South Africa v New Zealand 1st Test betting and odds

/ Editor / 01 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

South Africa get back to five-day action in the first Test with New Zealand at Johannesburg between November 8-12.

The sides have met five times at the venue and a bet on the home side has reaped rewards on two occasions at decent odds - the last one a four-wicket victory in May 2006.

The Kiwis landed the odds back in 1994 and punters looking for a bet should note that the Proteas have enjoyed limited success at the venue, winning 11, losing eight and drawing 10 of the 29 Tests played at the Wanderers, and so betting on the hosts has not always proved fruitful.

In the eight matches played since 2000, South Africa have won just three, lost four and drawn one and their odds should reflect this.

Graeme Smith has developed into a formidable captain and leads from the front with the bat even when the odds are against him, but the man who will head the betting for top run-scorer is Jacques Kallis.

After being left out of the SA side for the World Twenty20, when most pundits felt he was odds-on to play, the all-rounder scored back-to-back centuries against Pakistan and clearly made his point to the selectors.

A bet on the 31-year-old adding to his 26 Tests centuries could be popular in the betting, while Herschelle Gibbs is always a good bet to head the run-scoring charts.

Betting on New Zealand is far more popular these days but punters betting on the Black Caps should note they have a new captain in Daniel Vettori, after Stephen Fleming stepped down.

But they have exciting players to bet on, with batsmen such as Ross Taylor and Scott Styris, while Shane Bond is back to his best and Vettori himself is widely acknowledged as the best slow left-armer in world cricket.

Proteas paceman Makhaya Ntini always figures in the betting but it seems unlikely that veteran Shaun Pollock will be selected as Dale Steyn has proved his worth in the side.