West Indies batsmen 'set to struggle'
02/05/2012
Those enjoying corporate hospitality at Edgbaston in the upcoming Test match between England and the West Indies could be watching a procession of visiting batsmen walking back to the pavilion as they are humbled by the England bowlers.
That is the view of former England captain Alec Stewart, who told the BBC the tourists will find the going hard in swing-friendly conditions against a formidable pace attack led by James Anderson.
He said: "My biggest concern is how their batsmen will cope on pitches that offer sideways movement both through the air and off the pitch," predicting many will not have the techniques to cope.
And the side relies too much on the obduracy of new world number one batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, he argued, noting that he knew the Guyanese batsman was going to be a top performer when he first played against him in 1994.
The highest-ranked England batsman at present is Alastair Cook in sixth place, with several players losing ground over the winter.
By Sam Smith
