Caribbean Premier League Team-by-Team Guide: Warriors worth a wager

Trinbago Knight Riders 3.26113/50

Last season: Losing semi-finalists
Batting run rate rank: 4
Bowling run rate rank: 1

Verdict: Are the Knight Riders a classic bat-dominated franchise which bosses the group stage before bowling weaknesses catches up with them? Possibly. But on last year's form going bat heavy is the shrewd move. They're hardly the outstandingly balanced team in the tournament with a lack of pace options. And that makes it relatively easy to swerve them at such skinny odds. They're counting on wickets being slow, low and overused. It's not a bad strategy for the play-offs at least and qualification seems assured. But price is king and we have bet this lot before at these odds with a better squad.

Coach: Imran Jan
Coach: Kieron Pollard
Possible XI: Webster, Narine/Seifert, Munro, Pooran, Russell, Pollard, Hosein, Khan, Seales, Theekshana

Squad: Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Tion Webster, Maheesh Theekshana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Tim Seifert, Ali Khan, Colin Munro, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Terrence Hinds, Leonardo Julien, Shaaron Lewis

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 5.04/1

Last season: Winner
Batting run rate rank: 3
Bowling run rate rank: 6

Verdict: The Patriots will aim to become only the second team to defend a CPL title. It's a big ask, particularly for one which finished sixth the year before. Chris Gayle's absence is not a negative. There are slots to fill at the top of the order. If No 3 is good enough for Dewald Brevis and Mumbai it is good enough for the Patriots. Keep an eye on Dwaine Pretorius who could also be shunted up the order. Curiously they were the most expensive with the ball last term.

Coach: Simon Helmot
Captain: Dwayne Bravo
Possible XI: Lewis, Fletcher, Brevis, Darren Bravo, Rutherford, Pretorius, Dwayne Bravo, Hasaranga, Drakes, Jaggesar, Cottrell

Squad: Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Wanindu Hasaranga, Darren Bravo, Sherfane Rutherford, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Dwaine Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Izharulhaq Naveed, Joshua Da Silva, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Keacy Carty, Kelvin Pittman, Jaden Carmichael

Guyana Amazon Warriors 5.04/1

Last season: Losing semi-finalists
Batting run rate rank: 5
Bowling run rate rank: 2

Verdict: The Warriors have made the play-offs every single time. And never won the title. Patience for some ran out some time ago. Key players got tired of it, too. There's no Nic Pooran, Mohammad Hafeez or Shoaib Malik. But this revamp looks good. They of course rely heavily on spin but Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd took 18 wickets apiece last term with pace. And so long as they pick Paul Stirling as opener instead of Shai Hope they should get fast starts. The death hitting is excellent. With the play-offs and final at Providence they have a home advantage which mean they merit support.

Coach: Rayon Griffith
Captain: Shimron Hetmyer
Possible XI: Hemraj, Stirling, Blackwood, Hetmyer, Klaasen, Smith, Shepherd, Paul, Motie, Tahir, Beaton

Squad: Shimron Hetymer, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Keemo Paul, Gudakesh Motie, Imran Tahir, Tabriz Shamzi, Colin Ingram, Paul Stirling, Heinrich Klaasen, Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Matthew Nandu, Junior Sinclair

St Lucia Kings 6.05/1

Last season: Runners-up
Batting run rate rank: 2
Bowling run rate rank: 5

Verdict: There's been some churn at the franchise which has made it to the last two finals and lost. Rahkeem Cornwall and Andre Fletcher have both left meaning a change at the top of the order. Faf Du Plessis' form is a concern and he may be coming close to recognising he's not the player he was. he's had a quiet Hundred. There's a lot of pressure on slow left-armer Jeavor Royal having another strong showing. They were fast with the bat but second most profligate with the ball. Like the Patriots can that balance pay off again?

Coach: Darren Sammy
Coach: Faf Du Plessis
Possible XI: Du Plessis, Deyal, Chase, Charles, David, Wiese, Royal, Kuggeleijn, Joseph, Williams, McSween

Squad: Roston Chase, Johnson Charles, Kesrick Williams, Alzarri Joseph, Mark Deyal, Jeavor Royal, Faf du Plessis, Tim David, David Wiese, Scott Kuggeleijn, Matthew Forde, Leroy Lugg, Preston McSween, Larry Edwards, Ackeem Auguste, Rivaldo Clarke

Barbados Royals 6.05/1

Last season: Sixth
Batting run rate rank: 4
Bowling run rate rank: 4

Verdict: The Royals were awful last term so they have ripped it up and started again. Unfortunately that means they've got rid of Glenn Phillips and Johnson Charles, their two top runscorers, and top wicket-taker Mohammad Amir. We're not sure he's been replaced and instead they are pinning hopes on the ingenue Nyeem Young going well again. There could be plenty of chopping and changing from No 3 down and it will be interesting to see whether they can give a player a role and stick with it.

Coach: Trevor Penney
Captain: Jason Holder
Possible XI: Mayers, De Kock, Cornwall, Miller, Azam, Thomas, Holder, Walsh, Thomas, Mujeeb

Squad: Jason Holder, Obed McCoy, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jnr, Devon Thomas, Oshane Thomas, Nyeem Young, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Harry Tector (Mujeeb ur Rahman replaces after Asia Cup), Azam Khan, Corbin Bosch, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Bishop, Justin Greaves, Teddy Bishop, Ramon Simmonds

Jamaica Tallawahs 7.06/1

Last season: Fifth
Batting run rate rank: 1
Bowling run rate rank: 3

Verdict: Jamaica have been underperforming for five straight years, never finishing above fourth. They routinely lose players and this season they have to get over Andre Russell. Admittedly he wasn't that committed to the Tallawahs. They have a new coach in Shiv Chanderpaul and perhaps a new sense of purpose. They'll need that because they are shy on talent. They're at least one batting star short with lower-order hitters beginning at No 5. The bowling group is good, though, with Mohammad Amir picked up. He forms a good left-arm partnership with Miguel Pretoirus. Their numbers suggest qualification is within their grasp.

Coach: Shiv Chanderpaul
Coach: Rovman Powell
Possible XI: King, K Lewis, Jangoo, Brooks, Powell, Imad, Allen, Green, Pretorius, Amir, Lamichhane

Squad: Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Brandon King, Kennar Lewis, Shamarh Brooks, Mohammad Amir, Sandeep Lamichhane, Imad Wasim, Chris Green, Miguel Pretorius, Raymon Reifer, Jamie Merchant, Amir Jangoo, Shemar Springer, Nicholson Gordon, Kirk McKenzie, Joshua James

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