1st Test | West Indies v Australia | Bridgetown

[Amjid Javed]

W.I 40/1 after batting 1st with barath falling to rhino so far.

[KingKhanWC]

Steady going by Windies. Brathwaite playing slowly but looking solid.

350 would be a good first innings score.

[James]

Lads! Go on Windies. Good start.

[musaarthali]

Boring

[12cavalry]

I was looking forward to see Pattinson bowl. Anyway good to see Haddin being replaced.

[James]

Patto dropped.......very strange

Rhino is a gun but to be honest Siddy and Hilfy are triers, if occasionally very good triers. Patto should have played instead of Hilfy.

[12cavalry]

At lunch Windies 60 for 1 after 29 overs.

[talha3]

Brathwaite makes Azhar look like Afridi. Incredible temperament for a 19 year old.

[wrongun]

WI got a solid enough start but they are going nowhere.

If you don't score you just can't put any pressure back on oz at all & end up sitting ducks.

WI will need to push the scoring a little more in the next session, but they have a decent base.

None of the oz attack showed much pace, which was disappointing, all 130's, low 140's from what I saw.

[praveen]

sixty for one at lunch , windies. Slow but steady. Go windies go

[12cavalry]

Originally Posted by wrongun WI got a solid enough start but they are going nowhere. If you don't score you just can't put any pressure back on oz at all & end up sitting ducks. WI will need to push the scoring a little more in the next session, but they have a decent base. None of the oz attack showed much pace, which was disappointing, all 130's, low 140's from what I saw.

Batsmen are looking pretty comfortable. The Kookaburra still has some swing left in it, and after it goes away I think they will step it up.

Totally agree with you said about Aussie bowling. They should have played Pattinson.

[velu]

This is not a real cricket.

[KingKhanWC]

Originally Posted by velu This is not a real cricket.

Brainwashed by IPL rock festival.

Solid stuff from WI batsmen.

[wrongun]

Yeah, I suppose from WI point of view they just wanted to take the shine off & get through the session intact & then get runs later.

My point was if they DO lose 1 or 2 quick wickets now they are in deep trouble because they have no runs on the board.

Interestingly I saw a close-up of the ball, it is not a Kookaburra. I think they may have changed, it didn't look like a Kookaburra to me.

[Bullet Drive]

Come on WINDIES!

[12cavalry]

^ hmm...they always use a Kookaburra in the Caribbean and I think this is one as well.

[wrongun]

Maybe I was mistaken. I'll try and get a better look next time we see a new ball.

[12cavalry]

Commentators talking about the sort of relationship Ponting and Clarke might have.
Don't know about these two but had they been Pakistanis the relationship would have been anything but pleasant.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by 12cavalry Commentators talking about the sort of relationship Ponting and Clarke might have. Don't know about these two but had they been Pakistanis the relationship would have been anything but pleasant.

Clarke doesn't have any close friends in the team. He is not DISliked, but just lives his own seperate life. He has never known anything but cricket stardom some players find it hard to relate to him.

He was close with Warne & Symonds when he was young, but fell out with Symmo over his attitude & realised Warne only wanted a young man to hang around with to chase the girls.

[Bullet Drive]

Originally Posted by wrongun Clarke doesn't have any close friends in the team. He is not DISliked, but just lives his own seperate life. He has never known anything but cricket stardom some players find it hard to relate to him. He was close with Warne & Symonds when he was young, but fell out with Symmo over his attitude & realised Warne only wanted a young man to hang around with to chase the girls.

Isn't he close to Steve Smith?

[musaarthali]

Guys is the match interesting..How is the Pitch assisting bowlers or just a patta ??

[12cavalry]

Originally Posted by wrongun Clarke doesn't have any close friends in the team. He is not DISliked, but just lives his own seperate life. He has never known anything but cricket stardom some players find it hard to relate to him. He was close with Warne & Symonds when he was young, but fell out with Symmo over his attitude & realised Warne only wanted a young man to hang around with to chase the girls.

and this for a captain isn't a bad thing at all. No friends/favorites to please and no "enemies" to mistreat.

[wrongun]

Siddle getting significant swing.

[wrongun]

Watson will get wickets on this track.

[12cavalry]

This Brathwaite lad certainly has the temperament for test cricket

[Bullet Drive]

Originally Posted by 12cavalry This Brathwaite lad certainly has the temperament for test cricket

Doesn't go on much though. Needs to convert his starts.

[Bullet Drive]

Wicket to wicket, wicket here. Watson will get wickets as you say 'wrongun'. He's such an underrated bowler.

PS. alliteration alert! - and again.. oh no..

[12cavalry]

Welcome boundary for WI.
Hilf straying down the legside and Brathwaite helps it on its way to the boundary.

[Bullet Drive]

Brathwaite helps the ball along well, seems like the only boundary he's going to get and the only scoring option he's got.

[12cavalry]

Two consecutive boundaries for Edward.

[wrongun]

Edwards getting on with it.

Aussies starting to look frazzled. Commentators are wondering whether Ponting or Clarke is taking over out there.

[Bullet Drive]

Edwards averaging 50+ ;)

[wrongun]

Edwards has runs on the board every series he has played so far. Looks like a strong minded character to me.

[12cavalry]

One bounce to the boundary. Edwards hits another.

[Bullet Drive]

Brathwaite to me seems he has no shots really in his locker. Needs to develop some more cricket strokes to be considered a top player.

[Bullet Drive]

After Brathwaite has consumed so many balls, he must go on for a century now.

[KingKhanWC]

Stepping on the gas a little now. Windies going about it the right way here. The ball is old now and once the bowlers get tired in the final session they will have more poor balls to go at.

Braithwaite must not throw it away after all his hard work

[wrongun]

I have never, ever seen a batsman mistime as many shots, as horribly as Brathwaite.

Horrible, horrible timing.

[12cavalry]

Brathwaite has't played a decent shot on the off side, just hangs his bat.
On the other hand Edwards looks more fluid, and has more shots.

Another boundary for Edwards as he smacks Lyon down the ground.

[James]

100 for 1 down! Didn't expect this

[Bullet Drive]

Very rare to see that. Brathwaite gets 2.

[Bullet Drive]

2 runs to Brathwaite, he's on fire. Rate picking up says Tony Cozier haha

[James]

Them Aussies won't be liking this

[Bullet Drive]

Drinks!

[Bullet Drive]

Kirk Edwards averaging 57.

[James]

Edwards looks a darn decent player. Looking forward to seeing him in England.

[Bullet Drive]

Edwards a lot more positive then Brathwaite who seems to have no shots in his armoury.

[Bullet Drive]

Don't get why Clarke has a long on in place.

[Bullet Drive]

Great great line from Lyon. Very teasing.

[Bullet Drive]

Shane Watson back on from the Malcolm Marshall end.

[12cavalry]

Brathwaite dropped in the slips.

[Bullet Drive]

DROPPED! would have been a good catch but it's a drop!

[Bullet Drive]

That's real poor from Brathwaite. I don't rate him at all.

[wrongun]

Punter drops off Watson. Perhaps this won't be Watsons day after all?

[Bullet Drive]

I see an inswinger getting Brathwaite LBW.

[James]

Has Kraigg been randomly promoted from club level? He is woeful

[Bullet Drive]

Originally Posted by James Has Kraigg been randomly promoted from club level? He is woeful

He's 19 years old, they are impressed with his temperament. Seems that's all his got alongside a flick down to fine leg.

He reminds me of a very very good night watchmen. He needs to work and develop a lot more shots.

[Bullet Drive]

Slower ball, rarity in test cricket.

[12cavalry]

Its good to listen to Holding, but where are the good Aussie commentators?

[Bullet Drive]

Originally Posted by 12cavalry Its good to listen to Holding, but where are the good Aussie commentators?

Both are poor, Bracken & Lawson.

[James]

Originally Posted by 12cavalry Its good to listen to Holding, but where are the good Aussie commentators?

There aren't many

Bill 'Australia have the best pace attack in the world' Lawry for instance...

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by James There aren't many Bill 'Australia have the best pace attack in the world' Lawry for instance...

All the good Aussie commentators are on ABC radio- Kerry o'Keefe, Jim Maxwell, Geoff Lawson etc.

[James]

Originally Posted by wrongun All the good Aussie commentators are on ABC radio- Kerry o'Keefe, Jim Maxwell, Geoff Lawson etc.

I like Tubby, Haydos, Maxwell and Moody.

[12cavalry]

Originally Posted by James There aren't many Bill 'Australia have the best pace attack in the world' Lawry for instance...

Bill 'GOT HIM' Lawry is a legend.

[Bullet Drive]

Easy single to long on. Some turn there.

[Bullet Drive]

1 more to Brathwaite. Single

[12cavalry]

Edwards completely dominating Lyon. This time hits a six.
I am liking this guy.

[Bullet Drive]

Lovely stroke, 6!

[Bullet Drive]

Risky stroke with a long on back.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by Bullet Drive Risky stroke with a long on back.

No fielders 10 rows back !

[Bullet Drive]

Clarke would be better served bowling him self to Edwards.

[Bullet Drive]

Another easy single , he keeps the strike and is on 40 now.

[12cavalry]

Cmon Edwards..one through the covers.

[James]

Kirk is red-hot, Kraigg is...not

[James]

Never mind bowling out old Indian batsmen at home

Here is a real test for you Michael Brearley...

[KingKhanWC]

Never rated Lyon, actually never rated any Aussie spinner bar the one and only

Lack of pace from the Aus bowlers is a real surprise.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by KingKhanWC Never rated Lyon, actually never rated any Aussie spinner bar the one and only Lack of pace from the Aus bowlers is a real surprise.

Lyon is ok. No Swann, but better than Chris Harris of SA for example. Decent, no world beater.

[James]

Originally Posted by KingKhanWC Lack of pace from the Aus bowlers is a real surprise.

Narrrr. England pwned these bowlers.

Fair play if Cummins and Starc are injured, but dropping Patto was disgraceful.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by James Narrrr. England pwned these bowlers. Fair play if Cummins and Starc are injured, but dropping Patto was disgraceful.

Starc is actually on the tour as a net bowler by the way.

[wrongun]

Limited as Brathwaite is, he does a job for WI like Chopra did once for India on an Oz tour.

He just needs to prevent an early collapse & take the shine off. If he hangs around then one end is always safe.

In the absence of better options (and they DON'T have better options available right now) he is a decent solution. The jokers they tried in T20/ODI were walking wickets, at least Brathwaite makes you work & tires you out.