Poms begin Windies tour

[Donny]

England expects as Caribbean tour begins

The Paper Round by Freddie Auld - Cricinfo


As the England squad yesterday prepared to leave the sweeping London rain for the warmer climes of the Caribbean, Michael Vaughan and his men were, according to today's national newpapers, in a quietly confident mood for what lies ahead:

It was unanimously agreed by the British press that both England and West Indies have strong batting but inexperienced bowling, and it is how the bowlers perform that will be the key to deciding the series.

"It used to be throat balls rather than boat calls that welcomed England teams to the Caribbean," wrote Derek Pringle in the Daily Telegraph, "but when Michael Vaughan's well-rested team touch down in Jamaica tonight it will be the bowlers rather than the batsmen who feel the pressure of trying to win a Test series against that loose alliance of islands known as the West Indies."

With that in mind, The Times featured Steve Harmison, who insisted he had left his perennial homesickness bag behind in the North East, and was raring to go after a six-week spell training with Newcastle United. "It has had a remarkable effect on the Durham fast bowler, who has been bedevilled by injuries," wrote Pat Gibson. "Now he can hardly wait to fly off to the Caribbean at lunchtime today."

Indeed, Harmison himself said: "It was a real eye-opener for me. I came away from that thinking that, while I will still keep doing the things I've always done, I'll be doing them with more of a sense of purpose."

Angus Fraser, writing in The Independent, agreed that Harmison, as well as Simon Jones, will be key players. "English cricket would be hard-pressed to find a more exciting sight that Stephen Harmison and Simon Jones bowling in tandem for England," Fraser decreed. "No England captain in recent times has had the luxury of utilising the threat offered by two bowlers of such pace."

Mike Selvey, in The Guardian, argued that "instead of setting off with the air of condemned men", England will go with "genuine belief" that they can win a series there for the first time in 36 years. "England's bowlers, especially the pacemen, must come of age with a rapidity that will belie their playing experience," he said. "Much of the pressure will land on the shoulders of the two fastest bowlers in the party, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison."

The Mirror, though, ran with "Flintoff's beefed up and raring to go", focussing on Andrew Flintoff's pivotal role in the team, and listing him as the umpteenth new Ian Botham. That was something which Flintoff himself was quick to shrug off: "I'm trying to play like Fred, not Beefy," he dead-batted, "and Fred's doing all right at the moment." However, Mike Walters insisted that "none has been sprinkled with the great man's stardust ... until now. With his brutal weight of stroke and aggression with the ball, Simply Fred is the nearest thing to Beefy since the legend himself."

Vaughan, meanwhile, while still confident of success, was also quick to err on the side of caution, and to point out that the batting will be just as important. "Our batting experience will be crucial," he said just before departing from Gatwick. "The players' records speak for themselves. Mark Butcher has more runs for England than anybody over the past two years, Graham Thorpe is a class act, and Nasser Hussain has a superb record over many years."

On the bowlers, he said: "We've got some young lads who are very exciting and hopefully we can ruffle the West Indies batsmen, but we have got to be realistic. Steve missed Sri Lanka through injury and Simon has only played one Test and been out of the game for a long time. Let's not hype them up too much."

He also singled out that man Brian Lara, who is sure to be the hot topic in England's team meetings. "I think Lara averages 75 against England in the Caribbean and I think he's the key to the series. He's just had a fantastic series in South Africa, but his team lost 3-0, so if we can get him early, that will create a bit of pressure.

"The West Indies are vulnerable, but you have to get on top to attack. On home soil they are a tough team to beat. We'll have to work hard, make plans and try to play in an attacking manner. Everyone tells me it's a fantastic place to play cricket and, with the crowd involved, it will probably be played at a different tempo to the games we had in Sri Lanka before Christmas."

Vaughan concluded: "We obviously have an eye on the history of the game, but none of us was even born 36 years ago. The only thing we can concentrate on is the next 2½ months and we've got a fantastic chance of doing well."

[Donny]

" .. in a quietly confident mood" ??

How often have we heard this in recent years ? Yes, it is the West Indies they'll be playing but ....

English supporters are sick of expectations followed by despair. They want reasults.

The Windies really need someone to put their hand up to lead their attack. Drakes, Collymore and Sanford are honest toilers, not opening bowlers. Edwards needs a partner.

Perhaps Lawson has straightened out his arm enough to come back. Dillon is NOT a class bowler. At best, he's a capable one day trundler.

If Lawson and Edwards were leading this attack then a couple of the previously mentioned bowlers could make valuable contributions.

Little Mo is a great entertainer but a little short of being a Test spinner and Omari Banks is still learning. Gayle and Sarwan are at least as effective.

England will be hoping Simon Jones can stay uninjured. He's been out since his horrific injury at Brisbane on the opening day of last winter's Ashes series, when he ruptured his knee ligaments while attempting a sliding stop at the Gabba.

[I@n S]

[London Dave]

Lawson apparently has some back problems, and will definately miss the first couple of tests. He's been off to see a specialist in NY and hasn't got test results back.

[couragous cloke]

from what ive heard lawson may never play international cricket again.

Lets hope thats not true.

Watch out for a young man named Bravo if he gets a game for the windies.

We should win this series or atleast draw it, and that should give us some confidences leading up to the england away series.

[commonwombat]

Quite possible we could see some big totals here as there is some batting talent on both sides, whilst neither inspires any great confidence that they can bowl the other side out cheaply once let alone repeating the dose.

[I@n S]

From what i've seen. Windies bowling is a bit all over the place.
Englands youngsters are the same but not quite as bad. But just IMO from what i've seen. Couragous cloke you've proberly seen them play more than I have.. interesting to read your views on Windies and Englands bowlers!!!

[Donny]

Paceman's comeback on hold

From correspondnts in London - Fox

ENGLAND fast bowler Simon Jones's hopes of touring the West Indies were put on hold today with team chiefs saying the Glamorgan quick needed a further scan on a shin problem.

Jones, 25, was due to join up with the rest of the Test squad in Jamaica toda, having seemingly proved his fitness on the England A tour of India after nearly 15 months out with a knee injury.

But he returned to England on Wednesday with a shin complaint in his left leg, prompting officials to send him for a scan. This has not yielded a definitive result.

England want to avoid a repeat of the injury problems that blighted their 2002-03 tour of Australia, where Jones sustained a freak knee injury while fielding in the first Test.

That could not have been foreseen but the selectors' gamble in taking fast bowler Darren Gough in the hope that his knee problem would clear up during the trip backfired when the experienced paceman returned without having bowled a ball in anger.

Among those who could replace Jones are Sussex's James Kirtley and Kent's Martin Saggers.

England's four-Test series against the West Indies begins in Kingston, Jamaica on March 11.

They have not won a Test campaign in the Caribbean since 1968 when Jones's father Jeff, a left-arm Glamorgan fast bowler, was in the side.