Caribbean Premier League Team Guide: Take on the holders and back underrated Falcons at 10/1

Trinbago Knight Riders 7/42.75 - Holders are too short

Last 2 years: W-4
Batting rank: 2
Bowling rank: 4
Player to bet: Whisper it but Justin Greaves is an opener

Squad: Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, Justin Greaves, Dominic Drakes, Jyd Goolie, Dexter Sween, Terrance Hinds, Nathan Edward (Breakout player), Joshua Da Silva (Breakout player), Abdul-Raheem Toppin, Usman Tariq, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Matthew Breetzke, Amshi de Silva

Possible XI: Greaves, Hales, Munro, Pooran, Pollard, Narine, Da Silva, Akeal, Drakes, Usman, Edward

Analysis: Trinbago's prospects could well be defined by what they decide to do with Alex Hales. If they try to shoehorn the declining batter into the XI it could mess up their balance. For example, he could delay Nic Pooran's arrival at the crease. The smart move would be to pick Matthew Breetzke in the middle order instead. They may have an issue with a sixth bowler, too. At the prices they are there to be taken on.

Guyana Amazon Warriors 11/43.75 - Strong run expected

Last 2 years: RU-RU
Batting rank: 3
Bowling rank: =1
Player to bet: Quentin Sampson may be underrated on the runs markets

Squad: Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Khary Pierre, Shamar Joseph, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Matthew Nandu, Jonathan van Lange, Mavendra Dindyal (Breakout player), Isai Thorne (Breakout player), Quentin Samspson (Breakout player), Imran Tahir, Mohammad Nabi, Glenn Phillips, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Dwaine Pretorius

Possible XI: Hope, Gurbaz, Sampson, Hetmyer, Phillips, Shepherd, Nabi, Pierre, Pretorius/Imran Tahir, Shamar, Permaul

Analysis: Guyana have a major advantage having prepped superbly with a win in the Global Super League. They have retained six players from the XI which pinched an extraordinary win in the final. Two of those, Dwaine Pretorius and Imran Tahir, who was skipper, may have to switch in and out depending on conditions. There's no evidence there should be such a big gap between them and jollies TKR.

St Lucia Kings 6/17.00 - Kings could struggle

Last 2 years: 3-W
Batting rank: 1
Bowling rank: 5
Player to bet: Tim Seifert should win at a rate close to 30% on top bats

Squad: Roston Chase, Jewel Andrew, Matthew Forde, Kamil Pooran, Darron Nedd, McKenny Clarke, Joshua Bishop, Damion Joachim, Keon Gaston, Amari Goodridge (Breakout player), Johann Jeremiah (Breakout player), Ackeem Auguste (Breakout player), Tim Seifert, Noor Ahmad, Maheesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Shadley van Schalkwyk

Possible XI: Seifert, Auguste, Jeremiah, Asalanka, Andrew, Chase, Forde, Noor, Theekshana, Nedd, Gaston

Analysis: The fastest-scoring side in the last two season have lost Johnson Charles and Tim David. They are not expected to be as quick again. The middle-order has a stodgy feel with breakthough pick Johann Jeremiah under pressure to quickly make an impact. A play-off would be a good result but a poor campaign wouldn't be a huge surprise.

Barbados Royals 7/18.00 - Home advantage may make difference

Last 2 years: 6-3
Batting rank: 5
Bowling rank: 3
Player to bet: Kadeem Alkleyne could have his breakout season with the ball and may be underrated on the markets early doors.

Squad: Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, Zachary Carter, Kadeem Alleyne, Ramon Simmonds, Shadrack Descarte, Zishan Motara, Jakeem Pollard (Breakout player), Johann Layne (Breakout player), Kofi James (Breakout player), Quinton de Kock, Chris Green, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, George Linde, Daniel Sams

Possible XI: King, De Kock, Alleyne, Rutherford, James, Motie, Sams, Linde, Green, Simmons, Descarte

Analysis: Royals' chances appear to stand or fall on what sort of mood Quinton de Kock turns up in. If he repeats last season's average of 23 and strike rate of 118 then it's another disappointing campaign. This lot could be a team for late runs. The overwhelming feel is that this is a bitty squad of hitters minus a standout bowling option. Their big advantage is that the play-offs will be staged in Bridgetown.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 15/28.50 - Hard to consider a dart on Pats

Last 2 years: 5-6
Batting rank: 4
Bowling rank: 6
Player to bet: Navin Bidaisee surely plays as the breakout player. One to follow on top bowler.

Squad: Johnson Charles, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Andre Fletcher, Kevin Wickham, Obed McCoy, Ashmead Nedd, Jeremiah Louis, Alick Athanaze, Micah McKenzie (Breakout player), Navin Bidaisee (Breakout player), Mikyle Louis (Breakout player), Naseem Shah, Dasun Shanaka, Waqar Salamkheil, Wanindu Hasaranga, Nikhil Chaudhary

Possible XI: Charles, Mayers, Athanaze, Shanaka, Chaudhary, Bidaisee, Holder, Hasaranga, McCoy, Naseem, Salmkheil

Analysis: Patriots have done almost nothing well in the last two years. Their bowling economy is alarmingly high at more than nine in a tournament where every other team has gone under 8.42.

How have they recruited to solve that issue? They are putting their faith in spin with Waqar Salamkheil and Wanindu Hasaranga (always a fitness caveat) likely to be paired. They could bowl 16 overs if required. The trade off is a lack of elite batters, bar Johnson Charles, and that late order may be scrambling. They miss out on the play-offs.

Jamaica Kingsmen 17/29.50 - New franchise needs time to settle

Last 2 years: na
Batting rank: na
Bowling rank: na
Player to bet: Usman Khan has a strong top-bat win rate

Squad: Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Keemo Paul, Keacy Carty, Jediah Blades, Shaqkere Parris, Odean Smith, Vitel Lawes, Romaine Morris, Kirk McKenzie (Breakout player), Kelvin Pitman (Breakout player), Jeavor Royal (Breakout player), Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Shayan Jahangir, Tayyab Arif

Possible XI: Carty, Ayub, Usman, Hassan, Powell, Russell, Paul, Royal, Smith, Lawes, Blades

Analysis: A Jamaica franchise is back in the tournament after a two-year hiatus. The Kingsmen replace the Tallawahs. Pakistan power is their strategy and there's much to like about Saim Ayub, Usman Khan and Hassan Khan firing their batting. Ayub has good vibes from previous innings in this tournament. The pace bowling looks light, however. It's a big ask to hit the ground running and go deep in a debut season.

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons 10/111.00 - Solid group underrated

Last 2 years: 4-5
Batting rank: 6
Bowling rank: =1
Player to bet: A mean and moody Alzarri has a point to prove. Top bowler wagers should pay long term

Squad: Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Jayden Seales, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Springer, Jahmar Hamilton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Anderson Phillip, Karima Gore (Breakout player), Anderson Mahase (Breakout player), Joshua James (Breakout player), Moeen Ali, Kusal Perera, Milind Kumar, Tajinder Singh, Shadab Khan, Sufyan Moqim

Possible XI: Lewis, Cornwall, Kusal, Jangoo, Moeen, Shadab, Allen, Alzarri, Moqim, Seales, James

Analysis: Evin Lewis has arrived to bolster a batting line-up in great need of power. Kusal Perera likewise. So they have tried to improve in their area of major weakness. Alzarri Joseph, after excusing himself from West Indies duty, is a major fillip with the ball and more than makes up for the departure of Obed McCoy.

If Rahkeem Cornwall can fire up top then they have a chance but one fears they may be searching for an opening partnership which works. The Shadab-Moqqwim axis with tweaks could be inspired. They are the wrong price and there's nothing wrong with gambling that they will continue to improve.

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