ODI preview / Andrew Hughes / 22 January 2011 /

Australia have a commanding 2-0 lead in the series after a gutsy win down in Hobart. Can England fight back? Andrew Hughes previews Sunday's Third ODI in Sydney

Venue and Conditions
Sydney is traditionally low, slow and spin-friendly, a venue where batting can be a bit of a grind, thus explaining the relatively low average first innings score (240 in the last ten games played here). At times this winter, there has been a hint of assistance for the quicker bowlers, but we are well into the second half of the Australian season and we can probably expect a more typically sluggish SCG surface, on which big hitters will struggle to time the ball well and the cutter or the slower ball will be the quicker bowler's best option. There won't be much swing on offer either, with the weather forecast indicating clear skies and a sunny day.

Team News
Both sides are fielding makeshift teams, but Australia's situation is the more serious, with Nathan Hauritz joining Mike Hussey and Ricky Ponting on the long term injury list. Shaun Tait is also struggling to be fit for Sunday's game and Mitchell Johnson has not yet fully recovered from a throat infection, so Peter Siddle is likely to get a game, with Xavier Doherty replacing Hauritz.

Andrew Strauss said that England should have played a fourth seamer at Hobart and he may be right, but Sydney is a different kind of pitch and in the likely absence of the injured Tim Bresnan, we can expect the balance of the side to remain unchanged, with Chris Woakes taking Bresnan's place. It may be too early for Paul Collingwood to be recalled, but his cutters would be perfect for the SCG.

Match Odds
Though the first game was a high-scoring thriller, in truth, there hasn't been that much quality cricket on display, aside from Shane Watson's stupendous knock in Melbourne and Shaun Marsh's entertaining effort at Hobart. And even though Australia have a 2-0 lead, their overall team performance has been poor, particularly in the field, where the misfields and dropped catches have continued from the Ashes.

England have performed fitfully, their bowlers most to blame, firstly for allowing Australia to chase down 294 at the MCG and then for failing to finish them off at 142-8 on Wednesday. But Flower's England are more than capable of mounting a fight back and it should be remembered that the tourists have an excellent record at the SCG, winning 10 of the 18 games played there since 1979. These two teams are not that far apart and at odds of [2.2] it makes sense to plump for England.

Top Batsman
Michael Clarke has had a shocking season so far, but players of his quality do not remain in the doldrums for ever and this game could be his opportunity. A slow, spinning pitch and a supportive home crowd could be just the environment in which he will rediscover his form and he can be backed at around [4.5]

This kind of track is tailor made for a gritty Paul Collingwood innings and if he were to be picked, he'd be an interesting bet at [6.0] or better, but this is probably a game or two too soon for his comeback. In his absence, it is down to Johnathan Trott to play the kind of attritional hand that will hold the innings together and at around [5.5] he is a pretty good bet to top score.

Featured Market
Having plumped for Clarke in the top batsman market, it makes sense to support him also in the Clarke v Pietersen market, getting 0.5 runs at [2.0] or better.

Andrew Hughes says: Back England to win at [2.2]

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