Betting tips / Chris Cairns / 27 March 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

With the shortest format of cricket upon us, Chris Cairns feels the West Indies have the perfect batting and bowling arsenal to take the fight up to the Aussies in their first T20 match.

The ODI series between Australia and the West Indies saw a tied result, but the lacklustre pitches, and an at times similarly lacklustre-looking Australia, made for an entertaining series: a series that would have given West Indian cricket supporters some hope for the future.

This West Indies outfit has some potential. They are an athletic group, powerful hitters and have bowlers who can restrict without having the potency to take wickets. This concoction of ability sees them well-placed as an excellent T20 group. They have some of the highest paid players in the shortened version of the game and with this comes experience in how to play this format.

Bottom line: the Aussies are going to have their hands full in these next two T20 matches.

To date, Gros Islet has produced some quick and powerful scoring rates and it seems that the six hitters are enjoying the facilities.

The Aussies will be relieved they came out with a drawn series. The players looked tired, but their professionalism came through in the last match where they displayed their front running capabilities.

Lining the two sides up, the WI have an advantage in the field. It's not often you can say this about sides who play against Australia, but in this case it's the WI who have youth on their side. Bowling sees them with the ability to hold and pressurise and the Aussies will rely on wickets up front with their quick men.

Essentially, if the WI can get through the first six overs only one down, watch out.

On the batting front, both teams have explosive hitters, with two players standing out as the most likely to single-handedly win a T20 match and take out top scoring batsman status.

Pollard and Warner.

Both men achieve their results at opposite ends of the batting innings. Warner is up front and loves the pace of the new ball. Pollard revels in slower bowlers, and if his eye gets in, no bowlers are safe.

This is going to be a tight game but I fancy the WI in this match as they are dangerous and unpredictable.

Whether chasing or setting a score, the WI will win, if not by much.