Bookies bet on Punter's lot

Bridgetown, Barbados, Apr 13 (UNI) Australia are so overwhelmingly favoured to win their third World Cup in succession that a 10 rupee bet on 'Punter' Ricky Ponting's team would yield you a paltry one rupee profit if they go on to lift the trophy.

At 11/10, the defending champions, who've decimated one and all with equal disdain so far, are topping the betting chart followed by Sri Lanka (3/1), who have emerged as next best bet after defeating New Zealand convincingly in a Super Eight encounter yesterday.

The loss has left the Kiwis third at 4/1 and the bookies predict that their chances of making it into the final have diminished as Stephen Fleming's men face the possibility of running into the Lankans or the Australians in the semifinal.

A complete annihilation of the West Indies has helped Graeme Smith's team gain some lost ground following their shock defeat at the hands of Bangladesh but they still lie at fourth spot at the betting parameter with odds in favour at nine ratio two.

England are the only other team with a realistic chance of making it into the last four but their struggle to win matches makes them a risky bet at 20/1.

'Big bat Matt' Mathew Hayden is tipped to be the top-scorer in the world cup and at 11/10 odds place him ahead of Protea Jacques Kallis who's second at 7/2. Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting follows at 4/1 while veteran Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya is fourth in the list at 10/1.

Bookies predict wily Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to take maximum wickets in the Cup and his odds stand at 13/8. Glenn McGrath follows with 11/4 while Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdul Razzak also finds his name in the list with odds at 80/1.

UNI