The Royal London One Day Cup continues on Sunday as we get near the climax of the group stage. Both groups contain matches on what is a busy day of action up and down the country and by the end of it the quarter final picture should become a little clearer.
We have a televised match on Sunday which sees Durham taking on Yorkshire up at the Riverside and then there are six matches away from the TV cameras for us to bet on as well.
Durham vs Yorkshire
Durham go into this match in fifth place in what is an amazingly tight North Group. A win here could move them up to second if results go their way but at the same time if they lose and results go against them they could finish the day out of the tournament it is that tight. Yorkshire will officially be through if they win and they will secure a home quarter final too.
Durham seem to be losing players left right and centre both now and in the future. Phil Mustard has already left and we now know that Mark Stoneman will be leaving for Surrey at the end of the season which means that Paul Collingwood has taken over the captaincy again. That might not be a bad thing but the loss of Mustard isn’t ideal.
Yorkshire have been very strong in this competition with just the one defeat which was that horror show against Worcestershire which was on Sky earlier in the season. More recently we’ve seen them beat Northants in the T20 on Friday night to secure a quarter final spot in that tournament. They will be without their England players here but they’ve been coping fine without them.
I would expect Yorkshire to win this match but Durham are more than capable of an upset albeit their price isn’t quite high enough to lure me in on a bet. In fact I have scoured every market going for this match and I can’t really find anything I like. Those who think the price on Durham is acceptable I wouldn’t want to put you off but I’m going to leave this one alone.
Non TV Matches – North Group
There are three other matches in this group on Sunday. Worcestershire host Lancashire in a match which both sides have to win to survive and in which the loser will be out of the competition, Nottinghamshire face Leicestershire in a match where Nottinghamshire will qualify for the knockout stage if they win and Northamptonshire host Derbyshire.
I can’t really get a feel for Worcestershire against Lancashire and Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire. Worcestershire and Lancashire are both inconsistent sides and that could go any way while Nottinghamshire should beat Leicestershire but they are far too short albeit understandably so.
Northamptonshire are in a do or die situation. They play their last match in the competition against Derbyshire knowing they have to win to have any chance of making it through and even then they will need results to go their way. Defeat means they are out and focusing solely on the T20.
This is no small match for Derbyshire either. They are on the edge of the quarter final spots and having narrowly missed out on the last eight in the T20 on Friday they will be extra eager to make it in this competition. That said they are without Hamish Rutherford in this match and that isn’t at all ideal.
Northants are a really good one day side at the minute and while they lost to Yorkshire I got the feeling if they hadn’t played for the lower target than secured a home tie they could have beaten them. They have an excellent bowling attack and batsmen who are in the greatest form of their lives and I expect them to win that one.
Non TV Matches – South Group
There are three matches in the South Group too with Kent facing Gloucestershire, Glamorgan hosting Hampshire down at Swansea and the big match between Middlesex and Essex at Lord’s and it is that game I like from a betting standpoint.
Middlesex have gone along ok in one day cricket recently but their absentees are starting to build up. James Fuller and Eoin Morgan both miss out with injury while Steven Finn is away with England and Paul Stirling faces a fitness test on a shoulder injury which kept him out of the recent T20s. Dawid Malan will have to have overcome an illness too.
Essex have no such problems. They have a full strength squad to choose from and their T20 exit is likely to have increased their motivation to make it through in this tournament. A win here will not only confirm their progress but ensure they host a quarter final when they get through and that is a big incentive.
Essex have been strong all season in this competition and they have a pretty decent record at Lord’s in the various competitions. Their batting depth is a huge thing in this competition and their bowling options can’t be underestimated hence why I like them to win here.
Tips
WON – Back Northamptonshire to beat Derbyshire for a 5/10 stake at 1.73 with Betfair
Back them here:
Back Essex to beat Middlesex for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Titanbet
Back them here:
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