Australia v West Indies test series

This series promises to be very one-sided, offering the Aussies plenty of opportunities to boost both their batting and bowling averages.

After day 1, Australia in an enormously strong position, having rattled along at almost five an over and only lost three wickets. Windies briefly threatened to compete when they had Australia at 121 - 3 with Steve Smith out cheaply, but after that it was downhill all the way. Voges already has his highest test score, and Shaun Marsh is likely to better his previous highest score when play resumes.

Thanks for the thread, Corporal. It had escaped my attention that this Test had started. Sadly it looks like being a complete mismatch.

Thanks, Guildford. I rather expect to see a repeat of pattern of recent times, in which Windies have an occasional good session - or even a couple of consecutive good sessions - in any test match against strong teams, but can't keep up the level of intensity and skill needed and overall are totally outplayed. So it looks odd on that they will lose heavily every time unless weather intervenes.

HTB australia smash 438 runs in a day against pitiful WI
while NZ's 400 vs Lanka is more credible

These should have been 3 day games played on some lively tracks. The West Indies isn't good enough to play test cricket any more, and on lifeless tracks, they would be exposed even more. The only semi-functional unit in the West Indies side is their bowling, but even that would be neutralized on these tracks.
What the hell is happening to Australian pitches?

The Windies are pretty poor but let's not forget they beat England at home this year. The same England that then beat Australia

Also didn't NZ bowling get similarly savaged on the first day of their First Test just a few weeks ago?

Any thoughts on the Shannon Gabriel no-ball?

seanmichaels wrote:Any thoughts on the Shannon Gabriel no-ball?

Shocking...much like the entire West Indies performance.

Oz beating our bowlers like a rented mule!

Either they should disband and totally restructure the WICB, or they should do away with the idea of a West Indies cricket team. This farce shouldn't be allowed to continue. If the 2nd option is adopted, one can at least cherish the great sides that the islands turned out in earlier times with a sense of nostalgia. As a cricket lover, I didn't see the great West Indies of the late 70s and 80s, from the glorious past, the players I have followed are Lara, Ambrose and Walsh and a bit of Richards and Richardson. But reading about the good old West Indies, following them on youtube, reading about them through other past players, even that is such a fabulous experience.
What we have instead now is a totally rotten garbage of a cricket board and an embarrassing joke of a cricket team.
I still hope the West Indies somehow find a way to fight and stay alive in the series. Perhaps Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo will produce something worth talking about......
When will Australia declare? Think they have enough and plenty more for an innings win already!

A knock of 94 not out from Bravo, but a usual shamble from the WI batting unit otherwise. And a 3 day finish is on cards yet again. Australia were generous or perhaps bored to declare at 583-4, this was their opportunity to post the highest test innings score and still winn the test with plenty of time left.

Sadly, as predicted. Windies had a solid period of play in which they fought back well, but overall, they are being completely outplayed.

Must be unusual for side batting first in five day test to declare at lunch on second day with plenty of wickets in hand and the opportunity for a batsman to score a triple century. Looks like a signal of Australia's total confidence in their ability to win the match comfortably, plus wanting to be sure the match finishes within three days.

msp83 wrote:Either they should disband and totally restructure the WICB, or they should do away with the idea of a West Indies cricket team. This farce shouldn't be allowed to continue. If the 2nd option is adopted, one can at least cherish the great sides that the islands turned out in earlier times with a sense of nostalgia. As a cricket lover, I didn't see the great West Indies of the late 70s and 80s, from the glorious past, the players I have followed are Lara, Ambrose and Walsh and a bit of Richards and Richardson. But reading about the good old West Indies, following them on youtube, reading about them through other past players, even that is such a fabulous experience.
What we have instead now is a totally rotten garbage of a cricket board and an embarrassing joke of a cricket team.
I still hope the West Indies somehow find a way to fight and stay alive in the series.

I'm all for disbanding the WICB, and the individual countries going it alone....

Why not? It took Afghanistan just 18 months to make it from the bottom tier to equal status with Ireland. At least then teams like Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados won't be burdened with memories of how good the West Indies used to be. They can rebuild, by competing with the likes of Ireland and Afghanistan.

world needs to be relieved of these miseries......called WI test matches....WI a listless, disjointed, uninterested side going through the motions from the first hour of play....I am sure they hope they have to bat first......so even if the opponent doesn't enforce follow on.....they have to bowl only once.

It would be a torture on senses if Smith was not NOT enforce a follow-on

Smith should be banned for a year if he doesn't enforce the follow-on!!! Australia letting Kemar Roach score a few runs so that the game could go into the 3rd day.

Well that was a serious mismatch. Defeat by an innings and 200 runs in two and a half days.

Sad.

Thankfully, its all over.
Wish they would have got done with the 2nd test in the remaining 2 days.

If cricket had any sense it wouldn't restrict itself to 10 nations with "test status" so trainwrecks like the west Indies would get replaced over time with teams that actually want to play tests

Whilst this was an awful display, a call for throwing windies out of test crickets seems a bit over the top

Presumably England should have been banned after stinking the whole of Australia out the last time they were out there!

Well, the problems with the West Indies are far deeper than an underwhelming performance with bat and ball. There is no proper administrative structure, the guys playing are not of the test level standards more like club cricketers, if you still have doubts, just check out the FC stats of their latest opener. The guys playing do not seem to have a sense of the team. They don't seem to be interested to play test cricket. The attitude of the WICB and the players, it is really stinking!!

It is interesting that the attitude of the West Indies Test players raises questions, while there is no questioning the professionalism of T20 players like Gayle, Big Bravo, and others currently playing for T20 sides in South Africa and Bangladesh.

This bunch are the leftovers who can't get into the T20 leagues.

The likes of Gayle and Bravo seems to have given up on test cricket. But what WI players should remember is that it is international cricket and performances at the top level that opened to them the doors towards all these T-20 leagues. But then again, it is the WICB that has to take most of the blame, they have utterly failed in their player management responsibilities. And that didn't start with the T-20 leagues, that was the case right from the 90s at least. And all these decades of mismanagement have brought us to this point.

msp83 wrote:
I still hope the West Indies somehow find a way to fight and stay alive in the series. Perhaps Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo will produce something worth talking about......  

Good call, MSP - both of them managed one good innings, but apart from that the team achieved zilch!

VTR wrote:Whilst this was an awful display, a call for throwing windies out of test crickets seems a bit over the top

Presumably England should have been banned after stinking the whole of Australia out the last time they were out there!

Not calling for them to be chucked out - calling for other teams to actually have the opportunity to come in for awful teams like the Windies. They might buck up their ideas if there was the threat of an Ireland being allowed to overtake them in the standings

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:

msp83 wrote:
I still hope the West Indies somehow find a way to fight and stay alive in the series. Perhaps Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo will produce something worth talking about......  

Good call, MSP - both of them managed one good innings, but apart from that the team achieved zilch!

Corporal, I'd say those 2 are the only class players in that sorry batting lineup. Holder might still evolve into a credible enough test all-rounder, old hand Taylor is capable of a few good spells in tests even today. Kemar Roach seems like he has lost it with injuries. The rest of them would struggle to make it to a Ranji Division C side or a County Div 2 team! Devendra Bishoo is a decent test spinner, and of course they won't play him there for!

A complete car crash. And for those of us old enough to have seen the W Indies teams of the late 70s and 80, scarcely believable.

Presumably this is the first time a Test side has been humiliated in this way, ie with both completed innings falling almost 100 short of one single partnership in their opposition's only innings, since this: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62652.html

SimonofSurrey wrote:A complete car crash. And for those of us old enough to have seen the W Indies teams of the late 70s and 80, scarcely believable.

Presumably this is the first time a Test side has been humiliated in this way, ie with both completed innings falling almost 100 short of one single partnership in their opposition's only innings, since this: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62652.html

And desperately sad.

I'll be at the boxing day test (day 1) - hoping to see more of a contest

Olly wrote:I'll be at the boxing day test (day 1) - hoping to see more of a contest

I thought for a sec you were going to say '...(day 1) - hoping to see a full day's play''

I wonder how Chanderpaul felt watching that from home having been deemed surplus to requirements.

I accept the bloke's 41 but Rajendra Chandrika averages 25 in first class cricket and he's opening the batting.

I also struggle to believe that there isn't a wicket keeper in the West Indies more deserving of a go than Ramdin by now.

If your batting line-up is as week as the WIs currently is then Holder really shouldn't be batting at 7 either.

Such a sad situation to watch continue.

Chanderpaul though isn't an opening bat, and in fact I think has pretty much refused to bat above number 5 in the past. He also unfortunately looked completely shot in his last series vs England, where it just looked to me like age had caught up with him.

Agree with you about Ramdin, one of the poorer international keepers around, and not worth much of a spot for his batting. But is there anyone better? You look at the first class records of WI players and they're just not very good, seems to be a complete lack of ability and/or desire for the longer forms of the game.

Holder is just a renewal of the "Sammy" problem. He's at best a fourth seamer doing a holding job, he'll never take buckets of wickets. His batting isn't bad TBH, though 7 feels on the high side. Captaincy average.

The other seamers of course were awful, the first ten overs a perfect illustration of why commentators should stop just banging on about "pitching the ball up". The over-rate was beyond ridiculous, and forced Holder to bowl his part-time options for most of the first evening (and delay the new ball) just to get through some overs.

Basically a complete lack of desire for me shown by the WI with the honourable exceptions of Brathwhaite and Bravo, and to a lesser extent Holder.

I actually feel less sympathy with the WI than most, given that a lot of their problems are self-inflicted. They get silly amounts of money from the ICC due to being a 'full member' - a ridiculous system, whereas a country like Ireland gets b#gger-all and yet manages to be as competitive. But that's the ICC for you...

I agree with MfC - whatever the answer is to Windies' sad state of affairs, it isn't to recall Chandepaul.

Tickets for boxing day

Weather forecast - rain

Damn it

Olly wrote:Tickets for boxing day

Weather forecast - rain

Damn it

Hopefully won't be enough rain to wreck the day though , Olly. The covers are pretty good and it dries out quickly so you may be OK - I understand the rain will be early.

Are you going to any other days ? I rarely attend on Boxing Day (recovery powers not what they were !) but might get along on day two : for once tickets look easily obtainable...

Depends if boxing day is called off we might go day 2

From what I can tell the weather is never correct over here, so we'll see!

Absolutely hosing it down and has been for a while

Damn gonna miss the start of play...now on me way

What is the point of the west Indies, seriously - they clearly do not want to be out there playing, no effort or energy

West Indies continues to disgrace test cricket! Where is the damn rain when you need it the most? Australia 272-1. Already good enough for an innings win....... Burns and Khawaja taking over from Voges and Marsh.......

Day followed a fairly predictable pattern : actually thought West Indies came back quite well from Warner's initial blitz and kept Burns and Khawaja quiet for a spell - but just weren't able to maintain enough pressure to make another breakthrough ; and as the partnership developed they rather fell apart again...
Holder bowled well ; but he isn't going to run through sides himself and his economy is rather wasted when the bowlers at the other end are going round the park.
Credit to Burns and Khawaja though : whatever the opposition is like you still have to make the runs and they did that professionally - and often quite attractively. Another big score looms tomorrow.

Guess West Indies hoped for more in the pitch . Should have listened to the groundsman ; he said a couple of days ago whoever won the toss should bat first...

alfie wrote:Day followed a fairly predictable pattern : actually thought West Indies came back quite well from Warner's initial blitz and kept Burns and Khawaja quiet for a spell - but just weren't able to maintain enough pressure to make another breakthrough ; and as the partnership developed they rather fell apart again...
Holder bowled well ; but he isn't going to run through sides himself and his economy is rather wasted when the bowlers at the other end are going round the park.
Credit to Burns and Khawaja though : whatever the opposition is like you still have to make the runs and they did that professionally - and often quite attractively. Another big score looms tomorrow.
 
Guess West Indies hoped for more in the pitch .  Should have listened to the groundsman ; he said a couple of days ago whoever won the toss should bat first...

Hi Alfie, happy Christmas to you and all - I think your guess is right and so I won't go so far as to suggest it was a cowardly decision to bowl first. However, I still found it disappointing and unconvincing.

My only greater disappointment was not seeing a Norwich FC flag being waved in the crowd!

I nearly wore my ncfc shirt after the win at utd!!

I think I might head down there again tomorrow if I can hitch a ride from me parent and step parent. Quite fancy another day watching Steven Smith bat this time

Guildford : I take your implied point that fear of what might happen to their own top order may have been an influence in West Indies choosing to field. To be honest , it is a reasonable factor for Holder to consider !
But I do think they expected the conditions would give them a decent chance to get through the top of the Australian order : it did look pretty good for bowling at toss time. Unfortunately for them the sun came out and it quickly became apparent that they weren't going to get any favours from the pitch.
I imagine the Australian bowlers will make things look a bit different later on : but I do fear this pitch is yet another example of the trend for all Australian pitches to err on the side of blandness...with the advent of drop ins the regional variation that added so much interest to a series in this country is fast becoming a thing of the past.
Adelaide was an exception ; only because they deliberately spiced it up to protect the pink ball. Most of them are similar and less than exciting ; and batting first is (or should be ) an automatic choice everywhere.

No disagreement with any of that, Alfie. You should know though that I nearly always subscribe to the view of Cyril Washbrook (Lancs captain of the '50s) about winning the toss -
"You have two choices. Bat or think about it and then bat."

This test match is going down the same road as the first one......600ish for Aus.....bowl out WI for 200ish in both innings..and win by an inning and 200 runs ...another garbage game in the making

Not exactly riveting viewing ... unless you get a kick out of seeing people shooting fish in a barrel - or pulling the wings off flies...

One really shouldn't be so disrespectful ; but watching , not just Smith but the likes of Burns and Voges churning out runs as if they were Hayden and Ponting does tend to subtract from the feeling of Test Cricket. Can't blame the Australian batsmen for executing their game in a thoroughly professional manner (though I would like to see the pitch give a little assistance to the bowlers , at least on day one) ; but it does get a bit tedious unless you are an avid statistician.

So far West Indies are at least battling it out - though as I type they lose their second wicket at 50 - but scoreboard pressure will do for them sooner or later. For the paying public's sake I hope the rest of them resist and take the match at least to Tuesday...but I'm not placing bets on it.

The Australian bowling has been admirable , by the way : with the ball not doing much they have ruthlessly built pressure until the inevitable mistake came. A delight for the coach - and the home fans ;

...and now Pattinson has another ! Samuels lasts just three balls and I'm wondering if the match will occupy all of Monday...Pattinson is bowling really well - but you kind of wish that there were a Lara at the other end to take the battle back to him and make this a real contest...

The irony here is that the first lbw was unsuccessfully reviewed by the batsman ...but Samuels - who didn't review - would have been reprieved. When you're down , nothing goes right for you

Such a stupid shot from Blackwood. He has the talent but his mind really does betray him

Yet another disgraceful day of test cricket produced by the hopeless West Indies. They should, like Zimbabwe a decade ago, voluntarily step away from test cricket for some time and try to rebuild and attempt to put together a side that is at least temperamentally up to playing test cricket. This is a total disaster!
And next year India are going to play a 4 test series in the West Indies!

msp83 wrote:The likes of Gayle and Bravo seems to have given up on test cricket. But what WI players should remember is that  it is international cricket and performances at the top level that opened to them the doors towards all these T-20 leagues. But then again, it is the WICB that has to take most of the blame, they have utterly failed in their player management responsibilities. And that didn't start with the T-20 leagues, that was the case right from the 90s at least. And all these decades of mismanagement have brought us to this point.

let's not forget that both Gayle and Big Bravo have played in the latest T20 matches for the West Indies...it's the format that's the issue, not their representation of the West Indies. Bravo wants to play ODIs, but his selection was overturned by the WICB. Gayle says that persistent back problems means that he can't play five straight days...that said, the West Indies no longer play five straight days.

Both of these guys are over 30. The problem is that there are very few players under 30 capable of playing Test cricket. The WICB have failed to safeguard the future, and the problem is that they answer to no one, not even Caribbean governments (CARICOM). The WICB needs to be disbanded, and individual countries would have separate boards that answer to the people of their country via their governments, much like how Jamaica's athletics board operates.

Olly wrote:

VTR wrote:Whilst this was an awful display, a call for throwing windies out of test crickets seems a bit over the top

Presumably England should have been banned after stinking the whole of Australia out the last time they were out there!

Not calling for them to be chucked out - calling for other teams to actually have the opportunity to come in for awful teams like the Windies. They might buck up their ideas if there was the threat of an Ireland being allowed to overtake them in the standings

The issue is that on a recent tour of the Caribbean, both Guyana and Jamaica beat Ireland in one-dayers...that's why I believe these countries can go it alone.