West Indies v England, 1st ODI, North Sound

West Indies will take on England in a three-match One-Day International series starting on Friday (March 3) with the aim of reclaiming its groove in 50-over cricket.

The top eight teams in the International Cricket Council ODI rankings at the end of September 2017 automatically advance to the 2019 World Cup in England. West Indies, at the moment, is at No. 9. It has already lost its place in the Champions Trophy in England this June, and has this series, a return series in England in September and three matches against Pakistan in the Caribbean in April to change its fortunes.

While recent history doesn't favour West Indies -- England has won the last four head-to-head series between the teams, with the home side's last triumph coming back in 2007 in England, under the leadership of Chris Gayle -- the overall ODI record between the two is even steven with each side winning 42 times and four games ending in no-results.

Furthermore, both teams are coming off series losses with West Indies failing to advance to the final of a three-nation tournament in Zimbabwe last November, also involving Sri Lanka, and England losing to India in January.

England settled in nicely at Warner Park in St Kitts with a handsome 117-run win against University of West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s XI in its first warm-up game, but was stretched in its second game at the same venue, against West Indies Cricket Board President's XI, as it pulled off a narrow two-wicket win.

What will be of particular interest to West Indies is that England's middle order was susceptible against the spinners in the second match. With the track at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound expected to be of a similar nature, the home side will likely look to exploit that advantage and play both Devendra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse, the frontline slow bowlers.

There was also concerns for England on the injury front, with Jake Ball, the fast bowler, doing his knee in during the second warm-up game, and the team has called up for Tom Curran, the medium pacer, from the Lions tour of Sri Lanka as a replacement. But, even if England is lacking depth in the pace department, it's Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid who are expected to play a bigger role in the spin-friendly environment.

Batting-wise, man for man, England appears to be the stronger of the two sides, with most of West Indies' batsmen light on experience. Evin Lewis, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope, Rovman Powell, Jason Mohammed -- all of whom are expected to take the field in the first ODI -- have played less than 10 ODIs so the onus will be on the likes of Kieran Powell, Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder, the captain, to fire.

England, meanwhile, will be without Alex Hales for the first two games. The opener has recuperated well from injury sustained in India, but the management may bring him in only for the series finale in Barbados on March 9.

That effectively throws up a lifeline for Sam Billings or Jonny Bairstow to partner up with Jason Roy at the top of the order and nail a place in the side for the Champions Trophy. Ultimately, England may not tinker with the Hales-Roy partnership for a big tournament, but it is a chance for Billings and Bairstow to prove themselves indispensable.

Squads:

West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell.

England: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler (wk), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.