New Zealand v Australia: World Cup betting preview, TV channel, team news & tips

TV: Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 1.30pm Saturday

Lord's, London

Australia's one-day renaissance continued with a commanding victory over England at Lord’s on Tuesday and they return to St John’s Wood for a clash with rivals New Zealand.

The Aussies, winners of four of the last five World Cups, are already certain of a place in the semi-finals so a third trip to Lord’s for the 2019 final is certainly on their radar.

New Zealand made the most of some generous early fixtures – and a washout against India – to top the table but their standards have slipped in recent games.

They needed a Kane Williamson masterclass to get home against South Africa, almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against the West Indies, and were well beaten by Pakistan at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

It’s 13-8 that the Black Caps avenge their 2015 World Cup final defeat to the Aussies but Aaron Finch’s men are starting to purr and they are 8-15 to claim a seventh win in eight games.

Best bets
One indication of Australia’s controlled performance against England was the fact that only six sixes were hit in the match – three for each team.

David Warner and Aaron Finch are the leading runscorers in the tournament but the Aussie openers have largely been content to assess conditions and play positive but low-risk shots.

Finch has hit 16 maximums but 13 of those came against Afghanistan in Bristol, Pakistan in Taunton and Sri Lanka at The Oval and he is likely to find sixes harder to come by against a high-class Kiwi attack at Lord’s.

No other Australian batsman has hit more than six sixes at this World Cup so going under Betfair and Paddy Power’s line of 9.5 could be profitable.

New Zealand’s batting is heavily reliant on their skipper Williamson, whose game is based around touch rather than power – as his World Cup tallies of 37 fours and just two sixes suggest.

Martin Guptill and Colin Munro are dangerous hitters at the top of the order but both are struggling, scoring a combined 132 runs in ten innings since their unbeaten half-centuries in the opener against Sri Lanka.

Batsmen on both sides will face some in-form quick bowlers with Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Jason Behrendorff – who took 5-44 against England – lining up for Australia and Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson leading the New Zealand attack.

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon conceded only one six in nine overs against England and opposite number Mitchell Santner is a controlled performer in white-ball cricket.

One Kiwi batsman who could add to the sixes tally is Jimmy Neesham, whose runs line looks too low at 21.5.

The all-rounder has grown in confidence in this tournament, taking 5-31 against Afghanistan and scoring 25, 23, 28 and 97 not out (in Wednesday’s defeat to Pakistan) in his four innings.

Recommendations
Under 9.5 sixes
2pts Evs Betfair, Paddy Power
J Neesham to score over 21.5 runs
2pts 5-6 Coral, Ladbrokes

Team news
New Zealand
Tim Southee and Henry Nicholls are pushing for recalls, possibly at the expense of Matt Henry and Colin Munro.

Australia
The Aussies could name the same 11 who defeated England.

Venue
Fast bowlers Behrendorff and Starc shared nine wickets at Lord’s on Tuesday and Pakistan comfortably defended 308 in their win over South Africa.

Five of the last seven ODIs at Lord’s have resulted in easy wins for the team batting first and only three individual centuries have been scored in those games.

Weather
St John’s Wood is set for a scorcher with the mercury hitting 33C in mid-afternoon.

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