Match Previews 
/ Ed Hawkins / 01 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Insatiable thirst for runs. Jonathan Trott won't slack off just because he's up against Ireland
"Kevin Pietersen is 4.00 while Jonathan Trott appeals at 4.70. While some of his teammates may subconsciously relax, Trott is so focussed that he is unlikely to miss a chance for easy runs."
Ed Hawkins takes a look the contest in Bangalore on Wednesday as we await our first tournament upset. But there's bad news for lovers of the underdog, it's not likely to happen here.
Team news
England rarely chuck the baby out of the bath water but after two matches of this World Cup it should be clear that they need to shuffle their bowling pack.
And that means if Stuart Broad is fit to play after a stomach upset then James Anderson should make way.
Anderson has been profligate in the extreme so far as first Holland and then India have tucked into some buffet-style bowling. It is always on the menu when Anderson is in India. In his last seven ODIs in the country he has taken one wicket for 393 runs.
Ireland will hope spinners Andre Botha and George Dockrell repeat the form they showed against Bangladesh. Botha took three for 32 at 3.5 an over and Dockrell two for 23 at 2.3
Indeed, Dockrell, who plays for Somerset, is probably a target for England who like nothing more to pinch talent from across the Irish sea. That is, of course, unless your name is Ed Joyce who was unfairly discarded.
Venue and conditions
England will be grateful that this contest is being played at the Chinnaswamy staium. The surface is flat and true. And the batsmen will be confident on a wicket where they came so close to the highest successful World Cup chase against India. If they bat first they should comfortably post more than 275.
Match odds
Ireland are priced at [29.00] for an upset but it is not a wager that appeals considering they really need a slow turner to try to inflictmisery on the England camp.
Still, there is hope that they can get a foothold, or should that be grip. In Botha and Dockrell they have bowlers capable of causing the kind of panic that India's spinners failed to consistently bring to bear on Sunday.
The sides have met three times and in each of them Ireland have been competitive. In 2006 they were in the game after 20 overs of each innings; in the last World Cup in Providence at 116 for three they had a shout of chasing down 267 and in Belfast they were squeezed out by three runs.
Top batsman - England
With 246 runs Andrew Strauss is an unlikely leader in the top runscorer lists. So no prizes for guessing who gets jolly status at [3.75]. Kevin Pietersen is [4.00] while Jonathan Trott appeals at [4.70]. While some of his teammates may subconsciously relax, Trott is so focussed that he is unlikely to miss a chance for easy runs. If we
can get [2.00] that he scores 50, take it.
Top batsman - Ireland
Joyce would dearly love a score to make England pay for jettisoning him during the last World Cup. The left-hander is [4.70] to be top bat although a better wager may be to back for a half century at around [4.0]. Paul Stirling should relish getting stuck into England's wayward bowlers and is one to watch at [6.00].
Featured market
There were 64 fours in the India v England game at the venue. The [1.51] that there are 43 or more is probably not short enough.
Best bet: J Trott to score a 50, ask for [2.00]
Tags: World Cup betting, Ed Hawkins, Ireland cricket, England cricket,
cricket betting, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss
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