Australia look to bounce back

Australia will have been smarting at the way they lost the No 1 ranking to South Africa after defeat in the one-day series, but they don't have much time to sulk as they are back on the field on Sunday for the first of five one-day internationals in Perth.

It's hard to know exactly how Australia will be, mentally, going into this series. With a Test tour to South Africa to come soon, and then the Ashes in the English summer. it could be tough for them to get themselves up for a series against New Zealand.

And from New Zealand's point of view, they probably could not have wished for a better time to be arriving on their neighbours' shores. If ever they are going to get the better of their local rivals, then this could be it, especially in the one-day game.

Despite their problems, though, Australia are still big favourites to win the series, at 2/9, while New Zealand are 3/1, and given what's happened recently, there is no way I'd advise backing the Australians, even if on paper, they have the edge and they have home advantage.

There is nothing New Zealanders like more than beating Australians, and they will relish it even more if they can keep the Australians off the No 1 spot.

Considering that they are such big favourites to win the series, the correct score odds are interesting, with a 3-2 win and a 4-1 win the joint favourite at 2/1. However, a 5-0 win is just 7/2, while a New Zealand 3-2 win is available at 9/2 and if you think that they could complete a whitewash of their own, then that's on offer at 16/1.

As for the first match in the series, when Australia will have the obvious advantage of having played more recently than their opponents, the home side are 1/3 and the Black Caps are 9/4.

As I said at the beginning f this piece, at the odds, New Zealand are good value. They are a fine one-day side and Australia are in disarray right now. If they can hit top form quickly, they could snatch what would be a memorable series win.