England prepare to round off a highly successful summer with two back-to-back Twenty20 matches against the West Indies at the Oval.
England go into the game this Friday as the massive favourites despite the number of new faces and changes that are likely to appear across the side. Graeme Swann will take charge for his first match in charge of England at any level and there will be a feel good factor around the ground as England have just thrashed India in all formats of the game. England are 4/9 with Stan James to win.
The West Indies arrive knowing that this is probably the best chance they have of beating England. If the two sides were squaring up for a Test match or a One Day International then England would be far too strong but the West Indies know that anything can happen in a 20 over per side game. The West Indies played well against India before India’s tour of England and look a good bet at 12/5 with William Hill.
Swann himself will be under heavy pressure to bowl four very good overs when it comes to England’s time in the field. Swann has a lot more experience in this form of the game than he did 12 months ago and he should use this to his advantage to ensure that England restrict the West Indies or stop them from chasing a target down. Swann is the best bet to finish s highest wicket take for England.
Fidel Edwards is one of the West Indies bowlers who England will know all about because a few of the side would have faced him before. Edwards has a unique action which allows him to bowl the ball at a high speed but also swing it at the same time. This is difficult to bat against and has got Edwards a lot of wickets in his career. Edwards is the classic example of a typically aggressive West Indies fast bowler.
On the batting front it could be a good idea to go with Craig Kieswetter who has had a decent season throughout the summer. The wicketkeeper will open the batting and it will be his final chance to throw down a marker to say that the wicketkeeper/batsman spot is his for the tour of India next month. Kieswetter is one of the few players in the England side who can take this match away from the West Indies. He is 7/2 to top score with most bookies.
Charles or Bascombe will be good bets to top score for the West Indies. A lot of the West Indies team will never have played cricket in England before so they should be able to raise their performance levels to play well in a country which is nearing the end of its season. This is also a very good chance for the West Indies players to throw down a marker ahead of future series with England. Both of these batsmen are 9/2 to top score.
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