October 2009

Shahid Afridi is cricket's first hired gun

Paul Moon / 31 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Test cricket fan Paul Moon is full of praise for the explosively entertaining Shahid Afridi but less complimentary towards his decision to retire from Test cricket aged just 29 so he can travel the globe playing for the highest bidder...Read more »

Third ODI Betting: Australia beginning to unravel

Ed Hawkins / 30 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Injuries are mounting for Australia as they start to limp around the India leg of their world tour. Ed Hawkins says they are vulnerable to a fit and firing home side in Delhi...Read more »

Cricket Betting: England need South Africans to shine

Ralph Ellis / 29 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Ralph Ellis believes that doubts about England's South African-born players' committment could inspire Andrew Strauss and co. to victory in the Rainbow Nation this winter......Read more »

Cricket Profiles: The Resilient Mr Lee

Andrew Hughes / 28 October 2009 / Leave a comment

He has endured countless injury setbacks, but Australia's blonde spearhead remains as potent as ever. Andrew Hughes pays tribute to one of the best fast bowlers of all timeRead more »

RIP David Shepherd 1940 - 2009

Maxliu / 28 October 2009 / Leave a comment

World cricket mourns loss of a great man and a world class umpire......Read more »

One Day International Betting: India v Australia, Round Two

Andrew Hughes / 26 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The first one day international between India and Australia produced a last over thriller and a fine advertisement for the fify over format. Andrew Hughes looks ahead to the second match of the series at Nagpur on WednesdayRead more »

Cricket Betting: Kieron Pollard's price tag and business as usual for the Aussies

Frank Gregan / 26 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Frank Gregan gives us his verdict on the inauguaral T20 Champions League and wonders whether it's time for new superstar Kieron Pollard and his T&T team-mates to go it alone in all competitions. Plus how the Aussie winning machine shows...Read more »

Cricket Champions League Betting: New South Wales v Trinidad & Tobago

Ed Hawkins / 23 October 2009 / Leave a comment

New South Wales may have been amongst the early favourites to win this competition but Trinidad & Tobago certainly weren't. Ed Hawkins talks us through what he expects to happen when the two meet in the final of the inaugural...Read more »

Cricket Betting: England will struggle to take 20 wickets in South Africa

Ralph Ellis / 23 October 2009 / Leave a comment

As the England touring party prepares for South Afica, Ralph Ellis asseses the impact of some of the more controversial sqaud selections....Read more »

Champions League Final Betting: T&T v NSW

Ed Hawkins / 23 October 2009 / Leave a comment

It's Caribbean flair v Aussie ruthlessness in the final in Hyderabad today. Ed Hawkins tries to work out whether Simon Katich's team can counter the exuberance of Daren Ganga's side...Read more »

Champions League Betting: Trinis to trounce Cobras

Andrew Hughes / 20 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The Champions League is down to the last four and in Thursday's second Semi-Final, the young guns of Trinidad and Tobago take on the hardened Cape Cobras. Andrew Hughes previews a fascinating clash. Read more »

Cricket Betting: Changes to playing staff don't stop the Aussie winning machine

Frank Gregan / 20 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The recent retirements from the Australian cricket team reads like a "who's who" of international cricket but as the likes of Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist bow out, new players come through and the winning just doesn't stop, says Frank...Read more »

Champions League Betting: New Faces

Andrew Hughes / 18 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The Champions League has given cricket fans the chance to see some talented but unfamiliar players from around the world. Andrew Hughes profiles the tournament's five most promising new facesRead more »

Champions League Betting: T&T are more DDT in explosive market

Ed Hawkins / 15 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Trinidad and Tobago look to be the most exciting side in the Champions League but if they are to produce an unexpected win, they must overcome the hard-nosed Australian outfits, says Ed Hawkins...Read more »

Cricket Zimbabwe's problems are here to stay

Paul Moon / 13 October 2009 / Leave a comment

As the question of whether Zimbabwe should be granted Test status resurfaces, Paul Moon gives us an update on what's going on behind the scenes and whether their return to the five day game is a good idea....Read more »

Cricket Betting: The Top Five Innovations of 2009

Andrew Hughes / 12 October 2009 / Leave a comment

We live in strange times. Cricket, for so long the sport of crusty traditionalists, is changing out of all recognition and every month seems to bring a new development in the sport of bat and ball. Andrew Hughes discusses the...Read more »

South Africa v England Test Series: Can the English selectors chisel out a third straight series win?

Frank Gregan / 12 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Plenty have scoffed at the England selectors' decisions in recent times but results have shown they get it right, so is a repeat of England's 2005 tour win likely? Frank Gregan assesses......Read more »

Cricket Betting: Lack of pace will cost England in South Africa

Ralph Ellis / 09 October 2009 / Leave a comment

In Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar they've left out two potential match winners. So can England succeed in South Africa this winter?...Read more »

Cricket Betting: Shane Bond - The best since Hadlee

Andrew Hughes / 08 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee are often said to be the best fast bowlers of the early 21st Century. But one man deserves to be ranked alongside them. Andrew Hughes tells us more.Read more »

ODI Cricket Betting: The seven cardinal sins of 50-over cricket

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 07 October 2009 / Leave a comment

A trip to Seville, Rana Ul-Naved bowling the 45th over in the ICC semi-final and Brendon McCullum dropping a sitter got Jamie Pacheco thinking about the no-nos of ODI cricket....Read more »

Champions League Betting: Victoria and Wayamba underrated

Ed Hawkins / 07 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The best Twenty20 sides in the world meet in India in the inaugural tournament and Ed Hawkins says it will be the team who sticks together will be victorious...Read more »

Champions Twenty20 League Betting: These new cricket bats are a different animal

Ralph Ellis / 07 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Innovations in cricket aren't just about shorter formats, new tactics and innovative shots. Ralph Ellis tells us about the introduction of the Mongoose bat which allows players like Sussex's Dwayne Smith to hit the ball further and harder than ever...Read more »

Twenty20 Betting: Guide to the Champions League

Andrew Hughes / 07 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Cricket's newest tournament gets underway on Thursday, featuring some of the best domestic teams from around the world. Andrew Hughes explains what it's all aboutRead more »

Cricket Betting: Is Flintoff cricket's Jean-Marc Bosman?

Frank Gregan / 05 October 2009 / Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago Andrew Flintoff became the first English player to reject an England central contract. Frank Gregan wonders whether these are exceptional circumstances given the player in question or the beginning of a new era of freelance...Read more »

Champions Trophy Betting: Australia v New Zealand

Ed Hawkins / 04 October 2009 / Leave a comment

The two rivals meet in the final for a contest which could be decided by the toss. But if the Kiwis call right can they hold their nerve against the most impressive side in the tournament? Ed Hawkins finds out...Read more »

Champions Trophy Betting: Pakistan v New Zealand

Ed Hawkins / 02 October 2009 / Leave a comment

A tricky batting wicket and toss bias could dictate the winner of the second semi-final but there are still plenty of other markets to play, says Ed Hawkins...Read more »

It's days like these that make cricket worth playing, says Ryan ten Doeschate

Ryan ten doeschate / 01 October 2009 / Leave a comment

In the last of his betting.betfair.com columns for the year, the Essex man tells us about his knock of 108 off just 59 balls, promotion to Division One of the County Championship and looking forward to a well-deserved rest....Read more »

Champions Trophy Betting: England v Australia

Andrew Hughes / 01 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Oh no, it's England versus Australia again! But this one really matters and there is every reason to believe that England can avenge their Natwest Series defeat and reach the final of the ICC Champions Trophy. Andrew Hughes previews the first semi-final. Read more »