England v West Indies | 2nd Test | Durham | 14-18 May09

[On_the_up]

A couple of hours or so to go and a more traditional start i.e. on a thursday.

England should be strong favourites to clean sweep the series, only hurdle might be the weather.

Probable teams according to cricinfo:

England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Stuart Broad, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Graham Onions, 11 James Anderson

West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Devon Smith, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Lendl Simmons, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Brendan Nash, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Sulieman Benn, 11 Fidel Edwards

If the first test is anything to go by, West Indies have other things on their minds and that needs to change if they are going to put up a respectable showing.

 

[Keith]

I don't see the windies posing any theat to england.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Another hammering on its way for the Windies.

 

[Oxy]

England won the toss - and will bat again.

Chris Gayle's body language is appalling again!

Windies are going to get battered unless they do something special with the ball in the 1st session.

England are unchange, keeping their winners from Lords.

Windies are unchanged, going in with their losers from Lords.

Over to you Richie

 

[Amjid Javed]

I can see England wracking up a big total and pummeling the W.I here.

 

[Muhammad]

I can see the Windies fielders backing up the bowlers well today.

 

[On_the_up]

I can see nothing cause I am at work.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Crowd looks poor and isnt meant to get any better for this match.

 

[On_the_up]

Heard that there were only 3000 tickets sold for Friday but Saturday should see a better attendance.

 

[Sheikh]

I can see nothing cause I am at work.

I can see that we're in the same boat.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Eng 16/0 after 7 overs.

Pitch looks pretty slow paced and england plodding along with no real alarms so far.

 

[Oxy]

Heard that there were only 3000 tickets sold for Friday but Saturday should see a better attendance.

Looks like they sold about 50 tkts for today!

 

[Amjid Javed]

I was expecting a pretty lively, bouncy wicket here.

Its been pretty docile

Eng 45/0

 

[Amjid Javed]

Looks like they sold about 50 tkts for today!

50? Your been genrous arent you

 

[Oxy]

Strauss is OUT!

Gayle gets him to sweep at a wide one - its gloved & caught

69-1

 

[Amjid Javed]

Bopara looks in good touch which is a good sign for england.

 

[On_the_up]

Captain to captain, Gayle would have enjoyed that after the recent events.

 

[Oxy]

Luncheon is taken

Eng: 85-1

 

[Amjid Javed]

England started off slowly but got abit of a move on in middle of session. The spinners did a tidy job for Windies at end of session. Englands session the 1st one.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Eng 120/1 - cook 54* Bopara 29*

 

[Amjid Javed]

ENG 171/1 now

Bopara has gone past 50 and Cook maybe heading towards a Hundred.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Eng 184/1 @ TEA.

 

[Amjid Javed]

England flying here - 206/1

Bopara 71* Cook 90*

 

[Lethal]

This West Indies side are not interested at all.

Some good running by Bopara and Cook but those singles should be stopped by the West Indies. It's too easy for England.

West Indies only hope today is to take the new ball and get a couple of wickets.

Cook on 99 now.

 

[Lethal]

Cook gets his hundred. Misfield from the fielder.

That sums up the West Indies really.

 

[Amjid Javed]

108 for Cook and 80 for Bopman!

Cooks 9th test ton well played!

 

[Oxy]

Ravinder going for a slog!

4, 6, 6

98*

 

[Oxy]

Ton up for RAvinder.

3rd ton in 3 matches - in illustrious company!

 

[Muhammad]

Windies have done really well to maintain such a good over rate, close of play should be on time.

Great work from Gayle and his bowlers.

 

[On_the_up]

England very happy with their day's work, 302-2, Cook and Bopara scoring tons.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Bopara three tons in 3 straight tests v W.I well batted young man!

 

[On_the_up]

Remarkable stat, Bopara's three innings preceding the three consecutive hundreds were all ducks!

 

[On_the_up]

Rain, no play so far on day 2.

 

[Keith]

Remarkable stat, Bopara's three innings preceding the three consecutive hundreds were all ducks!

That is what makes this game so special though!!!!

I remember playing club cricket for 3/4 seasons without any duck!!! I started getting cocky and let everyone know that in 3/4 years of club cricket i had no ducks!!!

Result: 3 consecutive innings of ducks, 2 of which were golden and the 3rd was a 2 ball duck!!! I kept my trap shut after that.

 

[Amjid Javed]

That is what makes this game so special though!!!!

I remember playing club cricket for 3/4 seasons without any duck!!! I started getting cocky and let everyone know that in 3/4 years of club cricket i had no ducks!!!

Result: 3 consecutive innings of ducks, 2 of which were golden and the 3rd was a 2 ball duck!!! I kept my trap shut after that.

)

 

[Amjid Javed]

England 319/2 now...

I recon england will be looking to get to 500 as quick as poss and then declaring and having a go at the west indies.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Eng 420/5 now

Cook made his highest test score 160 and KP out for 49.

England should get 500 here quickly.

 

[12thMan]

Prior 45(55) - Collingwood 25(47)
Eng 486-5 after 132 overs
last 10 overs 53-0
55 overs left today

 

[Oxy]

I can actually hear fans in the ground today

 

[Oxy]

Lendle gets his 1st test wkt

Prior gone

513-6

 

[Oxy]

2 days & 1 session remain.

Not sure why Strauss wont declare.

Windies just dont want to be there - I can see them capitlating twice in 2 days easily!

 

[12thMan]

going by cricinfo commentary looks like 5 dropped/missed chances this match. Ramdin with 3
Eng 549-6 after 145 overs
43 overs left today

 

[Oxy]

Rubbish cricket all round.

Benn drops another catch - of his bowling to add to Nash dropping one off his previous over.

Didnt England see the weather yesterday? WHHOLE DAY RAINED OFF!

And the weather in UK is appalling everywhere.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Looks like England just want a draw here! Not giving themselves much time to take 20 W.I wkts which would be the postive way to go!

 

[12thMan]

Devon Smith bowled by Anderson
WI 18-1

 

[12thMan]

Match delayed by bad light - Day 3

4.40pm The umpires are getting a bit nervous about the light, or the wind, or the rain - they're coming off for bad light, I'm afraid. What a shame - it was beginning to get really exciting. They're taking a reading, and we'll keep you updated. I don't think it's terminal by any means
Gayle 19(22) - Sarwan 6(11)
WI 34-1 after 7.4 overs - trail by 535 runs

 

[Oxy]

Match delayed by bad light - Day 3

Good! Serves Strauss right!

 

[12thMan]

TMS commentator thinks he won't be surprised if this is end of day

 

[12thMan]

now reporting starting in 15 min
start time not delayed by 10 min. to start at 5.25 pm

 

[Amjid Javed]

Devon smith fails once again theres a surprise.

 

[12thMan]

Gayle LBW Anderson
WI 38-2
hawkeye says going over stumps

 

[Oxy]

Ashoka HAS A SHOCKER!!! (Again)

Gayle is delighted though with the decision - as he skips off the pitch whistling a happy tune!

 

[Oxy]

England in the driving seat

 

[dblock]

I guess England wanted to bat once and really pile on the pressure.

Perhaps they should have gambled and declared at 450.

 

[dblock]

Oxy, Anderson looks thrilled to see you

He looks remarkably like the actor from Hitman (Tim Olyphant)

 

[Oxy]

I guess England wanted to bat once and really pile on the pressure.

Perhaps they should have gambled and declared at 450.

After he screwed up a few games back v Windies - he should have known better. This Windies team is a disgrace to cricket and could be skittled out twice in a day!

 

[Oxy]

Oxy, Anderson looks thrilled to see you

Freddie was fine

 

[Oxy]

Anderson gets his 3rd wkt

68-3

Bad light

 

[Amjid Javed]

Anderson has bowled well, but once again W.I have struggle against the swinging ball.

 

[Da Best]

Swinging ball doing the trick here. Anderson looks as if he's gonna get a 5fer.

 

[Oxy]

Anderson has bowled well, but once again W.I have struggle against the swinging ball.

They would struggle against a giant beachball with their attitude lately

 

[Da Best]

This West Indian team's attitude is terrible. If their captain doesn't like test cricket then will the rest of the team put an effort? Probably for T20's.

 

[Amjid Javed]

W.I 94/3 at close of play. If weather holds true i can see england giving W.I another pasting here!

 

[Oxy]

Sarwan felled by a short one to his 'spuds'!

Sky Sports apologise for the language used by Sarwan - that is picked up by 'stump mic'

That was painful...looked painful...sounded painful!

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Rain due to arrive within 20 minutes.

 

[Oxy]

Rain due to arrive within 20 minutes.

Quicker than any West Indian.....

 

[filosofee]

Still almost 200 runs to save the follow on and WIs lose 4th wicket.

 

[filosofee]

Sarwan's century up.

 

[Oxy]

After a good start to the morning, Broad gets Chanderpaul & Sarwan (for 100)

WI 188-5

Still traill by 381 runs

 

[On_the_up]

Nash out to Anderson.
west India indies 6 down

 

[On_the_up]

Unlucky, ball kept low, got the underside of the bat, and bounced back on the base of the stumps

 

[On_the_up]

161 more needed to save the follow on

 

[On_the_up]

Onions too much to stomach for Taylor. West indies seven down

 

[On_the_up]

Anderson looking four his fifth wicket

 

[On_the_up]

Ramdin with a good shot off his legs for a boundary

 

[On_the_up]

And pulls another for four, not convincing this time.

 

[On_the_up]

The atmosphere is min existent, roll on the ashes!

 

[Amjid Javed]

W.I 285/7 now

Still 284 behind and lots of hard work still to do.

Ramdin playing well though.

 

[12thMan]

Benn run out
WI 294-8 after 80 overs - trail by 275 runs

"I'm not sure what I've done. I don't have a clue. He just seems to crank up every time I come in, and I get a few words."
James Anderson doesn't know why Fidel Edwards sends down a barrage of bouncers and verbals whenever he comes to bat

May 17, 2009

Andrew McGlashan: "Jimmy Anderson has a smile on his face. Fidel is coming in and the new ball is due."

James Anderson gets hold of the new ball. Anderson v Edwards, Round 47

 

[Oxy]

302-8

68 to avoid follow on - that would make the game safe for Windies.

And questions would be asked of Strauss.

Gooch & Boycott in the 5Live box have been laying into Strauss today. Not impressed with his captaincy!