England Back in the Swing
England's decisions off the field will have been the talking point for many spread bettors ahead of the tour of Bangladesh.
First it was announced that captain Andrew Strauss would miss the trip, allowing him to take a breather and to enable Alastair Cook to gain some experience of leading the side. While spread buyers of future England fixtures might be relieved the skipper has had this rest, spread buyers here might be disappointed the man who led the Three Lions to an historic ODI series victory in South Africa will be absent from the 50-over side in Bangladesh.
With Cook in charge, spread punters will no doubt be scrutinising how the extra responsibility impacts on his ability to perform. Spread buyers of his individual runs might feel that it will bring out the best in the young batsman, helping improve an ODI average that is very slightly north of 30 and over 12 runs less than his Test mean. However, sellers of his runs spread will likely feel that the additional stresses that come with the role will decrease his run-scoring ability.
Paul Collingwood has been named as Cook's number two, but the role should not prove demanding for a man who heads the Twenty20 team and steered the ODI outfit in 2007-8. Spread sellers of the Durham man's runs will point to a low individual return in the warm-up T20 games against Pakistan where he recorded a duck in the first game and was on 11 not out at close of play in the second. Meanwhile, spread buyers of his performance will point to 99 catches and 101 wickets in addition to 4,478 runs from 173 caps in this version of the game.
Kevin Pietersen put a smile on the faces of spread buyers of his runs with scores of 43 and 62 in the T20 double-header versus Pakistan and spread punters looking to get with him again by buying his runs or 50-ups spreads will be hoping for a repeat. Spread sellers of Pietersen's performance index will remember a year beset by injury and controversy for the South African-born big hitter. Having been relieved of captaincy duties almost a year ago, Pietersen has struggled for form and fitness and was overlooked as Cook's deputy here. Andy Flower and the management team will no doubt insist this was to allow him to concentrate on his own game, and spread punters looking to buy his performance will be hoping that the judgement brings out the best in him. Cricket traders looking to sell Pietersen in any of the spread markets will certainly be hoping that his scores keep below an average of 45.41, but those backing him in a matchmaker combo will be hoping he can push it a little closer to the half century-mark against the side ranked ninth by governing body the ICC.
Recently naturalised Brit Craig Keiswetter is another man who has been gathering column inches, but it was his performance in the England Lions tour that made the selectors take notice. He's expressed surprise at being immediately parachuted into the squad, although that good play bodes well for any buyers of his, and the team's runs, if selected for any of the three upcoming ODI's. A T20 score of 81 from 66 balls helped topple the senior side and forced an abandonment of the thinking that he was merely one for the future with his development noticed in equal measure by England's coaching staff and spread bettors.
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