Couch Critic provides his betting tips for the first test match between Australia and Pakistan which gets underway in Brisbane on Thursday 21st November
AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN Brisbane – Thursday, 21 November @ 02:00
SETTING THE SCENE
Australia come into this clash off the back of defending the urn in England. Yet this was still only a drawn series and before this the Aussies lost an away series to India as well as a 1-0 series loss to Pakistan in the UAE. In their last home series Australia did however have the beating of Sri Lanka and they will be hoping that home advantage holds the same edge for them against another sub-continent team as they seek to overturn what happened against the Pakistanis this time last year.
Pakistan have had a quick taste of life at the top. Yet impressive efforts like the series victory over Australia and keeping the English to a 1-1 result in England was derailed by losing 2-1 to NZ and 2-0 to Sri Lanka both in the UAE as well as being whitewashed by the Proteas in South Africa.
LET’S TALK TACTICS
In the case of Pakistan their efforts in the Republic over December and January should surely be the biggest consideration for this series in Australia. They are likely to encounter similar conditions Down Under and will have to show that they have learnt from the lessons of that trip. Their batsmen will have to have found ways of coping with the fast, seaming deliveries from the likes of misters Cummins, Starc, Hazzlewood and later Pattinson.
Australia got off the hook against the Poms thanks in no small part to the heroics of one Steve Smith. Marnus Labuschagne gave him good support but the Baggy Greens should be under no illusion that they need to improve on the batting front this time around or they might just be walking into an ambush in their own backyard.
HOW I SEE IT PLAYING OUT
Babar Azam is the stand-out batsman in the side. He has the technique to cope with faster conditions with more bounce and also comes into the first test fresh off an unbeaten 150 in the warm-up fixture. Azam was also one of the better players for the visitors in South Africa. With the ball Mohammad Abbas has been in prolific form for Pakistan over the past 18 months yet Shaheen Shah Afridi exploded onto the scene in South Africa. Abbas wasn’t nearly as effective whilst the left arm quickie caught the eye. I’m backing him to come out charging at the Gabba.
Australia will look to emulate what the Proteas were able to do earlier in the year. The Pakistanis failed to cope with the fiery pace of Duane Olivier and this will not have gone unnoticed by the Aussies. I’m expecting Pat Cummins to take up the role of blowing the visitors away in Brisbane.
Best Bets with BETOLIMP:
Top Pakistan 1st Inns Bat – B Azam @ 4.50
Top Pakistan 1st Inns Bowler – S Afridi @ 4.50
Man of the Match – P Cummins @ 12.00
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change
Couch Critic
