Australia v West Indies offer in-play value

Australia's Test series against the West Indies begins on Thursday. The visitors want to restore some pride, while the Aussies are desperate to put their Ashes defeat behind them, says Frank Gregan.

Australia have played a lot of cricket since their Ashes defeat. They've retained their ICC Champions crown and been triumphant in both England and India in 50 over series. This week sees them in Test action for the first time since the deciding match at the Oval back in August and they'll be desperate to perform well.

The manner of that Ashes defeat still rankles with Ricky Ponting and his men and they'll be looking forward to getting it out of their system and winning a test series on home soil. Their opponents are the proverbial lambs to the slaughter, the West Indies. West Indian cricket has been the laughing stock of the cricketing world because of their internal feuding and they couldn't have picked a tougher place to try and restore some pride.

The series gets underway on Thursday at the Gabba. Prior to the public falling out between the West Indian players and their board, Chris Gayle and his men were apathetic during their tour of England. The climate was not to their liking during a cold and breezy English May but the weather is likely to be much more to their liking in Queensland. However, it will be hot in more ways than one out in the middle and the men from the Caribbean need to show a much improved mental attitude if they are to stand any chance.

The problem with the West Indians is that they have not managed to work out the difference between relaxed and collapsed! That attitude stems from the very top with skipper Chris Gale - if he was any more laid back he'd be asleep! He was initially a doubt for the first test having had to return home to visit his sick mother. There's been an improvement in his mother's health and he will play but, having been travelling for nearly two days, he is unlikely to be feeling top notch when the coin is spinning through the air on Thursday.

Gayle has to be at his best, not only as a player but as a skipper. He will need to galvanise his troops into action and get them to perform at the very top of their game if they are to have any chance in this series. Confidence is vital in any sport and if the tourists are to cause an upset that belief must come from within.

A brief word association exercise highlights the difficulties that the West Indians will face. Think of the positives this current West Indian team possess and traits such as flair, panache and elegance spring to mind. What doesn't pop into the old grey matter is tenacity, determination and a never say die attitude. Those attributes are much more likely to win you matches in Australia than the 'Fancy Dan' stuff.

The West Indies are available to back at 17.5 to win the series but have been traded as high as 20.0. The odds on favourite in the correct score market is a 3-0 series whitewash at a very skinny 1.84.

That reflects the feeling that the chances of an upset are very slim but at the prices on offer there is the possibility of an in-play trade along the way. The West Indies are a massive 14.0 to back going into the first test and that is a superb starting position which affords the chance to trade without risking big money.

Back at 14.0 before the toss and look to lay twice the stake at 4.0 in play and if the West Indians show a tougher mental attitude a very profitable time can be had. Don't forget the time difference, this one gets under way at midnight so make sure you get on by Wednesday at the latest.