Cricket: New Zealand vs South Africa T20 Odds and Betting Preview

Story by Gus Morse on 2012-02-16 16:26:54

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand and South Africa begin their three match T20 series this Friday at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. The tourists are strong favourites for the game, priced at 7/10 (bet £10 to make £7 profit) with Sportingbet and New Zealand can be backed at best odds of 11/8 with BetVictor.

Hashim Amla is the bookies favourite to be South Africa's top batsmen, priced at 10/3 with Blue Square following on from his century against Sri Lanka in a one day international last month. In the same market, AB de Villiers is priced at 7/2 with Boylesports, Richard Levi is priced at  4/1 with Ladbrokes and twenty-seven year old all-rounder JP Dumini is quoted at top odds of 5/1 with 888Sport to score the most runs for South Africa in the first match of the series.

South Africa have enjoyed good results against New Zealand in recent years in this format of the game, winning all four of their last meetings, the most recent of which was in 2010 when New Zealand were thirteen runs short of chasing down the 170 target set by South Africa.

The game before that was even tighter as South Africa won by just a single run in a thriller at Lord's in 2009. On that occasion, the bowlers came out on top but with fair weather expected on a good batting surface, Friday's game looks set to be one for the batsmen.

For New Zealand, who will have to make do without talented all-rounder Jacob Oram, Martin Guptil is the favourite to be the host's top run scorer in the opening game of the series, priced at 7/2 with William Hill. In the same market, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is priced at 7/2 with bet365, Rob Nicol is priced at 5/1 with Skybet and Kane Williamson is top priced at 13/2 with Skybet to be Black Caps top batsmen.

There is little to separate the teams on paper, with New Zealand ranked second in th World in this the shortest format of the game. South Africa are ranked fourth in the World but can boast much better rankings than New Zealand in the longer formats of the game.

In the most sixes market, the betting is pretty tight with New Zealand best priced at 11/10 with Stan James to score the most sixes. South Africa can be backed at best odds of 11/10 with Betinternet and for both sides to score the same amount of sixes is top priced at 13/2 with Blue Square.

Start of play is scheduled for 06:00 GMT and every ball and bash will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2.

New Zealand vs South Africa Match Odds
New Zealand vs South Africa Top South Africa Batsmen Odds
New Zealand vs South Africa Top New Zealand Batsmen Odds
New Zealand vs South Africa Most Sixes Odds