India can clinch series win

Sachin Tendulkar's brilliant hundred gave India a 1-0 lead in the CB Series finals and if Australia don't level the three-match series by winning the second match on Tuesday, they would end their summer on a sour note.

It would be a strange twist of fate if Australia taste defeat because from next year, they are dumping the tri-series format, so they will want to go out on a high, not least because it would be a pretty tame end to the career of Adam Gilchrist, who retires from international cricket after the series.

But everyone knows there is little room in professional sport for any kind of sentiment and while India's players will wish Gilchrist - one of the nicest members of the Australian side - all the luck for the future, they would love to win in Brisbane to take the series.

After a long tour, India want to go home as soon as possible, so winning Tuesday's second match would allow them to get back that little bit faster. Australia are 2/5 (1.40) to win it, but India have to be tempting at 7/4 (2.75).

Brisbane should offer more help to the seamers than the MCG, so don't expect to see two spinners on either side. Australia are likely to go for an all-out seam attack, while India look likely to bring in Sreesanth.

Australia are not batting well and while it would be foolish to write players of their class off just yet, they are up against it and it will probably take a big effort from one of their senior players to lift the team.

Gilchrist, who has been in good nick, Matt Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting all share favouritism in the market to be top Australia runscorer, at 10/3. It would be nice for Gilchrist if he can make a big score, but the result is what matters to his team most.

Michael Clarke is 9/2, Andrew Symonds is 6/1 and Michael Hussey is 7/1 with Brad Haddin a 9/1 chance.

Tendulkar, who else, tops the India market at 11/4 and having made a one-day international in Australia for the first time in his incredible career, what's the betting he makes another one on Tuesday?

The ever-improving Gautam Gambhir is 4/1, with Yuvraj Singh, who has regained form of late, a 9/2 shot, the same price as Virender Sehwag and Robin Uthappa. Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni, the captain, are both 7/1.

Gilchrist is just 5/1 to be man of the match but it will take something special to do that, and I have a sneaking feeling that India will win this one too.