West Indies v India @ Kingston, Jun 20-24

[howzdat]

West Indies now need to bat for 2.5 days!

That is a lot of time... lets see if they get to 1.5 days or 130 overs.

Yes BallOil, the equation you mention of India bowling 130 overs in 1.5 days would be on par with the required over rate. However, I was looking at things from the point of view of the West Indies occupying the crease and all the batsmen dedicating themselves to ensuring that they only bat once in this match.

1.5 days taking up 130 overs @ 3 runs per over will give a lead of around 150 and see the match progress to sometime after lunch time on the third day. In that scenario I think that Sammy might opt for declaring at tea giving the time to get India out and them bat to score whatever they are set in the 4 innings of the game. All-in-all the match is interestingly poised. Let's see how it goes.

[mapoui]

Simmons will make runs in ODIs, but just can't get to the half-century mark in Tests....

At least Gayle will make a century - or a triple - now and then.

I see Simmons more as a T20 and ODI player.

maybe simmons jess trying too hard. I wud give him the remainder of this series to prove himself as logn as gayle is not playing.

dat was a tuff out yesterday. his approach was proper. a lil' more patience....jess to the end of the series

[howzdat]

Hi again mapoui, BallOil and mikesiva as i observe Simmons batting this season against Pakistan and now India I note that he seems to be the one batsman currently in the team who from the platform of a solid technique is capable of taking the attack to the bowlers with real aggressive intent. Some of his sixes have been hit with a self assured nonchalance that must be a little unsettling for opposition bowlers and I think that WI needs a player with this attitude and ability in the lineup.

On his day Chanderpaul can do the same - out of nowhere you can find yourself wondering where to bowl the ball after being hit for three or four consecutive boundaries in an over. Look at the mayhem that Raina and Harbhajan wreaked for a while yesterday.

While Gayle possesses the ability to dismantle an attack with powerful hitting it is more or less expected of him and he tends to do so right from the start and goes at full throttle for most of his innings.

[mapoui]

it wud have been a tuff decision on his part to attack in the circumstances last night. had he attacked and got out there wud have been hell to pay.

yet immediate attack like harbajahan might have been the best way to have gone for Simmons.

simmons cud have injured Indian spirit with a burst that produced a closing score of 60+ or so...preclude him having to deal with any ball like the one that produced his out as Sharma and his partner hid the ball away from punishment.

so trying hard to do the right thing..be careful and not lose a wicket by the close for the westindies... produced the exact result westindies were trying to avoid.

simmons was overcautios, avoiding his natural flow to protect the loss of a wicket. hopefully the conditions come together more more suited to his play next time he opens

[badpepper]

21.1 Sharma to Sarwan, OUT
RR Sarwan lbw b Sharma 3 (30b 0x4 0x6) SR: 10.00


Just great.

[howzdat]

I wasn't advocating that Simmons attack last night but was looking at something he brings to the team which the other batsmen have not yet displayed this summer. Anyway to more immediate matters: Sarwan dismissed in the manner that his technique opens him up to i.e. LBW.

I feel vindicated having excluded from my suggested team for this game. He has passed his sell by date. Drop him!

[BallOil]

we need a partnership from these two....

[mapoui]

I wasn't advocating that Simmons attack last night but was looking at something he brings to the team which the other batsmen have not yet displayed this summer. Anyway to more immediate matters: Sarwan dismissed in the manner that his technique opens him up to i.e. LBW.

I feel vindicated having excluded from my suggested team for this game. He has passed his sell by date. Drop him!

yes ..to immediate matters but not before saying that I know you ddid not advocate that simmons attack last night.

maybe I did not make myself clear but i was discussing his optional approaches at that point of the game that might have been successful for him, kept his wicket for today.

as for sarwan I am also with him till the end of this series. we will see then!

[badpepper]

Barath gone for 64. That hurts.

[Googley]

in walks the tiger!

Prowl Tiger, prowl!