Australia v West Indies
Friday 7 October, 09:10
TV: Live on BT Sports
Team news
Australia persisted with Cameron Green in the opening slot for game one despite him not being in the World Cup squad. As noteworthy was the dropping of Steve Smith.
Skip Aaron Finch suggested Green might not open for this one. That could mean he returns to partner Warner. Finch batted at No 4 as an anchor and saw them home in Carrara but if they want that defined role, Smith would be a better option.
Possible XI: Warner, Finch, M Marsh, Maxwell, Green, David, Wade, Cummins, Starc, Zampa, Hazlewood
West Indies may make changes to the XI which suffered a narrow loss. Akeal Hosein and Obed McCoy could well get a run out.
McCoy's absence was a surprise because he provides them with expertise at the death with the ball. Sheldon Cottrell, who failed to defend 13 off the last over, is not a specialist.
Pairing Hosein with leggie Yanic Cariah is an option. Cariah pinned Australia down and made the contest far tighter than it should have been.
Possible XI: King, Charles, Mayers, Reifer, Pooran, Powell, Holder, Smith, Josep, Hosein, McCoy
Pitch report
The Gabba is a better batting wicket than Carrara. But that's not saying much. There have been 15 matches played there in the last two years and seven first-innings have produced scores of 160 or more. It is a chasing venue, though, with nine successes. Backing Australia for more than 170 and more than 180 is a play.
How to play
The Carrara wicket helped reduce the gulf between these sides. And we expect a more dominant Australia show this time. So does the market - Australia are 1.271/4.
So we have to have caveats and be canny if we are to play the market. West Indies need to bat first, it needs to be flat and then they need to start well to set up their power hitting lower down. Trading thier 4.77/2 price could work.
There are lot if 'ifs' there, though. Instead we sit tight and wait for West Indies runs to come and hope Australia have a testing chase. Betting them from 1.705/7 is the way to go. We expect them to et anything up to 200.
Tops value
Warner has been boosted to a mouythwatering 3/1 for top Aussie bat here and we'll take that on a flatter surface. Green is 16/5 and Finch 4/1. Those two should probably be the other way round as we expect Finch to open. For West Indies Kyle Mayers is boosted to 7/2.