“[…] My opening batsmen will be Evin Lewis and Shai Hope. I say with utmost confidence that no one will argue with my selection of Lewis to lead the charge. The left-handed opener has the proven capability to destroy any bowling attack that he may be faced with. “The right-handed …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Thompson has Gayle, Fidel and McCoy in dream WI team—but wary about too many lefties
Let me say from the outset, like Michael Holding, I think the only thing missing from a T20 match is (in our case) a case or two of Carib and a pot of pelau, some bottle and spoon and a DJ, plus some ‘winer gyul’ (the IPL & the CPL …
Read More »T2021 W/C: ‘Jaiks’ puts Hope in dream WI XI, while Mayers, Akeal and Alzarri among subs
“[…] Shai Hope: batsman/wicketkeeper. My first surprise selection. Easily among the best batsmen in the West Indies at the moment; can accumulate without offering chances, stabilises the middle overs…” Ken Jaikaransingh, who rarely missed a day of Test cricket at the Oval when the WI were still the WINdies, selects …
Read More »T2021 W/C: ‘Fab Four’ (Pt 2)—Roneil picks Hetmyer, Pooran in dream WI’s XI to counter spin threat
Now that the West Indies’ ‘Fab Four’, the ‘Real McCoy’ and Fabian ‘Bucket Hands’ Allen are out of the way, let us take a close look at the composition of the rest of the WI T20I squad. Unlike in the Test arena, where WI seem to be on a never-ending …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Tino Singh names nine batsmen, including Gayle and Hetmyer, in his dream WI XI
“[…] I strongly feel the under-rated off-spin of the ‘Universe Boss’ will be a back-up weapon and will work in WI’ favour. “I am bold enough to predict that [Obed] McCoy will emerge as one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament. He is one of the most improved bowlers …
Read More »T2021 W/C: F Warner names Narine, Hetmyer, Allen and Walsh in his dream WI XI
“[…] I am going to play chief chef and put together 18 ingredients that should make a mouth-watering dish come 17 October. My major challenge is whether I should include, for different reasons, Christopher Gayle and Sunil Narine: one is definitely available but should I? “If both are available, would …
Read More »T2021 W/C: A tale of two T20 catches and a jaw-dropping Allen flight
Fabian Allen doesn’t drop catches; everyone knows that. Dwayne Bravo doesn’t either; everyone knew that. Except, it seems, Fabian Allen. In the Third T20I at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Monday 12 July, those pieces all came together. In spectacular fashion. But that may not be so …
Read More »Pooran’s West Indies fight back to snatch 1-0 lead over Finch’s battling Aussies
In the first T20I at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Friday, the West Indies only got to 24 for 2 in the Powerplay; in reply to the home side’s total of 145, Australia raced to 70 for 3 at the end of the first six overs. At …
Read More »Best: The endless experience experiment: on WI’s use of Gayle, Fidel, Russell and DJ Bravo
Old Chris Gayle a fine opener was A destructive run-scorer was he. He wielded a broad bat and if to him you bowled Every ball disappear you could see. Comparison to Old King Cole hardly does justice to long-standing West Indies stalwart, Christopher Henry Gayle. After all, he is a …
Read More »West Indies flatter when they bowl but Proteas flatten them with the ball
Kieron Pollard’s West Indies came roaring back to restrict South Africa to 167 for 6 in Sunday’s second T20I at the Grenada National Stadium. It was a few runs more than the target to which they cruised for the loss of only two wickets and with five overs to spare …
Read More »Lewis powers West Indies to convincing win; Proteas reel and come again?
Earning more than half the required runs in sixes, Kieron Pollard’s West Indies cruised to an easy 8-wkt win in the First T20I against South Africa at the Grenada National Stadium on Saturday. Needing a modest 161 for victory after Pollard won the toss and saw his bowlers pull Temba …
Read More »Small margins, big hits, near misses, close calls and the trick S/Lanka spin played on WI
Outskilled! Thus did England Test captain Joe Root sum up the reason for his team’s 1-3 defeat in the recently concluded four-Test series at the hands of Virat Kohli’s India. West Indies white ball captain Kieron Pollard, whose team eked out a narrow 2-1 victory over Angelo Mathews’ Sri Lanka …
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