ODI / Vin Lowe / 03 September 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

After a farcical T20I series between Australia and England at Lancashire, which saw the rain having the final say in the matter, the two teams will face-off again in the ODI version of the competition, writes Andy Morris.

This will provide the Aussies a last chance to redeem themselves on a tour which has seen them crash out in the first round of the ICC World T20, along with the loss of the Ashes and now this wash-out.

The one advantage Australia will definitely go in with is that as the tour has progressed, they have had more personnel who have become fit, or returning back to form. Brett Lee's crying hoarse of being 100% fit was finally heard by the selectors and they had him fielded for the first T20I, and he should be a certainty as well. Mitchell Johnson's woes at the start of the test series have been well chronicled, but he too has overcome his nervous start and got into the thick of things, whereas Shane Watson's overcoming of his injury to take over the opening slot is heartening.

Watson should continue to bat at the top of the order along with James Hopes - who has just joined in for the fifty over game - whereas Michael Clarke will take Ricky Ponting's position; both, as a captain and the number three batsman. Cameron White's hard hitting half century should afford him a place in the middle order, while Michael Hussey's century at the same ground about ten days back will mean that he fits into the middle order.

The bowling will be led by Lee, with Johnson been a certainty, but it remains to be seen whether the usually economic Nathan Bracken makes it to the side. Bracken will face stiff competition from Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, with Nathan Hauritz expected to make it to the playing eleven.

For England, Andrew Strauss will take over the mantle of captaincy and will bat at the top. However, he has at least four options to choose from as his opening partner; Matt Prior, Ravi Bopara, Joe Denly and Luke Wright, all having opened the innings and being quite capable at that. My sense is that Bopara may miss out after having shown indifferent form throughout the summer, and Prior might be expected to open the innings with Wright batting down the order.

Owais Shah should make it to the middle-order, as will Paul Collingwood, but the absence of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen will be the single biggest factor that could tilt the game in the favour of the Aussies.

The bowling department will consist of at least one spinner in Graeme Swann, but if the pitch in the Oval test match was anything to go by, Adil Rashid may be roped in as well. In that case, Ryan Sidebottom may just miss out of the playing eleven.