It might be Christmas this week but the world of cricket never stops and in fact even on Christmas Day in the UK there is live action on our screens. A new series begins in the evening when New Zealand and Sri Lanka play a five match ODI series.
These two have already met in two Test matches. New Zealand won both of them but they were much more competitive affairs than many would have expected before the series began and even in defeat Sri Lanka can take plenty of confidence out of those games.
Sri Lanka usually come alive in this format of the game and I’m sure when they set off for New Zealand this was the series they expected to win so I’m expecting them to give this everything they have got.
In many ways New Zealand have laid their cards out for this series with the news that both Tim Southee and Trent Boult will be rested for the opening matches. The Australia Test series later in the summer looks more of a priority over this one.
The odds have this five match series as a comfortable home win and based on their seven match ODI series the two played 12 months ago that would be fair but New Zealand were going full tilt then building up to their home World Cup and you sense the focus has changed somewhat.
Sri Lanka haven’t been helped by the absence of Kusal Perera it must be said but the likes of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga are back for this series and Lahiru Thirimanne brings good experience to the batting line up too.
I think the odds on Sri Lanka to win this series are too big. But for an hour of madness with the bat in the second Test they could easily have come out of those matches all square and now they play a format they enjoy more with a much more competent squad.
They also take on a much weaker looking New Zealand side who may not be as up for this series as their fans might like so at a shade over 3/1 the tourists look the value in this series.
Having Dilshan back is a good thing for us punters too because even at 39 he still looks the standout player in the Sri Lankan batting line up and at 10/3 there is enough value in the veteran to back him in the Top Sri Lanka Series Batsman market.
Dilshan nailed a couple of centuries and an 81 in the series here last year and followed that up with a good World Cup too and with New Zealand’s deadly new ball bowlers having the early part of the series off he should be able to get some starts going in this series.
Usually when Dilshan gets a start he goes big and I’ll take him at 10/3 to outscore his colleagues throughout this series.
The New Zealand market offers equally as much value. On the face of it one of the top four looks certain to top score given the inexperience there after it with Grant Elliott not in the squad. Luke Ronchi could be dangerous in the odd match but I’d be surprised if the leading scorer doesn’t come from those batting above him.
This is Brendon McCullum’s last summer playing international cricket and I’m sure he’ll want to go out on a high but while he is capable of blitzing attacks away I’m not sure he does it for long enough to top score over five matches.
Martin Guptill has the occasional monster innings so he could be a danger but the man I like is Kane Williamson. Williamson is all class and he goes into the series off the back of a century to win the second Test last week so we know he’s in good form and I expect over five matches that he will replicate his top scoring exploits of the series last year.
Finally with Southee and Boult missing for the first two and three matches respectively there is some room to attack the Top New Zealand Series Bowler market. I’m a big fan of Mitchell McClenaghan and given that he’s likely to get the entire series he looks a perfectly backable price at 7/2.
We’ve seen the left armer take wickets throughout his limited overs career purely because he’ll open the bowling and come back on at the death which is ideal for taking wickets. He might be the only bowler to play the five games so I’ll take him in this market.
Back Sri Lanka to win ODI series for a 2/10 stake at 4.20 with Betway
Back T.Dilshan Top Sri Lanka Series Batsman for a 2/10 stake at 4.33 with Stan James
Back K.Williamson Top New Zealand Series Batsman for a 3/10 stake at 3.25 with Coral
Back M.McClenaghan Top New Zealand Series Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 4.50 with BetVictor
Blog cricket YTD: +21.5pts
