Trescothick a deserving favourite

Trescothick's form - and class - makes him a justified favourite to top the England batting market © Getty Images

Marcus Trescothick has been just about the only man to show any real form with the bat in the early part of the Pakistan tour and it is no surprise to see him as the early favourite to be England´s top runscorer in the three-Test series.

The left-hander is just 5/2 to make the most runs and as one of only two batsmen in the side to have played on the previous tour to Pakistan in 2000 (Michael Vaughan is the other) he will have some experience of the sultry conditions that can make concentration even more difficult than normal.

Though he averages just 34 against Pakistan, his average is 45 overall and in the past couple of seasons he has emerged as a player of real class. Seven of his 12 Test hundreds have come in his past 20 Tests, and his average in that time is a superb 54. Click here to bet on Pakistan v England at bet365

bet365 split Trescothick´s fellow opener Andrew Strauss, captain Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen, who are all 9/2 (5.50) chances. Of those three, Strauss is probably the best bet. The left-hander is an intelligent batsman, and his 56 in the second innings against Pakistan A suggests he is finding his feet in Pakistan. The injury concern to Vaughan means that despite his undoubted class, he is a liability until he proves his full fitness, while Pietersen, in his first England tour, has yet to make an impact. He is, of course, a big-game player and it would be no surprise to see him perform when it matters most.

Andrew Flintoff is a 6/1 (7.00) chance but it is asking a hell of a lot for him to top-score, especially as the slow pitches will not be ideal as he likes the ball to come onto the bat. Ian Bell is 17/2 (9.50) but he looks unlikely to play other than as a replacement for Vaughan, while Paul Collingwood, who is set to take Bell's place in the first XI, is an interesting bet at 12/1 (13.00). While his bowling will come in handy, Collingwood is a decent batsmen and one who might actually enjoy the conditions. At 12/1, he is not a bad price.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan top the betting to be their side´s top scorer in the series at 3/1 (4.00). Inzy still averages 50 in Tests, while Younis Khan is pushing an average of 45 and is a fine player. Mohammad Yousuf, who averages 47, is 100/30 (4.33), while there is a big gap to the next men in the betting, Asim Kamal and Salman Butt, who are both 13/2 (7.50).

Bowling markets Flintoff shades favouritism in the bowling markets at 7/4 (2.75), from Steve Harmison, who is a 2/1 (3.00) shot. That is about right, I would say, as Flintoff´s ability to get the old ball to reverse swing means he is an added danger. Matthew Hoggard, who has been finding some nice rhythm in the opening matches, is 6/1 (7.00), while Ashley Giles is just 3/1 (4.00) to come out on top. The left-arm spinner is sure to get plenty of bowling, but if Shaun Udal also plays, as expected, then his overs could be reduced and he may not represent much value. However, Giles was the top wicket-taker on the previous tour in 2000 with 17 wickets so should not be discounted.

For Pakistan, leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is a big favourite at 9/10 (1.90). The 24-year-old has taken 132 wickets in just 28 Tests and is sure to be a danger on the responsive pitches at Multan, Faisalabad and Karachi. Veteran Mushtaq Ahmed is next at 3/1 (4.00) but though he is a fine bowler, he is not prolific, as a return of 185 wickets from 52 Tests would suggest. He also hasn´t played a Test for two years so is unlikely to be match tight.

The mercurial Shoaib Akhtar, who is a handful for everyone when he gets it right, is a 5/1 (6.00) chance, while Shabbir Ahmed, who has averaged five wickets in each of his nine Tests, is next at 11/2 (6.50). Mohammad Sami is a 10/1 (11.00) bet.