England vs Australia ODI Series

By Nishant Joshi

Sunday sees the third game between the two sides, with England going into the match with a 2-0 lead after relatively facile wins in the first two games. Australia are still favourites for the third game, which is pretty incredible considering it can now be said that England are better in just about every single department.

Eoin Morgan is the key to England's success so far, top-scoring in both matches and building on a good platform by the quick-scoring Kieswetter and Pietersen. Collingwood and Morgan are the real lynchpins of the ODI side right now and are doing an outstanding job. To boot, Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan have been useful with the bat so far when called upon.

Meanwhile, Australia only really have Cameron White who has been hugely consistent in ODI's for months now. The likes of Ponting have failed to live up to expectations, but it's a threadbare bowling attack which is the Aussie's huge weakness. Essentially a second-string line-up, featuring Bollinger, McKay, Watson, Hauritz and Steve Smith is not going to give any nightmares to opening batsmen, and will be fodder to any side high on confidence. Bollinger remains a class act in all forms of the game although his lack of ODI experience is a severe hindrance as spearhead of the attack.

Overall I'm struggling to see how England are still rated as an even money shot for the third game, but moreover I'm sure the market will come to its senses if England win this next match, and I'm sure they'll be heavy odds-on for the fourth and fifth games if so. Overall, 5/1 for a series whitewash is probably a few ticks less than what you'd get if you 'parlayed' an England win for the next three games, but for the purposes of our fixed odds betting it is still a shade of value.

NJ's Bet:

England to beat Australia 5-0 - 2pts @ 6.0 (Bet365)

Nishant Joshi