Let’s take a look at the best West Indies v England 2nd Test Match betting tips. West Indies host England in the 2nd Test Match of their serious at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday 31 January with UK fans able to follow the play live on Sky Sports. The coin is expected to go up at 2.00pm GMT and the hosts will be aiming to make a fast start as they shoot for a strong 2-0 lead over their high-ranking opponents.
With Windies taking a 1-0 advantage into the day the series outright betting has taken an interesting turn. Backers looking ahead will find the home nation available at a stunning 11/5 with Unibet. The reason that leapt off the page at us as a must back is because much of the competition are stuck about the 11/10 mark; for your stake money, you’ll be backing the team with home advantage and a head start, both of which adds real confidence to the ranks. They started around the 7/1 zone, but were quickly clipped in.
Value Still There
You’d imagine the value is now gone on a WI win, however, we’re delighted to say that’s not the case. The fact traders across the board expect England to learn their lesson from that 1st Test defeat and fire back to level then win the series is the reason the locals carry decent odds. If you’d rather a patriotic punt you can have England at 6/5 with Coral, the draw going around the 13/2 mark.
After more? You’re sure to find it when picking through the serious correct score as there’s plenty of chunky prices to be had. Unibet offer up a market best of 6/4 on the tourists rallying to win 2-1, with 2/1 at Coral on the reverse. A 3-0 Windies win would serve as a major blow to England, but backers won’t care too much with the profits from 12/1 heading into their bank account, 2-0 16/1.
No One to Blame
England could have no one to blame but themselves following an opening Test defeat to the West Indies. They stumbled off the park having been battered from pillar to post on route to a 381-run loss that caught the attention of sports lovers. It was a game those back home expected their boys to win without too much fuss and there was certainly no lack of confidence in the ranks heading in to Wednesday’s opener; however, that quickly unravelled.
The final scores read West Indies 289 all out and 415-6 dec against a poor return from their opponents. England managed a sorry 77 all out and 246 all out. Some may say it’s a few days of Test cricket best forgotten; however, it would be criminal if captain Joe Root and the boys were to ignore the glaring mistakes, sweep it all under the carpet and put the result down to settling in to the tour. They may only be 1-0 down but the margin of victory means there’s a strong feeling amongst supporters and punters that this tour could be over before its started. 2-0 would be a body blow for all connected to the Three Lions.
England Can’t Hide
Speaking to the press following that 1st Test mauling and Joe Root, visibly shaken, said his team would take the result on the chin and weren’t in the mood to hide behind excuses. There were a few to be had, if digging deep enough. The team was hampered by selection problems as well as a less than ideal warm-up; however, the better team won over the course of play and there really was no getting away from that. The captain was keen to point the finger of blame at a slow start, singling out their performance during the first innings as a deciding factor in defeat.
Amazingly, bookies appear to be in a forgiving mood, so much so the traders working in Coral’s Stratford HQ have revenge chalked up on the betting board. They are odds-on favourites with the 8/15 sent out catching us off-guard a little.
Now, it’s fair to say England will come back stronger for the loss; however, did they look like an 8/15 poke when being put through the wringer last week? We wouldn’t say so and wouldn’t have a free bet on them levelling the series at the price on the back of such a toothless display. They must improve in every area of the field to have any chance and must do it quickly. Even then we think 8/15 still looks to be on the tight side of the fence.
Windies Can Finish the Job
While their more fancied opponents are looking to regroup, the West Indies dressing room will be delighted to see they have been written off again and will continue to thrive as the underdog. They got the break against an opponent who was off-colour during the 1st Test; however, the victors played out of their skin and will believe they have the beating of England. If they make a fast start, they’ll knock the fight out of the tourists and that will pave the way for a 2-0 cushion. We wouldn’t be in a rush to put anyone off a bet, if that was their approach.
In fact, we don’t think there’s a good enough reason not to back the Windies as Coral are offering a generous 5/2. At that kind of price you can afford to play for interest stakes, sit back and enjoy the show knowing you have the value working in your favour. If England make another slow start you’ll then have the option to cash-out for a profit or let the bet ride. The draw looks unlikely and we wouldn’t suggest you risk your hard-earned money on an outcome no one wants to see, even at 6/1.
Coral offer a wide range of markets if you’d prefer to avoid picking sides. Joe Root is favourite to be England’s top 1st innings batsman at 11/4, ahead of Jonny Bairstow at 7/2 and the 4/1 of Rory Burns. The same bet covering West Indies has Kraigg Brathwaite at 7/2, a price shared by Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer next in line at 5/1.
Our Tip: West Indies to win – 5/2 at Coral
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