Calypso Cricket: ICC 2005
 

Some people were talking about cricket games over in General Discussion so I thought I'd start writing about my long time West Indies game I'm currently running on International Cricket Captain 2005. It is currently at the start of the 2013/14 season and I have amanaged to pull the West Indies to a level of respectability, if not the supreme success of their 70s and 80s heyday. Here are the current world rankings:

Test Match Rankings - April 2013

India
Pakistan
West Indies
England
Sri Lanka
South Africa
Bangladesh
New Zealand
Zimbabwe
Australia

One Day International Rankings - April 2013

India
England
New Zealand
West Indies
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Australia
Pakistan
Zimbabwe

Over the last dew years India have become a collosus. They seem virtually impregnable in every department of their game, as we found out first hand in a 2-1 test loss (our win coming in a dead rubber), followed by a whitewash in the one dayers last season .

Our schedule for the upcoming season has been confimed by the WICB as follows:

Sri Lanka in West Indies

3 Tests - 7th, 14th & 21st April
5 ODIs - 30th April - 8th May

West Indies in Zimbabwe

2 Tests - 6th & 13th October
3 ODIs - 19th, 21st & 23rd October

West Indies in South Africa

3 Tests - 10th, 17th & 26th December
5 ODIs - 4th - 12th Janruary

England in West Indies

4 Tests - 16th, 23rd February, 2nd & 9th March
7 ODIs - 18th - 27th March

On to meet the players next.

The Stalwart Veterans
 

First up come the certainties, or as near certainties as you can get. These guys will go on every tour and play every game barring any remarkable unforseen situations. They are the core of the side in both formats and have been the players I have built the team around over the last few years.

Ramnaresh Sarwan - 32 years old, Right Handed Middle Order Batsman, Occasional Leg Break Bowler
146 Tests - 11570 runs @ 46.47 average, 28 centuries
228 ODIs - 7305 runs @ 40.14 average, 9 centuries
For the 8 years of my coaching career, decinding who is going to bat at number 3 has never been much of a difficulty. Sarwan is wickedly consistent and seems to come up with the goods just when we need it, whether it be a hailstorm of shots in a chase or a steady rebuilding effort when the rest of the top order fail. These qualities have earnt him an obscene number of test caps and the captaincy after Lara retired 3 years ago which he has held in both forms ever since. His leg spin is also a handy option at times, though cetainly not one to rely on.

Chris Gayle - 33 yrs, LHB Opener, Occasional Off Breaks
140 Tests - 10741 runs @ 42.79 ave, 28 centuries
278 ODIs - 10116 runs @ 39.52 ave, 19 centuries
An explosive opening bat and a fellow stalwart of the line up with Sarwan, Gayle is tasked with getting our innigs off to a bang. Tends to be hit and miss, especially in the shorter format, but when he hits he certainly does hit. Rarely makes small centuries and has gone past 200 several times under me. He is the team vice-captain.

Carlton Baugh - 30 yrs, RHB Middle Order, Wicketkeeper
100 Tests - 7015 runs @ 46.15 ave, 14 centuries
171 ODIs - 4274 @ 31.90 ave, 6 centuries
Baugh is the finest wicketkeeper-batsman in the world and probably the best keeper the West Indies have ever had. Whilst he is not perfect behind the stumps, the few mistakes he does make are more than offset by the avalanche of runs he scores. Batting at number 6, he is equally capable of saving an innings heading for collapse or pilling on runs against already disheartened attacks. Marked his 100th Test at the close of last season in customary style, a swashbuckling century to help win the match and seal the series against Australia.

Ryan Hinds - 32 yrs, LHB Lower Order, Slow Left Arm Bowler
88 Tests - 3963 runs @ 28.93 ave, 4 centuries
Bowling - 192 wickets @ 27.06 ave, 5 five-wicket innings
155 ODIs - 2379 runs @ 23.32 ave, high score 77
Bowling - 205 wickets @ 27.66, best 4-2
It took me a while to fully appreciate Hinds, or perhaps it took him a while to fully mature, but either way despite being a constant selection it has been only in the last two or three years he has really become a vital cog in the side. Previously he was picked because he offered a bit of both, handy lower order aggression and neat and tidy spin when in the field, but he has developed into a world class spin bowler capable of ripping through batting line-ups.

good stuff. I'll be reading

Major Players
 

These guys are in the next tier. Players who are amongst the best in the side and important part to our team who are regulary picked. Idealy, all these players would be fit and in form and in the side at the same time but that of course is rarely possible.

Ian Barrett - 29yrs, RHB Opener
52 Tests - 3617 runs @ 38.89 ave, 8 centuries
110 ODIs - 3891 runs @ 39.70 ave, 6 centuries
Barrett made his international debut in 2006, but took a while to stake a consistent place in the team. He eventually broke into the ODI side batting in the middle order, before working his way to his preferred opening spot and then into the Test team. Has been a constant fixture opening with Gayle for the last 3 seasons or so, playing the steady, workmanlike foil to Gayle's aggressive shotmaking.

Felix Nolan - 23yrs, RHB Middle Order, Ocassional Right Arm Medium
20 Tests - 1526 runs @ 44.88 ave, 4 centuries
28 ODIs - 828 runs @ 33.12 ave, HS 97
Nolan made his debut at the back end of the 2011/12 season and impressed enough to force his way into the side for the whole of last year. An outstanding batsman and exciting young talent who will hopefully develop further. He has been a bit patchy in ODIs at times, so has been left out on occasion, but I am sure he will remedy that this year.

Dwayne Bravo - 29yrs, RHB Late Order, Right Arm Fast-Medium
95 Tests - 4011 runs @ 29.71 ave, 3 centuries
Bowling - 324 wickets @ 35.02, 11 five-fors
186 ODIs - 1999 runs @ 19.99, HS 94*
Bowling - 258 wickets @ 27.12, 4.40 economy
Bravo is perhaps our best all-round one day cricketer, which only makes his consistent inconsistency at Test level even more frustrating. His bowling can be either sublime or awful, and after a terrible 2011/12 season he was incredibley close to being dropped only to pull out a teriffic run last year. His batting is also a difficulty as he continually gives his wicket away in the 60s and 70s. In Tests he has passed fifty 27 times, but only made 3 centuries. However, his place in the ODI side is never in question and hopefully his Test form can continue from last year, as his talent warrants it.

Fred Pennant - 26yrs, LHB Middle Order, Left Arm Fast-Medium
19 Tests - 1075 runs @ 37.07 ave, 1 century
Bowling - 29 wickets @ 48.93 ave, best 3-67
Pennant is classified as an allrounder and has indeed had decent sucess at domestic level but hasn't cut it with the ball in Tests yet. However, his gutsy batting has been highly commendable and in truth is probably his better discipline anyway. Had a good intial run in the team after his debut in 2010, but since his bowling has been exposed has been more in and out playing largely as a specialist batmsan. Has also played 11 ODIs but compiled a very poor record with bat and ball, and also considering his domestic ond day stats are not so hot, he is unlikely to feature in them for the forseable future.

Tino Best - 31 yrs, RHB Tailender, Right Arm Fast
90 Tests - 362 wickets @ 32.30, 16 five-fors
Similar to Bravo in his inconsisency, only not quite to the same degree. However, dut to his ability to explode through batting lineups at times he has been our premier fast bowling option ever since I became coach. After a few seasons and 40 or so games it became clear that he is not made for ODIs, so hasn't played in that format for several years now and porbably won't ever again.

Amit Jaggernauth - 29yrs, LHB Tailender, Off Breaks
75 Tests - 334 wickets @ 28.81 ave, 15 five-fors
88 ODIs - 118 wickets @ 29.97 ave, 4.40 econ
Jagger was for a long time our best bowler but over the last two seasons has fallen away slightly. At one point his career Test average was under 26, exceptional for a spinner. However, he is still an important member of the side and hopefully he can recapture his past form at some point. He has been an infrequent ODI player as he doesn't really take wickets regulary enough for my liking.

Darren Sammy - 29yrs, RHB Late Order, Right Arm Medium
13 Tests - 580 runs @ 26.36, HS 79
Bowling - 35 wickets @ 40.20, 1 five-for
104 ODIs - 877 runs @ 19.49, HS 40
Bowling - 149 wickets @ 27.95, econ 4.72
Sammy is an excellent one day bowler who can eat up overs in the middle of innings and also offer helpful batting down the order if need be. He has never really made the transition to Test cricket despite getting numerous opportunities, but in an emergency I would still pick him to fill in and do a job if need be.

Harold Pope - 27yrs, RHB Opener, Occasional Right Arm Medium
20 Tests - 1271 runs @ 35.31 ave, 3 centuries
61 ODIs - 1531 runs @ 31.24 ave, 2 centuries
Pope is another guy who has hung around the side for a while never really forcing his way into the team for long enough to be called a regular, but always in contention for a place. He is a very aggresive batsman which makes him ideal to bat at 6 in ODIs which he occupies unless either Barret or Gayle are injured when he opens. Actually had a good run in Tests last year in the 5 slot and hopefully will continue that progress.

Fenrix Thomas - 32yrs, RHB Tailender, Right Arm Fast
38 ODIs - 60 wickets @ 25.70, 4.55 econ
Thomas was given his debut late in his career but has taken his chance well and performed excellently sharing the new ball with Bravo in ODIs for the last two seasons. Has subsequently played a couple of Tests but failed to impress, and, as his age is up there, other younger prospects are now ahead of him in the queue in that format.

Kendell Francis - 23yrs, RHB Late Order, Leg Break
8 Tests - 244 runs @ 34.86, HS 63*
Bowling - 32 wickets @ 22.59, 1 five-for
I spotted Francis very early as a player with a lot of talent and actually gave his deubut as an 18 year old in ODIs. His performances were mediocre and he was asked to hone his skills in domestic cricket, but was never forgotten. Last season he broke into the Test side in spectacular fashion. Whether he can continue is excellent play from last year remains to be seen, but I certainly hope so.

Well, I was in the middle of a big write up on fringe player and prospects, but I made the fatal accidentally click on a link whilst typing error and lost it, so I'll introduce players as we go along I guess. First up is a home series against Sri Lanka.

Looks like a good track for the pace bowlers with turn later on. As it being the start of the season and everyone is fit and in decent nick, I went with my planned first choice XI:

Gayle
Barrett
Sarwan*
Nolan
Pope
Baugh+
Francis
Bravo
Hinds
Thomas
Best

Thomas is getting a second shot in the side, he will be given the first two tests of this series to see if he can cut it in Tests. He is ageing, but has consitently proven he can put up the goods in ODIs so he deserves his chance again. If he fails, Pennant may step in, or more likely, a particular bowler I am very excited about but concerned he isn't experienced enough, hence Thomas is our saftey first option.

Sri Lanka line up thusly:

Name, Test caps - batting/bowling average

Soysa, 42 - 40.18
Perera, 22 - 28.28
Jayawardene*, 131 - 45.29
Sangakkara+, 109 - 43.77
Jaymon, 38 - 30.62/36.17
Samaraweera, 92 - 37.34/31.72
H. Prassad, 14 - 31.42
Wijetinga, 26 - 17.91/26.84
K. Prassad, 12- 18.86/37.64
Hemantha, 35 - 13.34/24.97
Dilshan, 7 - 2.67/34.80

Their top order is solid and Wijetinga and Hemantha are gun bowlers, but they have a few weak players I think we can exploit. Should be a good match up.

We lose the toss so will be in the field first. Not ideal, but it is a good pitch to bowl on so we'll see.

Day One

Bravo nabs Perera caught behind in the 7th over and in the next Soysa in run out in a crazy decision to go for a single to a shortish mid-wicket. Just as Sangakkara and Jayawardene are starting to build some momentum Thomas clean bowls their captain at the start of his spell to leave the visitors 56 for 3 halway through the first session. Then they build a near century partnership until a double strike from Hinds gets rid of Sanga and Samaraweera. Bravo is brought back into the attack only to have Jaymon dropped in the slips whilst on 76, bu he gets him caught and bowled a couple of overs later. We look to wrap up the rest quickly, but a frustratingl stubbon 9th wicket partnership of 87 between K. Prassad and Hemantha puts paid to that idea. We end it right before the day's end. An up and down day, in the end Sri Lanka made good runs and will have a decent total on a pitch that's generally helping the bowlers. Providing we wrap them up for less than 360 tomorrow, I'll be moderately satisfied.

Stumps Day One
Sri Lanka 344 for 9 (Jaymon 93)

Day Two

Bravo does wrap them up in the second over for one further run scored. Our openers then make a steady start before falling in consecutive overs, and after Nolan, Pope and then Sarwan are all outfoxed by the spinners we are in a right mess, 79 for 5 at tea and just looking to avoid the follow on at this point. That we do thanks to a gritty partnership between Hinds and Bravo, but we do concede a huge 151 run lead to Sri Lanka and will have to really fight to save the Test now.

I am curious as to whether terrible batting from us made the pitch look worse than it was, or if our bowlers just couldn't exploit it to the same degree as theirs. After Perera is bowled for a duck I am hopeful, but Jayawardene guides them to the safety of night for he loss of only one more.

Stumps Day Two
Sri Lanka (1st Inn) 345 all out
West Indies 194 all out (Hinds 58)
Sri Lanka (2nd Inn) 78 for 2
Sri Lanka lead by 229 runs

Day Three

A big crunch day, we have to bowl superbly otherwise we will be played out of the game and have to bat on a seriously tricky wicket for a long time. In their sumpreme position, Sri Lanka can afford to simply tee off against the seamers and do so with vigour. We turn to spin and Hinds makes a much needed triple breakthrough to pull us back into the game, Francis gets two more soon after and all of a sudden we are not looking down and out. However, they manage to build yet another frustrating partnership for the 9th wicket which incredibly takes them all the way to the end of the day. We were looking fairly decent at one stage, but once again let the opportunity slip and are now needing a truly excellent performance to get anything from this match.

Stumps Day Three
Sri Lanka 281 for 8 (Prassad 77*, Jayawardene 63)
Sri Lanka lead by 432 runs

Day Four

They come out and are peculiarly tenuous and Bravo gets the final two wickets without much bother, so we will be chasing 446 to win. Seeing as there are a good five and a half sessions left I think a draw is unlikely, we will either score a spectacular victory with a magnificent run chase or, far more likely, an igmonious defeat suffering at our ineptitude in the first innings. Early signs point to the latter and we once again find ourselves in crisis after a top order failure, 63 for 4 at lunch. We don't last too long after and are skittled out for the lowly score of 151. An embarassing defeat.



Dissapointing really, very dissapointing. Best was terrible for us, only taking one wicket and being very expensive. Thomas was not bad but not great, but the other three bowlers did a decent job. It was the batsman, usually our strength, who completely let us down in this match. The openers both failed both innings and, well it's pointless naming names they were all crap really.

Still, things can only get better. I think I heard that in a song once...