West Indies tour of England, 2012

[Sir john]

Sat May 5 - Mon May 7 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST Sussex v West Indians County Ground, Hove N/A Thu May 10 - Sun May 13 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST England Lions v West Indians County Ground, Northampton N/A Thu May 17 - Mon May 21 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST 1st Test - England v West Indies Lord's, London N/A Fri May 25 - Tue May 29 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST 2nd Test - England v West Indies Trent Bridge, Nottingham N/A Sat Jun 2 - Sun Jun 3 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST Leicestershire v West Indians Grace Road, Leicester N/A Thu Jun 7 - Mon Jun 11 10:00 GMT | 11:00 local 15:30 IST 3rd Test - England v West Indies Edgbaston, Birmingham N/A Wed Jun 13 09:45 GMT | 10:45 local 15:15 IST Middlesex v West Indians Lord's, London N/A Sat Jun 16 09:45 GMT | 10:45 local 15:15 IST 1st ODI - England v West Indies The Rose Bowl, Southampton N/A Tue Jun 19 09:45 GMT | 10:45 local 15:15 IST 2nd ODI - England v West Indies Kennington Oval, London N/A Fri Jun 22 09:45 GMT | 10:45 local 15:15 IST 3rd ODI - England v West Indies Headingley, Leeds N/A Sun Jun 24 13:30 GMT | 14:30 local 19:00 IST Only T20I - England v West Indies Trent Bridge, Nottingham N/A

:dance:

[indiaregulator]

I feel sorry for the West Indies batsman.

[Cricket Tragic]

[Sir john]

Team anounced for test ramdin nd samuels recalled baugh,bishoo nd young braithwate dropped. shaun gabriel new pacer in team.

[cameron_black]

sarwan should have been there. poor selection. still they lack experience at the top.

[rkt.india]

English seam on Sammy's mind West Indies captain Darren Sammy has insisted his team can go on to success in England after again surrendering the Frank Worrell Trophy to Australia, a trophy the hosts have not held since 1995. Questioned at some length following the series about how his side's batting had continually folded - the tireless Shivnarine Chanderpaul aside - Sammy said the team's sense of belief had to remain strong and steadfast ahead of a three-Test date with arguably the world's most accomplished seam and swing bowlers. "Different conditions, some of the guys are playing there for the first time," Sammy said after making his highest Test score on the final day of a 75-run loss to Australia in Dominica. "We've still got to learn and believe that whatever comes our way that we can overcome it. It's going to be another tough series for us but like we fought against Australia we're expecting to do the same against England. Keep showing that attitude and hopefully we can get victories in England. "At the end of the day, its up to each individual to go out and do what is necessary for the team and to try to perform and score runs. No one wants to go out and fail - it's about getting your mind right and going out and executing properly. We talk, we develop a plan, a formula to go out and play with, most times we don't execute properly. "The top six is where we should get the bulk of the runs. Shiv batted really well for us again but we didn't have consistent contributions from everyone there. We have youngsters at the top and like Shiv has said, they're learning their skill at the international level. I back the guys to go out and play up against a higher-ranked team with lots of experience. Our guys are young and the selectors have decided to give them a run, an opportunity to develop and hopefully they can do that for us in the future." One member of the top six at Windsor Park who will not be going on to England is Kraigg Brathwaite, the teenaged opening batsman omitted after scores of 0, 0, 0 and 11 in his final four innings of the series. Sammy said Brathwaite had not been forgotten, and would figure in the team again in the future. However he admitted the selectors had become concerned by his propensity to be out early to the new ball. Sammy also said the leg spinner Devendra Bishoo's absence from the touring party did not mean the end of his time in Test cricket. "The selectors and coach spoke to him yesterday," Sammy said. "Obviously he didn't have the best series this time. He's definitely one for the future for us. He's out of form and in England where the ball tends to swing a bit more - this series he was getting out to the swinging ball a lot. We have a few A-team tours coming and the coach has told him he'll be there to get some form. "We also have the high performance centre where he can go and work with the coach over there. Just like we said to Bishoo. Bishoo had an excellent year for us last year and he was not part of the Test squad but I expect them to come back. They're both strong mentally and they'll go and do what's necessary to force their way back into the team." In contrast to the batting, West Indies have developed a bowling attack that stands some chance of snipping the top off England's batting on potentially helpful early season pitches, starting with the first Test at Lord's from May 17. Sammy reserved particular praise for Kemar Roach, who with 19 wickets vied with Chanderpaul for man of the series honours. "Last year he had a tough year in Bangladesh, he broke down in tears but this year he has come back really, really strong," Sammy said. "People might say well he bowled more overs than me, but he keeps asking me for the ball and that is the sort of attitude I really like to see. When I thought he was tired, he said 'No, I really want the ball' putting his hand up. His wickets show the hard work throughout this series." :hatsoff: http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-australia-2012/content/current/story/563010.html

[maverick451]

Ive catually been quite impressed with the Windies against Australia, they gave them a fair test, Usually they when poll up early season we slaughter them but I think there bowling will be tricky. I think there batting though will get blown away, its early season and it will be swinging and seeming all over the place.

[Crookbond]

As I said earlier, I would have been surprised with WI beating Australia.

[jairamesh]

West Indies will always be handicapped with Sammy playing in the team.

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Bell 'one knock away' from form England's Ian Bell believes he is "one knock away from it all turning round" after an indifferent start to Warwickshire's season. More... Ian Bell 'one knock away' from finding top form again 30 April 2012 England batsman Ian Bell believes that he is "just one knock away from it all turning round" after an indifferent start to the domestic season. Having struggled for form in the two winter series for England against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bell has managed just 34 runs in three innings for Warwickshire this season. And he admits he could do finding some form ahead of the first Test in May. "It's just a matter of getting time in the middle," Bell told BBC Sport. "We've all been in these positions before and you're just one knock away from it all turning round. “ "It's been a tricky little period these last couple of months but, if I keep believing and keep doing the right things and keep training hard, then it will turn around again. "You can practise and net and keep all the good habits that I've been doing over the last two or three years." Bell and his England colleague Jonathan Trott, who scored a century in the Bears' rain-ruined draw against Sussex at Hove, are both due to turn out in this week's Championship match against Durham at Edgbaston, starting on Wednesday. That will be their last chance to impress before the international summer gets underway with the first Test against West Indies starting at Lord's on 17 May. They are part of a buoyant Bears side sitting on top of the table, thanks to winning their first two matches before last week's rain-affected draw at Hove. Warwickshire's early season success has come despite injuries to new-ball bowlers Boyd Rankin and Chris Woakes. And Bell acknowledges the strength in depth of the Bears' bowling department. "In a way, it's probably been a bit of a blessing in disguise to have our best bowlers being out," he told BBC WM. "It has let two other guys step up and they've done the business. BELL'S SCORES FOR WARKS 18, 16 v Lancashire 0 v Sussex "It's great. If we keep getting first innings runs we've got an attack that can take 20 wickets." Durham pulled off a Championship double over Warwickshire last season, but Bell is hopeful that can be put right. "They're a good side," he said. "And they have been a very good first division side for a long time. "But our group is in a confident mood and it's a good team to be involved in at the minute. "Hopefully this isn't just a short-term thing. Ashley Giles has tried to get involved a lot of young English players and stay away from Kolpak players. "That's hopefully going to serve us well for the future."

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Gayle's West Indies return hits fresh roadblock Chris Gayle's return to the West Indies squad is likely to be delayed after fresh doubts emerged over his availability for the ODI leg of the upcoming England tour More... Gayle's West Indies return hits fresh roadblock Nagraj Gollapudi April 30, 2012 Chris Gayle's return to the West Indies squad is likely to be delayed after fresh doubts emerged over his availability for the ODI leg of the upcoming England tour, pouring cold water over the hard-earned resolution reached between him and the West Indies Cricket Board by CARICOM (the Caribbean Community). Earlier this month Gayle had sent a request to Ernest Hilaire, the WICB chief executive, asking the board if he would be selected for the ODI leg of the England tour in June; this was to help him clarify his availability for Somerset, with whom he had signed as an overseas player for the summer. Hilaire, in his response, has accused Gayle of "reneging" on the undertaking the player had given in the presence of St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, stating he would make himself available to play for West Indies over Somerset. "I write to you with respect to the upcoming West Indies tour of England scheduled for May 2 - June 25, 2012. As previously indicated, I am willing to make myself available to play for West Indies for this tour after my obligations to my IPL team are fulfilled," Gayle said in his e-mail, available to ESPNcricinfo, dated April 20. Gayle, who last played for West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, told Hilaire that having signed a contract with Somerset, the county required him to "give an undertaking" of his availability for the entire duration of the contract, which clashed with West Indies' tour of England. Somerset have five Friends Life t20 games scheduled during the time West Indies play three ODIs and a T20I against England. "I would appreciate if I could be informed whether I will be contracted for the West Indies Team for England Tour before I give my commitment to Somerset," Gayle said. "I only ask this so I would be in an informed position before I respond to Somerset, given the fact that I indicated my availability to the West Indies Team after the IPL," Gayle said, requesting an immediate reply. In his response, sent on April 26, Hilaire said that "the Board has now considered your request and is extremely disappointed that, following the progress we had seemed to be making towards final agreement, you now seem unwilling to honour the commitment you made with respect to your Somerset contract." According to Hilaire, Gayle had sent a "side letter" to Gonsalves on March 23, stating that he would "forego" his Somerset contract in order to make himself available to play for West Indies. "You reiterated this commitment in your April 1 letter, in response to WICB's request for clarification," Hilaire said. "Your most recent communication appears to suggest that you may be reneging on your availability as you now state that you are willing to make yourself available and not that you are making yourself available. A player cannot be considered for selection if he has not made himself available for selection." According to Hilaire, during the meeting between Gonsalves, Gayle and the WICB, it was made clear to Gayle that selection matters did not come under the "purview" of the board. "The Board cannot give any commitment to any player with respect to his selection for a particular match or tour; but we will ask the Chairman of Selectors to have a discussion with you on issues relating to your selection at the earliest, in anticipation that you will meet all eligibility requirements," Hilaire told Gayle. The ball is now once again in Gayle's court with Hilaire asking the player to come up with an instant reply.

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Denesh Ramdin hopes to cement Test spot Denesh Ramdin, who has been recalled to the West Indies side during their tour of England in May, has said that he hopes to cement his place in the side More... Denesh Ramdin hopes to cement Test spot ESPNcricinfo staff May 1, 2012 Denesh Ramdin, the wicketkeeper who has been recalled to the West Indies Test side after nearly two years, has set himself a stiff batting target during the England Test series as he tries to reclaim a permanent place. "I am looking to get at least three half-centuries and even a century and hopefully, help the team win," Ramdin told Trinidad & Tobago Express. "I am happy to be back in the setup after being out of the team for so long. It feels good to be back and it is always good to get another chance at the highest level. Hopefully I can take advantage of the opportunity and cement my place in the Test team, at least for the next five or six years." Ramdin last played Tests in June 2010, when he made only 63 runs in six innings against South Africa. He comes back after a strong showing on the domestic circuit, leading Trinidad & Tobago to the domestic T20 title in January and then being their top-scorer in the Regional four day competition, averaging 56.83 in four matches. The West Indies selectors recalled Ramdin andMarlon Samuels for the tour while opener Kraigg Brathwaite and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh lost their Test places. Ramdin, 27, has toured England twice before and said that though playing against the swinging ball will be a challenge, the team was encouraged by the recent performances against Australia. "We did not do too badly against Australia," he said. "We did not lose in three days and we gave them a good fight. I think we can give England a tough fight. "This time of year is very cold; the swinging ball is another part of it. The players will have to adapt to the conditions quickly but you could never say you are prepared for the conditions." West Indies' first tour match is against Sussex at Hove from May 5. The first Test begins at Lord's on May 17.

[~ Miss Warner ~]

How dumb are the WICB and this Hilare character? Reading Chris Gayle's email, it's quite clear that he just wants to know if he will be picked for the England ODI tour so that he can inform Somerset of his availability to play for them... Any person with a brain what-so-ever can see clearly that he is picking the West Indies over Somerset, if it was reverse, he'd be telling the Windies that he is unavailable due to commitments to Somerset... How stupid can the WICB be????????? It's obvious this Hilare person still has unresolved conflicts with Gayle and is just trying to be a difficult d*ckhead. Chris Gayle just ditch the West Indies altogether, they aren't worth your time fiddling around in red tape bullsh*t.

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Broad and Swann make Notts return England bowlers Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are poised to make their return for Nottinghamshire against Lancashire. More... Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann make Nottinghamshire return 1 May 2012 England bowlers Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are poised to make their return for Nottinghamshire this week. The game against Lancashire at Old Trafford will be Broad's first since recovering from a calf strain suffered on England's tour of Sri Lanka. Broad, 25, flew home after sustaining the injury during the first Test defeat in Colombo in March. The duo could also play against Middlesex next week in preparation for England's series against West Indies. "Graeme is ready to play and will slot straight in but Stuart hasn't had any competitive cricket for a month," said Notts director of cricket Mick Newell. "We all know what they are capable of and they need to use these games to prepare for a big summer of international cricket." The first Test of the three-match series against West Indies is at Lord's, beginning on 17 May. The second Test, at Trent Bridge, starts on 25 May, with the series concluding at Edgbaston from 7 June. England then play the tourists in three one-day internationals with Broad set to captain the world champions in the sole Twenty20 game at Trent Bridge on 24 June. Paceman James Anderson is in the Lancashire squad for his first domestic appearance of the season, while elsewhere, opener Alastair Cook will line up for Essex against Glamorgan.

[Sir john]

poor baugh missed uncle

[Sir john]

Love song we r wes indies. :yay:

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The truth about Sammy Darren Sammy may not have the best numbers but he is a man steadily improving while handling a difficult job More... The truth about Sammy Darren Sammy may not have the best numbers but he is a man steadily improving while handling a difficult job Garth Wattley May 2, 2012 Keep what you're doing Sammy Being the West Indies captain is like being the holder of high political office. You have a constituency to answer to, their expectations are very high and some will be detractors no matter how much good you do. You will also be judged on performance. Since taking over one of the highest profile jobs in Caribbean society from Chris Gayle in late 2010, Darren Julius Garvey Sammy has experienced first-hand the effects of all the above. Especially the judgement on the performance part. Strictly on bald figures, a record of two wins and six losses in 16 Test matches and 13 wins, 19 losses, a tie and a no-result in 34 ODIs does not present a case for an extended stay in office. But with good reason, the expression "damned lies" often is mentioned in the same breath with statistics. For the past week, I have been thinking about Sammy and his record and his critics. He was not obligated to take the job when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) offered it to him, and no one can say that he campaigned to be captain. But at the same time, it is hard to imagine that any past West Indies captain has come to the job with a greater degree of skepticism hanging over him. In so insular a place as this, the fact that he is a St Lucian under a board with a St Lucian president and CEO has not helped him ease into the job. His modest record with bat and ball made an even stronger case for the opposition. By popular consensus it seemed, Sammy was a man not worth his place in the team and should never have been captain. As he gets ready for what will surely be another difficult experience in England this week, he still cannot shake the "loser" tag. I wonder, however, if he is not a victim of a thing being repeated often enough until it is accepted as fact. It does not seem to matter what the evidence may show in the case of Sammy. But consider a few things, please. When it comes to having a losing record as West Indies captain, Sammy has plenty of company. Since Richie Richardson gave up the job after the 1996 World Cup, no West Indian captain has won more than he has lost. Excluding Ridley Jacobs, Dwayne Bravo and Floyd Reifer who were stop-gaps, we are talking about eight men. Sammy's record is comparable and in some cases better than his predecessors. Shivnarine Chanderpaul for instance won one, lost 10 and drew three in his tortuous 14 Test matches in charge. In 15 games, Jimmy Adams won four and lost eight, Carl Hooper won four and lost 11 in 22, while Gayle's 20 Tests at the helm brought three wins but also nine losses. Already however, Sammy's teams have drawn as many matches in 16--eight--as Gayle managed in his 20. And it is unlikely that Sammy will be allowed to stay in charge for 47 matches like Brian Lara did in three spells and lose 26 games while winning just 11. Of course, there are many variables, like strength of the teams and the quality of the opponents against whom wins were achieved. The point is though, that Sammy's team - a currently very green side - is doing no worse than the ones that have gone before. And what about the captain's own cricket? Ad nauseam, it has been said by experts and John Public alike that Sammy as allrounder (a very loose description) is not worth his place in the side, that he unbalances it, that he is keeping a more deserving player out. Who exactly, on current form is that more deserving player? Since they both fill the same role, let us use Dwayne Bravo as a comparison. There can be no question about Bravo's ability and overall value to the teams he plays for. But in his last five Tests (2010) he averaged 19.10. In Sammy's last five he averages 24.44 which is higher than his overall 19.09. With the ball, Bravo got five wickets in his last five games, Sammy took nine in his last five. If the time gap makes you suspicious, then check what happened in the last ODI series against Australia. Sammy averaged 53.33 with the bat in those five games and took four wickets (36.75) and Bravo 18.80 with the bat and six wickets (34.16) with the ball. Just by extension, Andre Russell averaged 28.25 with the bat and took six wickets (26.33). Numbers sometimes are useful. In this case, they show the captain is contributing more runs to the team now, in both forms of the game. In the just concluded Test rubber against Australia, a difficult series for batsmen on both sides, Sammy averaged over 31 and was third behind Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo only among West Indians. And while his bowling has not been as penetrative as he no doubt would like so far this year, last season he contributed 30 wickets in Tests while Devendra Bishoo got 39, Fidel Edwards 32 and Ravi Rampaul 31. Sammy also had the satisfaction of actually winning a match for his team - the first Test against Pakistan in Guyana - with his seam bowling. This season, Sammy's runs surely played a part in West Indies' sharing the ODI and Twenty20 series with Australia, the No.1 ranked ODI side. Those results were unexpected and represented an improvement on results in the corresponding ODI series last season when West Indies lost to both Pakistan and India. Even in losing 2-0 to Australia in the Tests, West Indies so far in 2012 have mirrored the spirit of their captain who never stops trying. Sammy is a man who recognises his limitations and plays within them. He keeps working for improvement and this year, has been reaping some reward. So has his team. In separate interviews in Dominica, both Australian captain Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur were moved to speak of the improvement they saw in West Indies as a team. To stay in the job, Sammy will have to keep getting good results against the better teams, especially in Test cricket. But it would be disingenuous of the naysayers to downplay the improved results this year, even if they are limited, or to brush aside his own contributions to the side. And at a time when it is the norm to question the commitment of players to West Indies cricket, is it not a bonus to have a leader of Sammy's disposition? Watching him handle the media in this recent series, I noted the greater poise he seems to have, the bits of humour he allowed himself. He was a credit to the office, a man handling a very difficult job with all the grace he could muster. Eventually, this West Indies team will outgrow Sammy. But that time has not come yet. So in the meantime, as the song says, keep doing what you're doing Sammy.

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Gibson targets gradual improvement Ottis Gibson and Darren Sammy are targeting continued improvement on West Indies tour of England More...

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Bell relieved with return to form Another piece in the jigsaw that makes up the England team fell into place with the return to form of Ian Bell More...

[achilles]

He delivers more with his mouth than the bat.