This week in ‘Round the Sports World in five minutes', we walk you through a vital clash in Mumbai at the T20 World Cup between England and the West Indies. We’ll also look at why the FA Cup still matters as it enters the Fourth Round this weekend.
England - West Indies T20I Cricket
- Start: Wednesday, 11 February
- Venue: Mumbai
- Coverage: Sky Sports Main Event
- Fun fact: These two teams contested the 2016 T20I World Cup final, which the Windies won. But it was far from straightforward, with the side from the Caribbean coming from nowhere to chase England’s total, thanks mostly to Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite, in what was by far the best T20 WC final to date.
Betting
England were 1/100 to beat Nepal in Mumbai in their opening match of the T20 World Cup. But with just one over to go, England were available at 5/1 in live betting, with Nepal being able to smell the finishing line in what would have been arguably the greatest shock in the history of the T20 World Cup.
Then Nepal felt the pressure a bit too much. Sam Curran bowled a fantastic last over, and Nepal were left wondering about what might have been.
It’s a reminder of a few things. That cricket and sports in general can throw up unexpected surprises is just one of the reasons we watch and love them. And that there are no certainties in betting. After all, a 1/100 shot almost lost.
The West Indies won far more comfortably against Scotland.
That poor performance against Nepal, despite winning, means England are now 6.0 to win the World Cup, with the West Indies a huge price at 40.0. The Windies certainly have all the batting power and ability in the world, but consistency has been a problem for them over the years, and they rarely put together a string of four or five big performances in a row. Which, of course, is why they’re the price that they are.
But back to this game.
England are just 1.36 to win the game with the West Indies 3.0, and that looks a pretty good price on the Windies.
Like England, they’re two-time T20I World Champions, and just as impressively, they have an 18-16 record against England in head-to-head matches. So, given all that, it really is a high price on the outsiders.
Unibet makes it 2.5 that the top-scoring batsman in the game comes from the West Indies, and that’s not a bad price, either.
The Windies’ Shimron Hetmyer was excellent against Scotland with 64 off 36, and he’s the best price of 4.75 with William Hill to win the West Indies Top Batsman market again.
Those are the same odds available on Jos Buttler to top-score for England with Phil Salt at 4.0 and skipper Harry Brook at 5.0.
FA Cup Fourth Round
- Start: 13-16 February
- Venue: Stadiums around the UK
- Coverage: BBC/TNT Sports/Discovery
- Fun fact: As we’ll find out in a minute, Arsenal are the joint-favourites to win the FA Cup this season, and with good reason: no one can match their 14 wins in the competition, with Manchester United next best on 13.
Betting
It’s a bit of a shame that the FA Cup doesn’t have quite the glamour and love for it that it used to have.
With money dominating the game more than ever, English football is all about getting into the Premier League, where tens of millions are paid out to teams just for being there. Better still, trying to get into the Champions League, where there’s even more money up for grabs!
But for lower-league teams, the FA Cup is still a big deal. Yes, it’s partly about the money (that again) that you get from gate receipts, TV, and prize money from getting to the next round, but there’s far more to it than that.
Take Salford - Manchester City on Saturday, for example. City is one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and will be playing against a side that is in League Two, the fourth tier of English football.
The fact that Manchester City are 1.03 to win the game, with Salford at 51.0, tells its own story about the gulf in class between the two sides. But for Salford, it’s a chance for the players to be up against the world’s best, like Phil Foden, Ruben Dias, and Erling Haaland (if they even play), and for the fans to have a great day out at the Etihad Stadium.
Also on Saturday, there’s an all-Premier League clash between Liverpool and Brighton with the Reds 1.44 to win, 3.6 on the draw, and 4.5 on the Brighton win.
But perhaps the most intriguing tie of the round comes in the form of another Premier League clash as Aston Villa host Newcastle.
Villa are third in the table. Even though they’re unlikely to be serious contenders to win the Premier League, they’re certainly capable of finishing in the Top 3.
Newcastle have had a tricky season and are down in 12th place, but they may see this as a good opportunity to win some silverware, especially since some Premier League clubs may not consider the FA Cup a priority. Villa are 2.0, with Newcastle 2.8, and the draw is 3.1. Over 2.5 looks surprisingly short at 1.6, with unders at 2.2 odds.
Those who have followed the fortunes of Hollywood movie star Ryan Reynolds and his Wrexham team may be interested in their match against Ipswich. The latter are the 1.91 favourites to win the game, with the draw at 3.4, and Wrexham is more than capable of causing an upset at home at a price of 3.4; that would be some Hollywood story.
Over on the winner market, it’s the usual suspects at the top of the market with Arsenal and Man City at 4.5, Liverpool at 7.0, Chelsea at 8.5, and Aston Villa at 11.0.
Bet of the Week: Back Under 2.5 Goals in Aston Villa - Newcastle
It’s a little strange that under 2.5 goals is available at 2.2 in this match. The last two games between these two (in the Premier League) ended 2-0 and 0-0, so recently, at least, it hasn’t been a high-scoring game.
There’s always a feeling that teams play with more freedom in the Cup, but that’s not necessarily the case in practice, so this one could be low-scoring for a third time in a row.
