Ricky Ponting offers no value whatsoever as top batsman with a much more unfashionable name representing the best option. When it comes to the bowlers, it's one of the left-arm quicks that gets Ed Hawkins' vote...

You have to feel for Ricky Ponting. One of the greatest batsmen of all time is on the brink of being remembered for something less salubrious: as the only Australian captain to three times lose an Ashes series.

The pressure of that potential tag could affect his batting. And it is likely that some punters will be put off for that reason alone when it comes to backing him for top Australian batsman.

There are better reasons, though. Chiefly that he has only twice made the top three Australian runscorers in their last five series at home and over the last 12 months, Simon Katich and Shane Watson have outscored him.

It makes the [5.00] jolly bad value. Katich is [6.20] and Watson [5.10]. There is a lot to like about Katich, who averaged 42 against England two summers ago.

For a start the price looks right, the lack of swing negates one of his weaknesses (a tendency to fall over to the offside) and as a southpaw he could trouble an England attack that has previously had problems with left-handed openers, notably Gautam Gambhir and Graeme Smith.

Michael Clarke is another perfectly sound option at [6.60]. Clarke has twice top scored in home series and in the last three years is one of the most successful batsmen against England. At seventh place in the highest averages against them, he is the top-ranked Aussie.

However, our focus is on the truly ludicrous price of [18.00] about Marcus North top scoring. Granted he is probably a [10.00] shot thanks to an average of 31 in the last 12 months and being officially named as the worst starter in Aussie cricket. But he also scored 367 runs against England in the last meeting, second only to Ponting.

There is clear value, too on the top bowler market. Mitchell Johnson, unsurprisingly, is jolly at [3.80]. But it is Doug Bollinger at [6.60] who gets the nod by virtue of a superior strike rate. At a wicket every 41.7 balls compared to Johnson's 49.7, all we need is for Bollinger to match his teammate in terms of workload.

Bollinger is a bit of a conundrum for Englishmen. They cannot understand how he could have been so dreadful in a stint with Worcestershire and end up as an ICC bowler of the year. He also claims to be 100 per cent fit having recovered from a stomach injury which curtailed his involvement in Australia's 2-0 defeat in India.

Nathan Hauritz is underrated at [8.20], particularly in comparison to Peter Siddle. Hauritz's strike rate is 65.9. Siddle's 84.1

Recommended Bets:

Back Marcus North to be top Australian batsman at [18.0]
Back Doug Bollinger to be top Australian wicket-taker at [6.60]

Top Australia runscorers and wicket-takers last five home series
v Pakistan

378 Ponting - 18 Hauritz
346 Watson - 12 Johnson
267 Hussey - 12 Bollinger

V West Indies

302 Katich - 17 Johnson
263 Watson - 13 Bollinger
235 Hussey - 11 Hauritz

V South Africa

383 Clarke - 17 Johnson
297 Katich - 13 Siddle
285 Ponting - 5 Hauritz

V New Zealand

217 Clarke - 14 Johnson
194 Haddin - 12 Lee
164 Katich - 7 Clark

V India

410 Hayden - 24 Lee
410 Symonds - 18 Johnson
316 Clarke - 14 Clark

Last 12 months top Australia runscorers

1101 Katich 55 average
1021 Watson 51
905 Ponting 43
897 Clarke 47
763 Hussey 40
595 North 31
366 Haddin 34

Last 12 months top Australia wicket-takers

52 Johnson 49.7 strike rate
47 Bollinger 41.7
39 Hauritz 65.9
26 Watson 43.3
19 Hilfenhaus 52.6
11 Siddle 84.1

Tags: Ashes tips, Aussie bowlers, Australian batsmen, cricket bets, Doug Bollinger, Marcus North

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