The first test at Lords, against the Windies, resulted in a brilliant (if some what fortunate) result of a win by 10 wickets on just day 3.

Bopara had a lucky but effective knock with the bat, Swann’s status as one of our best off spinners, reached new heights (he didn’t do to badly with the bat either), along with most commentators, I agree that Graham Onions our medium-fast seam bowler, who openly admits he has little swing, is a blessing in disguise!

England’s cricket team are predictable, they go with fast seam bowlers who can be effective in damp cloudy conditions, but in the sunshine, prove hardworking but lacking in wicket taking.
Onions, like Swanny, is unpredictable, just what we need this summer.
When Onions bowls it can be one of two bowls, a short delivery which gets to the batsman at chest to head height, forcing him to play the delivery, or its right in front of his feet catching the batter flat in front of the stumps lbw.
Wether by design or accident, it causes the batsman problems, with the added edge, that each bowl is not a set maximum fast pace, it can be medium or fast, which creates yet more doubt for the batsman.
A brilliant performance over the two innings in this test, just what we needed. Well done that man!

In Swann, he also has unpredictability. Not only can he be used alternately to Onions, changing pace and mixing speeds can force into the batter mistiming his shots, but he also has a clever grip on the ball as he lets go, which is almost identical to the ball that goes straight on and the ball that turns out.
If the batsman plays as if its going straight on and it turns, he’ll get an outside edge and more than likely a catch, if the batsman plays expecting it to turn out, it often goes straight through the gate and takes out the batman’s wicket.

Last time England won a first test, was four years ago, against Bangladesh, in the warm up test series before…. our Ashes victory!
Dare the barmy army start singing again? Let’s hope so…

I’m used to an England mini collapse or a glorious victory against the odds, rescued from the jaws of defeat, is it the wickets? or could it be the bowling attacks of both teams?

The only other explanation I can see is that the bowling lacks bite or flexibility to change from swing to medium or spin, the ability to mix it up, etc.
As pleased as I maybe to see England’s batting order scoring healthily, I’m not convinced that they are doing as well as I’d like on merit.

With the Windies traditionally having long hot summer days, you would think that England would have an attack based upon spin and medium pace?

Seam bowling only has good returns when there is cloud and air pressure, hence the reason why most of the wickets have fallen at the end of each day as the sun starts to set and temperatures drop.
England need more bowlers that can drop in a few slower balls and mix it up instead of treadmill like fast seam bowling.

There is hope for England, with the windies 202 behind England’s total, but they need quick wickets tomorrow if we are to avoid a drawn match.
The batsmen have done their job, now we need the bowlers to step up and make an impression.