On Wednesday (10 July), the West Indies will play their first Test, seven months after shocking the world by beating Australia by eight runs at the Gabba.  

The West Indies have an impressive Test record against England. They have won 59 of the 163 matches in which the sides have met, losing 51 times. Since the turn of the century, however, their record has been much worse, as the West Indies have won only seven to England's 23. 

The three-Test tour of England offers a young West Indies team, which includes 10 players who have played fewer than 10 Tests, a chance to better this record. With confidence high after their impressive win in Australia, they will want to spoil James Anderson's farewell Test, and will undoubtedly believe they can. 

Here is the predicted lineup to take the field in the series opener at Lord's on Wednesday.

Top Order:

Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite has been a mainstay for the West Indies and will take the new ball in Anderson's final Test. Despite poor returns in the Australia series, he has been in good form for Barbados in first-class cricket and will be crucial for the West Indies in this series as he leads an inexperienced side.

He will likely be partnered by Mikyle Louis, who ended the West Indies' four-day championship as the leading run-scorer. He scored an impressive fifty in the West Indies' only warm-up game of the tour, too, and if he debuts, he will become the first player from the island of St Kitts to play Test cricket for the West Indies. 

Kirk McKenzie and Alick Althanze will join them to make up the top four. Both were impressive in the West Indies' warm-up fixture and have previously played Test cricket, unlike Tevin Imlach and Zachary McCaskie, the West Indies' other top-order options. 

Middle Order:

Although Brathwaite will want the top four to score the bulk of his side's runs, the West Indies will need their middle-order to come to the party if they are to win away Tests in succession. Kavem Hodge, who top-scored for the West Indies in the warm-up game, and keeper Joshua Da Silva will certainly make the cut. These two were involved in a terrific partnership of 149 after the West Indies stumbled to 64-5 in the Gabba Test and were crucial to the West Indies winning that game. 

All Rounders:

Jason Holder has been a nightmare for England in Test cricket, having scored a double century and taken 37 wickets against them – more than any other opposition. He will certainly play on Wednesday, and will most likely be joined by Kevin Sinclair, who offers an additional spin option and potentially valuable lower order runs. Sinclair averaged over 50 for Guyana this season, and he scored a fifty on his debut in Australia. 

Bowlers: 

With Kemar Roach out injured, the West Indies' chances of winning will heavily ride on vice-captain Alzarri Joseph's performance with the ball. He will lead the bowling attack and will be supported by Shamar Joseph, who made the cricketing world take notice of him when he took seven wickets in less than 12 overs in the second innings of the Gabba Test to give West Indies a memorable victory. Joseph has spoken about wanting to "ruin" Anderson's farewell, and a similar performance could do just that.

Jayden Seales and the uncapped Jeremiah Louis also have an outside chance of making it to the XI if the West Indies decide to go with an extra seamer. If not, the impressive Gudakesh Motie, who has become an indispensable part of the West Indies side in all formats, will be their main spinner. 

Predicted XI:

Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph (vc), Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie. Reserves: Tevin Imlach, Jayden Seales, Jeremiah Louis, Zachary McCaskie

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