Darren Sammy ...

....averages under 30 in test cricket with the ball? How the hell did that happen?

His T20 stats are oustanding, avergae of 13 with an economy rate just over 6.

How?


Is he secretly a good player?

I've seen him bowl a couple of times in tests , the one notable was at Manchester 4 years ago when he took a very good 7 for . It looked like Sammy had arrived but I've not heard anything much about him since.

I think in T20, his bowling especially, is incredibly underrated. He does a similar job to what Dimi Mascarenhas does at Hampshire what with bowling 80mph and taking the new ball and keeping in tight.

But in test matches he is only really penetrating enough, especially on unhelpful pitches, to be a fifth bowler but his batting at the moment is not good enough for the number 7 position but he needs to play as captain... A conumdrum.

Sammy is one of the most ordinary players to ever play for the West Indies.

His bowling average is below 30, but he has some cheap wickets vs Bangladesh.

More worrying is his batting is dreadful

What about his captaincy Masked? Are there any other candidates who could lead the Windies well, or is Sammy's captaincy enough to conpemsate for his average stats?

Also, I watched Fire In Babylon for the first time today and I am truly terrified now! I think I am going to have nightmares about the fearsome foursome...

A pretty honest player, with limited ability. can at times bowl some pretty good balls, and can be useful in swinging conditions. not good enough to be in the team either as a bowler or as a batter though, keeps out great potentials such as Kemar Roach from the side. Haven't seen anything great in his captaincy as well.

Sammys a good player nothing more,conditions have to be in his advantage to take wickets. He's a much better one-day player than test player.

Meanwhile his batting,i'm not even sure he's good enough to bat 8 never mind 7!

i think some of the criticims if harsh if you look at his record, he has played something like 17 tests, got something like 35 wickets at 28 a piece that is a good record

JDizzle wrote:What about his captaincy Masked? Are there any other candidates who could lead the Windies well, or is Sammy's captaincy enough to conpemsate for his average stats?

Also, I watched Fire In Babylon for the first time today and I am truly terrified now! I think I am going to have nightmares about the fearsome foursome...

His captaincy has really united the dressing room.

Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul couldn't inspire their team-mates, Sammy somehow can

Surprised Dwayne Bravo hasnt been your captain yet... Well done to Sammy tho, a small speck of light and hope amongst the rubbish of the WIndies side at the moment.

Gregers wrote:Surprised Dwayne Bravo hasnt been your captain yet... Well done to Sammy tho, a small speck of light and hope amongst the rubbish of the WIndies side at the moment.

Dwayne Bravo doesn't play Tests due to a knee problem

Such a pity for him, he really looked amazing a few years back

Bump for this on the grounds he doing a bonzer job so far against the Aussies.

He is an underrated player - in many ways quite similar to Tim Bresnan (perhaps a bit slower and with less technique as a batsman).

His captaincy has been a key component in this current WIndies revival (whisper it) - he has been able to unite/inspire his troops in a much better way than the previous captains like Gayle and Sarwan were. Maybe the players enjoy being led by somebody who is more normal than naturally-talented and super-rich superstars.

Thought the delaying tactics were a bit of a disgrace.

England Cricket Fan wrote:Thought the delaying tactics were a bit of a disgrace.

I thought they were to be expected. Realistically if the West Indies had given Australia 55 overs to chase down the runs it would have been easy, there best hope even for a win was to force Australia to be aggressive. I didn't particularly like the tactics but every captain in international cricket would have done the same.

Where I differ from Sammy was his field settings. To have no close catchers when the ball was turning a bit was his biggest folly. That, and Deonarine putting one in the slot just when everyone knew Hussey would be looking for the big hit, were the main problems.

Mike Selig wrote:

England Cricket Fan wrote:Thought the delaying tactics were a bit of a disgrace.

I thought they were to be expected. Realistically if the West Indies had given Australia 55 overs to chase down the runs it would have been easy, there best hope even for a win was to force Australia to be aggressive. I didn't particularly like the tactics but every captain in international cricket would have done the same.

Where I differ from Sammy was his field settings. To have no close catchers when the ball was turning a bit was his biggest folly. That, and Deonarine putting one in the slot just when everyone knew Hussey would be looking for the big hit, were the main problems.

And keeping the part time spinner on under fading light was mystifying. I remember Moin Khan against England at Karachi in 2000. As soon as the light started fading he brought on his quickest bowler Waqar. It didnt work but WI really should have tried the slingy Fidel Edwards yesterday. Would have been tough to face him in fading light.

Ah Moin Khan story ey, funny, I heard that last night too...

braveneutral wrote:Ah Moin Khan story ey, funny, I heard that last night too...

England Cricket Fan wrote:

Mike Selig wrote:

England Cricket Fan wrote:Thought the delaying tactics were a bit of a disgrace.

I thought they were to be expected. Realistically if the West Indies had given Australia 55 overs to chase down the runs it would have been easy, there best hope even for a win was to force Australia to be aggressive. I didn't particularly like the tactics but every captain in international cricket would have done the same.

Where I differ from Sammy was his field settings. To have no close catchers when the ball was turning a bit was his biggest folly. That, and Deonarine putting one in the slot just when everyone knew Hussey would be looking for the big hit, were the main problems.

And keeping the part time spinner on under fading light was mystifying. I remember Moin Khan against England at Karachi in 2000. As soon as the light started fading he brought on his quickest bowler Waqar. It didnt work but WI really should have tried the slingy Fidel Edwards yesterday. Would have been tough to face him in fading light.

Do you remember what happened to Mike Atherton's nose after that test?

Aidan11 wrote:

England Cricket Fan wrote:

Mike Selig wrote:

England Cricket Fan wrote:Thought the delaying tactics were a bit of a disgrace.

I thought they were to be expected. Realistically if the West Indies had given Australia 55 overs to chase down the runs it would have been easy, there best hope even for a win was to force Australia to be aggressive. I didn't particularly like the tactics but every captain in international cricket would have done the same.

Where I differ from Sammy was his field settings. To have no close catchers when the ball was turning a bit was his biggest folly. That, and Deonarine putting one in the slot just when everyone knew Hussey would be looking for the big hit, were the main problems.

And keeping the part time spinner on under fading light was mystifying. I remember Moin Khan against England at Karachi in 2000. As soon as the light started fading he brought on his quickest bowler Waqar. It didnt work but WI really should have tried the slingy Fidel Edwards yesterday. Would have been tough to face him in fading light.

Do you remember what happened to Mike Atherton's nose after that test?

No,I dont.