Cricket betting: Third Test - Sri Lanka v England

England are as big as 6/1 to level the three-Test series against Sri Lanka when the final game starts tomorrow in Galle. And it is difficult to see how they can prove the bookmakers wrong given everything is against them.

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Not only will they have to overcome a Sri Lanka side with emotions running high because the contest is the first back at Galle's picturesque ground devastated by the tsunami, but they have to find a way to be dominant for more than one day.

So far in the series England have won probably one day's play with every other going to Sri Lanka. Their bowlers have struggled to make the ball swing once the shine has gone after 15 overs - no England bowler has more than four wickets in an innings - and their best exponent of reverse swinging the old one, Matthew Hoggard, is struggling with injury, although he is included in the 12-man squad.

With the bat they have been found wanting. The failure of the batsmen to post a century, let alone a big one is a damning indictment on concentration levels. Indeed it could be argued that, the obvious skill of Muttiah Muralitharan aside, that has been the difference between the sides. Where Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have both gone on to post scores of more than 150, England have had to make do with players make pretty half-centuries. No wonder the England players are reportedly on a £5,000 bonus if any of them can reach a double ton or take seven wickets in an innings.

There is no excuse because both pitches have been dream-like to bat on. Even with the Galle wicket under-prepared punters should expect more of the same over the five days. That could make another draw - best price 2/1 with Bet365 - the obvious wager. It must be remembered that Sri Lanka, if they get the chance, will bat England out of the game.

Just as they did in the second Test, they do not really need to win the game and their first aim will to be ensure they do not lose it. If you thought Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, was negative in Colombo, then you haven't seen anything yet.

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