The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Message Board Archives

falling like loose rocks...

 
ProWI 2014-12-20 03:52:16 

6.4 Steyn to Ramdin, OUT, oh wow! They are falling like loose rocks... This is short of length and takes the shoulder of the bat.. it was flying towards Amla at first slip but AB flies full length to his right to snap it with one hand.. What a stunner that is!! That's how you dive for the edges.

D Ramdin c de Villiers b Steyn 4 (2b 1x4 0x6) SR: 200.00

 
DonD 2014-12-20 04:00:05 

I really felt sorry for Chanderpaul. He just can't handle this kind of pace and bounce any more. As for Samuels, he is what my grand mother would have called a real pappy show.

 
Cornfused 2014-12-20 04:05:40 

Those are the two we expected to cross 50 at least. Half baked players is what we seem to produce .

 
hubert 2014-12-20 04:06:34 

In reply to ProWI
Logged in late and first thing I saw was the Ramdin dismissal.
I wonder now why I ever tuned in. Now Blackwood goes.. and the beat goes on

redface

 
ProWI 2014-12-20 04:08:02 

In reply to Cornfused

As Chrissy would say "Half baked" is correct.

Our players are now "manufactured" for T20 format.

 
DonD 2014-12-20 10:57:41 

Watching West Indies being mowed down these last two nights brought back memories of England's tour of the West Indies in 2004. There is a great similarity between this centurion wicket and the wickets at Kingston, Bridgetown and Port of Spain in 2004. Lots of bounce . In 2004 , Harmisson, flintoff, hoggard and jones destroyed and humilated west Indies.

Even the great Brian Lara could not cope with the bounce . He totalled 100 including 2 zeros going into the Antigua test. The curator in Antigua whom I met on a cruise stopping off in St. John later that year informed me that he was instructed to prepare a dead pitch so that Windies would not be whitewashed. Lara took advantage of the wicket and scored 400 to regain his record lost to Matthew Hayden the previous year.

My theory is that West Indies batsmen of the last 20 years or so are often left begging when they encounter wickets that encourage seam and steep bounce. That is what overcame them in this test. I really felt terrible watching Chanderpaul batting against Stein. It was as if he was being pulled down by a powerful magnet trying to duck under Stein's rising deliveries. At one time in his illustrious career, he would be standing tall and getting behind these deliveries and perhaps even attempting to hook and pull them. My fear last night was that he might well duck into into one of them and get hurt. Based on what I saw , I would hope that he gives serious thought to retiring at the end of this series and leave this game as a champion . As for the other batsmen, I was not expecting anything more. Simply, because they cannot bat on wickets offering help to bowlers particularly against bowlers of the calibre of the SA quickies.

I have lost my passion for west Indies cricket. I guess this has been slowly coming since 2000 or thereabouts when England beat us in 2 days at Headingly. I do not know if there is another person who has shown greater love for West Indies cricket since the mid 1950s than myself. I have expressed these feelings repeatedly on this message board and the defunct CANA board since around 2000. Thankfully, I have not lost my great passion for the game and in the last couple of years I can comfortably watch and critique the game and players without favour or any sort of bias.

 
Cleg 2014-12-20 11:01:40 

In reply to DonD


As for Samuels, he is what my grand mother would have called a real pappy show.



lol lol lol lol

 
methodic 2014-12-20 11:11:53 

In reply to DonD

nice post

 
DonD 2014-12-20 12:42:39 

Was just wondering if Dwayne Bravo is going to be offered the test team captaincy after this series. This current team could do with his allround abilities. Poor Ramdin looks lost

 
Commie 2014-12-20 13:00:19 

In reply to DonD

Great insight.

The solution to most obvious problems are never obvious.

Dwayne Bravo is part of a generation of players who do not give a damn DonD. And the worst thing to be doing is to be losing with people who have no intent to learn.

Unfortunately Lloyd is convinced Pollard would be the best person to lead WI, but hopefully, Pollards desire to maximise his income options will likely keep him out of captaincy and the Test side.

If the WICB presidency changes in March I expect the next cappo to be a Bajan, whether they continue experiment with CB (who they are interested in) or KB, who they have been grooming since U19.

 
DonD 2014-12-20 13:07:15 

In reply to Commie

So other than Sammy, who really cares? It certainly would not make sense to saddle young Braithwate with it as this stage.

 
sudden 2014-12-20 13:08:44 

In reply to Commie

Who is set to get the presidency come March? Been busy lately with an election

 
Andy99 2014-12-20 13:09:34 

In reply to DonD

Anyone who doesn't have any options(outside T20 contracts).
Once they get options then move onto the next?
Not so Commie?

Btw DonD, Scammy don't really care.

 
Commie 2014-12-20 13:14:50 

In reply to sudden

Been busy lately with an election


Get busy with that one then smile

 
sudden 2014-12-20 13:18:02 

In reply to Commie

Dave can't afford my rates! Come on man spill the beans.


Btw - I hear you have issues with Roosie big grin

 
Commie 2014-12-20 13:19:13 

In reply to DonD

There are still some who care.

Both Braithwaites care and so does Kirk Edwards.

Sammy should have been kept if only because until the WC he would have been someone whose Test career was easily disposable and would walk without rancour.

It is imo better to have someone who can shepherd a losing side knowing that they might not be part of the long term solution. A younger more involved player might become depressed by the litany of inevitable losses that come with the process.

 
Commie 2014-12-20 13:20:17 

In reply to sudden

No I dont actually. Not at all. I dont like certain things going on around him though.

 
sudden 2014-12-20 13:23:21 

In reply to Commie

Ok drop me a line and I may pass it on

 
DonD 2014-12-20 13:28:27 

In reply to Andy99 Btw DonD, Scammy don't really care.



So who really cares? Must I conclude that WI cricket has finally become an Eat Food endeavour for both players and administrators?

 
Andy99 2014-12-20 13:33:57 

In reply to DonD

Its all about the paycheck and you can't blame them for that after all everyone of us needs to provide for our families.

 
Cleg 2014-12-20 13:44:29 

In reply to Andy99

Scammy don't really care.



He does and always did for...."me myself and I"

 
Catsoup100 2014-12-20 21:12:19 

In reply to Commiedid you download your reasoning from an archaic computer?

 
TheTrail 2014-12-21 16:07:08 

Look, West Indies cricket and its org are as dysfunctional as it could be - the sooner we admit it the better...

We have hit rock bottom but we do not want to admit it....this is the last straw we are unfolding right before our eyes.

But look on the bright side; we are moving in the right direction come hell and high water.

Cutting the fat and the bull crap is a good start....2015 here we come...!

 
Narper 2014-12-21 16:31:33 

In reply to DonD

I really felt terrible watching Chanderpaul batting against Stein. It was as if he was being pulled down by a powerful magnet trying to duck under Stein's rising deliveries. At one time in his illustrious career, he would be standing tall and getting behind these deliveries and perhaps even attempting to hook and pull them. My fear last night was that he might well duck into into one of them and get hurt. Based on what I saw , I would hope that he gives serious thought to retiring at the end of this series and leave this game as a champion .


Obviously retirement is around the corner only because he is over 40.

But I don't believe Shiv is incapable of handling Steyn or any of the others anymore.

Knowing Shiv....he will be replaying those FEW balls over and over in his head and will formulate a plan for next game.

Preparation for such a tough tour was pathetic...as Lloyd pointed out....the WI team was in RSA for two weeks before the 1st test and only played one match...which was not a FC match


A final fight in this Test from the trusted pair? Chanders walks in. SA have six more wicket to pick (Roach won't bat)


32.2 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, he is getting into some rhythm now.. this is quick, [b]full and outside off, the batsman leaves it alone
[/b]

32.3 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, much wider this time, Chanders is not going to play at those


32.4 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, [b]length delivery outside off, 139 kph, Chanders lets it go through
[/b]

32.5 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, keeps bowling it outside off, Chanders shuffles to the off side but doesn't bother playing at it


32.6 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, closer tot he stumps this time and Chanders has to play.. He goes back and across, gets solidly behind the line and defends it to off

34.1 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, back of length delivery outside off, Chanders arches back to evade this. The same delivery had been edged behind by Johnson


34.2 Steyn to Chanderpaul, FOUR, outside edge and he is very lucky as this one slides through the tiny gap between gully and third slip. He was squared up in the crease by that one


Steyn's pace and tail, both are up


34.3 Steyn to Chanderpaul, no run, short of length outside off, the batsman ducks aside


34.4 Steyn to Chanderpaul, OUT, and Chanders is gone now! Steyn on fire here. This is a nasty short one that doesn't get up much at all.. Chanders had crouched right down but he is not able to get his gloves out of the way.. this lobs up for AB to complete a simple catch. Nasty one from Steyn


S Chanderpaul c †de Villiers b Steyn 4 (11m 9b 1x4 0x6) SR: 44.44