Sri Lanka v Australia: World Cup betting preview, team news, tips & TV details

TV: Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 10.30am Saturday

The Oval, London

It is a sad reflection of the state of Sri Lankan cricket that they are the same price – 6-1 – to beat Australia as Afghanistan are against South Africa in the second game of the day.

As recently as 2011, the Lankans reached the World Cup final but the current crop of players look out of their depth against the best ODI teams in the tournament.

Holders Australia lost to India but showed their fighting spirit to recover from 79-5 to beat the West Indies at Trent Bridge and produced an impressive display to see off Pakistan last time out.

Best bets

Sri Lanka were walloped by ten wickets in their opening game against New Zealand before picking up four points thanks to a rain-affected victory over Afghanistan and washouts against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Showers are forecast for London but the weather shouldn’t be bad enough to frustrate an Australia side who were outclassed by India but still look a solid unit.

The match betting anticipates a one-sided affair and it is hard to have great faith in a Sri Lanka batting line-up who were bowled out for 136 by the Black Caps and collapsed from 144-1 to 201 all out against Afghanistan.

A couple of Australian stars catch the eye in the man-of-the-match market, however, with opener David Warner an attractive 8-1 with bet365.

The left-hander found himself becalmed against a classy India attack in Australia’s defeat at The Oval, grinding out a tortuous 56 from 84 balls.

However, he responded with a brilliant 107 against Pakistan – his first international century since returning from a year-long ban for ball tampering – and also steered his side home with an unbeaten 89 against the Afghans.

Warner was the leading runscorer in the IPL, scoring 692 runs in just 12 innings for Hyderabad, and he is capable of filling his boots against Sri Lanka.

Glenn Maxwell sealed victory against Pakistan with a brilliant piece of fielding to run out Sarfaraz Ahmed and the dynamic all-rounder could shine against Sri Lanka.

His off-spin was expensive against Pakistan but he bowled tidy spells against India and the West Indies and took 1-12 in five overs in the warm-up win over Sri Lanka at the Hampshire Bowl.

Australia are keen to get Maxwell in earlier in the innings after he produced cameos of 28 off 14 balls against India and 20 off ten deliveries against Pakistan.

His only one-day century was 102 from just 53 balls against
Sri Lanka in the 2015 World Cup and he could punish their bowlers once again.

Recommendations
D Warner to be man of the match
1pt 8-1 bet365
G Maxwell to be man of the match
1pt 14-1 bet365, Betway, RedZone

Team news

Sri Lanka
Nuwan Pradeep is back in training after a hand injury but may not be risked if Lasith Malinga is available after a trip home.

Australia
Marcus Stoinis remains sidelined so Maxwell, Aaron Finch and Steve Smith will have to combine for at least ten overs of spin.

Venue

The team batting first has won three of the four 2019 World Cup games at The Oval, posting scores of 311, 330 and 352, although New Zealand kept Bangladesh down to 244 in their two-wicket win.

England’s quick bowlers had plenty of success with the short ball in their win over South Africa.