livescore

England vs West Indies predictions: Root can inspire England
Copy icon

Joe Casey
Spotlight

- Joe Root's last five innings have been: 122*, 11, 26, 84 and 68
- The average first innings score at Trent Bridge is 323
- Recommended bet:
Joe Root over 90.5 performance points

England recorded a comfortable success in the first of their three-Test series against the West Indies and are a short price to follow up in this second match between the two at Trent Bridge, which starts on Thursday.

Debutants Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith impressed but it was James Anderson's retirement that was the main story at Lord's, bowing out as England's best ever fast bowler.

His now-former side may look to rotate in Nottingham as they spend the summer working on the team that they will take to Australia for next year's Ashes.

Team news

After Anderson's retirement following the first Test, Mark Wood has been called up and could make his return to England's XI after fighting off various injury issues.

Debutants Smith and Atkinson impressed at Lord's and are likely to retain their spots in the side, particularly after Atkinson recorded match figures of 12-106.

The West Indies may persist with their inexperienced batting order as they look to the future.

The stats

Kraigg Brathwaite has the highest batting average of the West Indies squad
Kraigg Brathwaite has the highest batting average of the West Indies squad

Joe Root has scores of 122*, 11, 26, 84 and 68 in his last five innings.

Kraigg Brathwaite owns the highest batting average of all batters in the West Indies squad, at 33.88.

However, Brathwaite has been dismissed for fewer than 20 runs in six of his eight innings in England across 2020 and 2024.

Jayden Seales was the standout bowler for the West Indies at Lord's, taking 4-77 off 20 overs.  

Prediction

While Atkinson and Anderson took the headlines in the first Test between England and the West Indies at Lord's, it could be Root who steals the show at Trent Bridge in the second.

The veteran is now the 10th-highest scorer in Test history with 11,804 runs. He can progress to ninth in this game if he scores more than 11 runs and leapfrog up to eighth if he scores more than 63. 

His last five innings have produced knocks of 122*, 11, 26, 84 and 68 so he is clearly in good form and is fancied to continue that here.

Siding with England's star man in the performance points market also offers value from the Yorkshireman taking catches or a wicket in the unlikely event that he bowls.

However, runs will be the backbone of the selection for Root to go over 90.5 performance points in Nottingham.

LiveScore logo

LiveScore: Live Sport Updates

Footbal Scores & Sports News

App storeGoogle play