World XI cut for Melbourne win

Cameron White is among the new faces in the Australian team out to prove their talent © Getty Images

The World XI have been cut to 8/11 (1.72) by bet365 to beat Australia in the first Super Series one-day match on Wednesday. Graeme Smith's star-studded side have been well backed in the last couple of days, while the Aussies, who are still world champions, are even money (2.00) outsiders to win at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne.

Having been nip and tuck in the betting for much of the previous week, there is now some clear water between the two sides, and perhaps the injuries to Shaun Tait and Brad Hogg have been a factor in the Australians drifting from 9/10 (1.90). They do, however, have a point to prove after their Ashes defeat and several players will be keen to impress as they continue to build toward the World Cup in 18 months' time.

As I have already outlined in the past few days, I think the bookies may have the prices slightly wrong here, even though I can't dispute that the Rest of the World side, on paper, looks truly world class. However, as many, many football teams have shown in recent times, assembling a squad of big names, and perhaps big egos, is no certainty to for success. I would take a true team above a collection of stars almost any day.

Australia, it should not be forgotten, are the one-day world champions and with a couple of new faces in the squad, they'll be going all out to show that they deserve to be called the world's top side. I expect them to come out firing on Wednesday and it would be no surprise to me if they won the first match fairly comfortably, before the tourists have really had time to settle.

Home advantage should also be significant here, and with such a disparate band of players joining forces for the Rest of the World side, it may take them time to gel. They have plenty of world class players in their line-up, including the likes of Brian Lara and Shaun Pollock, but jet lag and lack of match practice may also be a factor, and if anything, Australia probably should be favourites for the opening match, if not the entire series.

Australia have won 60.5% of their 600 one-day internationals, while they've also won 14 of their last 20. At home, that record is even better. Their win rate is 62%, and they've won 15 and lost just three of their last 20.