Harmison the best of a blunt attack
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
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England did not bowl badly, but nor did they look threatening, having the type of day a kindly coach might term a thoroughly good workout, writes Mike Atherton in the Times.
The tastiest figure on show? There was not much to choose between them, if truth be told. Harmison, even though he did not have the best figures, caused the bastmen what little discomfort there was. He ran in with a little more vigour, suggesting that the fire in his belly has not been completely extinguished yet, although he is still a long way short of optimum pace. He, like the rest, will be glad to see the back of this pitch.
Two young Trinidadians put the England XI to the sword at Warner Park yesterday, giving Andrew Strauss's side a chastening day in the field, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.
If ever the tourists had worries that life in the Caribbean these next few weeks may not be all rum punch and jollity then they had them dramatically confirmed by the supremely confident and mature batting of Adrian Barath, a protege of Brian Lara, and Lendl Simmons, a nephew of the former West Indies batsman Phil, who made memorable centuries after James Anderson had created a false dawn with an early new-ball wicket.
England will be limited to just two unsuccessful umpire decision referrals per innings during their Test series with West Indies but judging from the bowlers' lack of progress against the region's 'A' team in St Kitts on Thursday, they would struggle to use up their allocation, so little were the batsmen inconvenienced, writes Derek Pringle in the Telegraph.
Some pitches are designed to make bowlers doubt their vocation. The surface at Warner Park here yesterday was enough for entire attacks to seek psychological counselling about what they might do with the rest of their lives, apart from bowl ever again, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.
Perhaps the day’s biggest loser was Graeme Swann, who outbowled Panesar on the tour of India but seems unlucky to have been the one England spinner to play in this match after Panesar and Adil Rashid had enjoyed easy pickings against St Kitts and Nevis, writes Paul Newman in the Daily Mail.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo