Even as the number of coronavirus cases is on the rise in Centurion, where the 3 Team Cricket (3TC) will be played in South Africa, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has confirmed that the exhibition match will go ahead on the 18th of July as planned.
The match, considered as the return of South African players to professional cricket was earlier supposed to be held on 27th June but was postponed as the organizers failed to get government clearance.
The match will now be played at Centurion behind closed doors. Centurion is in Gauteng area which is an epicentre for the Covid-19 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). If there is a change plan of the hosting at Centurion, Skukuza and Potchefstroom are the alternatives.
The organizers have rushed the 3 Team Cricket (3TC) so that they raise as much as $178K for the financial losses that the cricketing fraternity has suffered due to the lockdown in South Africa.
7 young South African cricketers to watch out for in the next decade | 7 young Proteas who we could see feature in the national side over the next decade
Between the 2006/07 and 2017/18 seasons, the Proteas played in 41 Test series. Of those 41, they won 28, drew eight and lost just five, a record that can only be outdone by the Australian side from the 90’s and early 2000’s.
Since then, however, South Africa have won just one of their last five Test series. The four series losses came in the form of a 2-0 whitewash against a struggling Sri Lankan side (both home and away), a 3-0 away whitewash to a strong Indian side, and 1-3 loss to the vulnerable English side in our own backyard.
I agree that the strength of a cricket side is cyclical, and that ‘rebuilding’ phases are inevitable and something that every cricket team has gone through. The post-2007 Australian side is a good example. Having said that, I believe that the issues within South African cricket go far beyond the retirement of Smith, Amla, Kallis, de Viliers, Boucher and Steyn. An article for another time perhaps…
In the meantime, with all the gaping holes that seem to exist in our Test side, I’ve hand picked seven youngsters (23 or younger who have yet to play Test cricket for South Africa) who we could see feature in the national side over the next decade.
Also read other Daniel Orsmond articles on CricBlog!
The 22-year-old speedster from the Eastern Cape is the most capped player on the list, having featured in a handful of ODIs and T20Is for the Proteas. With the mass exodus of fast bowlers over the last few years, including the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott and Duanne Olivier, there has been a lot of speculation about who could potentially share the workload with Rabada, Ngidi and Nortje across all formats.
Lutho Sipamla has put up his hand at a domestic level and although that form hasn’t necessarily carried through to the national side, he has held his own against the best in the world.
He undoubtedly has all the raw ingredients necessary to become an international fast bowler but has yet to refine his skills. I believe that he will likely also pick up an extra yard or two of pace over the next four to five years to become a more complete player. As it stands, I am excited by the prospect of having a 26-year-old Nortje, 25-year-old Rabada, a 24-year-old Ngidi and a 22-year-old Sipamla in the Proteas fast bowling arsenal.
7 young South African cricketers to watch: Lutho Sipamla has a promising future.
6. Sinethemba Qeshile
Born in King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape, Sinethemba Qeshile attended Hudson Park High School, one of two major cricketing power houses in the area; the other being Selborne of course. Qeshile played provincial cricket all throughout high school and earned a place in the Border Khaya Majola ‘coke week’ side for three consecutive years.
Qeshile was omitted from the South African squad in the U19 Cricket World Cup but went on to make his franchise debut for the Warriors in 2018, at the tender age of 19.
His 2018/19 4-day campaign for the Warriors was exceptional as the young man went on to finish as the 5th leading run scorer of the season, notching up 735 runs at an average of 52.50, while also keeping wicket.
The youngster continues to impress with the bat, but appears to have fallen out of favor with selectors. Personally, I’d say that has a lot more to do with the quality of wicket-keeper batsmen in the country than it does with his ability as a cricketer. But, at the age of 21, I have no doubt that he will continue to pile on the runs in what looks like a powerful Warriors batting line up.
After a very short and uneventful stint with the Pretoria based Northerns and Titans, Makwetu made the move to Bloemfontein to play for the Free State as well as the Knights.
It looks to have been a good career move for the 21-year-old former SA U19 captain and keeper thus far. His 2019/20 campaign saw him thrown into the deep end of the franchise system by being asked to not only keep wicket and bat in the middle order, but also to lead the side on a number of occasions in the absence of Pite van Biljon.
He went on to score 342 runs at an average of 57 in the 4-day format for the Knights. At the same time, he caught the eyes and ears of not only fans of South African cricket, but of the men at the top of Cricket South Africa as evident by his ‘Newcomer of the season’ award at this years annual CSA award ceremony.
As previously mentioned, the plethora of quality keeper-batsmen in South African cricket at the moment has seen Makwetu left out of the Proteas 45-man high performance squad. But, I have no doubt that with another season or two under his belt, he will develop into the cricketer that we all know he can be – a cricketer that is ready to take the gloves at a national level and compete with the best that world cricket has to offer.
7 young South African cricketers to watch out for in the next decade
4. Raynard van Tonder
The former SA U19 captain scored 843 runs in the 2019/20 franchise season at an average of 70.25, which included two hundreds (one being a double) and five fifties. He was 138 runs ahead of his nearest competitor Eddie Moore (705 at 50.54), who too had a fantastic season, but no other player dominated a single discipline to the same extent as the 21-year-old former Grey College pupil.
His heroics with the bat were not enough to earn him player of the season at the annual CSA cricket award ceremony held on July 3rd, but it was enough to see the youngster included in the Proteas ‘high performance’ squad.
I am hesitant to make certain claims about his ability as a player, given that he only has one full season of 4-day cricket under his belt. But, with the uncertainty in the Proteas camp, particularly in the top order, another season of runs could easily see him thrust onto the national scene.
7 young South African cricketers to watch: Raynard van Tonder is a great prospect
3. Gerald Coetzee
At only 19 years old, Gerald Coetzee is the youngest name on this list. The former SA U19 speedster ‘skipped’ the semi-professional circuit altogether and was immediately handed the new ball for Knights where he more than held his own against the best that South Africa has to offer. The youngster was unfortunately injured four games into the season but was able to claim 17 scalps at an average of 24.70.
He has been clocked in excess of 145 km/h with the new ball which is almost unprecedented in a 19-year-old. I have no doubt that with the right coaching staff around him, and barring any injuries, South Africa may have a world class fast bowler in the next three or four years. In addition to his raw pace, Coetzee appears to be highly competitive and passionate; his level of maturity (both when he plays and carries himself) is also something that you don’t see too often from teenagers who have been thrust onto the big scene.
7 young South African cricketers to watch out for in the next decade
2. Kyle Verreynne
The 23-year-old, educated at Wynberg Boys High, is the most experienced domestic player on this list having completed three full seasons of 4-day cricket for the Cape Town based Cobras franchise. In those three seasons (27 games), the youngster has notched up 1714 runs at an average of 48.97 (while also keeping wicket).
His form saw him called up to the national side to feature in three ODI matches against Australia earlier in 2020, where he gave off the impression of having played international cricket for a number of years. He looked fairly comfortable against a world renowned fast bowling unit that is comprised of left and right-arm quicks Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Verreynne will undoubtedly have his sights set on the Test side, which gives Mark Boucher the option of allowing Quinton de Kock to drop the gloves and move up the order where South Africa have left a lot to be desired. The youngster has been tipped as one of, if not the handiest gloveman around, and could be the solution to one of the many problems that the South African Test side currently faces.
7 young South African cricketers to watch out for in the next decade
1. Grant Roelofsen
The former KES and SA U19 wicket keeper batsman started his career playing for Gauteng. But, after an uneventful 2016/17 season, he decided to make the move to Natal where he would go on to play 19 games for the Inland side, scoring 1374 runs at an average of 57.25, which earned him a 4-day debut for the Dolphins in the 2018/2019 season.
In the 2019/20 season, Roelofsen cemented his place in the Dolphins side in all formats, finishing as the leading run scorer in the Momentum One Day cup (588 runs at 65.33 in 10) which saw his scoop the MODC player of the year award at the annual CSA cricket award ceremony.
In addition to his ability with the bat at the top of the order in the shorter format, Roelofsen (while keeping wicket) was able to notch up 575 runs in the 4-day format, at an average 44.23, which proved to be the most runs scored by any wicket keeper during the season.
Since the retirement of Hashim Amla, the Proteas have yet to really find an opening partner for Quinton de Kock in the 50-over format. Hendricks, Markram and Malan have all been used (with mixed success), but with another season of runs behind him, I believe that Roelfosen is not too far away from contention.
Our local guys don’t get enough exposure for their performances. We missed two incredible innings yesterday. Ryan Rickelton, 23 years old, struck 157 (135) for the @LionsCricketSA , while Grant Roelofsen of the @DolphinsCricket also 23, played his way to a superb 147* (113) ? pic.twitter.com/JlJ1rVEUUb
Cricket Australia, despite feedback last season, will keep the BBL at 61 games for the upcoming BBL 10 season. However, the season will be stretched to 65 days, meaning that the season will take over nine weeks to complete.
There are two key factors in the decision. The first is that Cricket Australia wishes to avoid renegotiations with broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Seven should the season be reduced. Second, a stretched schedule allows for flexibility in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BBL and WBBL fixtures are set to be released today, with BBL 10 said to begin on December 3 – the same day as the opening Test between Australia and India.
In June, CA Chairman Earl Eddings had stressed the importance of maintaining strong relationships with broadcasters. “Obviously, the media industry is going through a whole range of disruption. It’s a very difficult situation. It’s good that the sports are back. We have lost no content,” said Eddings.
“We have got really strong commercial partners, we get on really well, we are in constant communication, we will hold up our end of the bargain. I am sure Channel Seven and Foxtel will as well. I would have thought that people are watching it on TV, it might increase their ratings.”
The news comes as the BBL seeks to introduce some radical new changes to play to help spruce up the competition. CA came in for criticism last year, as the general feedback was the competition was too long and lacked quality. These changes include free hits for wides, substitutions and split powerplays. It was previously reported that a meeting would take place this month to discuss the changes.
ENG vs WI 2nd Test Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs WI 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs West Indies 2nd Test Preview Dream11 | ENG vs WI 2nd Test Key Players | Old Trafford Pitch Report
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What’s that saying again? Good things come to those who wait? In this case, it is most certainly true, as a captivating, thrilling first Test made a four-month wait feel worth it.
West Indies, in the words of skipper Jason Holder, put together “by far the best effort he’s seen from this group”. The discipline, maturity and patience they showed with bat and ball throughout the Test was such a refreshing change from the underachievement that has haunted them in the 21st century.
Now, they have the opportunity to win a Test series in England; a feat that no West Indian team has achieved since 1988 and no other side has achieved since Sri Lanka in 2014. All eyes will once again be on the action in England, as this Windies side looks to become part of history.
England welcome back Joe Root, who will undoubtedly be key as they look to bounce back. England’s decision making, poor conversion rate and poor fielding cost them dearly at Southampton, and with multiple changes expected to their XI in this game, England will be hoping this translates into a positive change on the field. One change, though, is the exclusion of Jofra Archer, who breached bio-security protocols.
Joe Root is back for England and will certainly be welcomed with open arms. Root has the most runs of any current player at Old Trafford (595 at a superb average of 85.00).
Kraigg Brathwaite had a good tour of England in 2017 (283 runs at 47.16), and started well in this series with a solid 65 at Southampton.
Rory Burns (30 and 42) will be out to build on promising starts made at Southampton. So too Dom Sibley (50), who needs to be wary of his deliveries at his ribs. Also, Burns scored 81 at Old Trafford vs Australia in 2019.
Zak Crawley showed some very promising signs at Southampton during his knock of 76.
Shai Hope had an underwhelming first Test – a theme of his Test career over the past two years. However, it must be reminded that he was superb in England in 2017 (375 runs, avg. 75.00).
A player who didn’t have an underwhelming first Test was Jermaine Blackwood. His second-innings 95 was superb, and will be out to build on it. Roston Chase (47, 37 & 2 wickets) and Shane Dowrich (61, 20 & six catches) also had solid outings.
The battle between Ben Stokes and Jason Holder will make for great viewing once again. Stokes (43, 46 and six wickets) and Holder (6/42 & 14*) both had solid games at Southampton.
Holder has taken 60 wickets at a remarkable average of 14.08 since the start of 2018. Stokes has 1,179 runs since the beginning of 2019 (avg. 47.16) and 36 wickets (avg. 29.61).
But, the star man of the Test was man of the match Shannon Gabriel (9/137). Gabriel now has 35 wickets vs England at 26.17. Can his fast-bowling partner Kemar Roach deliver after an honest but wicketless display at Southampton?
Stuart Broad at Old Trafford: Six Tests, 18 wickets, avg. 28.88. Chris Woakes in England: 19 Tests, 70 wickets, avg. 23.45.
ENG vs WI 2nd Test: West Indies were superb at Southampton
Stats and Facts
England’s loss to Australia last year at Old Trafford was their first loss at the ground since Pakistan’s 108-run win in 2001 (12 Tests).
West Indies have won three of the past four Tests against England, including two successful run-chases in England (322 and 200).
There have been some massive first-innings scores at Old Trafford in the past five Tests: 497/8d, 362, 589/8d, 152 and 527/7d. Usually a bat-first ground.
Possible Playing XIs
Joe Denly has been be dropped to make way for Joe Root. Stuart Broad, who was angry and frustrated, is back, with Mark Wood rested. James Anderson has also been rested, and Jofra Archer is out after breaching bio-security protocols. So, England’s attack is likely to be Broad-Woakes-Curran-Bess-Stokes, unless they wish to give a chance to Ollie Robinson.
England: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dominic Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Ben Stokes, 6. Ollie Pope, 7. Jos Buttler (wk), 8. Sam Curran, 9. Chris Woakes, 10. Dominic Bess, 11. Stuart Broad
The only change West Indies could look to make is bringing in Rakheem Cornwall, likely for Alzarri Joseph. Also, it remains to be seen if John Campbell is good to go after copping a blow to the toe in the second innings of the first Test.
West Indies: 1. Kraigg Brathwaite, 2. John Campbell, 3. Shamarh Brooks, 4. Shai Hope, 5. Jermaine Blackwood, 6. Roston Chase, 7. Shane Dowrich (wk), 8. Jason Holder (c), 9. Rakheem Cornwall/Alzarri Joseph, 10. Kemar Roach, 11. Shannon Gabriel
ENG vs WI 2nd Test: Joe Root is all set to return
Old Trafford Pitch Report and Conditions
The Old Trafford pitch is typically a quicker one than most grounds in England. It is certainly likely to be quicker than the one in Southampton, which puts England in a bit of a tricky spot as to the make up of their attack this time around. However, the surface is usually very good to bat on early in the Test, with an average first-innings score of 425.4 in the past five Tests, even with India’s 152-all out in 2014.
Also, there is a chance of some showers on days one and two, but hopefully not enough to impact the game too much.
Dream11 Prediction
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ENG vs WI 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
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ENG vs WI 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
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The series is now beautifully poised. England entered as favourites, but now have a big fight on their hands to keep the series alive.
The return of Joe Root and home ground advantage makes England favourites again. They tend to have a slow start in a Test series, so history says they can bounce back. However, this one has the makings of another very close battle.
West Indies skipper Jason Holder was all-praise for his team and man of the match, Shannon Gabriel, who finished with match figures of 9/137. He also described this as one of the best teams for the side and appreciated the bowlers for their execution of plans against the Joe Root-less England side.
“What Shannon has done in this game is nothing surprising. He is one of those guys who just keeps doing it. He has a big heart; a massive, massive heart. And he’s been through a lot and he wants success badly. His body has not held the way he has liked. To see him back fit, running in and bowling fast is always a pleasing sight. He deserves every bit of success he’s had so far in this game,” Holder said.
“He’s a rhythm bowler as well. So he needs to get some miles on the legs, and some rhythm into the legs. I know what he’s been through, we kept in contact when he was going through rehab. Some stage he was frustrated by how things were going, but he stuck it through. He had a good team behind him in Trinidad, done a lot of work with as well. Again he reaped the success that we all presumed he would have gotten just based on the calibre of bowler he is. We all know when Shannon is fit and healthy, he can be a handful and he proved difficult in this game.”
For us it is about just about managing Shannon as best as possible,” the skipper said as Gabriel played his first Test match in 12 months. The pacer had to prove his fitness in the warm-up matches to make into the squa after initially named in reserves.
Skipper Jason Holder was mighty proud of his team.
Jason Holder then praised his quicks and their never-say-die attitude. He pinpointed the fourth day as the key day where Windies got within sight of winning.
“It was a long, hard toil and a hard-fought day for West Indies. The reason I say it’s the best day, it’s mainly down to the fact that every single time I asked for an effort from those bowlers, no one said ‘I can’t or I’m too tired.’ They just all kept running in,” Holder said on the performance of the Windies pacers on Saturday.
“At that stage when Stokes and Zak were batting, the game looked like it was less likely for us to win. We knew we couldn’t lose, we back ourselves not to lose…but we wanted to win. We knew how important it was to win this game. So the longer they batted it obviously took time out of the game, maybe put them in a position where they had to think twice about declaring. Maybe after the game at Leeds… their declaration caused a bit of chatter as well. I’m not sure if they would have declared similarly, it was all up to Stokesy. But I think yesterday’s effort was by far the best effort I’ve seen by this group. We kept the energy up all through the day,” the skipper added.
“To beat England in England is not an easy feat. We were able to do that when we were here in 2017, so we know what that feels like. But things have changed drastically since then and they are a massive, massive unit in their backyard. To start the series this well is very very promising for us. And we feel very proud of the way we performed,” Holder believed.
— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards) July 12, 2020
Viv Richards was so pleased for the Jason Holder-led side.
Holder praised Roston Chase and Blackwood after they helped the West Indies recover after being reduced to 27-3 and still managed to win the game by four wickets.
“This morning when I woke up, I wanted to fast forward to the end of the day with us winning. At the start I guess there were a few nerves going through the dressing room. But Roston and Jermaine really, really settled those nerves down and got us into a position to lay a foundation. We knew once we had a partnership, the England bowlers would go flat. But credit to England, they threw a lot at us. Stokes, Anderson, Jofra, Mark – they all put in a hell of effort and they were all challenging.”
Holder said it was a great chance for the Windies to dominate the England batting order sans regular skipper Joe Root and they had plans in place for Stokes-led side ahead of the first Test.
“I think it was really important that we started the series well. I think England missing Root is a big miss, he’s a high quality player. We saw it as an opportunity to really get into their inexperienced batting line up. There was a lot of pressure on Stokes to score and to come big with the likes of young Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler in the lower half, the top order relies a lot on Rory Burns too, because he is quite solid, he soaks up a lot of balls and he makes bowlers fight really really hard for the wickets too. I think for us those four really stood out and we really needed to get them out as early as possible. We saw how Zak Crawley played really well but he had Stokes at the other end to form a partnership with, and he had a bit of a partnership with Joe Denly as well. So yes, credit to how well they played. It was no easy Test match. They kept coming, kept running in. To start the series well is a pleasing feeling but 10 tough days still left in the series,” Holder observed.
The two teams will now meet at Old Trafford Manchester on July 16 as England will look to equalize the three-match series and stay alive. The series is a part of World Test Championship and 40 points are on offer for every win in the series.
Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is of the opinion that umpire’s call should be done away as long as the ball is hitting the stumps. The 2011 World Cup winner asked the cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), to consider the rules of the Leg Before Wicket (LBW) law.
“What % of the ball hits the stumps doesn’t matter. If DRS shows us that the ball is hitting the stumps, it should be given out, regardless of the on-field call. That’s the motive of using technology in cricket. As we know technology isn’t 100% right but neither are humans,” said Tendulkar in a snippet of the video he tweeted.
The Master Blaster believes that even if a tiny portion of the ball hits the stumps, it should be given out.
“One thing I don’t agree with, with the ICC, is the DRS they’ve been using for quite some time. It is the LBW decision where more than 50% of the ball must be hitting the stumps for the on-field decision to be overturned. The only reason they (the batsman or the bowler) have gone upstairs is because they are unhappy with the on-field decision, so when the decision goes to the third umpire, let the technology take over; just like in tennis – it’s either in or out, there’s nothing in between.”
Sachin Tendulkar’s views were made as the umpires struggled in the first Test between England and West Indies. A total of nine decisions were reversed, with West Indies accounting for seven of them, making the umpiring a key talking point.
Welcome back, Test cricket. The much-anticipated return of international cricket delivered a cracking battle, where three results were possible heading into the final session. It was Jason Holder’s men that prevailed, displaying maturity, patience and discipline right throughout the Test.
Of course, such a tight battle is always going to deliver key talking points, and Twitterati was all over it, as always. From England’s team selection, which saw a standoff between Jofra Archer and Tino Best on Twitter, to the heroics of Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder, to the incredible knock played by Jermaine Blackwood on the final day, check out the best Twitter reactions from an engrossing Test.
— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards) July 12, 2020
Good all-round performances by players from both teams. Jermaine Blackwood played a crucial knock in a tense situation to see @windiescricket through. An important win which has set up the series perfectly. #ENGvWIpic.twitter.com/PLbJlqIe8c
Jermaine Blackwood came into the Test as the Mohammad Ashraful of West Indies cricket. Full of talent, Blackwood tends to throw it away, and obliged in the first innings.
But, with his spot under question, as well as his team in trouble, Blackwood produced a fourth-innings masterclass to just about get West Indies over the line. A superb knock.
He came when West Indies was 27 for 3 while chasing 200 with all the question mark on his spot after throwing his wicket the in first innings but he has played a absolutely fantastic 95 runs from 154 balls including 12 fours. Well played, Blackwood. #ENGvWIpic.twitter.com/MkXM3aksEH
West Indies have done it, Jason Holder and his men urges victorious after a brilliant performance. Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich in the first innings, Jermaine Blackwood in the 2nd, Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel with the ball. What an amazing victory this is for them. pic.twitter.com/xab2PIwuYO
Ben Stokes has said he stands by his decision to bat after winning the toss and also to leave Stuart Broad out of the lineup. I guess you have to stand by your convictions, even in the face of significant evidence suggesting it was the wrong call. #ENGvWI
— Inside Edge Cricket (@InsideEdgeCrick) July 12, 2020
Quick summary: i) The call at the toss was bizarre, made more so by the fact the pitch held up ii) Average fielding iii) Broad's omission was questionable iv) None of the batsmen made it count if they got in. Pretty forties don't win you Tests.#Cricket#ENGvWI#ItsBack
Jofra Archer vs Tino Best. Jermaine Blackwood vs Jason Holder. Twitter was all over it.
A close Test makes for tense viewing. It’s what separates this great format from the others. So, when there is great humour along the way, it makes the whole cricket experience all-the-more brilliant.
ENG vs WI 1st Test: Key talking points from a thrilling return
After a four-month hiatus, Test cricket was not only back, but back at its absolute gripping best. This game is going to be remembered for so much more than just the match that kickstarted international cricket. Rather, we’ll remember it for the action on the field.
It was tense. It ebbed-and-flowed. Both sides could win heading into the final session. ODI and T20 cricket can provide some amazing moments, but Test cricket creates memories that last a lifetime. It’s a different feeling. Such a brilliant feeling. And it’s great to have it back.
The action at Southampton was to provide answers to the most pressing questions. What will cricket look like after the enforced COVID-19 break? How will Ben Stokes fare as captain? Can West Indies give England trouble, as they have done over the past few years?
Some of the quality of cricket was reason for improvement for both sides, but the ebb-and-flow in a competitive battle always made for gripping viewing. Here, we will discuss the five key talking points from this match, and what this result means for this series and the fortunes of both sides in the near future.
ENG vs WI 1st Test: Tough first Test as captain for Ben Stokes
1. Mature, patient and disciplined West Indies performance
We could start with England, but that would be unfair on the West Indies. A side led by Jason Holder is always going to have fighting qualities about it, and they showed it in spades even as England sought to get on top in the final two days.
Any statement needs to be backed up by evidence. The greatest evidence is Jermaine Blackwood. Case closed. Hampered by his tendency to get carried away, and under fire after his first innings dismissal, Blackwood produced a fourth-innings masterclass that all West Indians would be proud of. Coming in a precarious 27/3, with another batsman having retired hurt, Blackwood curbed natural insticts and fought for the cause.
The “that’s the way I play” excuse went out the window. After all, “you bat according to the conditions under which you are playing. If you do not, you will not be successful,” said Michael Holding in commentary. He is 100% right. And Blackwood delivered.
However, the Windies’ mature, patient and disciplined display was not only limited to their batting. The magical “20 wickets” figure is one spoken of day in, day out, and the Windies bowlers delivered in contrasting conditions, justifying their somewhat risky call to leave out Rakheem Cornwall. Jason Holder seamed his way through the English lineup on a track perfectly suited to his bowling. But, as the pitch dried out and movement was at a premium, Shannon Gabriel delivered five second innings wickets (nine in total) to give the Windies great hope heading into the fourth innings. Hope that turned into a 1-0 series lead.
ENG vs WI 1st Test: A superb victory for West Indies
2. England’s decision-making comes back to haunt them
Questionable decisions have a big price attached to them. The risk vs. reward stakes are high. Get it right, and you look like a genius. Get it wrong, however, and the criticism will be rife. In the end, two major England decisions came back to haunt them.
The first, the toss. Winning the toss and batting first with such an inexperienced top four saw the line between bravery and stupidity just about cross paths. The decision didn’t pay off, as England crawled to 204 all-out in conditions that James Anderson in particular would have loved. All of a sudden, they were playing catch up, even more so given that the sun would be out for the remainder of the Test match.
Second, the Stuart Broad decision. Sure, England want to develop their pace stocks to enhance performance overseas, but this surface was crying out for Broad’s experience. Worse, Broad has been England’s best Test bowler over the past 12 months, taking 23 wickets at 26 in the Ashes and then leading the way for England to win in South Africa. Broad wasn’t happy, as millions of fans were perplexed at the decision.
ENG vs WI 1st Test: Stuart Broad speaking with Sky Sports before day 3
3. England continue to struggle to convert starts
We’re back after a four-month hiatus, but the same England problem remains. Their inability to convert starts shone through once again in this Test, highlighting the struggles this side faces in carrying on.
Since the start of 2018, England’s top seven batsmen have been dismissed 112 times between 20 and 49. They have scored 50 or more on 64 occasions, with just 17 of those converted into centuries.
So, with a 50-100 conversion rate of 26.56%, it is no wonder why England continue to remain inconsistent in Test cricket. There were six scores of 20+ among England’s top seven in this Test, with two reaching half centuries before getting out. Joe Denly once again highlighted his struggles between 20 and 49, and is likely to be the one who makes way for Joe Root in the second Test.
If West Indies want to get Denly out, let him get to 20 and he'll do it himself.#Cricket#ENGvWI
4. Three DRS reviews works wonders as umpires struggle
Thank goodness for DRS, right? 22 decisions were reviewed in this Test, with nine overturned. Incredibly, West Indies had seven decisions overturned in their favour, which certainly was crucial in getting them over the line.
While the move to three reviews worked a charm, the umpires will be out for a better second Test. One must also sympathise with the umpires during these challenging times, but better should still be expected, particularly from the likes of Richard Kettleborough.
5. Swing limited. Time for an artificial substance to be introduced?
We saw a cracking Test match. However, swing was limited, and questions must be asked of how this will impact the game moving forward.
According to CricViz, in the first innings, West Indies took advantage of moisture and generated an average of 1.1 degrees of swing. England, in their first innings, managed just 0.6, even with the swing king James Anderson in their ranks.
Of course, saliva is banned, but what happens when a pitch has less in it for the bowlers? Or if the weather is not warm enough for a sufficient amount of perspiration to seep through? Swing is a crucial part of the game, and the ICC needs to continue to brainstorm ways to ensure this art remains in the game, otherwise the product will not make for good viewing.
The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament is all set to begin from August 18 in the Trinidad and Tobago as the local authorities and government have given a go-ahead to conduct the tournament.
For the first time since March, people will fly into the country as travel restrictions were in place. There have been 133 total cases in T&T so far with 117 recovered as well.
“All teams and officials will be housed in one hotel and everyone will be subject to strict quarantine protocols for the first two weeks they are in the country. Everyone travelling from overseas will be tested for COVID-19, before departure and then again on arrival in Trinidad. Teams and officials will be put into “households” where social distancing will need to be in place. There will be smaller clusters within each household where these measures can be relaxed. However, if any member of this cluster display signs of COVID-19 at any time during the tournament all members of that cluster will be expected to self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the time that a member of that group first shows symptoms,” said a statement from CPL.
The CPL is the first T20 league to begin post the COVID-19 break and renowned West Indian stars along with overseas players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Ross Taylor, Chris Lynn among others are all set to grace this year’s edition.
Former England Captain Nasser Hussain is unhappy with the bad light regulations which affects a lot of Test matches. He wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review its regulations.
The ICC has given the full authority of the decision to the umpires who decide whether to carry on with the game or halt the play. Hussain’s opinion came after Day 1 of the Test between England and West Indies was halted due to poor light.
“It’s one thing you have to try and explain to somebody new to the game. You spend a lot of money on lights, turn the lights on and go off for light. On this occasion, they’ve gone off for rain. It is something eventually that I’d like the ICC to change really,” Hussain said on Sky Sports Cricket.
“They might say ‘You’re a retired player’ and (talk about) stats, but look at that, the lights are on. If it wasn’t raining now, maybe the players could buy into the fact that the game needs to keep selling itself and if you can stay on, do stay on.”
Time and again, bad light rules have come under criticism with two instances being the India vs Australia series in 2018-19 and the Ashes in 2013.
