Champions Trophy

Loving the cricket at the minute and having a ball with the betting.

I've been having a punt with the match odds, £25 a game and so far have every single winner in every game. Currently £140 up.

Today my punt is with India and they are looking favourites now with WI at 191-9.

Whilst WI were many people's choice of favourite for me they only just beat a Pakistan side that got slaughtered but SA last night and India beat South Africa. The big danger was if the WI big hitters stayed in and whilst Chris Gayle had me doubting myself early doors he skied out for 21.

although Danny Sammy's 50 runs off 28 balls hasn't helped

Those last 50 runs have totally changed the game.

Indians cruised to victory, I don't know what I was worried about.

Going for my 7th straight prediction in this competition tomorrow and I'm siding with the Kiwis vs. Australia.

The Aussies looked awful on Saturday and as the spinners have played such a part in this competition I'm taking the NZ'ers two spinners to prevail against the Aussies one.

Add to that the fact that NZ have been playing under English conditions for 6 weeks or so now and this is the culmination of the tour whereas the Aussies have bigger fish to fry in the next couple of months then I've taken odds of 2.34.

well done Pokes, i reckon you've got a nailed on winner tomorrow

It's an excellent format, tons better than the long World Cup/Super Six format and it's a shame it's being scrapped.

Pretty upbeat on England's chances, obviously they lack some X Factor to post the massive totals but if they can get to 250 or thereabouts it's always a good total to defend with bowlers like Anderson/Tredwell.

SA will get stronger the longer the tournament goes on so hoping for the Windians to pluck past them so we don't have to face Steyn/Morkel returning from injury.

Agree about the format,'tis a boon not to have to endure one sided non events for a fortnight before the real action begins.Cricket so far has been a bit of a mixture,wickets seem quite slow and only one or two high scoring matches.Nothing wrong with that of course,especially you when you get a cliffhanger a la WI v Pakistan and NZ v SL.Australia are terrible and i don't think their fortunes will get much better this summer,Mr Botham has said that a10-0 whitewash is possible over the forthcoming 2 Ashes series,which may be a tad optimistic but would be wonderful to behold.

I really want to see joss butler come in at 200-2 with 15 overs left

The problem is that that would require Trott, Bell and Cook to score at 6 an over = unlikely unless it's a proper belter of a pitch. The best chance of a massive score is ironically them failing and someone like Morgan batting 30+ overs with the accompaniments of Buttler/whoever at the end, but the only innovative player we have who's ever looked capable of batting for long periods even remotely consistently is the Saffer out injured.

Mock Cuncher wrote:

The problem is that that would require Trott, Bell and Cook to score at 6 an over = unlikely unless it's a proper belter of a pitch. The best chance of a massive score is ironically them failing and someone like Morgan batting 30+ overs with the accompaniments of Buttler/whoever at the end, but the only innovative player we have who's ever looked capable of batting for long periods even remotely consistently is the Saffer out injured.

Yeah I guess so. KP is a huge absence. It's not just his volume of runs it's the speed he accumulates them.

You could have KP one end and it wouldn't matter who was at the other. Then if Buttler or Bresnan were in for a few overs it could be carnage.

Cow-Corner Warner apparently been dropped today for Australia after punching someone when out smashed last night.

He's a one trick pony anyway.

Aussies 2 wickets down after 8 overs. A couple more wickets and this maybe easier than I thought.
Famous last words.

I'm in trouble here unless the Kiwi's make some serious inroads. Typical, as soon as you shout your mouth off you go and lose.

Now I know how Jock feels

I think there's rain coming so you might get a helping hand via Duckworth Lewis.

That would be handy Jock, let's hope the Kiwi's are sensible enough to always stay ahead of it. I think they're going to struggle if they have to bat all 50.

Just walking past Oval now. The Joe Root punch seems to have increased the media presence.

The Aussie attack is pretty powder puff. 

The Kiwi's can do this if they just play patiently.

As they just take another wicket 

Greenjock wrote:

The Aussie attack is pretty powder puff. 

The Kiwi's can do this if they just play patiently.

As they just take another wicket 

The aussies arent having a good day, Shocking what Warner try to do to Young Root.

Phew, bet void...so still technically unbeaten this Champions Trophy.

Better weather tomorrow at the Oval with only the risk of light showers in the afternoon, although overcast.

Given the age of the Sri Lankan squad, their first performance and the bowling talent within the England squad then on paper and without emotion it should be England.

The only two negative's are England's historical 50 over performance which suggests a monkey performance is due and if England have to chase a total that may be reduced due to D/L when we just don't seem to have the characters to press the accelerator.

Having said that and even with England at 1.76 on Betfair, I'm on England.

England could be in trouble now. 2 points from 2 games with Sunday's game against New Zealand certain to be a wash-out with heavy rain forecast all day.

That leaves New Zealand through on 4 points, England will be on 3 and Sri Lanka 2, Australia on 1 point , with the Aussies playing Sri Lanka on Monday. If Sri Lanka win then England are out.

Strange game today from England. They've obviously got this plan not to take any risks throughout the innings to preserve wickets for a mad dash at the end. They were going along nicely at about 240-3 but got bogged down and hardly scored for 3 or 4 overs and lost 4 wickets. Then Bopara smashed the last over for 28 with 3 sixes and 2 fours.

The Sri Lankans never looked in danger though chasing 294 and cruised home with 3 overs to spare.

290 should always be defendable in England.

Think the bowlers let the side down here, rather than the batsmen.

Mock Cuncher wrote:

290 should always be defendable in England.

Think the bowlers let the side down here, rather than the batsmen.

I agree Mock and so does my £25

Not a bad start for us 32-2 of 7.3 overs SA are batting

45-3 off 10,come on England

50-4 off of 13.4.Good stuff

63-5  16.5 overs