Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series

[kevshat]

Having handed England their arse on a plate India now turn to the less popular format of test cricket out there when they host West Indies in a three match test series which begins in Delhi on Sunday. All three matches are live on Sky and the series will act as a decent warm up for India's tour to Australia over Xmas. With it being on Sky there should be some decent betting markets up for the series so hopefully we can all make some decent pre-Xmas wonga. Schedule:

Sun Nov 6 - Thu Nov 10 04:00 GMT | 09:30 local 04:00 GMT	1st Test - India v West Indies Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi	17 - 31° C
Mon Nov 14 - Fri Nov 18 04:00 GMT | 09:30 local 04:00 GMT	2nd Test - India v West Indies Eden Gardens, Kolkata	N/A
Tue Nov 22 - Sat Nov 26 04:00 GMT | 09:30 local 04:00 GMT	3rd Test - India v West Indies Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai	N/A

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series An early bet for me in this series. 5pts India (-1.5 matches) to win Test Series 8/11 Bet365 I couldn't really make my mind up whether I expect West Indies to hold out for a draw in one of these matches or not so I played safe and I've taken the handicap in this series. India have taken no prisoners in their squad selection for the first test with all their star batsmen back in contention. The likes of Raina and Mukund are long gone and Sehwag, Sachin, Laxman and Yuvraj are all back while India have opted for the pace of Yadav and Aaron alongside Ishant Sharma too as they seem to be using the series to prepare for the tour of Australia over Xmas. West Indies have named pretty much the same squad that toured Bangladesh with the addition of Adrian Barath, surprisingly for Lendl Simmons. To be fair to the West Indies while everyone automatically writes them off because the likes of Gayle and Dwayne Bravo are missing, they have been quite competitive under Darren Sammy despite him arguably being the worst person for the captaincy in terms of his place in the side. They've drawn a series with Pakistan, lost 1-0 to India where they could've drawn on the final day of the series but for rain and then beaten Bangladesh. They have issues in one day cricket but in tests they are competitive and I think they will have their moments in this series too but the problem is India in India is a real tough proposition, as England found out recently. Not many teams go to India and win and I think this will be a learning curve tour for the Windies. India may not win all three matches by an innings or anything like that but I do think India will win the matches however tight they might be and win enough matches to cover the 1.5 match handicap.

[Tyler]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series Can't add anything more to the above. Getting on that handicap as well with the same strength stake. Two ahead of the 1st Test for me: - 6pts MS Dhoni -4.5runs (vs. Carlton Baugh) @ 5/6 [Ladbrokes] I expect West Indies to struggle here in India and that will start with primarily their inexperienced batsmen. Carlton Baugh is not someone I rate that highly and I think that this handicap is a small one for MS Dhoni to cover. His Test Record at the Kotla isn't that bad at all with two fifties coming from four of his innings here. The workload he has been under this year has been massive but he seems to chug out performances week-after-week. I honestly think India will bat once here and I think MS can rack up a big enough score to cover the 5-run headstart Carlton will have on him. - 4pts Player Performance: Devendra Bishoo Under 90 @ 5/6 [bet365] I don't think India will bat twice here I really don't. The pitch here at the Kotla has been re-laid and apparently has been typically low and dead since. The two domestic matches here have not produced a result this season and I think India could rack up 600+ in their first innings. Consequently, it spells trouble for the West Indian bowling attack. I don't think ten Indian wickets will fall and I don't see five of them being for Bishoo. The danger here I guess is that Bishoo can bat a bit. However, his talent will no doubt be negated here by some of the best players of spin the game has ever seen. Unders for me.

[fishy25]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series Quite like getting involved with the cricket around the UK winter time, so taking a bit of interest in this series in India. Tailing Kev on that series handicap, likewise with the same stake. And having 3 in the opening test. Gautam Gambhir 1st Innings Runs Over 35.5- 5/6 Ladbrokes- (3/10) Line is too low for me on a guy I rate extremely highly in this Indian superstar batting lineup. Of course all of the talk in this match will be towards Sachin and whether he gets that century, which might suit Gambhir up the top of the innings as he can go about his business quietly as he does. He did well in the one day series against England recently, with scores of 32, 84*, 58, 1 and 38, and that unbeaten 84 came in Delhi where this test is being played which should see him go well again today. He missed out in the test series against the WIndies earlier on in the year, so he'll be looking to make amends, and I'll back him to score some runs early doors in the Indian innings. Ishant Sharma Player Performance 90&Over- 5/6 Bet365- (3/10) I think the Indian paceman will go quite well over the next few days with the new ball. He took 22 wickets in the 3 match series earlier on in the year and there were examples there of how the West Indies struggled to cope with his pace. He missed the recent games against England so he'll be looking to impress on return and he'll be the main man in terms of seamers in this fairly inexperienced Indian bowling attack so they will be hoping the big man can step up. Although you'd fancy the spinners to have a big say in this, Ashwin in particular, I feel Sharma can have a bit of success with the ball moving about, so 5 wickets in the match doesn't look too steep for me to back Sharma with. Darren Sammy Player Performance 84&Under- 5/6 Bet365- (3/10) Similiar thinking to Tyler in the respect of I really can't see India batting twice, nor do I really think they will get bowled out even to be honest considering the history of this pitch this season and the abundance of quality that lies in this Indian side. Therefore to say the West Indies skipper will take at least 5 wickets in the match, with the biggest danger lying with perhaps Roach and Bishoo just doesn't look right to me. He didn't have a great deal of success against Bangladesh recently, and here he'll be up against 3 or 4 of the greatest batsman to have ever played international cricket, so backing the unders here.

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series 3 series outrights for me. Been at a fireworks display so apologies for the lateness of posting. I'm sure all 3 markets will be available at the close for anyone who doesn't get on pre-series. As I'm late I'll keep reasoning brief. 2pts G.Gambhir Top India Series Batsman 4/1 Boylesports More than happy to take this price on for me India's best batsman overall when you factor in talent and batting position. Was in great form in the one day series with England. All the returning batsmen will be short of time at the crease and Kohli, the other main stay in the ODI series will bat at 6 if he plays as opposed to Gambhir who will open or bat 3 if Rahane forces his way in. 4/1 is too big and worth a punt here. 1pt ew A.Barath Top West Indies Series Batsman 8/1 Ladbrokes (1/5 1,2,3) If 4/1 was too high for Gambhir this one is a joke. 8/1 on an opener with the ew terms factored in too? Yes please. Barath showed in the Champions League that he can play spin, something a lot of this side can't do, he showed in Aus when he got a ton that he can spend time at the crease and he had a couple of solid knocks in tests against India in the Caribbean. I refuse to believe 3 men will score more than him if he plays all 3 matches and as opener he will have the best batting conditions. More than happy to take the Trinidadian at 8s. 2pts D.Bishoo Top West Indies Series Bowler 11/4 Boylesports Devendra Bishoo took 12 wickets in the test series in the West Indies between these two last year and with West Indies continually finding ways of keeping Kemar Roach out of the side I think Bishoo will be the biggest danger in this series in a series I don't expect too many wickets in for the Windies bowlers. He comes in here off the back of a decent series against Bangladesh so the leggies are coming out well and I'd be surprised if at the end of the series he hasn't taken the most wickets for the Windies.

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series 2 for this test. Tough test to bet on with markets looking about right or doubts about the participants. 4pts R.Ashwin's Performance Pts - 111&Over 5/6 Bet365 Points are scored as follows: 1pt per run, 10pts per catch & 20pts per wicket. I'm quite happy to take Ashwin's performance at this total because I expect him to be a real danger with the ball against a West Indies side who struggle to play spinners who only spin it one way let alone one who can spin it both ways. I would be surprised if Ashwin doesn't cover at least 80 with the ball here if not 100 and more. He's capable with the bat and will field around the bat so the other points should get made up too so this looks too low to me. 3pts C.Baugh's Performance Pts - 79&Over 5/6 Bet365 Points are scored as follows: 1pt per run, 10pts per catch & 20pts per wicket. Carlton Baugh is a competent cricketer and I think this line is well within reach with the bat and in catches but given the percentage of the total a stumping would pick up I have to take the overs. With Bishoo bowling leg spin stumpings are always likely with leggies generally producing most stumpings as they get attacked more. Baugh picked up 2 stumpings in the three tests in the Caribbean between these two and in the game he didn't get a stumping to took 6 catches. Throw in his batting and this should be covered.

[citizen frank]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series india were pathetic,what are they trying to do,get evens for the match.

[citizen frank]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series

india were pathetic' date='what are they trying to do,get evens for the match.[/quote'] they got the good price,now they are strolling home.

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series Both performances came in pretty early in the match and India in a good position for the handicap. +5.83 for the test match for me. Good shouts on Bishoo, Tyler and Gambhir, Fishy :ok.

[Tyler]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series Genuinely don't remember the last time Mahendra Singh Dhoni got a duck in Indian conditions but at least Bishoo did exactly what I thought he would. Really nothign standing out for me in the 2nd Test barring one. - 5pts Player Performance: R Ashwin 121&Over @ 5/6 [bet365] I was tentative about doing this bet in the 1st Test because it was Ashwin's debut. 9 wickets later and a complete meltdown from the Windies and I don't give a damn. They simply cannot play spin and at the Kotla over the next week or so it's not going to get any better for them. Ashwin can easily take another 6 wickets here and bamboozle the West Indies even further. Even if they all don't come with the ball, 20 runs over two innings with the bat is another option for him too which I am pretty confident of him achieving. He'll be full of confidence following his amazing return last time out and I think he has everything in his armoury to clear this line. Overs for me.

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series 2 for me in this test. 5pts R.Ashwin's Performance Pts - 121&Over 5/6 Bet365 Points are scored as follows: 1pt per run, 10pts per catch and 20pts per wicket. R Ashwin took 9 wickets in the first test on a Delhi wicket which didn't turn as much as I expect this one too. If we think back to the ODI and T20 match against England on this ground last month we will recall a wicket which was turning square after about 70 overs of play so the good lord only knows how this will play on days 4 and 5. The groundsman has said this will have bounce and some lateral movement but that's fine because Ashwin's top spinner will appreciate any bounce. West Indies batsmen just can't play spin. Even Darren Sammy admitted that much in the build up to this match and when your captain is saying something like that there's issues. Sammy said they might need to attack a bit more like Chanderpaul did and that will suit Ashwin as we've seen in ODI's where more often than not he takes wickets. 7 wickets gets this job done but I'd be surprised if he can't polish the loose 1 off with a run or a catch so 6 wickets will be all we need here and I expect him to get at least that in this second test. 3pts V.Laxman's 1st Inns Runs - Over 30.5 runs 5/6 Ladbrokes VVS Laxman has got a sick average on this ground. He averages just the 94.63 per innings at Eden Gardens so this is clearly a ground he loves batting on. Of the 14 innings he's had here he's covered this total in 9 of them so there's enough there to suggest that this line may be a little low. Laxman helped win the last test with an unbeaten half century so his form coming into this match is good and he's only going to get better with more time in the middle having missed a spell with injury. We've all seen in the past just how well Laxman goes on this ground and we all remember THAT innings against Australia on this ground. Laxman will too and he should have all the confidence he needs to make it to 31 yet again.

[kevshat]

Re: Cricket: India vs West Indies - Test Series Lost 2.5pts on that last test match so +3.33 for the series. Isn't anything I like in this 3rd test match to begin with but I might well get involved as we go along although I'm not a huge dead rubber punter. Good luck to anyone who does play.