INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: Our cricket tipster The Edge previews Super Saturday in the IPL with Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings both with a recommended BETDAQ bet.
The Edge has been a professional cricket trader for over 12 years, and we are delighted to have his columns on BETDAQ Tips. He provides his best bets on a points scale between 1 and 5, with 5 being a rare max bet.
Because we see so much action in-running on cricket, he will also provide some in-running strategies that could develop in-play and lead to some excellent value bets. The Edge covers all forms of cricket: Test Matches, ODI’s and T20’s but his favourite competition is the Indian Premier League each season.
Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore
MATCH OVERVIEW:
We kick off another superb Double Header weekend on Saturday with Rajasthan Royals against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai! It’s been a busy week for RCB, as this is their third game. They started the week with an easy win against KKR in Sharjah and then lost at the same venue to Kings XI Punjab on Thursday. Rajasthan Royals broke their losing run last weekend here in a day game, and while they lost midweek, they will be hoping to use conditions to their advantage again today.
It’s going to be a very busy day on BETDAQ Betting Exchange as cricket bets are 0% commission today, which is excellent for a big double header! I still feel that the jury is out on RCB; although they have certainly performed better this season. However you still have to say that if their big three fail then they struggle. AB de Villiers didn’t finish off the innings as planned on Friday, and Kings XI Punjab were always in control of the chase.
Rajasthan might have been able to break their losing run here last weekend, but they were only chasing 158/4 and still traded high odds in-running. They will have to bowl very well to win today, but they still have huge issues with the quality in their side.
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
With this being a day game that rules out dew, and that should mean that the scores come down a little. The bowlers will certainly have more ability to control the ball without dew and we have seen the scores coming down a lot in recent days. You’d have to assume that scores will only continue to fall further as the wickets get used as we go along. 167/6 was good enough to win by 20 runs in a night game here during the week, and I would suggest 165+ would be a very good score here batting first. Thankfully we’re set fair with the weather.
RECOMMENDED BET:
I’m not a fan of Rajasthan, so I like RCB here at 1.81. As I said above, they have been much better this season – they have really benefitted from moving away from their home ground in Bangalore. However, they are still very much reliant on Finch starting well or de Villiers finishing the innings. Kohli must hold the innings together in-between. With Rajasthan having one of the weakest bowling units in the tournament, the RCB stars have an excellent platform to fire today and that can win the game for them.
The Edge Says:
Two points win Royal Challengers Bangalore to beat Rajasthan Royals at 1.81 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange.
View the market here -> http://bit.ly/BDQRajRcb
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
It’s definitely been an advantage to bat first throughout the whole tournament, but as we saw on Friday in RCB’s game; at the end of the day you have to bat well and deliver. I would still recommend looking for trades on the team batting first, especially if they are well set going into the final five overs. I really think RCB could do damage to the Rajasthan bowlers if they take wickets in hand to the last five overs and de Villiers is still there.
I would also look to be against the Rajasthan middle order once Smith has gone, they may have got the job done at the weekend but they haven’t been good otherwise. Even Ben Stokes coming up and scoring 41 runs couldn’t get them over the line against Delhi. Although granted they lost Smith for 1 run – they need him to improve to be honest. Stokes will help Rajasthan improve, but I always feel he needs a couple of games under his belt, and today might not be the day to support his bowling. He conceded 24 runs off two overs midweek.
Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings
MATCH OVERVIEW:
We move to Sharjah on Saturday evening for the second of our IPL games today! Delhi Capitals continued their excellent form during the week and go into another double header weekend top of the table. They are almost certain to be in the Playoffs now, but this is a huge game for CSK. They have turned the hide somewhat by beating Hyderabad during the week and there’s so much at stake over the weekend and next week.
KKR, Hyderabad and CSK look like the teams to do battle for the final Playoffs spot – however so much can happen. RCB can go on a losing run and slip back, whole Stokes could improve Rajasthan. At the moment, Delhi and Mumbai look certain of a Playoff spot, with Kings XI Punjab looking out of it, even if they did break their losing run on Thursday.
So, much to play for with CSK then. They need to start winning and perhaps their tactics on Tuesday against Hyderabad can be repeated. CSK have slowed down when chasing targets and got themselves into some bad position. I think batting first will improve them, and allow their batsmen to play for freely towards the end of the innings. Whether that is good enough to beat this Delhi side, is another question.
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
The wicket might be slowing down a lot at Sharjah, but the boundaries stay the same size. A point highlighted by the return of Chris Gayle as Kings XI Punjab hit 14 sixes on their way to chasing down RCB’s 171/6 here on Friday. Conditions suggest that the 200+ scores are gone, although granted batsmen talent could get us there with the small boundaries. But really and truly you want to be aiming for 185 in the first innings now. That will be a tough chase given the wicket is getting slower and lower. Once again the weather is 100% great!
RECOMMENDED BET:
I do expect CSK to finish the tournament strongly, and I wouldn’t rule out them getting into the Playoffs. They have the squad to do it. That being said, I really like this Delhi side. For me, they have everything at the moment. I think their bowling is the best attack in the tournament, and their batters are all in good form – Dhawan came to the part with a 50 midweek, and if he can stay in form that makes them all the more stronger. They also have good experience of this ground, and set a good total here when the pitch was starting to slow down. They are very much worth backing at 1.88.
The Edge Says:
Two points win Delhi Capitals to beat Chennai Super Kings at 1.88 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange.
View the market here -> http://bit.ly/BDQDelCsk
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
With the wicket slowing down here, trading won’t be as easy as it was at the start of the tournament. Then you could just back the team batting and relax a little bit. That’s not the case now, with the wicket having something in it for the bowlers. Of course, with the boundaries small a six or two is never far away and that can move the market a lot. I would be keen to get on the team batting first, but only if they are well set heading into the final five overs.
I think the key at Sharjah now is to not lose early wickets and look for batsmen getting themselves in. Late on, especially if we have dew, these boundaries are too small to defend and any score is possible. Delhi bowlers have had success here, and they can put the CSK lower order under immense pressure, but my main strategy would be to try look for trades on the team batting first, if their well set heading into the second half of the innings.
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