The bookies must be pricing up the final T20 international between Australia and England on the basis that England are due a defeat, how else can they make Australia favourites?
Ok, the Aussies are not favourites by much and the first game was very close to say the least, but England have won 8 in a row, they also let Australia back in the match when they had it won.
Bet365 have Australia as favourites at a short looking price of 4/5 with England at evens, which is the best price available for England to win their 9th successive T20 game.
The best price available for Australia is 10/11 with Stan James
, VC Bet and 
Paddy Power.
Paddy Power also have the impressive Shane Watson at 10/1 to be Man of the Match again, with Chris Woakes at 20/1.
Anonymous
Looks like the bookies got it right!
Perhaps 9 in a row was a bridge too far…8 in a row will be tough to match again, as Collingwood says.
Although for a moment there, Woakes had me wondering if England could pull off a heist! Really wish they had gone for the 2 on that 5th ball…wasn’t risk-free but I reckon it was possible. And that last ball that Lee bowled was not too dissimilar to the Tait delivery that Woakes had smashed over mid-wkt at Adelaide…the MCG is bigger, but even a 4 would do to take it into the super-over.
And I have to say again…I’m really bullish on Woakes as an all-rounder! He seems to have a good eye, good striking ability and decent technique…looks much better as a batsman than Bresnan, Broad, Swann…maybe even Wright. And he’s been playing genuine shots…not across the line swipes that a Swann sometimes attempts…I can see why he already has 2 1st class 100s. I don’t think he’ll be able to make the WC squad this time, but I really think he can become a regular a year or so down the line. A Test debut will take time given England’s depth, but if he continues to develop (the way so many English cricketers have over the last 3 years), I’m sure that will come to pass too.
Oops…I’ve gone on longer than intended…sorry!
-BP
Cricket Betting Blog
No problem BP, your input is much appreciated.
Have you your own site? So I can link to it, you have good views on the game in my opinion.
Didn’t see the game as was a work, am hoping to catch the highlights later tonight. I was listening to the end of it on the radio thinking ‘the bookies are right, I’m wrong,’ again!
Just looked and I see Aaron Finch got Man of the Match, think Watson is unlucky given his spell with the ball, looks like he put the squeeze on England.
England had to loose sometime, maybe this might shake them up a bit, listening to Collingwood he sounded like he thought England had the game won after the Aussie innings.
Anonymous
Thanks for the kind words, Dean.
Don’t have my own blog…just following a few others over the last 2 months as I’ve had lots of downtime from work…not sure I’ll be able to watch & talk cricket as much going forward. I do admire the love & knowledge of cricket of bloggers such as yourself…so will keep checking in during the WC for sure!
I missed the Aussie innings but I’d heard that Finch rescued them from ~80/5…but yes, Watson is looking in real good form all-round. In fact, I think he could be 1 of the MVP candidates at the WC…he’s played a lot in India due to the IPL and he’s done really well in both T20 and ODIs…with bat and ball. So one to watch for sure.
For England, like you said…maybe good to be shaken up a bit before the ODIs. Coz Bell is in brilliant form, and Pietersen’s looking good too…but they both got a bit carried away and let the Aussies back in. Wouldn’t want to repeat that in the ODIs.
-BP