blonde poker forum

We are at the Quarter final stage


the four winners go onto finals day where the two SF and final are played one after the other


NORTHANTS IS MY TIP


The key to 20-20 is not so much in the bowling but in how many destructive hitters you have


Surrey for example have always made finals day with big hitters like Ali Brown, Azhar Mahmood and when he played Adam Hollioake making any target reeachable

They have made the final 8 again but have a tough away draw at Gloucs and at 6.0 on Betfair aren't great value

Northants have three huge hitters...Sourav Ganguly opens the innings, David Sales and Lance Kuseneer come in at 4 and 5

at 8.2 on Betfair, the 8.4 having disappeared......they are unheralded, unfashionable and great value


They have a QF against Notts away which is winnable..home advantage doesn't count for a lot in this format and Notts whilst a decent team are not quite the side they were a year ago when County Champions

Here is a link to Northants latest game, it shows some of the scoring power of this side

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/5165884.stm

Interesting post Tighty and I'd certainly see Northants as great value but how about considering the following:-

Which county, as well as Surrey, has also made finals day every year of the competition?
Which county has won more Twenty20 games than any other?
Which county has topped their group once again this year to earn a third consecutive home quarter final?
Which team's net run rate was best in the country in the group stages?

See where I'm going with this?   ;D

Yep it's that equally "unheralded, unfashionable and great value"........... Leicestershire!!   :)up

Whilst I'd agree that usually 20-20 is about big hitters and very little home advantage, in the case of Leics I'd say the exact opposite is true.

Yes they've had some batting "big guns" over the past four years, such as Darren Maddy and Brad Hodge, but in the main their success has come about by batting first, posting an ok score, and then defending it like mad!

In eight group games only once have they conceded more than 143 runs which is testament to some tight bowling and very keen fielding. Indeed the county has five entries in the top twenty most economical bowlers of this years cup. The bowling is very strong in that the typical eleven that plays will contain seven regular bowlers which allows both variation plus some margin for error if one or two have an off day.

I'd also say that playing at Grace Road gives Leicester a considerable advantage too, both from some passionate support plus the fact that it's a big playing area and a historically low scoring ground which seems to catch opposition teams out.

You can get them at 7-1 on Laddies ( same as Northants! ) and 5/6 to win the qf both of which seem excellent bets. Incidentally you can also get evens on Northants winning at Notts which I'd say was equally a good bet.

So my tips for finals day are:-

Surrey, Essex, Leics and Northants

You are probably thinking after my last post that the Leicester team is invincible and has no weaknesses.

However there are a couple of points of concern that I have which stops me making Leics a truly "confident" tip......

They are a team with no "stars" which worries me that when it comes to the "crunch" i.e. in the really tense big games they can fold too easily under the pressure.  It's then that they miss the calmness of a couple of really top notch international players that most of the other teams possess. 

Witness last year's semi final versus Somerset, the eventual winners, where the team folded from 70 odd without loss, in quick time, chasing 160 ( I think ).   Not to mention poor Scott Boswell from a few years back too! (different comp but same sort of thing)

And therein lies the other weakness....batting second I reckon Leicester are only half the team they are when batting first.  I can't believe other teams don't make Leicester field first whenever they win the toss.  8 games out of 8 batting first this year...a definite advantage!!

Still have to be worth a bet though.........might make it each way though!!    :)up

Roll on quarter finals day...can't wait!!

hi Keith

I went to Grace road earlier in the season for a CC match (long story!)....I think it plays into LCCC's hands...slow track and big ground making it difficult to chase as you say and suiting the dibbly dobblers...the Snapes and the Masters' of this world


Not a bad bet but without the power of the Northants trio I'll go for the explosiveness elsewhere


they have a home QF though so who knows


I do think Essex priced as favourites are too short, but then I hate Ronnie Iranio with a passion so I am biased.

Yorkshire on form, come on your York-shiiire

There is 10 pounds on betfair for nottinghamshire to win at 7.4. They have just scored 213 in their first innings so should be a shoe in to the finals day. This is amazingly good value. Considering when they win the match you should be able to lay them off and make a quick profit.

Agreed, good total

Northants have a lot of firepower though

I have protected a bit of my Northants by taking Notts at 7.4, its the wrong price

I went to the game at Trent Bridge yesterday and it really was a no contest. Notts like Leicestershire are a team with few stars but a good solid team and have an excellent captain in New Zealender Stephen Fleming. On home turf don't discount them, i have never seen so many 6's hit by one side i reckon there must have 15+ yesterday.

Belated take on the quarterfinals.....

Three winners tipped out of four....and I blame Tighty for the other one!   :D

Leics won theirs easily by a convincing 9 wickets despite having to bat second, which made me a little nervous when I first heard!  Good news is that leading Twenty 20 runscorer Darren Maddy seems to have hit form at the right time with 70 odd in this game plus 150 in a 40 over one at the weekend.

Finals day is this Saturday and it's a close call between the remaining teams.  I'm still tipping Leics for the final though, where I think they'll end up playing Surrey.  I do expect Surrey v Notts I expect to be very close with maybe only a tight spell from Kumble ultimately making the difference.

A Leics - Surrey final would be too close to call though!   

A little belated...but well done you Foxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leicestershire....la la la laaaaaaa      ;applause;

 ;letsparty; ;letsparty; ;letsparty;