England fancied to roll Pakistan over for rare cricket whitewash
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Although England’s fourth consecutive ODI win over Pakistan this summer actually resembled something approaching a contest, there is an air of inevitability about the broken-spirited tourists suffering a 5-0 series whitewash.
We certainly seem to be picking up the same vibes with the Three Lions 1/4 favourites for victory at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, or Sophia Gardens in a former life.
Azhar Ali’s bedraggled troops are 3/1 underdogs, but having failed to get within 24 runs of the 300 mark in any of their previous four defeats, while England were able to lay down a world-record breaking score of 444/3 when give first dibs in game three, the gulf in batting power is perfectly evident.
As if Pakistan needed any other statistics to fall in England’s corner, the SWALEC has born witness to five ODI wins in the past six outings for the Three Lions in the Welsh capital.
Punting value will no doubt be sought in the home side’s potentially large batting figures once again.
Although openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales have blown very hot in individual games this series, they’ve also blown cold too, so it’s Mr Consistency himself who looks a worthy favourite to top England’s run charts.
Knocks of 61, 89, 85 and 30 make Joe Root the leading Englishman with the willow in the series by some 65 runs, so money will be far more frivolously invested this weekend than in the 11/4 about the number three top scoring.
He did just that on this ground against Sri Lanka earlier this summer when reeling off 93 to lay the foundations of a sizable 122-run triumph.
A wizard with the ball that day was David Willey, who knocked over four Sri Lankans, and should the left-handed all-rounder get the nod once more in Wales, he looks excellent value at 4/1 to lead the wickets tally.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
