Bowling markets where the money is at on third ODI
Published:India levelled their ODI series with England in emphatic fashion last time out and will be looking to build upon their 127-run victory by edging into the lead in the third match.
The hosts are now clear 8/13 favourites for this clash after giving the Three Lions a reality check in Kochi, who can be backed as 5/4 underdogs for victory in Ranchi, though the fact that they’ve now been bettered in 17 of their previous 20 ODI’s in India makes this bet worth swerving.
England’s attack has been beaten from pillar to post in the previous two games of the series; the fact that the tourists managed to win one was mainly courtesy of their exploits with the bat.
Key strike bowlers Graeme Swann and James Anderson are obviously being sorely missed but a massive improvement is required regardless if the likes of Chris Woakes wishes to stake a claim for a regular starting spot in the England team.
Bearing the tourists’ bowling problems in mind, the bowler markets must represent the area where profit is most likely to be made.
James Tredwell’s performance in the first ODI was unarguably the bowling highlight of the limited-overs tour so far, yet he found the going much tougher in Kochi. In contrast, Ravi Ashwin shone on this track, taking 3-39 and the 5/4 that says he’ll take more wickets than his spin-bowling counterpart looks an excellent punt, especially when you consider that he’s taken 11 scalps in his last 10 50-over outings.
Another good bet in the bowling stakes comes in the form of how many wickets Samit Patel will take. The line is, unsurprisingly, set a 0.5 and the smart money says his haul will fall short of this mark to enable a 5/6 payout.
The Nottinghamshire all-rounder’s batting has been impressive on the sub-continent, yet his ability to make a contribution with the ball at international level remains unproven; he’s yet to take a single wicket since the tour’s resumption and expect that to remain the same following the conclusion of this match.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
