England v India – 5th ODI

I am quickly coming to the conclusion that India have had enough of this tour and just want to go home now. Their fielding, though never their strong point, has been abject at best and they have shown very little fighting spirit with the bat. Zaheer Khan is also doubtful and seeing as he has been just about the only consistent bowler for them on tour this is a big loss. Even the fact that Flintoff is also likely to miss out doesn’t persuade me to have a punt on the Indians. I am not totally convinced this is a ‘new’ England we are seeing, as the English press seems to think, but they are certainly playing with a lot of confidence and the bowling has been excellent. They need to show some consistency, both home and away, to get some respect as a one day side but this series has at least been a start for them. I can’t bring myself to back England either, however, I still think India has that class and bags of experience in their batting and it really could take just one player to spark and they would look a different side than the one getting battered against a much maligned English one day unit. It’s amazing how contagious a great knock from a big name can be to the other players and I would say India are more susceptible to this – when the Tendulkar’s, Ganguly’s and Dravid’s are firing it gives the rest of them that boost to lift their own game, when they are not they look totally ordinary. Leave the match odds alone.

India’s batting can be sublime at time, but it can also be extremely sketchy when they don’t really fancy it. If the weather does as it threatens to then a cold, wet night in Leeds will be just what the doctor didn’t order. If their heart isn’t in it then they are exactly the sort of team who can fold for a small total. It is probably that Ajit Agarkar will be lined up to bat at number 7 for them tonight and this makes the 100/1 at BetFred attractive. Though 7 is arguably one spot too high for ole jug ears he is capable of scoring. He has a Test ton to his name, also against England, and has had some success when being promoted up the order to pinch. If India get inserted early on a damp seamer they could easily be 4 or 5 down for nothing and the 100 for Agarkar will look huge. He should probably only be about 50 or 66/1 so don’t get carried away, just ¼ of a point.
Ajit Agarkar top India runscorer, ¼ pt at 100/1: BetFred.

While Sachin Tendulkar hasn’t set the world alight in the one day series he has looked in pretty good touch, hitting 179 runs at 45. The big name in the England team however, Kevin Pietersen, has looked a little jaded and not really got into the series so far…as 85 runs at 28 would suggest. The young leggie, Chawla, has had the better of KP so far and you can bet he will come on fairly soon after Pietersen comes to the crease and I wouldn’t mind betting he will get him again tonight. Pietersen doesn’t like to be dominated and all too often this can lead to his downfall, it will be interesting to see what happens in this little duel tonight. NZTAB have matched these two up tonight and have the wrong favourite. They make The Little Master a $1.95 poke and I think this is marginally too big. He’d be $1.90 in my book so, while it’s not exactly exciting, it’s worth a bet. Have a point at the $1.95 and let’s look for one last Tendulkar special at his old home ground.
Tendulkar to beat Pietersen Batsman’s runs match bet, 1 pt at $1.95: NZTAB.

Plays of the day
Ajit Agarkar top India runscorer, ¼ pt at 100/1: BetFred.
Tendulkar to beat Pietersen Batsman’s runs match bet, 1 pt at $1.95: NZTAB.