Pontin refund for Sportsbet punters

Ricky Pontin has the task to refocus the Australian ODI team for Friday’s match against Sri Lanka and Sportingbet

is backing the stand-in skipper to get among the runs to reward unlucky punters with a refund.

Pontin was asked to

take over the captaincy in the absence of Michael Clarke after the national selectors took the view that vice-captain David

Warner doesn’t have the experience for an important game.

Australia lost to India on Sunday and must beat

Sri Lanka to regain the lead on the Commonwealth Bank Series table. Sri Lanka’s tie with India got them on the board

with their first point but arrive in Sydney knowing the SGC is their best ground in Australia, having won five of their past

seven ODIs there, including three victories over the Baggy Greens.

While the selectors look to Pontin to inspire a

return to winning ways, Sportingbet is offering punters using its online betting site the chance to get a refund if the acting captain score the most runs for

Australia. Customers placing a bet on the top Australian batsman for the Australia v Sri Lanka match will get losing stakes

refunded, up to $100, if Pontin top scores.

Michael Hussey is expected to return to the batting line up to replace

Clarke. Sportingbet make Warner favourite to be top Australian batsman and he’ll open on a good batting track with

Matthew Wade.