AUS vs NZL 1st ODI match prediction 13 Mar 2020

Australia will host New Zealand for the first of the three-match ODI series at the Sydney Cricket Ground, this Friday.

Following their 3-0 whitewash at the hands of South Africa, the Australians would like to make amends when they face the Black Caps in the three-match ODI series. On the other hand, New Zealand, having won 3-0 against India at home, would be high on confidence. Either way, there's a lot to play for and a riveting contest is on the cards. And we are here to use this opportunity to earn some extra cash by investing on the best odds in the market.

I have already handpicked the best bets from the market. Just go through them and invest accordingly. I can assure you that there’s a lot to be won.

New Zealand openers to give a flashy start

Australia might have owned most other departments when they’ve played against the Kiwis, but the fact that they have lost wickets early makes this bet a profitable one. In the last five H2H matches between these two teams, the Black Caps have had the better opening stand on four occasions, having scored a total of 132 runs at an average of 26.4 runs per innings while conceding just 101 runs at a rate of over 20 runs per game. In the last three H2H matches in Australia, the visitors had the better start on two occasions. Even if we dissect the recent form, the Kiwi openers have enjoyed better opening stands.

In their last five ODIs, Australia have outscored their opponents in three matches, having scored a total of 123 runs at an average of 24.6 runs per innings for the opening stand while shipped in 198 runs (almost 40 runs per innings) in the same time frame. New Zealand, on the other hand, have been the better side in four of their last five matches, racking up a massive 314 runs at a rate of 62.8 runs per innings while their bowlers have let in just 111 runs (22.2 runs per innings). Bet 365 is offering odds of 2.20, money-making cannot get easier than this.

Expecting a big score in the match

We have witnessed several riveting encounters between these two great cricketing nations in the past and high individual scores have been a regular phenomenon throughout. In the last five H2H matches, four of them had at least one player with a three-digit score. In the last four matches that Australia featured in, there was at least one century in each of those games, with Australia scoring two and conceding as many. Till now, there’s no reason to believe that a player will score a century, but I will give some more trivia to seal the deal.

In the last three matches between these two teams in Australia, a total of four centuries were registered with at least one scored in each of those games. The last time Australia faced New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Steve Smith and Martin Guptill scored centuries each. In the last five matches at the venue, a total of eight centuries have been scored with at least one being scored in each game. This is a no-brainer, just invest and earn handsome returns.

Australia to hit quite a few sixes

When it comes to big hits, I would not hesitate even once before investing money in Australia. With the match being played at the SCG and odds listed at 1.88 by Dafabet, we are in a win-win situation. In the last five H2H matches, the Aussies hit more sixes than their trans-Tasman rivals on four occasions, having hit a total of 35 sixes at an average of seven sixes per game, compared to Kiwis’ tally of 16 (3.2 per game). Technically, the Kiwis have conceded more than double the number of sixes that they hit against their foes.

It was in 2016 that the Black Caps made a trip to Australia for an ODI series, with Australia thrashing the visitors 3-1. New Zealand has never been able to hit more sixes than Australia in those that series, having hit a total of 24 sixes at an average of eight sixes per game while letting in 15 sixes (3 hits per innings). Australia are the outright favourites in the context of this bet and we are just hours away from inflating our wallets. Without hesitation, just place this bet as soon as possible.

Local boy Steve Smith to score big

Steve Smith is the one of the most fearsome batsmen in ODI cricket at the moment and playing in his own backyard makes him even more lethal. In the 11 matches he has played against the Kiwis, the right hander has managed to score a total of 350 runs at an average of 43.75 runs per innings which includes two fifties and a century. But, that hardly supports our case, does it? But, if I tell you that he scored 164 runs in the only match he played at the SCG against New Zealand, it will surely make you more comfortable. Having played numerous matches for New South Wales at this venue, he is aware of the conditions in and out.

In the 11 ODI innings that Smith has played at this venue, he has scored a total of 626 runs at an average of 56.90 runs per innings. In the last six matches at the SCG, his scores – 45, 49, 164, 28, 105 and 72 - accumulated to a mammoth 463 runs at a rate of 77.16 runs per innings. Evidently, he has scored at least 50 on three occasions which makes him a very trustworthy pick ahead of the first ODI.

Mitchell Starc to rattle the Kiwi batting line up

Mitchell Starc has been Australia’s strike bowler for quite some years now and if we observe his traits, the speedster brings out the best when he plays against New Zealand. In the last five matches against the Kiwis, his figures account for a total of 12 wickets at rate of over two wickets per match and was also the top bowler in two of those matches. Overall, in 9 matches he featured against the trans-Tasman rivals, the left arm pacer scalped a total of 23 wickets at a rate of about 2.5 wickets per match which also includes a career best of 6/28. Impressive, isn’t it?

Moreover, Starc has played four H2H encounters at home, having picked up eight wickets (two per match) and was the pick of the bowlers in the last tie with figures of 3/34. Overall, the New South Wales cricketer has played 42 matches in Australia and managed to bag 82 wickets (almost two per game), sporting an impressive average of 20.10 which includes six four-wicket hauls and three five-wicket hauls. The stage is set in favour of Mitchell Starc to shine with the ball and make us rich simultaneously with Royal Panda offering odds as high as 3.50.

Ross Taylor expected to score quite a few runs

The only New Zealand batsman is the current squad who has actually played decently away in Australia; Ross Taylor is our key to happiness this Friday. In the 29 matches he has played against the Aussies, the right-hander has managed to score an astronomical 1003 runs at an average of 38.57 runs which includes two centuries and four half centuries. To validate our case, let me inform you that Taylor has scored at least 36 runs in three of the last five matches against them.

Having played 17 matches in Australia, Taylor has racked up 585 runs at a rate of 36.56 runs per innings. Out of which, he has crossed the 35-run mark in four of the last six matches played in the island nation. Taylor’s recent record in ODIs is another reason why I have shortlisted this particular bet. In the three matches he’s played so far, the Kiwi has managed to accumulate a total of 194 runs at an average of 64.6 runs per innings, having crossed the 35-run mark twice. I can assure you that this is the one of the safest bets in the market; make sure you don’t miss it.