England vs West Indies Preview: Gayle might not be England's biggest problem.

Chris Gayle is building towards a mammoth innings in this World Cup.

A big game on a big ground against some big blokes. At the Hampshire Bowl – as it is called throughout the World Cup – England meet West Indies and the sixes have to come off the middle of the bat, which satisfies our sense of justice. This ground can boast one of the largest playing surfaces for international cricket in the country now the Oval and the County Ground at Bristol have shrunk.

Still, there will be sixes for sure. Since the 2007 World Cup sixes have easily outnumbered maidens. We just do not quite know from whose bat they will spring on Friday. Chris Gayle if he stays in is bound to hit some. Who else? Andre Russell (if fit)? Jos Buttler (who is fit)? Liam Plunkett (if selected)? They can all clear the boundary. Meanwhile the maiden has become a rare and precious commodity. Curiously I’m getting as much excitement from the possibility of a maiden in this World Cup than another clunk over the boundary.

The size and shape of the ground can now dictate the pattern of the game. At Cardiff bowlers resort to banging the ball into the pitch short of a length, in an attempt to compel batsmen to hit the ball square of the wicket where the boundaries are long. In Adelaide they encourage batsmen to drive straight for the same reason. At the Hampshire Bowl it is a long way to the rope wherever you aim. Shrewd batsmen and captains take this into account.

This may suit West Indies. Their plan is easy to decipher but tricky to combat. They like to bowl first and fast. They use the short ball liberally, which poses a constant dilemma to the batsmen: whether to hook or to sway out of the way. There is no respite for the square-leg umpire when West Indies are bowling; he must be constantly alert to decide whether the ball is passing the batsman over head height, in which case he must indicate to his colleague that it should be called a wide.

On the smaller grounds batsmen are likely to hook and pull with greater frequency in the knowledge that even a top edge has a fair chance of clearing the boundary. But at the Hampshire Bowl there is the necessity for batsmen either to middle the ball or ensure they keep it on the turf whenever they take on the short ball. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow displayed considerable patience and discretion when starting England’s innings against Bangladesh at Cardiff last week before accelerating in fine style. They must aim to show the same qualities against West Indies, albeit against a very different type of attack.

Mind you, the West Indies batsmen may face a similar test when they bat. England’s pace attack may not be quite so tall as West Indies’ but two of them are just as fast. In fact Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are, according to the radar, quicker through the air than their opponents. However there is some doubt over whether Wood will be able to play because of a swollen ankle. Yet another fitness test awaits for him.

The wide expanses at Southampton usually encourage the selection of spin bowlers, who naturally welcome decent-sized boundaries. Were Eoin Morgan to play both Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, it would mean one pace bowler will have to be omitted from the team who beat Bangladesh. But a pitch that has spent two days under cover may yet encourage the extra seamer once more. If Wood’s ankle issue is considered too great a risk, then Tom Curran will enter the equation.

Inevitably the focus will be on West Indies’ statuesque talisman, Gayle. His presence in the tournament brings a smile to just about everyone’s face – including his own. Gayle cannot really run now; in the field he seeks out the place where this handicap is least exposed. But he can still bat and when he starts hitting sixes he can mesmerise opposition bowlers.

He is 39 now. As a matter of principle any captain, when confronted by a batsman over 35, should test the reflexes early on. Even the great players are not immune to the passage of time; those reflexes are not quite so sharp. So Gayle and his eyes will have to be examined early on by the pace of Archer with deliveries full – and short.

In a curious way Gayle is, in fact, the most methodical of batsmen. He knows when the ball is in his hitting zone, whereupon he aims to clear the boundary. If the ball is not in the right place he bides his time. That applies whether he is facing pace or spin. In the past against England he has been more severe on Moeen than Rashid because as a finger spinner Moeen is more methodical and predictable. Rashid has caused him more problems, often by bowling a lot of googlies. Of course England will be hoping to rid themselves of the Gayle problem before the spinners come on.

Gayle attracts the limelight effortlessly but there will be plenty of other duels to savour, many including Archer, who will be playing against so many familiar faces from Barbados. The goal for England’s batsmen, most of whom seem to be in good form, is to compel West Indies to employ a plan B. We are not yet sure what that is.

WATCH OUT FOR - Sheldon Cottrell

Cottrell is set for a big match against England.

A name seldom heard before this World Cup, Sheldon Cottrell has emerged himself as a world class fast bowler. Taking 5 wickets at 18 runs a piece so far in this tournament from his three matches, he will be looking for a big haul against the expectant winners of this years World Cup, to reignite the Windies towards the finals. PREDICTION England dominated against Bangladesh, and the West Indies were looking like knocking off South Africa before rain interrupted to record their first win since their opener against Pakistan. England boast an explosive and deep batting line up and world class bowling unit. The Windies are an emerging country once again led by Chris Gayle and Jason Holder. The Windies would love to get one over Barbadian Jofra Archer who plays for England, but we think England will be too strong. England to win by 10-30 runs / 2-3 wickets.

STATISTICS HEAD TO HEAD ODI Matches: 101 England: 51

West Indies: 44

HEAD TO HEAD IN WORLD CUPS

Matches: 6

England: 5

West Indies: 1

WORLD CUP RECORDS ENGLAND

Matches: 75 Won: 43 Lost: 30

Best Result- Runners Up (1979, 1987, 1992)

West Indies

Matches: 73

Won: 42

Lost: 30

Best Result- Winners (1975, 1979)

ODI Record since World Cup 2015: ENGLAND

Matches: 91 Won: 60 Lost: 24

West Indies

Matches: 69

Won: 20

Lost: 44