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

[Arthur Crabtree]

If it's really flat, I don't think it should be ruled out playing all three, as NZ did in winning in UAE. England wouldn't be leaving out any great pace bowlers.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I realise that everyone who reads that post thinks that I am clueless... but this ideas' time will come.

[Alviro Patterson]

I realise that everyone who reads that post thinks that I am clueless... but this ideas' time will come.

Tredwell, Moeen, Rashid, Root - get them all bowling at once, get Ballance turning his arm and call up Scott Borthwick called up for the 2nd test.

[rich1uk]

I realise that everyone who reads that post thinks that I am clueless... but this ideas' time will come.

i'm sure not everyone does

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yet bowling four medium fast bowlers getting no response from a slow and low flat pitch, is fine!

Wibble.

[Making_Splinters]

I don't think England's current attack will win any matches on pitches that aren't seaming. We saw in the last test that once a batsmen had got their eye in against one right arm medium fast pacer, they had got their eye in against all of them.

Are we happy having a spinner who can't attack the batsmen? Tredwell does little more than hold up an end.

[Making_Splinters]

Well the Windies aren't happy with a spinner who does nought, Benn dropped. Interestingly they've only got one spinner in the squad now.

[Dr Cricket]

LOL can't believe some journalist are moaning about the cheap dukes ball.
Supposedly that is the reason why the ball is swinging loads for West indies bowlers and not England bowlers and why cook is getting out for cheaply.

[Aidan11]

It's never Cook's fault.

[Dr Cricket]

It's never Cook's fault.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricke ... tigua.html

In this Test, however, there has been a very extenuating circumstance. The balls are of a peculiar manufacture at Test level, and the new ones in West Indian hands have boomeranged round corners. The finest Dukes ball has a recommended retail price of £85. On the verge of bankruptcy, the West Indies board opted for a cheaper version that swings wildly for 15 to 20 overs and then expires.

[dan08]

That same Dukes ball worked alright in the first innings...

[Dr Cricket]

That same Dukes ball worked alright in the first innings...

Exactly and West indies been using the same type of cheap dukes balls for years and it hasn't really been a problem.

[Aidan11]

£85?

I'm sure they'd have got them cheaper than that if they went to Sports Direct.

[Dr Cricket]

£85?

I'm sure they'd have got them cheaper than that if they went to Sports Direct.

I think you misread the article.
it is £85 pounds for the most expensive dukes ball and the cheaper ball is cheaper than that price.

http://www.dukescricket.co.uk/Dukes_Cri ... balls.html
I wonder which ball westindies actually picked from these lot.

[yorker_129-7]

It would be nice if England for once didn't employ a conservative selection approach, dropped players playing because of who they are and not what they're doing and played a team capable of winning the test match.

Cook
Lyth
Ballance
Bell
Root
Moeen
Stokes
Buttler
Rashid
Jordan
Anderson

Be a bit more daring. Make the batting line-up longer to encourage the top order to be more aggressive. Drop Broad, play spinners capable of getting wickets on a fifth-day pitch.