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| West Indies v England, first test |
|---|
| Place: Kensington Oval, Barbados Appointment: January 23-27 |
| Blanket: Live text commentary and The Social Cricket on the BBC Sport website and app |
Finally, it happened.
We are talking about 2019 for so long, a year in which England is hosting a World Cup home, followed by a series on the Ashes. This will be perhaps the biggest year in the history of cricket in England and they hope it will be their greatest success.
It starts here in Barbados, with the first of three tests against the West Indies. Looking at the famous old oval of Kensington, I can see some of the key protagonists of England and I can not help but wonder how the next 12 months will unfold for them.
Trevor Bayliss, in his last year as a coach, will he leave at sunset after making a remarkable double?
Can Stuart Broad, who has been a shoo-in for so long in England, be successful in his Caribbean tour and set this place to ashes?
Will James Anderson continue after the visit to Australia? He looks so fit, there seems to be no reason for that he can not.
For captain Joe Root, who really imposed his authority on this team in the 3-0 win in Sri Lanka before Christmas, will this summer offer some redemption after this horrific tour last winter? ?
Final Hearing of Ashes in England
England is currently focusing on victories in the Caribbean. Even though the West Indies have been so inconsistent for a number of years, England still has a rather poor record.
During their last two tours, they only won one test. The final trip, a 1-1 draw, marked the end of drummer Jonathan Trott and his coach Peter Moores.
Realistically, this trio of tests is the last chance for part of this team to prove its value in the longest form before the start of the Ashes.
The only other event in England before meeting Australia at Edgbaston is a four-day match against Ireland at Lord's. At this point, they will want their Ash team to be sorted.
The most pressing problems concern the first three. Rory Burns must show that he can hit and make big scores. Keaton Jennings must prove that he is as good against the seam as against the rotation. and Jonny Bairstow must demonstrate that he has the technique – and the discipline – to manage his promotion.
The rest of the batting order seems pretty settled and the decision made by England before Wednesday is the constitution of his bowling attack.
Exceptionally, there are two fields side by side, prepared and ready to go. The Caribbean, and especially Barbados, are suitable for big fast bowlers capable of exploiting any uneven bounce that might come late in the game. So Broad – who scored a hat trick in the first warm-up game – should play.
That being said, England will probably have to choose between the complete talents of Sam Curran, who will be useful with the Dukes ball, or Jack Leach's second rotation option.
Is the interest in cricket decreasing in the West Indies?
Root's men will face a West Indian team that remains the shadow of the great team that dominated the rest of the world in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Their captain, Jason Holder, is an impressive figure and their bowling will be a little fast, but they have little experience – no player has more than 50 caps.
Shai Hope, the architect of the incredible victory that they won at Headingley in 2017, has not started, but he will have at least one stick support with the recalled form of Darren Bravo.
Indeed, the evolution of the fortunes of the Caribbean team reflects the very different attitude I have had the game since my arrival in Barbados.
In previous trips here, you could not converse with a local without talking about cricket. The immigration officer at the airport, the taxi driver, the man at the bar – there was only one subject when England was in town.
This is no longer the case, although I am told that as life on the island becomes more and more lively, locals simply turn to cricket later. The hope is that the Kensington ring enjoys significant home support on Wednesday.
We already know that fans of England will be packed. The number mentioned is of the order of 9,000 and you can not move to Barbados with red faces and sunburned legs.
A trip to the West Indies is an excellent opportunity for all cricket fans, even if those who have arrived will find a Kensington Oval very different from the one where Michael Holding turned a deaf ear. to Geoffrey Boycott in 1981.
At the time, noises were echoing in the old rickety stands, the band was playing, the spectators were dancing and the men in noisy suits were shouting at the players. Barbados now houses a very modern stadium, although there remains an opening through which you can see the palm trees swinging.
Whatever the case may be, travel enthusiasts in England will always be greeted by a pool and rum punch.
My advice to Alastair Cook …
Speaking of those who come from England, I look forward to welcoming a new colleague to the BBC cricket team for the last two tests of the series.
I asked Sir Alastair Cook, who had just retired and who had become a knight, to arrive with an empty notebook and a sharp pencil. Even the best scorecard marker of England has to start at the back of the clbad because it learns the ropes of the broadcaster profession.
Cook is a good friend and I can not wait to work with him. If he applied to the radio the same way he liked the stick, it will become natural.
Sometimes, players coming out of the locker room hesitate to criticize their former clbadmates or give too much information about the team. It will be my job to convince what should be a fascinating glimpse of the former skipper.
Jonathan Agnew is entrusted to Stephan Shemilt of BBC Sport.
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