Windies V Poms Second Test

[Joe]

Come on Windies it is time to show some spirit.
-----------------------------

West Indies pick up the pieces

Freddie Auld in Trinidad - Cricinfo


Home support was supposed to be the deciding factor to tilt this series in West Indies's favour. However, it could turn out to have the opposite effect when the second Test gets underway in Trinidad on Friday.

To say West Indies's capitulation in the first Test was taken badly would be a gross understatement. The team were branded a disgrace and a joke. There was even a feature on the Jamaican news questioning whether supporters should boycott the rest of the series in protest. And then there were the Bad Boy Four performing on the Mound Stand not long after they had been given a good licking, as the locals would say.

It's not often that a board has to issue a public apology after a heavy defeat, even one as thumping as at Sabina Park, and huge pressure is ever mounting on Brian Lara and his boys to kiss and make up with the public – starting with his adoring Trini Posse – if they are to feel as if there's no place like home again.

Their preparation hasn't been helped by Fidel Edwards's back strain, which will keep him out of this Test at least. In his place, the selectors have gone for the next-best thing: Pedro Collins, Edwards's half-brother. Collins last played in the Trinidad Test against Australia a year ago, but was dropped afterwards. However, he was the natural choice to replace Edwards after finishing top of the domestic averages with 37 wickets at 18.45 for Barbados in the Carib Beer Championship. A local newspaper also commented that he has "developed a mean inswinging delivery that deceived many batsmen this season". Duncan Fletcher take note.


Lara is still feeling the effects of his dislocated finger but had a light net session on Wednesday morning, while Dwayne Smith has recovered from his finger injury. Even though Ryan Hinds is expected to keep his place ahead of Smith after his battling 84 in the first Test, Smith was ordered to practice his part-time medium-pace bowling at today's net session, so there may be another way back in for him.

England, for once on the early stages of a tour, are shipshape. After an extra day off to rest and recover from some permitted partying in Kingston, they are relaxed, refreshed and raring to go again. With no injury worries, they are almost certain to go in with the same line-up as in Jamaica, but Fletcher was keen to play things down. "It's very important that we look after our own game and prepare for the next Test," he stressed. "If we start focusing on other things, we'll probably forget about what we've got to do."

One thing Fletcher should take note of, though, is that five years ago, Lara inspired West Indies to a memorable victory against Australia after they had been bowled out for 51 – their then lowest-ever total - in the previous Test. And although England don't have that bad a record in Trinidad, this is the place where Curtly Ambrose blew them away for 46 in 1993-94 - a day which Graham Thorpe remembers all too well. "It was the most humiliated I've ever been on a cricket field," he said. "We knew we were up against a great bowler, and we didn't really have the answers." But he added: "We came back and won in Barbados, so we're well aware West Indies are not a pushover, we have to expect them to bounce back."

The talk is that the Port-of-Spain pitch is expected to be its usual low and slow self, as it was this time last year when West Indies and Australia helped themselves to a whopping 1510 runs in the match. However, in the two back-to-back Tests England played here in 1998, both games were low-scoring nail-biters. If Jamaica is anything to go by, then expect the unexpected.

[Donny]

Lara urges West Indies to rally round

Wisden Cricinfo staff


Brian Lara has shrugged off any injury concerns surrounding the finger that he dislocated in Jamaica last week, and is fully focused on leading West Indies in one of the most important matches of his career.

I don't think there is any possibility of me sitting out this one," said Lara, who was in obvious discomfort during his second-innings duck at Sabina Park on Sunday, when West Indies were bundled out for their alltime-low total of 47. "There is still some swelling and stiffness in the joint, but I have every intention of playing."

As if Lara needed any further incentive to bat on through the pain, he will be playing in front of his home fans in Trinidad, where he has scored just one of his 24 Test centuries. And with his team needing all the support they can get as they attempt to maintain their 36-year unbeaten home record against England, Lara has called on the fans to rally round West Indies.

"We need the support in times of disappointment, in times of hardship, " said Lara, only days after the West Indies Cricket Board was forced to issue an apology to the Caribbean public, when four players were spotted partying in the immediate aftermath of the Jamaica rout. "We find ourselves with our backs against the wall, and will be fighting back - but we need their support to do so."

While West Indies are in disarray in the build-up to the second Test, England are sitting pretty – one or two bruises notwithstanding. And to make matters more ominous yet for the Windies, one of England's pivotal players has hardly broken sweat so far in the series.


Like the rest of the England team, Andrew Flintoff was overjoyed to watch Steve Harmison, as he tore through West Indies with his record-breaking figures of 7 for 12. But Flintoff was not called on to bowl during the second innings, and is eager to make a bigger impact on the series.

"It was fantastic to see Steve getting all the wickets," said Flintoff, "but it would be nice if I could chip in as well. When I'm bowling I'm always thinking the next Test is going to be mine, but it just doesn't seem to happen. But so long as we're taking 20 wickets a Test, it doesn't really matter who takes them, does it?"

Flintoff did, however, make his mark with a composed 46 with the bat, as well as three fine catches at slip. "The wicket in the last Test was quite nice to take slip catches on with the pace and bounce coming through to you," he said, "and our fielding has probably improved over the last few months or so. Sometimes you get into a run when you're catching things in the slips you just seem to grab everything, but when you start dropping them you can drop everything.

"The wicket here [in Trinidad] is not as fast as it was in Jamaica, and it may go up and down later on. The suggestion is that if you put it in the right areas for a length of time here then the wickets do follow. But Friday is a new game and a new start again for us, and I don't think anyone envisages us bowling West Indies out for less than 50 again. They'll want to put the record straight, and I'm sure they'll come out fighting and try to hit us hard."

[Canberra]

Question:What's the definition of the wheels falling off your wagon?
Answer:Refer to the last 14 balls before lunch.

[JLC]

Another 5 wicket haul for Harmison as the Windies are on the ropes

If i do recall Harmison was the butt of many jokes when last in Australia

jlc

[Donny]

Harmison demolishes West Indies ... again

The Wisden Bulletin by Andrew Miller


Until five minutes before lunch, when Steve Harmison marked out his run to begin his second spell of the day, West Indies appeared to have exorcised their Jamaica demons. With the entire Caribbean imploring his side to put up a fight, Brian Lara won the toss, and Chris Gayle and Devon Smith compiled a century stand for the first wicket, to banish the memory of that 47-all-out humiliation in the first Test. But then the façade crumbled. By the close of a stop-start day, Harmison had rampaged to his second five-wicket haul in extremely quick succession, and West Indies were in disarray at 189 for 8.

Harmison's opening spell of six overs had been fast without being furious, but a change of ends signalled a change of intent. He immediately rediscovered the line and explosive length that had served him so well at Sabina Park, and West Indies were powerless to resist.

Gayle, who had made a typically belligerent 62, steered a simple catch through to Chris Read (100 for 1); Smith was trapped plumb lbw as he failed to get forward to a fuller-length delivery. And then, with two balls of the session remaining, Brian Lara flinched an unplayable throat-ball to a tumbling Ashley Giles in the gully.

Lara, on his home ground, was gone for a fourth-ball duck - the first time in his Test career he has made two noughts in successive innings - and the day had been turned on its head. Rain wiped out most of the afternoon session, but when play eventually resumed for six overs, there was little fight left in the innings.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul swished at an off-stump lifter to give Simon Jones his first wicket, and Dwayne Smith was living recklessly as the gloom intensified and the players scurried off for an early tea.

Sure enough, Smith was the next to go as the procession continued into the evening. He had already demonstrated that he was not going to let the grass grow under his feet, by pulling a faintly startled Harmison for six over midwicket. But in the very next over, Smith tried the same trick and top-edged a simple catch to Nasser Hussain, who had just moved back to square leg.

It was a sucker punch, but the knockout blow came five balls later, when Ramnaresh Sarwan's fledging rearguard came to an end. Harmison found just enough movement to find the edge of the bat, and Andrew Flintoff grabbed a sharp chance right in front of his nose at second slip (143 for 6).

Tino Best then flapped a regulation outswinger to Chris Read to give Matthew Hoggard his first wicket of the innings, before Adam Sanford was run out in farcical circumstances, attempting a third run off a mistimed pull to fine leg. The fielder was Vaughan, who later blotted his copybook by dropping Ridley Jacobs at mid-off, but by then the Trini Posse were already praying for bad light to bring the day to a merciful end.

It was a tragedy for West Indies' fans, and made all the more so by that semblance of a revival in the morning session, when Gayle and Smith had launched the innings with a trademark calypso counterattack.

They endured a tricky opening spell from Hoggard and Harmison, who clanged Smith on the helmet and later cracked Gayle on the shoulder. But Gayle in particular was quick to cash in whenever England overpitched or offered him too much width, and the runs soon began to flow.

Smith, who offered a half-chance to Giles in the gully when he had made 10, grew in confidence as his innings progressed, just as he had done during his first-innings century in Jamaica. After the drinks interval, he carved Flintoff for four through backward point before gliding him for two fours in succession, while Gayle brought up his first Test fifty against England with a smart dab for two, moments after he had launched a huge six back over Giles's head.

At that point, it was all rather reminiscent of events in the Caribbean ten years ago. Back then, it had been England who pulled themselves together after being bundled out for 46, with Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart adding 171 for the first wicket to set up a remarkable victory. But after Harmison's intervention, the prospect of a similar West Indian revival was dead in the water.

[Donny]

Who's excited ?? We are !!

The Poms go ballistic as Lara is dismissed for a duck.

[I@n S]

What a nut! Lara complained that it came of his helmit. But even at full speed you can see that it was glove first. Lara might be in troulbe for his responce.

[Donny]

Butcher and Hussain battle it out

The Wisden Bulletin by Andrew Miller


England 54 for 2 (Hussain 20*, Butcher 25*) trail West Indies 208 (Gayle 62, Harmison 6-61) by 154 runs
Scorecard


England were once again indebted to the experience of Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain, as West Indies enjoyed the better of what little play was possible on another rain-blighted day in Trinidad.

By the close, Butcher and Hussain had added 46 for England's third wicket, to re-establish their position after a batting blip in the morning session, in which Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick had fallen inside the first four overs.

Both batsmen needed luck on a pitch that had been spruced up by a four-hour rain delay – Butcher was dropped on 20 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at second slip, and Hussain survived two perilously close lbw shouts in successive balls from Corey Collymore – but in between whiles they cracked a selection of emphatic boundaries to push England back into a handy position.

Prior to the series, Hussain had rubbished the notion that his experience of the Caribbean would be his most valuable contribution, but England could not have done without his attritional approach, as the West Indian bowlers – led by Pedro Collins and the irrepressible Tino Best – did their utmost to revive their team's morale after another dispiriting batting performance.

Hussain was welcomed to the crease with a searing yorker from Best, and had not scored when the rains swept in shortly before the lunch break. But on the resumption, he heaved Best for a thumping one-bounce four over square leg, before reverting to his familiar nuggety approach. Butcher was more free-flowing through the off side, but he too had his difficulties, particularly when faced with the less-than-adequate sightscreen at the pavilion end.

If England had been expecting a rough ride, Vaughan and Trescothick's body language certainly didn't betray any anxieties as they strode out to launch England's innings. But before the first over had been completed, Vaughan had been nailed with a classic two-card trick by Collins, who took the new ball in the absence of his injured half-brother, Fidel Edwards. His first delivery slid past the outside edge; the second curved straight back into Vaughan's front pad to trap him plumb lbw for 0, and at 2 for 1, England had been given an unpleasant jolt.



Tino Best removes Marcus Trescothick, as England slump to 8 for 2 before the rains arrive © Getty Images



It got worse before it got better. Trescothick continued his poor run of form with a wretched innings that eventually ended with a lobbed pull straight to Adam Sanford at square leg. In mitigation, the delivery from Best was timed at 93.1mph – the fastest ball of the day – but Trescothick had already survived two chances off consecutive deliveries. He was given not out by umpire Bowden after gloving Best down the leg side, before Dwayne Smith dropped a firm slash at gully.

Although Butcher and Hussain stabilised England in the evening session, the day's honours went to West Indies. They had resumed on 189 for 8, with all their hopes resting on Ridley Jacobs, whose unbeaten 29 on Friday had prevented a complete meltdown of their innings. But not for the first time, Jacobs was at fault in another shambolic piece of running, when he was seduced into a second run by Ashley Giles's slight fumble, and was well beaten by a bullet of a throw to Chris Read (202 for 9).

Steve Harmison, England's man of the moment, soon wrapped up proceedings with his 15th wicket of the series, to finish with the superb figures of 6 for 61. But for a no-ball, he might have trapped Collymore first ball, but he eventually had his man – comprehensively bowled as he swished across the line. From 100 for 0, West Indies had been bowled out for 208, and England already scented a big first-innings lead. But as things turned out, the struggle for ascendancy isn't over just yet.

[Donny]

Thorpe extends England's lead

The Wisden Bulletin by Andrew Miller


The old'uns are always the best, as the hundreds of England fans who spent the afternoon worshipping Sir Mick Jagger would heartily agree. On an attritional and absorbing day of old-fashioned Test cricket, Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe each contributed an obdurate half-century as England closed on 300 for 6. Their lead is already 92, and on a mischievous surface, that might just prove decisive.

It is no coincidence that those three are England's only veterans of a previous Caribbean tour. For it took every ounce of their collective knowhow to subdue a spirited West Indian attack, which was admirably led, once again, by the irrepressible Tino Best. The day began with Hussain and Butcher clinging on for dear life (Hussain's contribution to the first hour's play was a mighty two runs), but by the close the boot had been emphatically transferred to the other foot, as Thorpe played on through the fading light to flog his way towards a 13th Test century, shrugging off an accidental beamer from Best, that hit him on the arm, along the way.

The first two sessions were gritty, but seldom pretty, as Butcher and Hussain laid England's foundations with a 120-run partnership that came at barely two runs per over. It was a carbon copy of their decisive stand in the Jamaica Test. Neither man could ever claim to be comfortable at the crease, and both could be seen cursing themselves for every false shot that they produced. But they batted all the way through the morning session as West Indies began to run out of ideas.

Corey Collymore kept things tight with a Fraserish line and length, and Adam Sanford was much improved on his wayward efforts on the second day. Best, however, was the only reliable attacking option at Brian Lara's disposal, and sure enough he eventually made the breakthrough – albeit in controversial circumstances – as Billy Bowden adjudged Butcher caught behind for 61. The replays, however, suggested that his bat had clipped the turf, but not the ball (128 for 3).

The usually mild-mannered Butcher was not impressed, and chuntered his way back to the pavilion – and probably all the way into the match referee's diary. But Best had earned his wicket. He had already clipped Hussain on the elbow with a brutal bouncer, and had suckered Butcher into such a rash shot by tucking him up with a tight line into the body.

Thorpe's arrival spurred on Best even further – he had beaten him for pace in Jamaica to claim a notable first Test scalp, and almost pulled off the same trick again as Thorpe skidded an attempted pull over the slips for four. But with Hussain finally beginning to connect with his regular flails through the covers, England consolidated their position as Lara turned to his spinners to hurry along the arrival of the new ball.

Best's first over with the new ball was scattergun to say the least – one delivery barely landed on the cut strip, a second skidded away for four byes and a third was swatted for four by Thorpe. But he got it just right soon enough, as Hussain's stumps were rattled by a good-length ball that nipped back through the gate and stayed fractionally low. Hussain was gone for 58, precisely the score he had made in Jamaica, and at 186 for 4, West Indies had a timely breakthrough.


But the arrival of Andrew Flintoff signalled a change in tempo. His innings began in bizarre fashion, as Best came haring in to bowl what appeared to be the first delivery, only to reveal at the last minute that he didn't have the ball in his hand (it was in umpire Bowden's pocket). Flintoff, unusually, was about the only person not to see the funny side, although he made his displeasure known in eloquent fashion, with a brace of cracking cover-drives to take him to 10 not out at tea.

On the untrustworthy surface, 50 minutes of Flintoff could have put the game beyond West Indies' reach. But just as he appeared to be hitting his straps, Lara called on Dwayne Smith to take the pace off the ball. As if on cue, Flintoff chipped a tame return catch off the leading edge, and trudged off with 23 from 24 balls (218 for 5).

Pedro Collins had been keeping a low profile for much of the day, but he was the next to strike, producing another wonderful one-two – an outswinger followed by a sharp inducker – to trap Chris Read lbw for 3. It was an exact replica of Michael Vaughan's dismissal on the second day, and at 230 for 6, West Indies were a couple of quick strikes from getting back into contention.

But they had reckoned without the admirable batting qualities of Ashley Giles, who used his height to stretch forward to the spinners and prod away the seamers, and kept Thorpe company in his no-nonsense compact manner. They had added 70 invaluable runs for the seventh wicket, and Lara's frustration was plain to see by the close as he sensed that the series was slipping from his grasp.

[Donny]

The misery continues for the West Indies.

208 in the first innings and 209 in the second. Lara 0 & 8. Only Gayle's 62 in the first innings and Jacobs 40 and 70 were noteworthy. Jacobs application could well be copied by his team-mates.

All of a sudden England looks to have a pace attack. I do realise it's only lowly ranked West Indies but if England can keep this trio uninjured - Harmison, Hoggard and Jones - they can look to possible successes against the better teams.

It was Jones who did it this time, with 5/57.

England have a bit of a worry with Trescothick and Vaughan failing again but their target for a win here is just 99. At stumps, they are 2/71 with the reliable Butcher on 33 n.o.

Earlier in the day Thorpe made 90 and Giles, 37 as they gained a 111 run lead on the first innings. The recalled Collins took 4/71.

[JLC]

Great performance by the Poms to go thrash the West Indies in their backyard.

Whats even better is that the younger players are playing a significant part in their victories. Having Thorpe back in the middle order has strengthened it nicely.

jlc

[Blanch]

And where is the great man Lara? The prince is spineless. Stand up in the same manner as Steve Waugh or Allan Border when the chips are down. As their best batsman you need to be the one to stop the rot.

Brian, start talking with your bat!

[Donny]

England wrap it up in half-an-hour

The Wisden Bulletin by Steven Lynch


It didn't take long: inside half-an-hour England had knocked off the 28 runs they needed to secure victory, a 2-0 series lead, and retention of the Wisden Trophy. The last rites came with stunning speed, as Mark Butcher cracked consecutive fours off Adam Sanford, one through the covers, and the winning one straight down the ground.

England will have had one eye on the skies when they woke up this morning, after the umpires controversially took the players off last night. But it dawned fine in Port-of-Spain, meaning it was only a matter of time.

Nonetheless England, so assured in the gloaming last night, made a hesitant start in the bright sunshine. Nasser Hussain survived a close leg-before shout off Sanford's first ball of the day, then nicked his second and was caught behind for 5 (71 for 3). It could have been worse. Before he'd scored, Graham Thorpe edged Sanford, but this time Ridley Jacobs tried to take the regulation chance one-handed, and floored it.

Thorpe wasn't in the mood to hang about, cracking three fours in Sanford's next over, and Butcher was as busy as he had been last night. Brian Lara's trial on the field was mercifully short. But the recriminations around the Caribbean aren't over yet. Already Ricky Skerritt, West Indies' manager, is throwing in the towel. Lara might not be far behind.

Andy Ganteaume - famous for scoring a century in his only Test innings, in 1947-48 - gave the Man of the Match award to Stephen Harmison, for the vital first-innings spell that wrenched back the initiative England's way after Chris Gayle and Devon Smith had kicked the match off with a century partnership.

[Donny]

Lara and Jones fined

Wisden Cricinfo staff


Brian Lara and Simon Jones have both been found guilty of breaching Level One of the ICC's Code of Conduct, and have been fined half their match fees.

Speaking after the disciplinary hearing, Mike Procter, the match referee, explained that Lara was fined for showing dissent to the umpires on Sunday evening, when the England batsmen were offered the light for the second time, minutes after declining to go off.

"Brian was very genuine at the hearing," said Procter. "He apologised and pleaded not guilty of a level-one [breach of the code], but admitted to having shown dissent."

Jones, on the other hand, pleaded guilty and was punished for bringing the game into disrepute after his spat with Ramnaresh Sarwan. "I listened to both sides of the story, and what came out loud and clear was that Jones was very apologetic," said Procter. "The umpires were very complimentary about his behaviour - Jones apologised to them straight away, and at the end of play."

Procter concluded, "I originally thought it was a more serious charge than level one, but in the end I decided to fine him 50% of his match fee."

[Donny]

Windies 'embarassed'

From correspondents in Port of Spain, Trinidad - Fox


WEST INDIES captain Brian Lara said his side are disappointed and embarrassed at the way they have under-performed in the first two Tests with England.

West Indies lost the second Test by seven wickets today to fall 2-0 behind in the four-Test series and are in danger of conceding a series victory to England in the Caribbean for the first time in 36 years.

The defeat prompted West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt to resign, but Lara, whose position is also under pressure, was trying to be upbeat.

"Everybody is now looking forward to better things in Barbados and Antigua," he said after Mark Butcher hit the winning runs to seal the England victory.

"The first thing is to realise that we are going wrong somewhere and I think we have done this. I do not think we are divided on the opinion that some are doing well and some are not.

"The entire team knows that we are not performing. We have been doing some soul searching and trying to get that out of the guys. It's great to see we had a long team meeting up to last night in trying to get things right from this point onwards."

Lara believes there is still hope of his side winning the two remaining Tests, starting in Barbados on April 1 and in Antigua on April 10, and squaring the series.

"It's not difficult to understand that we are 0-2 down, but I think we can level the series if we can regroup and ensure that we do not make the same mistakes again," he said.

"I still think there were moments in both Tests, where if West Indies had taken hold of the advantage, we would be in a much better situation. We did not and so we need to find the weak points and try as much as possible to strengthen them."

Lara believes the senior batsmen in the West Indies, including himself, can take an example from England's Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe in the way they have approached batting in the series.

"We are clearly not producing at our optimum," said Lara. "The team gets its impetus from us, similarly to the English team with Butcher, Hussain and Thorpe.

"They have been able to come up to scratch in these two Tests to give their team what they required and we have faltered in that area. We will have to look in the mirror and think that we are definitely the top batsmen in the team and we must perform better than this."

England captain Michael Vaughan said leading the series 2-0 is beyond his and the team's wildest dreams.

"We expected to come out to the Caribbean and win, but it's a great position for us to be in," said Vaughan.

"It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this position. Both matches could have gone the other way. There were real tough periods of play in both Tests and we came through them."

Although England have virtually ended their 36-year wait for a Test series victory in the Caribbean, Vaughan is not ready to pat his team on the back.

"We have not won the series yet," he said. "There are two matches left and, as I said, the two in Jamaica and Trinidad could have gone either way.

"We have to make sure we keep working hard, make sure we are not complacent, make sure we keep our heads, and keep gritting it out when the going gets tough and keep getting the odd individual producing the magic' as we are at the moment.

"If we do not do it, the West Indies will come back and will fight hard. We must make sure we keep doing the same things that we have been doing over the last four weeks and, hopefully, the results will take care of themselves."

England won the opening Test in Jamaica by 10 wickets.