Australia back on course

With England squandering a couple of good positions to allow Australia an easy victory at the weekend, the world champions are back on course for a semi-final berth and bet365 have reacted quickly by restoring them as favourites to win the Champions Trophy, at 12/5 (3.40).

Ricky Ponting's team came out fighting against the old enemy on Saturday and victory over India will assure them of a place in the last four as they look to win the competition for the first time and complete a full set of titles.

India, who can seal their own place in the semi-finals if they beat West Indies on Thursday, are now 11/4 (3.75), while Sri Lanka, with a win and a draw, are 9/2 (5.50) going into their match with South Africa on Tuesday.

Pakistan, with one win out of one, are still tempting at 5/1 (6.00) given the talent in their side, even after the departures of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif. West Indies are 7/1 (8.00) with one win out of one, and New Zealand are a big price at 12/1 (13.00) having won one and lost one, but with Pakistan still to come.

England are total outsiders at 150/1 (151.00) - they need some miraculous events to occur for them to stand a chance of progressing - but South Africa are not out of it and could be worth a gamble at 16/1 (17.00).

Those of you who like to trade your bets using the likes of Betfair may well fancy the 16/1 (17.00) as if Graeme Smith's side beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday, which they ought to, then they will be right back in the hunt and their price will plummet.