West Indies bowling legend Michael Holding believes the team’s previously strong performances against England should give them plenty of confidence heading into next month’s Test series.

England are currently ranked at fourth in the world, four places above the eight-ranked West Indies.  On paper, it should be a comfortable win for the home team.  But, although the Windies have not managed to get any sort of result in the UK since 1995 and have not won a series there since 1998, the regional team has put in some solid performances, including when they last visited in 2017.

On that occasion, the West Indies were obliterated in the first Test but rebounded strongly on the back of two centuries from Shai Hope to win the second.  England went on to win the third Test.  Holding believes that particular battling performance and the fact that the Caribbean team turned the tables on the Englishmen on their last visit to the region will give the team some hope heading into the series.

“West Indies lost 2-1 when they were in England the last time.  They didn’t play that badly…the second Test match will have showed them that they are able to compete in England,” Holding said on youtube podcast Mikey – Holding nothing back.

“They are about 75 percent of the guys who toured England in this same squad, so it won’t be anything new for them.  So that should give them a little bit of help mentally and of course, they have the Wisden Trophy.  They beat England in the Caribbean and that should spur them on to make sure they retain that Wisden Trophy.  That is a big thing for them,” he added.