ODI preview / Richard O’Hagan / 05 March 2012 /

Injuries have weakened both teams ahead of the game that could see Australia clinch the series. Sri Lanka look a decent bet at attractive odds to win the game as does Matthew Wade to top score for the Aussies.

Australia v Sri Lanka - CB Series Final, Match 2

Live on Sky Sports 1 at 3am (match begins at 3.20am)

Sri Lanka have been involved in some thrilling matches in the last two weeks, none more so than the victory over Australia which put them in to these finals and the dramatic defeat in the first finals game on Sunday. They now need a win in Adelaide if they are to force a decider on Thursday, otherwise Australia will take the trophy.

Team News

Australia's last over win came at a cost. David Warner's innings of 163 may have gained them the win, but he suffered a groin injury during his innings. This means that he is likely to sit out this game, with vice-captain Shane Watson moving up the order to open with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. That creates a space lower down the order for Peter Forrest - who was dropped to accommodate captain Michael Clarke's return from injury - and he may well bat at three. The bowling attack looked short of firepower - Brett Lee aside - on Sunday. James Pattinson has only just returned from a spell out injured and either he or Ben Hilfenhaus should make way for Clint McKay.

Sri Lanka know all about injury woes. Losing both Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera for Sunday's game forced them to field an unbalanced line-up as they struggled to replace two all-rounders. That doesn't excuse the failings of their upper order batsmen and it is true that without the heroics of a third all-rounder, Nuwan Kulasekera, they would not have come close to the target of 322. With neither Mathews nor Perera likely to be fit for this match, the only possible change could see spinner Sachithra Senanayake come in for Farveez Maharoof.

Venue and Conditions

The pitch being used in Adelaide was recently used for a domestic one-day final, which produced a tie with each team scoring 285. Expect a flat and true batting surface, with some spin for the side fielding second, but little movement through the air of the sort that was seen on Sunday once the floodlights came on.

Match Odds

This tournament has shown that the two sides are very evenly matched. The injury to Warner will not weaken the Australians as much as the loss of Mathews and Perera has Sri Lanka, but it might be enough of an upset to allow this battling Sri Lanka side the edge in what is likely to be another closely fought game. Back them to win at odds of [2.62].

Top Runscorer

Warner is the man that Australia look to as the dominating force at the top of their innings. You can expect Watson to approach the game in a similar way, but it is hard to expect a man only a handful of games into his own comeback (from a long term injury) to be as effective as Warner is at this. What will happen, though, is that Australia will have a right-hand/left-hand opening combination for the first time in the series, something which, historically, tends to favour the left hander slightly. Conveniently, this will be Wade, who has been a consistent run gatherer in this series and he looks a good bet to be Australia's top run scorer at odds of around [5.5].

Ten Over Total

Both sides will be keen to get away quickly at the start of their innings and take full advantage of the ten overs of fielding restrictions. If nothing else, the past matched between these two sides have proved that sides getting off to a slow start may struggle to catch up as the ball becomes softer.

Australia are better placed to go for a rapid opening and are available [2.5] to make more than seventy runs during that period.

Best Bet

Matthew Wade to be Australia's top scorer at odds of around [5.5].

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