England v West Indies – 1st Test

Most teams go into a Test Series a little undercooked these days, there are just too many fixtures to fit into the year and still have time to prepare properly for an away series. West Indies however are about as undercooked as a blue steak at a vegetarians convention. You could give them the benefit of the doubt if they had come off a good series or were in strong form…but their showing at the World Cup was feeble and they have just lost their stand out performer in Brian Charles Lara. I think the odds on England to win the test are prohibitively short enough to stop me from backing them to win this match, and instead I suggest a play of the series handicap at Ladbrokes. You can back England -2.5 Tests at 11/8 ($2.38.) This sort of bet doesn’t look great on face value, we need them to win 3-0 or 4-0 to cop, but I think the KFC’s are going to really struggle and are lacking at least two quality performers needed to compete with England. I have it a touch shorter at $2.25 so just a cheeky little point to get us started.
England -2.5 Tests v West Indies, 1pt at $2.38: Ladbrokes.

Andrew Flintoff is an injury concern for England, he got put through his paces yesterday and reported some pain in his dodgy ankle. This next wager is one that could easily make me look pretty stupid if Flintoff plays as just a batsman or if he bowls only a couple of overs before limping off – Flintoff to take most wickets for England at 9/2 ($5.50) at Paddy Power. If Fred plays I believe it will be in his usual role as an all-rounder. If he cannot fulfill his bowling commitments then I don’t think they will play him. He’s been England’s best bowler for some time, and is no stranger to bowling through the pain. Just because they are only playing West Indies I don’t see why this Test Match should be any different. If there were no question marks over him I’d be around $4.00, so would be $4.50-5.00 with the question marks. Have a point on him but don’t spend your winnings on a pedalo.
Andrew Flintoff most England 1st Innings Wickets, 1 pt at $5.50: Paddy Power.

Fidel Edwards hasn’t set the world alight of late, but then not many of his compatriots have either. The only West Indian quick who can claim to be bowling well at the moment is Daren Powell and it may well be a case of choosing who is bowling least badly gets a game tonight for West Indies. He can be a real threat though, Fiddy, when he gets it right and the $5.00 about him taking the most England 1st innings wickets is a touch big. I’m not sure if they will play 3 or 4 quicks plus Bravo – if it’s 4 then I still couldn’t have him bigger than $5.00. My guess is that they will play 3 quicks, which does mean Edwards may not play, and in this scenario he would be about a $4.00-$4.25 poke, with our money getting refunded if he doesn’t make the XI. Have half a point on Fiddy and hope to see that strange face-wiping celebration several times over the next few days.
Fidel Edwards most West Indies 1st innings wickets, ½ pt at $5.00: Bet365, Stan James.

Chris Gayle is at his best when he doesn’t need to worry about footwork and he can swing his bat, like a scythe, through the line and hit straight, long and hard. A Test Match in May in England is not the most ideal scenario to be practicing this technique however. I think Gayle will find the first ten or fifteen overs extremely testing against the England new ball bowlers: Harmison and Hoggard. Hoggy is one of the best around if there is swing, which there should be, and GBH loves the extra bounce he gets at Lords. He terrorised the Aussies there at the start of the last Ashes in England and, though Australia went on to win that match, he will have fond memories of the first day of the Test in particular. Sports Acumen have matched him up against the stand in England skipper Andrew Strauss in a first innings runs match bet. Strauss is far better equipped to handle the swinging ball and will face a more profligate and less well-drilled bowling attack. They opened up 2 choice, so you could buy Strauss at 2 – I would have wrapped this around 6 so would suggest a buy of 1/10 of a point at 2 if it’s still there. If it moves then back it at 4 but don’t go any higher.
Strauss/Gayle runs match bet, buy 1/10 pt at 2: Sports Acumen.

Plays of the day

England -2.5 Tests v West Indies, 1pt at $2.38: Ladbrokes.
Andrew Flintoff most England 1st Innings Wickets, 1 pt at $5.50: Paddy Power.
Fidel Edwards most West Indies 1st innings wickets, 1/2 pt at $5.00: Bet365.
Strauss/Gayle runs match bet, buy 1/10 pt at 2: Sports Acumen.