The ICC Champions Trophy Preview - Cricket Spread Betting Tips

Australia start the tournament in promising form following their recent DLF Cup victory in Malaysia. However they've never won the ICC, and have failed to progress past the semi-finals. Their bowling could be hit and miss with Brett Lee winning the Man of the Series at the DLF, but McGrath is returning from injury and could be rusty. If the Aussies are bowling first, the searing Indian heat could take its toll on the 36 year old. With these conditions, the baked pitch will offer plenty of support for the batsmen if not the bowlers. Sporting Index predict there are several teams who'll thrive on typical sub-continent wickets with each match averaging 500 runs.Hosts India are co-favourites with Australia to progress from Group A, but are weak in the bowling department. Considering that every match is a day-nighter, will their bowlers be able to find true swing under the lights? Their batting line-up will always hold its own with the likes of Dravid, Sehwag and Dhoni plus Tendulkar showing supreme form following his return from injury. However they lack a true strike bowler to trouble the strongest top-orders. Pathan, Singh and Munaf Patel struggled against the West Indies at the DLF, with the Windies racking up 141-2 off just 20 overs before rain stopped play. If the fervent home crowd get on their back early on, they could struggle to make an impact. England are first up for India and by winning their last two one-dayers against Pakistan, Fletcher's men could spring a surprise. Bell and Collingwood have strengthened the batting, and new additions Yardy, Read and Dalrymple have settled well. Despite Freddie back in the fold, he might be prevented from bowling as he continues his rehabilitation for The Ashes. England will have to ensure they don't rely too much on his batting to rescue them when the going gets tough. Defending champions West Indies don't have too much to write about once the top four of Lara, Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul are gone. They lost by 127 runs in the DLF Cup final to Australia and showed just how brittle they can be. They will also want to avoid Group A by beating Sri Lanka on Saturday to join what looks to be the easier Group B. The controversy engulfing the Pakistani's could once again be their downfall. On paper, they should be strong favourites as they can bat down to number eight with great pinch-hitters in Afridi, Razzaq and Malik. However Inzy is missing following the Oval debacle, questions remain over Akhtar's fitness and they've yet to find an effective opening pair. As always, it's a question of which Pakistan team decides to turn up. Their South Asian rivals Sri Lanka are always one to watch in the one day game. They shared the trophy with India in 2002 and won the World Cup in Asia back in 1996. With Murali and the fiery Malinga in their bowling ranks, on top of a strong top-five batting line-up, they could pose problems for either Group A or B. South Africa and New Zealand won the ICC back in 2000 and 2002 but both may find the conditions challenging. Graeme Smith returns after missing much of the year through injury, and too much pressure rests on the shoulders of Kallis. They've yet to convince in the sub-continent and drew 2-2 against India last year and lost 5-0 the year before to Sri Lanka. The same could be said for New Zealand who look to paceman Shane Bond for inspiration. However, do they have enough in the batting department that's so crucial on the flat wickets of India?How Does the Total Runs Market Work?Sporting Index are offering a huge range of ICC Champions Trophy markets to bet on, and one of the most popular is Total Tournament Runs for a player. This market predicts how many runs a player will score during the tournament. Let's take Flintoff who is priced at 95 to 110 runs. If you think he will score more than 110 runs, simply bet 'high'. Alternatively, if you think he will perform poorly, bet 'low' at 95. For example:a) Will Freddie get more than 110 runs? ORb) Will Freddie get less than 95 runs?Let's say that you think the Lancashire all-rounder will be blinding with the bat. Therefore you 'bet high' and stake £5 per run on the outcome.Let's say you're right, he punishes the opposition bowlers and totals 140 in the tournament. You were betting on him to get more than 110 runs, at £5 per point. You would therefore win (140 - 110) x £5 = 30 x £5 = £150. However, lacking match practice, he could struggle and make a total of only 90 runs. Because you bet 'high' at 110 runs, there is a shortfall of 20 runs (110 minus 90). At a stake of £5 per run, this would result in a loss of (110 - 90) x £5 = 20 x £5 = £100. For full details of the offers, and to apply for your Sporting Index account, Sporting Index is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Please note that all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change. The information contained herein is for your general information and use. In particular, it does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by Sporting Index Ltd and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making (or refraining to make) any specific decisions.