1st Test: Australia v West Indies at Hobart

Why dont you Folks place your BETS .

Put money where MOUTH is  !

a true measure of predicting an outcome !

Cricket Australia is less forthcoming with information about ticket sales but there were anecdotal reports over the weekend that fewer than 1000 tickets had been sold for the opening day's play.

Why don't you : instead of editing this one  ??  :-\

I believe this series will see a more settled West Indian team given their Head Coach is back in situ.

In my view the Captain has not done enough to be a permanent fixture in the Test team and Ramdin batting at 6 shows a very weak batting lineup. Holder might as well bat at 6 and Ramdin at 7 or 8.

Roach has been quite ineffective of late and although the pitches will give some assistance and encouragement to the Windian seamers, I cannot see much impact on the Aussies who will recover from 24-4 as they have character, depth and application.

Nothing that happened in Lanka from batting, bowling and the Captaincy suggest this team 'yet' has the depth to make a meaningful challenge on any team not least a top team.

On the batting front I expect Brathwaite, the only batsman willing and capable of crease occupation and batting long, to struggle due to his deficient technique (especially turning the face of the bat and not playing straight). Chandrika is average in my view, Samuels is the confirmed failure but he gets selected,  I expect, or rather hope, Blackwood and Bravo to do well but unless you are looking at this series through rose coloured-tinted spectacles the outcome, based on form and empirical evidence, will most likely be 3-0 to the Aussies, weather permitting.

At Hobart, weather permitting, if Australia bat first they will win by an innings within 4 days but most likely 3.

If Australia bat second, the same result is highly probable.

All that said, the fact the Aussies have written off the Windians would normally be dangerous if the Windies had players of character but you can never write off a belittled team, with nothing to lose and the cycle of failure likely to change at some point. It is highly questionable if this is the point for a turnaround of Windian fortunes but one never knows.

Do not be unduly surprised if Dowrich takes over from Ramdin from the second test.

I hope CARICOM's recommendation is implement with only Mahabir 'seemingly' doing the right thing thus far.

Of course if Hong Kong play the Aussies I will be in HK's corner....anyone but the Aussies but Windies are likely to be battered, bruised and emotionally molested then sent running home with their tails firmly between their legs.

SEVEN HOURS TO GO.

GO WINDIES.

in an empty stadium deh sure wood.  a few of them can walk with rara an'  vuvuzeli...keep yuh awake tuh rated

WTF does Carlos Brathwaite have to do to get a test pick.

Leh we hope Gabriel show he worth it.

Carlos B bowled better than either Roach or Gabriel, and he's an allrounder. But he can't get a pick

Well dem certainly have more than 100 folks there.