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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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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West Indies' losing battle with the IPL

The Test series currently going on in the Carribbean between West Indies and Australia has been as intriguing as it has been attritional.

Australia are still a work in progress, but they have managed to forge a 1-0 lead with one Test to play in part to their renowned never say die attitude, but also due to Michael Clarke's attacking captaincy and Darren Sammy's side for their habit of having a poor session when ahead or level in the game.

But as Clarke acknowledged last week, his hosts have been severely weakened by several West Indian players putting a domestic league in India over the chance to beat Australia in a home Test series.

This is the topic of our column for All Out Cricket this week, and before we get accused of heresy it is not intended to be a dig at the IPL. Read West Indies v IPL: Cricket's Crucial Contest and let us know what you think.

Where next?

It's not jealously KP, it's pure and simple indifference

Cricket Heroes: Darren Sammy

The redemption of Michael Clarke

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

It's that time of year again and like the rest of us, the cricket fraternity have been compiling their list of requests for Santa.

Here's what some of them may have asked for this Christmas: 

Daniel Vettori - Protection. With 2011 having seen a number of dictators leaving this mortal coil, along with President Assad of Syria, Dictator Dan is one of only a handful left

Phillip Hughes - It's not exactly been a good year for poor old Phil, so his list to Santa is bulging with wishes such as a request to rescind his decision to opt out of BBL now that he has lost his Test place, a book of the best Worcester hosteleries ahead of his stint with the county and for Chris Martin and Martin Guptill to be sent on a one-way mission to Mars

Ricky Ponting - A time machine so he can relive past glories

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - A DVD of The Great Escape and a tunnel making kit

Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - Lucrative contracts in the new Twenty 20 leagues in Outer Mongolia, Belarus and the Falkland Islands

Stuart Law - A one way ticket from Dhaka to Brisbane

Ijaz Butt - World War III 

Kevin Pietersen and Andy Flower - A bottle of paraffin, some matches and a lorry full of Graeme Swann's autobiography

Jonathan Trott - A Bob Willis voodoo doll

Jesse Ryder, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith - A KFC bargain bucket per day for life

Shane Warne - Some humility

Kamran Akmal - A new pair of gloves made of industrial strength velcro coupled with a small accident for brother Adnan

Darren Sammy - Catching lessons from Kamran Akmal

Sachin Tendulkar - Something about a 100th hundred. Not quite sure what that is all about

Shane Watson and Zaheer Khan - New bodies in time for the Boxing Day Test.

Where next?

Chasing Sachin by Adam Carroll-Smith | Book Review

Jack Hobbs by Leo McKinstry | Book review

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 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

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 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

After 827 days, finally some good news for West Indies cricket

 
It seems an eon since West Indies bowled out England for 51 at Sabina Park in the first match of the Strauss and Flower regime.

Since that rather ignominious day on 7th February 2009, England has bounced back to win Ashes series’ home and away and become World T20 champions.

The fortunes of the victors of that Kingston Test have sadly gone in completely the opposite direction. What has heralded at the time as a turning point in the fortunes of West Indian cricket, became yet another false dawn.

So it was heartening that 827 days and 18 Tests later, Darren Sammy’s side finally won another Test match.

The Guyana Test was an absolute classic.

Two struggling but evenly-matched sides, a difficult pitch, only one batsman reaching fifty and a masterful exhibition of off spin bowling from Saeed Ajmal.

The pendulum swung one way and then the other, but in the end it was the Pakistan batting that proved the more brittle and their catching that was the clumsiest and most amateurish.

Over 20% of the West Indies runs (76 runs out of 378) in the match came from its last pair – they won the match by 40 runs.

It doesn’t mean a West Indian resurgence up the rankings will follow. It may prove to be another false dawn.

But it does show that some fire is left in the belly and that in Devendra Bishoo, who made an impressive bow at the highest level, West Indies has a highly promising leg-spinner with the talent and character to be a top Test bowler.  

One thing’s for sure, the 2nd and final Test of the series has a lot to live up to.

Where next?

Our all-time West Indies XI to celebrate the release of 'Fire in Babylon' 

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

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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Save Shiv

 
West Indies may have scraped into the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but there can’t be much confidence that they will progress any further – even if their next opponents are unpredictable Pakistan.

Darren Sammy’s side should have beaten England and India, having fought back to get into winning positions in both matches.

We’re still scratching our heads here at the Reverse Sweep at the way West Indies handed England a World Cup lifeline – it’s not often that you see a team needing 22 runs off 52 balls losing their last four wickets for two runs.

Yesterday’s defeat against India wasn’t quite as dramatic, but it still featured another horrendous batting collapse.

At 154 for two, West Indies needed less than a run a ball off of the last 20 overs.

It should have been a routine win, but the wicket of Devon Smith precipitated a collapse that saw the last eight wickets fall for just 34 runs.

If Smith had been replaced at the crease by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, then it is likely that West Indies would have sauntered to victory.

But Chanderpaul was inexplicably left out of the side against England and India.

So now the tail effectively starts at five with Kieron Pollard.

Pollard is great against weak attacks when a few quick runs are required in the latter overs, as evidenced by the carnage he inflicted on the Irish and Dutch bowlers.

But he is probably the last batsman you want coming in against Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh when what is required is a no frills approach and plenty of ones and twos.

Chanderpaul provides this in spades; Pollard doesn’t.

Chanderpaul may not have had a great World Cup thus far, but West Indies can ill afford to leave him out.

If they get into a similarly good position against Pakistan, then it is a good bet that Chanderpaul would lead them over the winning line.

The ‘Save Shiv’ campaign starts today.

Where next?

Read about our cricket heroes and zeroes

Heroes: Darren Sammy

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

An XI of unlikely World Cup heroes and a not so heroic 12th man

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An XI of unlikely World Cup heroes and a not so heroic 12th man

 
We had a go at naming a composite Associates/Zimbabwe XIearlier in the tournament, which we posted with especially poor timing just hours before Kevin O’Brien committed GBH on the England bowlers in Bangalore.

This XI is different. It is a team of unlikely heroes (and an even more unlikely and much less heroic 12th man) who have mostly starred for the Associates during the World Cup and shown exactly why their presence in the ICC’s premier limited overs tournament should be absolutely mandatory. There are a couple of ringers in there too from full members, but neither would look out of place in an Associate side.

They came, they saw, they mostly didn’t conquer, but they added fun and colour to an otherwise tedious and elongated opening group phase.

Hiral Patel (Canada) – Faced with the heavy artillery of Tait, Lee and Johnson, 19 year old Patel came out with all guns blazing to compile an exhilarating 37 ball 50. The kind of guy who'd happily take a bullet for you.

Paul Stirling (Ireland) – Not only impressed with a 70-ball hundred against The Netherlands and his useful off-breaks, but also has the best jingle on Test Match Sofa. That alone earns him hero status.

Ashish Bagai (Canada)– Looked reasonable with the gloves, but it was his batting that really impressed with 225 runs at 45 including 84 against New Zealand and 64 not out against Kenya to earn his side their solitary win.

Ryan ten Doeschate (Netherlands)– The man they call “Ten inches” started the tournament with an unlikely ODI average in the high sixties and amazingly maintained it with a truly marvelous hundred against England. Also scored a ton against Ireland and finished with 307 runs at 61.40.

Collins Obuya (Kenya) – A really unlikely story. Impressed as a young leg-spinner in Kenya’s march to the semi-finals in 2003, and then reinvented himself as a top order batsman after getting the yips. Scored 242 runs at 60.50 despite playing in the worst side in the tournament and the fact that he finished on 98 not out against Australia, if anything, makes his story more heroic.

Kevin O’Brien (Ireland)– Came to the crease against England as a fat bloke with pink hair and then proceeded to morph into the bastard child of Gary Sobers and Viv Richards with his memorable never-to-be-forgotten 50 ball hundred. Surely, the IPL awaits.

Peter Borren (Netherlands)– If there is ever a remake of Robocop, Borren should be cast in the title role as he looks one mean and moody geezer. We daren’t leave him out, would you?

Darren Sammy (West Indies) – We like Sammy at The Reverse Sweep – he is definitely the coolest and most relaxed skipper at the World Cup. But let’s face it if he wasn’t captain, he wouldn’t be in the side. But Sammy doesn’t care and happily opens the bowling and promotes himself up the order. And we love that.

James Tredwell (England)– England’s erstwhile drinks waiter was pitched into battle in the do or die conflict with the West Indies and promptly proved that he could do more than mix a mean gin and tonic by snaring the rampaging Chris Gayle with his fifth ball – his first ODI wicket – and grabbing three more wickets thereafter.

Harvir Baidwan (Canada) – His 13 wickets in the tournament place him joint 3rd on the leading wicket takers list. That warrants selection alone. The fact that he got Shane Watson out in the nineties seals it.

Nehamiah Odhiambo (Kenya)– Murali is known for his winning smile, but it is easy to grin when you can tease and torment batsmen at will. Odhiambo only has a modicum of Murali’s talent, but if anything has an even bigger smile. He made us smile too when he got Shane Watson's wicket and Michael Clarke out in the nineties in the game against Australia.

12th Man – Kevin Pietersen (England)– Despite a long term of duty and several war wounds, Pietersen bravely pitched up at the World Cup and battled through England’s first four matches. Finally, with Andy Flower’s praises ringing in his ear, KP went home early for an emergency operation and some deserved convalescence. The wimp.

Where next?

England's World Cup of total and utter anarchy

Read about our cricket heroes and zeroes

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

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 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Heroes: Darren Sammy

 
We take a glass half-full approach to life at the Reverse Sweep and we seem to have found a kindred spirit this week in the new West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Even though he has just taken on possibly the hardest job in cricket other than perhaps the captaincy of Pakistan or being Ijaz Butt’s adjutant, Sammy is full of optimism.

This is despite facing an immediate in-box of problems. Firstly, two of his best players – former captain Chris Gayle and all-rounder Dwayne Bravo – have refused to sign WICB contracts, so they can be free to put Twenty 20 riches ahead of playing for the West Indies.

If that wasn’t enough then one of his other best players – Ramnaresh Sarwan – has been dropped from the squad for the imminent daunting tour of Sri Lanka. Moreover, Sammy faces a real challenge to inspire his team from the doldrums of being the seventh ranked test and eighth ranked one day side in the World.

But is Sammy – an eight cap test novice – worried? Of course he isn’t. He may be the most surprising international captaincy appointment since Chris Cowdrey, but he is completely undaunted by the mountain in front of him.

We particularly enjoyed what he said when explaining that it was time that the West Indies team put a smile on the face of their followers again:

"That's what Darren Sammy wants to do. Bring back the joy."

If positivity wins test matches then Sammy is already the equal of great test captains like Armstrong, Jardine, Brearley or Worrell. For making us smile with his optimism - let’s just hope it isn’t of the blind variety - Darren Sammy is a Reverse Sweep hero.

Where next?

Read about all our Heroes & Zeroes

Our All-time West Indies XI

Brandon Bess: The strangest test debutant of them all