The latest round of County Championship matches sees five more games starting on Sunday morning with all 10 teams involved hoping that the bad weather is behind them now so that they can crack on and push for big things this season.
Three of the five matches come from the top flight with the other two from the second division including the top two doing battle at Chelmsford in a match which could go a long way to deciding who gets promotion this season.
Division One
The top four all kick off matches on Sunday as Durham in fourth host struggling Hampshire while Middlesex in third place head to Yorkshire in second place and then leaders Lancashire head to relegation threatened Nottinghamshire.
I expect Durham and Yorkshire to win their matches but there isn’t much of a price on either of them and Middlesex offer a little too much resistance to go to the hassle of putting them into a double so I’ll concentrate on the other game.
Nottinghamshire have played more matches than anyone else this season and they only sit eight points above the relegation zone and Surrey have a game in hand of them so they desperately need to make the most of their match with Lancashire.
Lancashire are top of the table but have Yorkshire and Durham within striking distance of them so they could do with the points here as well. They will be looking to bounce back from defeat to Yorkshire in the Roses match on Friday night.
Nottinghamshire have got Stuart Broad back for this match and Imran Tahir has joined up as the overseas player too and that will dramatically help out their bowling attack which should now complement a very strong batting attack nicely. Lancashire look solid but quite often Nottinghamshire are a different side with Broad in it and at odds against they look a solid play here.
Division Two
Essex host Kent in the big game of the week. Kent went top of the table with a win last week and now they have Kagiso Rabada in their ranks. Essex have led for most of the season and saw off Kent in the T20 on Friday night and will be looking for a double there.
Although Kent have Rabada they are missing some big players in Daniel Bell-Drummond, Adam Riley and Matt Coles which isn’t ideal for such a big match and especially when Essex will have Alastair Cook at the top of the order looking to fill his boots ahead of the Test series with Pakistan next week.
Depending on who you like in this match you’ll get a decent enough price but I can’t call it. I’m on Essex for this division outright though so I’ll kick back and hope that they can find a precious win.
In the other game I like Leicestershire at odds against in their match with Worcestershire. Worcestershire started the season well but in all competitions they’ve taken a downturn and with Leicestershire closing in on top spot they need to keep on winning.
Leicestershire have added Ben Raine to their squad this week which is a boost and if the weather holds up I think they can make their way through this Worcestershire batting line up and take advantage of a bowling attack which whole competent might not have a whole lot to play with.
Tips
PUSH – Back Nottinghamshire to beat Lancashire for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Bet365
Back them here:
Back Leicestershire to beat Worcestershire for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Skybet
Back them here:
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