England vs http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 – 3rd ODI - Match Preview
After winning the initial two fixtures at Southampton and the Oval, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 will take on West Indies in the third One Day International (ODI) tomorrow at Leeds.
The last match of the series is a dead-rubber but both the teams have a lot to play for. The visitors will look to salvage pride by avoiding an ODI whitewash after the Test series defeat.
Before the start of the limited-overs portion of the series, West Indies were predicted to be the favourites because of a very strong batting line-up, which was bolstered by the arrival of some star-players.
However, the initial two matches have turned out to be anti-climatic as the Caribbean batsmen failed to register themselves, despite http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221 smashing a brilliant half-century in the second match.
Their vice-captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754.
The all-rounder admitted that his team has not lived up to its potential on the tour so far but hopes that West Indies will make a comeback at Leeds and also in the only T20 of the tour at Nottingham.
"I wasn't here for the Test series but obviously I am here now and to lose the ODI series, I am very disappointed. We have a very good team and I think we should have given a better showing of ourselves. The New Zealand series (starting later this month),
we will feel comfortable going into it but we have another game here to finish and a Twenty20. So that will be our focus and our aim, to try and win the last game and try and avoid a three-nil. I think that should be our aim at this moment," Bravo said.
Apart from replacing Tino Best with the all-rounder, Andrew http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Russell-c87177, the visitors are not likely to make any change in their playing-XI.
England, on the other side of the coin, have looked a settled unit and are looking well on their way to become one of the world’s top teams in the 50-overs format as well. Analysts were thinking that the sudden retirement of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 will hurt Alastair
Cook and company’s chances in ODI cricket but the selectors made an inspirational decision by bringing back http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 to replace the great batsman.
The batsman from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warwickshire-c862 has shown tremendous form in the series, scored a magnificent hundred in the first match, which was followed by an attacking half-century in the second. Bell is the sort of a player who loves to make the most of his good form
and one should not be surprised if the right-handed opener comes up with another massive knock.
The secret behind England’s success in the 50-overs version has been the extra-ordinary bowling attack, which includes five world-class operators. Most teams have four main bowlers and a couple of part-timers to bowl 50 overs.
However, in the presence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501, Cook’s job is extremely easy as a skipper.
The home team has rested Bresnan, Broad and Swann for the final ODI and it remains to be seen whether the Caribbean men make the most of this opportunity to avoid a whitewash or not.
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