The bookies must think Australia are reeling from the fifth Test defeat by England because there's no other explanation for their odds on Thursday's VB Series clash against Sri Lanka. These two sides met in the last game of the VB Series before Christmas and the Australians won by 142 runs in Perth.
Indeed the Aussies have won three out of three in a canter in this competition so far while Sri Lanka have been hammered in all their three games - including twice by England.
Yet whereas Ricky Ponting's side were 1/6 to beat them in Perth there is some 1/4 available about the Australians in Sydney. It's fair to say that the fifth Test did look a game too far for them but Jason Gillespie was the man who appeared most tired and he's been ruled out through injury in any case.
There's the usual fierce competition for places in the Australian side and with the World Cup taking place next month that has an extra edge to it at the moment. Queensland all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been drafted in for Thursday and he'd walk into any other one-day side in the world which shows the depth of talent available.
And anyone thinking Sri Lanka are about to step up on their lamentable pre-Christmas efforts should think again. They were annihilated by 10 wickets against Australia A at Adelaide on Tuesday, collapsing to 65 all out in 25 overs. Highest scorer was extras with 26 which just about sums up how the Sri Lankans have played in Australia so far. There was even time for a second 25-over exhibition game which Sri Lanka fared slightly better in - though they were never in danger of overhauling Australia A's 171, eventually losing by 25 runs.
They've seemingly been interested only in picking up bonus points in the VB Series to date - though it's not going to do them much good unless they can produce some vastly improved displays in the second half of the tournament. The only positive piece of news for Sri Lanka supporters concerns the return of spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for Thursday's game. Given that he has 297 one-day victims to his name he will obviously pep up the Sri Lankan attack but how sharp he'll be after his hernia operation remains to be seen.
England were 12/1 to win the fifth Test and it's not just with hindsight that it looked a decent price as yours truly tipped it up before the game. But how anyone can make a case for Sri Lanka at no bigger than 7/2 here is beyond me.
Indeed I wouldn't put anyone off backing the Aussies at 1/4 but that price will probably only appeal to the big hitters.
However there does look a great bet at 5/6 courtesy of Bet365's player performance quote on Adam Gilchrist where 1pt is awarded per run, 10pts per catch and 25pts per stumping. The Aussie wicketkeeper forms half of a destructive opening batting partnership with Matthew Hayden and he comes into the game in prime form after scoring 170 runs with the bat in the fifth Ashes Test as well as taking five catches and snaffling a stumping.
In truth his work with the gloves in Sydney wasn't top class so he may just have a point to prove here which makes the under/over figure of 47.5 look far too low. There's every chance he'll cover it with his batting alone given that he's scored 53 and 124 runs already in his two games to date in the VB Series (he was rested for the clash against Sri Lanka in Perth). Indeed his one-day average against Sri Lanka is 55.77 while overall in his limited overs career for Australia he averages 1.4 catches per game and a stumping every four games.
Given that we know he's in great nick and against such a feeble Sri Lankan side, Gilchrist looks a great bet to score at least the 48pts required (his make-ups in the two games against a stronger England side were 63 and 124).
A GILCHRIST above 47.5 points @ 5/6 2 points (bet365 player performance)
Indeed the Aussies have won three out of three in a canter in this competition so far while Sri Lanka have been hammered in all their three games - including twice by England.
Yet whereas Ricky Ponting's side were 1/6 to beat them in Perth there is some 1/4 available about the Australians in Sydney. It's fair to say that the fifth Test did look a game too far for them but Jason Gillespie was the man who appeared most tired and he's been ruled out through injury in any case.
There's the usual fierce competition for places in the Australian side and with the World Cup taking place next month that has an extra edge to it at the moment. Queensland all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been drafted in for Thursday and he'd walk into any other one-day side in the world which shows the depth of talent available.
And anyone thinking Sri Lanka are about to step up on their lamentable pre-Christmas efforts should think again. They were annihilated by 10 wickets against Australia A at Adelaide on Tuesday, collapsing to 65 all out in 25 overs. Highest scorer was extras with 26 which just about sums up how the Sri Lankans have played in Australia so far. There was even time for a second 25-over exhibition game which Sri Lanka fared slightly better in - though they were never in danger of overhauling Australia A's 171, eventually losing by 25 runs.
They've seemingly been interested only in picking up bonus points in the VB Series to date - though it's not going to do them much good unless they can produce some vastly improved displays in the second half of the tournament. The only positive piece of news for Sri Lanka supporters concerns the return of spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for Thursday's game. Given that he has 297 one-day victims to his name he will obviously pep up the Sri Lankan attack but how sharp he'll be after his hernia operation remains to be seen.
England were 12/1 to win the fifth Test and it's not just with hindsight that it looked a decent price as yours truly tipped it up before the game. But how anyone can make a case for Sri Lanka at no bigger than 7/2 here is beyond me.
Indeed I wouldn't put anyone off backing the Aussies at 1/4 but that price will probably only appeal to the big hitters.
However there does look a great bet at 5/6 courtesy of Bet365's player performance quote on Adam Gilchrist where 1pt is awarded per run, 10pts per catch and 25pts per stumping. The Aussie wicketkeeper forms half of a destructive opening batting partnership with Matthew Hayden and he comes into the game in prime form after scoring 170 runs with the bat in the fifth Ashes Test as well as taking five catches and snaffling a stumping.
In truth his work with the gloves in Sydney wasn't top class so he may just have a point to prove here which makes the under/over figure of 47.5 look far too low. There's every chance he'll cover it with his batting alone given that he's scored 53 and 124 runs already in his two games to date in the VB Series (he was rested for the clash against Sri Lanka in Perth). Indeed his one-day average against Sri Lanka is 55.77 while overall in his limited overs career for Australia he averages 1.4 catches per game and a stumping every four games.
Given that we know he's in great nick and against such a feeble Sri Lankan side, Gilchrist looks a great bet to score at least the 48pts required (his make-ups in the two games against a stronger England side were 63 and 124).
A GILCHRIST above 47.5 points @ 5/6 2 points (bet365 player performance)
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