The Royal London One Day Cup continues with three fixtures on Thursday where hopefully I can build on a comfortable win for Durham on Wednesday with more winners.
Although the Ashes is getting most of the attention now there are already a couple of tight group tables taking shape and the three matches on Thursday will see those group places take more significance in the race to Lord’s.
The early start comes from Worcester where Worcestershire take on Yorkshire and then in the afternoon Kent host Hampshire in a tasty looking match while Sussex vs Nottinghamshire should be a good game too.
I’m on Kent outright for this tournament and they look a good price to beat Hampshire but that meltdown on Tuesday, albeit rain affected, is still too fresh in the memory for me to take them again even though I wouldn’t be surprised if they win. Hampshire have Fidel Edwards back too so there is enough there to give that one a swerve.
I fancy Nottinghamshire to win the other match at Hove but they’re a little short for me to punt on. I certainly wouldn’t put people off including them in a double with something but the price isn’t for me for a single. Sussex lack bowling depth and if Wright or Joyce don’t come off you wonder where their runs will come from unlike Nottinghamshire who have plenty of balance with the bat and the ball not to mention good quality too.
I do however like the early game from a betting point view. Yorkshire have drawn a bit of a short straw with the schedule it has to be said. Since last Sunday they have played seven out of 10 days and had to do a fair bit of travelling on one of those days. Worse still they were playing in London on Wednesday and have to finish that and all the stuff that goes with it and get all the way up to Worcester ready for a 10.30am start which isn’t easy.
That has to play into Worcestershire’s hands you would think. With the rain around in the last week they haven’t actually set foot on a cricket field since last Wednesday and while they’ve had to travel up to Durham and back for a washout you would expect them to be a lot fresher going into this match and we saw on Wednesday when Derbyshire made an elementary mistake with the amount of fielders they had on the leg side which ultimately cost them a win over Gloucestershire how mental fatigue can set in.
Yorkshire aren’t exactly enjoying the best of one day seasons anyway. They lost to Surrey on Wednesday and can’t be in great spirits heading to Worcester. Worcestershire thrashed Yorkshire in the T20 on the TV a couple of weeks ago and have put up two competitive showings against them in the Championship where only Jonny Bairstow got the better of them second time around. He isn’t around here which is another boost for Worcestershire.
I’d be more confident if Jack Shantry was in the home side’s team here but even without him there is still Saeed Ajmal and Joe Leach who are having great seasons. Worcestershire’s batsmen have shown they can cope against this Yorkshire attack so I think they’re a great price to pick up the win in this one.
Back Worcestershire to beat Yorkshire for a 3/10 stake at 2.25 with Coral
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