The Championship League Snooker tournament continues on Tuesday when another two groups from the first round get played out inside the Morningside Arena in Leicester on what is going to be a baking hot day off the table and hopefully the action is as good on it.
We are closing in on the full identity of the second round groups and two more players will confirm their place in one of them on Tuesday on a day where we get to see a couple of big names taking to the baize.
Group 2
Fixtures
Judd Trump vs Yisong Peng
Jamie Clarke vs Sean O’Sullivan
Jamie Clarke vs Yisong Peng
Judd Trump vs Sean O’Sullivan
Sean O’Sullivan vs Yisong Peng
Judd Trump vs Jamie Clarke
Preview
One of the biggest names in the sport is in action on the main table on Tuesday as Judd Trump takes to the baize for the first time this season when he headlines Group 2. Trump had a disappointing end to last season when he was beaten in the world final and he’ll be eager to start this one positively. He hasn’t been handed the easiest draw known to man though because Jamie Clarke, the second seed in this section, is more than good enough to cause an upset. Sean O’Sullivan is the third seed hile Yisong Peng is a newcomer to the tour and will be looking to announce himself in style here.
Group 7
Fixtures
Shaun Murphy vs Ben Mertens
Liam Highfield vs Xu Si
Liam Highfield vs Ben Mertens
Shaun Murphy vs Xu Si
Xu Si vs Ben Mertens
Shaun Murphy vs Liam Highfield
Preview
Shaun Murphy is the other big name on show on Tuesday and he’ll head up the action on Table Two when he looks to put a pretty poor campaign last term behind him and come out of Group 7. He looks to have a nice draw because while Liam Highfield can be good he isn’t really consistent and as a second seed he is one of those the main seeds wouldn’t mind drawing. The third seed in this group is Xu Si while Ben Mertens has got himself a tour card and he’ll be looking to make the most of it with a good run here.
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account to get up to £25 in free bets! Perfect offer for this event! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Group Betting
I said right back at the beginning of this tournament that I wasn’t sure quite how many group winner markets I would be betting on and on Tuesday we have a day where I won’t be betting on either of them. I certainly can’t be opposing Judd Trump. Jamie Clarke might be competent but I sense Trump will have the bit between his teeth here after failing to get over the line in the World Championship. I don’t see either of the other two in the group being consistent enough so I’ll leave that group alone.
It might be that Shaun Murphy is worth taking on when he competes over on Table Two but the problem is that there isn’t really anyone I feel comfortable taking him on with. Liam Highfield blows too hot or cold for my liking and I’m not convinced that Xu Si or Ben Mertens are going to be consistent enough over the course of three matches to deliver the goods. Murphy is plenty short enough so I don’t want to get involved in this group either.
Match Betting
I will take one in the match betting on Tuesday and that comes in the form of the one between Liam Highfield and Xu Si. Both men played in European Masters qualifying over the weekend and both went down in a deciding frame to players who played well. Highfield was beaten from 4-2 up by Mark Williams while it was Xiao Guodong who got the better of Si so there isn’t an advantage among either player from a playing standpoint.
I just wonder if the fact that it took four Guodong centuries in a 5-4 win to beat Si carries anything in the form of significance here. Highfield certainly didn’t play badly against Williams in his qualifying match but had Guodong just put a normal performance in then you would imagine his Chinese compatriot would have started the season with a win. We’ve seen throughout the first round how well the Chinese players are going in this tournament and without the draw in play I fancy another to come through here at a nice price.
Tips
Back X.Si to beat L.Highfield (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 2.38 with Coral
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2022
