Look no further than Pietersen

The Test series between England and West Indies consists of only two matches so if you are looking for a bet in the top runscorer and wicket-taker markets, you need someone who starts fast as opposed to someone who improves as a series goes on.

And when it comes to picking a man to be top England runscorer, especially on home soil, then you should look no further than Kevin Pietersen.

A two-Test series does offer the opportunity for someone to get lucky early on, rather than for the class to rise to the top, but Pietersen is so good that he can usually overcome such obstacles.

The fact that the first Test is at Lord's should only help him because he seems to revel in the most famous arenas of the world and there are few more illustrious than cricket's HQ.

Pietersen has finished top-scorer for England in four of the past six home series. His only real competition, as far as I can see, is his captain Andrew Strauss, who is in excellent form and who top-scored in the other two of those six series.

Bet365 make Pietersen and Strauss joint-favourites at 5/2, but Pietersen has to be the pick because of his past performances and the fact that he will surely want to show he is in great form as the Ashes approach. With all due respect to the rest of the team, it should be between those two and Pietersen should come out on top.

As for West Indies, well, bet365 go 9/4 on each of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, with Chris Gayle just behind on 10/3. For me, though Gayle and Sarwan are class, the pick has to be Chanderpaul.

Not only did he almost single-handedly ensure that West Indies beat England in the Caribbean just a few months ago, but he also top-scored, by a street, last time the two sides met in England, in 2007, and he averages 77 in 11 Tests over here.

Top bowlers
James Anderson heads the betting to be England's top bowler, at 15/8 but it is a pretty weak market with the bookies clearly unsure who, if anyone, will take charge.

In English conditions, Anderson's ability to swing the ball should make him dangerous as West Indian batsmen have not been particularly comfortable against swing of late. Anderson is also that rarity among quick bowlers, a fine athlete, so he should not break down.

Stuart Broad is next at 11/4, new-boy Graham Onions is 3/1 and Graeme Swann is 5/1. Tim Bresnan is 15/2 and Monty Panesar, who could come strong against the Aussies later this summer, is the outsider at 8/1.

For West Indies, Fidel Edwards is the favourite to be their leading wicket-taker at 7/4, a role he deserves after bowling his heart out in the Caribbean a couple of months ago. His pace and skiddy action could make him a threat on English pitches, especially early in the summer.

Jerome Taylor is next at 2/1, with Lionel Baker a 5/1 chance and tall spinner Sulieman Benn the same price. Darren Sammy is 8/1, but it's likely to be between the two really quick bowlers, with Edwards just about getting my vote.