England West Indies Test Match Betting 2009

England v West Indies Test Match Cricket Betting 2009 Preview

The first of two test matches against the West Indies gets under way in May at Lords, providing cricket betting practitioners with an enviable array of online betting options to take advantage of. Heralding the start of the test match season here in England, cricket-bias fans of free bets will note the visit of the talented West Indies side serves as a stern test of the current home team’s mettle and resolve, especially ahead of this summer’s clash of the cricketing titans with Australia to contest the destination of the Ashes urn once again.

England have been installed as favourites to claim the cricketing scalp of the West Indies, irrespective of the result last time around (more of which follows) across the online betting markets; perhaps with bookmakers believing that the arrival of two new faces with quick bowling arms might redress the previous imbalance at the wicket. But then they seem to have overlooked the fact that fast Bresnan and Onions may be, neither however threaten the 90mph speed that Windies regular Fidel Edwards generates.

As it stands, England are at 5 – 6 for the win, while the West Indies are priced at 5 – 1 to do the unthinkable - the dirty over the home team - again in as many months.

All eyes are on the West Indies at a time when English cricket is at a crossroads in its history and the cricket betting world must be feeling a confusing mixture of excited anticipation and worrying concern about the ultimate outcome. You need look no further than the current England tour of the West Indies for an understanding of the forces at play. The messy departure of captain, Kevin Pietersen and coach, Peter Moores has left Andrew Strauss, the new England captain, with a major exercise in dressing room diplomacy as well as the usual task of getting team tactics and strategy in place for a confidence building series success in preparation for the forthcoming Ashes confrontation this summer.

England Look To Avenge West Indies Test Defeat At Lords Last Year

Keen to avenge that defeat they suffered in February 2008 at the hands of the West Indies in the Caribbean, England will be looking to new captain Andrew Strauss to lead by example when the covers come off and the battle of the wickets commences in earnest, as Free Bets fans determine whether or not England look good value for money ahead of this summer’s Ashes Series.

With final Ashes team places still up for grabs, there’s even more reason for England’s players (new and old) to raise their games and place themselves firmly in the shop window as selectors closely follow all the action as it unfolds. With the absence of Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff thorough injury a talking point and the unceremonious departure of Kevin ‘KP’ Pieterson as in the capacity of captain still fresh in the minds of players and cricket fans alike, it’s left to the new order (stood alongside key members of the old establishment) to set out their stall and start as they mean to go on this year. And give free bets fans something to get excited about before their antipodean cousins touch down in their hordes in July.

New England Cricket Recruits To Make Claim For Ashes 2009

So to the latest recruits to the England cricketing cause, and firstly the controversial number 3 batting dilemma has fallen to newbie Ravi Bopara to solve, itself a decision that’s sparked debate amongst the game’s pundits. What hasn’t come as a complete shock is the exclusion of one-time Ashes captain, Michael Vaughan, who along with the slightly more contentious overlooking of fast bowling Steve Harmison, much talked about Ian Bell and the dependable Owais Shah has pretty much gone unnoticed.

Elsewhere, and fresh faces also include Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan; who will be joined by Durham’s exciting prospect, Graham Onions. Acknowledging his call-up to the full England squad to face the Windies at Lord’s on the 6th May, he smashed six wickets at the expense of Somerset so as to announce his intent we hope. Matt Prior’s impressive return to stump duty – favourable with the world’s best wicketkeepers at this moment - this winter clearly caught the selector’s eyes too, his industriousness rewarding him with a call up, while James Anderson has received a vote of confidence in recognition of his timely run-wining re-emergence on the test scene. Add spin bowling sensation Monty Panesar to the mix, and the two test series showdown with the West Indies looks pretty appetizing on paper, and the perfect aperitif before the summer’s centre stage arrival of the all-conquering Aussies.

High Interest For Test Match Betting For This Series

The much anticipated Ashes tour has stirred much interest in the West Indies tour and online betting sites report large volumes of betting on what many feel will be a resounding England success. Most sites offer a wide range of Cricket Betting opportunities with generous free bets on offer to new customers. You can also get stuck into the exciting new live-betting facility where you can come into a match at any point with your wager. Bookies keep coming up with new betting ideas and there’s more opportunity than ever to use your knowledge of the game to increase your chances of a win.

Strauss and Pietersen batted well in the opening draw against the West Indies A team and success against St. Kitts and Nevis, the second warm-up match, has helped, especially with a century from Strauss and seven wickets from Monty Panesar. The first test, starting today in Jamaica, will be the first real trial, however, although it’s hard to see anything other than a convincing England win happening. The West Indies team has been pretty dire lately and can only look to two wins out of the last thirty tests while nineteen defeats suggest a difficult future for island cricket.

The IPL Distraction For The Series

A clear England success is not guaranteed, though, and much depends on the temperaments of the leading players in the captain/coach turmoil. Apparently, Andrew Flintoff had been a Peter Moores supporter in the conflict and Strauss will have his work cut out to rebuild the team spirit, although there is no better man for the job according to those who know him. Perhaps more on his mind, and those of Pietersen, Flintoff and other Indian Professional League hopefuls is the absurdly timed auction that will be held by the IPL in Goa this coming Friday. How distracting is that going to be?

On top of this we have the normal worries of the fitness of Steve Harmison and Ryan Sidebottom’s lack of recent experience. Can Ian Bell cast his demons aside once and for all and will the crucial Flintoff avoid injury. On the other side of the coin, Shivnarine Chanderpaul is in formidable form right now and could produce a few problems for our bowlers.

Old hands at Test match Betting will probably take a philosophical view over the whole thing. When wasn’t there a shambles in the England camp? With the exception of the last Ashes series, you’d have to go back a long way to find a time when all was hunky dory. All that England fans can hope is that this latest cauldron of disruption will produce a miraculous transformation in the team and that we will succeed against the West Indies and go on to face the Aussies with all our ills nicely ironed-out and sorted.

English Cricket Go For Blend Of Youth And Experience In Run-Up To 2009 Ashes

So what’s behind the change of heart in the ECCB ranks regarding stability being put ahead of raw talent and passion getting a chance to prosper? Well, much has been made of English cricket’s governing body’s latest managerial appointment, Andy Flowers, who - after only a fortnight after being handed the almost poisoned chalice of being their Director of Cricket – was made part of the England selection committee. In what’s seen as the dawn of a whole new policy of opening the seemingly closed door to the less fashionable club’s new English cricketing blood found at county championship level, Flower’s involvement from a coaching perspective in putting forward the likes of debutants Bresnan and Onions will send out all the right signals to clubs across the country; one that dares to suggest that complacency breeds contempt. Or in the case of the English cricket team, under-performance from the old guard.

Politics aside, and for all that a new chapter is hopefully about to be penned, for those well versed in the game like Vaughan have been told that this by no means spells the end of their involvement in test teams, and that they should apply themselves in the same manner as they always have to force their way back into the team reckoning.

Whilst the hard to watch capitulation of the English national side to the immortal antipodean enemy two years ago was talked of as being the catalyst on which to build a secure, combatant platform from which to seek revenge this time around, it was assumed by the hierarchy that those who bore some of the responsibility for that 5 – 0 drubbing would still form the bedrock of a new team, despite the latter day emergence of new, desperately sought talent.

With reputations not holding the sway they have done previously, fringe players will benefit from having the opportunity to break into selectors consciences and loosening the stranglehold some of the game’s household names have had on the England team for a good part of a decade. Australia have already seized the initiative in their camp, partly due to the retirement of their bedrock players admittedly, but their selectors have had the courage of their convictions to run with new faces who will be hungry for success from the outset.

Stuart Broad Rallying The Englishteam As West Indies Arrive

Back to the perceived threat carried by the West Indies though, and captain Chris Gayle’s team will be no pushovers, despite the battling rally cry from Stuart Broad, who has sounded the first shots at West Indies ahead of the Lords test encounter by declaring that he’s “ready to flatten them”. Having honed his bowling game still further on the Caribbean’s flat pitches this spring in a bid to overturn the early season deficit, he’s convinced he learned a lot from England’s failings in Jamaica in particular.

England must have been sick to the back teeth of seeing Windies batsmen tormentor-in-chief Ramnaresh Sarwan in February and March this year, as he almost single-handedly dismantled England’s hopes of achieving victories out there courtesy of his exemplary skills at the crease. Otherwise test match veteran – yet still prolific with the bat – Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be one to watch, whilst Denesh Ramdin is considered the best wicketkeeper in the Caribbean and adopted Aussie batsman Brendan Nash who’s come on in leaps and boundaries since relocating to Jamaica from Queensland only two years ago. Meanwhile Jerome Taylor has been earmarked as showing the potential to become the best West Indian fast bowler of his generation, while Nelon Pascal displays similar pacey attributes to cause England further agro on the day.

The England Team Selected To Take On The West Indies At Lords Are:

A Strauss (Middlesex) – Captain

J Anderson (Lancashire)

R Bopara (Essex)

T Bresnan (Yorkshire)

S Broad (Nottinghamshire)

P Collingwood (Durham)

A Cook (Essex)

G Onions (Durham)

M Panesar (Northamptonshire)

K Pieterson (Hampshire)

M Prior (Sussex)

G Swann (Nottinghamshire)

The West Indies Team Charged With Getting The Better Of England On Home Soil Are:

Chris Gayle – Captain

Denesh Ramdin

Dale Richards

Devon Smith

Lendl Simmons

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Brendan Nash

Narsingh Deonarine

David Bernard

Darren Sammy

Jerome Taylor

Sulieman Benn

Andrew Richardson

Nelon Pascal

Fidel Edwards

Lionel Baker