WI vs Pakistan, Test series, April 21-May 14

[howzdat]

I forgot about Samuels ahead of Bravo ... and is more likely guess. With 3 of the top 5 batsmen failing to get to double figures West Indies scoring 350 was but a figment of my imagination, so it seems. 278/9

[AFRO]

AfCrow, there needs to be some criteria to selecting batsmen, and the criteria has to be that they're better than the batsmen they're replacing. Too often, you fools in the WICB select players on a wish and a guess!

Dropping Shiv was sheer stupidity....

Er Shiv deserved to be dropped because the man was NOT seeing the ball properly at that time and was a walking wicket as a result. His current form in the PCL and county cricket is commendable, but that is NOT test cricket.

And when you replace Samuels, who's averaged 36 in his FC career, with batsmen who are averaging 32-35 in their FC careers, then these scores are hardly a surprise. Especially when all three of these batsmen under-performed in the just-concluding PCL. Instead, the fool-fool selectors pick this trio, whose only runs were against a rusty Pakistan side trying to get used to conditions, on some ridiculous theory that they will reproduced those runs when the Pakistanis are more serious and better prepared.

Er HOPE is the one who replaced Samuels...and his average has been in the 40s, so they DID replace him with someone who has better FC stats. Powell is an opener, who replaced a guy who wasn't a natural opener, so you're really gonna blame the selectors for that move? Who else should have been picked ahead of Powell then? Singh replaced Blacky and rightly so when you look at Blacky's recent form. The last one was Hetty replacing Bravo and that was always gonna be a tough one...but unlike you I won't be ruling out a youngsters after one innings or one test.

Well, Powell, Singh and Hetmyer all scored runs in the President's XI, but none could manage a half-century between them in the first innings. And picking Shai Hope, who averages 17.15 in Test cricket....

Erm Hope averages 40 in FC cricket and has the best batting average in the entire PCL this season, meaning he was better than your boyfriend shiv!!! . So are you suggesting he didn't deserve a place in the team now? Because if you are then you're a HYPOCRITE...because not long ago you were calling for Simmons to get picked for the test side and what is his test average? SEVENTEEN!!!...You also called for Pagon to get picked and what is his average again? Oh yeah...a massive TWELVE!!!.. SO PLEASE TAKE YOUR STUPID, BIAS RASS, AND GO SIH DONG!!!

[mikesiva]

Powell is another Devon Smith. A proven failure at test level.

Shai Hope is a young Devon Smith. A dung heap bully who is out of his depth in test cricket.

Hetmyer needed another first class season before being thrown to the wolves of test cricket. You fools are going to destroy the confidence of the young man.

Your comments about Chanderpaul are pure rubbish. He had another two years to give like Misbah. If that's how the WICB hierarchy think then it's no wonder we are in this mess!

Gabriel out for five. Holder 57 not out. Amir finished with 6-44.

West indies 286 all out.

[mikesiva]

Ali out to Joseph for 15! One down.

Holder gets rid of Shehzad for 31. Two down.

[Maldini3]

I would have actually had Reifer in this squad ahead of Blackwood and debuted him ahead of Hetmeyer. With this squad though I would have played Blackwood over Hetmyer.

I think it's a bit disingenuous to compare Hope to Devon Smith at this stage, before this test he played one test that he wasn't opening and he scored 47 and was keeping wicket. In terms of merit, he certainly deserves his chance, he can hardly be considered an FC bully at this stage.

My XI for this test would have been Kraigg, Pow, Shai, Chase, Singh, Dow, Holder, Reifer, Bishoo, Joseph, Gabriel. No less runs and more bowling options, Reifer as a leftie in form is a good variation.

Next test I'd have him in for whoever fails in the second innings from Pow, Hetmyer, Shai, Singh. Can't drop Kraigg now and the others performed with the bat.

[mikesiva]

Maldini thanks for your input.

Reifer performed in the PCL so I don't have a problem with that selection. My issue is that Singh performed worse than Blackwood in the PCL so on what basis was he selected? On what basis was Powell picked ahead of Kyle hope? What evidence is there that any of these guys will be better than Samuels? I don't see it.

As for shai Hope we can only wait and see. I don't hold out much hope. Shiv could have made at least a half century here. Younus has and so has babar. Our batsmen pale in comparison to those of Pakistan. And some would have us believe that Pakistan are ordinary.

Gabriel got both wickets! Four down.

[Maldini3]

Well I was all for Kope, as I said in a previous post and I have no issue with Blackwood over Singh, I guess they went for immediate form.

I am a big Shiv fan, certainly Shiv could still be contributing to this side, no argument from me there at all.

Before the president's 11 match I was looking for Kope and Reifer in the squad ahead of Powell and Singh and some wildcard pick, as Anthony Alleyne's season went downhill fast, that pick is Hetmyer, fine.

The XI would have left out Hetmyer and Cummins.

[badpepper]

Congrats to Younis at age 39. Much needed wickets from Gabriel.

[howzdat]

From where WI were, 244-7 at the close of play on the first day of what could turn out to be a series of tussle between the sides represents a reasonable recovery given the loss of early wickets. ....

I would set the remaining batters a stretch target of amassing 350 from here, beyond that would be a bonus given the way the innings has gone. By close of play tomorrow we will know whether this first day 'platform' will have enabled West Indies to start day 3 on an even keel in the match.

Taking those edited lowlights from one of my earlier posts, we can note that West Indies did not get to 350 nor did Bishoo, unlike Holder, get to 50. However, with the persistent intervention of adverse weather conditions, some disciplined bowling by West Indies and two quick wickets after a 131 stand between Babar Azam and Younis Khan, I would say that West Indies will start day four level pegging with Pakistan who closed on 201/4 in reply to 286.

I observe that apart from Holder, all the batters who scored half-centuries did so having faced a lot of balls; so this appears to be a wicket requiring batsmen to grit it out in true Test match style.

Congratulations to Mohammad Younis Khan who surpassed the 10000 Test run landmark in his innings of 58.

So, with honours even, it is everything to play for in the remaining time left in this match

[AFRO]

Powell is another Devon Smith. A proven failure at test level.

Erm how many test tons has Smith got you old skunt? And if Powell is a "proven failure" WHY WAS YOU CALLING FOR SIMMONS AND PAGON to play in the test side when they have worse averages then him?

Shai Hope is a young Devon Smith. A dung heap bully who is out of his depth in test cricket.

As Maldini just schooled your stupid rass!!..HOW MANY TESTS HAS HOPE PLAYED IN HIS NATURAL POSITION? And also if Hope is a "dungheap bully", what does that make Miller who has already failed at test and one day level?

Hetmyer needed another first class season before being thrown to the wolves of test cricket. You fools are going to destroy the confidence of the young man.

He deserved his pick due to his performance at A-TEAM LEVEL!!!..he will have this experience with the test squad, hopefully learn a lot and keep improving. Just like I said about Barath, a career isn't defined by one series dummy.

Your comments about Chanderpaul are pure rubbish. He had another two years to give like Misbah. If that's how the WICB hierarchy think then it's no wonder we are in this mess!

BWAHAHAHAHA massa mike just cyant let go of him fellow pensioner bhai!!!...your boy was FAILING INNINGS AFTER INNINGS!!!..you can pretend like his dropping was undeserved but the FACTS say otherwise. ..