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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Not so marvelous Marlon

No single player perhaps encapsulates the shortcomings of this West Indies side better than Marlon Samuels.

He clearly has talent, but lacks application and concentration and is as careless at the crease as he is with his tongue in the company of Indian bookmakers.

His innings yesterday was typical of his disappointing 37 match Test career. He rode his luck at the start, showed some determination to stick around, played himself in, unfurled a couple of lovely boundaries off Graeme Swann and then threw it away with a dreadfully loose shot to depart for 31.

With Shivnarine Chanderpaul at his obdurate best at the other end, Samuels' lapse in concentration was even more unforgiveable, although given that his Test average is a paltry 29 perhaps we shouldn't be surprised.

Where next?

Podcast: England vs West Indies preview

Shivnarine Chanderpaul: Selfish or selfless?

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

An all-time West Indies Test XI

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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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David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

Four of the seven quickest hundreds in Test history have come at the WACA (or should it now be renamed the Whacker?) – three of these have been scored by opening batsmen and indeed are the three quickest hundreds ever scored by openers in Test history.

We were too young to have seen the first of the three scored by Roy Fredericks against a fearsome Australian attack including Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, but would recommend reading this wonderful recollection by The Guardian’s Andy Bull of a remarkably courageous innings from the batsman they called Kid Cement.

Fredericks reached his hundred in 71 balls, a feat bettered by one ball by Chris Gayle (see number six) in 2009 (in the days before he became a full-time T20 mercenary) in an innings that Nathan Hauritz in particular still probably hasn’t recovered from the spanking administered to him.

So onto today. India must have been feeling pretty dispirited having been blasted out for just 161 in a series that they are already 2-0 down in. But nothing could have prepared them for the slaughter that David Warner had in store for them.

Whilst all the Indian bowlers are probably organising one-way tickets (are there any other?) to Switzerland for an appointment with Dignitas after a shocking performance, nothing should be taken away from Warner’s gun-slinging performance.

He didn’t give a chance, carted all of the four-man Indian pace attack around the park, smashed Vinay Kumar’s fourth ball in Test cricket back over his head for six and reached his hundred in the most appropriate fashion by hitting another monstrous six off the same unfortunate debutant, whose retirement from Test cricket probably cannot come soon enough.

As a result Warner beat Gayle’s mark by one ball to join Shivnarine Chanderpaul (who must have left his pet crab at home on that particular day) as the joint fourth fastest century maker in Test history.

In his first five Tests Warner has now become only the sixth batsmen ever to carry his bat in the fourth innings of a Test as well as scoring the quickest hundred ever by an opener in Test history, which makes our initial assessment that Warner wouldn’t cut the mustard in the long form of the game look pretty foolish.

But not as foolish as an Indian side who have now let Australia rack up 771/1 since reducing them to 37/3 in Sydney with partnerships of 288, 334* and now 149*. Duncan Fletcher who has lost his last 11 overseas Tests as coach of England and now India is staring down the barrel once again.

Where next?

India: Tigers at home; pussies away

It's surreal: Kieron Pollard fires a first ODI hundred; David Warner cracks a maiden Test ton

The David Warner Experiment

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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The criminally underrated Younis Khan & the criminal negligence of Ijaz Butt

The esteemed Indian cricket writer and fellow Liverpool fan Dileep Premachandran brought an interesting statistic to our attention on Twitter yesterday.

In illustrating Australia’s batting deficiencies, he highlighted that in an era dominated by batsmen only the discarded Simon Katich has a batting average of over 50 in Tests played since 1 January 2006.

The top ten (minimum qualification ten innings), which is dominated by batsmen from the sub-continent makes interesting reading (see full list here) and in reverse order from 10-3 comprises Misbah-ul-Haq, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacques Kallis, Thilan Samaraweera, Jonathan Trott and Mohammad Yousuf.

But it is the identity of the top two that is perhaps the most interesting.

On reflection it is not a huge surprise to see Kumar Sangakkara with a stellar average of 68 at the top of the pile such is the brilliance and consistency of his batting. Moreover, the fact that he had the added challenge of captaining Sri Lanka for most of the period makes his record all the more impressive. Bowlers shouldn’t rest too easy either as if Sangakkara’s return from his most recent series is anything to go by (a defiant 516 runs at 86 against a dominant Pakistan) he is getting better and better.

Nestling just behind Sangakkara in second place is Younis Khan. Yes, the same Younis Khan that was treated so shamefully by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s former idiot-in-chief Ijaz Butt. Younis averages 65 in the period despite being betrayed when captain by a clique led by Shoaib Malik, ostracised by Butt and left out of the side. The fact that he averages over 80 since his return shows up Butt for the utter fool he is – if any further proof was required on that count.

Misbah’s calm captaincy and even calmer presence at the crease is one big reason why England should be wary of their upcoming series with Pakistan. The criminally underrated Younis is another.

England’s post-Ashes celebrations in 2005 were brought crashing down to earth in Pakistan a few weeks later and the newly crowned number one Test side could suffer a similar fate in the UAE against the same opponents in the next couple of months unless they are at the top of their game.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Younis Khan

Responsibility and Misbah-ul-Haq

The Ten Commandments of Ijaz Butt

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Who should England pick to face Pakistan?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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The Reverse Sweep's County Cricket 2011 Awards

 
The last post of our 2011 County Cricket Review sees the prizes (and wooden spoons) handed out:

Best Team

Surrey won promotion to Division 1 and lifted the CB40, whilst Worcestershire defied the odds and the loss of their first six games to stay up - ditching the yo-yo tag into the process, but Lancashire have to take this for finally breaking their 77 year duck. They may have not had the strongest side on paper, but they did where it counted - on the pitch.

See also: 10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Worst Team

Leicestershire may have finished bottom of Division 2 by some distance, but they did give Paul Nixon a fitting send-off by lifting the FLt20, so this award has to go to Yorkshire, who in the words of their own chairman were 'a bloody disgrace'.

See also: Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves gets straight to the point

Best Player

With due deference to Glen Chapple and Marcus Trescothick, this award has to go to the unheralded Will Gidman for becoming the first English qualified player since David Capel in 1989 to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 50 wickets. So why didn't he receive a call-up to any of England's winter performance squads? No, we don't know either.  

Best Batsman

Marcus Trescothick, who scored nearly 300 Championship runs more than any other batsman despite missing his side's last three matches. Tres ought to almost receive a handicap such is his total dominance of county bowlers.

See also County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Marcus Trescothick

Best Bowler

93 Championship wickets is impossible to argue with even with the supposed advantage of having a Tiflex cricket ball in your hand, so David Masters pips Alan Richardson (Worcestershire's saviour), Chapple, Kyle Hogg and Tim Murtagh for this honour.

Best Spinner

Gary Keedy may not have received as many plaudits as old Long John Silver himself, Glen Chapple, but his contribution of 61 wickets at under 24 was just as crucial to Lancashire's title success, and enables him to pip Monty Panesar and team-mate Simon Kerrigan for this prize.

Best Cameo

Shivnarine Chanderpaul looked to have this one sown up until Warwickshire failed to secure victory at the Rose Bowl on the final day, so Pragyan Ojha steals this prize for a stunning four match cameo with Surrey. Four wins, 24 wickets at 13 and promotion back to Division 2. And the Indian selectors picked Amit Mishra above him?

Worst Player

South African bowlers didn't exactly cover themselves in glory with Friedel de Wet and Wayne Parnell struggling for Hampshire and Sussex respectively, but Lonwabo Tsotsobe took the biscuit here. Five wickets in three first-clas matches at 77 and a broadside via Twitter prompted Essex coach Paul Grayson to describe him as 'downright rude'. Thanks to @ianashworth for reminding us about this one.

Best Temporary Home

Unquestionably Aigburth. How many times have Lancashire been foiled by the Manchester weather and Old Trafford pitch? A temporary move along the M62 to the sunshine coast of Liverpool and voila, a first title for 77 years. Liverpool 1 Manchester 0.

Let them catch the next bouquet

Surely it's time perenniel bridesmaids Somerset got hitched? Runners-up finishes in the FLt20 and CB40 meant it five second places out of the last six domestic prizes to be awarded leads one to speculate that Somerset would probably finish second in a one horse race.

The Devon Loch honorary Award

At one time it looked like this would go to one of the four title chasing protagonists in Division 1, but by the end of the season there was only one candidate for this award. Northamptonshire looked absolute certainties for promotion to Division 1, but only managed to win one of their last seven matches. They fared no better in the CB40 where despite winning their first five matches, they failed to reach the semi-finals. Did Andrew Hall's South African background obviously had an unexpected choking effect on his charges?

Best Youngster

Mentions to Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Alex Hales, but this one has to go to Jonathan Bairstow. He stood tall in the manure that was Yorkshire's season and his blistering one day debut innings was the delicious cherry on the top.

Best Resurrection

Only one possible winner here - Michael Carberry, whose return from a debilitating illness was the most uplifting story of the summer.

See County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Michael Carberry

Biggest Moan

The demise of the Tiflex was disappointing, but the ridiculous fixture schedule has to take the wooden spoon here. For example, Leicestershire finished a championship match on the Thursday, won the FLt20 on the Saturday, played the Indian tourists on the Monday and then started another Championship game against Middlesex on the Tuesday. It is hardly surprising that Middlesex ended the first day on 370 for 1.

Biggest Anti-Climax

Sachin Tendulkar's hundredth international hundred anyone?

Where next?

A Year To Forget: County Championship Flops XI of the season

County Cricket 2011 Heroes: The Tiflex cricket ball

County Championship Division 1 XI of the season

County Championship Division 2 XI of the season

Read all of our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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County Championship XI of the week #19

Whilst it was tempting just to list the Lancashire XI from Taunton, we decided to stick to the formula for our last County Championship XI of the season:

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) – Two contrasting fifties as Lancashire ended their barren 77 year quest: a sedate 1st innings 50 from 80 balls helped steady nerves after Somerset had scored 380 and his rapid 55 ball 71 gave early impetus to their 2nd innings run chase.

Liam Dawson (Hampshire) – Held up Warwickshire by carrying his bat in a marathon six hour ten minute epic – perhaps giving Carberry and McKenzie belief they could do the same when Hampshire followed on.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) – A third hundred in four Championship matches looked to have given his side the decisive edge in the title race, but it wasn’t to be this time for the man who was on the field when Durham triumphed in 2008 and 2009.

James Hildreth (Somerset) – Perhaps remembering that it was Lancashire’s loss to Nottinghamshire that deprived Somerset of the title last season, Hildreth finally showed his class after a disappointing season with 185 at Taunton.

Neil McKenzie (Hampshire) – Took his cue from Dawson and with a willing accomplice in Carberry broke Warwickshire hearts with an unbeaten 115 compiled over 344 granite-like minutes. Statues of the South African are probably being erected all over the Red Rose county as we write.

Tom Maynard (Surrey) – A third Championship ton of the season set Surrey up for maximum batting points and the win that ensured promotion to Division 1.

John Simpson (Middlesex) – Makes our XI for the second successive week for taking Middlesex over the line with a composed 27 not out when panic stations were starting to be reached against Leicestershire. Also struck a 1st innings fifty.

Gareth Berg (Middlesex) – Without Berg’s three 1st innings wickets, career best 130 and match-winning partnership with Simpson, Middlesex could have been in purgatory instead of promotion heaven.

David Willey (Northamptonshire) – His side may have been cruelly denied promotion, but Willey’s match figures of ten for 75 gave some small consolation to Northamptonshire’s heartbroken supporters.

Glen Chapple (Lancashire) – Even on one leg there was no way that anyone was getting Chapple off the Taunton pitch. The post-match celebratory champagne will have acted as the ideal anaesthetic to Lancashire’s favourite ever Yorkshireman. OBEs have been handed out for less.

Pragyan Ojha (Surrey) – Bamboozled Derbyshire with match figures of 47.2-16-90-10 to take Surrey up and make his final tally 24 wickets at 13 from his four matches. As Surrey won them all, does that make Ojha the signing of the season?

Where next?

Liam Dawson narrowly fails in quest to become honorary Lancastrian just like Glen Chapple

Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves gets straight to the point

Read all our County Cricket coverage

County Championship XI of the week #18

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

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Lancashire threaten to transform our County Championship casserole into a hotpot

Despite the dastardly Shivnarine Chanderpaul continuing to plunder more performance enhancing runs, yesterday was a good day for Lancashire in their pursuit of their first outright County Championship title for 77 years.

Bottom of the table Hampshire proved more resilient than expected at the Rose Bowl and with the weather also frustrating Warwickshire, the win they need to pip Lancashire to the title is not a given. With Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry both having made big scores recently, you never know.

Even better for Lancashire was their fightback at Taunton, which saw the home side bowled out for what looks like a below par 380. With Lancashire moving assurededly to 247 for three by the close, they are arguably in  a better position than the rivals to get the win they desperately require.

So with two days to go, the destination of the title is still unknown and our County Championship casserole is back on track to come to boil at exactly the right time. Indeed, if it wasn't for the fact that we don't like lamb then it could yet turn out to be a Lancashire hotpot.

Where next?

Warwickshire, Lancashire or Durham? The County Championship reaches another thrilling conclusion

Is it time for the County Championship equivalent of Match Of The Day?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Read all our County Cricket coverage

County Championship XI of the week #18

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

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Warwickshire up to their necks in dastardly Chanderpaul scandal

Forget the twin furores of pink cricket balls and the FA's lenient stance against drugs, the real scandal in town involves Warwickshire's challenge for the County Championship.

They stand accused of a crime far more serious and underhand - the shadow of performance enhancing runs now hangs over their title tilt.

The evidence became irrefutably clear yesterday when Shivnarine Chanderpaul eased to his third Championship ton in just four matches. If that wasn't performance enhancing enough then look at the effect of the dastardly West Indian veteran on the rest of his new batting colleagues.

Messrs Westwood, Troughton, Chopra and Clarke could hardly ever be called prolific run scorers, but Shiv has obviously supplied them all with the same thing that he has been taking. There is no clearer proof than the fact that Troughton hit his first Championship ton for 25 months against Notts last week. Even Clarke came to the party with his first century of the season in the same match.

And then yesterday in their final match against Hampshire where victory and maximum bonus points will give them the title, Chopra scored his third hundred of the season, but (and this is the crucial point) his first since scoring back to back double hundreds in the first two matches of the season.

Chanderpaul has got previous too - he was on the field when Durham won their consecutive titles in 2008 and 2009, so it seems incredible that the ECB didn't notice. Whilst they have been too busy tossing their pink cricket balls in the air, Warwickshire and the evil Shiv have been stealing away the County Championship from 77 year title famine victims Lancashire.

It also looks like ensuring that our County Championship casserole will come to the boil far too early.

The rotters. 

Where next?

Warwickshire, Lancashire or Durham? The County Championship reaches another thrilling conclusion

Is it time for the County Championship equivalent of Match Of The Day?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Read all our County Cricket coverage

County Championship XI of the week #18

County Championship XI of the week #10: Division 1 Half-Term XI

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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The most exciting league in the world

Forget the massively over-hyped Premier League, Serie A or even the two-horse race that is the Primera Liga, by far the most exciting league competition in the world is the English County Championship.

Any lingering doubts as to the merits of splitting a hitherto single 18 team (17 before Durham's entry in the early 1990s) Championship into two divisions must surely now be dispelled by what has once again been a fascinating and close fought battle.

With just two rounds of matches to go, every county in Division 1 bar the reigning champions Nottinghamshire are either embroiled in the fight for the title or desperately battling to avoid the relegation trap door.

Will it be Durham, Warwickshire, Lancashire or rank outsiders Somerset for the title? And which two of Sussex, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and Hampshire will suffer the ignominy of demotion to Division 2? 

Whilst in Division 2, there is a four-way battle for the two promotion spots. Middlesex look to have sown up one of these and in all realism it is now between season-long pacesetters Northamptonshire and fast-finishing Surrey for the second spot. Gloucestershire are waiting in the wings should both of these suffer a monumental slip over the next ten days.

Last week we asked if anyone actually wanted to win the County Championship this season such have been the twists and turns of an entirely unpredictable competition. But it's time to stick our necks out and whilst (as a neutral Sussex fan) we'd love to see Lancashire finally end their title famine and rate Durham as the strongest side, we feel that Warwickshire will prevail - the presence of Chris Woakes (strangely ignored by England) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will (in our opinion) tip the scales their way.

As for relegation, Yorkshire look doomed having only one game left to play and Hampshire have probably left it too late - that at least leaves Sussex safe. They will be replaced by Middlesex and Northants - it would be just too cruel for them not to go up now.

So forget the Premier League, give me the County Championship anyday.

Where next?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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County Championship XI of the week #17

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) - A daddy hundred - a career best 241 not out - for the England skipper on his return to county cricket. A case of anything Cook can do ...?

Jimmy Adams (Hampshire) - Compiled a second career double hundred to leave Somerset's title hopes in ruins at Taunton.

James Cameron (Worcestershire) - Defiant 98 was worth at least a hundred runs more in a game where no one else reached 50. Its value to his side was priceless as it could yet preserve their Division 1 status.

Michael Carberry (Hampshire) - The inspirational feegood story of the summer is Carberry's successful return from a life threatening illness. His 182 at Taunton increased his tally to 639 runs from just seven Championship matches.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) - Second Championhip hundred in a week against Yorkshire and an unbeaten fifty to secure the draw for his side in the second innings. 

Gary Ballance (Yorkshire) - First hundred for Yorkshire saved his side's bacon at Edgbaston and provides some hope in what appears to be a forlorn battle to escape the relegation trap door.

Steven Davies (Surrey) - England's forgotten man has run into form at just the right time. His 81 and 156 helped Surrey to a big win over promotion rivals Northamptonshire and guaranteed his place in our XI for the second successive week.

Stuart Meaker (Surrey) - Devastating four wicket burst changed shaped of crunch match with Northamptonshire. Another fast bowler to add to long list of England hopefuls - and as he was born in Durban, Meaker ought to be at the head of the queue!

Pragyan Ojha (Surrey) - Recorded second innings figures of six for eight from 18.1 overs at Wantage Road to leave one bemused that the impotent Mishra was picked ahead of him in India's Test squad this summer.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) - Derailed Lancashire's title aspirations with a second innings six for 22 to take his season tally to 62 Championship wickets. Effigies of the 36 year old veteran are probably being burnt all over the Red Rose county.

David Balcombe (Kent) - How did Hampshire let such a fearsome fast bowler go out on loan? Balcombe destroyed Essex with a ten wicket match haul to outshine the country's leading wicket taker David Masters at Canterbury. 

Where next?

Does anyone actually want to win the County Championship?

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

 

 

Does anyone actually want to win the County Championship?

 
It would seem not.

Indeed, this year’s Championship may eventually become known as the Devon Loch season as just as a frontrunner has emerged so they have stumbled with the finishing post almost in sight.

At the time, Durham’s victory over Lancashire at the end of June had a decisive look about it with the northernmost county seemingly set to secure its third title in four seasons. Since then though, things have fallen apart with three losses and one draw in their last four matches. Indeed, with Durham having slipped to third in the table and the two counties ahead of them – Lancashire and Warwickshire – having played a game less, last week’s defeat at Trent Bridge seemed to have ended their hopes for good.

Lancashire have not won the title outright since 1934, but this team - whose sum is much greater than its parts - looked set to end 77 years of hurt. Unfortunately, Durham’s travails have presaged the Red Rose county’s own tale of woe, which has seen them win only one of their last four games. Their troubles reached a new nadir yesterday with a ten wicket defeat to Worcestershire, which saw them shot out for a lowly 80 in their second innings to lose in just a day and a half. Their batting always had a brittle look about it and so it has transpired as they have now been bowled out for less than 200 seven times in their last 12 championship innings. This is not the form of champions.

Whilst Durham and Lancashire stumbled, Somerset who had hitherto looked out of the title race roared back into contention with wins over Durham, Worcestershire and Sussex. But just as wise sages nodded that Somerset had timed their run perfectly, so the weather (against Notts last week), injury (to Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton) and England call-ups (Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler) have stymied their hopes. With Hampshire fully in control of proceedings at Taunton in the current round of matches, the recent perennial bridesmaids of English cricket seem destined to miss out on the nuptials once again.

The fourth and final title challenger Warwickshire have had the good fortune to have played Yorkshire in their last two matches and the sense to have recruited Shivnarine Chanderpaul on a short-term contract. A demoralising defeat to Hampshire a fortnight ago where they were bowled out for 98 in their second innings seemed to suggest that Warwickshire lacked the quality required to be champions. But a spirited performance at Headingley last week with a weakened side built around Chanderpaul’s 193 got them back on track, and another hundred from the West Indian in the return match this week has put Warwickshire firmly in control and set for another victory. Chanderpaul has previous as far as the Championship is concerned: he was with Durham on the day the title was secured in 2008 and 2009 – at this rate he could be running in the mascot derby should Warwickshire reach the T20 Final Day next summer.

If Warwickshire do win over the next two days, then the Championship would be theirs to lose, but the way this season has gone don’t be surprised if they stumble too like Durham and Lancashire. If they do, Durham who look set to defeat Sussex at Hove will be right back in the running, but – and look away now Yorkshire lovers – we still retain (vain?) hope that Lancashire will recover somehow and lift that elusive trophy once again.

Where next?

Brigitte Bardot is the support act to Lancashire in our debut column for All Out Cricket

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #16

Circumstances have dictated that we haven't been able to post a County XI of the week for the last few rounds of games, so without further ado...

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) - A great week for one of our ten to watch in 2011. In a tight match with Durham, his 115 (only one other player from either side passed 50 in the 1st innings) set up a win for the reigning champions - much to the delight of Lancashire supporters. A good week for Hales was capped off with a call-up to the England T20 squad for next week's match with India.

Rob Newton (Northamptonshire) - The young opener struck a composed century against title rivals Middlesex at Wantage Road.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) - On a treacherous Rose Bowl surface where only one other batsman scored a fifty, Solanki's patient 79 not out looked to have given his side a decisive advantage in the basement battle until the rain gods and some suspect covers cruelly intervened on the final day.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) - Memories of his lacklustre debut against Hampshire the week before were quickly forgotten as a typically epic seven hour and twenty minute 193 set up the title challengers for an emphatic win over Yorkshire.

Dawid Malan (Middlesex) - Stroked a brilliant ton to put Middlesex in control of the top of the table clash with Northamptonshire - alas rain washed out the final day.

Steve Davies (Surrey) - England's forgotten man opened the batting and helped Surrey to a comfortable win at Grace Road with a 1st innings 121.

Keith Barker (Warwickshire) - Put in a fine all-round performance with four wickets in each innings and 85 with the bat to ensure that even with the absence of Woakes, Clarke and Rankin Warwickshire's title charge continued.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - Another to enjoy success with bat and ball as three wickets in each innings and a characteristically agressive second innings fifty helped derail Durham's title hopes at Trent Bridge.

Tim Linley (Surrey) - Excellent season continued with career best match figures of nine for 79 to help Surrey storm back into contention for promotion from Division 2.

Imran Tahir (Hampshire) - The pitch at the Rose Bowl may have offered him considerable assistance but there was no doubting Tahir's quality as he ripped through Worcestershire with five for 29.

Chris Wright (Warwickshire) - He can't get a game with Essex in Division 2, but the on-loan seamer starred for Warwickshire to take seven wickets against Yorkshire including a second innings five for 31.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

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

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

England's World Cup of total and utter anarchy

 
Before this tournament we predicted that the Group Stages of the World Cup would be a long, drawn out and predictable affair; and as far as Group A is concerned – Ricky Ponting’s increasingly bizarre histrionics aside – we have been proved correct.

Group B on the other hand has been completely different and it has almost entirely been down to the efforts of a schizophrenic England side.

Earlier in the week, we wrote that England had more noble aims for this World Cup than actually trying to win the bloody thing.

We still stand by this, but it would also seem that instead of the usual fare of bland R&B or drab Dad rock usually found on the dressing room stereo, England have had the Sex Pistols “Never Mind the Bollocks…” on continual repeat.

This can be the only conclusion drawn from a World Cup campaign that smacks of complete and utter anarchy.

Before yesterday’s do or die match with the West Indies, we doubted whether it was possible for the game to equal what had come before.

How could anything beat the squeaky bums win over The Netherlands, the thrilling tie with the hosts, the defeats snatched from the jaws of victory against Ireland and Bangladesh and especially the come from behind triumph over South Africa?

But yesterday’s match was even more dramatic, bizarre and frankly downright anarchic.

It started with the selection of England’s two drinks waiters Luke Wright and James Tredwell, whilst the West Indies inexplicably dropped Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Then we saw Jonathan Trott playing the role of the pinch hitter and club cricketer Wright salvaging the innings whilst debutant Devendra Bishoo and Andre Russell (in only his second ODI) wreaked havoc at the other end.

When West Indies replied we saw Tredwell finally prove that he could bowl as well as serve a mean gin and tonic, Ravi Bopara taking wickets and bowling maidens in the Powerplay and the last four West Indian wickets fall for just two runs.

Phew! We have only just emerged now from the dark room after a much needed lie down.

What happens next is anyone’s guess.

Where next?

Read about our cricket heroes and zeroes

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

The real reason why Ricky Ponting smashed that television

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Cricket XIs: World Cup Golden Oldie XI

 
After the first six days of the World Cup, we couldn’t help noticing at The Reverse Sweep that a number of players are – how should we put it – knocking on a bit.

The number of thirty-something’s on show certainly seems significant and even if no–one can quite match the feat of Jack Hobbs, by playing international cricket beyond their 50th birthday, there are a number who will be qualifying for their bus pass in the not so distant future.

The only team bucking the trend is Bangladesh, whose oldest player is spinner Abdur Razzak at 28. Anyway here is our XI of Golden Oldies, which with the oldest wicketkeeper in the tournament being Brad Haddin at a sprightly 33, sees Ricky Ponting wearing the gloves – yes, we were feeling sadistic when we picked this team:

 John Davison (age today 40 years, 292 days)

Where best to start then with the oldest man in the tournament and the only one the wrong side of 40? Davison scored a World Cup hundred off only 67 balls against West Indies in 2003, and would still probably be playing in the next tournament if it wasn’t for the dastardly ICC deciding to bar the minnows. The rotters.

Sachin Tendulkar (37 years, 307 days)

Like a particularly excellent vintage of Chateau Lafitte, the Little Master keeps getting better and better with age. He already has 445 ODI caps and 46 hundreds, but will this World Cup be his last foray in the ODI arena?

Ricky Ponting (36 years, 68 days)

Unlike Tendulkar, if Ponting was a wine he would be well and truly corked such have his powers diminished over the last two years. As the runs have dried up, the frequency of temper tantrums have increased. Television sets across India, beware of Mr Angry.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (36 years, 193 days)

Chanderpaul is one of those players who seem to have been around for ever. Maybe it is because all of those tedious nudge and nurdle innings have blended into one long nightmare. Indeed, Chanderpaul has been around so long, he may even have had a cabin in Noah’s Ark.

Misbah-ul-Haq (36 years, 273 days)

It seems strange that a batsman of Misbah’s ability has only played 64 ODI, but he has been in and out of the Pakistan side more times than an overused jack from his box. The younger Pakistan batsmen could learn from Misbah’s resilience and calmness under pressure.

Steve Tikolo (39 years, 245 days)

The veteran of five World Cups is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen never to play Test cricket. Judging by his performances against New Zealand and Pakistan in this tournament however, it would seem that Tikolo’s powers have gone in the opposite direction to his girth. Makes Jesse Ryder look slim.

Trent Johnston (36 years, 302 days)

Ireland’s adopted Aussie challenges Scott Styris (another who is the wrong side of 35) as the ugliest man in the tournament. In fact there is something positively Transylvanian about the features of the dogged all-rounder. Given that vampires are immortal, perhaps Johnston is actually much older than his reported 36 years?

Andre Botha (35 years, 166 days)

Ireland’s other golden oldie and adopted South African (well England are doing it, so why not Ireland too?) will always be remembered for his magnificent two for five from eight overs in the shock victory over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup.

Brett Lee (34 years, 109 days)

We were actually surprised when we saw that Lee was only 34 - making him the youngster in this side. However, given that he still manages to bowl consistently over 90mph, Lee’s body is closer to that of a creaking septuagenarian. Even so, Lee was still too good for England in the recent ODI series and gave Australia the attack leader it sorely lacked during the Ashes series. Just don’t let him sing.

Shoaib Akhtar (35 years, 196 days)

Has anyone ever sweated as much as Shoaib? Maybe it is a side-effect of genital warts or even the alleged liposuction operation he had (which surely he should claim a refund for?). No one can fault his effort though, even if it is restricted to two over spells at most these days.   

Muttiah Muralitharan (38 years, 314 days)

The World Cup will be Murali’s last hurrah as an international cricketer and no doubt he’ll smile his way through the whole tournament. Will he bow out with a second World Cup winner’s medal? A billion Indians hope not.

Where next?

An XI of players likely to bid a fond farewell to ODI after the World Cup

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

The real reason why Ricky Ponting smashed that television

Read all our World Cup posts here

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

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 

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