Australia vs. Pakistan high bat and wicket betting for 2nd ODI

2:20pm ADEST – Sunday, January 15, 2017 – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Watch it live and free on the Nine Network
ODI 1: Australia won by 92 runs at the GABBA

THE One Day International series moves south from the GABBA to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday after a solid win by the Australians in the sunshine state.

Australia’s 92-run victory in Brisbane may look fantastic on paper, but it belied just how much of a struggle it was for the home side.

Four of Australia’s best batsmen – Dave Warner, Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh and Chris Lynn – combined for just 27 runs, leaving the green and gold army a huge task to dig themselves out of a hole to post a respectable score.

Thankfully Victorian duo Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Wade were able to combine for 160 runs to give the Aussie bowlers something to defend.

The chase did not begin well for the visitors as Captain Azhar Ali was forced to retire hurt – but he returned earlier in the innings, which will boost the optimism around the Pakistani camp that he could take to the field in Melbourne.

The Pakistanis were never able to form a rhythm and the Aussies ran through the team to record a comfortable victory.

To overcome the Australians in Melbourne, the Pakistanis will need to overturn a horrendous run of form in the Victorian capital.

The Shaheens have won just once since 1985 in Melbourne, and their solitary win in that time came at Etihad Stadium. Pakistan has not won an ODI match at the MCG in 21 years.

Conversely, Australia’s form at the MCG is spectacular. The Australians have lost just once Melbourne in the ODI format since 2010.

The Australians are the justified number one-ranked team in the ODI format. On the flipside, Pakistan’s automatic qualification for the next World Cup could be in jeopardy if they do not start winning matches sometime soon.

It all points towards another comfortable win at the MCG for the Aussies on Sunday.

Australia vs. Pakistan ODI squads

Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Pat Cummins, James Faulkner, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Chris Lynn, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Pakistan: Azhar Ali (captain), Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Rahat Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz.

David Warner betting specials

After a horrendous dismal in the first ODI in Brisbane, we are expecting Davey Warner to bounce back in a big way.

The Aussie opener inexplicably walked across his stumps and was bowled after scoring just seven runs. Warner was subsequently outscored by six teammates – something that seldom happens in the shorter format of the game.

Warner has only scored over 50 runs twice in his career in the ODI format at the MCG, a record that surely has placed a rather large chip on the shoulder of the 30-year-old.

We are expecting the master-blaster to come out and smack Pakistan all around the wide expanses of Melbourne this weekend.

Last time out at the home of Australian cricket Warner hammered the Kiwis for 157 runs and we are not putting it past Davey to come out and put up some similar numbers on Sunday.

Top Australia batsman: +300 at William Hill

Top match batsman: $4.50 at Sportsbet

Man of the match: +550 at William Hill