General

Australia massive favourites

Having hammered New Zealand in the opening match of their three-game one-day international series, Australia are naturally huge favourites to complete back-to-back wins by taking the second match in Wellington on Wednesday

Simon Cambers
If Brett Lee can repeat his destructive bowling of the first ODI, New Zealand will be facing an uphill struggle to pull the series back to 1-1 © Getty Images
Having hammered New Zealand in the opening match of their three-game one-day international series, Australia are naturally huge favourites to complete back-to-back wins by taking the second match in Wellington on Wednesday, and with it the series. bet365 make the tourists 3/10 (1.30) favourites, while they are almost writing off the Black Caps as they make them 12/5 (3.40), which is a pretty big price for a one-day match.

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New Zealand are a decent one-day side, but the way their batting collapsed in match one does not bode well for Wellington. The absence of Stephen Fleming was painfully plain to see and the New Zealand skipper is out again. Chris Cairns showed his class but ran out of partners early and was left high and dry in Auckland.

New Zealand have won just nine of their 23 one-day internationals on the Basin Reserve ground in Wellington, while they have won just one and lost the other four matches against their Australian neighbours on the same ground.

Nathan Astle, as he was before the first match, is favourite to top score at 4/1 (5.00), while Scott Styris is 9/2 (5.50) and Hamish Marshall and Lou Vincent at 5/1 (6.00). Cairns, who top scored at 7/1 (8.00) in Auckland, is 6/1 (7.00) to repeat his feat this time. With one eye on the 2007 World Cup, Cairns is making the most of what he knows is his limited time left in the game and is still a world class performer.

Captain Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist are joint favourites at 7/2 (4.50). Simon Katich is 9/2 (5.50), Andrew Symonds is 11/2 (6.50) and Michael Clarke is 6/1 (7.00) and Brad Hodge is 13/2 (7.50) and Michael Hussey 7/1 (8.00).

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.

Simon Cambers is Cricinfo's new betting correspondent