Category: Cricket

IPL Betting: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore

There’s much to like about both Mumbai and Bangalore and the winner of this match will be in a good position in the standings. The wonderful Jacques Kallis and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar are just two of the stars on show and this could end up being a cracker, says Edward Hammond-Kenny. “Jacques Kallis is the player of the tournament so far contributing with both bat and ball so the obvious aim for Mumbai is to get him out as cheaply as possible and prevent Bangalore building an innings around him.” Venue and Conditions Game 14 of the IPL is at the Brabourne Stadium, scene of Yusuf Pathan’s incredible 37-ball 100 for Rajasthan; a game which Mumbai only just managed to defend 212. The pitch is generally fair but if batsmen gets in, they can take advantage of the relatively short boundaries on offer here. Team News Barring injuries Mumbai are unlikely to change the team that beat Delhi by 98 runs on Wednesday.

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Mar 19, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting: Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab

Ravi Bopara has been a prince among some pretty ordinary men for the King’s XI Punjab, but can’t be expected to do it all on his own again against the Deccan Chargers, says Tobias Gourlay. Venue and Conditions Cuttack is a difficult place to go, not just because the Barabati Stadium is more than an hour away from an airport and some decent accommodation, but also because it’s a temporary home of the Deccan Chargers, the reigning IPL champions, who have been forced out of Hyderabad by political turmoil. This is Cuttack’s first Twenty20 match. Team News The Deccan Chargers have a settled side built around a trio of players – Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Chaminda Vaas – whose international careers are over and one – Herschelle Gibbs – whose soon will be. All four made important contributions as the Chargers responded to an opening-day defeat with a comfortable win over the Chennai Super Kings. Local support for the overseas players comes from VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma with the bat and RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha with the ball. In the absence of Fidel Edwards, space could be found for young Kemar Roach, if Gilchrist wants to improve his team’s death bowling

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Mar 18, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting: Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings

Tobias Gourlay reckons Virender Sehwag will smoke the Super Kings. Venue and Conditions The early game on Friday is in Delhi. Ahead of the first match at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Wednesday there were concerns that the pitch might be a little too bowler-friendly (an ODI was abandoned for that reason a few months ago)

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Mar 18, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Brett Lee: The last of the great ambassadors

With Brett Lee announcing his retirement from Test cricket and a return to the international fold in the shorter formats looking unlikely, Paul Moon tells us why the loss of the paceman is bad news for the game beyond his wicket-taking abilities . “It is relevant to understand the intrinsic nature of the Aussie but to the neutral the perception is that they prefer aggression to grace. They have been accused more than once in recent years of ‘breaching the spirit of the game’ and they have been called bullies. If a worldwide poll were taken, few would agree that the Australians make good ambassadors for cricket.” Although the 33-year-old Australian fast bowler Brett Lee had recently retired from Test cricket, he hopes to regain his place in Australia’s Twenty20 and ODI teams. Michael Clarke, the Twenty20 captain, has since hinted that is unlikely to happen citing the present embarrassment of pace riches available.

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Mar 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting: Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians

It’s two wins from two for Delhi and one from one for Mumbai so something’s got to give as the two tournament favourites lock horns on Wednesday. All of which should make for yet another cracking match, says Frank Gregan.

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Mar 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting Preview: Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings

Different coach, different uniforms, different results. The purple-clad Knight Riders already have two wins on the board. On Tuesday night, the Chennai Super Kings enter the intimidating amphitheatre of Eden Gardens.

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Mar 15, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting: Are players taking the tournament seriously?

The IPL has overcome the doubters to revolutionise one day cricket but it risks sliding into obscurity if players fail to take it seriously, says Frank Gregan. “The IPL might end up as the equivalent of Football’s ‘Masters’ – a contest for players long past their prime, who still have the technique but lack the physique with which to execute it.” When the IPL started it was referred to as a Mickey Mouse competition by the cricket puritans.

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Mar 15, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Cricket Betting: Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Fresh from beating the Deccan Chargers, the Kolkata Knight Riders will be keen to make it two from two when they face last year’s beaten finalists Bangalore. But taking on the South African trio of Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Dale Steyn won’t be easy, says Edward Hammond-Kenny. “Kolkata have the momentum following their win on Friday, but the reality is that was a game that Deccan threw away. Last year’s runners up, Bangalore, will once again attempt to rely on solid team performances to grind the opposition down.” Venue and Conditions The Kolkata Knight Riders will be playing all their home games at the imposing cauldron of Eden Gardens. The completed 1st innings scores at this venue during IPL 1 were generally on the low side (just over 140 on average), though the highest scoring game here saw Kolkata knock off 175 against Punjab. The most recent ODI in late December saw India comfortably chase down 315 against Sri Lanka, so hopefully the pitch will be slightly more conducive to batting this time around. Team News Kolkata’s win against Deccan was largely due to their overseas talent as Owais Shah and Angelo Mathews both struck 50s while Charl Langeveldt was the pick of their bowling, picking up two wickets while going for only 6.5 runs per over. Expect to see the same overseas players in action again, with Mendis missing out once more

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Mar 13, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IPL Betting: Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers

Deccan Chargers look to rebuld their campaign after Friday’s horror show but MS Dhoni’s Chennai Superkings possess one of the most explosive batting line-ups in the IPL, including that man Matthew Hayden. “For Chennai Matthew Hayden would be the obvious selection but i’m slightly put off by his decision to use the oddly shaped Mongoose bat as it’s not like he needed any assistance to clear the ropes last season. I’d like to see one innings of him using his new weapon of choice before backing him.” Venue and Conditions Chennai open their tournament with a home game against Deccan at the venerable MA Chidambaram Stadium. During IPL 1 the average 1st innings total here was an impressive 170, the result of fair pitches combined with Chennai’s explosive batting line up. Two matches saw both teams score over 200. Expect to see plenty of runs again in IPL 3 as Chennai look to overwhelm their opponents with their batting depth. Team News Chennai came close to winning IPL 1 and 2 but the thinking goes that their team may be slightly past its best as their overseas stars are either ageing, injured or both (Andrew Flintoff, Jacob Oram, Muralitharan and Ntini being the obvious examples). In Matthew Hayden though they have arguably the best batsman in this format of the game, while MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina also boast enviable records in T20

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Mar 13, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Andrew Flintoff: What does Freddie have left in the tank?

As Andrew Flintoff attempts to come back from yet another injury, Paul Moon questions his commitment to Lancashire and whether we’ll ever see him play for his country again. “Lancashire must expect his influence to be minimal and for his absences for one reason or another to be frequent and they must plan accordingly. The IPL and the England ODI team will be the most financially-rewarding way to end his career and therefore his main concerns.” After undergoing a successful micro-fracture operation on his right knee in January Andrew Flintoff now believes he will be able play four-day cricket. He had originally intended to just play one-day cricket for Lancashire, England and IPL Franchise the Chennai Super Kings. Lancashire coach Peter Moores followed up by saying that Andrew has a real desire to play for his county and influence the dressing room for the forthcoming 2010 LV County Championship campaign. Some of us are not so sure. Initially there will be good intentions

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Mar 12, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
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