Monte's Multiple: Languid Gayle limbers up for more runs

Monte's Multiple / Jaymes Monte / 09 June 2009 / Leave a Comment

My Sunday evening supper consisted of my hat; last week I suggested that there may be a changing of the guard in the darting world. How wrong I was, Phil Taylor secured his third UK open title on Sunday in blistering fashion with a 100+ average throughout.

It wasn't a very appetising hat. It probably could have done with a bit of relish, or maybe just some Worcester sauce. My less than flavoursome experience led me to do a little research (I typed 'eat my hat' into google) and found a website dedicated to different ways of cooking your hat. The website includes recipes for Hattenburg Cake, Chocolate Hateau and Hatatouille amongst others. Some people really do have too much time on their hands!

Here's a hat-trick of selections to get you thinking this week.....

Bet 1: Cricket - Twenty20 World Cup

The tournament only began on Friday, and already we've seen the biggest shock in T20 World Cup history as Netherlands humbled England. We then saw West Indies finally show some purpose in a cricket game on English soil this summer. Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher dished out a beating to the Australian bowlers, giving a batting master class at the top of the order.

West Indies take on Sri Lanka on Thursday and due to victories over Australia, both teams are already through to the Super 8's.

So the pressure will be off and that will suit Chris Gayle to a tee. Although any player will struggle to get the two Sri Lanka spinners away for many runs this tournament, Gayle can once again do the damage in the early overs.

Selection: Back West Indies to beat Sri Lanka @ [2.3]

Bet 2: Football - World Cup Qualifiers

In recent years there has been great debate and legal wrangling over certain South American teams playing games in high altitude stadiums. In May 2007 FIFA introduced a ban on international matches being played at stadiums more than 2,500 metres above sea level. In June 2007 that limit was then raised to 3,000 metres and then in May 2008 the ban was completely lifted pending further investigation.

The ban came about following a complaint from the Brazil, who said that their players were left gasping for breath and with pounding hearts when playing in stadiums in extreme high altitude. The Bolivian FA fought back claiming discrimination and described the ban as 'football apartheid'.

Henceforth the ban was lifted, ironically one man who backed the right for nations to play at high altitude was Diego Maradona - an Argentina side managed by Maradona were recently beaten 6-1 in Bolivia playing in high altitude.

Argentina make a trip to another high altitude stadium in Quito, Ecuador on Wednesday night. Ecuador have already taken a point from Argentina in Buenos Aires in the opening game of this campaign and recently drew 1-1 with Brazil in Quito. It's a tough game for Maradona's men who have yet to prosper on their travels since the beginning of his tenure.

Selection: Lay Argentina to beat Ecuador @ [2.4]

Bet 3: Tennis - Queen's Club

The Queen's Club Championships is the traditional curtain raiser to the world's oldest tennis tournament - Wimbledon. Reigning champion Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament following his exit from the French Open, in order to give some extra rest to his knees ahead of Wimbledon.

His omission from the tournament means that home favourite Andy Murray is the number one seed with four time champion Andy Roddick seeded two. Two Frenchmen Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon also ranked in the world's top ten mean that along with another four time winner Lleyton Hewitt there is a relatively strong field again this year.

Again looking to the lower ranked match ups for some value in the early rounds brings us to the Spaniard Garcia Lopez against Luxembourg's Gilles Muller. Lopez has recently reached a career high ranking of number 50 in the world and came through his opening match of the tournament in impressive fashion, losing just two games.

Selection: Back Garcia Lopez to beat Muller @ [1.8]