Tag: Cricket

Cricket: IPL Qualifier 1 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming enjoyed some epic battles as foes representing Australia and New Zealand.  As players, and as captains the two went head to head in all forms of the game, and they are now set to continue those battles as head coaches of two exciting IPL franchises.

Fleming’s coached Chennai since the IPL’s inception, he knows the format, knows his players and has put together an incredible overall franchise record.

Ponting on the other hand is in his first year of IPL coaching and has pioneered a massive change in fortune for his Mumbai franchise.  After losing their first four games the Indians’ have stormed back into contention and could surprise the slow finishing Super Kings.

The Ponting / Fleming storyline is a great sub-plot to the match which provides direct entry into the IPL final.

The Last Time These Two Met

The teams have split the two meetings in the Pepsi IPL.  In the first encounter of the season in Mumbai, the Super Kings chased down 183 with three overs and six wickets in hand.  However almost a month later Ambati Rayudu helped Mumbai even the ledger and chase down 158.

In terms of form, Mumbai probably enter the contest in the best space having won four of their last five to storm their way into the finals.  They are red-hot.

But, CSK lead the playoff head to head by 4-1.

The Teams

Mumbai Indians (likely): 1 Lendl Simmons 2 Parthiv Patel (wk) 3 Rohit Sharma (capt) 4 Ambati Rayudu 5 Kieron Pollard 6 Hardik Pandya 7 Harbhajan Singh 8 J Suchith 9 Mitchell McClenaghan 10 Vinay Kumar 11 Lasith Malinga

We can’t imagine that Mumbai will change their team that has won four of their last five games.  Although they do have Alex Hales at their disposal after the Englishman arrived on a short term contract.

Chennai Super Kings (likely): 1 Dwayne Smith 2 Michael Hussey 3 Suresh Raina 4 Faf du Plessis 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk) 6 Pawan Negi  7 Dwayne Bravo 8 Ravindra Jadeja 9 R Ashwin 10 Ashish Nehra 11 Mohit Sharma/Ishwar Pandey

Brendon McCullum has flown to England to be with the Black Caps test team.  He’s likely to be replaced by Michael Hussey who had a run in the Super King’s last game of the season.

The Key Players

Lendl Simmons – Simmons has been immense for the Indians this season and just shades the unexpectedly successful Mitchell McCelenaghan as the key player. Simons has put together 407 runs from 11 knocks this season to back up his stellar 2014 IPL.  He is quickly becoming one of the most consistent batman in the format and another good start from him here could go some way in delivering Mumbai another win.

Dwayne Bravo – Bravo’s twenty wickets in the 2015 edition of the IPL idoesn’t quite match his 32 form the 2013 edition but they have been arguably more important.  Chennai have struggled to put together consistently big scores, yet they have still managed a competition best nine wins, and plenty of those wins have come courtesy of stifling bowling and fielding efforts.  Bravo in particular has been crucial with ball in hand and in the field.  Can he stop teammates Simmons and Pollard?

The Match Odds*

Mumbai Indians – $2.10

Chennai Super Kings – $1.72

*Courtesy of Bet365 Australia.

The Prediction

Chennai have all the big game experience and all the nous to deliver wins when it matters.  Plenty of their performances this season have been below par, yet they keep getting W’s.  That makes this match an interesting battle between stability and spontaneity.  Between consistency and red-hot form.  While we don’t think Chennai will go all the way this year we think they’ll take this one out by 14 runs or 3 wickets.

The Best Bets

Suresh Raina’s form is tough to ignore.  We think he’ll top score for CSK @ $4.50.

For Mumbai, there are safer options but we fancy Pollard to top score @ $7.50.  The money’s just too good to ignore, plus he scored 64 off 30 balls in the first meeting of the teams this year.

Cricket: England v Ireland Preview – One Off ODI

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

England’s young brigade get the opportunity to atone for their incompetent seniors when the national cricket team meet Ireland at Malahide tomorrow.  While the heavily criticised stars who failed to beat West Indies in the recently concluded test series travel home, a wildly different looking side get the chance to dampen the choruses for coach Peter Moores’ head and press their own claims.

Ireland on the other hand will be ecstatic at the chance to worsen England’s already dark mood.  They’ll look to their 2011 World Cup upset over England as motivation for a shock win.

The Last Time These Two Met

Associate nations and test playing nations meet rarely.  The last time these two sides met was in 2013 where England won by 6 wickets.  The two matches prior to that were much closer however.  A narrow England win in August 2011 was preceded by the famous Ireland win in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Form against one another and generally is well out the window in predicting the outcome of this one.  The plethora of red ball cricket means both teams will be underdone, and the difficulty in predicting how the English debutants get on is obvious.

The Teams

England (likely): 1 Alex Hales, 2 Jason Roy, 3 James Vince, 4 James Taylor (capt), 5 Sam Billings, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 David Willey, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Tim Bresnan, 10 Steven Finn, 11 Mark Wood.

James Taylor leads England for the first time and takes charge of a team with too many (5) debutants to feature here.  Zafar Ansari and Lewis Gregory are the other options in the 13.

Ireland (likely): 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Niall O’Brien, 5 Andy Balbirnie, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Kevin O’Brien, 8 John Mooney, 9 George Dockrell, 10 Alex Cusack, 11 Craig Young/Stuart Thompson

Ireland have lost Tim Murtagh from their World Cup XI in one of the few changes expected from the tournament earlier in the year.

The Key Players

Adil Rashid – He should’ve played in the final test in the West Indies.  He is far more of a frontline spinner than Moeen Ali is and thoroughly deserves his chance to replace James Tredwell as England’s premiere limited overs and test spinner.  Hopefully the lack of cricket he’s played over the past few months isn’t reflected in his bowing.

William P0rterfield – The Irish captain was their best performing batsman at the World Cup.  In 6 matches he scored 275 runs at an average of 45.83 with a hundred and a fifty.  He’s also getting some hand 30/40 starts in his first class matches for Warwickshire in the always difficult early season conditions.

The Match Odds*

England – $1.35

Ireland – $3.21

*Courtesy of Sportsbet Australia.

The Prediction

England’s young troops should have too much talent for Ireland’s ageing troops.  We’re giving this one to England by 4 wickets or 50 runs.

The Best Bets

Sam Billings is a talented keeper batsman but makes this team as a specialist batsman.  He’s listed to come in at 5 which could be perfect if their’s early movement around.  Get on him to top score at $9.50.

For gimmicks sake try the Direction of First Boundary bet.  The leg side is paying a decent $2.00.  Surely one of the game’s openers has a pull shot or leg glance in them.

Cricket World Cup: Day 1 Recap

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After a tantalising wait the Cricket World Cup final got underway yesterday.  Australia and New Zealand justified their favourites tag with huge victories on the back of 300+ scores.  The two Australasian hosts sent an imperious warning to the rest of the teams vying to take out crickets’ most meaningful trophy.

Each day of the Cricket World Cup we’ll recap the results, here’s how day 1 panned out.

Day 1 Results

1. New Zealand v Sri Lanka

New Zealand displaced any concerns that nerves would get the better of them in their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.  Batting first on a chilly, overcast morning, the audible sigh of relief from Black Cap fans when Brendon McCullum slammed his first ball through the covers for four was telling.  McCullum’s boundary told of confidence, aggression and belief, while the sigh proved many New Zealanders were uncomfortable with the favourites tag, but relieved that it wouldn’t change New Zealand’s approach.

The Black Caps mustered 331 in their 50 overs.  Corey Anderson put the icing on the cake after McCullum and Williamson had early contributed half centuries.  Sri Lanka were sloppy in the field, and the seam bowling saving grace role that Lasith Malinga was expected to play didn’t eventuate as he was plummeted for 84 runs in 10 wicketless overs.

In reply, Sri Lanka made an excellent start and at 124/1 were a chance of running down the imposing total. However, regular wickets, share amongst the New Zealand bowlers, put paid to any chance and they eventually fell well 98 runs short.

New Zealand 331 for 6 (Anderson 75, McCullum 65, Williamson 57, Mendis 2-5) beat Sri Lanka 233 (Thirimanne 65, Anderson 2-18) by 98 runs

2. Australia v England

Australia got their campaign underway in front of a raucous 85,000 strong crowd at the MCG.  Reinforcing their dominance over England at late and their favourites tag, the Australians scored a huge 342 from their 50 overs (despite at once stage falling to 70/3.  Aaron Finch survived being dropped in the first over to make 135 and  Glenn Maxwell finished things off briskly.  The only joy for the Poms was a final over hat-trick from Steven Finn.

Things got worse for the English; they slumped to 92/6 and with it saw any chance of an unlikely victory slip away.  Captain, Eoin Morgan continued his bizarre run of form – despite a century early in the summer he’s now registered 4 ducks in his last five innings.  James Taylor added some respectability to the total.  He’s was not out on 98* when James Anderson was incorrectly ruled run out after a DRS reversal.  Mitchell Marsh thrived in taking over James Faulkner’s duties; he took five wickets with his medium pace.

Australia dominant, and on course for trophy number five it seems.

Australia 342 for 9 (Finch 135, Maxwell 66, Bailey 55, Finn 5-71) beat England 231 (Taylor 98*, Marsh 5-33) by 111 runs

Cricket World Cup: Betting Specials

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Many of the major Australia bookmakers are offering specials on the Cricket World Cup.  We’ve scoured the best offers and summarised them for you below.  Happy Betting!

Sportsbet Australia

World Cup Money Back Special!

  • Place a Top Runscorer Team A or Team B bet on a Cricket World Cup match
  • If your bet loses but your selection hits a 6, we’ll refund your bet up to $100!
  • Your first bet for each team’s Top Runscorer is eligible, so you can take advantage of this special twice per match!

Max $100 refund per team, applies to Top Runscorer Team A or Team B markets only, first bet per team eligible, online bets only*

 

Ladbrokes Australia

1. Cricket World Cup Batters Bonus

Bonus bet if your player is bowled or out LBW.

Have a top batsman bet in ANY World Cup match, and if your player is either bowled or out LBW, you’ll get your stake back as a bonus bet. Max bet $100.

2. Cash Back – Cricket World Cup

.Money back if Australia score 250+ runs but lose!

Australia play England in their first World Cup match, and this is an offer too good to refuse! Have a bet on the Aussie’s in head to head market, and if they score 250+ runs but lose, you’ll get your CASH BACK! That’s money back in your account to have another crack. Max bet $100.

 

BetEasy

World Cup Bonus

  • Place a bet on the Australia Top Run Scorer Market for any of Australia’s group matches
  • We’ll match your stake up to $25 with a Bonus Bet to place on the Australia Top Wicket Taker Market for that match!

Applies to your first Australia Top Run Scorer bet on each group match involving Australia.

 

TopBetta

World Cup Cricket – Bigger Bat Promo

It’s World Cup Cricket on TopBetta and throughout the competition we are boosting each batsmans willow by 50%! Pick the Top Batsman in either team market (EG: Top New Zealand Batsman and Top Sri Lankan Batsman) and if he does knock up the most runs we will increase your odds and payout by 50%!

 

PalmerBet

ICC World Cup Top Run Scorer Promotion

How does it work?

A Free Bet Reload applies to all Top Runs scorer bets placed on all ICC World cup matches that select a player who scores 50 runs or more in his innings and does not win the Top run scorer market.

 

TAB Australia

High Bat Money Back

Place a High Bat bet on any player in the Cricket World Cup and if your batsman scores 50 or more runs but doesn’t top score, we’ll give you your money back.

 

 

Cricket World Cup Preview – Top Wicket Takers

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

In no particular order here’s our list of bowlers we expect to be near the top of the wicket taking charts at the Cricket World Cup beginning on February 14th in Australia and New Zealand.  Odds courtesy of BetEasy.

1. Mitchell Johnson

145 matches, 224 wickets, 25.50 average, 4.82 economy rate, 6/31 best bowling

The left-arm quick has already ended a few cricket careers prematurely due to his fearsome pace, and there’s a very good chance he’ll do the same over the next six weeks.  His ability to swing the ball late in conjunction with his accurate short balls should be too much for many of the associate nations’ batsman. He’ll probably be too much for the batsman of test playing nations too.

Odds – $10.00

2. Dale Steyn

96 matches, 151 wickets, 25.14 average, 4.80 economy rate, 6/39 best bowling

With the tournament hosted in New Zealand and Australia and the threat of spin accordingly minimised, quickies will play a big role in the tournament.  One of the better quicks going around is the angry faced Dale Steyn.  The spearhead of the South African team will take his team deep into the tournament and will enjoy the swimming conditions of both host nations.  Unsurprisingly, he’s one of the favourites to top the wicket tally.

Odds – $11.00

3. James Anderson

188 matches, 264 wickets, 28.84 average, 4.90 economy rate, 5/23 best bowling

Another swing bowler that is likely to make an impression at the Cricket World Cup is England’s James Anderson.  Anderson’s major weapons are his accurate outswingers and impeccable length.  Not only will he nick off a lot of batsman, he’ll also keep the scoring rate down and take wickets by frustrating the opposition batting lineup by drying up their runs.

Odds – $21.00

4. Lasith Malinga

177 matches, 271 wickets, 27.21 average, 5.21 economy rate, 6/38 best bowling

Although’s Malinga has faced an uphill battle to get himself fit for the Cricket World Cup, we still expect him to play a huge role.  The “slinger” is one of the best death bowlers in the business and one of the most sought after Twenty20 players because of it.  An uncanny knack of bowling the perfect yorker is mixed with effective slower balls and change up bouncers in an arsenal of deliveries that will get wickets at the top and the tail of the innings.

Odds – $15.00

5. Morne Morkel

91 matches, 152 wickets, 24.69 average, 4.95 economy rate, 5/21 best bowling

At 6ft 5in Morne Morkel was never going to be anything other than a quick with steeling bounce (not Mohammad Irfan bounce, but close).  South Africa doesn’t quite have the bounce friendly draw they would have hoped for, but Morkel will still take wickets because unlike in test cricket, batsman have to find ways to score off him – they can’t just leave hime all day.

Odds – $17.00

6. Rangana Herath

67 matches, 71 wickets, 31.07 average, 4.36 economy rate, 4/20 best bowling

The first spinner on our list is the 8th best ODI bowler according to the official rankings.  Herath is a round arm leftie, who darts in tricky straight turners at an awkwardly slow pace.  His preferred mode of dismissal is bowled and lbw we also think his slow loop through the air will catch a few of his opponents short on the bigger grounds and have them caught on the boundaries edge.  Sri Lanka will be quarterfinalists at worst so he’ll get plenty of games in to take the wickets.

Odds – $26.00

7. Trent Boult

16 matches, 18 wickets, 34.94, 4.70 economy rate, 4/44 best bowling

It seems silly not to include a New Zealand when so many pundits are  predicting the Black Caps to go all the way in the tournament it seems a shame not to include one of their frontline bowlers.  But when the choice is between Southee, Boult, Vettori, Milne, McClengahan and Mills it gets tricky to pick one.  We’re going with Boult.  Complements Southee so brilliantly and makes top order batsman play more than any other opening bowler going around.  Even without the abundance of experience that others on this list have we’re predicting big things from Boult.

Odds – $26.00

8. Moeen Ali

17 wickets, 17 wickets, 37.29 average, 4.69 economy rate, 2/34 best bowling

Without Sunil Narine and Saeed Ajmal the tournament is lacking in quality spinners.  However, that doesn’t mean spinners won’t be a factor.  One spinner we think has a big role to play is England all-round Moeen Ali.  England might not play a specialist spinner in James Tredwell meaning Ali will more often than not bowl his ten overs, and with a support cast of Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes at the other end, he’ll get some cheapie brought on by the pressure they impose.  Wickets in every single game of the recent tri-series indicates he’s in form too.  We’re picking a list of Cricket World Cup wickets longer than his beard in 2015.

Odds – $67.00

9. Mitchell Starc

33 matches, 61 wickets, 21.27 average, 5.00 economy rate, 6/43 best bowling

Starc may just be the most in form bowler heading in to the Cricket World Cup out of all the contenders.  He proved just how good he is with the first two balls of the Carlton Mid Tri-Series recently; taking wickets of both of them, dismissing Ian Bell and James Taylor, and he didn’t stop taking wickets at any stage during the tournament.  Swing, and toe-crushingly good yorkers have seen Starc join the other Mitchell (Johnson) as the player performance market favourite.

Odds – $10.00

10. Shakib Al Hasan

141 matches, 182 wickets, 27.92 average, 4.26 economy rate, 4/16 best bowling

Every list has to have a smokey right?  Even so, Shakib is an absolute smokey as he will probably play three less games than some of the others.  Can he make up those numbers in earlier games?  We think so.  If his Big Bash League form (played on Australian soil) is anything to go buy.  The canny spinner averaged 13.85 with the ball in the Twenty20 series, taking 7 wickets in just 16 overs.  Probably worth a $1 punt.

Odds – $126.00

Cricket: Big Bash League Final Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

No side has ever won the Big Bash League twice.  Surprising, when you consider the Perth Scorchers have played in every final of the competition thus far.  However, both sides competing for the title in 2015 have lifted the trophy.  The Scorchers last year and the Sixers in 2011/12.  Thus the winner of this matchup will become the most successful franchise in the league’s short history.

Manuka Oval plays host to the two teams.  A ground notorious for big scores.  Perfect for the big occasion.  Last year the Perth Scorchers made 191 in their 20 overs and defended it with ease.  The conditions at Manuka should suit a similar score, unless the strong bowling attacks of both sides have anything to say about it.

The Last Time These Two Met

The teams have clashed just once in BBL4.  On that occasion, the Scorchers came out winners by 36 runs in a low scoring affair at the SCG.  Batting first, the Perth outfit made just 135, of which young Marcus Harris top scored with 36.  In response the Sydney side mustered just 99; stifled by an accomplished group effort by the Scorchers fielding unit.  The Scorchers have defended totals (both low and high) all tournament long, and arguably have the most complete bowling unit in the competition.

The Teams

Perth Scorchers (likely): Adam Voges , Shaun Marsh, Michael Klinger, Michael Carberry, Whiteman, Ashton Turner, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Yasir Arafat, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Brad Hogg.

Sydney Sixers (likely):  Riki Wessels, Michael Lumb, Nic Maddinson, Moises Henriques,  Jordan Silk, Ryan Carters, Sean Abbott, Steven O’Keefe, Brett Lee, Nathan Lyon, Dough Bollinger

The Key Players

Nathan Coulter-Nile – The crucial wicket of the entire Big Bash League may well have been Coulter-Nile’s dismissal of Melbourne Stars kingpin Kevin Pieterson.  That’s a remarkable feat for the lanky all-rounder given the semi-final against the Stars was his only appearance in this year’s Big Bas League.  In that game Coulter-Nile got runs and wickets, and the Australian rep will be expected to do the same in tomorrows final.

Jordan Silk – Silk has been quite the find this season.  Known for his fielding and conservative batting approach, Silk has exploded in the finishers role, helping his side to important wins along the way.  269 runs at 67.25 have seen him rewarded with a three year extension with the Sixers.  Silk’s at $21 to take out the man of the match award.

The Odds*

Perth Scorchers – $1.72

Sydney Sixers – $2.15

*Courtesy of BetEasy.

The Prediction

The Scorchers are incredible bowling and fielding side, but we’re not backing their batsman to do enough to get them over the line.  We like the Sixers.  Led by Lumb, Wessels and Maddinson to prevail.