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After a very disappointing test series, the Kiwi's get a chance to redeem themselves in the shorter formats of the game.

Sunday sees the start of the 50 over games, but before that, on Friday, we have this Twenty20 clash and I am confident that it will be a lucky Friday the 13 th for them and their backers.

England are installed as favourites, understandably so after dominating the test series and also winning the two Twenty20 meeting in New Zealand back in February.

However, overall in recent years, New Zealand have proved to be a much better suited to the shorter form of the game. They currently ranked no3 in the world, they reached the semi finals of both the World Cup and the World Twenty20 last year.

More recently, their star players McCullum, Taylor, Oram, Styris and Vettori featured in the high profile, highly charged IPL in India and all done well. I believe the experience of playing in that tournament gives the Kiwis a big edge in this match.

Furthermore, though the tests were disappointing for New Zealand as a team, individually, McCullum, Taylor and Oram were in the runs and in good nick with the bat. In this shortest format of the game, it will only take a special knock from one or two of them to put Kiwis in a winning position.

On the bowling front, Oram, Styris and Vettori bowled well in that IPL tournament and this experience will again give them an edge as bowlers that take pace off the ball will be more effective then most in the Twenty20 format.

England also have potential big hitters in Luke Wright , Kevin Pieterson and Dimitri Mascarenhas. But collectively they do not have the experience yet of their Kiwi counterparts and I will be surprised if they can match them.

So what's the bet?

I believe the market is wrong on this one, I say it should be reversed and Kiwi's should be favourites. Lets not complain too much though, because in my opinion the market will be reversed sooner rather then later into the peace.

I say lets take advantage, let's get on the Kiwi's at these fruity prices.

Suggested bet:

BACK New Zealand for 3 points @ 2.2 at Totesport.

Bigjoe