West Indies 304-6 The West Indies have never lost a test at Trent Bridge – and if they continue where they left off today, they’ll keep that astonishing record intact. But if the worst does happen, England will only have themselves to blame. A top test team does not let a lower order batsman like Darren Sammy dominate. Marlon Samuels is another matter – as he’s a top order player – but even then, he’s the number six batsman in a low ranking test nation. He’s hardly bloody Brain Lara. Today was...
Do the two number eights add up to the best team?
There has been a lot of chat about the Windies’ supporting bowlers after Lord’s. The theory goes that Darren Sammy’s boys might have won if it wasn’t for, err, Darren Sammy. They’ve got a point – sort of. Had the West Indies had four Kemar Roaches, or Kemar Roach backed up by a Colin Croft, Sylvester Clarke or Winston Benjamin, then the result may well have been different. The trouble is, the Windies don’t have anyone anywhere near as good as this fearsome trio. Jerome Taylor is...
Is there hope for West Indian cricket?
I was watching a bit of Fire in Babylon last night – the documentary about the Windies in their heyday. It’s well worth watching if you haven’t already. It’s easy to forget just how brilliant they were – and how they physically battered opponents into submission with bat and ball. The current Windies team is a complete contrast I’m afraid. Their captain is a medium pacer – something unthinkable twenty five years ago – and their best bowlers are mostly spinners. Meanwhile their best batsman is...
