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CricBattle Daily Fantasy Cricket League Tips

England vs West Indies on August 17

English cricket takes a step into the dark on Thursday with the first day-night Test played in the country as Joe Root's side face West Indies at Edgbaston. The opening game of a three-match series will be only the fifth Test anywhere to be played under the day-night format since Australia and New Zealand contested the first in Adelaide in November 2015. West Indies will have to play exceptionally well to even compete against England. The tourists have lost six consecutive Test series, their most recent win coming against Bangladesh in 2014. West Indies will be without several key players - including Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels - after a number of disputes in the Caribbean between the board and its players. Many of West Indies' star names opt to play in lucrative global Twenty20 competitions rather than in the domestic league.

·         Best economical pick – Kemar Roach has been recalled to West Indies' Test squad for the series in England. Roach, who had been dropped on form in 2016, hit his stride in the domestic first-class tournament, the Professional Cricket League, and was the most effective of Barbados' fast bowlers with 23 wickets at 16.17.

·         Top captains & vice captains –Man of the series in the recently concluded England-South Africa series, Moeen Ali has scored 270 runs in the series apart from the 25 wickets he claimed. It also included a hat-trick at Oval which ended the match for South Africans. Moeen Ali became the first player in Test cricket to score 250 runs and take 25 wickets in a Test series of 4 or fewer games. Seven other players have done this double in 5 or more match series. The England captain has made it a habit to be amongst the runs no matter what. Despite the conditions and the odds being against him when he was at the crease in the fourth test, Joe Root showed what mettle he has with the willow in hand.

·       Smart pick – In the recently concluded series against South Africa, Jonny Bairstow constantly chipped in with contributions lower down the order, batting at 5 down. He missed out on a ton in the fourth Test match at Manchester in the second innings as he was adjudged LBW on 99. He scored three half centuries in the series in which he scored 330 at an average of 41.2.

·         Cautious Pick – Tom Westley had a very quiet time in the test series against South Africa. The new entrant to the national side was expected to make some hustle in the series but remained quite ineffective in that series.

My XI – Moeen Ali (Captain), Joe Root (Vice-Captain), Kemar Roach, Jonny Bairstow, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Devendra Bishoo, Mark Stoneman, Alzarri Joseph.