The Metro Bank One Day Cup gets underway on Wednesday with five matches taking place across the two groups to get the domestic 50 over competition started with teams all looking to make a big first impression on the tournament.
It is The Hundred which gets the TV coverage at this time of year so if you have a bet on these matches and want to follow it then you need to be tuning into the live stream which is provided by the home county.
Group A
Three of the five matches on Wednesday come from Group A where the pick of the matches is probably the one featuring two sides who will be competing in Vitality Blast quarter finals later in the season as Lancashire welcome Durham to Sedbergh School. Northamptonshire are another who have made the last eight of the Blast and they get their 50 over campaign up and running when they take on Derbyshire at Wantage Road. The other match in this group comes from New Road where Worcestershire will face off against Middlesex.
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Group B
All eyes will probably be on Group B on Wednesday though because it is the section where Leicestershire begin their title defence. They will open up the defence of the trophy with a home clash at Grace Road against their local rivals Nottinghamshire in a match which carries plenty of meaning. The other match will see Warwickshire looking to continue their good white ball form when they make the trip to Chelmsford to take on an Essex side who will be aiming to put the narrow missing out on the Blast quarter finals behind them.
Betting
As ever in the 50 over competitions, and especially this one given all the changes to the squads, I am looking for the better bowling attack for a bet on these matches. That isn’t to say that I pass over the batters but generally in this day and age anyone coming through the ranks can hit a clean ball and get the job done. Bowling spells in 50 over competitions at this level is much harder and the game where I think there is an edge comes at Chelmsford where Essex host Warwickshire.
This will be a much changed bowling unit for Essex with Sam Cook away at The Hundred along with Paul Walter and Matt Critchley while Simon Harmer isn’t around and Jamie Porter hasn’t been selected. Contrast that with Warwickshire who will have Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Ed Barnard, Craig Miles and Jake Lintott in their ranks while the likes of Will Rhodes can bowl too. Warwickshire have experience with the bat in the likes of Rob Yates, Rhodes, Michael Burgess and Barnard while Chris Benjamin’s failure to get a Hundred deal is to the benefit of the Bears. Essex are a young batting side and if Tom Westley doesn’t fill his boots this could be a very comfortable win. I like the visitors here.
Tips
Back Warwickshire to beat Essex for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with Betfred
