Best-priced Amla can top South African scorers in second Test

Hashim Amla’s 311 not out paved the way for South Africa to rout England in the first Test at the Oval and punters fancying the same player to star again can take advantage of a guaranteed top price with Ladbrokes.

Assuming that the South African batting order remains as expected, Ladbrokes are ensuring that they offer the best price on the top four contributing the most runs in the first innings.

This foursome is openers Alviro Petersen and captain Graeme Smith, Amla and Jacques Kallis, although the batting order can obviously be juggled on the day depending upon player condition and time of day.

Ladbrokes are offering 7/2 on Amla top scoring in the South Africa first innings and this looks a solid price.

Aside from the fact that he is clearly in form after his monumental efforts at the Oval, his position at number three could be an advantage.

Amla will avoid, at least partly, facing some of the new ball, which will still be dangerous even if the pitch at Headingley is flat and sun is shining, minimising the amount of swing that the English bowlers can utilise.

Meanwhile, Amla has been the highest South African scorer in all three first innings so far on their tour of England, thanks to his 64 against Somerset and 77 against Kent, both of which games took place ahead of the first Test.

The same guaranteed best price is available for Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen to be England’s top runscorer in the first innings at Headingley.

Captain Strauss is 9/2 in this market and although he failed in the first Test with South Africa, he did register two first-innings centuries in the previous series with the West Indies.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.