Andrew Strauss looks worth a punt at 20-1 to be named man of the match for the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
The England opening batsman made only 23 runs in the first Test in Brisbane and was heavily criticised for twice being out to the hook shot.
However, the Middlesex man is a class act and is better judged on his overall record, which makes for impressive reading. He scored two memorable centuries in last summer’s Ashes triumph and has ten centuries in only 32 Tests, helping him achieve an impressive average of more than 45 at the highest level. He has excelled at home and abroad.
The 29-year-old will be extra determined to succeed in Adelaide and the pitch there, often described as a batsman’s paradise, should ensure the bowlers toil.
Having a saver on Strauss being England’s top first-innings scorer at a general 7-2 is an option, but the 20-1 quote is just too big to resist and will look even chunkier if Andrew Flintoff wins the toss and gets to bat first, giving Strauss the chance to fill his boots.
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Shane Warne (6-1) and Ricky Ponting (8-1) predictably head the man of the match market, but the former struggled a bit in Brisbane, while the latter is nursing a bad back. Flintoff is the shortest-priced England player at 12-1, with Pietersen 14-1.