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ICC World Test Championship Final Betting Strategies

The inaugural World Test Championship Final is finally due to take place on 18 to 23 June 2021 at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. After a two-year process, India and New Zealand have reached the final and they will battle it out for the trophy and the right to claim that they are the best test match cricket side in the world. As with any test match, the final presents a number of exciting betting opportunities, and this guide will give you all the information you need to take advantage of them.

New Zealand’s Route to the Final

New Zealand won three of the five series they played in the tournament, drew one and lost one. They began with a 2-match series against Sri Lanka in August 2019 in which they lost the first match by six wickets and won the second by an innings and 65 runs.

They then faced Australia in December 2019 and performed poorly in all three Tests, losing the first by 296 runs, the second by 247 runs and the third by 279 runs. However, things went better when they faced India at home in February 2020 across two Tests, winning the first by 10 wickets and the second by 7 wickets.

New Zealand didn’t play any Test matches again for ten months. The next was against the West Indies, and they won both matches easily, the first by an innings and 134 runs, and the second by an innings and 12 runs. Next was Pakistan and New Zealand once again won both matches, the first by 101 runs and the second by an innings and 176 runs.

This means that from the 600 points that New Zealand contested, they won 420, giving them a win percentage of 70%. This was enough to secure them second place and a spot in the final. However, if Australia had not had 4 points deducted for having a slow over rate, then they would not have made it.

India’s Route to the Final

The Indian team played six series in the tournament, winning five and drawing the other. They first played a 2-Test match series in the West Indies, which they comfortably won. They won the first match by 318 runs and the second by 257 runs.

India then hosted South Africa for a 3-match Test series, which was also won with ease. They won the first by 203 runs, the second by an innings and 137 runs, and the third by an innings and 202 runs. It was then Bangladesh’s turn to travel to India for a 2-match series. India won the first match by an innings and 130 runs, and the second by an innings and 46 runs.

In February 2020, India travelled to New Zealand where they were defeated 2-0. They lost the first game by 10 wickets and the second game by 7 wickets. However, they soon put this behind them and went on to win in Australia. They managed to recover from 1-0 down to win the 4-match series 2-1. They lost the first match by 8 wickets, won the second by 8 wickets, drew the third, and won the fourth by 3 wickets.

Earlier this year, in February and March, India hosted England for four Tests. India lost the first match by 227 runs, but they won the second by 317 runs, and the third and fourth by 10 wickets, an innings and 25 runs.

This means that from the 720 points that India contested they won 520, giving them a win percentage of 72.2%, which placed them top of the official championship points table.

Betting on the World Test Championship Final

There are a huge number of betting markets available on Test cricket matches, and this final is set to be no exception. If you are interested in a complete guide to cricket betting then we recommend that you read our Beginner’s Guide to Cricket Betting. However, here is a brief guide to the most popular markets that you may want to use for this series.

Winner

This is of course the simplest and most popular of the markets. You are simply betting on which team will win or if there will be a draw at the end of the series. Incidentally, if it does end in a draw, then the teams will be declared joint champions. There will be a reserve day available, but it will only be used if playing time is lost during the scheduled days and the full thirty hours are not played.

Draw No Bet

This betting market allows you to back a winner but reduces your risk slightly. That is because if the match does end in a draw, then your bet will be returned. As such, the odds are slightly shorter than when betting on a straight winner, but it can be a very useful option.

Fall of First Wicket

This market is available for both teams and it is a bet on how many runs will be scored before the first wicket falls. It is an over/under bet, which means that the market gives you a number e.g. 27.5, and you bet Over if you believe the wicket will fall after that number of runs or Under if you believe it will fall beforehand.

Most Match Fours

This is simply a bet on which of the two teams, India or New Zealand, will hit the most fours in the given test. It is a simple market and can be a lot of fun.

First Over Runs Odd/Even

This is a market that should not be taken too seriously as it is pretty much just a guess. However, it can be fun and there is nothing wrong with risking a little money on it. As the name suggests, it is a bet on whether the amount of runs scored off the first over will be an odd or even number.

First Over Total Runs

This is another over/under bet, this time on the number of runs to be scored off the first over. Once again, bet over if you think it will be more than the given number or under if you think it will be less.

First Over Runs Odd/Even

All of the odd/even markets are basically a guess, but as such they do have generous odds so offer the chance of a decent return. In this case, you are simply betting on whether the number of runs scored in the first over will be an even or odd amount.

A Fifty/Hundred to be Scored in the First Innings

These two markets are entirely self-explanatory. You are simply betting on whether fifty or one hundred runs will be scored in the first innings. Of course, this means that you need to consider the batsmen and bowlers in some depth and look at their records in order to make an informed decision.

A Fifty/Hundred Score in Match

These bets are very similar to those described above; however, they relate to the match as a whole. This means that there is a far greater chance of a fifty or hundred being scored, and as such, the odds are shorter. However, if you know that there are some high scoring players, then it can be very good value.

First Innings Lead

This bet is simply on which of the teams you think will be in the lead at the end of the first innings. There is also the option to bet on a tie if you think it will be very close.

Top First Innings Batsman

This market is available for both teams, India and New Zealand, and it requires you to pick which batsman will score the most runs in the first innings for the given team. You will be presented with a list of all the batsmen for each team and will need to consider factors such as batting order when making your choice.

Top First Innings Bowler

Once again, this market is available for both teams, India and New Zealand, and it requires you to pick which bowler will be top for the given team. Once again, you are presented with a list of options and simply need to choose a bowler to back.

First Wicket Method

This market is a bet on how the first wicket will be taken, caught, bowled, LBW, run out, stumped, or other. It is very difficult to predict and of course, some methods are more likely than others are, but as such, you will find some very generous odds.

Man of the Match

If you have been following the tournament and know the players involved, then this is an excellent market to use. You may have noticed that one player has been particularly impressive in the build up to the final and back them to be the man of the match. Furthermore, if it is a player that has slipped under the radar, then you may find some fantastic odds. You could of course back multiple players if you so wish.

Other Betting Markets

There is every chance that you will find a number of other interesting betting markets and as the final draws closer, more markets are likely to open up. For instance, you may be able to bet on the highest opening partnership of an innings. Be sure to keep a careful eye on what is available, as you never know what you might spot.

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