The County Championship week begins a day early as Warwickshire take on Derbyshire at Edgbaston in a match which sees the top two in the fledgling Division Two table going head to head over four days of action.
With the weather set to improve for the week we should be getting plenty of action after a week which was heavily hit by rain last week. That gives these two the chance to steal the early march as far as the division is concerned.
UK+IRE New Customers Only. Winning bets paid in cash based on the normal price on our website. Enhanced odds paid in free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days. Losing £5 free bet excludes Coral Connect.
Warwickshire
The Bears have had a win and a draw from their two matches so far. I championed their chances for success this season before a ball was struck with their exciting batting line up a reason for that and Tim Ambrose showed just why in the recent win over Northamptonshire. Sam Hain has also got runs this season too so you get the feeling Warwickshire are nicely poised with the bat.
Another reason why I expected the Bears to go well this term is their form with the ball. They have always had a decent bowling attack but the pace and quality of Olly Stone takes it to a new level, one which I expect to be above this division with no disrespect meant to anyone that is in it. They have all bases covered with the likes of Ryan Sidebottom impressing too.
Derbyshire
Heading into the season many expected Derbyshire to be a bit of cannon fodder but any of those thoughts went out the window in their opening match when they took the pre-season favourites Middlesex to the cleaners in one of their best four day performances for quite some time. After a rain affected draw at Leicester last week they need to back up the Middlesex performance here.
If Derbyshire are to do anything this season then it could be down to the quality they have managed to get in their bowling attack. Ravi Rampaul, Hardus Viljoen, Tony Palladino and Duanne Olivier are a classy seam quartet and now they have added Mark Footitt to their ranks too. If they have the batting quality they might continue to surprise sides.
Team News
Olly Stone and Keith Barker are hopeful of returning for this match having missed the win over Northamptonshire last time out. If they make it Jeetan Patel will have a couple of selection headaches to get over.
Derbyshire could give a debut to Nottinghamshire loanee Mark Footitt. He would come in for the injured Tony Palladino who has suffered an injury. Duanne Olivier will hope to continue his promising early season form.
[the_ad_group id=”3624″]
Betting
I’ve already backed Warwickshire to win the division and I don’t really fancy getting involved in them here. Derbyshire will have the option of bowling first and if their seam attack gets it right they could make life difficult for the Bears early doors.
If Warwickshire were a little bigger I would get involved in them but they are very short. That isn’t without merit but it doesn’t inspire me into a bet so I’ll sit this one out and wait for the rest of the week to get stuck in.
Tips
No Bet
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018
