by Renee Israel
The England vs. Pakistan cricket test match will be
played at the DSC stadium in Dubai from February 3 to February 7, and UK
sportsbooks have laid Pakistan as the betting favorites as they lead the series
2-0.
England will be playing for pride in the third and final cricket test match
against Pakistan, having been routed in the first two tests. The England
Pakistan cricket test series is being played in the United Arab Emirates, which
has become Pakistan's home turf for cricket because of the safety concerns in
their country.
After England collapsed for 72 runs against Pakistan's spin duo of Ajmal and
Rehman, coach Andy Flower confessed that some of his batsmen are not competent
to face spin bowlers in the subcontinent. Flower, however, called upon the team
to prove their mettle in the final test.
The outspoken veteran English cricketer Geoff Boycott had some advice for the
English batsmen in his program Bowl at Boycs, saying that the key to playing
spin bowling is to read which way the ball will spin by watching the wrist
movement of the bowler.
George Dobell of ESPN, meanwhile, suggestion in his column that England needs
to have spin bowlers of the calibre of Ajmal in their county cricket teams so
that the batsmen can get real time practice, and improve in the long term.
Pakistan is cherishing every moment of their 2-0 lead. The mercurial former
Pakistan cricket captain Javed Miandad made a jibe at England's No. 1 cricket
test status when he said it was achieved without playing on the subcontinent and
therefore does not count for much.
"I always feel an extra sense of satisfaction when Pakistan beat England or
Australia," said Miandad.
Pakistan coach Mohsin Khan was more cautious in his reaction, however, and
said that although his team are eyeing a whitewash in the England vs. Pakistan
cricket test series, they are aware that the visitors will come back hard.
England vs Pakistan Test Odds at Bet 365.com
The online betting site bet365.com covers all sports in which England play.
It has opened a number of markets for the England vs. Pakistan third cricket
test match. Based on the test odds offered for the result of the match, it
appears that punters are confident of an England bounce back. The odds are as
follows:
Pakistan win: 13/8
England win: 7/4
Draw: 9/4
English punters who want to keep Pakistan out of the betting framework can
bet on the best English bowler and the best English batsman at the online site
bet365.com. The favourite among the bowlers is Swann with odds of 2/1 and the
favourite among the batsmen is Trott with odds of 7/2.
