Zimbabwe vs. England

[dave]

With all the controversy surrounding England's forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, most people have forgotten that there are 5 cricket matches to be played, and with cricket matches come great betting opportunities. This series is no exception, although only the rich will be tempted to take the 1/66 on offer for an away victory. Make no mistake about it - England will win this series, but unless you plan to place thousands of pounds on this one, you are better off going to the city centre for an afternoon's begging. Zimbabwean cricket is at an all time low. Amid accusations of racism many of the country's leading players look to have played international cricket for the final time, leaving a team of youngsters led by the, remarkably experienced for his age, wicket-keeper/batsman Tatenda Taibu. But Taibu is extremely important to this side and when he fails to deliver runs the results are often embarrassing, raising questions about whether or not Zimbabwe are still good enough for international cricket. The only team that they are capable of troubling are Bangladesh, although the Asian side would probably fancy their chances at the moment. Meanwhile, England seem to have conquered their ODI problems, reaching the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, only to be thwarted by a stunning 71 run 9th wicket partnership between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw of the West Indies. But, for the first time since Adam Hollioake took apart the Australians in 1997's 3-0 whitewash, England seem to have a clear strategy, with the quick bowlers taking early wickets, and the slower bowlers tying the batsmen down in the middle of the innings. With the bat they have now packed the side with aggressive players who, crucially, are good Test players, rather than the so call "bits and pieces" cricketers of the 90s. Simple enough you may think, but not simple enough for England sides of recent years. Series History England have a superb record against Zimbabwe. In 26 meetings the African side have won 8 times, but it must be taken into account that 6 of those victories came in the first 8 meetings. In the most recent 18 games, England lead 15-2, with 1 no results. In Zimbabwe, England have won two consecutive whitewashes, 3-0 in 1999/2000, and 5-0 in 2001/02. The most recent meeting between the sides came in September's ICC Champion's Trophy, England's 152 runs victory underlining the huge gulf in class between the sides. Betting Advice SportingOdds are offering are offering a remarkable 8/13 for Zimbabwe NOT to win a ODI. This is made even more amazing by the fact that 4/7 is their price for England to win 5-0. With the bet for Zimbabwe not to win a ODI, which gives you an advantage if a match is washed out, a bigger price than that for a whitewash, SportingOdds are setting themselves up for a hammering from the punters. RECOMMENDED BET: 5pts on Zimbabwe not to win an ODI v England @ 8/13 (SportingOdds) This is a reproduction of my article from Inside Edge. I would actually recommend a maximum 20pt bet, and Sporting Odds have cut the odds from 8/13 to 4/7

[BritPete]

Re: Zimbabwe vs. England Be careful here, England have just cancelled their plane!