Broad and Anderson must be seething, they have missed out on a chance to pad out their numbers against a poor Windies side. Flog away all winter down under against a top side and then dropped against walking wickets of the Windies

I see Billings gets one test and is dropped.. Pope shouldnt have gone either.

Some speculation in the press is Root will bat no 3 which I'm not keen on.

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 16 minutes ago
Some speculation in the press is Root will bat no 3 which I'm not keen on.
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Would be typical England to move someone who has just scored 1700 runs @4 in order to protect guys averaging 30.

Stokes is a possibility at 3

The ECB constantly make bad calls..Stil confused why we dropped Broad and Anderson. They actually do their job..
The ECB are a bunch of money grabbing failures. That are happy taking sky and bt money and producing sod all in return

Seems Root wants to bat at 3...

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/england-captain-joe-root-very-categorically-wants-to-bat-at-no3-on-west-indies-tour-says-andrew-strauss/ar-AATEgC6?ocid=msedgntp

comment by bestoftherest2021 (U22523)
posted 5 hours, 6 minutes ago
The ECB constantly make bad calls..Stil confused why we dropped Broad and Anderson. They actually do their job..
The ECB are a bunch of money grabbing failures. That are happy taking sky and bt money and producing sod all in return
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We need to be looking beyond these two now. They are in their declining years.

Broad not happy (as you might expect!).

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/stuart-broad-i-m-waking-up-angrier-each-day-after-shock-england-axe/ar-AATMlbL?ocid=msedgntp

I'm surprised Joe Root is still England test captain. He's lasted 5 years too long for me. He's a world class player no doubt but as a captain he hasn't really delivered.

comment by Snooker_49 (U10665)
posted 23 minutes ago
I'm surprised Joe Root is still England test captain. He's lasted 5 years too long for me. He's a world class player no doubt but as a captain he hasn't really delivered.
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Think the question is more, who’s the obvious successor?

Wouldn’t bother sacking him just for the sake of it, still clearly our best batter, would probably cause more issues than it solves.

West Indies first Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood (vc), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Joshua da Silva (wkt), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/west-indies-name-phillip-in-test-squad-to-face-england/ar-AAUaJ55?ocid=msedgntp

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/west-indies-name-phillip-in-test-squad-to-face-england/ar-AAUaJ55?ocid=msedgntp

"England Men will play a ‘12’ in their four-day warm-up versus CWI President’s Rep Team, starting tomorrow at 2pm UK time. (local).

It’s expected the XI on the batting card will bat, subject to change.

1. Zak Crawley
2. Alex Lees
3. Joe Root *
4. Dan Lawrence
5. Ben Stokes
6. Jonny Bairstow
7. Ben Foakes +
8. Chris Woakes
9. Craig Overton
10. Mark Wood
11. Ollie Robinson
12. Jack Leach

Subs:

Matt Fisher
Saqib Mahmood
Matt Parkinson
Ollie Pope"

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/2509317

I find it diabolical a man with an average of 35 ie Wood gets chosen over 2 of our best bowlers ever.. It stinks of bias.

Wood isn't really being picked ahead of those, and he's the only player who offers something different.

It's incredibly bizarre however we've dropped Jimmy and Broad under the guise of wanting others to step up, only to then not try anyone new like Mahmood or Parkinson.

Woakes, Overton, and Leach are unlikely to suddenly surprise us and win the games singlehandedly.

Matt Fisher has shown so much potential and I’ve been lucky to see that develop over the years. If he stays fit he will be fine, sadly that’s a big IF.

A decent first day for England. 251-4. Lees 64, Crawley 62, Root 55 and Lawrence 45*.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/lees-top-scores-in-first-england-outing-crawley-root-hit-fifties/ar-AAUtVDi?ocid=msedgntp

FYI, the warm up is being livestreamed by West Indies on Youtube if anyone wishes to watch

A ton for Bairstow in the warm-up.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/bairstow-hits-ton-in-england-warm-up-but-seamers-struggle/ar-AAUwMHY?ocid=msedgntp

Robinson off with a back problem just 2 balls into his 9th over.

Wood is also not playing as he feels unwell.

Good job with left Broad and Jimmy at home

Not a great day for England's remaining seamers, who took only one wicket between them. Quite a lively article:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-west-indies-2021-22-1256716/west-indies-president-s-xi-vs-england-xi-tour-match-1256725/match-report

Wtf, Shane Warne died? Shocked me that has

Bloody hell. What a shocker. Only 52.

i cant remember ever feeling this effected by a famous death

comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 14 minutes ago
i cant remember ever feeling this effected by a famous death
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Get what you mean mate