England holding firm in series betting

England dominated the first Test at Lord's and though they could not quite finish off the job bet365 have kept them unchanged as even money (2.00) favourites to go on and win the three-Test series against India.

India can count themselves very lucky to have escaped defeat at Lord's - thanks to the rain - and they will know they need a much-improved batting performance if they are to compete at Trent Bridge and The Oval.

The tourists are 3/1 to go on to win the series, while the draw is 15/8.

The impressive thing for England was the way they dealt with the absence of their entire bowling attack from the 2005 Test series. With Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones only just coming back from injury, Steve Harmison out for a while and Matthew Hoggard missing both the first two Tests, the attack had a distinctly inexperienced feel to it.

But Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson and Chris Tremlett did a great job, which bodes well for the future, while the return of the aforementioned four further down the line can only be good for the side.

India have won nine of their past 20 Tests outside India - and lost just four - most of them were against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and West Indies. When they have played good sides - Australia and South Africa - they have struggled.

In England, they have only won four of 45 Tests and the last of those was 2002, with the previous one way back in 1986, so there is no question the odds are against them.

England, on the other hand, have become an excellent side at home, having not lost a Test series on home turf since the Ashes of 2001, an impressive run by anyone's standards.

Confidence should be high after their near miss at Lord's and providing the weather holds this time, they will fancy their chances of taking an unass

Having said that, England have won 20 of their past 30 Tests at home - losing just two of their past 20 - which is a pretty stunning record.

Correct score
The draw at Lord's ruined it for those who'd backed a whitewash, either way, and the favourite correct score outcome is 1-0 for England, which has been cut to 9/4 (3.25).

A 0-0 draw is now the second favourite, at 7/2, while a 2-0 England win is 4/1, just ahead of a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 India win, both of which are 5/1. A 2-0 win for India is 18/1.