Betting tips / Chris Cairns / 15 April 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

The first Test between the West Indies and Australia was an excellent game but Chris Cairns feels the West Indies had the best of conditions and could not convert this advantage when it counted.

At the beginning of the series, I indicated the Australians would win every Test match and the first Test only served to reassure me of that assessment.

The reason?

The inexperience of the West Indian test line-up.

The West Indies top six batsmen have collectively played 185 Test matches between them, with Chanderpaul having played 138 of these.

The intensity of Test cricket means that for many sessions you cannot win a match, and yet it takes only one bad session to lose it. The fourth day was when the West Indies needed to consolidate and bowl the Aussies out, and then have the last day to bowl them out for a second time.

Unfortunately they let the Aussies back in the game.

Moving to the 2nd Test, the Aussies will know that whatever the state of the game they will always be in the match. The West Indies also know this and I simply cannot see a turnaround of this mentality throughout the series.

Port of Spain, Trinidad, the venue for the 2nd Test, is simply the slowest pitch I have ever played International cricket on. The only conceivable chance for the West Indies to stay in the match for a draw is if they bat first.

Why?

If the Aussies bat first, it is game over an: expect a huge first innings score and I would back one of the openers to be top-scorer in the innings.

For West Indies top-scorer, it's hard to look past Chanderpaul as the others simply don't know how to bat time and construct a Test innings.

The West Indies may look at playing two spinners on this pitch, but I feel the Aussies will look to keep the same attack. Harris is a valued member of this Aussie side and I still feel he is a good bet for most series wickets.

Perseverance is the key in Trinidad and the Aussies will be in great spirits.

Expect another win for the green and golds.

And a big margin at that if the Aussies bat first, with perhaps a small innings or eight-wicket victory if they bat second.