Antipodean battle in store

Favourites Australia take on New Zealand in the first of the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in Mohali on Wednesday knowing that they are just two victories away from claiming the only tournament they have yet to win.

Having recovered from their opening-match defeat by West Indies with confident wins over England and India, the world champions are understandable favourites overall, while bet365 make them just 1/3 (1.33) to beat the Black Caps, who can be backed at 9/4 (3.25).

The bookies probably didn't take too long before working out the prices. New Zealand may be a highly competent one-day side and fully deserving of their place in the last four but when it comes to playing Australia, they have something of a mental block. Australia have won 15 of their past 17 meetings.

While Australia have no injury problems, New Zealand look certain to be without Scott Styris, who has hamstring trouble, while the injury-prone Shane Bond has a hamstring injury of his own but should be fit to play.

Poor record
The problem for New Zealand is that none of their batsmen have excelled against Australia over the years. Stephen Fleming, the captain, is the 11/4 (3.75) favourite to top-score and is in good form but averages just 30.91 against them, even if he has scored two centuries against them.

Nathan Astle has the best average against Australia with 31.76, while Hamish Marshall averages 29 but of the rest, the next best is Jacob Oram with just 22. Astle and Lou Vincent (19.58) are both 4/1 (5.00) while Styris (16.83) is 5/1 (6.00). Marshall is tempting at 13/2 (7.50), the same price as Peter Fulton, who has never played against Australia. Oram is 8/1 (9.00).

For Australia, Adam Gilchrist and captain Ricky Ponting are both 10/3 (4.33) while Damien Martyn, hero of the win over India, is 9/2 (5.50). Simon Katich and Shane Watson are both 11/2 (6.50), Andrew Symonds is 6/1 (7.00), Michael Hussey is 13/2 (6.50) and Michael Clarke is 7/1 (8.00).

Ponting has the best average of the lot against New Zealand with 44.65 but Hussey could be worth a gamble as he has yet to be dismissed in six innings against them, including an unbeaten 88 in the group stages.