WIndies Test Series & Tour

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

and the pitch after the noon day sun ...

[AmpH]

..... and the softer ball which doesn't swing / seam as much ...... Swanny's time approaches.

[amateur51]

Tiger Tim Bresnan strikes ... Ramdin out bowled for 1 after Chanderpaul went earlier for 46, lbw to Swann.

West Indies now 136-6 - Darren Sammy the skipper is coming out now, half-an-hour before tea.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

less of a game but that is seven in a row for England

made more history on a sunny Trent Bridge afternoon when he became the first England captain to lead the team to seven consecutive home series wins. But even before they completed a nine-wicket victory against West Indies to retain the Wisden Trophy with one of the three Tests remaining, Strauss and his team director, Andy Flower, were pondering how to ensure their key players are in the best possible condition for the considerably stiffer test of extending the new record to eight.

South Africa – the last team to win a series in England, way back in 2008 – will provide the opposition for the second home Test series of the summer, in which England's hard-earned position at the top of the official world rankings will also be up for grabs. [graun]

roll on the RSA!

[DracoM]

Having watched a lot of the WIndies vs Oz tour on tv, it did not surprise me at all that they would be a far harder nut to crack than India did last summer. I was surprised that Bishoo was left out - injury, I think? - and Deonarine not picked, but Chanederpaul, Samuels, Fidel Edwards, Roach, Shillingford, Randin were a decent spine, and I am sure Barath will come on. Still not convinced about Sammy's concentration and / or tactical grasp, but there's material there.

RSA will be very different, particularly as several major SA players are already embedded in county cricket and thus more than capable of scoring big and bowling big - just think Prince and Philander for starters. Very odd strategy by the counties in a Test season, but there you go, what do I know.......................

[AmpH]

Well, thats two days down the swannee in the Third Test, thanks to this glorious June weather so its refunds and insurance claims all round and with more bad weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday there's even more to come - all apparently as forecast by the weather people. Strikes me the England selectors would have been better off consulting the weather forecast before thinking about squad rotation - the vagaries of the English weather will ensure the bowlers will get all the rest they could possibly want

[amateur51]

I invite you to watch t'best from T. Best, a quite staggering achievement on the 4th day (but in fact the second day of play).

http://www.channel5.com/shows/cricket-england-v-west-indies/episodes/england-v-the-west-indies-third-test-day-4

Glorious stuff!

The SAfricans must be thrilled too

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

to be celebrated indeed amateur51