Vaughan breathing down Bell's throat

With one match to go, things are hotting up in the series markets for the Sri Lanka v England three-Test encounter, with Ian Bell and Kumar Sangakkara favourites to top-score for their respective sides.

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Bell is even money with bet365 having started out as a 5/1 chance and I have to say he has looked in excellent touch. Before you pile in, though, I'd be wary of Michael Vaughan, whose efforts in the second Test lifted him to within 36 runs of Bell.

The thing about Vaughan is that when he is in form, he tends to put together runs of big scores and I can see him hitting a century in the final Test in Galle. Bet365 make him 6/4 and I'd be quite tempted by that.

Alastair Cook, a further 43 runs behind Vaughan, is 6/1 while Paul Collingwood is 14/1 and Kevin Pietersen, who began the series as favourite but who has scored just 95 runs to date, is now 16/1. It would take something special for him to end up on top.

It also looks a two-horse race for Sri Lanka, with captain Mahela Jayawardene heading Kumar Sangakkara by just 16 runs. Bet365 clearly fear Sangakkara though as they make him 8/11 to Jayawardene's 11/10, probably because he has been in simply sensational form in the past year.

Michael Vandort, who is 66 runs nehind Jayawardene is a massive 20/1 and since he is an opener, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he could somehow get in the mix, but it looks a straight fight between the big two.

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