West Indies NAT Blog

A hattrick from Oz Gillan was not enough to topple England at Lords, as the West Indies slumped to a narrow defeat against the World Cup Champions.

This weeks game at home to as of yet unbeaten Sri Lanka therefore takes on a huge significance for the team as a ‘must-win’ fixture.

The team has really been focusing on resting everyone involved to ensure a maximum performance, but inevitably it will be a nerve-wracking game for everyone watching.

Tune in at 15:30 GMT tommorow for a game of epic proportions!

So after one win and one loss, the Windies are off to face England at Lords tommorow in what will probably proove to be a tough game for all involved.

England, with two defeats from their opening games will be chomping at the bit to turn the West Indies over, whilst the Windies will be desperate for a win which will put them in a fantastic position. As a result, tensions and rivalries will undoubtably be high.

Tactics and lineups are almost sorted, pending any last minute pitch or weather adjustments and team form and fitness is good. Morale has also finally been reset; giving the Windies a teeny tiny boost over their opponents after their great win against South Africa.

NAT manager chrisafi has also promised to check, check and triple check his Duckworth/Lewis calculations should they be needed, so to prevent making himself and the team look like a right bunch of wallys.

The game starts at 10:30 tommorow; rise and shine and support your nation!

chrisafi

One of the teams best players will soon be going up for sale.

Please check the offsite for details and get in contact if either you or a friend/acquaintance might be interested in taking a NAT player on.

chrisafi

In a closely fought contest with South Africa, West Indies have notched up their first win of the season.

After a narrow lost to New Zealand last week, the Windies decided to spring a mild tactical surprise with a dusty pitch and 3 spin bowlers against South Africa

Eventually, the ability of the Windies spinners to constrict the South African attack in the middle overs left the Windies to chase 247 to win – a target the happily dusted off without too much drama.

The result means the Windies pick up their first win on the Road to the Season 13 World Cup.

South Africa are left in the unenviable position of having lost both of their opening matches; alongside quite amazingly recent World cup winners England; who the Windies will play next after a week off.

With such unpredictable results, tactical surprises and international rivalry, it’s going to be quite a journey to the World Cup.

chrisafi

So the fixture list is up, and first up we have New Zealand away.

Their pitch is currently cracked, but it will be interesting to see if their new manager decides to tinker with it. The game, being the first in the new world cup qualification system being introduced this season is of huge importance, with every game counting. Obviously, every team will be playing to win and the West Indies are no exception.

The full list of fixtures is as so, although the final game against Australia has not been drawn, so it is unclear whether it will be home or away.

02/03/2009 22:30 (World Cup) New Zealand v West
09/03/2009 15:30 (World Cup) West Indies v South Africa
23/03/2009 10:30 (World Cup) England v West Indies
30/03/2009 15:30 (World Cup) West Indies v Sri Lanka
13/04/2009 15:30 (World Cup) West Indies v Pakistan
20/04/2009 04:30 (World Cup) India v West Indies

We have a NAT player going on the transfer market soon.

Wavell Whelan is currently backup WK and the manager cannot afford his wages without the subsidy. I am looking for a trainer to take him and put 2 or 3 nets on him for a season, by which time he will be back in the squad – another season of netting would make the Windies first choice keeper.

Is anyone interested?
chrisafi

So, in a campaign more brilliantly executed than one by a Mr Barack Obama, I (chrisafi) was elected the new manager of the West Indies NAT team.

And the first thing I have done since being given the honour of serving my country? I have passed a multibillion dollar stimulus package and closed Guantanamo Bay.
Oh hang on, that wasn’t me. What I said I would do if I won, was start a new blog for the WI manager to communicate to the West Indian community and the Battrick community in general. Hopefully giving information yet also avoiding being marvellously boring by weaving NAT team information quite seamlessly with lame and innapproiate jokes (see previous paragraph)

So, welcome, pull up a chair, save this badboy into your bookmarks, post lots and lots of inappropriate comments and come back here every week for an update. I’ll generally try to post 2 updates for a match week (a pre and post match summary) and in weeks with no NAT games, I’ll probably just tell some really funny jokes about Lowell Mason.

Matches start in just over 7 days, so I’ll be back with more information very soon.

chrisafi