Trophy win bolsters Australia's pre-match cricket odds

Australia can boast favourable online cricket betting odds after they recovered from a losing Ashes summer with victory in the Champions Trophy.

The team built on a commanding ODI series win over England last month by beating New Zealand in the trophy final in South Africa on Monday.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said of the Centurion victory: "This is a very special achievement and if you look at the Australian cricket team, the ups and downs we've been through over the last 18 months, then I think this is a real positive for us.

"It's great to see now that we're getting more experience in some of the younger guys that they're starting to make major impacts on the international game, as Shane (Watson) has done over the past few days."

Watson hit a second century in succession to help his side overcome New Zealand, having reached 100 in the semi-final against England.

Australia are now on odds of 1.86 to win the tour of India they start later this month, and are on 1.62 to win the next Ashes series against England after losing the urn in the summer.

Champions Trophy final losers New Zealand will now go on to a series of matches against Pakistan in the UAE next month.