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Cricket World Cup Betting: New Zealand v Sri Lanka

Match Previews RSS / / 16 March 2011 /

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Tharanga is the tip to top score

Tharanga is the tip to top score

"Sri Lanka probably have the edge with the ball, but the Black Caps batting line up has been particularly dangerous"

Though both these teams are already into the last eight, the winners of this game could top Group A and secure themselves an easier quarter-final draw.

London Start Time: 09:00

Venue and Conditions
This is the second game of the tournament to be held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, which is also the venue for the final. New Zealand piled up 358 here against Canada and we can expect a typical Indian wicket; good to bat on early, becoming slower and lower as the day progresses.

Team News
New Zealand will not be risking either Kyle Mills or Daniel Vettori here in the hope of giving them time to get fit for the quarter-finals. Mills will be replaced either with Luke Woodcock or all-rounder Hamish Bennett. Sri Lanka have plenty of options and could opt to play Dilhara Fernando if they want to give Lasith Malinga a rest.

Match Odds
Sri Lanka have the better pedigree and perhaps it is on reputation that they are [1.55] favourites for this game, because New Zealand have more than matched them in a pretty impressive campaign so far. Sri Lanka probably have the edge with the ball, but the Black Caps batting line up has been particularly dangerous, with their big guns repeatedly taking advantage of the new ball at the top of the order. At [2.74] all the value is in backing New Zealand to win and finish in the top two.

Top Batsman
Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor have all been amongst the runs this tournament and all are capable of scoring big in Mumbai, but Taylor is in blistering form at the moment and he can be backed at [5.5]

For Sri Lanka, the underrated Upul Tharanga has been having a solid tournament and he is a reliable proposition to be top batsman at [5.0]

Featured Market
This venue usually provides a good batting surface and with so many big hitters involved in this game, it makes sense to back 'Over 82.5 Runs' in the Highest Individual Score market.

Best Bet

Andrew Hughes says: Back New Zealand to beat Sri Lanka @ [2.74]


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