Pakistan aim to buck trend

Beaten handly in the Test series, Pakistan will be hoping the change of format can help them buck the trend against South Africa when the two sides meet in the first of five one-day matches in Lahore on Thursday.

Such was the dominance of South Africa in the Test series that they were installed as favourites to win the one-day series, and bet365 make them 8/11 (1.72) to win the first match.

While Pakistan will be boosted by the return of Shahid Afridi, South Africa will have Shaun Pollock back in their ranks, having been dropped for the Test series - the first time he has ever been dropped in his Test career.

Pakistan are a very talented side but they are notoriously inconsistent and South Africa will fancy their chances of making a winning start, particularly as Pakistan's recent home record is nothing to shout about.

Their record in Lahore is also nothing special and they must be hoping that Jacques Kallis, who smashed three hundreds and one half-century in four innings in the Test series, fails to maintain anything like that kind of form.

Kallis is only joint favourite to top-score in South Africa's innings, level with his captain Graeme Smith, at 10/3. AB De Villiers is next at 4/1, with Herschelle Gibbs, who is always dangerous in one-day cricket, 9/2. Behind them, Duminy is 7/1, Kemp and Boucher are 8/1 and Johan Morkel is 10/1.

For Pakistan, Younis Khan is the 7/2 favourite, just ahead of Mohammad Yousuf, who is 4/1. Imran Nazir, Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik are all 5/1, with Mohammad Hafeez 11/2.

Pakistan chop and change at the top of the order and I would take the more settled South African pair to make the better opening partnership, a 6/1 chance.