Fresh off one of the greatest test match upsets in their history, the West Indies will again aim to defy the critics when they take on Australia in the first of three ODIs on Friday.
Both teams will be fielding youthful line-ups in this series, so it will be fascinating to see which side comes out firing at the MCG!
Josh Nevett takes a close look at the contest with his free preview and cricket betting tips below.
Australia vs West Indies 1st ODI Preview & Betting Tips
MCG, Melbourne, Friday February 2nd, 2:30pm (AEDT)
Squads
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa
West Indies: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Match Preview
Australia may have lost their most recent test encounter with the West Indies, but they will be full of confidence after being crowned the best ODI team in the world at the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup.
The Aussies overcame an 0-2 start to the campaign to qualify for the Final against India, which they dominated to emerge victorious by six wickets.
David Warner (535 runs), Mitchell Marsh (441 runs) and Glenn Maxwell (400 runs) all starred with the bat, however it’s worth noting that none will feature in this series.
From a bowling perspective, leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the pick of the bunch, taking 23 wickets to finish with the second most of any bowler in the tournament.
He will feature against the West Indies, although a fresh pace attack featuring the likes of Sean Abbott, Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett will accompany him rather than regulars Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood.
Given the changes in the squad, it’s hard to get a read on how Australia will perform in these three matches. The makeup of the XI is relatively clear – Matt Short or Josh Inglis will join Travis Head at the top of the order, followed by Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Aaron Hardie.
Abbott, Bartlett, Morris and Zampa will likely form the bowling attack, assisted by Green and Hardie.
Like the hosts, the West Indies will also present with an unfamiliar XI. Top order batsman Teddy Bishop and wicket-keeper Tevin Imlach are in line to make their debuts during this series, while Justin Greaves, Hayden Walsh Jr and Kavem Hodge are back among the ODI squad.
It’s important that the West Indies give a good account of themselves considering that they failed to qualify for the World Cup. It was a low point for the Caribbean team with such a proud cricketing history, so it’s crucial that the players begin to rebuild the reputation of Windies cricket.
With that said, Australia are the best team in the world in this format and should be too strong at the MCG. Unfortunately, the home side are just about unbackable at such short odds, so I’m turning my attention to other markets.
Xavier Bartlett was fantastic with the new ball throughout BBL13, so I’m backing he and Sean Abbott to make early inroads on Friday.
West Indies Fall of Wicket 1 – Under 17.5
$1.83 (1 Unit)
Prop Bets
The Windies are renowned for their power hitting, but it’s easy to forget the explosive ability of Australia’s batters. Head, Inglis, Green, Short and Hardie are all capable of clearing the fence with ease, and I expect them to show the visitors how it’s done on Friday.
Most Sixes - Australia $1.50 (Ladbrokes)
Bartlett was the top wicket taker for BBL13, claiming 20 scalps to lead the Brisbane Heat to a title. The young quick demonstrated an ability to swing the new ball, and he should be a handful for the West Indies batsmen on debut.
To Take 2+ Wickets – Xavier Bartlett $2.10 (Ladbrokes)
