Spreads already proving lucrative

Those of you who followed the spreads advice before the start of the series are probably feeling pretty good about things right now.

Sellers of Sporting Index's 'Stop at a stumping' have already banked a 13-point profit thanks to Paul Collingwood's rush of blood to the head in the second innings in Brisbane.

And anyone who decided to buy Australia's Tails of the Unexpected market at 325 before the start of play in Brisbane can already take a profit of 25 points, or can let it ride knowing you already have 107 in the bank after the first Test.

Of the batsmen runs market, the obvious mover is Ricky Ponting. Available at 450-470 before the series began, he is now on offer at an enormous 625-645. Now that may seem high, but when you remember how he destroyed the England attack in Brisbane for 256 runs, you wouldn't want to oppose him.

Justin Langer, who made 182 runs in Brisbane, is now 500-520, while the one man to move in the opposite direction, for Australia at any rate, is Adam Gilchrist.

Considering how badly England bowled in the first innings, his duck has an even more worrying feel to it, and having initially been given an already-low quote of 280-300, he is now down to 220-240.

I would be wary of selling though as he has a habit of making runs when he needs them and is more than capable of slashing a hundred at any time.