Can England Fight Back In The Caribbean?

The 4th test between the West Indies and England kicks off on Friday at Bridgetown. This really has been a fascinating West Indian summer of cricket and the 4th test has all the intrigue anyone could hope for. The Windies currently lead the series at 1-0 after they held on for an unlikely draw in the 3rd test.
West Indian cricket appears to be somewhat on the move. The introduction of 20/20 cricket has helped the game in the Caribbean with its fast paced action, media coverage and prize money. Former Australian test opener John Dyson has done wonders with the team and they appear to be loving their cricket, and even more importantly improving as a side. Their batting line up appears solid and few could argue that Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul are world class commodities. They still lack depth in their bowling line up, but it will only take one or two quicks to emerge before the Windies are competitive again. It is vital for the strength of the game across the world to have a West Indian side that is competitive as it give the game a truly world class feel that only soccer can compete with.
The English on the other hand appear to be at the crossroads and must show some series bite in this test match. The Poms should really dominate the Windies at the moment with players like Pietersen and Flintoff among the very best in the world. They need players like Bell, Cook, Harmison, Anderson and Panesar to play at their best. Test cricket is not an easy game, but the English side has been together for a long time and experience should be starting to pay dividends. They have an incredible opportunity against a weak Australian side this summer in the Ashes, but they need to start performing now, not half way through that series. Sportsbet has the Poms at $2.60 to win the test match which should be very juicy odds if they show any of their ability.
In other cricket news the New Zealand Black Caps are taking on the Indians in an International 20/20 match at Christchurch. The Black Caps were very impressive against Australia in their recent tour and there is no reason why they shouldn't be competitive against India in the shortened version of the game. Sportsbet.com.au has the Indians as favourites at $1.63 and the Kiwis are at $2.25. In a game that should be very close the New Zealanders appear to be excellent value as the Indians are playing their first competitive game on New Zealand soil in this tour.

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