Draw favourite on the spreads

The draw is the favourite outcome on the fixed markets and it's no different on the spread markets, with Sporting Index not offering much in the way of value there. But there are, as always, a host of other markets to get our teeth into.

Click here to spread bet on the 2nd Test at Sporting Index

Offering 25 points for the win, 10 for the draw and none for a defeat, Sporting go 9.5-11 on England and 12-13.5 for South Africa, so the tourists are slightly favoured. The draw price, as in fixed odds, is dependent on the weather.

Sporting also offer a set of prices on the second Test concerning the performances of the batsmen at Headingley, quite simply offering one point per run scored in the entire match by an individual batsman.

Kevin Pietersen is the favourite among the England players, at 83-90, which is fair enough given the fact that in his two Tests at Headingley, he has scored a century and a double hundred.

A lot of it depends how many times the teams bat, of course, so if you think the second Test could turn out like the first, then that's a big risk. If you think they will bat twice, though, that may be pretty generous as not only is he in great form, his average is more than that, so he will fancy his chances.

Alastair Cook is 73-80 and Andrew Strauss 70-77 - prices that reflect their positions as opening batsmen. Ian Bell, buoyed by his 199 at Lord's, is tempting at 65-72, while Michael Vaughan is 67-74 and the recalled Andrew Flintoff is 50-56.

Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith are joint favourites in the South Africa market, at 83-90, while Hashim Amla is 72-79 and Neil McKenzie is 67-74. Ashwell Prince, top-scorer in the first innings at Lord's is 58-65, with AB De Villiers 55-62.

Of the bowling indices, offering 10 points per wicket and 25 per five-wicket haul, James Anderson is interesting at 33-38. Anderson is likely to enjoy bowling at Headingley, providing some decent conditions, and if England bowl twice, then he really ought to reward buyers by taking at least four wickets.

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