Monte's Multiple / Jaymes Monte / 27 January 2009 /

If anything can be learned from last week's effort it is not to hatch your chickens before they've been counted, or something along those lines. Two draws on Tuesday night meant that Pakistan just needed to repeat their performance of the previous day against Sri Lanka, but the curse of 'two out of three' reared its head yet again as Pakistan capitulated - losing their final seven wickets for 36 runs and losing the match. This week we combine Darts, Football and Cricket...

Bet 1: Darts - Players Championship

After the best part of a month off our T.V. screens the PDC Darts boys return for the Players Championship and £200,000 in prize money.

Unfortunately, we won't be subject to the impossible debate of blonde or brunette as the tournament will be screened on ITV 4 rather than Sky Sports. And if previous ITV tournaments are anything to go by we may spend the majority of matches guessing where the darts have landed as the camera zooms in on the treble 20 whilst the player lines up for the 19's.

However. this shouldn't distract from the fact that there will be some top quality darts on show, with the PDC's top 32 ranked players competing in leg play format. This format is more susceptible to an upset than the set play format used in the World Championships, but the odds tend to reflect this.

Ronnie Baxter was involved in the most memorable match of the World Championships when he missed two darts at a double to beat Raymond Van Barneveled in a sudden death leg in the seventh and final set. He produced a spellbinding performance to show that he still has the ability that saw him reach consecutive BDO World Championship finals in 1999 and 2000.

Despite the defeat, Baxter commented after the match that it had renewed his own confidence in his ability, and that will be a major plus for him this week.

His opponent in the first round will be Tonny Eccles who had a disappointing World Championships. After scraping past qualifier Remco van Eijden 3-2 in the first round he was sent packing by James Wade. His average was comfortably sub 90 in both matches.

A rejuvenated Ronnie Baxter shouldn't have too much trouble seeing off Eccles, and backing the Rocket is my first selection this week.

Selection: Ronnie Baxter (to beat Tonny Eccles) @ [1.6]

Bet 2: Football - English Premier League

There is a sense of irony that Newcastle have this week appointed a second sacked Nottingham Forest manager to their coaching staff. Fans will hope that this is where the comparison with the former European champions ends.

Newcastle now have a Chairman who is scared to attend St James' park due to the fans' hatred of him, a manager who spends more time in the FA disciplinary dock than managing the team and players who are challenging each other to fights on and off the training ground.

However, Man City are giving them a run for their money in the travelling circus league. After Kaka rejected the chance to become the most expensive player in history and Robinho went AWOL, they decided to soothe their fans' worries by signing an injury prone troublemaker for £14million in the shape of Craig Bellamy. However, that signing may pay off in the short run as I am sure he will be doing his upmost to put one past his old employees on Wednesday.

On the field, yhings don't look much rosier for either side. Newcastle have won just two of their last eleven games and have won one away game all season and look to be in free fall. Man City are just three points above them and that is mainly thanks to their home record, nearly three quarters of their points have come at Eastlands.

Both clubs are teetering on laughable off the field but City have the most to remain optimistic about on it. Nigel de Jong will shore up the midfield, Bellamy will add pace in attack and Bridge will bring solidity to the back four.

Selection: Back Man City (to beat Newcastele) @ [1.75]

Bet 3: Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - 1st ODI

Sri Lanka go into this five game ODI series with India on the back of a 2-1 victory over Pakistan. However, to say that victory was controversial would be a gross understatement. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have demanded a report on their deciding game, 234 run defeat to Sri Lanka as they were bowled out for just 75 chasing 309. The PCB are demanding answers from their management and playing hierarchy.

However, Pakistan's poor performance should not distract from Sri Lanka's equally impressive performance. Dilshan knocked 137 from 139 balls in that deciding match after making 76 in the second match which tied the series. And Muralitharan and Mendis are striking up one the most feared spin bowl attacks in world cricket. Mahela Jayawardene and the Sri Lankan selectors have named an unchanged 15 man squad for the opening three ODI matches. The old adage; 'If it's not broken, don't fix it' will have been at the fore front of their minds having won their last three ODI series since defeat in India in July-August 2008, and, while we're on the subject of cliché's, remember, 'continuity breeds success'.

India have had a gap in their schedule after the withdrawal from their planned tour of Pakistan, their last limited over outing being the fifth victory of that 5-0 whitewash over England. However they will be without experienced campaigner Harbhajan Singh who was influential in the victory over England, he will be a big miss in Sri Lanka.

This series is expected by most, none less than captains Dhoni and Jayawardene, to be closely fought and nobody would be surprised to see it finish 3-2 either way. Therefore with the Sri Lankans available at [2.1] for the first match up and the Indians without their number one spin bowler and potentially a little rusty, Sri Lanka must be seen as the value bet.

Selection: Sri Lanka (to beat India) @ [2.1]

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