Second test antigua;w indies v england

[the viscount]

Starts on the 13th feb untill 17th feb ;;;;thats if it lasts 5 five days this time.

I wonder what the make up of the team will be !!!!!!!!!!.

Will they bring in shah for cook or Bell and bring in Rashid for Panaser

Thoughts please Trigger, Uncle Buck and Mendoza

 

[sten_super]

I reckon they will play

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Harmison

I would shuffle the batting order round a bit; promote Pietersen and Collingwood up one place each, and bring Shah in at 5. I would also bring Jimmy Anderson in for Harmison.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

The team will be unchanged. Bell will be given one more chance and Monty won't be dropped if he fails to take another wicket in the next one hundred Tests.

 

[Was not Was]

Would be a shame to drop Monty right now. In the first test, he just started to show that he can give the ball a bit of air, rather than always going for the low, fast delivery. And it's Mushy who is teaching him that, for sure. So let's give it time to work.

I love that Shane Warne quote - after (I think) 18 Tests, he said that Monty hadn't played 18 Tests; he had played the same test 18 times.

 

[Trigger]

Thoughts please Trigger, Uncle Buck and Mendoza

I'm on the West Indies at 3/1... Good price, even if it is a batters paradise we won't last 5 days.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I would drop Collingwood for Shah, move Pietersen to 3, play Swann rather Monty.

I would also get Vaughan over there for the third test, then drop Bell and get Vaughan in at 3 and move Pietersen back to 4.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I reckon they will play

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Harmison

I would shuffle the batting order round a bit; promote Pietersen and Collingwood up one place each, and bring Shah in at 5. I would also bring Jimmy Anderson in for Harmison.

Didn't Prior come back to see the birth of his child. I am switching off sky to save me witnessing any more misery, will stick to test match special. Anyone know if highlights are shown anywhere bar Sky.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Shah in for Bell - he's had his chances

 

[Seagull over NZ]

Think Shah for Bell will be the only change. But for my money time is up for Monty. He shows no signs of learning about test cricket, no variation.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Shah for Bell.

Something has to give, and although Cook hasn't bagged a century in a while he's averaged a 50 every 3 innings in the last year. I'd keep faith with him for now - not many batsmen have his test record at such a young age.

I hoep to God Mushy has been working overtime with Monty because his fom has been below par for too long now, and to make matters worse he is a liability with the bat and in the field.

 

[Fazz62]

Bell will be given one more chance.

I hope not.

"Weasel" Bell has had one to many chances.

 

[the viscount]

Any news of the team yet ??

Just hope shah comes in long over due !!!

 

[Marc]

"England will consider changes for the second Test against West Indies, which begins in Antigua on Friday, as they look to level the four-match series.

Owais Shah could replace Ian Bell and spinner Graeme Swann and paceman James Anderson are also under consideration. "

Source - BBC News

2pm start.....COME ON ENGLAND!

 

[keaton]

I think (and hope) they'll go for

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Collingwood
Pietersen
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Anderson

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Bell
Prior
Flintoff
Rashid
Broad
Sidebottom
Monty

For years & years we have wanted a world class spinner. Why on earth drop him? OK he's not got great variety, but his figures stack up against the greats. Only England would consider dropping him. The seam attack is letting us down more IMO. Broad hasn't done much, and though Anderson can swing a game he's also a liability when he's not playing well. I would be tempted to play a second spinner in Rashid

Shah has to come in, and it's a shame we don't have another option out there (and not Vaughan - his day is over). I would drop Collingwood, push Bell down to number 5 where he used to bat so well, & get Shah in at 3

 

[Seagull over NZ]

But Monty has just not cut it in the last year or so. When England have really needed him on favourable wickets (test v SA last summer, 1st test v India this winter) he just has not been up to the job. He appears to just run up and bowl, not think about where he is going to put it etc, what he might change. I just don't think he is a very bright bowler. Teams have worked him out, yes he turns it but he bwols the same ball almost every ball so it becomes easier to read. Mushy has to teach him to bowl the arm ball. How anyone can arrive at test cricket without one is beyond me.

 

[Marc]

Its a times like these I do wonder whether England Central Contracts are worth it? Why not have it like football so the ones in Form get picked and not those special ones every time?
Its not as if they have to Gel as a team as much as football so surely those England players on Form in the County Leagues deserve a call up and not Ian "Cant get a 50" Bell for pure example sake!

Sure in the Winter it would be harder to do that for obvious reasons but some of these England players currently hav'nt been playing well for the past year!

 

[Billy the Fish]

I think (and hope) they'll go for

Strauss
Cook
Shah
Collingwood
Pietersen
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Anderson

That would be my team, although I'd have the order as:
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Prior
Flintoff
Shah
Collingwood
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Anderson

Bell has to be dropped and ideally should go and play the first half of the county season out of the spotlight where I've no doubt he'd get alot of runs. Bells problem isn't his technique, it's some sort of mental block.
We haven't actually got a number 3 so KP has to go there because he's the best batsman. The middle order would start with Prior and Flintoff as they are both in ok form with the bat, collingwood is only there because there isn't actually anyone on tour to replace him. If Ravi Bopara wasn't in New Zealand he would be in at 5 for collingwood.
Of the bowlers Sidebottom stays for his consistancy. Harmison is out until he can get his pace up, by his own admission he is a crap 80mph bowler, that leaves Broad and anderson for the other two quick spots.
I'm still in two minds about the spinner, Monty was slowing it down a bit at the end of day 3 as he grew in confidence, so if Mushy thinks he can carry that on then he can have one last chance. If not then swann gets the nod. Whoever plays out of those two will need to have the balls to toss it up, because they rekon the wicket is flat as a pancake. That's why I've gone for swann.

 

[Mendoza]

Theres already fears about outfield and the amount of sand.
Hopefully getting thrashed is what will wake everyone up and realise that they have to pull their fingers out.
We have coaches for batting fast bowling, spin bowling, fitness, dieticians, analysts and god knows what else. We have so many people with different jobs that are supposed to help the situation, maybe they should just cut back, and only have 2 or 3 people in at most who all pull in the same direction.

As for the team, Bell should be dropped, but he probably wont. Agree with Marc, maybe the central contracts should be given a rest. Maybe not do it for a season and see what happens. If it goes wrong, it cant be much worse than it already is

 

[Marc]

Theres already fears about outfield and the amount of sand.
Hopefully getting thrashed is what will wake everyone up and realise that they have to pull their fingers out.
We have coaches for batting fast bowling, spin bowling, fitness, dieticians, analysts and god knows what else. We have so many people with different jobs that are supposed to help the situation, maybe they should just cut back, and only have 2 or 3 people in at most who all pull in the same direction.

As for the team, Bell should be dropped, but he probably wont. Agree with Marc, maybe the central contracts should be given a rest. Maybe not do it for a season and see what happens. If it goes wrong, it cant be much worse than it already is

the commentators said at the last match that there was more backroom staff than England Squad players checking into the hotel!