England in the West Indies

[An Tarbh]

right then England on the brink, Swann picks up another wicket after plenty of close calls previously. 1 more to win for England.

 

[An Tarbh]

it's like the 3rd Ashes test in 2005 this one, can England get that final wicket this time round?

 

[An Tarbh]

England running out of time here, so many close calls but no cigar as of yet.

 

[An Tarbh]

that's all England need now, Pietersen picking up an injury on top of Flintoff.

 

[An Tarbh]

there you go, England finishing just short, credit to Powell and Edwards for hanging in at the end, shame England didn't get the win as it would have set up the next 2 tests brilliantly.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I hope we don't regret that.

 

[An Tarbh]

if there's anything to regret it's the overbowling of Flintoff today, who knows what long term damage that could have done, especially to his Ashes chances.

 

[An Tarbh]

well Flintoff will definitely miss the next test in Barbados which starts on Thursday, he's not yet been ruled out of the final test and One day series. There's also a doubt over Graeme Swann who has an elbow problem. The injury picked up by Pietersen late in the 3rd test isn't thought to be too serious.

 

[An Tarbh]

Swann reckons he's 85% certain to be fit for the 4th test on Thursday but Matt Prior has gone home to be with his wife and will be replaced for this test by Tim Ambrose.

 

[gingergenius]

well if ambrose plays and flintoff is injured then bopara has to come in and bat at 6.

 

[An Tarbh]

well that's all been confirmed and given that Bopara made a century in the warmup he's a good bet to start tomorrow.

 

[An Tarbh]

England's morning on day 1 having won the toss and decided to bat, 108-0 at lunch, Strauss continuing where he left off at Antigua, Cook going along nicely, but if he gets out again having made 50 there'll have to question marks over his selection.

 

[An Tarbh]

and Cook gets to his 50 yet again, let's see how long he lasts now.

 

[An Tarbh]

Strauss brings up his century with a 6, come in quick time as well.

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 26 2009, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Strauss brings up his century with a 6, come in quick time as well.[/b]

Interesting stats (from before this test started):

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Bell: 46 83 9 3004 199 40.59 5998 50.08 8 19 350 12 44 0

Strauss: 58 107 4 4400 177 42.71 9003 48.87 15 14 546 7 66 0

So, as we know Bell is widely regarded as crap, while Strauss is widely regarded as good. Yet they both have a Test Match batting average in the low 40s, which is a good average but not outstanding.

But then you see - in 83 innings Bell has passed 50 27 times. In 107, Strauss has passed 50 29 times. So Bell is more prolific at hitting half centuries.

But of those, Bell has turned 8 into hundreds, which means he has a conversion rate of just under 30%.

Strauss, on the other hand, has a conversion rate of over 50%.

Which is why of 2 batsmen who both began their England careers in 2004, with similar averages and who've played a roughly similar amount of games, one is considered one of the best openers in the world and the other has been dropped. Strauss is extraordinary given that he's not flashy, and he's not got Pietersen's or even Bell's talent; he has got a miraculous ability to hit hundreds, and most of them have been hugely important to England. What a great cricketer.

 

[An Tarbh]

Strauss as skipper in 9 test matches has an average of 64 which is outstanding.

 

[An Tarbh]

England going along nicely at tea, 221-0 and Cook still there, despite having made his 50, can he go on and convert to the hundred after tea?

 

[An Tarbh]

Strauss made to look quite ordinary with that delivery to get him out, seem to remember Chris Read being made to look equally stupid some time back, having said that though quality innings from Strauss, leading from the front, from Shah's point of view here's hoping he takes advantage of this wicket.

 

[An Tarbh]

let off for Cook who mistimes one high to Benn only to fall just short, would have been out had it been a more mobile fielder coming in.

 

[An Tarbh]

Cook is living a charmed life, if the keeper had gone for the dive he'd surely be out.