England v South Africa Second Test Betting

There is a very good chance that this series between England and South Africa will go right down to the final Test match which suggests that the second match of the three will be hugely important. England and South Africa do not like each other but the good news for the punter is that there are more ways than ever before to cash in on this second Test match.

The venue for this second game is Headingley, a favourite for the English and the background for the famous Ian Botham v Australia clash way back when. England v South Africa second Test betting could see the bowlers coming more into the equation because the ball does tend to do a bit more whenever there is a Test match in Yorkshire.

Cricket at Headingley

Cricket at Headingley is always a bit more exciting because the wicket tends to be quite quick and the fact the groundsman at Yorkshire doesn't seem to know how to use a lawn mower means the ball tends to seam around more. The last Test match that England played in at the venue was against Australia during the 2009 Ashes series where the result was an innings win for the old enemy.

The very last instance of Test match cricket at Headingley took place between the Aussies and Pakistan in the summer of 2010. English grounds were used as a neutral venue because it is still considered unsafe to hold Test cricket in Pakistan. Pakistan won on that occasion and were joyfully cheered on by the English public.

Betting on England v South Africa

Betting on England v South Africa for this second Test is something that requires a little bit of homework. The last time these teams met in a Test series was in South Africa where England managed to secure a 1-1 draw which is the same result that Australia achieved the last time they toured South Africa and back in the days when they were number one in the world.

When sides play against big opponents then it does tend to make certain players raise their game. For example, Kevin Pietersen averages 59.63 against South Africa. This could have something to do with his South African background as the South African press suggests or it could have something to do with the fact he's a very good player.

Another good example of where backing a player in betting on England v South Africa can be successful is the South African captain Graeme Smith. Smith blasted a Test best of 277 against England at Edgbaston during one of his first tours of the country. Smith also scored a first class score of 311 for Somerset against Leicestershire when he played county cricket in England.

Conditions at Headingley

The conditions at Headingley quite often favour the bowling side because the ball has historically moved around off the surface. The reason for this is the fact that conditions at Headingley tend to suggest that the pitch is never quite as flat as other wickets up and down England. The ball will naturally grip more if there is more grass on a wicket and the soil conditions at Headingley always produce a slightly greener wicket.