Find Me A 100 Winner / Andrew Hughes / 17 April 2009 /

Kevin Pietersen makes his debut in the competition and will have a hard job on his hands trying to out-fox his sometime mate and sometime rival Shane Warne, says Andrew Hughes. The best bet though is: Back 'Under 330.5' in the Total Runs market @ [2.0] or higher.

Team News

Shane Watson is sure to be used before he joins the Australian squad in Dubai and with Warne and Smith in the team that means the final overseas player slot will go to Tyron Henderson or one of the quick bowlers: Tait, Harwood or Morne Morkel. Young Indian speedster Kamran Khan is another option. Bangalore also have selectoral issues to resolve. Pietersen, Ryder and Steyn all pick themselves which means wicket-keeper Boucher could miss out in favour of Kallis.

Conditions

By the time this day-night affair begins, we should have a good idea of how the pitch is playing, but we can say for certain that batting second will be a tricky proposition under the lights.

Match Odds

The presence of Kevin Pietersen seems to have made Bangalore an attractive betting proposition for many. But I can't see the justification for the title holders Rajasthan being available at odds against and they should be backed at the current [2.02] or higher. An alternative strategy could be to wait for a couple of overs of Rajasthan's innings as their bigger hitters such as Pathan, Henderson and Jadeja come in lower down the order and their price could drift with a slow start.

Top Bat

For Bangalore, this is a contest between Pietersen, Ryder and Uthappa. Any of the three would be good candidates but I would plump for Ryder who could end up the longest priced of the three. You can probably back him at [4.5] nearer the off. For Rajasthan, Yusuf Pathan is one of the cleanest hitters in the game and has to be backed at likely odds of around [6.0]

Featured Market

It has been rare for teams to pass 150 in domestic Twenty20 cricket on this ground in recent times. And with batting likely to be harder under the lights than in the opening game, it could pay to back 'Under 330.5' in the Total Runs market if you can get on at [2.0] or higher.

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