Settling in to the Caribbean vibe
St Lucia - I’ve been to the Caribbean on holiday but never to play before. It’s been my dream to play in the World Cup and to do it in such a beautiful place is even better.
The first week and a half of our trip has been really successful and the lads have trained really hard.
We but the team learned a lot about the wickets we will have to play on.
The off-cutters and leg-cutters that and Stuart Clark mixed in were the main reason they won and we have to try and do the same.
You’ve got to judge the wicket first. If the ball is seaming all over the place you might not have to bring the slow bowlers in quite so early but if it’s quite flat and batsmen are trying to line you up, that variation is key.
In the first week of any tour we generally do quite a lot of fitness to get our bodies used to the conditions, in this case the heat and humidity.
After training in St Vincent we would go to the beach and there was an island we could swim out to, which made a nice change from running to get us in condition.
The people over here have also been very friendly. They love cricket but they know you need your space. We’re trying to work out whether people are too chilled out to bother to speak to you or whether they just respect our privacy!
New Zealand are our first opponents in Group C on Friday, with Canada and Kenya to follow. But I'm not all that bothered about the order of the games. To win the World Cup you’ve got to beat the best teams so we’ve got to take them on at some point.
Thanks for all of the questions you have sent in. Here are the answers to just a few:
Juniorwaughisgod wrote:
What do you think about Kevin Shine as a bowling coach?
I think Shiney has been the best bowling coach I’ve had so far. He and Troy Cooley are very similar. Shiney gives you the opportunity to pick and choose what you want to do.
He’s been very good for me. I’ve changed my action quite a lot and he believes I’ve got to the stage where my action is completed and I need to back myself.
Englandmad666 wrote:
Do you feel you can be effective in the West Indies with the ball as you were against Australia and New Zealand in the tri-series?
Hopefully I can. The wickets are different – I got my wickets in Australia through swing. Here I’m probably not going to get that but I believe I’ve got the talent and enough skills to adapt to these pitches.
Defensivebatsmen wrote:
What's so different about bowling with white ball in ODIs compared to using the red ball in Tests? Is it harder to control or does it move around too little or too much? Also, why do you think Matthew Hoggard finds it tougher to play in the one day game?
The white ball exaggerates the swing when it is new. The red ball would probably swing into the pads but the white one keeps going and that’s why you get so many wides.
It’s a bit like power steering in the car – if you get something wrong it makes it worse. Controlling it is an art and you’ve got to get it exactly right.
I don’t know the answer to your Matthew Hoggard question. When I’ve played one-day games against Yorkshire he has been really good with the white ball.
Jontymonty wrote:
What do you do in between games at tournaments like the World Cup? What does a general session involve for the England squad?
It’s not like you have a net then sit around doing nothing for days! We’re away from home in a beautiful place but on Tuesday we had a .
He has been brought into our coaching team for the World Cup. We learn a lot in just talking to each other between matches.
A couple of days before a game – if we have that amount of space – we will have a three-hour training session. On the day before or after a game we might only do an hour and a half, focusing on very specific things we want to get right.
Plunky, I am from the West Indies and I can assure you that the locals respect your privacy and will give you your space. We are friendly, but not invasive.
I hope you enjoy your stay in the Caribbean to the max, regardless of the outcome of the world cup.
Complain about this posthi liam i just wanted to ask he is the best bowler currently in the world and if they have influenced you in any sort of way.
Complain about this postCmon you windies, time to blow them out of the park.
Complain about this postIt was a nice comeback despite the low runrate, but these quick wickets will help.. get in there the Carib girls and gice the boys somthing to smile about... LASH
Enjoy the World Cup, Liam. I was pleased for you when you did well in the Aus/NZ ODI series, hopefully you can continue this in the Windies. Little question for you here - what do you consider more important in ODIs - good economy but poor average, or good average and poor economy?
Good luck.
Complain about this postHi Liam just want to know....
Complain about this postWhich is going to be englands best weapon are batting or are bowling? And do you think england can walk away with the cup this year?
Come on u windies brian charles Lara is a god
Complain about this postHi Liam,
Do you think that the Aussie bowlers have improved so much since the Ashes because they gained Troy Cooley as bowling coach even tho they are inexperienced except obviously Mcgrath?Because someone like Clarke appears and is the leading wicket taker in the ashes.
Simon
Complain about this posthi liam, thanks for answering my question. appreciate it! wish u all the best in carribean. go get yourslef and england a load of wickets!
Complain about this posthi liam, just a quick question. what is it that you miss most about being away from home so much? good look within the world cup will be watching. x x
Complain about this postHi Liam, big fan of yours. what is your general fitness regime to stay in good shape? like amount of running, swimming,weights you do in a normal day to be match fit?
Complain about this postDear Liam,
I am a HUGE fan of yours and think that you are a fantastic bowler with a lot of talent. My question is if engalnd were to win the world cup (*fingers crossed*) do you think it would have the same positive impact on youth cricket that winning the rugby world cup did for youth rugby?
Complain about this postGood Luck.
Yours faithfully.
William Philip.xxx.
Hi Liam
I was absolutely stoked to watch you blitz em down under against a full strength aussie side - softening them up nicely for the kiwis in the process and helping them lose their Number 1 tag!!! :-)
I'd like to see this English side on the park:
1. Vaughan
2. Joyce
3. Pietersen (batting and bowling)
4. Bopara (batting and bowling)
5. Strauss
OR
5. Dalrymple (batting and bowling)
6. Flintoff (batting and bowling)
7. Collingwood (batting and bowling)
8. Nixon
9. Plunkett (batting and bowling)
10. Monty (batting and bowling)
11. Anderson (batting and bowling)
OR
11. Broad (batting and bowling)
That way, you have a cool and experienced captain, although Fred has a good temperament for the shorter game.
BATTING:
You have: a reliable opening pair; KP who can take the game away from opponents; Bopara who runs quickly and has real elegance and class; Strauss or JD who can give impetus to the scoring (both are excellent fielders too); Fred who is unmatched in the all-rounder stakes; Colly to make the most of the gaps for some quick running between the wickets (temperament is excellent for 'backs against the wall situations, seems to lose concentration when it's easy); Nixon who has guts galore; you who I rate as someone with great all-round potential; Monty (who can forget his swash buckling efforts against Warne!!!); Jimmy (present) or Broad (future star) to bring up the tail.
BOWLING:
We have excellent pace bowlers in Jimmy/Broad, you, and Fred, excellent medium pacers in Bopara and Colly, and excellent spin options in Monty, JD and KP. I think this will better suit WI conditions.
FIELDING:
Colly, Strauss, KP, you, Jimmy, Fred, Bopara, and JD are all brilliant in the field.
I reckon it's a really well balanced side, youth and enthusiasm, chock full of talent. I really like Bell and can see him as an all time great in Tests but to be honest, I'd love to see him, Strauss and Trescothick focus on getting the Test side off to consistently brilliant starts.
Strauss should definitely captain Test sides in MV's absence as that will leave Fred to lead with his superhuman efforts with bat and ball and leave the calm strategy to others.
I know you can't comment on any of this, but I wanted you to know you have a lot of support all over the world. I hope you continue to believe in yourselves because your team has all the players it needs to bring home the cup. I know I'll watching from 1.15am through to 9am every game you'll play this tournament because I believe in you.
GOOD LUCK!!
Complain about this postGood luck liam hope you have a great world cup and end up taking it home.
Complain about this postWhat is the best part of been a crickter
who is the best bowler you have ever seen
Complain about this postHello Mr. Plunkett
You played well good in Australia - dead chuffed
Complain about this postHope you do well in the world cup and hope to see play against new zealand and get a few wickets and some runs.
Hello Mr. Plunkett
You played well good in Australia - dead chuffed
Complain about this postHope you do well in the world cup and hope to see play against new zealand and get a few wickets and some runs.
At a tournament like this it must feel like you are living in a 'goldfish bowl' with the media scrum and invasion of so many fans. How do you cope with it? When you stand there ball in hand looking at the batsmen the nerves must be intense, how on earth do you cope with that - it must be tough?
Complain about this postTotally agreeing with Wayne as I am West Indian myself, we are very laid back people who know how to have a good time however we are not invasive and respect one's privacy in spite of that person's celebrity status.
Enjoy you stay in the Windies and remember to smile and say hello to anyone.
Complain about this postHi Liam,
Best of luck to you and the other lads this year. You're a fine squad and I think you could spring a surprise.
England clearly need a tail-end hitter down at 8 or 9, a la James Franklin, brad Hogg or even Thomas Odoyo (Not sure where he'll bat for Kenya now actually). You seem ideally suited to this role; is it your aim to be the English equivalent of those players with the bat?
Complain about this postHi Uncle Liam
Complain about this postjust wanted to say good luck for the world cup, hope you get loads of wickets and runs and come home with a winners medal.
Hi Liam!!
Complain about this postI heard Michael Vaughan got you and Belly to give presentations to the rest of the team - what did you have to talk about? Do you think it was a worthwhile exercise?
Anyway, Good luck on Friday - fingers crossed we get off to a good start...
England could be strong side if the team is chosen in a dispassionate basis. Strauss will always be much much better than Joyce. He has suffered lack of form but he is a high class batsman.Joyce's calim to fame is one century, Strauss has many more. If any one to be dropped is Vaughan. Untill the last practice match he failed in all the innings he played since his injury. Vaughan probabaly sees Stauss as a strong contender for captaincy, may be that is why he is being ignored.I remember Gooch did something similar when Gower was ignored despite not loosing his form towards the end of his playing career.
Complain about this postWhen will politics go out of sport?
Hi Liam,
I'm a real fan of yours! I'm currently studying at birmingham university and you and ian bell visited last year in the summer, and i met you in risa. I'm not sure if you remember but yourself and Bell double penetrated my friend Pippa. Unfortunately she left her guild card round yours and was wondering if she could have it back?
Many thanks,
Eddie
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