New Zealand v England Test Series

First topic message reminder :

The first test of a largely ignored series has started.

England 6/1 at the moment. Would you believe Alastair Cook is out nicking to slip? You would? Quite...

Well I missed what seems a good days play for England - probably not enough for Stoneman/Vince to keep their place automatically come summer, but they’ll be in the mix (imagine if they have good starts to the county season they will be in)

England really shouldn’t lose the match from here - which is an improvement on recent times! But they’ll need Wood/Leach to come to the party if they’re going to win

We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

I’ve been saying it for a while...the idea of Mark Wood is much better than the reality...thus why he becomes so good when he’s out of the side...

19 innings into his test bowling career and he averages 40, only 26 wickets and most wickets in an innings is 3. Like Alfie pointed out earlier, will be good when TRJ is back in the summer

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

I’ve been saying it for a while...the idea of Mark Wood is much better than the reality...thus why he becomes so good when he’s out of the side...

19 innings into his test bowling career and he averages 40, only 26 wickets and most wickets in an innings is 3. Like Alfie pointed out earlier, will be good when TRJ is back in the summer

So for your bowling attack this summer you would go for Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Stokes and Ali?

First off, I didn't see any play after lunch and haven't caught up with the highlights yet. However, my take on the individual scores posted by Stoneman and Vince is that they have probably changed the odds a bit and put things a little more in their favour.

Whilst not totally solidifying their positions, the selectors will probably only be looking to see if there are others doing well enough at the start of the county season who might replace them and improve the team rather than being committed to replacing them come what may.

Whilst one might fairly take the view that they have both had enough chances already to cement a place, it would be odd to finally pull the rug from under them with closing scores of 60 and 76.

I find Stoneman's situation particularly difficult to work out. He's made it to double figures in 14 of his 18 Test innings, reached a half- century 5 times but still hasn't gone beyond today's 60. That suggests an issue with concentration and/or temperament yet that's one of his strongest attributes at county level. I'll try to grab a word with my man Stewie later this month.  

Cook, meanwhile, is seeming to be a worry. I'm not going to totally write him off as you can't discount double centuries, whatever the situation or the opposition, and Cook's got two in the last year - what Stoneman and Vince would give for a half of just one of them! However, the consistency in his scoring is certainly missing and his footwork seems plain wrong. I do wonder what he thinks himself and what he might do. I hope he'll stick at it at least for the summer. Stoneman and Hammed could possibly just do a job opening together but I would want at least one of them (or even someone else although it's hard to think who!) more proven before Cook departs for good.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

I’ve been saying it for a while...the idea of Mark Wood is much better than the reality...thus why he becomes so good when he’s out of the side...

19 innings into his test bowling career and he averages 40, only 26 wickets and most wickets in an innings is 3. Like Alfie pointed out earlier, will be good when TRJ is back in the summer

Do for your bowling attack this summer you would go for Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Stokes and Ali?

Why would Moeen come back into the side? He's been dross and doesn't look like every scoring a run or taking a wicket.

We should play on greenish pitches and jettison a spinner. Pakistan and India will feast on mediocre spinners rs

Just to add re Cook - and this is weird.

In his last 18 Test innings (all opening with Stoneman since the Surrey man's debut), Cook has reached double figures 12 times but only made it as far as 40 twice. However, in those two innings he scored 243 and an undefeated 244.

guildfordbat wrote:First off, I didn't see any play after lunch and haven't caught up with the highlights yet. However, my take on the individual scores posted by Stoneman and Vince is that they have probably changed the odds a bit and put things a little more in their favour.

Whilst not totally solidifying their positions, the selectors will probably only be looking to see if there are others doing well enough at the start of the county season who might replace them and improve the team rather than being committed to replacing them come what may.

Whilst one might fairly take the view that they have both had enough chances already to cement a place, it would be odd to finally pull the rug from under them with closing scores of 60 and 76.

I find Stoneman's situation particularly difficult to work out. He's made it to double figures in 14 of his 18 Test innings, reached a half- century 5 times but still hasn't gone beyond today's 60. That suggests an issue with concentration and/or temperament yet that's one of his strongest attributes at county level. I'll try to grab a word with my man Stewie later this month.  

Cook, meanwhile, is seeming to be a worry. I'm not going to totally write him off as you can't discount double centuries, whatever the situation or the opposition, and Cook's got two in the last year - what Stoneman and Vince would give for a half of just one of them! However, the consistency in his scoring is certainly missing and his footwork seems plain wrong. I do wonder what he thinks himself and what he might do. I hope he'll stick at it at least for the summer. Stoneman and Hammed could possibly just do a job opening together but I would want at least one of them (or even someone else although it's hard to think who!) more proven before Cook departs for good.

As people will know here I am no real expert but how about bringing in Hameed to open with Cook and moving Stoneman down to three. Would that work and maybe help Stoneman a bit? Watching Stoneman today he looks to be aggressive but sometimes you feel he is playing his county game style whereas county bowlers lack the guile and stamina of test bowlers. Therefore he can be aggressive when he feels he is in and gets away with it at county level but that doesn't work at test level.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

I’ve been saying it for a while...the idea of Mark Wood is much better than the reality...thus why he becomes so good when he’s out of the side...

19 innings into his test bowling career and he averages 40, only 26 wickets and most wickets in an innings is 3. Like Alfie pointed out earlier, will be good when TRJ is back in the summer

So for your bowling attack this summer you would go for Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Stokes and Ali?

The only definite ones for me should be Anderson, Broad and Stokes. Then you have TRJ and Woakes competing for the third seamer slot, with Moeen/Dawson/Leach and maybe an outsider like Bess competing for the spinners slot.

Ignoring Nathaniel's nonsense comments re: Moeen, if he refinds form he should come back in after his exploits in the last home summer (he is much better at home than away, and isn't the first finger spinner to struggle in Australia) - and last time against India at home he took many wickets, in what was his debut series. TRJ/Woakes are in a straight shootout for that seamer slot, I don't think Overton is upto it yet personally and I am a well noted non Wood fan!

Moeen averages 46 with the ball against Pakistan in England. Yeah he's breaking the door down...and using the series against India as justification is just embarrassing. If was a fluke back in 2014. Never will he repeat that

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:We need to cut Mark Wood loose. He's not the bowler we dream off having. His body is too weak to bowl quickly and often he's barely above medium pace

I’ve been saying it for a while...the idea of Mark Wood is much better than the reality...thus why he becomes so good when he’s out of the side...

19 innings into his test bowling career and he averages 40, only 26 wickets and most wickets in an innings is 3. Like Alfie pointed out earlier, will be good when TRJ is back in the summer

So for your bowling attack this summer you would go for Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Stokes and Ali?

The only definite ones for me should be Anderson, Broad and Stokes. Then you have TRJ and Woakes competing for the third seamer slot, with Moeen/Dawson/Leach and maybe an outsider like Bess competing for the spinners slot.

Ignoring Nathaniel's nonsense comments re: Moeen, if he refinds form he should come back in after his exploits in the last home summer (he is much better at home than away, and isn't the first finger spinner to struggle in Australia) - and last time against India at home he took many wickets, in what was his debut series. TRJ/Woakes are in a straight shootout for that seamer slot, I don't think Overton is upto it yet personally and I am a well noted non Wood fan!

I think Toby Roland-Jones is a given to come straight back in. And Broad, Anderson and Stokes are certs. That leaves a spot for one of Woakes or Overton or Wood or maybe even Finn if fit. As for spinner well I think if Leach doesn't excel they'll stick with Ali (not that I would) but there you go.

I have only been pushing for Wood because he is

a) different to Broad and Anderson

b) the only alternative we have out there

c) not the underperforming Woakes or mild Overton.

I'm not a particularly big fan of TRJ either, not sure picking him sets up for success anywhere but English conditions. Woakes is more acceptable to me as he has a little more pace and looks next in line after Broad and/or Anderson, but I would still be looking for trying something new.

Left handers, pacier bowlers, strike bowlers. Otherwise it's the same trap that sees us go somewhere outside our cloudy shores and sees us ineffective. You can get wickets as a trundling middle-pacer in England.

More to all this, the snarkiness in here about Wood is silly because we had two underperforming players who were basically going to play because the alternative wasn't a world beater.

Hameed, Stoneman, Cook, Root, Malan, Stokes, YJB, Ali, BOWLER, Broad, Anderson


Personally, I'd look at getting a bowler with pace in to start that variation. Seems to me that a few younger ones could do with time, although other Overton and Olly Stone may be worth the time of day whilst Garton and Mahmood take their path through young days of CC cricket. However, I would still not be adverse to seeing Finn again, whilst I advocated Plunkett for the Ashes (however, I'd say he's maybe missed that last chance).

I just feel like the problem perpetuates if you pick similar types over and over again.

Ali has work to do too.

I agree with Dolph on TRJ. He's fine in English conditions, but I just feel like we are setting ourselves up for the same conversation we are having now, in 12 months time if we think he is the answer long term to help us win abroad.

On Wood, as we have seen from Neil Wagner in this series (and his entire Test career, which still remains a mystery to me) what flashes up on the speed gun isn't the be all and end all of 'pace'. Wagner gave all our batsmen the hurry up in T1 despite bowling at 82mph/83mph. Wood isn't Starc, Rabada, Cummins etc. but he is noticeably quicker than Broad and Anderson and he does offer something different. Personally, I would keep him as a white ball specialist and keep him wrapped in cotton wool for that - despite his record in that form being underwhelming so far to.

Oh, Olly, Chris Woakes averages 35 with the ball in his Test career so far... So I wouldn't write Wood off on pure numbers!

I've mentioned Saqib Mahmood a few times, and I think he is the one to watch. Looks a strong lad, and can really get it through. I wouldn't expect Garton to make the leap any time soon, he has struggled to land it on the cut strip everytime I have seen him. I wonder whether the selectors will take a look at Gleeson from Northants too, took a few wickets in the North vs South game and on the A Tour of the Windies. 30, so more of a get a couple of years out of him rather than a long term prospect but he is quick too.

It's a slyly important innings coming for Leach in this Test too. England are going to be bowling last trying to win a Test abroad and he is the spinner. If he is able to chip in with 2/3 important wickets then you can go ahead and ink his name in for the summer Tests. A big ask, but he has an opportunity.

And whilst the large question marks seem to be over Stoneman and Vince, Malan is forged a reputation on one knock at Perth. So he needs some runs as much as the rest ASAP.

I would go... Cook, Hameed (if scoring runs in CC, if not then Stoneman), Vince, Root, Malan, Stokes, JB, Broad, Leach, Mahmood, Anderson.

Oh I'm fully aware Woakes hasn't been good enough for a while now with the red ball - in fact I wouldn't be against both him and Wood becoming "white ball specialists", as that's where their strengths are - similar route to Plunkett.

I think it's pretty harsh that people have seemingly pigeon holed TRJ as someone who will fail overseas, when he has never even bowled a ball for England overseas! He may not be express pace, but he is tall and moves the ball off the seam, not purely a swing bowler - I could see him being more than good enough overseas, and I think he earned a go with the way he bowled last summer.

I do quite like Jamie Overton (as Dolph points out), and I've also heard good things about Mahmood. Ultimately its down to how they start the county season as to whether they are in contention though, can't be selected just because you're "different".

Still think it's a huge shame they jettisoned Rashid so quickly in the red ball arena. One of their bigger mistakes of recent years imo

Catching up on highlights...the ball from Anderson to get Watling was outrageous

It's always fun to speculate on who might be in with a shout for the future but to be fair to all contenders and ourselves we need to see how this Test ends and who starts the new county season in form before we get too serious about Test selections for the summer.

A few points with that warning in mind or at least not totally forgetting it!

* I like TRJ and was pleased he did so well in his 4 Tests last summer. His success then merits him staying in the mix and it would be very tough on him not to get another go at the highest level. I would just say though that he had been around on the county circuit for some years without people screaming too loudly for his England call up before he got his chance at the age of 29. He showed the opportunity was deserved but I feel he'll also need to prove his worth again rather than it being assumed. Some posters here (and I appreciate why) ask for something different from our bowlers at Test level - I'm not sure how much they'll get that from him. To my eyes, his main strengths with the ball do so seem modelled on the best type of county pro. That shouldn't exclude him from Test selection but I do wonder if a bit too much is being looked for.

* In line with JD's post, Malan is probably fortunate that Stoneman's and Vince's difficulties have taken the focus off him. He's played a dozen Tests now and, for all the positive feedback given, he's only averaging about 31. I'm not demanding he be dropped immediately but he does need to up that average and start doing so sooner than later.

* I also agree with JD that New Zealand's second dig is very important for Leach. A couple of wickets or better will almost certainly see him staying in the frame whilst 0/60 off 12 could see him go the way of Kerrigan. It probably helped Leach's economy but not his wicket taking chances that New Zealand were 5 down early doors when he came on first time around - Watling and uncharacteristically CDG were not prepared to chance their arm against him in those circumstances.

You and I have had that conversation about Rashid before, Olly. Outrageous stuff

I would disagree with JDrizzle about Dawid Malan. I think I am right in saying he was England's highest run scorer in the Ashes Series. That is one big caveat given that it was his debut. It wasn't just one big knock but several decent contributions. For me he is definitely in for the summer then reassess.

Ashley Giles reportedly turned down national selector’s job.

I feel the NZ commentators are getting ahead of themselves talking about when England should declare.

We should play as the bowling allows until lunch and then assess the position. As Olly would expect, I'll be fairly comfortable once we have a lead of 307 (which would mean NZ having to make the highest innings score of the match in the 4th innings which is never easy) but still want a few more than that.

Duty281 wrote:Easy stuff, everyone. Pile on New Zealand at 7/5 to dismantle this shambles of an England cricket side.

Looking like you could be taking a hit on this one, Duty?! Anyway, sure you are still more than quids in.

Comfortable enough start this morning : runs coming smoothly around three per over and Root and Malan still together as the new ball becomes due...batting looking fairly easy , both players closing on half centuries.
We shall soon see if the new ball changes things but on what I'm seeing England should get a lot more than guildford's "comfortable" 307 run lead ...but will also probably need it !

Compounded by Southee going off the pitch no doubt, but NZ seem to have resigned themselves to their fate this morning. That they are going to be batting to save the game (unless Root gives them a generous declaration), and that is always a dangerous mindset to have - especially this early.

50 up for Malan, big chance now for him to do what Stoneman and Vince couldn't and get through to a 100.

Not particularly exciting but steady and sensible from Root and Malan. The lead should be above 300 at lunch with hopefully 7 wickets still in hand, certainly a good few anyway. Go on from there to biff a bit and obtain the insurance of a lead circa 400 to 420 before declaring.

England 250/3 at drinks and well placed to push on.

Re the selection talk : agree with guildford that naming the team for the summer is a bit premature.  Form at the start of the home season will - should - count. Especially for the fringe players.
My support for TRJ with the ball is based on the fact that he had an immediate impact on entry to the side...doesn't always follow that an early five wicket haul guarantees a long career (remember Ed Giddins ?) ; but it is , like a debut century , a useful indicator of class. If there is a bit of the "county workhorse" about him , might not the same have been said of Sidebottom ? Or Angus Fraser ? And , like Olly , I fancy the bounce he seems to achieve at a decent rather than excessive pace might have served him quite well in Australia - sadly not to be. In any case - provided hes fit and in form - I think he has to be the leading contender to start the summer. Wood , Woakes - and perhaps others - will doubtless be considered as well. And with the realities of injury and general wear and tear we will probably see more than one pace man having a go in the next few months...
The spinner's spot still looks very open. If Leach does serious damage in the next two days he will put down a strong marker. But despite Nathaniel's disparaging comments I don't think the selectors will be ruling out a return for Moeen ... He was , after all , highly effective last summer with bat and ball. Not the first man to have a bad tour.
Which brings me to Cook. I said yesterday he was looking good before his dismissal - and I stand by that. The left arm attack has troubled him throughout the southern tour ; not the first time he's got into bad habits trying to combat one form of dismissal (lbw) and ended up falling for edges behind...but he's been able to work through such periods before and may yet do do this time. The feet were moving better yesterday - until the one for which they didn't . Realistically , the early season may enable him to get back in his groove : Melbourne proved he can still bat once he gets solidly in. But again , we need to wait and see.
As , I think , is the case with Vince , Stoneman ...and even Malan.

The only cast iron places really should be Root , Bairstow , Anderson , Stokes ...and Broad , after this match. But I fancy there won't be wholesale changes whatever they do. Team needs to improve ; best done through evolution not revolution.

Malan fall to CDG and JD!

Malan gone for 53...soft chip to mid wicket.

Spoiled the record as CDG breaks the Four Bowlers monopoly on wickets

Imagine Stokes might come out quite positively...

guildfordbat wrote:Malan fall to CDG and JD!

I am not taking responsibility for Root too!

If NZ can wrap this up fairly promptly, it might end up favouring England in the end.

Ha! Between JD , guildford and myself we seem to have successfully jinxed out the England middle order

Root following immediately after Malan (he will be kicking himself !) has let NZ back in to the game...

Lead only 291 : need a few more than that !

Williamson and NZ springing back to life as my 400 to 420 declaration only a few minutes ago looks some way off!

I should have just left things as per my earlier post of batting to lunch and assessing things then!!

I think the comms are currently hyping up NZ chances in this game a bit too much, saying that one more wicket before lunch and they are right back in this! They are still going to be chasing 300+ in the fourth innings of a Test. England remain heavy favourites.

Root now at a perfect ratio of 3:1 on 50s:100s in Tests. Hardly the most pressing of concerns, but still...

guildfordbat wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Easy stuff, everyone. Pile on New Zealand at 7/5 to dismantle this shambles of an England cricket side.

Looking like you could be taking a hit on this one, Duty?! Anyway, sure you are still more than quids in.

Or maybe not a hit after all?!

JDizzle wrote:I think the comms are currently hyping up NZ chances in this game a bit too much, saying that one more wicket before lunch and they are right back in this! They are still going to be chasing 300+ in the fourth innings of a Test. England remain heavy favourites.

Root now at a perfect ratio of 3:1 on 50s:100s in Tests. Hardly the most pressing of concerns, but still...

Yes but 300, even 350 if the track stays true, gives NZ something of a chance. 400 to 420 wouldn't imo and that seemed heavily on the cards 20 minutes ago. We could of course still get there but not looking nearly so likely now.

10 fifties since he last converted one to a century now for Root. It’s becoming a real issue. I’d really like to find a way to take the captaincy off him (which I don’t see as a strength anyway) but tough to do so this early in his reign.

CDG on fire !

So nearly had Stokes as an edge evades slips...

I guess JD is correctly and realistically assessing this though : NZ will need well over 300 even if they can demolish the rest of the England innings. It is clear that , at least with a new ball , there is something there for the pace men in this match...and they'd have to negotiate two of those.
Tough.

Root’s average is better as captain (only marginally) and one suspects 7 tests away from home this “winter” might have affected those 100s

Lunch at 278/5.

Fairly restrained session overall. England unable to get away against some fine NZ fielding and defensive bowling and then losing the two set batsmen ; but they're still in a good position.
307 ahead already it really only needs one batsman to settle in to an innings and they should be able to push the lead up towards 400...

But I've seen too much cricket to get complacent. Will leave the betting to Duty

guildfordbat wrote:

JDizzle wrote:I think the comms are currently hyping up NZ chances in this game a bit too much, saying that one more wicket before lunch and they are right back in this! They are still going to be chasing 300+ in the fourth innings of a Test. England remain heavy favourites.

Root now at a perfect ratio of 3:1 on 50s:100s in Tests. Hardly the most pressing of concerns, but still...

Yes but 300, even 350 if the track stays true, gives NZ something of a chance. 400 to 420 wouldn't imo and that seemed heavily on the cards 20 minutes ago. We could of course still get there but not looking nearly so likely now.

Yeah, it's fair enough. 400 would put the game totally out of reach, I just felt the comms were rather over egging things suggesting NZ were right back in it when they were 300 behind with 5 wickets left take! As you mentioned earlier, 307 is the highest score in the match and anything above that as a 4th innings chase is going to be bloody hard!

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Root’s average is better as captain (only marginally) and one suspects 7 tests away from home this “winter” might have affected those 100s

Agreed. To be honest , I was not enthusiastic about Root's early ascension to the captaincy , and feared it might have a negative effect on his batting. But in truth the sample size is still too small to be definitive yet...before the Ashes most were saying he seemed to be thriving on the responsibility ! Think the big scores will come back.

I'm actually more concerned that he seems inclined to miss the key decision moments in the field. Again , it's early in his tenure and we should cut him some slack. But I will be watching his handling of the attack in the coming NZ innings ...especially if the hosts have a realistic target to chase. We may see if he's learned from his mistakes against West Indies last summer.

I feel the Sky guys - even my man Key - are being too critical of Root and Malan for going too slowly in that session. Yes, it was frustrating and annoying that they both got out when they did but up until then they had set everything up well for a post-lunch blitz followed by a declaration. I understood and appreciated the approach even though the last half hour didn't go as we wanted.

We remain in a very good position though with what should be enough time left to force victory.

Wouldn't read about it ...two almost identical soft dismissals ? Malan and Stokes both chipping CDG to mid wicket.
NZ on the attack after lunch.

And might have had YJB caught behind ? Not out ...but a sound detected ? No reviews left for NZ though - which is their own fault for "fishing" yesterday.

Broad staying at number eight despite Wood's first innings heroics...and he's away with a couple of nice strokes. Clearly looking to get things moving. 300 up

...and out . So Bairstow left with the last three again. Wonder how he will play it this time ?

329 ahead ...you'd think they'd want another fifty , surely ? Or do they think they've got nearly enough and are more worried about time ? Broad certainly seemed determined to smash everything...perhaps Wood will be a bit more circumspect.

Seems Bairstow and Wood are going back into their shells, trying to eek out those extra 50 or so runs they want. .

Boult drops a - nearly impossible - c&b from Bairstow . Low and hit like a rocket...fairer to call that four runs saved

England finding it hard work to push on today : restrained at first ; and losing wickets whenever they've tried to accelerate.

What it does say though is that scoring quickly against accurate pace bowling isn't easy on this pitch. Even 350 - quite a reasonable target - might take a lot of concentration. England's concern might be having Anderson and Broad given too heavy a load so soon after their first innings efforts. Probably would like a few more runs (to give Leach a bit of a cushion ? Maybe not ; don't think this is a pitch for the spinner).
Ball is certainly moving around this afternoon.

JDizzle wrote:Seems Bairstow and Wood are going back into their shells, trying to eek out those extra 50 or so runs they want. .

Wood doesn't stay in his shell for long...in fact doesn't stay at all as his two well hit boundaries are followed by a drag on to give CDG his fourth wicket...

Won't be getting another fifty unless Leach can drop anchor again !

JDizzle wrote:Seems Bairstow and Wood are going back into their shells, trying to eek out those extra 50 or so runs they want. .

As I say that, Wood hits CDG for two boundaries and is then bowled! Lead up to 341, half an hour more at most (if not bowled out!) and a lead of 375/380 should be plenty.

New ball is swinging, get bowling!

Mark Richardson has just claimed that as long as NZ can get through the new ball relatively unscathed he thinks they’ll chase 350! Let’s all just calm down...

guildfordbat wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Easy stuff, everyone. Pile on New Zealand at 7/5 to dismantle this shambles of an England cricket side.

Looking like you could be taking a hit on this one, Duty?! Anyway, sure you are still more than quids in.

Could well be a bruising hit, yes!

Impressive stuff from England in this test, although they haven't quite applied the killer touch yet. They've let New Zealand off a few times. It shouldn't matter.

350+ is surely too much but...well, I remember the Leeds test against the Windies last summer!