West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Barbados

First topic message reminder :

Frank Worrell Trophy
April 7-11, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown
Start time: 1000 AST, 1500 GMT, 0000 EST

This will be the 22nd Frank Worrell Trophy Series since 1960-61.
21 Series - Australia won 11, West Indies won 8, 2 series drawn
93 matches - Australia won 41, West Indies 30

Overall: Played 108 - West Indies 32, Australia 52, Drawn 23, Tied 1

West Indies:
1 Adrian Barath, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Kirk Edwards, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Narsingh Deonarine,
7 Darren Sammy*, 8 Carlton Baugh†, 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Fidel Edwards, 11 Kemar Roach.

Australia:
1 Ed Cowan, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke*, 6 Michael Hussey,
7 Matthew Wade†, 8 Peter Siddle, 9 Ryan Harris, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Nathan Lyon.

Chanderpaul gone to a great catch from Wade, good bowling change Mr Clarke and Australia now firmly on top.

guildfordbat wrote:Windies 4-3 in their second innings. Surely even they can't snatch defeat from the jaws of a safe draw?

This is the West Indies you're talking about here.

Anything is possible...

29/4, a lead of 72, Chanders gone and still 31 overs left in the day.

fair play to Clarke, an aggressive declaration and it paid off handsomely. Wade looks the business behind the stumps so far I must say (his batting was a bit nervy). These two rebuilding well, WI probably need to bat until lunch tomorrow to be totally safe...

Mad for Chelsea wrote:fair play to Clarke, an aggressive declaration and it paid off handsomely. Wade looks the business behind the stumps so far I must say (his batting was a bit nervy). These two rebuilding well, WI probably need to bat until lunch tomorrow to be totally safe...

Another catch for Wade!

Well, if all goes to plan for Aus tomorrow morning WI will probably have a lead of about 160.

That would put the Aussies firmly in the box seat and leave WI probably needing the pitch to break up. However, a 50 partnership somewhere for WI would make things very difficult for the Aussies, as this will be a tough surface to go at more than 5 an over on for me.

Great captaincy performance from Clarke today - great declaration (how many other captains in world cricket would have done that?), and rotated the bowlers nicely.

Wish I'd seen Day 4 - it's on too late here. I went to bed thinking Australia would be over 150 runs behind then couldn't believe what happened.

Gutsy declaration from Clarke and good to see the tail scoring runs again.
I just hope the WI tail doesn't wag too long. A chase of between 150-175 would be interesting. More than that it will fizzle out, less... then anything can happen still.

LB where were you this test. Or did you hide whilst WI were putting Oz to the sword?

Where I was is immaterial my friend.
Good day's play huh, big fella?

I must admit, I was hoping WI could put up a lead of around 320, it would have made today much more interesting, but I would expect Oz to win this at a canter if Clarke stays in.

Hope springs eternal.... we are such a popular team aren't we?

Getting nervous for the English summer yet?

I like your cricket team a lot more now that you aren't dominating cricket anymore if that helps.

I don't know why, but although I love watching cricket it doesn't upset me so much when we lose, perhaps with rugby it is different because I played it competitively and becuase it awakens my primitive instinct deep rooted in my DNA.

As for england, I have a quiet confidence we'll beat them.

Our bowling attack is better than it has been for years, and our top 4 batsmen are all in good form.

Our only weakness I see is an opening partner for Smith and Duminy needs to get back to his best.

A very exciting day of Test Cricket awaits. West Indies are 71/5 with a lead of 114 and there is 92 overs left in the game IF the rain stays away. Baugh and Deonarine are currently at the crease. All 4 results are still a possibility, play starts in just over 30 minutes.

First wicket fallen, Deonarine plumb to Ryan Harris. 6 down and the lead is only 119. Not looking good for the Windies. Hard to believe that this time yesterday we were all talking up a famous victory.

Duty281 wrote:First wicket fallen, Deonarine plumb to Ryan Harris. 6 down and the lead is only 119. Not looking good for the Windies. Hard to believe that this time yesterday we were all talking up a famous victory.

One bad innings can be enough to lose you a Test Match. Having said that I would still expect the lead to be 150 even if all goes to plan for the Aussies (as one batsman, or a few edges inevitably score some runs). That target would not be a foregone conclusion.

Anyone watching online? My streams aren't working, PM me please if you have one...

[quote="Shelsey93"]

Duty281 wrote:
.... I would still expect the lead to be 150 even if all goes to plan for the Aussies (as one batsman, or a few edges inevitably score some runs). That target would not be a foregone conclusion.

Might not be a foregone conclusion but I don't see the Windies declaring anytime soon ....

Lead is currently 145, WI probably aiming for 200 and anything above that is a bonus.

Darren Sammy has been dropped by Lyon, deary me it was a sitter!

Sammy dropped dropped by Lyon off Siddle. Bad miss.

Not too costly though, he's gone now. Guess Lyon will be as relieved as anyone by that. Australia won't want to be chasing more than 180 so that was a good wicket.

I think Oz has this one in the bag.

In the end the drop only cost Australia 1 run as Sammy kicks the ball onto his stumps. Unfortunate. 7 down and the lead is only 149.

Baugh, the last recognised batsman, is out to Hilfenhaus. Lead of 159, only 2 wickets left. May as well have a swing now...

Baugh chips one to mid-on as West Indies had just gotten away with a couple of half-chances (Baugh edging one just wide of Wade and then Roach chipping one between the two short mid-wickets). I think Clarke may just be showing he's also a lucky captain.

Mike Selig wrote:
.... I think Clarke may just be showing he's also a lucky captain.

More one for the Corporal but I think Napoleon said he wanted his generals to have luck more than anything else!

Big heave-ho by Edwards and he's gone, WI effectively 168/9.

I'm sorry but something has to be done about these pitches, I've seen skeletons with more life.

Lunch may be extended by as much as 30 minutes if Roach and Bishoo can hold out. They've currently put on a vital 19 runs taking the lead up to 187.

Harris takes the last wicket, Australia will need 192 to win off of 62 overs.

Last pair doing a stirling job.

Roach gone now, the newer ball seemed to have quite a bit more in it. So, 190odd in 2 sessions. Could be interesting, not sure it'll be an easy pitch to score 4 an over on, so Australia will look to get off to a flyer with Warner and Watson, but a couple of early wickets and you never know...

Still think the pitch is poor.

Chase being delayed due to rain. Frustrating for the neutrals and Australians, not so much you feel for the Windies.

Play to start in 5 minutes.

Warner sneaks one just past the leg stump.

Realistically they'll probably only have time for 50 or so overs, so Australia can't afford to bat too slowly.

Mike Selig wrote:Warner sneaks one just past the leg stump.

Realistically they'll probably only have time for 50 or so overs, so Australia can't afford to bat too slowly.

Yes, not only because of the time constraints but also the light which can deteriorate very quickly. I would reckon about 45-50 overs so play it like a One Day game. I think they are, 8/0 after the first over.

21/0 after 5 overs. WI need wickets to slow down the chase or it will become a procession.

Much better from the Windies, now 29/0 after 10 overs. They probably still need wickets to slow the chasing Australians down further.

With rain not too far off, Darren Sammy has clinched the vital wicket of Warner, a man who could have sped this chase up. Big wicket, 31/1.

There is no way that anything like the full number of overs will be bowled as over-rates were atrocious this morning, it would normally be tea already, its a bit dark and there might be some more showers. So the 3/over figure talked about by the commentators is meaningless.

Indeed Shelsey, we've had 12 overs in 70 minutes so far for this innings!

Now the West Indian keeper has dropped Cowan. Thinking about it, that may actually help the Windies as Cowan has made 6 off 35 balls!

Pretty eventful this! After Cowan was dropped the Windies used up their final review for a LBW shout which was rejected. After that failed Sammy dropped Watson and to top it all, there was a loud appeal for a catch, again turned down but it was very close. Somehow it's still 39/1!

61 - 1 at tea. Fairly leisurely progress.

Oz will do this, I reckon they will wait till there is 10-15 overs left and then spank the sense out of the ball.

I reckon there will be about 25 overs bowled. If that is the case the required rate is 5.24 runs per over.

aggression from Australia after tea! If they keep this up they'll get home easily.

I'd like to see Edwards or preferably Roach brought back now. The spinners are leaking runs, and its only more wickets which will hold back the Aussie scoring rate at this point.

And if they do persist with spin they need close catchers. This defensive strategy is unlikely to work.

Well, what is going on here? Australia were cruising, the decidedly average Deonarine comes on and picks up 4 wickets. And a fifth! And a review... Overturned, hit it.

This is going to be a thriller...

Mike Selig wrote:Well, what is going on here? Australia were cruising, the decidedly average Deonarine comes on and picks up 4 wickets. And a fifth! And a review... Overturned, hit it.

This is going to be a thriller...

Could be. Sammy's tactics annoying me though. Why wouldn't you have a slip and a short-leg? You can still have your sweepers out.

This is Deonarine's best bowling in a Test ever! 41 to get, 5 wickets remaining.