The Reverse Sweep

England v West Indies - West Indies series marks out of 10

Adrian Barath (114 runs at 22.80) 3: Battled through the first sessions at Lord's and Edgbaston but then promptly gave it away each time after reaching 40. A Test average of 23 doesn't lie, but the talent is there as his hundred on debut against Australia at the Gabba as a teenager proved. Needs to bat with an experienced opening partner - yes, we're talking about you Chris Gayle.

Kieran Powell (71 runs at 14.20) 3: Despite the odd cracking drive, is clearly not an opener and would be far more at home at five or six.

Kirk Edwards (8 runs at 2.00) 0: The vice-captain started the series with a Test average in excess of 50, but he simply didn't have a clue in English conditions against the moving ball and the immense skill of Anderson, Broad and Bresnan. Will probably need to lie down in a dark room for a while.

Assad Fudadin (1 innings, 28 runs) 4: Made his debut at Edgbaston and battled away at number three - making eight more runs than Edwards managed on the whole tour. Worth another look.

Darren Bravo (81 runs at 16.20) 3: A top score of 29 doesn't even go close to justifying his talent and pre-tour billing. Came in too often when his side were not a lot for two and was therefore exposed to the new ball. Will do better next time.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (235 runs at 78.33) 7: Inspired his side's fightback at Lord's although personal glory eluded him with scores of 87* and 91. Less impressive at Trent Bridge where he was exposed and defeated by the new ball in the 2nd innings, before being ruled out by injury at Edgbaston.

Marlon Samuels (386 runs at 96.50) 9.5: It looked like more of the same from Samuels after he was dismissed for 31 after an airy waft in the 1st innings at Lord's after doing all the hard work. But thereafter he reeled off scores of 86, 117, 76* and 76 to suggest that after 12 years, he has finally arrived on the Test stage. 

Narsingh Deonarine (1 innings, 7 runs) 2: Hard to judge on one brief innings, but impossible to rate higher than two out of ten after the way he chased a wide one from Onions when his side needed him to dig in. 

Dinesh Ramdin (163 runs at 40.75) 6: After a battling display in the 2nd innings at Lord's, he looked off the pace at Trent Bridge as noted by Viv Richards. His subsequent riposte of a second Test hundred at Edgbaston was as impressive as the note he displayed to King Viv on reaching the milestone was crass.

Darren Sammy (6 wickets at 48.50; 201 runs at 40.20) 7: Incongruously unlikely hundred at Trent Bridge brought perhaps the biggest cheer of the series, grabbed the odd useful wicket and led his battling but well-beaten troops with charm and determination. A cricketer whose whole is fr greater than the sum of his parts.

Kemar Roach (8 wickets at 34.25) 6: Gave West Indies hope at Lord's with a fierce spell as England chased 191, but his habit of bowling no-balls cost him dear at Trent Bridge where he twice would have snared Cook but for stepping over the line.

Fidel Edwards (1 Test, one wicket for 112) 2: Disappointing at Lord's where if he could have offered support to Roach on the final morning, West Indies could have won a stunning victory. Didn't feature at Trent Bridge or Edgbaston. 

Ravi Rampaul (4 wickets at 35.50) 7: The pick of the West Indies seamers at Trent Bridge where his control and penetration brought his side back into the game on the third morning. Carrying a bit of extra timber after a recent illness meant he was a deadringer for Masood from Eastenders - or so the wife tells me.

Shannon Gabriel (1 Test, 4 wickets at 21.50) 6: Came in for his debut at Lord's and did reasonably enough to warrant another chance before he succumbed to injury.

Tino Best (1 Test, two for 37; 95 runs) 9: Bowled consistently at over 90 miles per hour and scored the highest score in Test history by a number eleven batsman. Mind the windows indeed, Tino.

Shane Shillingford (1 Test, one for 138) - 1: It was too cold for his hands to feature at Lord's and his bowling hadn't warmed up much by the time he came in at Trent Bridge where he was dealt with ease by England's batsmen.

Sunil Narine (1 Test, none for 70) - 2: There wasn't much mystery with Narine at Edgbaston, but let's wait before we dismiss his credentials in the longer form of the game just yet.

Where next?

England v West Indies - England series marks out of 10

2nd Test marks out of 10: England and West Indies

1st Test marks out of ten: England and West Indies

Guantanamo Cricket Club and an opening bowler named...Stalin

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2nd Test: England vs West Indies - West Indies marks out of 10

Adrian Barath - 2: Lucky to get 0 in the 1st innings and doesn't even look close to being a Test opener. Whatever happened to the teenager who made that impressive hundred on debut at The Gabba?

Kieran Powell - 4: Looked decent enough in scoring 33 in the 1st innings but failed second time around and is clearly a number five or six. Chris Gayle's return can not come soon enough.

Kirk Edwards - 1: The final member of the worst Test top three seen for some time on English shores. Two more failures - his tour record now stands at 20 runs from seven innings. His batting is even more sickly than the flu ridden vice-captain.

Darren Bravo – 4: Even Lara didn’t have to contend with a top three as limited as this; it certainly seems to be getting to Bravo if his dismissals here are anything to go by. The return of Gayle and Sarwan would allow this sublime talent to flourish.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul – 5: For once, Shiv left the heroics to others as Swann trapped him in front for 46 on day one and he fell hooking against the new ball – having been forced to come in at four due to the illness of Edwards – second time around.

Marlon Samuels – 9: Has the languid Samuels finally arrived as a Test batsman 12 years after his debut? It certainly looked so here. His hundred was a glorious knock made all the more special given that his side had been 131 for six and he probably would have got another if he hadn’t run out of partners in the 2nd innings. If that wasn’t enough, his DRS assisted send-off to Swann was the comic moment of the game.

Dinesh Ramdin – 4: After his resistance at Lord’s he was beaten for pace by Bresnan early on in both innings here, but again looked secure with the gloves.

Darren Sammy – 8: Yes, he rode his luck, but there cannot have been many more popular hundreds by visiting captains. It forced some of the ridiculous criticism he received before this match back down the throats of his accusers. His value as a captain, galvanising force and contributions here and there with bat and ball justify his place at this stage of his side's development.

Kemar Roach – 5: Made to pay twice for his alarming propensity of bowling no-balls, which could have changed the shape of the game as England replied to 370, but roared back with the second new ball to give Bairstow a torrid baptism with short ball.

Shane Shillingford - 3: England made a concerted attempt to get after him and it succeeded with the spinner going at over four runs per over.

Ravi Rampaul – 8: The extra timber he is carrying due to recent illness means he bears an uncanny resemblance to Masood from EastEnders, but he is certainly a canny operator with the ball and brought his side back into the match with an excellent spell on the third morning.

Where next?

2nd Test: England vs West Indies - England marks out of 10

1st Test marks out of ten: England and West Indies

King Viv - The Greatest ODI innings ever: vs England, Old Trafford 1984

An all-time West Indies Test XI

1st Test: England vs West Indies - West Indies marks out of 10

Adrian Barath - 6: Got starts in both innings and played a series of attractive strokes, but needs to convert. Would clearly benefit from having a more experienced opening partner alongside him. Yes, we are talking about you Chris Gayle.

Kieran Powell - 3: Beaten by an Anderson inswinger on the first morning and suckered into hitting a short one down deep square leg's throat second time around. He may have scored a hundred against the Lions, but he looks more of a number five or six to us.

Kirk Edwards - 2: Came into the game with an average of 50, but only made a solitary run here playing a poor stroke to be caught in front on the first morning and then being run out for a duck second time around. Not the only Edwards to have a poor Test.

Darren Bravo - 5: A comedy of errors saw him run out by Chanderpaul in the first dig, send Edwards back to be run out in the second innings and then shoulder arms to be bowled by Swann's arm ball. A shame, because he looked good in both innings.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul - 9: Is he selfish or selfless? Whatever the answer, he is damn near impossible to get out. Held the batting together in both innings and whilst he didn't get the hundred he deserved, he did inspire his colleagues to an impressive fightback, which for a brief moment looked to have given the West Indians a chance of a stunning victory.

Marlon Samuels - 7: We had a bit of a go at him after his 1st innings dismissal, but perhaps imbued by getting Pietersen's wicket his 2nd innings 86 was a mighty impressive knock until he was undone by Broad and the new ball. Can he kick on from this impressive performance though?

Dinesh Ramdin - 6: Looks a much better batsman than Carlton Baugh and he hung around long enough in the 2nd innings to help set England a testing target. No major mistakes with the gloves.

Darren Sammy - 6: Combined some wonderful strokes in his 2nd innings 37 with shots that would make a schoolboy number eleven blush. His bowling is more steady and far less spectacular. Deserves credit for instilling more steel and camaradie in his charges.

Kemar Roach - 7: Fast and hostile spells late on day four and first thing on day five threatened briefly to give his side the opportunity for an historic win. Needs to be more consistent, bowl fewer no-balls (a whopping 18 in the match) and work on his economy - he went at over 4.3 runs per over in both innings.

Fidel Edwards - 4: Didn't look fully fit and was nowhere near his best with just the solitary wicket of Broad to show for his efforts. Roach needed better support.

Shannon Gabriel - 6: A promising debut - getting Bell, Prior and Pietersen in your first Test is not a bad way to start.

Where next?

1st Test: England vs West Indies - England marks out of 10

Shivnarine Chanderpaul: Selfish or selfless?

West Indies' Shakespearean Farce

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Shivnarine Chanderpaul: Selfish or selfless?

We’re with Brian Lara on this one. As a batsman with 140 Tests and more than 10,000 runs at an average of over 50, Shivnarine Chanderpaul simply has to bat at number three for the West Indies. His continued refusal to do so smacks of self-interest and is a serious disservice to his inexperienced team mates.

There’s no doubting Chanderpaul’s qualities to stick around and bat with the tail, but West Indies need far more than that from their premier batsman. Chanderpaul needs to shape innings not continually try and revive them by walking to the crease with his side three wickets down for not a lot.

One can only surmise that he is more worried about his average and the risk of stepping out of his comfort zone at five than doing what is required for the team. He has an excellent record in England and has proved before that he can cope with the bowler-friendly conditions that prevail in England in May. He now needs to take on the added responsibility of batting at three so as to provide the platform for the likes of Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo to flourish when they come to the wicket.

It is bad enough that Chris Gayle’s absence means that West Indies are left with a wholly inexperienced opening pair of Adrian Barath and Kieran Powell, who despite the latter’s hundred against the Lions last week are wholly unprepared for facing James Anderson and Stuart Broad in swing and seam friendly English conditions. The word that most readily comes to mind is mismatch. To compound that by having the talented but inexperienced Edwards at three does not reflect well on Chanderpaul – especially as coach Otis Gibson has been lobbying for him to move up the order.

Last summer, Rahul Dravid proved once again that he was the ultimate team-man by helping India out of a hole by opening the batting at Trent Bridge and The Oval. He left with his reputation enhanced and three more Test hundreds under his belt. Does Chanderpaul have the wherewithal to do the same and lose the feeling of some observers, that with him it’s Shiv first, team second? The next few weeks will tell us more.

Where next?

West Indies' Shakespearean Farce

Rahul Dravid - The impenetrable wall

Who should bat at six for England?

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West Indies' Shakespearean Farce

The sight of the West Indies tourists being shot out for just 147 by England's second string attack at Northampton yesterday sadly came as no real surprise.

This tour has smacked of a Shakespearean farce from the start. Thanks to a combination of the sheer ineptitude of the WICB and greed on behalf of a number of players prioritising the IPL, the 15 man Test squad was already short of the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan (left to languish in County Cricket with Leicestershire) and spin sensation Sunil Narine, who the board inexplicably forgot to give a contract to.

Then the squad that was picked couldn't even arrive together. Marlon Samuels seemed to have trouble in locating an airport in India, whilst Narsingh Deonarine and Assad Fudadin - who was probably as surprised as we were at his call-up - were delayed by visa problems. Why, they sought help from Yorkshire in how to negotiate UK Customs, we'll never know.

The first game with Sussex was washed out with only 34 overs bowled meaning that the game in progress with the Lions is their only preparation before the 1st Test starts at Lord's next Thursday. That's the same amount of game-time in English conditions as Kevin Pietersen, whose body may be in England but whose heart would appear to still be in India.

For all the talk of a revival under Otis Gibson and Darren Sammy, West Indies have only won two of their last 30 Tests - and one of those was against Bangladesh. Their recent record in England is poor, with the last win coming at Edgbaston in 2000, after which Nasser Hussain's England bounced back to win the series 3-1. Since then they have lost 12 out of 14 Tests in England, and those defeats were achieved with markedly better sides than the one that will take the field at Lord's next Thursday.

Whilst the bowling attack is reasonable enough, the batting is entirely dependent on Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo. Chanderpaul fought a lone role in the recent series with Australia, and has a good record against England, but surely he needs to take on more responsibility and bat higher up the order? Otherwise, he can expect to come to the wicket on a regular basis at not much for three.

As we said at the start of this piece, this tour has the look of a farce about it and if the weather holds out, one can only see a resounding 3-0 win for England. For someone that watched in awe the fearsome West Indies sides of 1984 and 1988, that is more than farcical; it is tragic. Shakespeare wrote a few of those as well.

Where next?

West Indies' losing battle with the IPL

Who should bat at six for England?

They also played cricket - an XI of illustriously named Cricketers (featuring William Shakspeare)

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Annus Orior Oriri Ortus: The breakthrough Test XI of 2011

Well, we’ve already picked our best and worst Test XIs of 2011 at The Reverse Sweep and with (for once) perfect timing our final XI of 2011, which was published yesterday on All Out Cricket features those who made their bows in Test cricket and made an instant impression.

Why perfect timing, you may ask? Well, it may have escaped your attention that David Warner yesterday made the joint fourth fastest Test hundred in history and the quickest by an opener. Clearly though his inclusion in our XI is the biggest milestone he has yet achieved in his short Test career.

To see who else joins him in our XI having appeared for the first time on the Test stage and enjoyed an annus orior oriri ortus (the closest we could find in Latin to 'breakthrough' if you were interested) please head over to All Out Cricket to read our Breakthrough Acts XI of 2011.

Where next?

Annus mirabilis: The best Test XI of 2011

Annus horribilis: The Worst Test XI of 2011

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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We Are Two Today

December 23rd is a pretty random date to start a blog about cricket, but that is exactly what we did two years ago to this day.

For once the Christmas shopping was done and we were sat in the office with nothing to do et voila.

The life of a blogger is nearly as precarious as it was to be a despot in 2011, but like Dictator Dan we managed to get through the year unscathed.

It's been a good, bad and ugly year in cricket. The good was seen in England's Ashes triumph through to the absolute walloping of India to replace them as the number one Test side. It was also seen in Lancashire's County Championship triumph, Ireland's victory over England in the World Cup, Pakistan's resurgence, MS Dhoni's batting in the World Cup final and the arrival of a number of immensely talented young cricketers such as Darren Bravo, Pat Cummins and Jonathan Bairstow.

Sadly, there was a lot of bad topped by the unseemly spot-fixing trial that saw three cricketers sent to jail. As for the ugly, one didn't need to look further than the ICC. Whether it was allowing Zimbabwe back into the Test fold, dithering over the presence of the minnows in the next World Cup, backtracking over the World Test Championship or making a hash over the use of the DRS.

We hope you've enjoyed it. We have. Now it's time for a tantrum - well we are two.

Where next?

Happy 1st birthday

Dear Santa... - What have these cricketers requested for Christmas?

Check out some of our Cricket XIs: They also played cricket, Rugger Buggers, Cricketing Criminals , A team of cricketers that died young, The Worst Australia Ashes XI of the last 30 years, The Worst England Ashes XI of the last 30 years

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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Mumbai's thrilling final ball draw shows the true value of Test cricket

Just as in Adelaide in 2006, the first four days of the 3rd Test between India and West Indies had been pretty soporific.

Other than the pleasure of seeing Darren Bravo once again confirming his immense promise, the drama within a drama that was Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94 and the all-round display of Ravichandran Ashwin, the Wankhede Test had not been a good advert for the longest form of the game.

But the inherent brilliance of Test cricket is that in the space of a few minutes it can transform from execrable to exhilirating and   and that is exactly what happened on day five in Mumbai.

Through a mixture of poor shot selection, lack of belief and general naivety as well as some good bowling by Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha, the West Indies disintegrated in their 2nd innings for the second time in this series when they had led on 1st innings.

Strangely enough a batting collapse of their own was the only conceivable way that West Indies could win this Test, and they nearly did despite India ranging from odds-on to slight favourites throughout their chase of 243 in what turned out to be 64 overs.

Every time India looked home and dry they lost a wicket, so that with two balls of the match left all four results were possible. Eventually the game ended with the scores level and India nine wickets down - only the second time in Test history there had been a draw with the sides level.

So just as at Adelaide in 2006 or Cardiff earlier this year, a game that had looked to be meandering to a turgid draw exploded to life into a thrilling last day contest.

Test cricket really is the purest, most challenging, thrilling and ultimate form of the game. Forget Twenty 20 and 50 0ver cricket, it's Test cricket for us every time.

Where next?

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

Virat Kohli - The (Little) Master's Apprentice

Do you want to help save Test cricket? @TestingTimesXI

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Cricket heroes: Darren Sammy

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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Who are cricket's likely future greats?

In a piece on Cricinfo just five months before his death, Peter Roebuck asked Who are cricket's future greats? 

Roebuck concurs that cricket has seen its fair share of great players since the emergence of the formidable West Indies side of the late seventies. He goes on to name  half a dozen current batsmen deserving of the great tag: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting, before adding the caveat that all are within a few years of retirement.

When it comes to bowlers, Roebuck argues that only Dale Steyn is worthy of a place in the pantheon of bowling greats. This is hard to contradict as those closest to Steyn like James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Zaheer Khan would seem to fall into the ‘very good’ rather than ‘great’ category.

We’d concur with Roebuck that of the current crop of batsmen, Hashim Amla seems the most likely candidate to attain greatness in the coming years. His Test career took a while to get into top gear, but his sublime style and appetite for runs has grown and he averages over 70 since the start of 2010. Judging by his recent hundreds against Australia in Cape Town and Johannesburg the best is yet to come.

The past week has thrown up two more fledgling candidates, albeit two at the outset of their careers but whose promise seems unlimited.

A lot of people are getting very excited about Australia’s new fast bowling discovery Patrick Cummins. Even as thoughtful, respected and usually restrained observer like Christopher Martin-Jenkins writes in today’s Times that Cummins is a gem in the mould of Dennis Lillee and Glenn McGrath.

New Australian coach Mickey Arthur also sees comparisons with Steyn and it has to be said that it is hard to recall a more impressive entry into Test cricket than the one made by Cummins in Johannesburg. His six-wicket haul almost single-handedly brought Australia back into the game and more than that it was the manner in which he bowled that marked him as something special. The fact he is only 18, and with just a handful of first-class matches under his belt is mind-boggling. Australia would appear to have found the basis from which to rebuild.

Another to provoke comparison with a recent great is the 22 year old West Indian batsman Darren Bravo, who with back to back centuries in the current series with India has the same batting average and just one run less than Brian Lara at the same stage of his career.

Bravo has reputedly based his batting on Lara and there is no mistaking the panache, style and manner of his fellow Trinidadian at the crease. Of the many promising players that have emerged in the Caribbean such as fellow batsman Kirk Edwards, speedster Kemar Roach and spinner Devendra Bishoo, Bravo stands at the head of the pack. A West Indian resurgence could be in the offing at last.

There are other promising young players – Virat Kohli to name but one, but the positive impression left by Cummins and Bravo in the last week means that they will be the ones to watch most closely over the next few years.

Where next?

Virat Kohli - The (Little) Master's Apprentice

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

The contrarian erudite genius of Peter Roebuck

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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Fire in Babylon - relive the glory years of West Indies cricket & weep at its current parlous state

We’re pretty excited at the prospect of watching the ‘Fire in Babylon’ film (see trailer below) about the legendary West Indian side of the 1970's and 80's here at The Reverse Sweep.

It will certainly be a trip down memory lane to see the likes of Holding, Garner, Marshall and Richards in full flow and putting the jeepers up opposition batsmen and bowlers once again.

In our view that West Indies team is the greatest cricket side of them all – better than Bradman’s Invincibles, better than the England side that toured Australia in 1928/29, and better than Steve Waugh’s formidable Australian unit of 1999-2003.

And we don’t think we are looking through rose tinted spectacles either. Between 1980 and 1995 (yes, we know the film covers 1974-84 only), the West Indies played 29 Test series, winning 20, drawing 9 and losing none. To dominate for that long without losing a single rubber is not only phenomenal, it is unparalleled.

 

That makes all the sadder still the state that West Indies cricket finds itself in today. Their best batsman and premier all-rounder prefer to play the IPL to a home Test series with Pakistan. The team is in a lowly position in the rankings (and has been for some time) having not won a Test for 18 matches. And perhaps worst of all the WICB is in such a disgraceful and parlous state that it makes Ijaz Butt’s PCB look like a well-run organisation.

Whilst talented youngsters like Devendra Bishoo, Andre Russell, Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo suggest that there may be some light at what has been an extremely long tunnel; hopes cannot be high for the future of West Indian cricket.

So the prospect of watching ‘Fire in Babylon’ is an even more enticing and nostalgic prospect than it otherwise would be.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Malcolm Marshall

Cricket heroes: Viv Richards

Cricket heroes: Michael Holding

Time for a coup d'etat at the WICB over Chris Gayle cock-up

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World Cup Team Previews: West Indies - Calypso or Collapso?

 
On paper at least, the winners of the first two World Cup tournaments should have no problem negotiating the group stages of this year’s competition. But West Indies supporters have become accustomed to disappointment and will be approaching this World Cup with trepidation especially as the match with Bangladesh looks like an effective knockout encounter. On their day, the boys from the Caribbean can beat anyone especially if Chris Gayle fires, but ignominious exit at the group stages would hardly be a major surprise.

Strengths

There is depth and firepower in the batting with the likes of Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul, Barath and the Bravo brothers. If Pollard can finally transfer his IPL form to the international stage then West Indies could go into orbit. Benn is a canny spinner and conditions should suit him, whilst Roach is an immensely promising fast bowler.

Weaknesses

In a word, inconsistency. This team can be champs one day and chumps the next. The bowling looks lacking in depth and batting collapses seem to occur all too frequently.

Main man

If he is in the mood, Chris Gayle - the coolest dude in cricket – can flay any attack.

Look out for…

The antics of Sulieman Benn, whether it is getting into heated rows with opposing batsmen or umpires, or even refusing to bowl around the wicket, watching him on the field is unmissable. Captain Darren Sammy’s musings on Twitter are also worth a gambit.

Prediction

The game with Bangladesh looks like the mother of all banana skins and whilst they could give England a run for their money, we predict a first round exit for Sammy’s band of merry men.

Where next?

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 2 - South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

World Cup Team Previews: Part 3 - Bangladesh: Shock & Awe

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Heroes: Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding

Check out all our other Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes 

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