South Africa big favourites

Like so many of the one-sided matches in the early stages of this World Cup, you are not going to get rich backing the favourites - in this case South Africa against The Netherlands - so you have to delve a bit deeper to find some value.

Barring a disaster, the South Africans should not have any trouble in ripping through the Dutch side on Friday, but odds of 1/100 leave you hunting elsewhere.

And while bet365 do not offer odds on the top bowler in these matches, they do offer one on the man-of-the-match and that could be where to find the value.

Those of you who followed the advice to have an each-way bet on Shaun Pollock to be the leading wicket-taker in the competition should be looking forward to this one, even more so now that Makhaya Ntini is likely to miss the game.

That just means there is more chance of Pollock mopping up three or four of the opposing line-up, especially as his nagging line and length, and extra bounce should be perfect on the pitches in the Caribbean over the next couple of months.

AB de Villiers is favourite to be man-of-the-match at 11/2 but Pollock looks much better value at 8/1, especially if Holland bat first.

Captain Graeme Smith is the favourite to be South Africa's top batsman in the match at just 2/1 - a price based on the fact that bet365 believe one or other of the openers - De Villiers is next at 9/4 - will plunder The Netherlands' attack.

For the record, Ryan ten Doeschate is the favourite to top the scoring for the Dutch, at 11/4 (3.75), with Darron Reekers and Bas Zuiderent both 4/1.