General

South Africa set for favouritism

South Africa and New Zealand begin a five-match one-day series on Sunday in Bloemfontein and on the face of it, the home side should be big favourites

Simon Cambers
Stephen Fleming will need to draw upon all of his experience to defeat South Africa © Getty Images
South Africa and New Zealand begin a five-match one-day series on Sunday in Bloemfontein and on the face of it, the home side should be big favourites. Led by Graeme Smith and with the likes of Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock to call on, they would appear to have the edge on paper, particularly as New Zealand have left out Chris Cairns, one of the world's best one-day all-rounders. Home advantage, in hot conditions, will also help them. The New Zealanders do have Shane Bond fit, though, and that is a major boost to their hopes.

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Since returning to the international scene in 1991/2, South Africa have been one of the most successful one-day sides. They have won 204 of their 333 one-day games, at an excellent win average of 64%. On home soil, that ratio rises to 72%, and they've lost just 35 times in 135 home matches. Of their last 20 matches, they've won 13 and lost five, while of their last 20 matches at home, they've lost just three, and haven't been on the losing side since January, when England triumphed with the help of the Duckworth-Lewis method.

New Zealand have won 45% of their 480 one-day internationals, but that win ratio drops to just 32% when playing on foreign soil. Of their last 20 matches, they have won 11, but the impression of New Zealand as a one-day side is that they are always much better as a team than their individual players may seem on paper.

Apart from one meeting in the World Cup a couple of years ago, the two sides have met on eight other occasions in South Africa, and the statistics don't read too well for the tourists since they have won just one of those matches, at Kimberley four years ago. It's not all doom and gloom, however, as in the last one-day series between the two sides, in New Zealand in 2003/2004, the Black Caps ran out convincing 5-1 winners.

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

Simon Cambers is Cricinfo's new betting correspondent