Both teams come in to this series with recent series wins under their belts, although New Zealand's victory over Bangladesh doesn't quite rate alongside a win in India. Nonetheless, the bookies are reporting plenty of interest in the first Test and the Senior Cricket Trader at Sporting Index had this to say ...
Trader's tips
"Australia have a strong record in Brisbane, and despite their slump in the third Test against India I expect them to bounce back strongly. We're already seeing a few punters backing Ponting in particular, so their expectations are clearly for a better performance than his last outing - and I'd be very surprised if he doesn't deliver more this time.
Fleming has a decent record against the Aussies in recent years, and seems to be one of the few captains capable of making the hosts work a bit harder, especially through his field positions.
Obviously Vettori is the main bowling threat the visitors will rely on, but we'll have to see how much spin he can get from this wicket. Basically, you can't see Australia doing anything but win this match, unless the weather comes in to play, and I wouldn't dare bet against them. Most of our sharper punters will feel the same, and I expect the betting to really pick up as the match begins and our in-running markets become available."
Batsman's runs
Spread betting is ideally suited to cricket given the number of in-running markets the bookies offer. One of Sporting Index's most popular markets is based on a prediction of how many runs a batsman will get over both innings. For example, ahead of this match, below is a sample of some of the opening spreads currently offered:
Hayden runs: 93 to 100
Langer runs: 80 to 87
Ponting runs: 87 to 94
Fleming runs: 75 to 82
Richardson runs: 70 to 77
Styris runs: 65 to 72
To bet on these markets, you either "bet high" at the higher price if you think he'll score a bunch of runs, or "bet low" if you think that player is out of form and so won't score many. How much you win (or lose) depends on how right (or wrong) you are!Place your bets
That should give you something to think about. If you are considering having a punt then there is no better time to open an account with Sporting Index. They offer the widest range of cricket spreads and some very generous free bets for new clients. Simply open an account now, and after 10 bets you can claim your choice of:A free 10 per run cricket bet (worth up to 500)
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Click here to spread bet on Australia v New Zealand at Sporting IndexPlease note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.