They just can't bat
Spread punters that bought England's series win index against Pakistan will be sitting comfortably as the side cruised to their second victory in Birmingham. Buyers of England's win index spread (25 points for a win, 10 points for a draw) for the second Test will have been delighted to see Pakistan skittled for just 72 runs in their first innings. Waqar Younis' side will have had ten days to prepare for the third Test at the Oval and their spread supporters will be hoping they will have put the break to good use.
Although Andy Flower can be expected to keep an unchanged side, one player that England's spread followers will be concerned about is Alistair Cook, who has had a difficult series thus far. The England opener has averaged 10.25 from his four innings this series and sellers of his player performance spread will have seen his highest score is only 17 runs.
Spread buyers of England's match win index will be interested to know that the side have a good record at the Oval ground. Since 1880 the Three Lions have played 92 Test matches here, having won 38 of those and drawing 36. Buyers of the tourist's win index spread should note however that the side have played here eight times and have only lost three matches. Sellers of England's match spread might remember the last time these two sides met at the Surrey ground, as England won the game in controversial fashion. Spread bettors must look back to 1996 to see the last completed match between these sides at the Oval, a Test that Pakistan won by 9 wickets.
Spread sellers of England's first-innings supremacy will be hoping Pakistan post a score similar to their opening innings in that match as they cruised to 521 runs - 195 runs more than England. Supremacy spread buyers will argue their case by pointing to the opening two Tests of this tour: so far the visitors have scored 182 and 72 in their first innings, compared to England's 354 and 251.
Punters looking for a spread bet on the total runs market will be interested to learn that the top single innings score recorded at the Oval was in 1938 as England took on the Aussies: the home side managed 903 before declaring. Those spread bettors looking to buy Pakistan's first innings runs will be more interested in the 1987 clash as the side scored 708 runs - the second highest total ever at the South London venue.
Followers of the player series markets will have been busy studying the form of the current squad. Buyers of Jonathan Trott's spread, at 77, will have been happy to see him score 108 runs from two innings at Edgbaston - for a 31 point profit. Spread bettors looking at Sporting Index's 100-ups market for the third Test will have seen that in the last Test not one player managed to score a century, meaning sellers profited. Buyers will be hoping for a repeat of the opening Test, where Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior both recorded tons which meant the market was settled at 32.
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