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liquidfootball2
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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

Post by liquidfootball2 »

The lack of preparation for touring sides is nowadays a major factor generally too, and even the warmup games can be on quite different and misleading wickets to those likely to be encountered, and that's even when they are actually first class games against decent opposition too.

They made crucial mistakes on the perceived wisdom of the west indies pitches being of the slower turning variety they had so often encountered on recent tours, this gave rise to a spinner too many and a batsman fewer.

I do think the mistakes made now look so much worse and can be painted in the blackest possible colour with the benefit of experience and hindsight. We now know about the actual quick, uneven pitches and variable bounce encountered and just how ill equipped such a selection was.

Sam Curran wasn't suited to them - never mind the more obvious failed choices like 'good for slower spinning wickets' Keaton Jennings and too many spinners.

Hindsight together with the total lack of any real meaningful preparation time does exacerbate any shortcomings with selection, a quick look at the West Indies likely bowling strengths might have made a better guide.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

Post by forestfan »

A century for Root was much needed, hopefully will give him some confidence back going into a big summer.

Denly may have earned himself another shot. Jennings will obviously be put back on the shelf at least until we next visit the subcontinent... Burns has made starts and not gone on, I think they need to stick with him and the big scores should come.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

Post by hancockjr »

I was referring more to the "revelation" that patient, careful batting to build a platform for some more expansive strokemakers later on may be a good idea in test cricket. Who knew!

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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hancockjr wrote: 12 Feb 2019, 08:09 I was referring more to the "revelation" that patient, careful batting to build a platform for some more expansive strokemakers later on may be a good idea in test cricket. Who knew!

Agreed its always ideal to build carefully and play your way in, spending time at the crease and getting set, waiting for the looser ball to come to your scoring areas rather than chasing it. Once in and running you can gradually expand your stroke play and things will get easier if pace bowlers have to come back for second and third spells later in the day. This of course is well known to everybody from schoolboys upwards and is basic coach book stuff.

It shouldn't ever however be rigidly applied, it's not a recipe for all occasions and while the batsmen have obviously tried to take this onboard in this test, in the first innings of the last Antigua (second) test (the only innings that really mattered in deciding the outcome) it would have spelt disaster.

Winning the toss in Antigua and putting England in on an up and down pitch with unpredictable variable bounce and sideways movement aplenty with lots of pace bounce and movement through the air generated by the bowlers, meant an out ball was always likely in an over or two.

Bairstow's knock of 50, batting at three, in no time at all, was arguably his finest ever innings as he took the attack to the bowlers before that out ball could get him. A more circumspect approach and prodding around would have spelt disaster and seen England hardly moving on the scoreboard, perhaps 30 for seven or eight down at lunch. It was absolutely a win the toss win the match situation. The pitch did get slightly better after lunch after the effects of the earlier morning rain lessened and improved from substandard to very poor and further improved throughout the game to below par as the days went on.

So while on a far better pitch here it has been possible to bat properly, and I think they've taken a stern reminder on board to judge the tempo correctly, it isn't always too easy. At Barbados in the first test they should have played time and tried to just survive in very testing conditions on the second day having again had the worst of the deal (by the second innings it was a lost cause and didn't really matter).

The one time they were really at fault was the first session of the first test in Galle when they were completely reckless and Sri Lanka almost blew them away, only when Buttler and Foakes came together at 103-5 did they recover to 290. The batting that day went too far towards reckless, although generally the quicker tempo was correct for those wickets.

Here judging the tempo having had the worst of the pitch in Barbados and a substandard one (in the first morning session) in Antigua was always likely to be extremely difficult against an attack so well suited, being generally tall and having real pace. Roach who isn't either of those is just a fine exponent of swing and seam in helpful conditions, he's really outshone Jimmy on this tour, although he's generally had more help too.
Last edited by liquidfootball2 on 12 Feb 2019, 18:39, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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As for the test match, I thought it was just the kind of set-up day England needed. 300 odd runs scored in the day and they didn't even have to take many risks.

I reckon deep down Rory Burns and Joe Denly will be disappointed not to have made more of a go at getting a nice cheap test hundred like Joe Root did. Of course, no test match hundred is a doddle to amass but yesterday, with the flattest pitch of the tour, a tired Windies attack a bowler down and plenty of part-time spin - was about as good an opportunity for a big score as anybody is likely to get in a test match.

Jos Buttler batted nicely before getting an excellent new ball delivery from my man of the series, Kemar Roach. Ben Stokes looked to be bristling, batting with the sort of aggressive intent that made his name and obviously, the skipper made the most of the opportunity with a well made hundred that will hopefully click him into gear.

As for the strategy, I think they've already got enough of a lead (448) so it comes down to time and I think with no risk of bad weather, we'll see England bat for about hour/90 mins today, getting the lead above 500, ready to have a blast at them before lunch, using the 40 minute lunchbreak to give Broad and Anderson a couple of bites at the cherry.

With the Windies possibly 2 men down already, with injuries to Darren Bravo and Keemo Paul, the result of the test match doesn't look in any doubt. The only thing I'm unsure on is the size of the England victory; will the Windies make a good fist of it, or will they just jack it in knowing the series is won anyway? We'll have to see. If they do apply themselves, I see no reason why they can't at least take the game into the last day, but like I say, I don't know if the appetite is there.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Shannon Gabriel could be in trouble with the ICC according to Joe Root following their little contretemps yesterday.

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/ ... rce=Direct

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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5-1, outstanding catch from Moeen off Anderson, Campbell departs

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

10-2, Brathwaite edges Jimmy to Stokes at slip

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

10-3, Exceptional from Jimmy as he takes the first three Bravo edges behind ct Root

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

34-4, Mark Wood bowling at pace gets into the act as Shai Hope gets a leading edge and is caught by Broad in the covers

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

76-5, Lazy running from Hetmyer as the fifth goes down

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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110-6, Moeen strikes as Dowrich departs for 19 - well taken by Stokes at slip and the Windies tottering on the verge of defeat.

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket?r ... 5548319748

Target is 485 after England declared their second innings closed on 361-5 Dec.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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England won in the end by 230 odd runs

Chase the main resistance with an unbeaten century and good support from Roach and Joseph, but it only really delayed what always seemed inevitable after Wood's first innings fiery spell had decimated the West Indies batting.

A good way to end a disappointing series for England.

They crucially misread the likely wickets and chose a squad suitable for the slow Caribbean turners so prevalent in recent years. It resulted in a serious imbalance within the squad, and one totally ill equipped to cope with the fast bouncy uneven wickets of rather variable standard, and in Antigua's case, extremely poor, veering on substandard, in the first morning session.

Too often the destiny of these matches were heavily influenced by the toss, a symptom of bad or very poor wickets, only the third test, on by far the best cricket wicket, made winning the toss inconsequential.

England should have made a better fist of the first innings in the first test even if they had by far the worse of conditions. With the right selection of fast bowling rather than Curran and two spinners they could have restricted West Indies first innings total and at least been in the match.

Antigua was lost with the toss and no real blame can attach itself to them there - the second innings didn't matter, as psychologically batting when six million runs behind always drains any spirit or fight.

In the third test they got the selection correct and had the best cricket wicket of all, although Joe lost his third toss in a row it wasn't decisive and they were able to gain some consolation with the series already gone.
Last edited by liquidfootball2 on 13 Feb 2019, 00:05, edited 4 times in total.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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England was comprehensively out played in the test series, they managed to get some semblance of respect back in the last test with the series already lost but they were clearly second best overhaul.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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How much longer can Anderson and Broad keep going for and do England have any replacements for them ? , is Anderson going to wait for one more Ashes series before calling it a day I wonder ?

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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trampie wrote: 13 Feb 2019, 07:43 How much longer can Anderson and Broad keep going for and do England have any replacements for them ? , is Anderson going to wait for one more Ashes series before calling it a day I wonder ?
One more as in this year’s, definitely... if you mean going to Australia next time around, not so sure, he doesn’t tend to get so much out of the ball and pitches there, and would be what, 38 by then? That said, he shows little sign of slowing down and might be keen to go for 600 wickets and beyond.

Not clear that there any obvious successors, it might just become a case of pick opening bowlers for conditions, horses for courses backed up by the all-rounders. You can always find a swing bowler or two to get wickets in England, whereas sometimes you need someone with more pace or who can hit the deck.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Archer is very much in the selectors thoughts as is Stone and of course Mark Wood, all can bowl with serious pace far quicker than Anderson or Broad. They have Woakes who can also be sharpish as can Ben Stokes.

Then there's the left arm medium of Sam Curran and a plethora of others.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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I think we've got to credit the West Indies first and foremost and say that the better side won this series, when it mattered.

The majority of their players made at least 1 good contribution, but the 2 stand-outs for me were Jason Holder and Kemar Roach. I thought the captain really led by example, both with bat and ball and Roach bowled excellently, troubling our out-of-sorts batsman throughout the series.

As far as England go, it's all hindsight now, but there were a few things that I feel helped lose them this series:

Insufficient warm-up games to get the players and staff accustomed to the local conditions.

Not selecting the correct 11 players for the first two surfaces

Not making competitive first innings totals while the series was still alive.



The fact England were not fully prepared for Barbados must come down to a lack of match practice on the kinds of surfaces they had out there. Something that I feel is overlooked with the Sri Lanka series is, while we did win every toss, we had the ODI series first - which in my opinion, despite the different format/ball did help a number of our guys get used to the local conditions.

In a 3 test match series, with all of the games back-to-back, the 1st test is the one that I look back on as being most important to the ultimate result here - and fittingly, it was in Barbados where England really made a horlicks of the team selection, with arguably as many as 4 players being incorrectly selected.

In my view, there are a combination of supplementary factors (on top of the lack of adequate preparation) as to how they reached the conclusion they did in terms of the starting 11 at Kensington Oval...

The way England A lost in the West Indies last year (spun out on turning tracks)

The make up of the England side in the succesful Sri Lanka series (winning on turning tracks)

The visibly patchy pitch that they couldn't read (but felt might turn)

The emergence of Sam Curran and Ben Foakes in 2018 to the point they clearly felt them 'undroppable'



So we landed on 2 spinners, 3 wicketkeeper batsman, Sam Curran as a second all-rounder (batting as low as 9) plus no room for Stuart Broad - ultimately a line up that was very different for the team that took the field just 2 matches later in St. Lucia.

It may be pertinent to note just how much the conditions changed after tea on day one in Barbados when Anderson struck so decisively, with day two being a continuation of this and 16 wickets falling in no time.

Against such a background the resistance offered by Hetmyer was match winning for me, and his 81 easily the match winning batting (as opposed to Roach's match winning bowling) performance, not the 200 from Holder or century from Dowrich with the match already won.

(I actually thought Hetmyer's batting performance outshone any of the bowler's too, as in day one after tea and day two, batting was far harder than bowling, before it flattened out)

The first two sessions on day one weren't easy and the openers showed admirable guts and fight to bat time but the uneven patches did become more pronounced and show more as the day wore on, making it more difficult after tea and on day two, all of which made Hetmyer's knock all the more commendable.

While Anderson suddenly became dangerous after tea, the errors in selection were brutally apparent and left little support. The West indies bowlers on day two with the extra height and bounce, or in Roach's case marvellous skill and accuracy in making the ball hit the right areas and move just enough, made batting even more difficult.

If one bowler didn't work there was always backup, but England's feeble batting effort hardly needed any and just carried on where everyone, other than Hetmyer, had left off on the previous evening. The pitch did level out after day two but the match was won.

I still maintain whoever was batting in the morning session in Antigua, after early rain had fallen and a substandard, even at times outright dangerous pitch, was going to lose every time and made winning the toss essential. That was no normal 'you have to be prepared to battle it out on a tough pitch' wicket, it did improve slightly in the afternoon but never at any point was any better than below par the entire match. A dreadful wicket which may merit a below par rating for the match but far below that in the morning of day one. A nightmare toss to lose.

The worse the pitch, the more unbalanced the conditions, the more important the toss, is a reasonable rule of thumb, and the second test in Antigua was right up there.

The third test was by far the best wicket and could have been the best test match had there been more on it.

In conclusion, this series was decided with hindsight in Barbados, where the lack of preparation, poor selection - due to a misread of conditions, and lack of bowling support (a consequence of selection) were exacerbated by batting which was without application and thought, in more difficult conditions - Hetmyer had showed it was possible.

Once Barbados was done we needed to win a 50/50 coin toss to still be in it by St Lucia and we lost.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Gabriel has accepted a four game ban which includes the ODI series which he rarely plays in anyway.

England seem to have chosen their way forward on selection...

Bayliss has warned Ben Foakes faces a lengthy spell out of the Test side after deciding the experiment of batting Jonny Bairstow up the order at No 3 is over.

Foakes was dropped for the third Test despite averaging 41.50 from five Tests and keeping immaculately in difficult conditions this winter. Foakes lost his place because England want to accommodate Bairstow in the side but he has averaged 27 since he was promoted to five last May and developed a problem with being bowled through the gate. He remains first choice for now but Foakes is putting pressure on Bairstow for his place in the side.

“It is one of those things, he (Bairstow) is working on it and he has got to continue to work on it,” said Bayliss. “Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you work on it though, if you've been playing a certain way for a long time it is difficult to get out of it in a hurry. He is aware of it.”

When asked if Bairstow back down the order permanently is bad news for Foakes, Bayliss replied “yes, unfortunately.”

He added: “The good thing about Foakes is that obviously he is a very good keeper, and I think we've discovered someone who can put pressure on that middle order from a batting point of view. I've said that we've struggled to get guys in county cricket putting pressure on the guys in the team, including the middle order, and Foakesy has shown he could be one of those guys to put some some pressure on.”

Bayliss left the door open for Keaton Jennings to stay in the side but his career looks over for the time being after another poor series against pace bowling and England are looking at others to bat in the top three including James Vince, Ben Duckett and Jason Roy.

(Copied from Nick Hoult's piece

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... omophobic/ )

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

Post by forestfan »

Only Stokes averaged over 30 this series. Remember when we all thought 40 was pretty mediocre?

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Interesting finish in prospect at Durban in the first test match of a two match 'so called series', calling two consecutive tests 'a series' is just a misnomer for me.

At lunch on the 4th day, Sri Lanka need 138 to win with 5 second innings wickets remaining having so far reached 166-5 chasing 304 with Kusal Perera 56* and de Silva 25* after earlier struggling a little at 110-5.

They have a long tail, but if you these two can get it down to double figures it could be nervous times for South Africa. South Africa are likely to be without Philander's bowling through injury but they do have Steyn and Rabada plus Olivier's medium pace and Maharaj's left arm spin.

South Africa favourites but not done.

(On sky channel 404 - lunch break atm)

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Sri Lanka run away with it by 1 wicket

Kusal Perera 153* what a monster of an innings.

Unbeaten last wicket stand of 78 of which Fernando made an unbeaten 6.

Famous day for Sri Lankan cricket.
Last edited by liquidfootball2 on 16 Feb 2019, 13:32, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

Post by forestfan »

Maybe they’re not as shit as some people on here thought, and us winning over there was pretty impressive (and losing to WI as we did was pretty embarrassing).

Has to be the result of the year, anyway. SA usually save this kind of capitulation for the World Cup :wink:

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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forestfan wrote: 16 Feb 2019, 13:20 Maybe they’re not as shit as some people on here thought, and us winning over there was pretty impressive (and losing to WI as we did was pretty embarrassing).

Has to be the result of the year, anyway. SA usually save this kind of capitulation for the World Cup :wink:
Indeed, I'm amazed, and a great day for test cricket as a whole. Shows how one man can make a difference (although SA second innings collapse also to blame).

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Sri Lanka needed 78 runs for an unlikely win over South Africa when they lost their ninth wicket. But Vishwa Fernando held his own against the strong South African bowling attack with Kusal Perera exploding at the other end. The diminutive Sri Lankan paced his innings to perfection to steal a one-wicket win and remained unbeaten on 153. Here's how Twitter reacted to this monumental effort:


Roshan Abeysinghe
Roshan Abeysinghe
@RoshanCricket
Sri Lanka has answered their fans and critics in style. Proud of you guys let's continue the momentum. Congratulations Dimuth and the team. Kusal you are a star. Lost for words watching this historic win.

Angelo Mathews
Angelo Mathews
@Angelo69Mathews
What a win by @OfficialSLC @IamDimuth well led.outstanding by @KusalJPerera abuldeniya and everybody chipped in
👏👏👏great team effort



Ashwin Ravichandran
Ashwin Ravichandran
@ashwinravi99
One of the greatest test matches in the recent past. #SAvSL Made for great viewing too.. Well done to both the teams👏


Freddie Wilde

@fwildecricket
That is surely one of the greatest Test innings of all time. Sri Lanka had won one of their previous 19 matches in all formats; they were playing one of the world's strongest bowling attacks in their own conditions, chasing 304 to win & were reduced to 226 for 9. Bonkers. #SAvSL

671
1:23 PM - Feb 16, 2019


Mahela Jayawardena

@MahelaJay
What a beauty !!!! One of the best inings under presure. Showed intelligents and mental strength KJP and very proud of you. 👍👊

2,511
1:30 PM - Feb 16, 2019


Russel Arnold

@RusselArnold69
Magnificent from KP @KusalJPerera Really top class batting . The composure shown after Canberra is something to admire . Very well played .. Congratulations!! #SAvSL

962
12:18 PM - Feb 16, 2019


ian bishop
@irbishi
Well played Kusal Perera and @OfficialSLC 👏🏻👏🏻that was a knock for the ages. Gripping test cricket. Gosh I hope test cricket continues to be this good all year as we’ve seen in the last three weeks.

1,095
1:17 PM - Feb 16, 2019 · Trinidad and Tobago


Andrew Samson
@AWSStats
Highest 10th wkt partnership in the 4th innings to win a first-class match:
78* K Perera/V Fernando SL v SA Durban 2019
77* T Leather/R Oxenham Aus v Madras Madras 1936
Prev highest in Tests:
57* Inzamam-ul-Haq/Mushtaq Ahmed Pak v Aus Karachi 1994

457
1:14 PM - Feb 16, 2019



Callum Ferguson

@calferguson12
That was an absolutely incredible chase by Sri Lanka! 78 run 10th wicket partnership... Test cricket at it’s best. #SAvSL 🇱🇰

1,107
1:20 PM - Feb 16, 2019 · Adelaide, South Australia



Tim

@timwig
Stunning innings from Kusal Perera - 153* to lead Sri Lanka to 304/9 to beat South Africa.
More than shades of Brian Lara's 153* to lead West Indies's chase of 311-9 v Australia in 1999.

121
1:17 PM - Feb 16, 2019



Kumar Sangakkara

@KumarSanga2
What an amazing win. One of the best if not THE best overseas win by @OfficialSLC Kusal Janith Perera was unreal. Congratulations to the team and @CHathurusinghe keep believing and keep fighting. If you compete for long enough the opportunities to win come your way.

3,026
1:37 PM - Feb 16, 2019


https://m.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/106 ... hing-knock

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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England were playing an ODI warm up friendly today

(As we know from the test warm ups it's possibly dangerous to attach too much value to these)

England, off their 50 overs, made 371-7. Jason Roy 110 (82) and Joe Root 114 (81).

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Report on England's innings of 371-7

Opening batsman Jason Roy (110 from 82 balls) - mentioned by England coach Trevor Bayliss as a potential Test call-up this summer - reached three figures from 78 deliveries before retiring out against a University of West Indies Vice Chancellor's XI at Three Ws Oval in Barbados.

Root (114 off 81) completed a 74-ball ton before he was stumped late on as he backed up his 122 against Windies in the final Test in St Lucia last week - the Yorkshireman's knock helping England to 371-7 from their 50 overs.

However, skipper Eoin Morgan was run out for eight and Alex Hales - batting at No 6 with Jos Buttler given extended rest after the Test series against Windies - was dismissed for a duck second ball.

Roy struck 15 fours and a six in his innings, putting on 129 with Jonny Bairstow (46) for the opening wicket, after the latter was dropped on nine, and then 57 with Test captain Root for the second wicket.

Root racked up four sixes and 11 fours before he was out to Keron Cottoy, leaving Chris Woakes (22no) and Liam Plunkett (5no) to round off the innings.

Moeen Ali (24) and Ben Stokes (23) also got a hit ahead of the opening ODI against Windies at Kensington Oval on Wednesday

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Possibly the strongest ODI batting line-up ever to play for England never really moved up from first gear or broke sweat as they eased to the third highest successful run chase of all time, and with plenty of balls to spare too and, thanks to Joe Root's late dismissal, 6 wickets in hand.

Jason Roy, who had earlier dropped a sitter off Gayle with the latter only on 9, Gayle went on to hit a belligerent if ultimately far too slow 135 off 129 balls, made his century off 62 balls and his 123 off just 85 balls and gave England's reply a blisteringly hot start, making the target of 365 look a formality as early as the first power play. England really had to throw it away to lose after that and Joe Root's far more sedate 102 off 97 made sure it wasn't happening

For Gayle, there were periods of this innings when he looked like an old man who had played for a year or five too many. He can hardly run (there were only two twos in his entire innings), he looked exhausted long before the end and, for the first 15 or so overs, when other openers might be taking advantage of the field, he could barely lay bat on ball. Had he been caught by Jason Roy - as he surely should have been - when he had just 9, there may well have been questions asked about his future: that drop came off his 33rd ball. Until then, he really had looked awful. One wag in the press box even labelled him "Universe Dross".

At that stage, there were whispers about Gayle's suitability for the World Cup campaign. Indeed, his pre-series press conference - the one in which he declared himself "the greatest player in the world" and "the Universe Boss" - is understood to have irritated some in the higher echelons of CWI. At this level hitting so many sixes barely compensates for such a surplus of dot balls, he's getting old and it's all too evident.

Jason Roy reminds me very much of David Warner, he has the technique and temperament to make a success of test cricket too.

Trevor Bayliss has already said he's one for the ashes and his red ball form for Surrey in the last two championship games just confirmed it.

Noone in county cricket faces any real pace at all, facing 70mph trundlers in front of a smattering of spectators tells absolutely noone that you're adequately prepared for test cricket and could cope with 90mph pace merchants in front of a hostile, or even supportive, big match crowd with its expectation and buildup.

Rather like David Warner, another who converted from white ball cricket and is now a top quality test opener, although in his case tarnished by his disreputable behaviour, Roy takes a big stride forward and back and has a slightly leg side technique, he is used to the big match buildup, pressure and expectation and faces very quick bowling regularly. He's far more adequately prepared to play test cricket, ideally at 3, but even as opener, than almost every other candidate we have.

I've been posting on him as a contender from well before the Sri Lanka series, he should have played in the tests here and Ed Smith the chief selector is known to really rate him.

Archer for Plunkett also looks so obvious for the World Cup. It wouldn't be a risk at all but would seem like a huge upgrade.

Plunkett's pace has been dropping, he's getting older and can't get near the 90mph pace he once had, his slower variations aren't as effective when the pace differential is far lower and he's far too expensive on a regular basis.

Make no mistake it would be hard, and he has been exemplary in helping the side progress up to their current status, but the emphasis has to be on 'has', he has been a top performer and leading light, he has been one of the leading stars of our bowling attack and he has seen better days.

There is no room for sentiment in the winners enclosure, Archer is a bowler who can bowl very fast indeed and has a sparkling reputation as one of the very best on the short format T20 circuit. He would be a huge upgrade which England are likely to take advantage of when he becomes available.

There is noone on this tour who would be much of an upgrade, perhaps Willey's left armer's but they may as well stick with Plunkett. I fear his days are numbered and when Archer is available he will play.

Tom Curran, Sam's brother, is on tour and may play if not Plunkett or Willey.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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Ashley Giles seems to have envisaged three assistants under a coach with the assistants allowing for time off .....and perhaps taking on a tour themselves if he needs a break, as the best coaching structure to take England forward post Bayliss. Trevor himself said this is needed as too much for one man, full time, all the time.

Having read a few books on the Flower/Giles years when Flower although nominally only test coach so impinged on Giles' territory as to make the King of Spain's job virtually impossible, i wonder if there is still perhaps something of that unhappy time hanging over Ashley and whether his own miserable experience with Flower ever so slightly colours his view of the best way forward.

England plan to replace Trevor Bayliss with one head coach, rather than split the roles between red and white-ball specialists. “My feelings are now 99.9 per cent that we should have one coach,” said Ashley Giles, England’s new director of red cricket.

Giles plans to create a new coaching structure in the England team after the departure of assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who leaves after the series in the West Indies to take up Giles’s old position as director of sport at Warwickshire.

He envisages having three coaches share the functions of assistant between them. Giles confirmed that Paul Collingwood would be elevated to one of these roles for the World Cup, working in tandem with Graham Thorpe and Chris Silverwood - the batting and bowling coaches for the limited-overs team.

“I see it as one guy in charge - and be prepared for time off - and perhaps three assistant coaches, not just one, that helps share the burden. The top man has different voices to go to,” said Giles.

“I’d like those guys to work together and share that burden. One assistant puts pressure on him and communication. The structure starts now.”

Giles hopes that there will be continuity in the England set-up after Bayliss’ departure, which will be after the summer Ashes series.

“The most important thing is for someone to fit in our culture, Joe [Root], Morgs [Eoin Morgan], our senior players - that has to continue, we have to bed that in. Whoever comes has to fit with that, not the football mentality of a proper clear-out.”

Thoughts have not yet turned to who would replace Bayliss, though Giles believes Silverwood, who previously won the County Championship as Essex coach, could be a strong contender. “I think Chris Silverwood could do it,“ he said. “He’s got a very nice way about him hasn’t he? He’s a tough bloke, got a fair amount of discipline, communicates really well.”

England may delay the formal process of replacing Bayliss until after the summer. “What we don’t want is this massive distraction of a process during the World Cup or the Ashes,” Giles explained. “The whole focus for the team has to be on this summer and my job is to remove some of that interference.”

Ideally, Giles said, the coach would be English. “We need the best bloke to do it but it would be nice at some point for us to have an English head coach. We’ve had one absolute head – I was white-ball head – in 20 years and he’s done it twice. That’s not great for our coach development.”

Giles said one of his roles was to ensure greater focus on the Test team. “There’s been a lot of focus on our white-ball cricket and that’s been the right thing to do but given the importance to Test cricket to us, and the world Test championship, we do need to swing that pendulum back nearer the middle.”

Building a culture in the England team, to outlast any single individual, is Giles’s biggest ambition, something clarified by discussions with Gareth Southgate.

“I spoke to Gareth last year a couple of times and was incredibly impressed with the stuff he's done. The really important thing to me is that we bed in this culture piece. In the 20 years I've been involved it's been a word we've used a lot and it's never really happened. You put words on the world, say 'we're gonna do this or that' but you really need to embed it. We've really got a chance this time because the players are leading it. That's unusual.”

Compared with the ODI team, the Test side was “immature,” Giles said. “By that I mean it's not fulfilled its potential.” Previously a selector himself, he praised Ed Smith’s work in 2018, but said, “In hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, we got a bit funky in the first West Indies Test.

“Some decisions with regard to selection have been a little bit forced because of where we are, particularly at the top of the order. But I'm very confident in what Ed does.”

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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In Port Elizabeth, South Africa took a first innings lead of 68 but were skittled for 128 all out in their second knock

Sri Lanka, one up after their almost miraculous one wicket win in the first need 197 runs to win this second and final test too.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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In Barbados 2nd ODI..

West Indies 289-6 after 50 overs, only Hetmyer made any shape with a commendable 102*, this lad is a real star of the future shows immense promise for one so young, not the 360 of two days ago, a workable total at best but probably well under par.

A little more in the wicket than two days ago so maybe 330 - 350 is about a par total

Meanwhile....

In Port Elizabeth, Sri Lanka 60-2 need another 137 to win the series 2-0...on a knife-edge that one.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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West Indies levelled the series in a close fought finish, with England, who had looked in control, losing a few wickets quickly at 228 for 4 to eventually be bowled out short by 26 runs as the last few went quickly.

At 228-4 chasing 290 top scorer Stokes 79 and then Buttler went in quick succession. A shocking umpiring decision with the ball going wide and over the stumps got rid of Curran first ball soon after and although Rashid and Ali almost got them within striking distance both got out 30 odd short and the tail found it too much after that.

It was an under par total they should have chased down but perhaps a little over confidence left them too complacent and wickets went just as they looked to be getting on top again. It will be a reality check for them that no total is too easy until the match is won.

A note on the West Indies new quick bowler Cotterell, had a dream debut with a five for, what a start for him.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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That waste of a review from top scorer Ben Stokes was so annoying when they get such a scandalous decision from the local umpire just after, coming so soon after Stokes and Buttler going it felt like the final nail struck by the umpire.

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyCricket/s ... 4818151424


It was a terrible decision. How an umpire at the top level can give that I have no idea.

People might say Stokes review was just as bad but in his defence he probably thought he'd just hit the ground. Even though the noise was so obviously the ball hitting the bat.

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Re: Rootin' for Joe etc...

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What a pasting for South Africa at Port Elizabeth, Sri Lanka's third wicket mammoth and unbroken stand of 163 saw the Asian side to a winning total of 197-2 and an eight wicket victory in the second test to take the series 2-0.

Sri Lanka become the first Asian team ever to win a test series in South Africa, albeit a mini two test series - but having won both tests they still would have won a three test series had there been another one so an extraordinary achievement in completely alien conditions for them.

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