Will under fire Giles out-perform?

Under fire Ashley Giles has had an awful lot to say since the Lord's defeat and the spinner is the subject of one of the player performance markets produced by bet365 as the clock ticks down toward Edgbaston and the second Test. Cricitised for his lack of ability with the ball, bat and in the field, Giles is rated a 5/6 (1.83) chance to total 76 points or more, with one per run, 20 per wicket, 10 per catch and 25 per stumping, while it's also 5/6 (1.83) that he ends up with fewer than 76 points.

Giles has clearly been stung by the criticism and the way he's responded will have taken many by surprise. It now looks likely that he'll play at Edgbaston, his home ground, and his vociferous defence of his ability could of course work either for him or against him. However, the fact of the matter is that at Lord's he looked largely ineffective with ball and bat, and Australia look to have his number. The past masters when it comes to sledging, they will be at him from the first ball and he could struggle to make bet365's quote of 76.

At Lord's, he managed 21, and that included a catch. On the positive side, he would have passed the 76 mark in six of his previous 10 Tests, but the only other time he played for England against Australia at Edgbaston, in 2001, he managed just 27.

Of the others, Geraint Jones catches the eye at 5/6 (1.83) to get 83 or more, and the same price for under 83. Heavily criticised at Lord's, he managed 76 in total but he can be expected to put in an improved performance at Edgbaston, with plenty of catches likely to be on offer and a decent pitch on which to bat.

Andrew Flintoff, superb with the ball but another to fail with the bat at Lord's, is 5/6 to get 124 or more, while Brett Lee's performance is set at 109. And Shane Warne, who's taken 15 wickets in three Edgbaston Tests, is rated at 130. He'd have exceeded that mark in two of those three Tests and looks in great form.

Batting contests
Meanwhile, although it's dangerous to rely too much on statistics, Justin Langer looks a tempting proposition to outscore his opening partner Matthew Hayden in the first innings this week. Despite arriving on tour late, Langer has settled in quickly and though Hayden outscored him at the weekend against Worcestershire, I wouldn't read too much into that as even Jason Gillespie got a half-century.

There's no disputing that Hayden is a world-class batsman, even if he gets away with a minor lack of technique by simply bullying the bowlers and wielding his huge bat as if his life depended upon it. But the fact is that he is nowhere near at the top of his form and he is lacking in confidence.

In contrast, Langer has picked up where he left off in 2004 and the early part of 2005. In his past 20 Tests, he averages 49.88, which has lifted his overall average through the 46 mark, whereas Hayden averages 44.71 for his past 20 Tests (still good, don't get me wrong), well down from his overall average of 52.40, which was closer to 55 before his recent 'slump'. It's more than a year since he scored a Test hundred and it appears to be getting to him just a little.

However, as said, statistics can be misleading, and if we look at the past 10 Tests Australia have played in they have outscored each other five times apiece. But if you're going to go on form, and that's really all that's left, then Langer at 4/5 (1.80) looks slightly better than an out-of-sorts Hayden, even at 9/10 (1.90). Now I've said that, watch Hayden smash a double century at Edgbaston!

England's openers to struggle?
Australia's openers outscored England's in the first innings at Lord's and with Glenn McGrath in such superb form, it's hard to see Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss surviving long enough to get even this time round. The Aussies are 8/13 (1.61), while England are 6/5 (2.20).

Trescothick and Strauss are also 5/6 (1.83) apiece in a match-bet between themselves in the first innings, but that's just too tough to call. I think McGrath has Trescothick scared already and if I had to bet I'd go for Strauss, who's an altogether tidier batsman. There's not much in it however and you're better off keeping your powder dry for more attractive markets.

bet365's other special market available so far is the Man of the Match award, but this again is licence to print money for the bookmakers, in my opinion. McGrath and Warne top the market, predictably, at 7/1 (8.00), while Ricky Ponting, at 15/2 (8.50) and Brett Lee, at 8/1 (9.00) are next, and you have to hit sixth favourite before you find England's first offering, Steve Harmison, who's 10/1 (11.00). Ashley Giles, who'll be playing on his home ground, is 25/1 (26.00) to answer his critics in the best possible way.

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