Aussies primed for one-day success

Australia and South Africa go toe to toe once again this week as they begin a five-match one-day series. The tourists won the Test series but with their minds perhaps already on the return series in South Africa, the one-dayers look to be Australia's for the taking.

It's a fairly tough one to fathom, mentally. Australia have a point to prove after losing the Test series, while South Africa would not be human if their intensity was not quite so high having already completed the main task they set themselves before the tour.

In simple terms, it really depends how much they want to win. With Graeme Smith back home recovering from injury, their team is not as strong on paper as it was in the Test series, but they do have plenty of confidence right now.

But motivation is the key to these series. The big teams take Test cricket more seriously than one-dayers and though they will try hard, South Africa are unlikely to be as keen to win as the Aussies. Victory for the Australians in a one-day series would not dent the South Africans' confidence one iota for the upcoming Test encounters in South Africa.

Therefore, Bet365's prices are not at all surprising and are just about bang on. They make Australia 4/11 to win the five-game series, while South Africa are 2/1.

I just think that South Africa's hearts will not quite be in this series. I may be wrong, but since Test cricket matters most and since the Aussies are desperate to lift their faltering confidence, they will want it most.

In the correct series score markets, a 4-1 win for the Aussies is the favourite at 5/2 and that would have been my pick before seeing the odds. South Africa have the ability to win the odd match, of course, and it's tough to complete a whitewash.

That said, there will be takers of the 5-0 scoreline for the home side, at 7/2. If Australia get off to a good start they could complete a sweep, and Ricky Ponting will be urging on his side to do just that.

A 3-2 win for the Aussies is next at 13/5, while if you think South Africa can win, it's 7/2 that they do it by the odd match in a 3-2 victory. A 4-1 win is a 15/2 chance and you can get 33/1 that they complete their own clean sweep.

I just can't see anything other than a home win here. Australia have everything to prove and the motivation to get the job done. A 4-1 win, at 5/2, is the most obvious call.