England look to rub it in
A seven-game one-day marathon (if that is not a contradiction in terms) between England and Australia may well feel a little 'After the Lord Mayor's Show' following the Ashes excitement but punters would be wise not to turn up their noses
Ed Hawkins
03-Sep-2009
Owais Shah has been England's best one-day batsmen of late • Getty Images
A seven-game one-day marathon (if that is not a contradiction in terms) between England and Australia may well feel a little 'After the Lord Mayor's Show' following the Ashes excitement but punters would be wise not to turn up their noses.
The series begins at the Oval on Friday and there are some tremendous betting opportunities with Sporting Index. The firm make Australia 56-60 favourites (10 pts per match won, points shared per tie/no result/abandoned match; 25 pts BONUS for winning series, points shared if series is drawn) with England 34-38.
Form Guide
Oddly for a much-maligned one-day team, England have won three of their last four one-day matches against Australia. They are not in bad recent nick either, having won three of their last four series, including a 4-0 stroll against South Africa last term.
Oddly for a much-maligned one-day team, England have won three of their last four one-day matches against Australia. They are not in bad recent nick either, having won three of their last four series, including a 4-0 stroll against South Africa last term.
The ratio is the same when we look at their recent home record and likewise (a bit more in depth this) for home series which have followed Tests. Australia have been in Blighty for more than three months now and could well produce a jaded performance in line with their coach going home for a rest and captain Ricky Ponting not scheduled to arrive until the tail-end of the series.
Incidentally, Australia's win percentage dips by 11 per cent without Ponting as captain. Having crunched all the numbers, selling Australia's series supremacy at 85-115 (10 points per wicket won by in each match and 1 point per run won by) is tempting.
The men to trust...
Who needs Kevin Pietersen? Not England anyway. There is evidence that England might not miss their best batsman too much. They despatched West Indies 2-0 earlier in the summer without him and in the five previous series with KP, he didn't once top score.
Who needs Kevin Pietersen? Not England anyway. There is evidence that England might not miss their best batsman too much. They despatched West Indies 2-0 earlier in the summer without him and in the five previous series with KP, he didn't once top score.
Owais Shah, who averages 31, is England's most consistent performer with the bat. He has topped the run charts in three of the last five series. His runs are available at 195-205.
Otherwise there is little to get excited about in England's batting. On numbers it looks weaker than Australia's. An England top six of Strauss, Bopara, Prior, Shah, Collingwood and Morgan averages 86 runs less than an Australia order of Clarke, Watson, M Hussey, Voges, White and Hopes.
Watson could be a gun performer for punters. He averages 40 with the bat and his runs are quoted at 235-245. Otherwise Michael Clarke's series runs are sure to be popular at 247-257 after he outscored his teammates in the Ashes.
And one to not...
Ravi Bopara looks a shadow of his former self. His last 13 scores for England (in all formats) read: 5, 2, 37, 55, 25, 1,18, 27, 23, 1, 0, 0 and 1. Sporting have his series runs pitched at 220-230. It looks a sell although bear in mind that if he misses a match though injury or being dropped there is a 32-run non-runner allocation.
Ravi Bopara looks a shadow of his former self. His last 13 scores for England (in all formats) read: 5, 2, 37, 55, 25, 1,18, 27, 23, 1, 0, 0 and 1. Sporting have his series runs pitched at 220-230. It looks a sell although bear in mind that if he misses a match though injury or being dropped there is a 32-run non-runner allocation.
Ground Guide
Expect runs at the Oval. With a runs per wicket average of 37.9 in the last 10 years, it makes the south London venue the third best for batting in the world of grounds which have hosted 10 games or more. Ton-ups for the series are priced at 52-58. There have been 10 tons scored there since 2003. Australia have a fine record at the Oval, winning six from nine.
Expect runs at the Oval. With a runs per wicket average of 37.9 in the last 10 years, it makes the south London venue the third best for batting in the world of grounds which have hosted 10 games or more. Ton-ups for the series are priced at 52-58. There have been 10 tons scored there since 2003. Australia have a fine record at the Oval, winning six from nine.
Lord's will host games two and four with Southampton's Rose Bowl sandwiched in between. HQ is another good batting wicket with a runs per wicket average of 36.16. The fifth and sixth ODIs will be played at Trent Bridge - Australia have lost three from five there - with the last game played at the Riverside.
Extras
In the last five years (35 matches) of ODI cricket in England there have been 377 wides and 170 sixes. Per game that is an average of 10 wides and five sixes. Sporting go 102-110 and 43-46 respectively.
In the last five years (35 matches) of ODI cricket in England there have been 377 wides and 170 sixes. Per game that is an average of 10 wides and five sixes. Sporting go 102-110 and 43-46 respectively.
Trading Tactic
If you fancy getting with a bowler by buying him on a series bowling index (10 pts per wicket taken, 25 pts bonus for five-wicket haul in an innings), put your faith in one who is likely to bowl at the start and the death of an innings when wickets are easier to come by.
If you fancy getting with a bowler by buying him on a series bowling index (10 pts per wicket taken, 25 pts bonus for five-wicket haul in an innings), put your faith in one who is likely to bowl at the start and the death of an innings when wickets are easier to come by.
Nathan Bracken and Brett Lee were once rated the fifth and sixth worst death bowlers in the world on economy but still picked up wickets. Mitchell Johnson (104-112) and James Anderson (98-106) are probably the best of the bowlers to follow.
Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.