(This entry was originally published on Friday, March 6th, 2009)
With a view to salvaging the series, England is going to take on host West Indies today (6 March 2009) in the fifth test of the series. It is a must win game for the visitors as West Indies is leading 1-0 in the series thanks to their excellent victory in the first test. However, West Indies just needs a draw in the fifth test at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad in order to ensure their series victory.
Match: West Indies vs England, Fifth Test 2009
Date: 6 March 2009, Friday
Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Time: Local Time 10:00 (14:00 GMT)
England went very close to win the third test, but they failed to capitalize on their terrific start as West Indies batsmen showed excellent resistance in the end. No doubt, Andrew Strauss and his team will not leave any stone unturned to win the final test, knowing the fact that this is the only way to make it 1-1 in the series. England batsmen were impressive in the last two tests, but the main worry for the visiting team is their ability to pick up 20 wickets of West Indies team. More specifically, Ramnaresh Sarwan has been an instant threat to English bowlers who are not enjoying very good time at this moment.
England will miss the service of Ryan Sidebottom for the final test as he is struggling with his Achilles injury. Spinner Graeme Swann is also struggling with his elbow injury, but will play the last test. In fact, he was the most successful bowler among the English bowlers in Barbados and had to bowl 50 overs to pick up 5 wickets. So, it is pretty much certain that Swann would not come into the match fresh. England will have to pick someone between Amjad Khan and Monty Panesar to replace Sidebottom. The Denmark-born pacer has already shown his talent and skill in English county cricket and I think, he should be given a change in Trinidad. With Steve Harmison being underperformed and Andrew Flintoff being left out with injury, English bowling attack has been depleted significantly. Moreover, the opponent batsmen like Sarwan and Ramdin have been in sparkling form so far in the series. Sarwan has already amassed 598 runs in the series with three centuries in which Sarwan turned one into double.
West Indies bowlers did not impress since their match winning performance in the first test. In fact, they did not throw any challenge to the English batsmen in the last two tests as Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook are enjoying good form at this moment. Jerome Taylor was instrumental behind West Indies’ victory in the first test, but since then, he has not shown any more sparks so far. It is expected that West Indies would not take any risk for winning the match. Rather, the home side would like to ensure they would not lose the match in what would hand ensure their series win. However, I think, the players like Jerome Taylor would have to play a big part for West Indies if they are to keep the lead intact at the end of the series. West Indies would like another dominating innings from in-form batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Daren Powell’s poor form might cost him the place in the final eleven, while middle order batsman Ryan Hinds might also be excluded from the fifth test line up because of his poor batting display in the run-flooded last two matches in Barbados and Antigua. I think, Lendl Simmons, who scored 282 runs in the tour match against England at St Kitts, should be handed his test debut against England in the fifth test because he deserves it after his excellent double century.
Online Live Score and Updates
If you can not get to watch the match live on your television and do not have any chance to enjoy the match sitting in the stadium, you can get the live score and updates of the match from the following websites:
Cricinfo
Sify sports
action8cricket
cricketnext
Headlinesindia.com
CRICBUZZ
123INDIA.COM
Cricket365
Thatscricket
Well, both teams have a strong batting line up and have some in-from batsmen at this moment. So, I would not be surprised if I see another run-flooded affair in the last match of the test series. It has been reported that the wicket of Queen’s Park Oval seems to be very competitive and has something for the bowlers, indicating that cricket fans might see in the last match. However, everything depends on how well the bowlers will be able to capitalize on the condition and take the best out of the wicket. In fact, both sides are running with a depleted bowling attack which does not throw much light in the hopes of getting result in the fifth test. Still, I am optimistic not to see another dragging match like we did in Barbados.
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