WEBVTT - On The Front Foot Episode 178: Can the West Indies become competitive with England? 0:00:09.133 --> 0:00:12.013 You're listening to a podcast from News Talk sat B. 0:00:12.413 --> 0:00:15.213 Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on 0:00:15.373 --> 0:00:20.533 iHeart Radio. Take another. 0:00:22.133 --> 0:00:24.013 It's a very trick. It is out. 0:00:24.333 --> 0:00:25.133 The test is over. 0:00:27.373 --> 0:00:29.613 Goodness smokes a beauty. 0:00:29.653 --> 0:00:31.733 It is out and hear you guys. 0:00:31.813 --> 0:00:32.813 This delivery has. 0:00:32.773 --> 0:00:33.973 In users before. 0:00:36.493 --> 0:00:39.893 On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Cody, 0:00:40.173 --> 0:00:46.773 powered by News Talks Heat B at iHeart Radio. 0:00:47.533 --> 0:00:50.733 Hello, We're on the front foot again and this week 0:00:50.853 --> 0:00:55.213 the new boys upstay the retiring veterans Jimmy Gibbon an 0:00:55.213 --> 0:00:57.093 emotional farewell at the home of cricket. 0:00:57.733 --> 0:01:00.293 Our White Guns remain windless with one to play in England. 0:01:00.613 --> 0:01:03.533 What have they achieved and who wins the title of 0:01:03.613 --> 0:01:07.453 the best West Indian Quick over the last fifty years? 0:01:08.013 --> 0:01:11.333 You know favorites like you'd have some favorites Jerry of 0:01:11.413 --> 0:01:16.053 the West Indian Quick that you have really loving memories 0:01:16.053 --> 0:01:17.213 and printed on your brain. 0:01:17.853 --> 0:01:22.733 Yeah, I've got that black book wards. It's full of 0:01:22.973 --> 0:01:26.173 names and most of them's I would have to say. 0:01:26.293 --> 0:01:31.253 We Westerns. Yeah, there were a lot of them. They 0:01:31.413 --> 0:01:33.773 sort of they lived under the stand. They used to 0:01:33.813 --> 0:01:37.173 throw them bits of raw meat during the week and 0:01:37.213 --> 0:01:41.533 they'd come out on Saturdays, you know it, and the 0:01:41.813 --> 0:01:44.693 swathes of them. It was the first It was the 0:01:44.733 --> 0:01:46.933 first five or six onto the ground that were in 0:01:46.973 --> 0:01:48.133 the team. 0:01:48.333 --> 0:01:51.453 Yeah, have you got that scene mark still imprinted on 0:01:51.493 --> 0:01:55.613 your body when that but one had you in in Jamaica. 0:01:58.173 --> 0:02:01.893 I don't, I don't know. It went through the it 0:02:02.013 --> 0:02:06.133 went through the armed guard actually, so it might be 0:02:06.253 --> 0:02:09.413 on a mark on that, but I mean, I've got 0:02:09.493 --> 0:02:15.973 very strong skin words. But but yeah, it was. Yeah, 0:02:16.493 --> 0:02:19.173 it was. You got to You've got to really when 0:02:19.173 --> 0:02:24.053 you play for New Zealand. But yeah, that there were 0:02:24.053 --> 0:02:26.013 a few of them. Don't worry. I'm sure I'll think 0:02:26.053 --> 0:02:27.933 of one by the time we get there on the show. 0:02:28.893 --> 0:02:29.133 Yeah. 0:02:29.173 --> 0:02:32.133 Well, we're going to get Andrew Mason back. He doesn't 0:02:32.133 --> 0:02:34.213 want to talk about the first Test match, but I 0:02:34.253 --> 0:02:37.533 asked him about face starling and we'll get him back shortly. 0:02:37.573 --> 0:02:40.653 But what he did tell us last week was the 0:02:40.693 --> 0:02:43.653 West Indian batting was a little suspect. I think that 0:02:43.813 --> 0:02:45.893 was being quite generous, wasn't it that it was a 0:02:45.893 --> 0:02:50.693 little suspect they were They were just dreadful. Weren't they 0:02:50.733 --> 0:02:52.973 playing a Test metch against England? 0:02:53.253 --> 0:02:58.293 Yes, it was. It wasn't good viewing. I've had two 0:02:58.413 --> 0:03:02.773 thoughts about that because there, you know, they've also started 0:03:02.853 --> 0:03:07.333 to promote the whole thinking about should the West and 0:03:07.453 --> 0:03:11.493 He's be playing Test cricket? I mean that's really the 0:03:11.613 --> 0:03:16.733 underlying one thought I had. But the first thought is, 0:03:16.893 --> 0:03:19.733 you know, just let's be a bit careful about this. 0:03:19.853 --> 0:03:24.293 There have been thrashings in Test cricket before, haven't there. 0:03:26.173 --> 0:03:29.413 And you've only got to go back and see probably 0:03:29.453 --> 0:03:33.173 the best day's viewing of cricket maybe in the whole year, 0:03:33.653 --> 0:03:36.093 was created by the West Indies, wasn't it when they 0:03:36.213 --> 0:03:42.773 played against Australia at the absolutely when in Smith was commentating, 0:03:43.253 --> 0:03:47.653 and you know that was a fantastic effort to come 0:03:47.733 --> 0:03:50.853 back after a thrashing. They were thrashed in the first 0:03:50.893 --> 0:03:53.933 Test at Adelaide and then they came back and won 0:03:53.933 --> 0:03:56.733 by what it was single figures, wasn't it in that 0:03:57.293 --> 0:04:01.053 second Test at Brisbane? And in twenty seventeen I remember 0:04:01.173 --> 0:04:05.853 in England actually when England played the first Test and 0:04:05.893 --> 0:04:08.333 beat them just as comfortably as they did in this matter. 0:04:09.253 --> 0:04:12.333 England got about five hundred and plenty and Westernies one 0:04:12.493 --> 0:04:16.053 sixty and one thirty and then they went up to 0:04:16.173 --> 0:04:19.333 Leeds in two thousand and seventeen to play the second 0:04:19.373 --> 0:04:25.773 Test England. I think West Indies battered first, maybe did they? 0:04:26.573 --> 0:04:31.533 No West Indies bad at last? Yeah, exactly. Western He's 0:04:31.533 --> 0:04:34.013 got about, you know, four to twenty in the first 0:04:34.013 --> 0:04:36.893 innings with a lead, needed three hundred and twenty to 0:04:36.933 --> 0:04:40.213 win and passed at five down. It was old Brathwaite 0:04:40.733 --> 0:04:43.893 who's still there. He got a ninety in the second 0:04:43.893 --> 0:04:46.253 innings and one hundred in the first and Hope got 0:04:46.293 --> 0:04:49.573 one hundreds of each innings, so they won by five wickets. 0:04:49.933 --> 0:04:54.053 Hell of a good effort. So I know that this 0:04:54.213 --> 0:04:57.653 is a different side. I realized that there are so 0:04:57.813 --> 0:05:01.733 many of these guys who are really just entering their careers, 0:05:01.733 --> 0:05:05.413 so it may be a little bit different. But you know, 0:05:05.573 --> 0:05:12.413 let's just wait and see see what happens, because I mean, 0:05:12.493 --> 0:05:15.653 otherwise you start to get some of the you know, 0:05:15.733 --> 0:05:19.493 the mood that's been coming out of England. It seems 0:05:19.533 --> 0:05:24.973 to me is more we can't rate these players, we 0:05:25.053 --> 0:05:28.373 can't even judge them because they're so early in their careers, 0:05:29.453 --> 0:05:36.293 and therefore it's Test cricket is suddenly falling apart, and 0:05:35.613 --> 0:05:39.453 I'm not that keen to go down that line, to 0:05:39.493 --> 0:05:43.973 be really honest with you. I mean, they didn't prepare 0:05:44.013 --> 0:05:47.653 that very well for the tour, did they. It's hard 0:05:47.693 --> 0:05:52.453 nowadays with the schedule that there is, but I would 0:05:52.493 --> 0:05:55.373 have thought other countries can just help a bit, maybe 0:05:56.653 --> 0:05:59.293 give them a bit longer preparation to go over so 0:05:59.413 --> 0:06:02.693 especially a team like that West Indies side. It's very 0:06:02.733 --> 0:06:05.893 hard as a batsman to go to England, you know, 0:06:05.973 --> 0:06:09.693 for the first time and player moving ball. We could 0:06:09.693 --> 0:06:12.213 see over that T twenty. It's hard enough playing at home, 0:06:12.333 --> 0:06:15.053 isn't it for them? The way the ball was bouncing, 0:06:15.973 --> 0:06:19.493 you know, So you know, and maybe they could play 0:06:19.533 --> 0:06:22.613 instead of they had one game, a three day game. 0:06:23.653 --> 0:06:27.933 Maybe they could play a team, yeah exactly. Maybe they 0:06:27.973 --> 0:06:31.013 could play a couple of games. Maybe they could maybe 0:06:31.053 --> 0:06:34.893 could someone provide some assistance if it was requested, you know, 0:06:34.933 --> 0:06:37.453 a couple of coaches could come in and help their coaches, 0:06:37.573 --> 0:06:40.213 or coming and help some of their players. I don't know, 0:06:41.093 --> 0:06:44.693 but surely something could be done to try and assist 0:06:45.893 --> 0:06:48.013 teams that are struggling at the moment. 0:06:48.893 --> 0:06:53.413 Well, they need to get the opportunity to play cricket 0:06:53.693 --> 0:06:54.333 and prepare for it. 0:06:54.373 --> 0:06:54.973 I mean, it's the. 0:06:54.933 --> 0:06:57.853 Same story as far as I'm concerned about our White 0:06:57.853 --> 0:07:00.653 Fans team. You know, are they doing the right things 0:07:00.693 --> 0:07:03.213 in terms of preparing for playing in England. They're finding 0:07:03.373 --> 0:07:07.133 the same issues the inability to deal with playing England 0:07:07.333 --> 0:07:09.973 in England. And I think that that's probably what some 0:07:10.013 --> 0:07:12.453 of these new young West Indian players because there's a 0:07:12.493 --> 0:07:15.093 bit of talent there. We've seen them bad. Athenas is 0:07:15.093 --> 0:07:18.173 not a bad player, and they've got a few of them. 0:07:18.653 --> 0:07:22.213 But when you come up against England and England it's 0:07:22.293 --> 0:07:25.293 it's very difficult. I mean, is Atkinson and you've seen 0:07:25.373 --> 0:07:28.413 these guys Atkinson and Smith who were the stars the 0:07:28.453 --> 0:07:32.013 young fellows. Is Atkinson that good or is it just 0:07:32.093 --> 0:07:34.013 at the West and he's batting was woeful? 0:07:34.693 --> 0:07:39.893 Well, I think mainly the second wards Atkinson doesn't really 0:07:40.293 --> 0:07:46.853 tear other you know, first class teams apart. He bowls 0:07:47.333 --> 0:07:50.933 you know, sort of high eighties. So there is pace 0:07:50.973 --> 0:07:55.013 there and that and Key and McCullum has said, haven't 0:07:55.053 --> 0:07:57.493 they They want to have some pace on the onto 0:07:57.533 --> 0:08:00.493 the surface of the pitch and he showed a bit 0:08:00.533 --> 0:08:03.813 of that, got a bit of luck early had a 0:08:03.813 --> 0:08:06.133 good toss, didn't that was a good toss to win? 0:08:06.293 --> 0:08:09.973 Oh yeah, And and the game wasn't competitive. But I 0:08:10.013 --> 0:08:13.613 mean we've also got to remember at the same time, 0:08:13.693 --> 0:08:17.493 don't forget we've seen one side of games the other 0:08:17.533 --> 0:08:20.813 way around, haven't we. Right through the seventies and the eighties, 0:08:20.853 --> 0:08:26.373 the Westerndies cruised around the world cleaning everybody up. You know, 0:08:26.533 --> 0:08:29.213 they had top batsmen, They had a battery of clicks 0:08:29.813 --> 0:08:31.973 and it didn't matter what sort of pitch she prepared 0:08:32.013 --> 0:08:35.613 against them. So did we say then that cricket was over? 0:08:36.853 --> 0:08:40.093 You know, that Test cricket was finished, and we're going 0:08:40.173 --> 0:08:43.213 to cut half of them out. Suddenly half the team's out, 0:08:43.973 --> 0:08:46.133 you know, take it easy for a moment. I think 0:08:47.333 --> 0:08:49.413 what we did. And of course was complained about the 0:08:49.493 --> 0:08:52.093 number of bounts as they bowled and how hard it 0:08:52.173 --> 0:08:53.133 was to score. 0:08:53.773 --> 0:08:58.333 Yes, and their overrates which were about thirteen twelve an hour, 0:08:58.813 --> 0:09:01.493 And yeah, you know, they've got to be they've got 0:09:01.533 --> 0:09:04.693 to be given a bit of a chance, these players. 0:09:04.853 --> 0:09:07.573 The one issue, of course, is that the interest is 0:09:07.613 --> 0:09:10.453 not there in test cricket because of. 0:09:10.493 --> 0:09:11.413 The white ball game. 0:09:11.453 --> 0:09:15.693 And that was something that Andrew Mason spoke about last week, 0:09:15.733 --> 0:09:17.373 and they've got to be able. 0:09:17.173 --> 0:09:18.933 To play some of these games. 0:09:19.093 --> 0:09:21.853 They don't have the players going playing county cricket like 0:09:22.373 --> 0:09:25.653 the sides of the eighties and nineties, Greenwage, Haynes, etc. 0:09:26.013 --> 0:09:26.253 Etc. 0:09:26.693 --> 0:09:29.053 Richard, you know all those players were playing in the 0:09:29.093 --> 0:09:34.573 county game, so they had some experience. Jamie Smith, you 0:09:34.933 --> 0:09:37.453 spoke about him, We can see why they chose him. 0:09:37.493 --> 0:09:41.333 Not necessarily a better keeper than folks, but with the bat, 0:09:41.373 --> 0:09:44.413 he's going to be the kind of man they want, 0:09:44.493 --> 0:09:44.813 isn't he. 0:09:45.293 --> 0:09:49.773 Yeah? I thought he kept quite well. Lords is quite 0:09:49.813 --> 0:09:53.493 a tricky place to keep wicked. Actually, it's one of 0:09:53.533 --> 0:09:57.413 those grounds like like christ Church used to be as well. 0:09:57.453 --> 0:10:00.213 Wally would tell us about that. He used to just 0:10:00.253 --> 0:10:02.613 get him very just to look over at me at 0:10:02.653 --> 0:10:05.973 second slip and his eyes would just open up because 0:10:05.973 --> 0:10:09.013 the ball would actually not only just swerve nerves quite 0:10:09.013 --> 0:10:12.333 often you see it swinging after it pictures and passing 0:10:12.413 --> 0:10:15.253 the stumps, which it does at Lord's, but it also 0:10:15.333 --> 0:10:18.173 can go up and down, which is even worse. But 0:10:18.333 --> 0:10:20.733 I thought Smith for quite a tall man. He's over 0:10:20.773 --> 0:10:25.573 six feet. You know, he moved quite well. He seemed 0:10:25.613 --> 0:10:28.453 to take most of it, all right. He took a 0:10:28.493 --> 0:10:33.573 low catch and I thought, you know, he's looking okay 0:10:34.613 --> 0:10:38.253 with the gloves for the time that he's had to 0:10:38.293 --> 0:10:41.533 do it really and then of course he's a proper 0:10:41.533 --> 0:10:45.413 batsman and he batted a bit with the tail and 0:10:45.453 --> 0:10:48.693 so yeah, I thought he had a good match. In fact, 0:10:48.693 --> 0:10:51.773 as you say, the two guys you've mentioned had good matches, 0:10:51.813 --> 0:10:54.373 didn't they for them? The other person I would mention, 0:10:54.533 --> 0:10:59.133 just very briefly, is there Stokes playing as an all 0:10:59.253 --> 0:11:03.053 round her again makes a hell of a difference. He's 0:11:03.053 --> 0:11:07.213 been bowling a lot for Durham long spells. It seems 0:11:07.253 --> 0:11:11.173 that his knee opera is okay. He looks quite lean, 0:11:11.773 --> 0:11:15.013 he doesn't look to be over you know, sort of 0:11:15.133 --> 0:11:17.813 Muscley and that sort of thing as well. And it's 0:11:17.853 --> 0:11:20.533 a very different England side with Stokes as a full 0:11:20.573 --> 0:11:21.973 all rounder i think. 0:11:22.253 --> 0:11:24.773 And the ability to bowl just those extra overs. He 0:11:24.813 --> 0:11:26.773 looked as he was going to overdo it at one 0:11:26.813 --> 0:11:30.733 stage there, but they won the game quite comfortably by 0:11:31.413 --> 0:11:35.573 an innings. Anderson, well he's out. It's been replaced by 0:11:35.733 --> 0:11:39.813 thirty four year old Mark Wood. He's going to share 0:11:39.893 --> 0:11:43.733 the new ball with Atkinson. And thirty five year old Wokes. 0:11:43.773 --> 0:11:47.653 Now they wanted to fifty five thirty five? 0:11:47.693 --> 0:11:48.693 Did I say fifty five? 0:11:50.413 --> 0:11:52.973 Well that's really pushing it, isn't it. 0:11:53.173 --> 0:11:53.373 Yeah. 0:11:53.413 --> 0:11:54.693 I wonder when he's leaving. 0:11:57.213 --> 0:12:01.093 Yeah, okay, well I'll put that down as a thirty 0:12:01.133 --> 0:12:06.533 five and a fox pass. But they wanted they wanted 0:12:07.413 --> 0:12:12.253 a new group of younger players to bring in Wood. 0:12:12.493 --> 0:12:16.333 Seems a little bit strange. Will he be in Australia 0:12:16.853 --> 0:12:21.333 for the Ashes? Wokes might be there, but Wokes is 0:12:21.413 --> 0:12:23.733 really only an England bowler, isn't he. We talked about 0:12:23.733 --> 0:12:24.533 that last week too. 0:12:25.693 --> 0:12:28.733 Yeah. I don't think Wokes will be in the Australian 0:12:29.573 --> 0:12:35.653 touring party. He is pretty much England centric unless you 0:12:35.693 --> 0:12:37.653 go to I mean he could come and play against 0:12:37.733 --> 0:12:41.013 New Zealand, couldn't he where you have similar conditions. But 0:12:41.893 --> 0:12:45.293 other than that, it doesn't seem to work for Chris 0:12:45.293 --> 0:12:48.813 Wokes good back too, lower down. He strengthens that as well. 0:12:49.253 --> 0:12:52.773 So they like him, but I don't think it's a 0:12:52.813 --> 0:12:55.533 long term things when you know, we need consider to 0:12:55.613 --> 0:13:00.453 go to Australia. I don't know. They played, you know, 0:13:00.773 --> 0:13:05.853 just steadily, didn't they. Anderson's been a terrific, terrific bowler 0:13:05.853 --> 0:13:09.733 as an exceptional bowler. And England do that pomp and ceremony, 0:13:09.773 --> 0:13:16.493 that cheerio very well. They love doing that all the crowd. 0:13:16.893 --> 0:13:17.133 Lord. 0:13:18.093 --> 0:13:22.813 You know his longevity and his fitness levels and skill 0:13:22.893 --> 0:13:25.333 sets in you know, whether it's swinging the ball or 0:13:25.413 --> 0:13:29.493 seeming the ball or wobbling the ball nowadays, or reversing 0:13:29.573 --> 0:13:31.693 the ball because he had to learn to do that 0:13:32.493 --> 0:13:35.173 and he only after what one hundred and eighty eights 0:13:35.213 --> 0:13:37.493 was going for two point seven runs and over, So 0:13:38.053 --> 0:13:42.213 that tells you how accurate he has been right throughout, 0:13:42.773 --> 0:13:47.413 how he's reinvented himself, you know, all that stuff. Consistency 0:13:47.453 --> 0:13:52.173 of pace, you know, when everything's put together, he's got 0:13:52.173 --> 0:13:56.653 to be up there, doesn't he And you know he'll 0:13:56.693 --> 0:13:58.933 settle into his career. Now. Do you like the way 0:13:58.973 --> 0:14:01.493 that he's going to be throwing a next Test as 0:14:01.493 --> 0:14:05.573 a coach or as a someone to lean on? Yeah? 0:14:05.693 --> 0:14:07.133 Mentalor yeah? 0:14:07.173 --> 0:14:10.893 Well it was it was an emotional moment. He's been 0:14:10.933 --> 0:14:14.333 around the cricket scene for a long time. We didn't 0:14:14.333 --> 0:14:17.053 get a chance to see much of Shobashir in the 0:14:17.093 --> 0:14:17.613 Test match. 0:14:18.533 --> 0:14:20.333 It was he wasn't born. 0:14:20.093 --> 0:14:23.573 When he wasn't born when Jimmy Anderson made his Test. 0:14:23.493 --> 0:14:28.613 Aboot, I didn't know. That's right. You go and field 0:14:28.613 --> 0:14:30.933 at fine leg go and field down at fine legs. 0:14:30.973 --> 0:14:33.573 Son, Yeah, breakfast, you're throwing. 0:14:35.613 --> 0:14:39.253 Yeah, well that was It was interesting. 0:14:39.293 --> 0:14:44.453 It's interesting because the the Anderson retirement is great for 0:14:44.493 --> 0:14:47.293 the statisticians and I don't mind a few statistics every 0:14:47.733 --> 0:14:50.693 now and again. That when you think he bowled forty 0:14:50.813 --> 0:14:58.453 thousand balls in Test cricket, forty thousand and yeah, dumbody 0:14:58.493 --> 0:15:06.213 did a calculation that it was the equivalent of bowling 0:15:07.053 --> 0:15:11.733 about four hundred and nine three kilometers judging by his 0:15:11.973 --> 0:15:13.933 run up. Didn't include any of the times he ran 0:15:13.973 --> 0:15:17.013 in and didn't deliver because the batsman wasn't ready there, 0:15:17.333 --> 0:15:22.253 and it was it was a basic map of the 0:15:22.333 --> 0:15:27.253 England Test match grounds, walking the distance between Lords and 0:15:27.453 --> 0:15:31.733 Durham Wedness. That's yeah, yeah, that's that's how they love 0:15:31.893 --> 0:15:37.573 their statistics. In terms of the the fact that he 0:15:37.653 --> 0:15:41.853 played with one hundred and nine other players during his 0:15:41.933 --> 0:15:43.813 Test career, do you remember some of them? 0:15:44.213 --> 0:15:50.093 I don't remember the likes of Simon Kerrigan. 0:15:51.653 --> 0:15:54.773 Simon Kerrigan. Was he a spinner? I don't know. 0:15:55.293 --> 0:15:59.613 Ashmah, Chazzad and just Bowler. 0:16:00.613 --> 0:16:04.413 Yeah, they all played Test matches along with Jimmy Anderson. 0:16:04.413 --> 0:16:06.613 There's one I do know, but I didn't realize he'd 0:16:06.653 --> 0:16:11.573 played a match because he played club cricket here in Wellington, 0:16:11.933 --> 0:16:17.173 Scott Forthwick who played a one Test match for England. 0:16:17.653 --> 0:16:19.453 They got threshed in Australia. 0:16:19.493 --> 0:16:22.253 It was an Ashes Test match and I cannot, for 0:16:22.293 --> 0:16:24.253 the life of me remember him playing it. I actually 0:16:24.253 --> 0:16:27.653 had to look it up to see why he played. 0:16:27.813 --> 0:16:31.733 So there's one hundred and nine of them played while 0:16:32.293 --> 0:16:36.613 Jimmy Anderson was available to play for England from his debut. 0:16:37.053 --> 0:16:38.893 Amazing really when you think about it. 0:16:40.533 --> 0:16:45.893 Yeah, it is. No, he's certainly been an important figure 0:16:46.213 --> 0:16:49.373 right throughout well When did he start two thousand and 0:16:49.493 --> 0:16:52.253 three or something like that, wasn't it. Yeah, I saw 0:16:52.373 --> 0:16:55.373 a little interview was a NASA Hussain who went in 0:16:55.413 --> 0:16:57.293 and had a chat with him. In the changing room. 0:16:57.933 --> 0:17:02.493 It was almost absolute silence in the changing room. No 0:17:02.533 --> 0:17:05.413 one was showering, no one was throwing things around, no 0:17:05.493 --> 0:17:09.213 one was swearing, and it was it was. It was. 0:17:09.013 --> 0:17:13.653 It was quite eerie actually, because you don't often you 0:17:13.733 --> 0:17:16.813 don't often get a really quiet changing room unless you've 0:17:16.813 --> 0:17:17.653 been thrashed. 0:17:19.173 --> 0:17:20.693 That was respect, wasn't it. 0:17:20.693 --> 0:17:23.973 It was really yeah? It was so so yeah, so 0:17:24.093 --> 0:17:27.493 he's and it was it was interesting how that kind 0:17:27.493 --> 0:17:33.053 of and the performance of Atkinson sort of went, you know, 0:17:33.133 --> 0:17:37.213 twelve wickets went under the radar really in the out 0:17:37.213 --> 0:17:39.333 the back. So but that was that was okay. I 0:17:39.333 --> 0:17:42.453 don't mind that at all. He'll he's probably done quite 0:17:42.493 --> 0:17:44.973 a lot to get himself, you know, a few Test 0:17:45.013 --> 0:17:49.333 matches now if he can stay fit. But I do think, well, 0:17:49.373 --> 0:17:54.413 I do hope that the West Indies, you know, prepare 0:17:54.533 --> 0:17:58.453 a wee bit better. You can't test cricket was it's 0:17:58.493 --> 0:18:01.093 just not as easy as T twenty. So you've got 0:18:01.093 --> 0:18:03.973 to prepare properly. You've got to give it your attention. 0:18:04.573 --> 0:18:07.053 You've got to give the test match what it deserves, 0:18:07.133 --> 0:18:09.893 you know, and I know schedules tough and naturally, but 0:18:09.933 --> 0:18:13.533 if you don't look after those things, you know, you 0:18:13.653 --> 0:18:19.013 get those sorts of games where suddenly everyone says, oh, tests, 0:18:19.453 --> 0:18:22.893 tests are dying, and those sorts of things. But I 0:18:22.933 --> 0:18:27.573 don't think I don't think it is. I hope that 0:18:27.693 --> 0:18:31.613 they can just withhold on all that kind of discussion 0:18:32.253 --> 0:18:35.453 that they did have after that we're now going because 0:18:35.453 --> 0:18:37.373 they had a didn't They have a big meeting there 0:18:37.413 --> 0:18:41.293 for one day prior to the match where they all 0:18:41.373 --> 0:18:45.573 discussed and they got all the notables in the discuss 0:18:45.893 --> 0:18:48.373 what are we going to do with Test cricket And 0:18:48.453 --> 0:18:50.973 what they came up was in the end was that 0:18:51.013 --> 0:18:54.013 they were going to only have sixteens playing Test cricket 0:18:54.013 --> 0:18:58.253 in the next three years. And I really hope that 0:18:58.253 --> 0:19:00.373 that doesn't happen. The interesting thing, of course, if you 0:19:00.413 --> 0:19:03.413 took it now, England would not be in the top six. 0:19:04.093 --> 0:19:06.973 If you took them from the West that the Test Championship. 0:19:07.133 --> 0:19:11.213 They are bottom of the tape at the moment, so 0:19:11.573 --> 0:19:13.773 it would be very interesting there they are in England 0:19:13.813 --> 0:19:16.453 discussing the same we're only going to have six. Well, 0:19:16.493 --> 0:19:20.253 I don't think they'd like it if they suddenly had 0:19:20.253 --> 0:19:23.253 a look at where they were positioned themselves and in 0:19:23.293 --> 0:19:25.253 fact the West Indies would be in the top six. 0:19:26.093 --> 0:19:29.413 Yeah. So sadly, that of course is the business of 0:19:29.573 --> 0:19:31.813 the money people over the cricket people, isn't it. And 0:19:31.813 --> 0:19:34.973 the money people want to make those sorts of decisions. 0:19:34.973 --> 0:19:36.733 Cricket people have. 0:19:36.533 --> 0:19:41.413 A vastly different view of the game. And you know 0:19:41.493 --> 0:19:43.973 we've seen that there was a survey done that Test 0:19:43.973 --> 0:19:47.813 cricket is still the most important part of the player's mind, 0:19:48.253 --> 0:19:53.173 but that T twenty is perhaps overcoming one day cricket. 0:19:53.453 --> 0:19:58.973 I want to get Andrew Mason back because while Anderson 0:19:59.093 --> 0:20:02.693 was preparing for his final Test match, people in the Caribbean, 0:20:02.773 --> 0:20:05.093 the fans there were defending their pace bowlers of the 0:20:05.093 --> 0:20:09.293 past fifty years and the content that Anderson was a 0:20:09.293 --> 0:20:12.013 better ball on any of those who graced the West 0:20:12.053 --> 0:20:15.693 Indian Arena. Somebody gave a point of view with Brian 0:20:15.853 --> 0:20:19.733 Lara who called him the best fast bawler whoever played 0:20:19.733 --> 0:20:24.813 the game, the greatest fast baller of the game. I 0:20:24.893 --> 0:20:27.653 just wonder whether Brian Larrad had a few too many 0:20:27.693 --> 0:20:30.653 bounces bowled at him in the nets and some of 0:20:30.653 --> 0:20:33.933 them had perhaps connected with his helmet. I mean, it's 0:20:33.933 --> 0:20:36.693 hard to argue with the stats of Anderson's contribution to 0:20:36.733 --> 0:20:39.853 the game and stad on the resilience ability he had 0:20:40.413 --> 0:20:44.093 over the last last twenty one years. I've got Andrew 0:20:44.133 --> 0:20:47.573 Mason on the phone again. He rejoins us this week. 0:20:47.973 --> 0:20:51.733 Where does he stand on the issue of anyone who 0:20:51.773 --> 0:20:54.533 can surpass Anderson. 0:20:54.613 --> 0:20:59.493 Milchael Marshall, the great Malcolm Marshall. Yeah, it was easy, 0:20:59.533 --> 0:21:03.453 but we're not hesitation, you know. I would have seen 0:21:03.533 --> 0:21:07.893 Malcolm Marshall play local cricket in Barbados. In fact, he 0:21:07.973 --> 0:21:11.013 actually used to. He was a batsman, you know, and 0:21:11.093 --> 0:21:14.613 for a local team called Banks were worked and you 0:21:14.653 --> 0:21:18.013 know we're coming ball some medium pace and bat and 0:21:18.133 --> 0:21:23.253 he developed into a fantastic bowler for the West City's, 0:21:23.453 --> 0:21:27.173 very very heady, good control. In fact, so Clive Lloyd 0:21:27.213 --> 0:21:29.653 told me only recently that whenever they had a meeting, 0:21:30.053 --> 0:21:33.573 whenever Malcolm Marshall spoke, you can hear a pin drop 0:21:33.733 --> 0:21:36.973 because of his vast knowledge of the game. And the 0:21:37.053 --> 0:21:39.093 thing about Malcolm Marshall was that he was able to 0:21:39.093 --> 0:21:42.413 bowl on on on on any surface. He was quick 0:21:43.053 --> 0:21:47.453 as you know the one on bandick in England when 0:21:47.573 --> 0:21:52.213 he came out and and got and bowling the note. Basically, 0:21:52.493 --> 0:21:56.653 So when you look at Malcolm Marshall, very sharp, a 0:21:56.693 --> 0:21:59.973 good monkser and and you can almost see him thinking 0:22:00.173 --> 0:22:03.413 of batsman. So I would say that Malcolm Marshall would 0:22:03.493 --> 0:22:05.973 be the one that I would pick as my favorite. 0:22:06.293 --> 0:22:08.173 What I would say as well, is that I remember 0:22:08.493 --> 0:22:13.053 in nineteen ninety name but he was obviously on the decline. 0:22:13.733 --> 0:22:16.613 I was at Sabina Parker and a gentleman said, Marshall, 0:22:16.653 --> 0:22:18.973 the game will leave you. But what he really meant 0:22:19.053 --> 0:22:21.013 was that Marshall leave the game. But that's the baby 0:22:21.013 --> 0:22:24.733 speak in the Caribbean. And we then went to Border 0:22:25.253 --> 0:22:28.333 now Borders, you know as the batsman's paradise, and in 0:22:28.413 --> 0:22:33.373 nineteen ninety one Malcolm Marshall picked up five wickets Australia 0:22:33.413 --> 0:22:37.573 were defeated in an excellent spell of fast balling. I 0:22:37.613 --> 0:22:41.013 mean Border looked like perf. He boes so quickly because 0:22:41.013 --> 0:22:44.053 he was under pressure, and it really really showed me 0:22:44.093 --> 0:22:47.933 then that Malcolm Marshall, the great, great fast baller that 0:22:48.053 --> 0:22:52.133 he will always be, you know, really showed his true colors. There. 0:22:52.533 --> 0:22:57.453 There's also another guy, Malcolm Marsha number one. He doesn't 0:22:57.493 --> 0:23:00.413 get the credit that he deserves. In fact, some people 0:23:00.493 --> 0:23:04.533 questioned whether he's great. Courtney Andrew Watch and the reason 0:23:04.573 --> 0:23:08.213 why I say a Watch would have to feature. Watch 0:23:09.053 --> 0:23:13.773 started out as a support Border and as his career developed, 0:23:14.053 --> 0:23:15.453 ended up being a straight bowler. 0:23:16.253 --> 0:23:17.333 Watch was the. 0:23:17.173 --> 0:23:20.773 One that did the donkey work. I mean, on any pitch, 0:23:22.293 --> 0:23:25.733 watch will be there for you. I've seen Courtney watch 0:23:25.773 --> 0:23:29.053 balling for the best. Cindy's on some dead pitches across 0:23:29.053 --> 0:23:32.493 the world, particularly at border, and his energy and his 0:23:32.653 --> 0:23:36.573 commitment is really really worthy of commendation. But to answer 0:23:36.653 --> 0:23:40.413 your question, Malcolm Denzil Marshall is my pick. 0:23:41.093 --> 0:23:43.613 I won't get too much argument from anybody then, because 0:23:43.653 --> 0:23:46.013 I totally agree with whatever you say. The interesting thing 0:23:46.013 --> 0:23:50.333 about what you mentioned though, in terms of Walsh and Marshall, Walsh, Ambrose, 0:23:50.413 --> 0:23:55.973 Holding roberts Ganna all tore men more into the pitch 0:23:56.053 --> 0:24:00.013 than perhaps Malcolm Marshall, who you swing and pace. He 0:24:00.053 --> 0:24:02.213 didn't have quite the height that those ballers said, did he. 0:24:03.013 --> 0:24:05.653 Yeah, it's interesting because he was a relatively small man, 0:24:05.973 --> 0:24:09.053 like like Shama Joseph. I mean he generated all the paces. Oh, 0:24:09.253 --> 0:24:11.213