213 - 6. They are settling down again and this is already turning out to be a much tougher match than I was expecting. A little bit of me is impressed by the Windies but a lot of me does not want to see England blowing this match.

West Indies have already outperformed India last year

tony cozier + viv

alright, who doesnt know that tony cozier's white ?

5 for Broad

fivefor for broad. You just can not stop this fella doing the business for England.
231-8 and I am guessing England will make well over 450 in our first innings so we can safely file this first match away in our "win" cabinets?

and now it is a sixfer Chanderpaul refuses to budge but the Windies are nine down for 243 and their bold efforts today are not quite enough, me thinks. I am not always right though, I thought we would beat Pakistan 3:0

I got those wickets for Broad. I stopped watching or listening to TMS and just went to cricinfo and they started dropping like flies, so I went to TMS and the wickets dried up so I turned off TMS and low an behold Broad got going again.
I must be a watching and listening Jonah.

hopeforthebest -

you sounds like the antidote to CMJ's commentary.

Happy with the days play from our point of view hopefor?
We are involved in a good game as it stands of now?

I'm pleased they got some kind of a total, our batters need to be tested.

Anyone see Gayle's innings for RCB today? The guy is a machine.

I see Woakes is back after injury with 43 n.o. and 3 wickets for 7. He is really the goods.

the only way i can see woakes getting a test is if he improves his batting sufficiently to bat at 6, which from what (little) ive seen, isnt going to happen is it ?

I don't know much about Woakes but if hopefor rates him then that is good enough for me. We need to keep finding and grooming great players because we will need them in the end. This XI today is my perfect England cricket team.

no disrespect to hopeforthebest, but i dont see how he would ever break in the test match side as a bowler.

Last year Woakes averaged 48 with the bat and took 56 wickets at 21. He's a real talent but whether he'll make test cricket is in the lap of the gods. He's a genuine all rounder.

Bell, Trott, Clarke, Woakes, Ambrose and Barker should all be in the England team. No bias whatsoever

And Chopra

The boys playing for us today are doing more than a good job

Well after the 1st days play its pretty much advantage England however if you asked Wesy Indies if they wud take 243-9 at the end of the 1st days play - they wud pretty much take it!

Anderson was by far & away the best bowler however it was Broad who got the most wickets aided by some very woeful batting! Take nothing away from Broad he deserves it!

I expect England to post a huge total in their 1st innings & possibly bat out the next 2 days perhaps.

It could very easily be an innings victory for England!

Last year it was England vs Dravid
This year it looks like England vs Chanderpaul.
Barath played very well & Bravo was making good strides - other that it was abysmal for West Indies!

If only they cud replace Powell for Gayle & K.Edwards for Sarwan - they might have had a chance but Anderson is in the form of his life & Broad is an excellent bowler & Bresnan was excellent too.

"Bell, Trott, Clarke, Woakes, Ambrose and Barker should all be in the England team. No bias whatsoever"

Agree, no bias from me neither

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"Chopra"

He's the only one I wouldn't pick...

Troughton would be the ideal England captain as he can't bat either.

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