Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 02 March 2009 / 2

"This one has draw written all over it" is most people's perception going into the final day of the Fourth Test, but stranger things have happened before in Test cricket. Ed Hawkins talks us through the action.

19.52 MATCH DRAWN
Thank fork for that. Too good a pitch. Fortunately, the final Test in Trinidad has a reputation as a result wicket. Will be in position for that one, too, on Friday. Let's hope it's a belter as England look to level the series

19.40 Eng 262-2
Back to the debate. Harmison or Sidebum or Panesar? Easy. Common sense dictates Panesar. Harmison has obviously upset the management, otherwise he would have played here while Sidebum has not been fit for this Test. So our side is: Strauss, Cook, Shah, KP, Colly, Ambrose, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Khan, Panesar. We have our five bowlers to give England the best chance of 20 wickets. Okay, two are spinners but West Indies have shown a weakness against turn in this series. We also have Ambrose at No. 6, which looks a bit dodgy but England have to gamble. Besides, with Broad and Swann to follow that is a strong enough 7 and 8 axis to risk the keeper in that position. Will the selectors follow suit? No. Prior will bat at No. 6 and Sidebum will probably keep his place ahead of Monty.

19.31 Eng 255-2
Maybe I am a bit harsh on Cook but he is such an ungainly batsman. he wields the bat like I do with a spatula when trying to remove aforementioned bangers from the sizzling dish.

19.23 Eng 248-2
FOBB Jak has been in touch to poke fun at me. "I reckon you've got it in for Cook, the guy scored a virtual ton in the first innings and an actual one in the second. Leave the poor chap alone, he can't help being the reincarnation of Chris Tavare. I bet if his name was Alastair Bratwurst or even Banger Cook, you'd see him in a different pan ... I mean light ... what ever happened to that other banger, Tresco? Just thought is Harmison, the reincarnation of Trescothick, in a bowling capacity of course?"

19.18 Eng 245-2
We've had 70 overs. I'm sure the rule is 75 in a day and then it can be called a draw. Anyway, so far we've picked the following for England in Trinidad: Strauss, Cook, Shah, KP, Colly, Ambrose, Broad, Swann. Now we need to find three bowlers. Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson, Steve Harmison and Amjad Khan are the men in the frame. Anderson is a certainty by dint of being the best of a bad bunch. So is Amjad because he has not yet had the opportunity to show his worth. We need our No. 11. Harmison, Sidebum or Monty

19.01 Eng 234-2
Tea is over and done with. We expect to be watching this pointless exercise for another hour. Daren Powell is bowling. Enjoy it while it lasts, DP because you won't play in Trinidad. The England batsmen should enjoy his wayward style for the last time, too.

18.38 Eng 226-2
Bit harsh to drop Bop-ra after a ton I hear you cry. Very much so. But it has to be done. Besides, there is form. In 1967 Geoffrey Boycott was dropped for scoring too slowly after making 246 against India on his home ground. Aussie Brad Hodge was dropped three Tests after a ton. On the Bodyline tour Nawab of Pataudi was given the chop after 102. It came on his Test debut and was to be his sole Test centur. He was dropped after the second Test due to his dissent against Bodyline tactics. When he refused to move to a leg-side fielding position, Douglas Jardine said "I see his highness is a conscientious objector." KP has 50.

18.28 Eng 218-2
If England are to play five bowlers in Trinidad, which they surely must, they will have to lose one of their batsmen. Cook has made himself safe, so the only two who will be nervous are Shah and Bopara. Shah has twice failed in this game but Bopara, sorry Bop-ra, has made a century. Can you really drop Bop-ra? Can you really drop Shah when Bop-ra wasn't even in the original touring squad? No to the latter. Shah has waited a long time for his chance and dropping him would create an unbalanced batting order. KP won't want to bat at No. 3 and Bop-ra is too inexperienced. Colly could do it I suppose but the shifting and swapping is too great.

18.14 Eng 206-2
Cook has got his three figures. I suppose that means we have to put up with him for another 27 innings, at least. I think we can call it a day after 75 overs today, which would give us another 15 overs to endure.

18.01 Eng 186-2
Sir Ian of Beef reckons Alastair Cook will be more nervous than he has been for a "long, long time" with regard to making a ton. What? Since his first-innings when he reached 94? Cook has 96. This will be his first ton for 27 innings.

17.44 Eng 166-2
We're having drinks now. Let's get back to our debate. Stumper has emailed. "Ambose stays, Shah goes, Sidebottom goes and in come Harmison and Amjad Khan. Simple really." I suppose it is when you put it like that. Cook has 82. 40 overs left today and England probably need to bat for another 25 to be sure

17.29 Eng 150-2
Scores are level in Barbados. And the sun comes out to greet England's level-pegging. Make hay while the sun shines. Indeed, because at the close tonight it will have set on their chance of winning this series. That they haven't won this series is a pretty damning indictment of the state of their team. Going into an Ashes summer, they should really be winning against a side who have forgotten how to do so over the last few years. And Australia won in South Africa today. A hell of a result that. Can you imagine this England team beating the Proteas in Jo'burg?

17.17 Eng 145-2
Captain_S has warmed to our heated debate. So excited is he that he can't even type Shah's name correctly. "Shar - gets my vote to retain his berth at three for the next test Hawk. Goodness knows they kept Bell for ages and he's rubbish. Shar's failure in the first innings can be put down to a blip and it is a shame he got out having made a start second time around. But he has something about him and deserves a spell. While there is competition in the batting dept. we are running out of options in the bowling room. Whatever the probelm is with Harmy it seems to be catching and Sidebottom has got the bug. I'd eliminate him from the next game for sure."

17.07 Eng 135-2
So, Prior or Ambrose? Let's not worry about what the England selectors will do but what we would do. After all, we know that Prior comes straight back in after his sojourn to give his new baby a cuddle. I say stick with Ambrose. He has done nothing wrong and you can't encourage players to pick and choose their Test matches. If Prior had left to be at the birth, one would have sympathy but he didn't - babs was born at least a day before he went back. It could also damage team spirit because when a player is told 'this is your only game' it must be a real downer for that player, who is almost ostracised before he has taken the field.

16.58 Eng 129-2 WICKET
Shah gone. Leg before to Benn. He only made 21 and it is perfect timing for our debate. That has to go down as another failure in this game.

16.52 Eng 122-1
The England debate. There are three points of conjecture for the England team for Trinidad. Does Matt Prior replace Tim Ambrose? Who should play as England's fifth bowler? And who should make way for that bowler? We'll deal with them one by one throughout the afternoon. Please email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

16.49 Eng 117-1
There might be a bit of weather around here folks. The wind is getting up, the groundsman has a rather natty rain jacket on and TCozier, a local in the com box, doesn't like the look of it, either. Ooooh, yes it looks very grim from that shot there. rain in the distance is heavy. Anyway, let's pick our team for England in Trinidad.

16.45 Eng 115-1
Cook survives an lbw shout off Benn as we get underway after the break.

16.00 LUNCH Eng 115-1
'The match would appear to be heading for a draw,' says David Gower at lunch. You don't say. It's no offers now. No matter, still lots to discuss. Join us after the break for debate and hillarity.

15.52 Eng 111-1
Cook is boring us all to death while we wait for his 50. Get on with it man! There it is. Eight fours in his landmark. I suppose we'll have to have all this nonsense about him not being capable of going to three figures because of some mental block. Tsk! Nothing to do with not being good enough, then

15.43 Eng 97-1
Shame. Cook has survived a run out chance. Leg slip, slip, short leg and silly mid off for Cook against Gayle. the field spreads for Shah, though.

15.35 WICKET Eng 91-1
Definitely not a chance now after Strauss chops on to his stumps from a Gayle delivery. Owais Shah will be the new man at the crease. He may be under a bit of pressure for runs after his first-innings failure. His innings will go a long way to shaping our afternoon debate about selection for the next Test.

15.33 Eng 88-1
Almost a chance offered there by Cook off Benn. The awkward leftie needs another six for his half-century. I suppose some of you might be wondering whether England will offer a sporting declaration if they keep going at this rate of just under four runs an over. Not a chance.

15.20 Eng 74-0
Mike Atherton and Michael Holding are discussing whether Daren Powell will lose his place to Lionel Baker for the final Test, which starts in Trinidad on Friday. England, one would have thought, will have to make changes because it is a must-win game. We'll discuss what England's team should be for that game throughout the day as our debate topic. As usual, you can join in at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

15.08 Eng 65-0
West Indies lead by 87. I'm starting to wonder when this one will be called a draw. With 20 overs to play? Having a look through England's recent draws they were all declared stalemate after the tea break. There's a bit of wind getting up now at Kensington Oval. Maybe that'll help Jerome Taylor and Benn get some drift.

14.55 Eng 59-0
Nash has missed a chance to cause some anxiety in the England dressing room. Cook misjudged a hoik off Benn and it went straight up in the air and towards midwicket. Nash, with ball coming from over his shoulder, couldn't get a hand on it.

14.46 Eng 51-0
This stat is increasingly looking irrelevant but here goes anyway: the average number of overs per wicket in the fourth innings in Barbados is 9.5. England have had 11. That took ages to work out. Sulieman Benn is going to have a bowl and he will be aiming at the footmarks created by the Windies bowlers, who have been a little naughty by running on the wicket this morning.

14.38 Eng 26-0
There is still a bit of zip in this surface. Fidel Edwards has made a couple fly. It is probably down to the new ball, though, and when it gets softer that sort of nonsense will stop. We really could do with a wicket to get some spark back into the game.

14.29 Eng 21-0
Patience is a virtue. Not on the match odds market it isn't. West Indies are out to [27.00. TCozier continues to cause concern. He seems star struck by fax machines at the mo and is suggesting he doesn't know what an ipod is. He's having us on.

14.20 WI Eng 17-0
There are 86 overs left today but it is unlikely we will get all of those. You can lay England for 250 runs or more at [1.88] or back that total at [1.06]. Personally, I reckon things will be curtailed with about 20 overs to go. So if England went at 3 an over - I know the average rate is higher but the visitors are not known for positive play - they could struggle to get to 250. Something to mull over.

14.10 Eng 14-0
Tony Cozier reckons England are worth "a dollar". Gee, Tony and there was me thinking you were a sensible chap. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt and reckon it was tongue in cheek. TCozier (I continue to find that amusing) has pointed out, however, in typical wise fashion that WI have no third slip. Bonkers.

14.03 Eng 6-0
Fingers crossed for drama in this first session of the final day in Barbados. With a bit of luck, England will be unable to shake memories of Adelaide and Sabina Park from their heads, put on their hard hats and retreat to the bunker. Then the Windies will have a chance and we'll have plenty of entertainment. West Indies are [14.05] and the draw is [1.07].

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(2)

1. RaiulBaztepo | 28 March 2009

   Hello!
   Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
   PS: Sorry for my bad english, I'v just started to learn this language ;)
   See you!
   Your, Raiul Baztepo

2. PiterKokoniz | 07 April 2009

   Hi ! ;)
   I am Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that I like your blog very much!
   And want to ask you: what was the reasson for you to start this blog?
   Sorry for my bad english:)
   Thank you:)
   Your Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia

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