There are two matches that begin in the County Championship on Sunday, one from each division and they are both big matches in their respective divisions.
In Division One Durham entertain Warwickshire in a match both sides need to win to keep the heat on Yorkshire at the top of the table. Both sides have been well beaten by Yorkshire in recent times which has left them both playing catch up and both start out knowing there is little room for error over the next four days.
Durham are the slight favourites for the match and I think there is enough mileage in their price to take them. They don’t have the best record against Warwickshire but Keith Barker is a major doubt for the Bears and Jonathan Trott is away on paternity leave and given that Warwickshire have just been rolled over for 69 his absence could be important.
Durham are missing their England duo but they have a brilliant bowling attack and probably the better batting line up overall and given that Warwickshire are missing a couple of key players I like Durham here. In Onions, Rushworth and Hastings they have an excellent bowling attack while Borthwick, Jennings and Collingwood have all scored good runs this season. Initially the odds looked about right but Warwickshire’s injuries sway it Durham’s way.
The other match beginning on Sunday sees Essex taking on Glamorgan in Division Two. Both sides are sitting a fair way behind the leaders Lancashire going into the week but they both have a couple of games in hand and if they win them both then they can keep Lancashire honest at the top so that is the mission for both sides.
Glamorgan head to Chelmsford as marginal underdogs but I’m not sure about that. Essex aren’t batting brilliantly and even when they beat Gloucestershire a couple of weeks back they gave their supporters kittens in a relatively low run chase. The positive for them is David Masters is back but this Glamorgan side are underrated this season.
Glamorgan drew with Derbyshire last time out but they had won their four matches prior to that and Chris Cooke is back from a family bereavement which boosts them. The Welsh side are on a high and the feelgood factor around them is strong at the minute. They comfortably beat Essex in the reverse fixture and at even money are decent enough value to do it again here.
Back Durham to beat Warwickshire for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Paddy Power
Back Glamorgan to beat Essex for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Ladbrokes
