New Zealand will host England in a dead-rubber from tomorrow (December 14), having already lost the three-match Test series. Here's Wisden's pick of the betting odds for the final Test.
NZ v ENG third Test: Who will win?
New Zealand entered with rejuvenated hopes of making it to the 2023-25 World Test Championship following a historic series win in India. However, the dream soon turned to dust with consecutive defeats against England at home.
Like England, they are now mathematically eliminated from the final race. A three-point penalty for slow over-rate in the first Test also contributed to their ouster. They are now sixth on the points table. Even if they win the match, they can achieve a maximum points percentage (PCT) of 48.21 - well below the all-important 60.0 PCT mark. Tim Southee, set to play his final Test, will look to end on a high.
Quite obviously, England’s one-sided dominance throughout the series so far makes them the favourite to win the match. Batery is offering a 1.75 return on every pound bet on England's win, with a 2.10 return on a New Zealand victory.
Amir Jangoo joined an elite club, becoming the second West Indian and 18th overall to hit a century on men's ODI debut.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 13, 2024
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NZ v ENG third Test: What are the chances of a batter scoring a hundred?
Harry Brook has continued his ominous form from the last tour. His rapid 123 and 55 in Wellington saw him rise to the top of the ICC Test batter rankings with a record 898 rating points. In the same match, Joe Root also scored his 36th ton, the joint-fifth most in the history of the format. Barring the two, Jacob Bethell's rise and Ollie Pope’s newly-found form down the order cover most of the bases for England’s batting order.
New Zealand’s batting has struggled for consistency, with Kane Willamson, back from an injury hiatus, being their top scorer with 195 runs at an average of 48.75.
According to Batery, the chances of a batter scoring a hundred in the match are priced at 1.11 as opposed to not scoring one (5.70).
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