual cricket boards to prop up the Test game have centred on playing more matches between the top, commercially viable teams...while releasing those same teams from the obligation, though the future tours programme, to play the smaller Test nations. Instead, the small fry are given money to offset the losses they will inevitably incur by playing Tests among themselves....The answer lies in embracing, rather than fighting, the changing landscape. If Test cricket keeps pitting itself against the 20/20 format, there will be only one winner. Instead, a window desperately needs to be created for the IPL so players aren't forced into agonising over the country vs earning conundrum."

Play IPL cricket from mid-September to early November, problem solved. Barely any international cricket is scheduled during that time and England players can participate in the tournament too.

why should IPL be moved to suit other countries.
also India home season is during September-March.

[mikesiva]

Gibson will be able to help the England pacers to exploit the weaknesses of the WI batsmen, of which there are many....

This is what Andrew Strauss had to say in yesterday's Sunday Times:

"The chastised England team head to the West Indies to play a low-key Test series in front of a few thousand English holidaymakers, and against a team decimated by IPL defections, retirements and internal strife. Test cricket is supposed to be the ultimate form of the game but next month it won't look that way. So far, the methods of the ICC and individual cricket boards to prop up the Test game have centred on playing more matches between the top, commercially viable teams...while releasing those same teams from the obligation, though the future tours programme, to play the smaller Test nations. Instead, the small fry are given money to offset the losses they will inevitably incur by playing Tests among themselves....The answer lies in embracing, rather than fighting, the changing landscape. If Test cricket keeps pitting itself against the 20/20 format, there will be only one winner. Instead, a window desperately needs to be created for the IPL so players aren't forced into agonising over the country vs earning conundrum."

Play IPL cricket from mid-September to early November, problem solved. Barely any international cricket is scheduled during that time and England players can participate in the tournament too.

why should IPL be moved to suit other countries.
also India home season is during September-March.

I totally agree....

The IPL is a domestic tournament...why should they shift because they're so successful that cricketers around the world would rather play in the IPL than in their own national competitions?

India, England and Australia already run the ICC now, and now arrange fixtures to suit themselves. Why should the IPL be any different?

To me, the only solution is to accept it, and work around it, i.e. create a window for international cricket in April and May. Otherwise, some players from some of the less wealthy Test-playing countries will become convinced that it's in their interests to prematurely retire from Test cricket....

But when did the ICC ever care about what's happening to West Indies cricket?

[Aidan11]

Whenever I see or hear Peter Moores I think of Hugh Lawrie's character in Blackadder Goes Forth.

[Making_Splinters]

Part of me hopes that the West Indies beat England in the Test series. There has to be something which finally pulls the plug on the toxic culture that has established itself in English cricket under Moores and Flower.

[Dr Cricket]

I can sense calm waters before the big storm.

A very tough tour for Cook and Moores win and Score runs will still not change anything since everything will still be dependent on NZ and the Ashes.
Lose and they are sacked.

Although can't wait to read over the top articles after Cook Scores a hundred and England wins 3-0.

[Aidan11]

Part of me hopes that the West Indies beat England in the Test series. There has to be something which finally pulls the plug on the toxic culture that has established itself in English cricket under Moores and Flower.

Me too. That's how bad it is but even then I don't think we'll get rid of Moores.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Hoping Downton, Flower and Moores go, and Cook as Test skipper. Not looking forward to wanting Braddin, Mitch1 and Wee Davie to win the Ashes.