MK Dons v Man United: First clean sheet to elude again

"Six of MK Dons’ previous seven Capital One Cup clashes rewarded punters who backed both teams to score."
Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.865/6

Michael Lintorn thinks both teams to score is the fastest route to Capital One Cup profit at stadiummk...

MK Dons v Man United
Tuesday, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: MK Dons 9.417/2, Man United 1.384/11, The Draw 5.79/2

Louis van Gaal has a solid cup record, winning Dutch, Spanish and German knockout silverware while at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, while you may also just about recall him steering Netherlands to an unexpected third-place finish at World Cup 2014.

However, there wasn't enough evidence in his first Man United two games to make a firm case for backing them at 1.384/11 to beat anyone, let alone a team three matches deeper into 2014/15 and far more adjusted to what is required of them tactically in boss Karl Robinson's fourth season in charge.

MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman has called this "the biggest game in the club's history", but they usually thrive when forced to confront higher-division opposition.

They held FA Cup holders Wigan twice in the competition last term, conquered Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday and QPR in 2012/13, thrashed Norwich 4-0 at Carrow Road in 2011/12 and overcame Blackpool in 2010/11. The latter trio were in the Premier League at the time of humbling.

Man United are clearly several notches superior to all of those sides and, even if fielding reserves, can introduce Shinji Kagawa, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck, so should triumph, yet this writer isn't confident enough to back them at their current price.

Both teams to score

Anyone sentencing Man United to another year of misery and irrelevance after their underwhelming start risks being made to regret it - as discussed here - but van Gaal admits that it usually takes a few months for his methods to properly take effect.

The learning process is trickier for the Red Devils due to the extensive injury crisis depriving them of Michael Carrick and summer signings Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera among many others, and because they are adapting to a new shape (3-4-1-2) as well as approach.

The defensive transformation has been particularly challenging due to both fitness problems and slow transfer progress. For instance, Jonny Evans should return for his first start at MK Dons, but Chris Smalling is now sidelined and Marcos Rojo still isn't cleared to play.

Both Man United and their opponents netted in their first two Premier League fixtures, while six of their League One hosts' previous seven Capital One Cup clashes rewarded punters who backed both teams to score.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.865/6

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Heineken Cup semi-finals: Back Saracens to reach first final

"Saracens have home advantage in this clash and the confident English team can make this count at Twickenham."

Recommended bet: Back Saracens to win at 2.0621/20

Previewing the semi-finals of Europe's premier competition, Simon Mail expects Saracens to overcome Toulon and reach their first final, and is backing Clermont to edge a tight encounter with Munster

Saracens v Toulon
Kick-off: Sunday 14:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports 2

Saracens have their best chance of reaching the Heineken Cup final when they host Toulon at Twickenham. The Men in Black have an outstanding squad and their experience in this competition in recent years could help take them to the Aviva Stadium next month. Mark McCall's side will have learnt from their disappointing quarter-final exit to Clermont Auvergne last year.

Sarries came close to reaching the final five years ago when they suffered an agonising 18-16 defeat to Munster. But they look far more equipped to go one step further this time with strength in all positions. Their domestic form has been hard to fault as they lead the Premiership with one game to go. The side have also looked very strong in Europe where they brushed aside Ulster in the last-eight.

Toulon have enjoyed an excellent campaign which has seen them lead the Top 14 for most of the season. Failure to win in their last two matches has enabled Clermont to overtake them domestically but their Heineken Cup form has been mightily impressive. The big-spending French outfit, who can boast stars such as Jonny Wilkinson, saw off Leicester Tigers in the previous round and they have beaten English sides in all five meetings in the competition. 

Saracens have home advantage in this clash and the confident English team can make this count at Twickenham. Five of the last six semi-finals have been won by the team with home country advantage. The sides met twice three years ago in the Amlin Challenge Cup where they traded one win apiece. But Toulon are not the greatest travellers and Saracens, who have yet to lose a home match this season, are tipped to advance to the final.

Recommended bet: Back Saracens to win at 2.0621/20

Clermont Auvergne v Munster
Kick-off: Saturday 16:30 
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1

Clermont Auvergne are the tournament favourites after a series of superb performances in the competition this season. The French league leaders have never reached the final before but are fancied by many to go all the way after being the only side to win all seven European matches this season. Clermont's free-flowing backline has sparkled in the Heineken Cup, with 23 tries in total, as they defeated last year's champions Leinster home and away. 

It is hard to believe a side of the quality of Munster start the match as 8.07/1 outsiders in this clash but it shows the confidence in Clermont. The Irish giants have the pedigree in this competition as two-time winners and are appearing in their tenth semi-final. Munster have stuttered in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 where they are languishing in sixth. But the team were inspired by the influential Paul O'Connell in their quarter-final win at Harlequins which should serve as a reminder they should never be written off. 

Clermont and Munster have both won two matches apiece when facing each other in the competition but the victors have always been the home side. The French club have the advantage this time with the contest taking place in Montpellier. Munster will certainly not cave in and will be desperately hoping the pressure on the odds on favourites takes its toll. But Clermont have the confidence, thanks to their 100 per cent record this season, to handle the occasion and the best bet could be a narrow home victory.

Recommended bet: Back Clermont to win by under 12.5 points at 1.875/6
Follow Simon's latest bets on Twitter @watfordtipster

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WTA Sony Open Betting: Lots of value in first round clashes

''Attention will very much be focused on the young British hopefuls in the opening round of matches as they will be keen to bounce back from first round exits at Indian Wells''

The opening round of the WTA Sony Open in Miami promises an array of intriguing encounters, with several competitors certain to be driven by the prospect of a second round tie against one of the top names in the women's game.

Serena Williams returns to the court for the first time since her historic return to world number one, in a tournament she has won five times previously. She leads a star-studded cast including the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska, but as with all the top seeds, they receive a bye to the second round.

Johanna Larsson and Leisa Tsurenko both look good value to progress and will face Williams and Radwanska respectively should they succeed. 

Larsson begins her tournament against Italian star Flavia Pennetta and arrives in Miami in slightly better form after a straight sets victory against world No. 25 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round at Indian Wells. Pennetta in contrast was comfortably dispatched in the opening round by compatriot Francesca Schiavone. The opportunity to advance and partake in Serena's historic return to the top will no doubt provide an incentive to both, with Larsson receiving generous odds to edge through in three sets at 5.14/1.

Defending champion and number four seed Radwanska will face either Tsurenko or Su-Wei Hsieh after receiving a bye to the next round. Tsurenko has shown signs of promise on the hard court surface so far this season, reaching the third round at both the Australian Open in January and again at Indian Wells. The in-form Ukrainian has left many impressed with her recent performances and looks a potential bet to provide a shock against Hsieh.

Elsewhere, British duo Heather Watson and Laura Robson face tough tests against Ayumi Morita and Camila Giorgi but will both be confident of progressing. Attention will very much be focused on the young British hopefuls in the opening round of matches as they will be keen to bounce back from first round exits at Indian Wells.

Current Japanese number one Morita prevailed against Watson when the youngsters met in Miami two years ago, winning easily in two sets. Expect this encounter to be closer though, with the Brit a good bet to go through after three. Robson will also have a real battle on her hands that is likely to go the distance.

Wildcard entrant Andrea Petkovic faces the unseeded Serbian Bojana Jovanovski, with the victor set to face Marion Bartoli in the next round. The Serb has been out of sorts since an impressive outing at the Australian Open, but should have enough against the German, who has struggled to return to top form since a serious ankle injury last year.

In other key opening round clashes, Svetlana Kuznetsova, a former champion back in 2006, opens her account against Lourdes Dominguez Lino and will be fancied to progress at the expense of the Spaniard.

Hard-hitting Tsvetana Pironkova takes on Daniela Hantuchova with the winner setting up a clash against eighth-seeded Italian Sara Errani. The Bulgarian was dumped out in the first round in Indian Wells, and you can envisage a potential repeat this week against her vastly experienced opponent.

There is also a potentially exciting encounter between Simona Halep and Sabine Lisicki to look forward to, with the German returning from injury. Much will depend on her fitness, but the world No. 37 has all the ability to advance.

Recommended Bets:
Bet on Tsurenko to beat Hsieh 2-1 @ 4.1n/a
Bet on Watson to beat Morita 2-1 @ 5.49/2
Bet on Larsson to beat Pennetta @ 2.3411/8
Bet on Jovanovski to beat Petkovic 2-0 @ 3.8514/5
Bet on Robson vs Giorgi to go three sets @ 2.3611/8

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WTA Indian Wells Betting: First Round Tips

'If you are looking for a classic match-up then go no further than the all Italian clash between Pennetta and Schiavone'

The start of the '5th Major' and Abelson Info serve up the choice cuts from the Women's first round...

It's a star-studded field that welcomes tennis fans to Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open. The first round action is full of easy pickings for some of the big names but there's plenty of opportunity for a big run from others looking to improve their ranking.

British hope Heather Watson has a pretty tough opening encounter against Romanian Irina Camelia Begu. There are only fourteen spots between them in the rankings but you have to give a big edge to Watson - 1.538/15 isn't the biggest price but it is a winning one. Begu has some weapons but they just aren't firing at the moment.

The same can't be said of Bethanie Mattek Sands. She was in super form last week as she got beaten in a tight final in Malaysia. That run will work against her and you are strongly advised to side with her fellow American Jamie Hampton in an easy 2-0 sets romp.

If you are looking for a classic match-up then go no further than the all Italian clash between Pennetta and Schiavone. It is fair to say neither of these two are anywhere near the heights of the last few years. It is a question as to who has fallen further from grace. Pennetta is a better player on hard courts so you should see a slight upturn from her recent form but it won't be enough to get past a still incredibly resilient Schiavone. This could be a long one and the value has to be on Over 22.5 Games at 2.26/5 in the Total Games market.

We can't let these first round encounters go without a mention for the young star Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino. She's showed big promise but will be the outsider to beat Sesil Karatantcheva. With a good steady game the young Spaniard can take this in straight sets at attractive odds of 3.3512/5.

Don't forget that in first round matches in big events like this there are a lot of mid to low ranked players facing each other. One thing these players lack is confidence as they do not win a lot of matches. You can take advantage of this with some smart in-play betting. If the outsider at the start of the match takes the first set then you won't go far wrong with backing the loser of that first set at that stage.

Recommended Bets:
Back Over 22.5 Games in the Pennetta v Schiavone match at 2.26/5
Back Hampton to beat Mattek Sands 2-0 Sets at 1.9210/11

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Copa del Rey: Real Madrid to land first Clasico blow

"Real Madrid have now taken the lead in each of the last four Clasicos, pouncing within 23 minutes in three of those."
Recommended Bet: Back Real Madrid to score the first goal @ 2.226/5

There is no club game more appetising than El Clasico. The fourth of the season arrives with this Copa del Rey semi-final first leg...

Real Madrid v Barcelona, Wednesday 20:00, Sky Sports 3, Match Odds: Real Madrid 3.39/4, Barcelona 2.26/5, The Draw 3.9n/a

Jose Mourinho may have thrown the towel in on Real Madrid's La Liga defence but at least he still has the opportunity to get one over his club's fiercest rivals in the Copa del Rey.

As always though, the overriding attention will focus on another cosmic collision between the world's top two footballing talents. 

Witnessing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi pitting wits on the very same pitch is simply special, especially when they've just notched three and four goals in their weekend matches respectively. 

All three meetings between the sides this season - two legs of the Spanish Super Cup and the La Liga meeting - have seen both players' names on either side of the scoresheet. 

In fact, the La Liga Clasico which finished 2-2 at the Camp Nou in October simply became a straight shootout between the mega-star pairing, as they helped themselves to a brace apiece. 

Although Real won the Super Cup on away goals, the 6-6 aggregate tie over three meetings this season shows just how close these encounters have been of late.  

With only one of the last ten Clasicos being decided by more than one goal, it could well come down to a moment of magic from one of the usual suspects. 

Home advantage doesn't seem to matter hugely in these titanic struggles either though, in light of Los Blancos' failed title defence, there may be an extra hunger from Mourinho's men to win this trophy. 

Next Goal

One feature of these recent heavyweight bouts has been Real's ability to land the first telling blow. They have now taken the lead in each of the last four Clasicos, pouncing within 23 minutes in three of those. You have to go back 15 games to find the last time that the capital club were losing a match at half-time. 

Over/Under 3.5 goals
With the exception of the tense 2010/11 Copa del Rey final decided in extra time, the last time El Clasico returned a stalemate was way back in 2002. Thankfully, the pressure of succeeding hasn't got in the way of goalscoring in recent times, with every one of the last nine Clasicos breaking the 2.5 mark and six of the last nine turning up over 3.5, including two of this season's three clashes. 

Best Bet: Back Real Madrid to score the first goal @ 2.226/5
Other Recommended Bet: Back Over 3.5 goals @ 2.285/4

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Sydney International 2013: Grab the big priced value before 2013's first slam

"Plenty of options for back-to-lay punters this week to choose from with Bedene, Granollers and Nieminen offering potentially great value."

Back to lay Bedene at 100.099/1
Back to lay Granollers at 50.049/1
Back to lay Nieminen at 34.033/1

The ATP Tour moves on to Sydney ahead of the Australian Open and tennis expert Sean Calvert has identified the big priced players worthy of consideration this week...

The Australian Open is little over a week away, but first the men's tour has two more ATP 250 events ahead of the big one in Melbourne.

This week's tournaments are in Sydney and Auckland and of the two the former looks to be the more wide open and therefore offers the chance of a bit of value.

Being held so close to a Grand Slam makes it likely that the higher ranked players will withdraw if they feel any slight injury and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet are both non-runners this week already.

With the two Frenchmen out, John Isner is the top seed, but he withdrew from the Hopman Cup last week citing a knee injury and hasn't won a match on outdoor hard since sneaking past Kevin Anderson in three tie breaks in Shanghai when Anderson choked.

In fact, Isner's record since losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber in New York is 2-7 and his top half of the draw in Sydney looks a good opportunity for the likes of Anderson, Radek Stepanek, Fernando Verdasco, Aljaz Bedene, Feli Lopez, Denis Istomin, Julien Benneteau, Roberto Bautista Agut and Ryan Harrison, who are the main contenders in that top half.

Anderson is too short a price for my liking, but Bedene could be worth a few pounds at 100.099/1, as he looks to be on course for a decent season and the layers may not have cottoned on yet. He has had a long journey from Chennai after reaching the semi finals there, but he seems a decent back-to-lay bet at a big price.

Another good option could turn out to be last year's finalist Benneteau, who was beaten by last year's Sydney champion Jarkko Nieminen in the opener in Brisbane and will be after match practice and ranking points this week.

Benny is available to back at around 26.025/1 at the moment and the Frenchman may give a good account himself to his backers at that sort of price, as might fellow Frenchman Chardy at 42.041/1.

The bottom half of the draw looks more competitive with Grigor Dimitrov, Andreas Seppi, Gilles Simon, Bernard Tomic, Florian Mayer, Marcel Granollers and Nieminen all in with claims.

Brisbane finalist Dimitrov is the obvious choice, but I can't see him wanting two long weeks in a row before Melbourne and his price of 8.07/1 looks a little short to me.

Simon has won here before and he has a good chance again, but he hasn't made a final on hard since that 2011 Sydney title week and he looks too short as well at around 9.08/1.

Tomic is interesting as ever, but his price of 7.06/1 is based on beating Novak Djokovic in an exhibition and while it could be argued that he plays his best tennis in Australia, he's yet to do anything in a tour level event that justifies such a low price. He also has a tough first rounder against fellow Aussie Marinko Matosevic, in which the value will certainly be with Marinko.

Another Aussie, John Millman is also in that bottom half and he might cause a shock or two based on his form last week in Brisbane and I have a feeling that last year's winner Nieminen might have another good week here.

The Finn won this as a qualifier last year and retired last week in Brisbane against Alex Dolgopolov. Surely he didn't have one eye on protecting ranking points from last year when coming to that decision?

Jarkko is around 34.033/1 and likely to get bigger and he's worth a back-to-lay investment, as I'm sure we'll see a decent run from him this week.

Seppi lost all three matches in the Hopman Cup last week and has a poor record in Australia, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Mayer have a run this week.

You can never tell when Mayer will be on form and at 21.020/1 he's not out of contention, while Granollers is too big at upwards of 50.049/1.

The Spaniard has a poor record in Australia, but he's improving in hard courts and is constantly underrated by the layers. He produced a decent run on hard at the end of last season reaching a Masters 1000 quarter final in Toronto and also in Winston Salem and he could take advantage if Dimitrov is below par this week.

So, plenty of options for back-to-lay punters this week to choose from with Bedene, Granollers and Nieminen offering potentially great value.

Recommended Bets
Back to lay Bedene at 100.099/1
Back to lay Granollers at 50.049/1
Back to lay Nieminen at 34.033/1

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The Open Championship: Tips for every first round 3-ball

"Phil Mickelson - Suddenly kicked into gear in the second round of the Scottish Open. Game is back but this is a different test."

The guys at Abelson Info know every single Open Championship participant inside out, so we've asked them to give a brief preview of all Thursday's three-balls (and a couple of two-balls).

06:19 2 Ball - Lane - Driscoll
Lane - Closed with a 66 in last weeks US Seniors Open. Not really able to compete at this level any more.
Driscoll - Good putter but is wayward off the tee and that won't help around here.
Selection: Take the old timer Lane to win the first battle of this years Open.

06:30 2 Ball - Finch - Mulroy
Finch - Up and down year but mainly down. Missed his last 5 cuts and doesn't look like changing that run here.
Mulroy - South African trying to make his way on the PGA Tour. Limited success there so far but has the ability to keep his tour card.
Selection: Go with Mulroy here as he is at least some signs of form.

06:41 3 Ball - Baldwin - Da Silva - Takayama
Baldwin - An underrated player who is playing as well as he ever has at the moment.
Da Silva - Largely plies his trade on the South African Sunshine Tour. This is a big step up and no real reason to think he is up to it.
Takayama - 5 wins on the Japan Tour and made the cut in this years US Open. Has some pedigree but hard to enthuse about.
Selection: Baldwin will take this easily.

06:52 3 Ball - Echenique - Ichihara - Huh
Echenique - Nothing this year. Came through qualifying but little else to support his case.
Ichihara - Came through Asian qualifying and has acquitted himself to some decent level on the Japan Tour.
Huh - One of the success stories of the year in the US. A top player for years to come.
Selection: The other two are well below Huh's class and that will show.

07:03 3 Ball - Lyle - Hamilton - Calcavecchia
Lyle - Sandy is still capable of the odd really good round but they are becoming less frequent.
Hamilton - This former Open champ will probably perk up when faced with this challenge.
Calcavecchia - Another who will relish this opportunity. Not a bad year so far on the Champions Tour.
Selection: This is set up beautifully for Calcavecchia to roll back the years.

07:14 3 Ball - Canizares - J.M Singh - Chalmers
Canizares - He has a lot of ability and is in pretty decent nick. I would however suspect a birdie course is better suited to his game.
Singh - I've no idea how he did it but he is coming off the back of a great win last week. He will not be backing that up here.
Chalmers - Five top 25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season but not suited by tight courses so I expect him to struggle here.
Selection: Canizares is a tentative choice in this contest.

07:25 3 Ball - Daly - Campbell - HoeyDaly - Big John still plays as well as ever. Has a great touch and this will be put to the test this week.
Campbell - He should do better for someone of his ability. Could go well.
Hoey - Has flattered to deceive recently. Has a links game but too many errors in there at the moment.
Selection: I just favour Daly to out perform his rivals.

07:36 3 Ball - Jaidee - Leonard - Khan
Jaidee - One of the form players on the European Tour. But this is his fifth week on the spin. A week too far probably.
Leonard - This former Open champion has completely lost his game. Discard.
Khan - He is having a poor year and I wouldn't expect that to change here.
Selection: Even a tired Jaidee is too good for his playing partners.

07:47 3 Ball - Duval - Jacquelin - Jimenez
Duval - The last winner here at Royal Lytham but in no form. Would be very popular if getting some spark back.
Jacquelin - 21st at the US Open last month and has continued that decent form. Good ball striker.
Jimenez - It is too early to write him off but he is in a poor run of form at best.
Selection: Take a wild punt at a decent price on Duval.

07:58 3 Ball - Ames - Rock - Stanley
Ames - Not the player he was and I can't see him taking to Blackpool.
Rock - Since the huge win in Abu Dhabi he has been a little off. Might have seen the best of him this season.
Stanley - Superb early season and then had a big dip. Starting to rediscover his form recently and could go very well this week.
Selection: I really like Stanley in this match up.

08:09 3 Ball - Cink - Cabrera-Bello - Wagner
Cink - The most unpopular Open champion in recent history. Has shown the odd glimpse of form but not a lot.
Cabrera-Bello - If he can keep it straight he could even challenge for the title. A real talent.
Wagner - This Texan may well enjoy it if it gets windy.
Selection: Go with Cabrera-Bello to take care of his PGA Tour partners.

08:20 3 Ball - Donaldson - Haas - Yang
Donaldson - Has had his week in the sun with his win at the Irish Open.
Haas - Could surprise a few people this week. One to watch.
Yang - Not his best year so far and I can't trust him until I see evidence of a turnaround.
Selection: Go with Haas.

08:31 3 Ball - Love - Clark - Paul Lawrie
Love - US Ryder Cup captain is playing his best stuff for some time.
Clark - I dont think he is quite back to his best but there are certainly positive signs.
Lawrie - I know a lot of people like Lawrie's chances this week - however I don't. He peaked too soon and won't feature.
Selection: Try Tim Clark as he could well be a real dark horse this week.

08:42 3 Ball - Scott - Dunbar - Kuchar
Scott - Playing well when he tees it up. Good player from rough and that will be very useful.
Dunbar - This young amateur can clearly play links golf so will love this challenge.
Kuchar - The Players Champion and a real machine. Could be a threat for the title this week.
Selection: All three have chances but I just give the edge to Scott.

08:58 3 Ball - Vijay Singh - Watney - Poulter
Singh - Solid stuff from Vijay at the moment - littered with the odd bit of magic.
Watney - Super consistent and one to consider. I am however worried about his pretty wayward driving.
Poulter - He tends to raise his game for the big ones and maybe not as much attention on him this year as in the past.
Selection: I have a good feeling about Poulter in this one.

09:09 3 Ball - Clarke - Els - Zach Johnson
Clarke - Defending the title is a lot of pressure. Has been in poor form but recent signs are good. He will put up a stout defence.
Els - Has more majors in him now he has re-dedicated himself. If he keeps it straight off the tee he has to be one of the favourites.
Johnson - Emotional win last week may have taken the stuffing out of him for this massive test.
Selection: Els is the man for this contest.

09:20 3 Ball - Westwood - Fujimoto - Bubba Watson
Westwood - No course is safe when Lee is on his game. Could this finally be his year?
Fujimoto - Turned pro just this year but at just 5ft 5in he had better hope it doesn't blow too hard this week.
Watson - The enigmatic Watson could well add to his major haul right here. Leads the greens in reg stat on the PGA Tour.
Selection: Tough call but I just favour Westwood.

09:31 3 Ball - Dustin Johnson - McDowell - Fujita
Johnson - Won a few weeks ago and should have been Open champion last year. Could put that right this time around.
McDowell - Always a danger at the big ones. Will be disappointed he didn't add another US Open last month.
Fujita - 13 Japan Tour wins but not nearly as proficient when venturing onto other tours.
Selection: This one has Johnson written all over it.

09:42 3 Ball - Woods - Rose - Garcia
Woods - Three wins already this season but aside from that I really like his stats. I think he is ready for another major.
Rose - A great ball striker and he won't be fazed by playing with Tiger. About time he contended for a big one.
Garcia - Just a fraction off top form. If he finds that bit extra he will be a danger to all. Needs a big second half of the season.
Selection: Take Tiger to get off to a flyer.

09:53 3 Ball - Ishikawa - Kaymer - Tom Watson
Ishikawa - Will come good eventually and win many events. I just don't think that will start here.
Kaymer - Too many elements of his game are off at the moment. He is not on my short list for the title.
Watson - Loves any Open and showed last week he can still play. Everyone wants to see him go well again this year.
Selection: Watson is good value to take care of his young rivals.

10:04 3 Ball - Schwartzel - Baddeley - Bjorn
Schwartzel - Hasn't played since the US Open due to a nagging chest muscle injury. Not good preparation for a major.
Baddeley - Far too wayward for this course. Is a brilliant putter though.
Bjorn - Has been in good form this season and is a terrific outside punt for the championship.
Selection: I see Bjorn taking this comfortably.

10:15 3 Ball - Dufner - Laird - Na
Dufner - Not been seen out since the US Open. Was in unbelievable form before that. Can't guarantee that will continue here though.
Laird - Played surprisingly well last week but I still think the Scot is better suited to target golf.
Na - Didn't get the prep he was looking for last week but this consistent player may find this course suits him better.
Selection: A real tricky one to call is this but just go for the controversial Na.

10:26 3 Ball - Morrison - Chopra - Luiten
Morrison - His game is littered with good rounds but just can't string a few together.
Chopra - Came through qualifying in the US but this has not been a good season for the Swede.
Luiten - I am fan of the Dutch youngster and I can see a big performance ahead.
Selection: Take a punt on Morrison to post a decent score.

10:37 3 Ball - Olesen - Matteson - Aiken
Olesen - Has to be one of the finds of the European Tour season. There will be many many victories ahead for this guy.
Matteson - So so close in the John Deere last week. Will be delighted to be here but not sure he will make the cut.
Aiken - Pretty reasonable form recently and well suited to this type of test. Could be a dark horse.
Selection: Aiken is a good bet here.

10:48 3 Ball - Kennedy - Mamat - Tiley
Kennedy - Won on the Japan Tour this season and playing some reasonable stuff the last couple of years.
Mamat - Has had a win on the Asian Tour this season but not one of its leading lights.
Tiley - Never quite reached even the second grade of professional golf. Can't see much happening this week.
Selection: Kennedy has the pedigree to beat his playing partners.

10:59 3 Ball - Bennett - Townsend - Veenstra
Bennett - A reasonable player back in the 90's. A shock comeback is going to get some headlines.
Townsend - Came through Australasian qualifying in gale force winds and rain. Very handy preparation.
Veenstra - Not a lot to recommend this South African. Don't expect to see his name near the top of the leaderboard.
Selection: I'm having a punt on Townsend to take this.

11:10 3 Ball - Whitnell - Walker - Elliot Saltman
Whitnell - Still making his way in the game and does have a future ahead on the European Tour.
Walker - Won an event on the Challenge Tour last month but not sure that is quite the class he faces here.
Saltman - Squeezed through a play off to get to the championships but that is where his success ends.
Selection: Try former classy amateur Whitnell to show his skills.

11:31 3 Ball - Estes - O Hara - Jones
Estes - At the age of 46 is still competing pretty well on the PGA Tour. This isn't for him though.
O'Hara - Shown me nothing this season to suggest this could be his week.
Jones - Has had great success in Japan and a pretty competent player.
Selection: I like Jones to adapt best to this test.

11:42 3 Ball - Pagunsan - Pinckney - Cullen
Pagunsan - Has a few victories to his name on the Asian Tour but he is out of his depth here.
Pinckney - American playing on the European Challenge Tour - and with limited success.
Cullen - Aussie who is way out of his league here.
Selection: I have to side with Pagunsan here as he at least has some decent experience.

11:53 3 Ball - Alker - Slattery - Cochran
Alker - The Kiwi has tried his hand all over the world but is just a shade below the top pro levels.
Slattery - Not much recently but has the ability to go well at this kind of venue. One to watch.
Cochran - Solid enough US Senior Tour player who can play links well.
Selection: I favour Slattery in this match up.

12:04 3 Ball - Lehman - Larrazabal - Owen
Lehman - Still hits the ball well. Loves it here and arrives in tip top form.
Larrazabal - A talent for sure - but the Open at Royal Lytham is not the place he will perform.
Owen - Tremendously consistent player on the PGA Tour. Underrated and definitely a lively outsider for the event.
Selection: Lehman's experience will tell here.

12:15 3 Ball - Siem - Coetzee - Reavie
Siem - Not many Europeans have played consistently better this season. His win a couple of weeks ago is as good as it will get though.
Coetzee - Hits the ball clean but seriously needs to sort out his weekend play before he can be taken seriously.
Reavie - Not much to get excited about but is pretty straight off the tee so that may well keep him in the game.
Selection: Coetzee plays well enough early in tournaments to be the pick for this contest.

12:26 3 Ball - Fraser - Glover - Havret
Fraser - I've always been impressed with Fraser on tough tracks. Not to be under estimated.
Glover - Former US Open champ is not making any waves in 2012.
Havret - Another who has a penchant for tough courses. Finds it hard to win though.
Selection: Fraser is a very good bet here.

12:37 3 Ball - Howell III - Broadhurst - Sterne
Howell III - Charles has not progressed as was expected. Needs to sort his short game out big style.
Broadhurst - It's good to see Broadhurst back but this is a big ask.
Sterne - Hitting the ball well but will need to straighten up off the tee.
Selection: Sterne has the best credentials in this affair.

12:48 3 Ball - Pettersson - Kim - Woodland
Pettersson - Has made himself into a very good PGA Tour player. Just isn't suited to golf in Europe.
Kim - I like this guy. has some game and could have a decent future over the next few years.
Woodland - Awful short game will cost him here. Will be going home on Friday night.
Selection: Take a punt on Kim.

12:59 3 Ball - Curtis - Casey - Immelman
Curtis - A bit of a resurgence this season for the former Open champ and do not discount this excellent putter.
Casey - I can barely bring myself to assess his chances. Let's just say they are non-existent.
Immelman - I'm not sure Trevor really has his game right at the moment.
Selection: This one is simple for Curtis.

13:10 3 Ball - Karlsson - Wilson - Grace
Karlsson - I don't like his swing and it will be all over the place if the wind blows.
Wilson - Showed his usual early season form. Off the boil since but is very accurate off the tee.
Grace - The star of the early part of the European Tour. A fraction off that since but has a lot of ability.
Selection: Go with Wilson here to surprise his playing partners.

13:21 3 Ball - English - Dyson - Fernandez-Castano
English - PGA Tour rookie who is proving to be a big hit. This is something else entirely though.
Dyson - Threatening to really light it up. Can he get that putter charged up?
Fernandez-Castano - Has a better chance than at most events as his shoddy putting is not under as much pressure at a links course.
Selection: Nice 3 ball that I just favour Dyson to nick.

13:32 3 Ball - Cabrera - Choi - Fisher
Cabrera - Form is irrelevant for the big fella. You just don't know what he is going to do. But rest assured this will be a week that he is trying.
Choi - The odd flicker of form and he most certainly has the tools to go well at Royal Lytham.
Fisher - Back to form but I struggle to see him winning.
Selection: Choi is a top choice on his way to better things.

13:43 3 Ball - Byrd - Bae - Quiros
Byrd - A danger to all when he is on. Consistent and could do OK if he gets off to a decent start.
Bae - This young Korean has a lot of promise but might not enjoy where his erratic driving takes him.
Quiros - Has gone flat at just the wrong time. Trouble is that if he starts slowly then his head goes.
Selection: Byrd is by far the safest bet here.

13:59 3 Ball - Colsaerts - Mahan - Senden
Colsaerts - Has come of age this season and has the game to win a major.
Mahan - His stats tell you exactly why this guy wins so often. He does everything very well.
Senden - Great ball striker who struggles to win. Will be a little upset at his last few holes last week.
Selection: A trio of brilliant ball strikers but I just favour Colsaerts in the conditions.

14:10 3 Ball - Van Pelt - Francesco Molinari - Muto
Van Pelt - Has a powerful game that could be useful on this course. Should have beaten Tiger a few weeks back but will still take plenty of confidence.
Molinari - Nobody hits it better off the tee. Can't see how he won't be right up there.
Muto - Not a leading light on the Japan Tour but has landed himself in a fancy 3 ball.
Selection: Take Molinari to continue his excellent form.

14:21 3 Ball - McIlroy - Oosthuizen - Bradley
McIlroy - His season hasn't been as disastrous as some are making out but there is some concern over his performances in the big tournaments.
Oosthuizen - Knows how to win an Open and so close at this years Masters. One to be on this week.
Bradley - Not the prep he was looking for at the Irish Open but respected for his determination to succeed.
Selection: Oosthuizen is my tip for this.

14:32 3 Ball - Fowler - Harrington - Trappel
Fowler - Finally got a win under his belt and has one of the best long games on the PGA Tour.
Harrington - You just get the feeling this perfectionist has been preparing meticulously for this week. Has a big chance.
Trappel - Top European amateur who will love this experience.
Selection: It's a close call as I like both of the main protagonists - but I just favour Harrington.

14:43 3 Ball - Donald - Mickelson - Ogilvy
Donald - I would like to say the world number one will love it at Royal Lytham but I just don't think he will.
Mickelson - Suddenly kicked into gear in the second round of the Scottish Open. Game is back but this is a different test.
Ogilvy - Solid season but no better. Missing a spark. Can get hot with the putter mind.
Selection: Take a tentative move towards Mickelson.

14:54 3 Ball - Stricker - Taniguchi - Anders Hansen
Stricker - His valiant attempt for four in a row at the John Deere is not good prep for a big week mentally.
Taniguchi - One of the top Japanese players and don't discount too easily.
Hansen - Has been in terrific form. Don't even consider him in the final round but early in tournaments he is dangerous.
Selection: Hansen has this all set up for him.

15:05 3 Ball - Hanson - Goosen - Allenby
Hanson - Has the long game for an Open test and could contend if he gets off to a good start.
Goosen - A couple of cracking rounds in France recently show he has still got the goods.
Allenby - Still consistent but just at a lower level now.
Selection: Go with the Goose to get off to a flyer.

15:16 3 Ball - Furyk - Oda - Jacobson
Furyk - A late start for Furyk. Assuming he has gotten over his US Open failure he could be a feature.
Oda - Reasonable Japan Tour player - no more no less.
Jacobson - Freddie is not everyones cup of tea but I think he is great and always good to have on your side. Terrific putter on his day.
Selection: Jacobson will sneak this.

15:27 3 Ball - Leishman - Snedeker - Noren
Leishman - A final round 62 a few weeks ago secured an extremely unlikely PGA Tour victory. Good ball striker may now progress further.
Snedeker - Hits the ball real clean but I don't know about his prowess around a course like this.
Noren - Doing everything but winning. Such a good powerful player to watch but has he blown himself out?
Selection: Take a chance on Leishman.

15:38 3 Ball - Romero - Kruger - Ramsay
Romero - Disappointed with Romero last week and not to be trusted until showing signs he is back.
Kruger - Gets the most out of his game. Usually a good starter of tournaments.
Ramsay - Likes the course and is usually very very accurate. Could be a surprise package.
Selection: Ramsay gets the nod in the belief he will keep it on the short stuff.

15:49 3 Ball - Potter Jnr. - Keenan - Georgiou
Potter Jnr - Won a couple of weeks ago but that is as good as it gets for Ted.
Keenan - I like this guys attitude. If he sticks to his game plan he could do alright.
Georgiou - South African who impressed in qualifying but remains to be seen how he does in this environment.
Selection: Keenan to surprise.

16:00 3 Ball - Troy Kelly - Madsen - Lahiri
Kelly - Very close a couple of weeks ago and probably has better game to suit here than the victor.
Madsen - Up and coming star. A lot of eyes will be on this young Dane to see how he performs.
Lahiri - Decent enough player in Asia and may just go better than you might at first think.
Selection: Really tricky call but I just favour Kelly.

16:11 3 Ball - Marksaeng - Hicks - Hall
Marksaeng - He has been around a while and has seen enough not to be too intimidated by this test.
Hicks - Has shown flashes of form throughout his career but has plenty to prove.
Hall - Came through a tough qualifying test to be here. Will be trying hard to make it worthwhile.
Selection: Marksaeng will take this easily.

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First Test Verdict: Spin confirmed as England's Kryptonite

England Cricket / Ed Hawkins / 29 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Rangana Herath enjoys himself as Sri Lanka take the first Test

"England have lost four Tests in a row now because they cannot defend spin. And the [3.3] that Sri Lanka make it five in Colombo looks a steal, particularly with Stuart Broad a doubt with an ankle injury."

It's now four losing Tests in a row for England and spin has destroyed them each and every time. It will surely be another defeat in Colombo next week, says Ed Hawkins

England have found out in Galle that they have no quick fix for psychological turmoil. Beaten by 75 runs, the batsmen will be queuing up to have a lie down on the coach, and not just because of the soaring mercury.

It was as alarming a defeat as each of the three to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Actually scrub that, it was far worse. At least in that series England could claim to be rusty after a long break and to have been bamboozled by the world class spin of Saeed Ajmal.

This time their preparation was good and we were told they had worked hard on ironing out the technical deficiencies which Ajmal had exposed. So why were England so vulnerable to the spin pair of Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv?

Herath is a wily campaigner but he has been compared to Raj Maru, the former Hampshire spinner, in stature and style. As for Randiv, he has an elegant action but he has only played six Tests.

A batting line-up as experienced as England's should not be struggling against such a pair. Between them they took 18 of their 20 wickets. All ten of the second-innings wickets fell to the twirling pair as England lost their last five wickets for just 12 runs. They are harrowing statistics which will haunt the tourists long into a humid Sri Lankan night.
There can be no doubt that they are mentally shot. As soon as a spinner skips into his run-up, an England batsman is a startled rabbit in the headlights, just waiting for the mortal blow.

This is a damning indictment on the work done by Graham Gooch, the batting coach, and Andy Flower, the team director. They are not psychologists but they are supposed to soothe the mind with technical remedies.

All Gooch has done is told them to sweep, it would appear. That is like treating a cancer with a herbal punch. Five England batsmen fell sweeping in the match. It is a shot which must be cut out.

"In truth we made too many mistakes to win the game," Andrew Strauss, the captain, said.

"We left ourselves too much to do, mainly with our batting in the first innings. In international cricket there's no room for mistakes.

"We had a great position in the first innings to go big but we all felt too softly. We probably didn't get the balance between attack and defence right."

If only it was as simple as that. England have lost four Tests in a row now because they cannot defend spin. And the [3.3] that Sri Lanka make it five in Colombo looks a steal, particularly with Stuart Broad a doubt with an ankle injury. For England, the torture may seem like it will never end. They may already be worrying about going to India at the end of the summer.

England are suffering from a crisis of confidence, says Ed Hawkins, as he considers the reasons for their batting collapse and weighs up their chances of a successful chase......

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Michael Vaughan: Sri Lanka's First Test price is too big

Test previews / Michael Vaughan / 23 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Been there and done it. Mahela Jayawardene has been doing the business at the highest level for a decade and a half.

"Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene are as good as anyone in the game and have been for the last decade and a half. Other players in this Sri Lankan team have come and gone over that period but those two have been a constant presence in the side, piling on the runs against all-comers."

England can survive without Ravi Bopara as a bowler but they'll have their hands full trying to contain the devastating duo of Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene. Sri Lanka are unlikely to win but they offer a fine trading opportunity, says Michael Vaughan.

I'm not entirely sure what all this hysteria is about regarding Ravi Bopara's injury which will prevent him from bowling. Sure, he may have come in and bowled few overs to give the others a rest in draining conditions. He may even have grabbed a wicket with his medium-pacers. But that's a far cry from suggesting the Essex man is an integral part of this England bowling attack. He's a number six who bowls a bit; not the next Andrew Flintoff!

England's strategy of picking four front-line bowlers has served them well and in the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka they'll need every last one of them. I can't see that there was ever any suggestion at all of Bopara being a much-used fifth bowler. Especially when we consider that, at number seven, England have a guy in Matt Prior who averages 44 in Test cricket. Jonathan Trott can always come in and bowl a few overs if necessary, anyway. As for Samit Patel, he will have to wait for his chance to make his Test debut, which as far as he's concerned, may not be a bad thing anyway.

The rest of the team picks itself: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Bopara, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Panesar. The only doubt would be Panesar, if England look at the wicket and decide there's more there for the seamers rather than the spinners but this is a Sri Lankan track we're talking about so that's highly unlikely.

Sri Lanka's bowling line-up isn't that great and I've said that already but their batting is strong. They failed against the swinging ball over in England last summer but that won't have come as a surprise to many because those are conditions that all sub-Continental batsmen struggle in. India were no different.

Tillekeratne Dilshan is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, Upal Tharanga is an experienced campaigner, Dinesh Chandimal looks a real talent and both Prasanna Jaywardene and Thilan Samaraweera can occupy the crease for long periods. Then there are the two monsters. Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene are as good as anyone in the game and have been for the last decade and a half. Other players in this Sri Lankan team have come and gone over that period but those two have been a constant presence in the side, piling on the runs against all-comers. I almost can't remember the last time that either of them didn't score a century in a Test match. And then the following match the other one comes in and gets a ton!

With Swann being a more dangerous threat to the left-handers - and therefore Sangakarra - I'm going to side with the skipper here for first innings honours and Jayawardene is the call for top bat at around [4.5].

This should be a bat first wicket. Post a big score, keep the opposition in the field for a long as possible and try to drain as much energy out of them as you can. I've said already that I fancy England to edge the series 1-0 but Sri Lanka look a bit over-priced to win the first Test at [3.5]. If they bat first they can post a big score and if they bowl first it's not inconceivable that they can take a couple of early wickets whilst the England batters take some time to get accustomed to a pitch that will be very different to anything they've played on in recent times. I don't think they'll win but their price should come in at some point so they're a good back-to-lay at the current odds.

2 pts Back-to-lay Sri Lanka @ [3.5]
1 pt Back Mahela Jayawardene to be first innings top scorer @ [4.5]

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RIP Gary Speed: The first Betting.Betfair star columnist

News / Ralph Ellis / 28 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Gary Speed was one of football's most loved characters

"He was a fantastic bloke, a person who understood his position in the world of football, but still had time for everybody else."

Gary Speed's untimely death has united the football world in grief. Ralph Ellis pays tribute to the man who, as well as being one of the Premier League's finest ever performers, played no small part in creating the website you read today...

There are times when, however good you think you are with words, there is no way to get across your emotions. I was at Swansea yesterday when news started to spread of the tragic end to Gary Speed's life, and 24 hours later, it's still hard to come to terms with it.

So I make no apologies for swapping the normal Monday morning reflections on the weekend's Premier League results to add my small contribution to the mountain of tributes that have been paid to one of football's genuine legends.

Knowledge

Gary was the first celebrity columnist when Betting.Betfair site was created (see his last column) and it was my absolute privilege to by chosen to work with him to get his thoughts on paper. He knew football from top to bottom, of course. You wouldn't have expected anything else from a man who for a while held the record for the number of Premier League appearances, as well as being his country's most capped outfield player. But his knowledge of, and love for, other sports, was as deep as it was astonishing.

In those days he came up with betting tips on golf, snooker, cricket, horse racing and just about any sport you could think of. His contribution unquestionably helped in pioneering this website, because at the time it was a pretty new and experimental concept for an online betting firm to run its own sports blog.

His insight into situations helped prove that there was a huge desire to read informed opinion and inside knowledge relating to sporting markets, and the excellent Betfair columnists now like Michael Vaughan and Lee Dixon have taken on that original mantle.

Experience

Speed spoke with authority from the experience of a career that had begun with the heartbreak of being forced to leave Everton, the club he had grown up supporting. It continued when he was part of the Leeds side that won the last First Division title before the Premiership was born. And he understood the demands of the Newcastle fans where he had been a legend for both his contribution on the pitch and his willingness to sign autographs and pose for pictures in a part of the country where football was the only thing that mattered. He knew about pressure and expectation and how to handle it. He was steeped in the win-at-all-costs mentality of the top professionals, but had a broader understanding and love for the sport itself too.

Dedication

Apart, possibly, from his great friend Ryan Giggs I can't think of another footballer who best transcended the change in values and culture of the modern game. He began his career in the days of "win or lose, it's on the booze", and ended it embracing sports science, diet, psychology and all the things which kept his body fit enough to play at the peak of the Premier League until little more than a year before his 40th birthday. On plenty of occasions I had to wait to talk to him until he'd finished doing his yoga session at the end of a day's training.

He took that dedication into the start of his management career - and while his early club days at Sheffield United were full of frustration it was as boss of his country that he was beginning to blossom. His greatest success was to convince the committee men at the Welsh FA that they needed to loosen the purse strings to let him provide the very best of infrastructure and sports science to his players, and that was beginning to reap rewards.

A side who had slid out of the world's top 100 and were heading towards 150, whose top players under previous manager John Toshack often developed mystery injuries on the eve of squad get togethers, suddenly looked united and full of purpose. Their 4-1 win over Norway in early November was a thrilling glimpse of the potential that could be unlocked if Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy were all fired with enthusiasm to bring their best to the international stage.

Generosity

More than that he was a fantastic bloke, a person who understood his position in the world of football, but still had time for everybody else. When I ran the London Marathon a couple of years ago he made a huge donation to my sponsorship fund, just because he could.

We may never know quite why it has all been brought to such a premature end. To be honest I'm not sure I want to. But on my behalf, and on behalf of everybody who reads Betting.Betfair, this is sending thoughts and sympathy to his wife and two sons. He will be missed by us all.

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Live Blog: England v India First Test

Live Test Match Blogging / Andrew Hughes / 21 July 2011 / Leave a Comment

Zaheer is back in England

The big day has finally arrived and the battle for the number one Test ranking can begin. In between regular breaks for tea, Andrew Hughes will be keeping you updated on all the goings on at Lord's as England take on the world's best Test team

14:15 England 64-2
Strauss's dismissal was a shocker and his bad run continues. He managed just 27 runs in 4 innings against Sri Lanka and has yet to manage 50 Test runs in total this summer. His captaincy, too, has been criticised of late, Michael Vaughan labelling him as too defensive. Portugese Pirate has emailed Betfairliveblogger@hotmail on this theme, recalling Strauss's late declaration in the West Indies which left England with too little time to take 10 wickets: 'I have a feeling that at some stage throughout this series, this unadventurous approach will come back to bite England on the backside'.

14:06 England 62-2
Pietersen has made a cagey start against Ishant and has just played and missed. These are tricky overs for England. On the plus side for KP, there's no Yuvraj in this Indian team, indeed, no left-arm spinners at all.

WICKET Strauss c Sharma b Zaheer 22
Poor shot from Strauss; surprised by a crafty short ball from Zaheer, but it was well outside the offstump; he hooks and finds Ishant Sharma waiting in the deep. There were two fielders out there for that very shot and that's well-worked by India.

13:45 England 50-1
Fifty up for England and a crucial session that could set the tone of the Test match is underway. Don't forget that you can get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk. Portugese Pirate has done just that and has some interesting things to say about Strauss's captaincy, of which more shortly

LUNCH England 43-1
A shortened first session is over with honours even. All of the Indian bowlers have looked good but only have the one wicket to show for it. England could well have weathered the worst of the batting conditions. We'll be back in forty minutes.

12:52 England 40-1
Dropped! Harbhajan is on and second ball induced an edge from Trott, but Dravid at slip couldn't quite hold on. That would have been a major blow for England.

12:47 England 39-1
Trott's at the crease and the odds on a draw have dropped a little to [1.74]. The two events are not entirely unconnected. Surely that's too short at this stage? Strauss is starting to look more confident and lunch approaches.

12:25 England 19-1
We'll be seeing Ishant Sharma soon, but meanwhile Zaheer is still going strong, beating Strauss with a beauty. This is an absorbing struggle.

WICKET A Cook lbw b Zaheer 12
Excellent decision from Asad Rauf and, as Ed Hawkins predicted in his preview of the top batsman markets, Zaheer has out-thought the prolific England opener. India have their breakthrough.

12:00 England 13-0
This is good stuff. Praveen getting some swing; Cook and Strauss battling hard. But with nearly half an hour gone, India would have hoped for a breakthrough given the bowling conditions. Zaheer doesn't look at his best yet though. The draw price is dropping though, [1.78] and falling.

11:42 England 4-0
England have their first runs, controlled shot from Cook, past gully. A nervy start, but they're underway.

11:32 England 0-0
We're underway. Zaheer opening the bowling. He is India's main bowling threat, but he hasn't been in great form on this tour so far. It's going to be a cagey first session, but a fascinating one. England [3.35] to win the Test.

11:15 Delayed Start
England have gone with Broad over Bresnan. The Indian team contains a couple of names that may not be familiar to England viewers. Praveen Kumar is the third seamer, on the back of an excellent performance in the West Indies and Abhinav Mukund, a 21-year-old playing in his fourth Test

11:00 Delayed Start
India win the toss! No surprise to hear Dhoni put England in. There'll be something for the Indian seamers early on, but if England can get through the first session, there are plenty of runs in this pitch. You can get [5.3] about an Indian win, but the draw is understandably favourite given the strength of these batting line-ups.

10:54 Delayed Start
News from the middle is that the toss will happen at 11:00 and we'll be starting at 11:30. The rumours are that Stuart Broad has retained his place, but it must have been a close call. Get in touch and let me know what you think at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk Surely Tim Bresnan would make better use of these overcast conditions?

Morning all, welcome to what could be a cracking Test series between two of the world's top three sides. There's drizzle in the air in North London, but the covers are off and we are due an inspection at 10:50. Meanwhile, take a look at some of the excellent articles on the Betting.Betfair website, the pick of which is Ed Hawkins' betting preview.

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Matthew Jarvis Wins First WSOP Bracelet

World Series of Poker 2011 / Matthew Pitt / 27 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Matthew Jarvis (Photo credit: WSOP.com/PokerNews)

Matthew Jarvis has become the $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Six-handed Champion after outlasting a star-studded field of 732 to win his first World Series of Poker bracelet and boost Canada's haul to five wins at this year's WSOP.

Jarvis should be a familiar name to you poker aficionados and rightly so as just seven months ago he reached the final table of the $10,000 WSOP Main Event to become a "November Niner." He eventually finished in eighth place, good for $1,045,743 but was still bitterly disappointed not to have really challenged for the bracelet but he has now more than made amends by winning one of the toughest live fields on record.

Seventy-two players made it to the money including Nenad Medic, Daniel Alaei, Shaun Deeb, Isaac Haxton, Faraz Jaka, Daniel Negreanu, Shane Schleger and reigning WSOP Main Event Champion, Jonathan Duhamel. A number of British players also made it into the money places, the one going the deepest being Martins Adeniya who was eliminated in 19th place, worth $24,942.

The six-handed final table was reached late into Day 3 after Dan O'Brien was eliminated in seventh place and the players were seated and chipped up as follows:

Seat 1: Matt Vengrin: 760,000
Seat 2: Wesley Pantling: 1,880,000
Seat 3: Robert Merulla: 2,550,000
Seat 4: Justin Flitz: 3,625,000
Seat 5: Matt Jarvis: 1,680,000
Seat 6: Tore Lukashaugen: 720,000

Matt Vengrin had taken a few hits to his stack from the start of the final table and was down to 250,000 chips and with blinds of 12,000/24,000/4,000a he looked down at QcJd and open-shoved from the cutoff. Wesley Pantling, on the button, made the call with As5d and it was off to the races, with Pantling holding the advantage. His lead was soon almost unassailable as the flop came down Ac-7s-8c and when the turn and river were the 4c and 8s respectively it was game over for Vengrin.

Shortly afterwards and Tore Lukashaugen was following Vengrin to the rail after clashing with Justin Flitz. The latter opened to 70,000 on the button (blinds had risen to 15,000/30,000/5a) and when the action was on Lukashaugen he moved all in for what turned out to be 530,000. Flitz made the call and turned over AhQs, which was up against the QhQd of Lukashaugen. The final board ran out 2s-As-3h-Td-9c, which meant Lukashaugen was eliminated in fifth place and Flitz continued to chip up.

The fourth place finisher was Robert Merulla who went from hero to zero in record time. At the time of Lukashaugen's elimination Merulla was the chip leader but after taking a few hits to his stack he found himself having to do battle with just 1,300,000 chips. He opened on the button to 70,000 and when Flitz three-bet to 195,000, Merulla moved all in for the rest of his stack. Flitz asked for a count and when he was informed of the amount he made the call. Merulla held Ah8s but Flitz had him crushed with a dominating AsQh. By the river the five community cards read 5s-9d-Js-7s-2s, gifting Flitz the nut flush and sending Merulla to the cashier's cage.

Pantling was the man who came third to leave Jarvis and Flitz to do battle heads up for the title. Pantling was down to 1,200,000, or 30 big blinds, and these found there way into the middle when he initially opened with a raise to 95,000 only to see Jarvis move all in afterwards. Pantling quickly called and revealed his AdJc, forcing a sheepish looking Jarvis to turn over Qd8d. The Kc-6h-5c flop failed to alter anything but the Qh on the turn propelled Jarvis into the lead. The 6s on the river was not what Pantling was looking for and he left the final table $317,136 richer than when he had started. Not a bad day in the office by anyone's standards.

Going into heads-up Jarvis lead by 7,105,000 to 3,795,000 and the stacks stayed the same for almost four hours. Then, towards the very end of play, the pair sprung into action and Flitz managed to double up with 9d9s against Jarvis' pocket fours and then even took a 2,500,000 chip lead, but a huge hand at the end of the night saw Jarvis catapulted back into a commanding lead. A preflop raising war broke out that saw the AsTh of Jarvis taking on the 7c7h of Flitz. The dealer burned and put out the 8d-Qh-Js flop, giving Jarvis outs to double gutshot straight. The dealer burned another card and put out the Td on the turn, improving Jarvis to a pair of tens. The river was the 3c and with that Jarvis had retaken the lead in emphatic style, a massive 8,150,000 to 2,750,000 lead.

The one-on-one battle had to be paused as ten-levels of play had been completed so the duo returned to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on Sunday afternoon to finish their battle. Quite ironically it only lasted five hands before it was all over. With blinds now 50,000/100,000/10,000a Flitz open-shoved with Kd9d and Jarvis snap-called with As8h. Neither player improved as the board ran out 5h-3h-6d-2s-3d but Jarvis had the best hand thanks to his ace-kicker, and just seven months after falling at the last hurdle in the Main Event Jarvis had become a WSOP champion.

An overwhelmed Jarvis had this to say about scooping his first bracelet, "You dream of a moment like this from the first time you start playing poker. To win and event like this with as tough a field as this was, is an amazing feeling."

Final table payouts

1.) Matthew Jarvis: $808,538
2.) Justin Flitz: $499,855
3.) Wesley Pantling: $317,136
4.) Robert Merulla: $208,281
5.) Tore Lukas haugen: $141,125
6.) Matt Vengrin: $98,567

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Michael Vaughan: Only rain can save Sri Lanka in the First Test

England Cricket / Michael Vaughan / 25 May 2011 / 1 Comments

James Anderson can have a big role to play as ever if the ball is swinging early on

"Andrew Strauss has far fewer things to worry about. This is virtually the same side that won the Ashes a few months ago and these are of course conditions that should suit this side even more."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan gives us his take on the challenges Sri Lanka face in this Series, why Kevin Pietersen can come good this summer and how to approach the betting for the First Test.

There's only ever been one Test match played at Cardiff - the First Test of the 2009 Ashes series - so we don't have a huge amount to go on as regards assessing the wicket over five days. I did play a few county matches there over the years though and my memories of it are that it's a good batting track that doesn't really deteriorate so I'm expecting plenty of runs. If we cast our minds back to that Test in 2009 where England hung on for a priceless draw, it was more the pressure of the situation that saw wickets fall on the final day rather than any gremlins in the pitch. That said, if there's a bit of moisture in the air on the first day the new ball could swing and that obviously means James Anderson could become a huge factor; if England bowl first they'll need the Lancashire man to be on the money early on if they're to put Sri Lanka under pressure from the start because I suspect batting will become easier.

You have to feel for Tillakaratne Dilshan. In his first-ever Test series as captain he's going to have to do what no Sri Lankan captain has had to do for almost two decades: try and win without Muttiah Muralitharan in the side. Admittedly the spinner didn't take quite as many wickets in England as he did in other countries but there was always that fear factor about him and even on the flattest of tracks you always suspected a wicket was never too far away. To make matters worse Dilshan is also without Lasith Malinga, who has retired from Test cricket due to ongoing injury concerns. But some would say that, because the pace bowler has played so little Test cricket, he's not nearly as much of a loss as Murali.

Without those two and Chaminda Vaas, who also retired a while ago, I simply can't see Sri Lanka bowling England out twice, especially as it will take them some time to get properly used to conditions over here. That said, they do bat quite deep and in Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene they have three fabulously talented batsmen who can occupy the crease for long periods. England will have to make the most of any chances that come their way as regards getting that trio out.

Andrew Strauss has far fewer things to worry about. This is virtually the same side that won the Ashes a few months ago and these are of course conditions that should suit this side even more. The one player who Strauss may have a few concerns about is Kevin Pietersen, who by his own very high standards has been somewhat out-of-sorts. In the Surrey man's defence though, he did have a double hernia operation which is always tough to recover from, and his Test form has actually been pretty good. Pietersen's still averaged over 40 in the longest format of the game over the past two years. If you offered that to most Test batsmen around the world they'd bite your hand off. It's actually been in limited-overs cricket that he's struggled somewhat in but, if I know KP, he'll play his best cricket now that he's under a bit of pressure. He's just that sort of guy.

The forecast isn't great for the first couple of days with showers expected and that's the only thing that's putting me off taking the [2.08] on England. So the best way to play this is to back the draw now at [2.66] and lay off your bet if it goes odds-on. When you do that it may be best to keep most of your profit on England and a small green position on the draw with no loss (or win) on Dilshan's side. The weather could possibly save the tourists, as could an inspired second innings batting performance from one of those three I mentioned earlier, but I simply can't see them winning the match.

Recommended bet:

Back-to-lay the draw at [2.66]

Michael Vaughan tells us why England were right to go with Eoin Morgan over Ravi Bopara ahead of the First Test....

Michael Vaughan tells us why Andrew Strauss will be so keen to make an impact in this First Test and how Mahela Jayawardene is the obvious choice to top score for Sri Lanka in the first innings....

Betfair is delighted to announce that Michael Vaughan has signed up to become our full-time cricket ambassador....

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French Open Men's Draw: Five potential first round upsets

French Open Betting / Sean Calvert / 21 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

"In contrast to Verdasco, Monaco warmed up nicely with some fine displays in Dusseldorf this week and he has to be backed as the underdog here."

On the eve of the French Open, Sean Calvert selects five matches in which punters could find the first round value...

Marcos Baghdatis [1.8] v Frederico Gil [2.2]

After suffering a bout of flu a few months ago, Marcos's form has really taken a dive, with just two wins from 11 matches and six losses as odds-on favourite.

The Cypriot lost in the first round in his warm-up event in Nice to Julien Benneteau in straight sets and he hasn't won a set on the dirt since beating Alejandro Falla in Madrid.

His record at Roland Garros is also poor, with three first round losses from six starts and Baggy has never beaten anyone ranked higher than number 62 in the world at the tournament.

In two of his last three visits to the French Open, he's lost in straight sets in the first round and he was also beaten by Gil the last time they met.

That match was on Baggy's favoured hard-courts, so this one has upset written all over it with Gil posting wins over Gael Monfils and Florian Mayer already in 2011. Back the Portuguese at around [2.2]

Fernando Verdasco [1.78] v Juan Monaco [2.3]

Verdasco has had a really poor year so far and has dropped down to number 17 in the world rankings from being inside the top-10 this time last year.

And just when it looked like he was finding a bit of form in Rome, he blew three consecutive match points on his own serve against Robin Soderling and went on to lose the match.

His already brittle confidence must be shot now and what he doesn't want first up here is a match with Monaco, who has won five of their last six meetings and seven out of nine overall.

The Argentine has won all but one of their clay meetings and also won the only one at Roland Garros in 2006.

In contrast to Verdasco, Monaco warmed up nicely with some fine displays in Dusseldorf this week and he has to be backed as the underdog here.

Richard Gasquet v Radek Stepanek

By rights, Gasquet should be brimming with confidence after beating Roger Federer in Rome after being a set and a break down, but I won't be going anywhere near the [1.25] about him beating Steps in the first round here.

The Gasman's record at Roland Garros is atrocious, with four first round losses from seven starts and a solitary last 32 place his best result in Paris.

Gasquet has always struggled with the weight of expectancy and beating Federer win won't help in that regard.

The inconsistency is still there, with his first round loss against Daniel Gimeno-Traver in Madrid when around the same price as this one being a prime example.

Steps is not the force of old, but he does well here, with the last 16 being his best and he has just one first round loss from his seven visits to Roland Garros.

He loves an upset and stunned Fernando Gonzalez here in straight sets in 2007 when Gonzo was world number five, as well as beating Tommy Robredo in 2008.

The Czech's recent form is good, with a run to the semis in Munich before retiring with a leg injury, which is a concern, but he's still worth a punt at a handy price.

Daniel Gimeno-Traver [1.75] v Robin Haase [2.3]

This one should be tough for Gimeno-Traver against a big match, big occasion player such as Haase.

The Dutchman has only been beaten in the main draw of Slams by current or former top-10 players and the Spaniard is surely only favourite for this because he finally found some form in Madrid recently.

Prior to that run to the last 16 in Spain, he had lost 13 of 15 matches in 2011 and he's never beaten anyone ranked inside the top-90 in the world at Roland Garros.

GT's overall career record is 40 wins and 72 losses, which is hardly inspiring, but it's his record after losing the first set that leads me to question his temperament.

The Spaniard has won just seven of 70 matches when he's gone a set down and Haase rarely goes down without a fight in Slams, as his last three results show.

A four set loss to Andy Roddick in Melbourne followed a five set loss to Nadal at Wimbledon and another five setter at Roland Garros to Nico Almagro.

Haase was also a regular winner on clay on the Challenger circuit last year and has a win over Nikolay Davydenko on dirt this season, so all-in-all I think he could be value in this one.

Lleyton Hewitt [3.0] v Albert Montanes [1.5]

Hewitt makes his comeback after foot surgery at Roland Garros this week after three months out and Tony Roche is sure to have the former world number one spot on for this.

The Aussie's record at Roland Garros is very respectable, with only Rafa Nadal (four times!) David Ferrer, Gaston Gaudio, Tommy Robredo, Guillermo Canas and Juan Carlos Ferrero beating Hewitt here since 2001.

Montanes, despite being the higher ranked and being generally regarded as more proficient on the dirt, has been below par lately on the clay, with early losses in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome - the latter two in the first round.

The calibre of opponent that he's been losing to is a concern for Montanes backers, with Sergiy Stakhovsky, Pablo Andujar, and Feliciano Lopez all besting him on his favourite surface.

The pair have met twice before with Hewitt winning both and with their similar grinding styles, this could come down to mental strength with Hewitt likely to come out on top.

It's day one at Roland Garros and Ben Caudell is here to select the best bets and find the value that could give you a winning start......

The Boz tuned in to the French Open Women's draw on Friday and he's been at the form books ever since, working out his potential first round shocks. The following are his top five to turn over the odds....

She is the world number one but still doesn't have a Grand Slam singles title. Guy McCrea as if Caroline Wozniacki will end that wait at the French Open ......

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French Open Women's Draw: Five potential first round upsets

French Open Betting / Gary Boswell / 21 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

Gary believes Vania King could cause an upset in round one

"No way would I want to back Cornet as favourite – even with the partisan crowd on her side. The value clearly lies with Voracova at around [2.6].

The Boz tuned in to the French Open Women's draw on Friday and he's been at the form books ever since, working out his potential first round shocks. The following are his top five to turn over the odds.

Vania King to beat Dominika Cibulkova - priced around [5.0]

Absolute monster price for what is essentially a very tight match up. The Slovakian 22- year-old Cibulkova is in good form and is arguably the greater clay court player but she has a 0-2 head to head to overcome and the first of those defeats was the classic match of three tie-breaks which tells you how close this one is to call. I'd have it [2.1] the pair.

The recent match, at the 2010 Australian Open, produced another close three setter which the American won 7-5 in the last. She has slid down the rankings a tad since those days and, with both wins on hard court, it's perhaps easy to overestimate the current 94 ranked player as she attempts to dump the seed. The price being so wrong as a reflection of the difference between them makes me want to bet! I can't resist such an over generous offer.

Romani Oprandi to beat Ekaterina Makarova - priced around [3.2]

If you take the previous form between 77 ranked Italian Oprandi and 36 ranked Russian Makarova literally you can only make one favourite. Oprandi holds a 2-0 head to head score and both wins came back in 2006 on her favoured clay surface that they'll meet on here. In the first three sets between the two, Makarova won only four games, going down 6-1 6-3 and 6-0 before rallying to tie ten games all in the two final sets of the three set match in Denain.

The Russian was only 17 then and pretty green and of course she has improved immeasurably since and passed her 25-year-old opponent in the rankings but that head to head form is never forgotten and always influential. Oprandi comes in to the game knowing how to beat Makarova and beat her convincingly while Makarova comes in with the reverse feeling and the pressure on her to justify her revised rating since last they met.

That's a strong reason for taking the lesser ranked player in my book, especially when you are being offered such a price differential.

Renata Voracova to beat Alize Cornet - priced at around [2.6]

For 122 ranked Czech Voracova, this is a first appearance at Roland Garros and she is likely to be in the bear pit against local heart throb Alize Cornet who has herself slipped to a lowly 80 ranking after 12 months of indifferent form. Back in 2007, great things were forecast for the 21-year-old French woman as she triumphed in the junior French Open. She's lost her way a fair bit since then and has an unimpressive head to head against the 27-year-old to boot. Defeats at Poiters in 2007 and Linz in 2010 were both in straight sets and Cornet has that ability to simply not turn up. No way would I want to back her as favourite - even with the partisan crowd on her side in this (just as much a negative as a positive depending on how well you are playing). The value clearly lies in the debutante at around [2.6].

Kirsten lipkens to beat Lucie Safarova priced around [4.8]

The diminutive Belgian has dropped to 96 in the rankings but can be fancied to overcome the odds against 24-year-old Czech Safarova who has a serve to die for and claims to like the clay. That liking is not transparent to this observer who might fancy her to take this on grass but can see the weakness in Safarova's groundstrokes being influential in the outcome here. Flipkens keeps it low and I remember watching their only previous meeting at Estoril back in 2008 where it was a closely contested affair, won 7-5 6-4 by the Belgian who exerted with her return.

When the Safarova serve is not dominating, she is not a difficult opponent to master and I seriously fancy the reverse here despite the huge gulf in current rankings. Value once more lies in taking on the 37 ranked Czech.

Pauline Parmentier to beat Ksenia Pervak - priced around [2.2]

Can't pretend to have seen much of the new Russian on the block - 19 year old Ksenia Pervak - about whom I've heard several dogs barking of late. Her 88 ranking tells me she is not yet that exciting however and this is one where the home support might work in underdog Parmentier's favour. The French player also boasts much greater match experience and in 2009 she was able to blow the diminutive Pervak away 6-2 6-3 in Barnstaple. That will do for me at the odds on offer. The least confident of my picks but another slice of value nevertheless.

Recommended bet is level stakes singles - all five with one, two or three needed to prevail to successfully register a profit.

It's day one at Roland Garros and Ben Caudell is here to select the best bets and find the value that could give you a winning start......

On the eve of the French Open, Sean Calvert selects five matches in which punters could find the first round value......

She is the world number one but still doesn't have a Grand Slam singles title. Guy McCrea as if Caroline Wozniacki will end that wait at the French Open ......

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FA Cup Final Result: 23-1 City win first trophy of new era

FA Cup / Joe Dyer / 14 May 2011 / 1 Comments

City celebrate Toure's goal

"Toure's goal will have delighted punters who backed City at a high of [24.0] on Betfair's FA Cup winner market when they trailed Notts County with just 10 minutes remaining of their fourth round tie back on January 30."

Manchester City are FA Cup champions after a 1-0 defeat of Stoke as Sheikh Mansour's big spending bears fruit

Manchester City capped one of the finest weeks in the club's history with a 1-0 FA Cup Final win today.

Yaya Toure was the hero - as has been the case so many times this season - with the lone goal of the game, striking home in the area on 74 minutes.

That rewarded Betfair customers willing to take an In-Play high of [3.8] about a City win in 90 minutes.

And it will have delighted punters who backed City at a high of [24.0] on Betfair's FA Cup winner market when they trailed Notts County with just 10 minutes remaining of their fourth round tie back on January 30.

In an attritional game it was a scrappy goal that split the two clubs, Toure seizing on a spot of penalty area ping-pong to smash past Thomas Sorensen.

Earlier this week City beat Spurs 1-0 to seal their participation in the Champions League (qualifying stages at least) next season.

Mike Norman isn't expecting this year's FA Cup final to be a thrilling encounter, so with few goals expected backing the underdogs could be the way to profit....

A physical game is definitely on the cards in this Wembley showpiece says Michael Cox, and that could result in the game being a stop-start affair with few goals....

He's the form striker going into the FA Cup final and one of the players Stoke will be relying on if they're going to win this year. We went to meet the Trinidad & Tobago striker ahead of Saturday's showdown...

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