Can England pick themselves up?

It's seems pretty amazing, but England found a way to play even worse in the second one-day international than they had in the first. That left them 2-0 down and needing victory in the third game of the five-match series, to be played on Friday, to keep their hopes alive.

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England managed to start pretty well, for once, but when the rain interrupted them, they crumbled second time around and New Zealand, for all their own problems and injury concerns, put them to the sword, with ease.

Frankly, it was embarrassing. Bet365 make both sides 5/6 for the third match, to be played in Auckland, and on the basis of the first two matches, the home side look a shoo-in.

The problem with one-day cricket, though, is that nothingl, nothing at all, can ever be taken for granted. Just because England are an awful one-day side, and because they have played like amateurs in the first two matches, doesn't mean they won't win this one.

New Zealand are no world-beaters either, so all it will take is one good innings from one of the England batsmen, probably Kevin Pietersen, to turn it around in England's favour.

Pietersen is the 11/4 favourite to top-score for England, with Ian Bell and Alastair Cook, the latter the only man to put up any resistance in the second match, both 4/1. Paul Collingwood and Phil Mustard are both 6/1.

But with England's batsmen making such a hash of things, it could be worth looking down the order to someone like Dimitri Mascarenhas (if he plays), whose powerful hitting makes him a decent bet at 16/1.

For New Zealand, who continue to perform above their ability on paper, Brendon McCullum is 7/2 favourite, while Jesse Ryder, who starred in the second match, is next at 4/1. Ross Taylor is 9/2, Scott Styris is 5/1 and Jamie How is 11/2, with Jacob Oram dangerous at 7/1.

If Mascarenhas plays, as surely he should, then 16/1 is a very big price for someone of his talent, especially as England's top order cannot be relied on for one second.

Cambers' Call
Dimitri Mascarenhas to be England's top runscorer in 3rd ODI - 16/1 bet365

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