Graveney wants a win

Profiles / Editor / 14 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Chairman of selectors, David Graveney, has admitted it is "vitally important" England kick off their Test series against West Indies with a win.

England, who are the overwhelming 1.67 favourites on Betfair to claim a first Test victory at Lord's, are looking to bounce back from their demoralising 5-0 whitewash in the Ashes over the winter.
"It's vitally important to start the season with a victory," stressed Graveney.

"It's important for Peter Moores in his first match as coach, for the fans, for the players, for everybody to start well."
England will be led by Andrew Strauss - he skippered the Three Lions to a 3-0 Test series win over Pakistan in the summer of 2006 - after Michael Vaughan was ruled out with a finger injury and the match will be Peter Moores' first in charge after he succeeded Duncan Fletcher.

"It's fair to say the winter did not go as well as we would have liked and a win at Lord's would make all the difference to starting the summer in the right way," Graveney added.

West Indies, ranked eighth in the world and who are available at 9.8 to shock England on home soil in the first Test, are in transition after the retirement of star batsman Brian Lara and resignation of coach Bennett King.
"It will be interesting to see how they react to the absence of Brian Lara," Graveney said.

Betfair customers are convinced England will have no trouble sealing a Series win as they are trading at 1.26, with West Indies not fancied on 10. The Series draw is available at 8.