The Cricket World Cup heads back to Trent Bridge on Monday for the latest meeting between England and Pakistan this summer. Both sides got off to very different starts to their campaigns last week and it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
England recently thrashed Pakistan in an ODI series so it will be them carrying all the belief into this match up, especially with Pakistan likely to be nursing a hangover from their first appearance on this ground where they were shot out for just over 100.
AllSportsBetting Podcast
As ever in this tournament you can hear Kev discuss the match and the picks with Steve Wyss on the AllSportsBetting podcast. Click play below to listen to the latest episode.
England
I wouldn’t say it was a consummate performance in the opening match for England but it has taken so long for that game to come around that I can understand a few nerves and a bit of tension creeping into their play. That will have disappeared now, especially having won and I expect to see the real England in this match, the confident entity we have seen for the last four years especially with them being on one of their favourite grounds.
England will have been delighted with their bowling effort against South Africa. In the modern world to shoot anyone out for less than 210 is a decent achievement. They set the tone early on and then kept the pressure on. If they can find that fluent freedom with the bat then they are going to go on and threaten to achieve everything they have been touted to over the course of the tournament.
Pakistan
I think it is fair to say that Pakistan will be wanting to forget their first match as quickly as possible so it will be interesting to see how they fare on their return to the scene of the crime. They were so bad against the West Indies it was untrue and if they weren’t expecting chin music heading into that match they would have to be completely barking mad not to think they will get some here. Hopefully from their point of view they will have come up with a plan on how to deal with it.
Pakistan did nothing right in that match against West Indies so while they need to put that out of their minds, they also need to learn from it. They have to be a little more street smart with the bat and while it would be hard to judge them when only defending 100 with the ball, they must find a way of getting the new ball to do something as that is a vital part of their armoury.
Team News
After the game against South Africa on Thursday, England would not have considered a change for this match but after seeing Pakistan succumb to the short ball it would be a surprise if there is no place for Mark Wood in this match.
Pakistan have to make changes, that much is obvious. You would think Asif Ali would come into the side after he had a good series against England recently while Imad Wasim has offered diddly all tour so far so Shoaib Malik could well come in for him.
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Betting
I took England to win their first match and hit the most sixes and they achieved the win but didn’t hit the most sixes. I expect them to put that right and deliver on both counts here. I say that because in the recent ODI series they won 13-9 on sixes at Southampton, 16-7 at Bristol and 9-5 at Headingley. They lost 8-7 at Trent Bridge but had no Bairstow or Morgan that day. Both will play here. Pakistan have real confidence issues and I would be surprised if they come out swinging after such a horrendous performance last time out. England will hit the most sixes in their matches more often than not anyway but I expect them to do that and to win here.
If there is one Pakistan batsman who clears the rope though it could very well be Fakhar Zaman. He has played on this ground twice this summer including the match on Friday and he has hit a six on both occasions. I’ve mentioned all along how the new stand appeals to left handers when it comes to hitting sixes and this match will be played on the pitch where England have twice beaten the world record score in this format so that boundary will be accessible. He hit six sixes against England in the recent ODI series and another is not beyond him here.
Eoin Morgan has been in good form this summer. In the two proper innings he had in the ODI series with Pakistan he made scores of 71* and 76 and he has already begun this tournament with a half century too and given what I’ve just said about that boundary for left-handers I think he could be a big price to top score here. He made 57 and 67 in those two matches on this pitch which highlights his scoring potential. Given that he’s in top form and can attack that short boundary he looks a more than fair price to top score for the hosts.
Tips
Back England to win and hit the most sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Betfair
Back them here:
Back F.Zaman – Over 0.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 2.15 with 888sport
Back him here:
Back E.Morgan Top England Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 6.50 with William Hill
Back him here:
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