Test Cricket Series Aus vs West Indies

[Gad]

Starts tomorrow Thursday 10 Dec. Check your local TV/broadcast guides for  starting times

 

3 Tests: 1^st  Test 10 Dec Blundstone Arena Hobart,  2^nd  Test 26^th Dec(Boxing Day Test) MCG Melbourne,  3^rd Test 3 Jan  SCG  Sydney

 

James Pattinson has replaced Mitchell Starc (ankle). Pattinson has not played a Test since March 2014 due to injury.

 

The batting order should remain the same, even though some media speculation has w/keeper Peter Nevill replacing all-rounder Mitch Marsh at No.6.

 

The West Windies have not won an overseas Test series of any significance in 20 years.

 

Australian team to play West Indies in Hobart: David Warner, Joe Burns, Steve Smith (capt), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson. 12th man: Nathan Coulter-Nile.

 

[Gad]

going by the WI bowling attack Aus batsmen 5 + may only be needed for brief fielding sessions for this series

[Gad]

BOXING DAY TEST

I thought about not throwing a post up for this one as I have little faith that this WI series will be an enthralling series, but here goes

Aus 3/551 declared after 1.5 days

May be some great feat will occur, even if it is someone in green and gold having great bowling figures.  After all got to have something to discuss

[Gad]

with the WI at 6-91, in half a day, I don`t think my interest will be there tomorrow. Oh well, roll on the ODI`s or

the soon to be women`s tennis players fashion parades  

[Old Scaley]

What a shame for the windies. I would love to see them become a force again but it looks unlikely unless the wealthy cricket countries pour some cash into West Indies test cricket.

[Gad]

Cheers Steve, In my view, unfortunately the  woe`s that WI cricket has gone through in the last 20 or so years has been to a large extent, self inflicted. The various WI boards seemed to stagger between, few times of harmony and times (outside looking in) of open warfare, and to what extent this harmony-warfare flooded into the players ranks can only be guessed at.  

After the Viv Richards era of  WI cricket came to a close, the up to that time, hard fought might and national pride of the WI, on a cricket field, seemed to disappear over night.

After a while inter island sports politics came to the forefront, WI found themselves  only ahead of Bangladese and Zimbabwe on the main cricketing nations list, even Kenya at one time beat the national team, fans started to stay away, not too many international sides were/are keen to tour, senior players saying who they would or would not play with.

With the advent of  the IPL and the $$$`s that came with it, some WI players elected to be unavaiable for national selection,  and the same is happening with the T20`s now.

As a young fellow back in the days when the ABC televised the cricket and everyone sat around their black and white TV`s, I always looked forward to the WI tours, sadly not so much these days.

Apart from Brian Lara, in the last 10 years how many WI test players names could one quickly name if asked to name recent test sides.

The poo fight between the WI board and players, that led to the walk out by their test team, on the India test tour earlier this year showed up more than the large divide between the 2 camps.

[Old Scaley]

I guess the other factor, Gad, is the fact that the West Indies is a collection of countries rather than a single country that kids might aspire to play for as the pinnacle of heir career. And those individual countries don't all see eye to eye, especially when it comes to cricket. I don't profess to understand it all, but it certainly is a far cry from the days of Viv and Clive, when the windies lifted the standard and the appeal of the game to a whole new level.

[Gad]

I think so Steve. from what little I have read/heard/followed, of the last 10 years, it`s been in this area where some of the senior players coming through have been more focused on the "I" and benefits, not on strengthening and building a bonding culture within the 'team' as a whole.

 

[Gad]

WI    271 1st innings total.  praise be... there is a flicker of life there

[kmcrosby78]

I remember hearing/reading many years ago (I would guess 10-15 years) that another problem crippling Windies cricket was the NBA (American Basketball). The money on offer, as well as no doubt marketing, was stripping Windies cricket of all of their tall, lean fast bowling stocks. Not sure if that's still the case but it probably is.

Would certainly be good to see them back being a real force to be reckoned with.

[samsteele115]

All contributing factors no doubt. As you said Kelvin basketball and baseball seems to be taking the attention of the youngsters in the windies. If money isn't pumped into their board soon, I don't think they will be around as a cricketing region for much longer. 

It would be a shame because a lot of history would go with it, but at the same time there are other minor cricketing nations like Bangladesh on the rise.  

[Gad]

Well, the WI almost made it into a 5 day test ...  

[rayke1938]

Like one of the commentators remarks.

:well the windies are almost as good as the government. only lost 2 before lunch

Cheers

ray

[Gad]

3rd Test SCG...  looking good, the WI`s should get to day 5  

[Gad]

It was good to see the WI`s hang in there to force the fifth day draw, their fans would have been partying hard in the Caribbean yesterday

[Terry H]

A shame they didn't take up Steve Smith's offer though, opting for the draw rather than a shot at winning.