Tourists look to repair damage

Following the end of the county season and the World Twenty20 competition in South Africa one could be forgiven for thinking that cricket would take a back seat for a while. But not a bit of it. There is a packed international schedule before the new year proving that cricket is genuine all-year round world sport which offers punters plenty of betting opportunities. Between now and the start of 2008, there are seven separate one-day series and seven Test series. The first of which begin on Friday and Monday respectively when Australia begin a seven-match one-day series against the Twenty20 champions India and England take on Sri Lanka in Colombo in the first of five one-day matches. Ladbrokes make India 5/4 to build on their success with the Aussies 8/13. Australia have serious injury problems ahead of the contest. Captain Ricky Ponting has a hamstring injury and Adam Vogues has been called up as cover. But Mike Hussey and Shane Watson are both out with hamstring problems while Brad Hodge and Brad Haddin reported problems with the same injury. England are not in much better shape for a difficult task in Sri Lanka. Andrew Flintoff has already been ruled out with his ankle problem which is now deemed serious enough to threaten his career while Matt Prior's broken thumb means he has been replaced by Durham stumper Phil Mustard. Sri Lanka are the second best one-day side in the world and even though there are doubts over the fitness of Muttaih Muralitharan, the bookies give England little chance. Skybet go 4/11 that the hosts win the series with Paul Collingwood's men as big as 2/1. In a bonus for England, paceman Ryan Sidebottom has recovered from a side strain to take his place in the squad and has been taking advice from Darren Gough about how to take wickets on the sub-continent. (Editor's Note: Australia and England both had disappointing Twenty20 World Cup campaigns, for differing reasons, so will be looking to repair the damage with successful one-day series on the sub-continent. Follow the latest prices with Ladbrokes!)