England v West Indies: World Cup betting preview, TV channel, team news and tips

TV: Sky Sports Cricket / Main Event, 10.30am

The Hampshire Bowl

A series of washouts has put the brakes on the thrash and crash of the Cricket World Cup but England and the West Indies can give punters something to cheer about.

Both sides are in hot pursuit of a top-four berth and their encounter in Hampshire pits the tournament's best batting unit against one of the most feared pace attacks in limited-overs cricket.

England piled on their highest World Cup total of 386 to beat Bangladesh last time out, becoming the first side to score 300 runs or more in seven successive one-day internationals.

The Windies, meanwhile, skittled out Pakistan for a mere 105, reduced Australia to 38-4 on their way to a slender defeat and had South Africa at 29-2 prior to the match being abandoned last time out.

Best bets

England finally saw their opening batsmen click against Bangladesh, as Jason Roy (153) and Jonny Bairstow (51) put on a first-wicket stand of 128, but Eoin Morgan's men may need to call on another top-order willow-wielder this time.

Number three batsman Joe Root has scored 51, 107 and 21 in England's first three matches against South Africa, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

He outlined his importance in the tournament opener, steadying the ship to record a 106-run partnership with Roy after Bairstow was dismissed for a golden duck.

The Yorkshire batsman could be required to assume a similar role in Southampton with the likes of Oshane Thomas and Sheldon Cottrell adept in taking early wickets.

Root did not feature in England's warm-up match against Australia at Friday's venue - a game in which James Vince (64) was their top runscorer - but the large boundaries should cater to his quick-singles approach.

England are expected to operate with two spinners in this clash after adopting a pace-heavy attack against Bangladesh but one player who should be confident of keeping his place is Jofra Archer.

The Barbados-born paceman knows many of the Windies team from Under-19 level and is England's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with six scalps.

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took seven wickets between them against the West Indies last time out and the Caribbean side's top-order may struggle to contain Archer's raw pace.

Recommendations
J Root top England runscorer
2pts 3-1 general
J Archer top England wicket-taker
1pt 3-1 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Team news
England
Jos Buttler is expected to feature for England after recovering from a hip concern. Moeen Ali is pushing for a return after missing Wednesday's practice for the birth of his daughter.

West Indies
Floyd Reifer confirmed Andre Russell will be fit to face England.

Venue
England were bowled out for 285 in a warm-up defeat to Australia at the Rose Bowl, where India won their opening match of the World Cup with a score of 230 against South Africa.

Weather
A cloudy start is expected with light showers in the afternoon and highs of 17C.

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