England vs West Indies 2nd ODI Highlights, ENG vs WI | 19-06-2012

The one-day leg of West Indies’ tour was widely expected to be the point when the tourists become truly competitive against England. For many they are the favourites, such is the firepower they can now call upon. With the IPL complete and disputes between players and the WICB at a cease-fire, Saturday’s XI could feature seven changes from the side that played the first Test at Lord’s.

It is essential West Indies take something away from this tour; so far their only plus points are the return to form of Marlon Samuels, Tino Best’s Edgbaston rampage and Denesh Ramdin’s ability to bat with a note in his pocket. They held Australia to a 2-2 draw in the Caribbean and now need to take ‘progress’, ‘positives’ and the excuse of being a developing side and turn them into an ODI series win – something they haven’t achieved against anyone other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh (by whom they were whitewashed in 2009) since beating Sri Lanka in April 2008.

They may have caught England at a good time. Kevin Pietersen’s retirement not only removes a destructive, in-form player from their line-up but returns England to experiment mode – Ian Bell, should he be passed fit, is set to open the batting and needs to forge a partnership with Alastair Cook. Without Pietersen, England look a touch lightweight; their big guns lie in the bowling department and they are tasked with picking off West Indies’ beefier batting line-up.