Cricket World Cup Betting: Canada v New Zealand

Match Previews / Ed Hawkins / 12 March 2011 /

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Ross Taylor could star again with the bat

"Once New Zealand have got on top in this World Cup, they have been ruthless. So our focus with regard to the match odds has to be whether Canada can get a foothold."

It looks like a huge mismatch but this World Cup has sprung plenty of surprises so far - are we in for another one? Ed Hawkins looks at the betting

London start time: 04.00
Team news
New Zealand are not sweating on qualification but they are worried about the fitness of skipper Daniel Vettori, who sits out this match.
Vettori picked up a knee injury against Pakistan and although he hopes to be fit to face Sri Lanka on March 18, there is caution within the camp. "At the moment he's staying with us," said Martin Guptill.
Luke Woodcock is expected to replace Vettori. The 28-year-old slow left armer has played only two ODIs. Well-again Jesse Ryder could come in at the expense of Jamie How.
Canada are buzzing after beating Kenya. In 16-year-old opener Nitish Kumar, they have the youngest player and in John Davison, 40, the oldest.

Venue and conditions
The Wankhede stadium in Mumbai has hosted only four ODIs since 2000.
The first-innings scores in those games were: 255, 286, 221 and 193.
Overall, it has usually favoured teams batting first (18 wins as opposed to 12 when chasing).

Match odds
Once New Zealand have got on top in this World Cup, they have been ruthless. So our focus with regard to the match odds has to be whether Canada can get a foothold.
The recent evidence suggests they are capable. They were a little unfortunate to get on the wrong end of some UDRS decisions against Pakistan while their win over Kenya was one of this column's betting coups.
They will have to bat first to make odds of [18.5] appeal but a back-to-lay is not out of the question.

Top batsman - Canada
Ashish Bagai (64 not out) and Jimmy Hansra (74) were the heroes against Kenya. The pair are [5.0] and [6.50] respectively.

Top batsman - New Zealand
You won't find this column recommending the overrated Brendon McCullum at [3.50]. Guptill with 192 runs at an average of 96, is the 11th top run scorer at this World Cup and is around the same odds. But we're grateful for the duo being so popular because it means Ross Taylor, brutal against Pakistan, goes off at [5.50].

Featured market
Most recent first, these are the number of sixes struck per game at the Wankhede since 2000: 4/2/2/8. It is a big old ground and it would be reasonable to reckon that with one side considerably weaker with the willow than the other, the [1.6] that no more than four sixes are struck is value.

Best Bet: R Taylor top NZ bat at [5.5]

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