England's ninth life?
Cricket tips 
/ Andy Morris / 14 January 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now
Australia go in at 1.98 while an England win is being offered at 2.
The odds are still Australia's way in the second T20I. Andy Morris ponders why.
The second and last of the T20Is between Australia and England will be played the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
England took a 1-0 lead at Adelaide but there wasn't anything to separate the two teams except a last-ball winner.
That is probably why the odds offered for the two teams aren't too much different from each other. Australia go in at 1.98 while an England win is being offered at 2.
Why this could be a tad surprising is that England have now won eight T20Is in a row, apart from having trumped Australia in the Ashes.
However, it was evident in the first T20 that it doesn't take a lot for things to change around in a T20.
Australia had started well with the bat but floundered with the ball before making a late comeback. Australia were 83/0 in the ninth over and after an excellent English start, had restricted them to 130/7. And yet, on both occasions, one thought that the difference between the two sides was that the tourists knew how to win.
Shane Watson's all-round performance wasn't enough to see the Aussies through. However, it was a surprise that Watson was tried with the ball as late as he was - almost like an afterthought. With the fast bowlers going for so many at the start of the innings, it could have augured well had he been tried out for his second over much earlier than the 16th over.
One doesn't see too many changes for the second T20I. Australia had gone into the series with a 12-man squad. Although Brett Lee and Shaun Tait's conceding of 41 and 40 runs in their four overs may make a case for James Pattinson's inclusion, Australia will want to test the pace bowling duo another time.
The change, if at all, may come from England.
Not only did Graeme Swann go for aplenty, he has had a long summer and, in fact, a long 18 months or so. He would probably look at getting a break from playing in the second T20I ahead of the first ODI on January 16. James Tredwell could get his chance, even as England will look to continue with the same batting line-up as the first T20I.
