Australia poised for revenge

South Africa will miss the injured Jacques Kallis © Getty Images

South Africa may have beaten Australia in their first meeting of the VB Series last week but bet365 are clearly not expecting a repeat performance when the two play each other again in Melbourne on Friday.

With Jacques Kallis having returned home to South Africa for treatment on his elbow injury, the tourists will be weakened in both the batting and bowling departments, and it's no surprise to see Australia 2/7 (1.28) favourites, with South Africa a 5/2 (3.50) chance.

Kallis will be replaced by Johan van der Wath but no matter how he does, South Africa are up against it at the MCG. For Australia, losing once could be described as unfortunate, but to do so again would border on carelessness.

The loss will have shaken them out of any complacence and I expect them to rebound with a strong showing at the MCG, a ground on which they have won 58 of 98 one-day internationals, a 62% success rate and 17 of their past 20. However, and this is a strange anomaly, South Africa have beaten Australia in all five of their one-day encounters in Melbourne.

Ponting favourite
Australia captain Ricky Ponting heads the betting to be his side's top scorer at 100/30 (4.33), while Damien Martyn, who has looked sharp on his return to the side, is 9/2 (5.50) and Simon Katich and Mike Hussey are both 5/1 (6.00). Andrew Symonds is 11/2 (6.50) and Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin, in for the rested Adam Gilchrist, are both 6/1 (7.00).

With no Kallis, Graeme Smith tops the list for South Africa at 7/2 (4.50). Herschelle Gibbs is 4/1 (5.00), Boeta Dippenaar 9/2 (5.50) and Jacques Rudolph, one of the few top order batsmen to show any form for South Africa of late, is 5/1 (6.00). Most of their runs have come in the middle and lower order and Justin Kemp, at 6/1 (7.00), Ashwell Prince, at 7/1 (8.00) and Mark Boucher, at 8/1 (9.00) must all have a good chance.

Australia beat South Africa by four sixes to two in their first meeting, and they are 1/2 (1.50) to do the same again, while South Africa are 5/2 (3.50).