IPL Betting: Bangalore Royal Challengers v Mumbai Indians

Find Me A 100 Winner / Ed Hawkins / 09 May 2009 / Leave a Comment

The Mumbai Indians have lost their way somewhat recently but the return of Sanath Jayasuriya and improved bowling performances from Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga should see them to victory over the Bangalore Royal Challengers, writes Ed Hawkins.

Bangalore v Mumbai

Bangalore are reeling from the news that Nathan Bracken will not be joining their IPL campaign after Australia pulled him out because of injury fears. Bracken's arrival would have provided a fillip for a side who well beaten by Rajasthan last time out. New Zealanders Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor will hope for a spot, possibly at the expense of Roelof van der Merwe.
Mumbai rested Sanath Jayasuriya in defeat against Delhi. Luke Ronchi replaced him but made a two-ball duck so the veteran should get his spot back.

Conditions

Port Elizabeth has been IPL2'smost reliable wicket for batsmen. The average first-innings score there is 162. The forecast is for blazing sun all day, which should aid the willowmen.

Match odds

Bangalore and Mumbai come into this contest with contrasting fortunes. After Kevin Pietersen departed, Bangalore picked up and have won three from four (including a nine-wicket hammering of Mumbai). Mumbai appear to have lost the plot, losing four of their last five. It is difficult to put a finger on what has gone wrong for the Indians.

Certainly they are a more appetising prospect when Sachin Tendulkar and Jayasuriya open together and with that axis back in place they could be the value at around the [1.70] mark. Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo are two of the best death bowlers in the world and although their radars have gone awry, can a side with two such strong disciplines continue to falter?

Top batsman

In Mumbai's only game at PE in this tournament, Tendulkar top-scored against Kolkata. However, he failed against Bangalore when the sides met in Jo'burg and it was left for Jayasuriya to blaze away, scoring 52 from 43 balls. For Bangalore, Jacques Kallis top scored in that match and he is by far their most successful batsman with 230 runs in eight innings. Don't rule out a Rahul Dravid cameo farther down the order, though.

Featured market

If Tendulkar and Jayasuriya reform at the top of the order then there will be a mismatch on the highest six-over score market. Bangalore's Wasim Jaffer and Jacques Kallis are their current openers, a pair which would are more suited to Test scoring rates than Twenty20.