Braithwaite
Solonzo
Bonner
Blackwood
Mayers/ Chase/ Hope
Holder/ Mayers
Silva
Cornwall
Permaul
Warrican
Seales/ Gabriel

In reply to Onionman0

I actually like the idea of Blackwood opening with Brathwaite. I wouldn't give up on that partnership just because of the last innings. At least not yet. My team would be:

Brathwaite
Blackwood
Bonner
Hetmyer
Chase
Mayers
Silva
Holder
Cornwall
Roach
Permaul

Brath
Solanzo
Bonner
Blackwood
Chase
Mayers
Da Silva
Holder
Cornwall
Roach
Permaul/Warrican

The only other batsman in the squad is Solanzo and I don't think you recover from a concussion that soon....so Hope stays. On this track as a fast bowler you need extreme pace, so hard to see Gabriel being dropped. Would love to see Seales in the team because of his consistent line and length and sneaky pace, but he is behind Roach in the pecking order and they won't play Roach..so Gabriel stays.

I still maintain and forget stats for the moment that Permaul is a better bowler than Warrican....but the Bajans will never drop Warrican. While his test record is marginally better than Permaul, I watched almost all of Permaul's test matches and I saw how Holder used him or misused him.

So unfortunately unless Solanzo recovers...it will more than likely be the same team.

Wunnuh choosing these teams to maximize wunnuh FL points!

In reply to Ninetenjack

I agree that it will most likely be the same team, but I would replace Solozano/Hope with Roach, however one correction, Warrican has the best Test average per wicket than all the spinners in the WI at the moment, at 35 runs per wicket,

In reply to Windiesfan78

How about DaSilva opening. He has the best technique and smarts of all the players.
He could play anchor. He and Braithwaite should be enough to dent any fast bowling threat and open it up for Blackwood, Bonner and Myers.
He bats too low and is wasted at the position he comes in.
Blackwood is being exposed too early if he opens.
Let him come in at 4.
Hope should come in at 3.

In reply to rillo

You lost me in the last sentence. I have been arguing that Silva is coming in too low. I also find that Blackwood as a batsman should not be at #6. He needs to be at 4 or 5 and then the allrounders. If Silva opens, he cannot keep. Will Hope then keep and bat at #5 with Mayers, Holder and Chase to follow? Chase has to go down the order as he is not producing as a NO. 5 should.

In reply to rillo

It's very difficult keeping wicket in a Test match where you may be in the field for 134 overs, and then open the batting....

So, given that Solozano is unlikely to come back from concussion so soon, this would be my XI:

1) Brathwaite
2) Hope (Solozano, if fit)
3) Bonner
4) Blackwood
5) Chase
6) Mayers
7) da Silva
Holder
9) Cornwall
10) Warrican
11) Roach/Seales

Gabriel is unlikely to be fit enough to play back-to-back Tests.

I would be very surprised if Solozano takes any further part on this tour.

In reply to mikesiva

Your team is likely to be the final XI. If so, I would open again with Blackwood if Solzano is not picked and put Hope at #4with Mayers at #5 and Silva at #6. I think that Silva needs to bat with positive players. Chase can slot in at #7. if Roach is not fit (and that could be only real reason why Gabriel was preferred) I would go for Seales before Gabriel or Permaul.

In reply to mikesiva



Would love to see Seales in the team but that would be a slap in the face to Roach...so it will probably be the same team. On another note didn't know WI followed a fast bowler rotation policy

In reply to Ninetenjack

play both and drop Warrican.

In reply to Onionman0

Chase took five wickets in that game?

[b]In reply to Onionman0[/
1)Brathwaite
2) Hope
3) Bonner
4) Hetty
5) Chase
6) Mayers
7) da Silva
Holder
9) Cornwall
10) Roach
11) Seales

1)Brathwaite
2) Blackwood
3) Bonner
4) Hetty
5) da Silva
6) Mayers
7) Chase
8 Holder
9) Cornwall
10) Roach
11) Seales

In reply to TheTrail

Chase took five wickets in that game?
Top five of a test team should be contributing batters....Chase primary function in the team is to score runs...Chase batting has fallen dramatically since Pakistan previous series.... nowadays, people expect him to take wickets rather than score runs.... conversely, Alazari Joseph scoring more runs than taking wickets...A very good strike bowler prospect once....This is more management problem... wherein, each and every players function is clearly stated by coaching staff... specially in test cricket...two specialist opener....3,4 & 5 batter...then genuine all rounders ,if possible..then strike bowlers... makeshift doesn't work in test cricket...I remember, Jason Gillespie ,after scoring double hundred against Bangladesh....was dropped...never to play test cricket again....as he was ñot able to function as strike bowler , any more.... vision of team management is very important...

In reply to mikesiva




If Solozano is not fit to play, I would drop Hope and play the extra bowler in Seales.

1) Brathwaite
2) Blackwood
3) Bonner
4) Mayers
5) Chase
6) da Silva
7) Holder
Cornwall
9) Roach
10) Warrican
11) Seales

In reply to Ninetenjack

Good sensible post.

In reply to Onionman0

2 spinners didn't work

you want 3

In reply to doosra

Had the catches were taken specially Blackwood dropped....match would have seen more contest...... bowling is not issue... batting top 6...first inning 100 for 6 and 2nd inning 18 for 6....top 5 batters should concentrate solely on getting runs...Chase or Mayers primary job is get runs...faster men on spinning track won't work...Sri Lanka hardly used their Pacers in 2nd inning..horses for courses....

In reply to Onionman0

If we had pacers on the first day 267/3 could be avoided at the end of day one!

In reply to camos

I watched the entire 1st day....4 catches were dropped ...all of spinners.... although Gabriel with express pace did trouble Nissanka... ultimately, got him out but spinners really put lots of pressure...poor catching and field placing & wrong personal at particular fielding place.....particularly, keeping Blackwood at slip instead of Holder or Cornwall or Braithwaite.....

In reply to Onionman0


This is an excellent point and goes to show the standards that top teams set. Unfortunately, we don't have the calibre of batsmen that we had in the 80s and 90s.

In reply to Onionman0

Chase MUST play.