^^ i hate both of 'em.. giles n flintoff.. arghh!
Third test.
WI won the test and elected to bat.
Currently 38/1.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
Third test.
WI won the test and elected to bat.
Currently 38/1.
[/QUOTE]
Why are they batting when WI already won the test? ;)
Captain jee itni sharp nazron say na dekha karein.
kia karoon, “Captain” hoon naa 
A new ‘genuine’ all rounder has come to the fore. Dwayne Bravo scored 77 in the first innings and followed up with 6-55 as WI take 65 runs lead with one and a half day to go.
Way to Go Dwayne Bravo :k: This guy has performed really well at international cricket so far.
West Indies have messed it up again. They are 146-7 with 211 runs lead. They must add atleast 50 runs to have something to bowl at in last innings. Sarwan is still at the crease.
Brian Lara got his 10,000 runs in international cricket and was the fastest player to do so...but sadly he only scored 0 in the first innings and 7 in the second.
Flintoff and Key seal the series for England](http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/AUG/024896_ENGWI2004_16AUG2004.html)
England 330 and 231 for 3 (Key 93, Flintoff 57) beat West Indies 395 and 165 (Sarwan 60, Harmison 4-44) by seven wickets, and lead the series 3-0**
Robert Key and Andrew Flintoff sealed England’s sixth consecutive Test victory of the summer, and the ninth in their last ten matches, as a spirited West Indian side was overwhelmed in the final session at Old Trafford. Despite grabbing two early wickets and holding the upper hand for much of the day, West Indies were left to rue their untimely collapse on Sunday afternoon – a target of 231 never seemed likely to trouble this confident England team, even in the absence of their pacemaker-in-chief, Graham Thorpe.
Thorpe, whose finger was broken by Fidel Edwards during his heroic first-innings 114, was only ever likely to bat in an emergency. But at 27 for 2 with both openers back in the pavilion, and then again at 111 for 3, that emergency seemed just around the corner. But Key and Flintoff ended all such notions, first with some thoughtful resistance against a fiery spell from Fidel Edwards, and then with a glorious finale, in which Flintoff the home hero reached his fifty – his seventh in consecutive Tests – with a vast straight six, before tickling the winning runs to third man.
Though Flintoff stole the limelight, it was Key who took the bulk of the plaudits. His place in the side had been under scrutiny after a couple of loose dismissals at Edgbaston, but with neither Thorpe nor Mark Butcher available for Thursday’s fourth Test, he was this time able to relax and play his natural game. And for that, his team-mates were extremely grateful.
Key’s confrontational approach had impressed many observers during his debut series in Australia two winters ago, and it was to the fore once again today, especially during his running duel with Edwards, which involved several skiddy 90mph bouncers and a considerable amount of mid-pitch banter and eyeballing. Key took it all in his stride, and as his innings progressed the West Indians wilted. The final nail in their coffin came in the very first over after tea, when Sylvester Joseph dropped Key on 58, a catchable chance to his left at second slip. After that, it was England all the way.
Such a comprehensive victory had seemed an eternity away earlier in the day. Although Steve Harmison had needed just six balls in the morning to wrap up the West Indian second innings for 165, England in reply lost both openers in a jittery pre-lunch session. Marcus Trescothick was bowled through the gate by a beauty from Collymore that clipped the top of off, while Andrew Strauss played an uncharacteristically rash pull against Pedro Collins, that skidded low to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at midwicket for 12.
Collymore nearly cleaned up Key with another jaffa that curled round his outside edge and over the top of off stump, and without Thorpe to steady the run-chase, England were decidedly edgy. Much was resting on Michael Vaughan, and it showed in an innings of untypical nerviness. He had a huge letoff on 1, when he top-edged an Edwards bouncer just out of Carlton Baugh’s reach as he sprinted towards square leg, and he later inside-edged Collymore for four past his leg stump. Though he showed glimmers of his best form with a selection of those dreamy cover-drives, Vaughan was very much playing from memory.
In the end, it was Chris Gayle’s offspin that made the break. His very first delivery exploded off a length and took the shoulder of the bat on the way to Brian Lara at slip, and Vaughan trudged off for 33 hard-earned runs. The cheer that greeted Flintoff’s arrival could have been heard back up in his old watering holes in Preston, but it was as nothing to the one that awaited him later in the day, as the crowd’s anxiety gave way to a carnival atmosphere.
Even so, it would be a while before Flintoff or his adoring fans could contemplate partying. At 111 for 3 and with Edwards in full flight, survival was the primary objective. Even with two men back for the hook, Flintoff was sorely tempted, but for the most part he resisted, taking one blow to the shoulder and another firm rap on the gloves. Key, meanwhile, continued to wind Edwards up with a running commentary, and together they carried England to tea at 146 for 3 – still 85 runs adrift but, one sensed, with the bulk of the job done.
Key drilled Collymore’s first ball after the break for four, but when that catch went down in the same over, the fight went out of the West Indian attack. Ramnaresh Sarwan was belatedly introduced to tempt Flintoff into self-destruction – which, after a couple of wild swings, led to the improbable sound of a Lancashire crowd cheering a Flintoff defensive shot. A couple of huge sixes later, however, and it was all business as usual. England’s bandwagon just keeps on rolling.
When the Windies used to wipe the floor with England there used to be headlines of ‘blackwashed’. Wonder why no one has mentioned 'whitewash yet? Isn’t that what just happened?
*england r getting better and better as a test side + it's really a shame to see a side of windies capability being humbled completely. wi who have a history of producing the goods when it matters {sir garfield sobers, sir viv richards, lara, malcolm marshall, walsh, ambrose etc} r now facing a decline which won't do west indian cricket any justice because basically in the late 70's early 80's windies brought the game of cricket to a high level of recognition all around the world and now 15 odd years on we get to see a depleted windies performance day after day although they didn't play as bad @ manchester as they played in the 1st 2 tests of this summer's series.
the 2005 ashes series will be something i'm looking foward to i hope england will give the aussies a better game this time around.*
England owned WI.
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by garma_garam_gup: *
*the 2005 ashes series will be something i'm looking foward to i hope england will give the aussies a better game this time around.
[/QUOTE]
yep - me as well.
England has won the toss and elected to bat in the 4th test match.
Currently 50/0
Can England complete a whitewash. I think so. This Windies side is spinless and clueless.
I think the weather is the best bet of Windies avoiding a whitewash. Although England are as good as they have been in a long time, it's hard to gauge just how good against this Windies team which looks totally devoid of spirit, for which Lara has to take some blame.
Harmison destroys Windies](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Eng v W Indies | Harmison destroys Windies)
Fourth Test, The Oval, day two (stumps): England 470; West Indies 152 & 84-2 (following on)
Steve Harmison was in destructive form as West Indies crumbled in the face of his hostile bowling at The Oval.
The Durham paceman took 6-46 as West Indies were all out for 152 in their first innings, and followed up with 2-13 as they reached 84-2 following on.
England made 470 as their lower order, including Harmison, made the Windies pay for some ragged bowling.
Opener Chris Gayle made Test history in West Indies’ second innings by hitting fours off all the balls of an over.
But despite that brief episode, and a defiant 79 from Brian Lara, it was all England on Friday.
West Indies had made a good start, removing Andrew Flintoff and Geraint Jones inside the first four overs of the day, but they failed to make the breakthrough count.
The double loss left England at 321-7, but Ashley Giles hit a flurry of boundaries through the off-side as West Indies bowlers Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith fed his favoured area.
Giles and Matthew Hoggard added a remarkable 87 runs off 119 balls as Giles matched his previous highest mark in Tests with 52 and Hoggard beat his previous best score in all forms of cricket to make 36.
West Indies made a series of errors in the field, Carlton Baugh twice at fault when Hoggard should have been caught and two possible run-outs going begging.
Finally, both Giles and Hoggard did fall to catches just before lunch as they continued to attack and at lunch England were 410-9.
The fun should have ended there for the home side but West Indies continued to struggle against the England tail.
MOST RUNS IN A TEST OVER
Not even Gayle’s six fours in a Hoggard over took him top of this particular tree
28: BC Lara (WI) (466444) off RJ Peterson (SA) at Jo’burg 2003-04
26: CD McMillan (NZ) (444464) off Younis Khan (Pak) at Hamilton 2000-01
25: AME Roberts (WI) (46266L) off IT Botham (Eng) at Trinidad 1980-81
Before Gayle’s feat, six other batsman had also hit 24 in a Test over
Harmison smacked three sixes and three fours to equal his own best score in first-class cricket of 36.
He finished not out after James Anderson, having played an Adam Gilchrist-style ramp shot over the slips for four, was finally bowled by Gayle.
But by then, he and Harmison had added 60 for the final wicket off just 59 balls and all 11 players in the side had reached double-figures.
It was the first time that had happened for England since 1928.
England still had half the day for bowling and Harmison used rising deliveries just back of a length to dismiss Chris Gayle, well held by a diving Jones, and Sylvester Joseph, edging to gully.
Flintoff produced a ball that seamed away a fraction for Ramnaresh Sarwan to edge to Andrew Strauss in the slips and then, just after tea, Robert Key clung onto a remarkable chance at square leg.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul middled a pull shot off Hoggard and was stunned to see Key come up with the ball.
At this point Lara decided to play his shots and he had plenty of joy.
At times, Brian Lara did not know where to look on Friday
For the first time in the series, luck favoured him as two close shouts for lbw were declined, a couple of under-edges just missed the stumps and a few thrashes through the covers failed to go to hand.
But he also hit some dazzling shots, refusing to throw in the towel when Harmison ran through a middle order lacking the injured Smith, who had strained his side when bowling.
Jones, Strauss and Trescothick all accepted edged chances off Harmison then finally Lara himself was deceived by the Durham spearhead, top-edging a pull to fine leg.
West Indies began their follow-on with 15 overs remaining in the day.
Gayle soon took out his fury off Hoggard with those six boundaries in a single over, but England again had the last laugh, despite Gayle managing to reach 59 not out off 48 balls.
And again it was Harmison whose bowling was too hot for Joseph and Sarwan - Jones and Ian Bell taking superb catches.
sweep sweep… 
WI lost in 2 1/2 days. That is really bad, Windies have hit the rock bottom big time.
England claim clean sweep](BBC SPORT | Cricket | England claim clean sweep)
Fourth Test, The Oval, day three: England 470 & 4-0 beat the West Indies 152 & 318 by 10 wickets
England clinched a series whitewash against the West Indies and recorded their seventh Test win on the trot by winning by 10 wickets at The Oval.
West Indies put up a brave fight in their second innings, with Chris Gayle hitting the 10th fastest Test ton in history before they were all out for 318.
But patient and tactical bowling by England proved too much for the West Indies and although they avoided the ignominy of losing by an innings, England needed just one run to clinch a comprehensive victory.
And it was Marcus Trescothick who hit Fidel Edwards’ third delivery for four to seal the win.
It was the first time for 75 years England had won seven consecutive Test matches and only the third time they had achieved the feat.
And young swing bowler James Anderson, suffering for poor form this summer, came good when it mattered, dismissing Brian Lara and Gayle in his 4-52.
Steve Harmison claimed match figures of 9-121, taking his total for the series to 17 wickets.
West Indies captain Brian Lara was the first to go when he edged an Anderson delivery to slip for 15 and it was brilliantly caught by Trescothick.
Harmison ended the series with 17 wickets, including nine at The Oval
It was not an easy chance for Trescothick because wicket-keeper Geraint Jones looked as if he was going for the ball before taking his glove away at the last moment .
Lara, who has not scored a century all series, left the field to a standing ovation and raised his bat, possibly signalling his last Test appearance in England.
Gayle played with nonchalant style hitting an 80-ball ton which included 17 fours and a six.
After almost being run out by Michael Vaughan on 92, Gayle celebrated wildly when he smacked two successive fours off Andrew Flintoff to signal his century.
But he departed soon after on 105 when Flintoff held a low catch.
England chopped and changed their bowlers looking to finish the West Indies off but the tourists dug in with a 82-run fifth wicket partnership between Dwayne Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Bravo recorded the second fifty of his Test career before he was judged lbw by umpire Darrell Hair after offering no shot on 54.
Chanderpaul was unlucky to be given out, caught behind for 32, when replays showed the ball brushed his pad and not the bat.
But there was no mistake when Dwayne Smith, who had earlier launched Ashley Giles for six, was caught just after tea for 28 by Anderson at backward point off Andrew Flintoff’s bowling.
Anderson almost claimed a second amazing catch but he could not hold a Corey Collymore effort.
It was not an expensive error, though, as the Lancashire bowler had him caught behind for seven just a few overs later.
Steve Harmison then dismissed Carlton Baugh for 34 and it was left to Anderson to bowl Edwards out to set England up for a famous win.
And Trescothick smacked the winning runs, hitting Edwards to the boundary.
WI has suffered a lot in recent times. But I believe that there are rosey times aheaf of them. They got a nucleus of some really good players. In bowling department, they have three genuinely quick bowlers in Fidel Edwards, Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson with variety provided by Pedro Collins and Colleymore. In support they have a genuine allrounder in Dwayne Bravo. Now that is a very good bowling lineup, with a bit of experience and some confidence, it can shatter any batting line up. Problem is that Best, Edwards and Lawson havent played together and suffered through continuous injuries in recent times.
In batting department, Gayle is a worldclass opener but he is not consistent enough and his opening partner is always a problem when wavell hinds is out. Sarwan, Lara, Chanderpaul form a strong middle order with dwayne bravo who showed that he is a star in the making with both bat and ball.
Lara was right when he refused to step down and vowed to carry on with the captaincy because IMO it will only be a matter of time, some fine tuning and some confidence building that WI will become a good test team again. Furture is not so bleak for them