Hardly anytime to write anything today, but I did manage to catch a few bits of the first session over in Barbados. Obviously, aside from England doing their best to make an average West Indies attack look like world-beaters, the main story is that of another failure for Jonathan Trott. I have always remained broadly…
Ahead of tomorrow’s third and final Test, the conjecture surrounding England’s team selection is mostly focussed on whether Adil Rashid will come into the side to offer a second spinner, or whether Jonathan Trott may see his return at the top of the order cut short. These positions are rightly being debated; I would not…
After a scintillating final afternoon from Jimmy Anderson and his teammates to pull of a remarkable victory in the Second Test in Grenada, England head over to Barbados with their tails up ahead of the final Test of the series. With a 1-0 lead, England know that simply avoiding defeat at the Kensington Oval will…
In an age where cricketers, and sportsmen in general, are lambasted for being boring, lacking character, and being entirely mundane in interviews, just why are people criticising West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels? After slapping a long-hop from West Indies leggie Devendra Bishoo straight into the hands of Jermaine Blackwood on the mid-wicket boundary, Ben Stokes…
It was a truncated days play in Grenada yesterday, after some very un-Caribbean weather delayed the start of the second Test by nearly two hours. When the teams did finally get on the pitch, it was all a bit odd. There was swing, there were wickets, there were few runs, but England didn’t really bowl…
Just a few days after the completion of what was an exciting and tiring Test match in Antigua, England and West Indies lock horns once again. This time the venue will be the international stadium in Grenada. Early reports are that the pitch looks similar to Antigua, and the question of how to conjure up…
Okay, so I’m not actually still in the West Indies, but I feel like I should round things off now I’m back in the UK. The flight home was comfortable enough, but boy did it drag. It’s Sunday evening now, or at least I think it is, it’s so hard to tell when I haven’t…
What a Test match that was. Although it wasn’t the ideal result from my one-eyed English point of view, the match itself was still alive as a contest right down until the final over of the fifth day. In terms of Test match viewing, it is hard to demand more than that. I shan’t elaborate…
Today was a blisteringly hot day at the cricket. However, it started out looking for from auspicious on the weather front. Breakfast was eaten in the face of torrential rain hammering down from all sides of the open dining area. Thankfully the weather abated in time for Joe Root and Gary Ballance to continue their…
Today’s events unfolded a little differently than I expected they would first thing this morning. Off we set as per usual for the Sir Viv Richards Stadium at 8:30 on ‘Pearly’s Fun Bus’, but after the first session I fancied a bit of a change. The cricket was okay, but it was clear that the…
It’s day 8 here in the Caribbean, and today is the first time that this blog will focus solely on the cricket for this trip. To be honest, England were pretty limp this morning. Collapsing from 341/5 to 399 all out was certainly not in England’s or their travelling supporters thoughts overnight. Ben Stokes fell…
After nearly a week over here in the Caribbean, it was time for the serious business to begin. Today was the first day of the first Test between England and the West Indies. I won’t bore you all with a match report, you’ll either have already read many, or not be interested at all I’m…
If England can prolong their first Test with the West Indies into a final day, this will have been my only full non-cricket day on the island of Antigua. After my day out and about the island, I can firmly say that I prefer it to Barbados. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed Barbados, this island has…
Today was mostly a travel day for us, and making our way from Barbados to Antigua was not as straightforward as you may believe. After a final huge breakfast at our Bridgetown hotel, we set out for the airport to make our way to Antigua. The flight we were booked onto was an Air Liat…
Just a quick note before this latest blog, to say that this is my 100th consecutive post for 2015. When I made the pledge late last year, it was more on a whim than anything else, but over the past few months, I’d like to think my writing has improved, and that perhaps a few…
So today on our second full day on the beautiful island of Barbados we managed to see pretty much everything this place has to offer. Up at the crack of dawn and onto our tour we went. The four of us were taken around the island for the day by a very friendly local German…
Today was our first full day on Barbados, and the island did not disappoint. The view from the hotel room was, if anything, even more breath taking than the previous evening, and the overnight showers seemed to have blown over. After a long flight yesterday, and with us all dying to spend some time enjoying…
So here we are, my first day in the Caribbean. First up, a quick piece of housekeeping, I know that is actually the 8th in the UK already, but where I am it is still the 7th, so this will be counting as Day 97 of my 2015 blog challenge. As I am royally knackered,…
Today’s post is just a heads up. Over the next couple of weeks, i’ll be turning this blog into my ‘Tour Diary’. Tomorrow i’m heading out to the Caribbean to take in the first Test in Antigua. However, i will be in Barbados for a few days before, so for a couple of days prior…
England have welcomed Otis Gibson back into their coaching set-up for the three match Test series against the West Indies that begins next month. Gibson will take on the role of bowling coach, after the incumbent David Saker was told he would not be required for the tour. Saker has been lambasted over the past…
Jack Vittles 