Bowlers head Man Of The Match queue for Headingley Test
Published:The first test match between England and New Zealand at Lords was dominated by the nations’ respective attacks, with neither XI managing a total greater than the hosts’ modest first innings 232. With the England batsmen struggling for form and their opponents’ willow merchants demoralised after their 68-all-out second innings skittling, it looks like bowlers are the ones to be with in the Man Of The Match betting for the second test in the series.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson scythed through the Black Caps’ batting with gay abandon in the second innings at Lords and will be hopeful of getting more joy at Headingley, where there should be plenty of swing to be found. The Leeds ground is something of a results track when it comes to international tests, with just three of the last 27 contests it’s hosted at that level drawn.
England’s new ball duo can be backed at 9/1 and 8/1 to win the Man Of The Match trophy in the second test respectively after Broad earned the gong for his devastating 7 wickets for 44 runs in the second innings at Lords. If the pair’s relative records at Headingley are to believed, it’s Broad who’ll be in pole position to do the lion’s share of the damage once more.
Broad has taken 15 wickets across five innings in three tests at an average of 25.20 runs per wicket during that time frame and the 26-year-old seamer has relished it in Yorkshire recently with two five wicket-plus hauls in his last three visits to the ground.
Surprisingly for a bowler of Anderson’s quality he hasn’t fared so well at the Leeds ground, with eight wickets in six innings across four tests coming at generous average of 55.62.
Although the tourists’ attack was let down by the tame efforts of their batsmen they were in nearly as incisive a mood as the hosting bowlers, with Tim Southee in particular putting in some sterling work.
The right-arm medium-pacer added another 10 scalps to his collection at Lords for a parsimonious 108 runs and can be backed at 20/1 for Man Of The Match honours at Headingley.
It seems the Black Caps are giving serious thought to recalling bespectacled former-captain Daniel Vettori. The vastly experienced spinner is 17th on the all-time test wicket takers list and his inclusion could provide a timely boots for his team if he is passed fit to replace injured Kiwi twirler Bruce Martin at Headingley.
His renowned ability with the blade – Vettori’s test batting average is a highly respectable 30.10 – means that he has double the chance to shine in the second test and odds of 25/1 about him making a Man Of The Match return in the second test are some of the most appealing amongst the Black Caps XI.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publication
