England vs West Indies ODI Series Betting Tips
The West Indies tour of England, so far, has been a frustrating affair for the hosts. They were expected to win the Test series comfortably and although they won 2-1, it was West Indies that took all the plaudits. To make matters worse, the visitors won the one-off T20 International comfortably. That makes the five-match ODI series very interesting.
Will the hosts be able to stamp their authority and regain control of the tour? Or will the visitors ride the momentum and infuse a new lease of life to their diminishing hopes of direct qualification to the World Cup? The series starts at Manchester on Tuesday, September 19th.
Can England continue their ODI domination?
England’s resurgence in the ODI format post the debacle in 2015 is praiseworthy. The blueprint for success under Eoin Morgan’s captaincy and Trevor Bayliss’ coaching, is one for the books. Aggressive batting with eyes on scoring 350 consistently backed by relentless lookout for wickets with the ball makes them very dangerous.
There is no reason why it won’t be the same in this series and that would mean a tough ask for West Indies. The all-round skills of Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali gives Morgan the edge every other captain would envy.
Can West Indies continue to surprise?
The euphoria in the West Indies’ camp is understandable considering the improvement they have shown as the tour progressed. However, their form in the 50-over format is nothing to write home about. That their hopes of direct World Cup qualification hinge on a whitewash of England indicates how poor they have been in ODIs.
The return of old warhorses Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels gives them some hope of competing against their superior hosts but that may not translate into a series win. Bowling still looks weak with no sign of a clear leader – not even their captain Holder capable of doing a solo act.
Key players and statistics
The overall record looks close as England have 45 wins and 42 losses in 91 matches played so far. At home, England’s record stands at 18 wins and 15 losses from 34 matches which again doesn’t give you the true picture.
England have lost to West Indies just once in their last 13 encounters which gives them an edge going into the series. It was in 2007 that West Indies last won a series against England, with all the last five series finishing in favour of England.
Picks
England are strong favourites to win the series as odds of $1.22 (Ladbrokes) indicate. The visitors are primed to win at odds of $4.33 (Ladbrokes) but that looks a distant pick.
West Indies have the potential of surprising the hosts in at least one match – considering their recent upsurge of form – and that increases the probability of a 4-1 series score. Back that pick at odds of $3 (Ladbrokes).
TIP: England to win 4-1 – $3 at Ladbrokes
TIPS ARE SIMPLY THE AUTHOR’S OPINION. ALWAYS GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY
