root 100. dont care who its against, they all count

So Blackwood just made 79 n.o. and was the only WI batsman that looked in any nick. Why doesn't he just go out to open when they follow-on? Am I just being dense?

Doesn't matter though, this is such a mismatch it's not even funny. The fall of the West Indian cricket dynasty has been sad to watch. I think when Chanderpaul finally retired that was the final nail in the coffin.

19 wickets in a day. Oof.

It's sad to say but the West Indies shouldn't be playing test match cricket if this is the best they can put out.

3 matches against Ireland might have been more competitive.

Can we get swap in Afghanistan for one of these remaining two matches? Rashid Khan will run through a few of England's top order.

West Indies should be playing test cricket just more against Ireland or Bangladesh

It's dismal and depressing.

But it isn't the "best the WI can put out". The WI team still wouldn't be a match for England, but all the IPL/T20 players make a huge difference, whereas England only (arguably) lose KP.

KP? It's not 2014.

our 2, 3, 5 batsmen average about 7 runs each. kp's corpse couldn't be worse

Well, I was underplaying how much more badly WI is affected by IPL than England.

But, riddle me this: which of England's 2,3 and 5 are actually test players? (Choose from the rotiserie over the past year.) Which of the 3 & 5 would be more likely to make runs in Australia this winter than KP?

Obviously KP is backdated, but England's top 5 is soooo poor.

"We want our ball back..."

Best part of the day.

https://streamable.com/p9by5

What is this from the West Indies?

Up until 2000 (when Walsh and Ambrose retired - actually Walsh was 2001) one of their islands would have been able to beat the last placed team in ICC test cricket away from home but now their own national team would struggle to beat the last placed team (apart from themselves) at home.

We know they have decent 20/20 players so can't it be for them to qualify to play in international cricket for the West Indies for these limited over tournaments and even for IPL teams or in the Caribbean Premier League that they need to be available to play test cricket (I wouldn't worry about 50 overs) or else they don't get to play.

I mean a test team full of their 20/20 stars would at least make them competitive at home against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the like.

Young kids in the WI don't care about cricket anymore. Basketball/soccer/Taylor Swift are more popular these days.

Pretty sure that Gayle, Narine etc are still huge stars and plenty of kids would want what they have.

It occurred to me during the game that the WI may not have a single player who would get in the SA team (?) and SA just lost 3-1. Anything other than 3-0 would be a big surprise (assuming decent weather of course). Very sad to see - not just the lack of quality but there are no X-factor players at all playing in Tests for the WI. How many occasional cricket fans can even name any of their players?

It's a strange mix for England - they have a handful of world class players that most or all teams would want, and then 3 or 4 spots currently filled by players who just look like decent first class players. The Auz team is similar (actually, a combined Eng/Aus team would be pretty decent, but for a true world class spinner I guess).

Maybe someone will stand up, as Trott did when he came in at age 28 without much expectation, but I'm not aware of any huge batting talents waiting in the wings (except for that young dude who played in Indian perhaps). For what it's worth, I think England could just as easily consider Billings or Roy - strange as it seems - as they have similar-ish first class stats to the guys they are picking, but at least they have something about them.

LOL England

Test matches with three results in play at tea on D5 are excellent. Hope the Windies take it.

I hate being an England fan these days. We win we lose. We look pretty good one day awful the next. Same holes in the side same strengths same weaknesses. I give us 0% chance in the ashes so I have that to look forward to.

Congrats Windies though

hope this freak occurrence doesnt make joe timid in future declaration decisions

Wow, what a result. Declaration was OK imo, the timing would help them more often than hurt. From what I saw the pitch was slow with nothing happening, but full credit to the Windies. Good result for the sport.

Still, if there is one certainty in cricket it's that Eng will win 2-1.

Has that replaced the certainty that we would win 3-0

Well played Windies. Declaration was also good.

oh and lol Australia

Lolstralia indeed

TBF Bangas have been much improved, they looked good on their tour over here

They have to start playing Aus and England away from home more often

I did say to someone when Bang drew with Eng 1-1 that they would beat lots of teams if they keep preparing pitches like that - but you'd think you would chase that score with an opening hitting a hundred.

In other words, lol Australia.

Why they are selecting Maxwell in the test match team is beyond me.