We’ve covered the top batsman market for the main draw in the T20 World Cup and now it is time to do the identical market for the bowlers. As you would expect for a tournament of this kind the cream of the crop are all in India so the top bowler market is pretty competitive.
Ravi Ashwin begins the tournament as the 10/1 favourite to be the top tournament bowler with Imran Tahir slightly bigger at 12/1. Mohammad Amir comes next at 16/1 with Ashish Nehra an 18/1 shot. Jasprit Bumrah is a 20/1 poke and that named quintet shows how strong the field is in this event.
When you think that the likes of Lasith Malinga, Dale Steyn, Trent Boult and Shahid Afridi are much bigger prices when usually they are right at the head of the betting it says a lot for the standard on show in this tournament.
It is important to differentiate between the batsman and bowler markets here. Obviously in a game of cricket there are many more runs than wickets so the field is spread out much more in the batting market than the bowling one. Given that we need to make sure we get some value in this market.
Another thing to consider is that with the spread of the field much smaller in this market that the more matches our bowlers can play the better their chances of success will be. While we can probably get away with a batsman who goes well not making the semi-finals it would be a surprise if many bowlers fill the frame without being in the knockout stages.
The other choice you have to make when you bet on this market is whether to go with a seamer or a spinner. If you go with a seamer you want to ensure he opens the bowling and bowls at the death because he’ll need some cheap wickets along the way. Personally I’m going with a couple of spinners.
I’ve already said elsewhere that England play two matches on excellent batting wickets but that shouldn’t dampen the spirits of Adil Rashid who has shown both in Australia in the Big Bash, where he was the second highest wicket taker in the tournament, and recently in South Africa for England that he can take wickets on very good pitches.
Rashid has a wrong un that still a lot of top level batsmen aren’t picking and with South Africa and the West Indies in England’s group both famous for their inability to play leg spin you’ve got to think Rashid will enjoy the early part of the tournament.
Sri Lanka and Afghanistan won’t have seen much of him either so I’m expecting a big tournament from Rashid. If England make the knockout stages he should be right there in the top bowler stakes.
I’ll stick with the spinners for a very overpriced looking Suliemann Benn for the West Indies. Benn is a bit of a mental price at 100/1 and while he isn’t the greatest spinner in the world he is pretty economical which is no surprise because he is so hard to sweep with the extra bounce he gets.
It looks like Benn is going to be the main spinner with Samuel Badree not bowling a single ball in the warm up matches. Whether the Windies are saving the leggie or he is injured is unclear but either way Benn looks like starting the tournament which is important.
The main reason I like Benn though is because the West Indies play two of their four group matches in Nagpur and we’ve already seen in the tournament how that track is jagging square so he should get a couple of cheap wickets on those pitches.
I’ve already said I think the Windies will go well in this tournament and if they do it is pretty much a no brainer to take big Suliemann at this crazy price.
Back A.Rashid Top Tournament Bowler (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Stan James (1/4 1-4)
Back S.Benn Top Tournament Bowler (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Ladbrokes (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
