Well the series has begun with a strong win on an average pitch. West Indies Cricket is in deep trouble at the moment and the spineless ICC really needs to deal with it, but they won't.

I expect to see a clean sweep of all games with at least one test by an innings.

http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=729724&vId=

First game first win, should be a clean sweep.

I heard a journalist in the West Indies a few years ago who said all the children where playing basketball instead of cricket.....With the USA promoting the NBA on the doorstep of the Caribbean who can blame them really.....Most kids dream and to be part of the NBA would dwarf the possibility of becoming a cricketer.....The ICC needs to market the game better and give young people more incentive to play the game!!!

:( :( :(

philperth2010 wrote on Mar 17^th, 2012 at 11:50am:

I heard a journalist in the West Indies a few years ago who said all the children where playing basketball instead of cricket.....With the USA promoting the NBA on the doorstep of the Caribbean who can blame them really.....Most kids dream and to be part of the NBA would dwarf the possibility of becoming a cricketer.....The ICC needs to market the game better and give young people more incentive to play the game!!! :( :( :(

I hear you and for tall fast bowlers it is an issue but for the height challenged like Laura it is not going to happen. The real problem for West Indies cricket is the administration. It has been ripping itself to pieces for years over money. They have so little of it but while they continue to fight it will not improve.

nairbe wrote on Mar 17^th, 2012 at 2:10pm:

philperth2010 wrote on Mar 17th, 2012 at 11:50am: I heard a journalist in the West Indies a few years ago who said all the children where playing basketball instead of cricket.....With the USA promoting the NBA on the doorstep of the Caribbean who can blame them really.....Most kids dream and to be part of the NBA would dwarf the possibility of becoming a cricketer.....The ICC needs to market the game better and give young people more incentive to play the game!!! :( :( :( I hear you and for tall fast bowlers it is an issue but for the height challenged like Laura it is not going to happen. The real problem for West Indies cricket is the administration. It has been ripping itself to pieces for years over money. They have so little of it but while they continue to fight it will not improve.

Point Guards can be short 5' 7" (Spud Webb) which was as tall as Brian Lara but that aside you might be correct about the West Indies administration.....The Islands do not get along apparently!!!

Just out of interest watch Spud Webb in a slam dunk contest.....amazing for a bloke only 5'7"!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1pykLK_CUs

OK, watched it but basket ball just don't do it for me. I lived in WA during the hay day of the WildCats but still makes me fell sick that game.

Good win by the Windies in the second ODI. Our team is still poorly balanced but we do manage to win anyway over a series. At least it will be interesting now.

India lost to Bangladesh.....Australia cannot take anyone for granted anymore.....We are not as good as we think we are!!!

1-1-1

:o

FriYAY wrote on Mar 21^st, 2012 at 2:27pm:

1-1-1 :o

OH Dear :D

FriYAY wrote on Mar 21^st, 2012 at 2:27pm:

1-1-1 :o

Yes we had a tie.....Australia cannot even beat a second rate West Indies.....We are not that good are we???

:( :( :(

First Test

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. Ryan Harris was selected for the Aussies ahead of James Pattinson for the first test and Australia's attack lacked penetration on what appears to be a flat track that offered little assistance to the bowlers.
The West Indies aided by a fine century from Shivnarine Chanderpaul where able to declare at 9 for 449 in their first innings.
Australia in reply are 0 for 44 at stumps on day 2 when bad light stopped play.
Not surprisingly Matthew Wade has now replaced Brad Haddin as the test keeper who has probably now realised his international career is all but over.
This match looks like it is heading for a draw as neither side appears to have the attack to gain a result. Apparently Michael Clarke failed to attack when required with the second new ball and conceded the West Indies big score by trying to limit their scoring instead of taking wickets.
If Australia cannot defeat the West Indies we will not win back the Ashes any time soon....lets hope we do better in the second innings!!!

:-/ :-/ :-/

It rained and play has been lost. Australia 5/248 and looking shaky. Questions over the omission of Pattinson. We will need to do some hard work to save the game. I wonder what the Windies are doing, producing slow flat pitches might work on occasion but it is a short road to the Indian problems. They will play ok at home and be slaughtered on tour.

nairbe wrote on Apr 10^th, 2012 at 7:30am:

It rained and play has been lost. Australia 5/248 and looking shaky. Questions over the omission of Pattinson. We will need to do some hard work to save the game. I wonder what the Windies are doing, producing slow flat pitches might work on occasion but it is a short road to the Indian problems. They will play ok at home and be slaughtered on tour.

It would have probably helped our cause if we could hold on to the chances we where offered.....Shane Watson dropped a sitter that should have been taken.

>:( >:( >:(

philperth2010 wrote on Apr 10^th, 2012 at 7:54am:

nairbe wrote on Apr 10th, 2012 at 7:30am: It rained and play has been lost. Australia 5/248 and looking shaky. Questions over the omission of Pattinson. We will need to do some hard work to save the game. I wonder what the Windies are doing, producing slow flat pitches might work on occasion but it is a short road to the Indian problems. They will play ok at home and be slaughtered on tour. It would have probably helped our cause if we could hold on to the chances we where offered.....Shane Watson dropped a sitter that should have been taken. >:( >:( >:(

better effort in the second innings. Looks like Harris was a good move as he has done the big yards in this game. Go Aussie tonight.

WI: 449/9 decl,
AUS: 406/9 decl

West Indies Second Innings
(5 wkts, 38 ovs) for 71

Bowling : AUS    O    M   R   W    ER
Ben Hilfenhaus   10  4   17  3   1.70
Shane Watson     6   1  16  0   2.70
Ryan Harris          3   1  14  1   4.70
Peter Siddle         9   2  11  1   1.20
Nathan Lyon        9   4  10   0   1.10
Michael Clarke     1    0   2   0   2.00

West Indies lead by 114 runs with 5 wickets remaining.

:) :) :)

Australian tail.....

Ryan Harris       not out 68
Ben Hilfenhaus  b K Roach 24
Nathan Lyon      not out 40 

:) :) :)

Good win by the Aussies, they had to work it and there was a few scares but they won. :)

Deserved win to the Aussies and Clarke summed up his view of the current state of WI cricket by declaring short. He knew what he was doing.

The standard of calypso cricket is shameful.

nairbe wrote on Apr 12^th, 2012 at 7:53am:

Good win by the Aussies, they had to work it and there was a few scares but they won. :)

Great comeback from the Aussies.....However England will not let Australia off the hook if they fail to hold their catches during the Ashes.....Australia need to lift if they want to regain sacred urn!!!

8-) 8-) 8-)

Hey everyone, happy every day.

New test and what appears to be another challenging pitch. We are going ok but there really is some big issues with our batting. We will not win an Ashes with fragile batting. Mind you the POMS are looking plain on lively pitches too.

Five from Lyon reeled them in. Good news we need a good spinner and Lyon seems to be the first to put the hard work into it.

Aussies 7-212 against Windies at stumps

The tall off spinner Shane Shillingford used his local knowledge to cut through the Aussie top order on day 1 of the third Test. Shillingford ended the day with 4-77 off 34 overs

http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=742948&vId=

philperth2010 wrote on Apr 24^th, 2012 at 9:50am:

Aussies 7-212 against Windies at stumps The tall off spinner Shane Shillingford used his local knowledge to cut through the Aussie top order on day 1 of the third Test. Shillingford ended the day with 4-77 off 34 overs http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=742948&vId=

Wade has made a break through century under pressure to give us a respectable 328. WI in response 8/124.
Why have they thought that to put up dicky pitches would be a clever idea?

nairbe wrote on Apr 25^th, 2012 at 6:42am:

philperth2010 wrote on Apr 24th, 2012 at 9:50am: Aussies 7-212 against Windies at stumps The tall off spinner Shane Shillingford used his local knowledge to cut through the Aussie top order on day 1 of the third Test. Shillingford ended the day with 4-77 off 34 overs http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=742948&vId= Wade has made a break through century under pressure to give us a respectable 328. WI in response 8/124. Why have they thought that to put up dicky pitches would be a clever idea?

I find it quite ironic that the West Indies are now relying on a spinner because their pace attack is not up to it.....The problem is the West Indies batsmen are well below what they can produce.....A strong West Indies are always good to watch IMO!!!

:( :( :(

philperth2010 wrote on Apr 25^th, 2012 at 12:13pm:

nairbe wrote on Apr 25th, 2012 at 6:42am: philperth2010 wrote on Apr 24th, 2012 at 9:50am: Aussies 7-212 against Windies at stumps The tall off spinner Shane Shillingford used his local knowledge to cut through the Aussie top order on day 1 of the third Test. Shillingford ended the day with 4-77 off 34 overs http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=742948&vId= Wade has made a break through century under pressure to give us a respectable 328. WI in response 8/124. Why have they thought that to put up dicky pitches would be a clever idea? I find it quite ironic that the West Indies are now relying on a spinner because their pace attack is not up to it.....The problem is the West Indies batsmen are well below what they can produce.....A strong West Indies are always good to watch IMO!!! :( :( :(

I have been very encouraged that Lyon has been strong two matches in a row. He might get there yet. :)

Stronger this morning, should win from here.

I remember the story when the WI selectors went to an overgrown ground to see a young IVA Richards bat.

He failed, and there was a near riot, so they let him bat again, and the rest as they say….

The cricket there has fallen a long way from those days.

>>

Great knock from Wade, Haddin should retire gracefully IMO.

Good win to wrap up the series. 9 of 14 teats since becoming captain for Clarke and i think i can safely say i was wrong about him and he has proven to have a good strategic mind for the game. We now have the one dayers against England then prepare for next season. We must sort out the top order in the next home season or the Ashes tour will be tough work.